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Kari Dziedzic, former Minnesota Senate majority leader, dies at 62Article content Stop the presses; Chrysler has major news! Well, okay, that may be a bit dramatic. However, if you’re a lover of all things minivan , then you’ve probably been impatiently waiting for an electric minivan. Sure, maybe the Volkswagen ID.Buzz was a good start, but it’s not really and truly a minivan in the sense of a “soccer mom” equivalent, right? Chrysler brought us the first plug-in hybrid minivan via the Pacifica , and it’s still the only PHEV minivan in the North American market. (Note: The Toyota Sienna lineup is fully hybrid, and Kia recently added hybrid variants to its 2025 Carnival .) Now, if Toyota, Kia, and Honda don’t try to pull any fast moves with their minivan lineups, Chrysler will be the first to introduce an all-electric minivan in this segment. At the 2024 L.A. Auto Show , Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell confirmed to Green Car Reports that its upcoming electric minivan will also come in the form of the Pacifica , which makes the most sense, considering the only other vehicle in Chrysler’s current lineup is the Grand Caravan that comes in only one trim, and adding an all-new player to produce a lineup of three minivans would be extremely uncalled for in today’s market. “Consumers have a favorable opinion about Pacifica and very high awareness. I see no reason at this point to change the name,” Feuell told GCR , who also confirmed the Pacifica will receive a refresh for 2026, with the electric Pacifica likely to follow a year later. Details on whether the PHEV will continue to be offered, or if there might be a range extender, are still unknown. While nothing is set in stone just yet, Feuell also noted Chrysler is working on keeping the well-known Stow ‘N Go seats in the electric minivan, with a few ideas on the table. Meanwhile, design cues may come from the Halcyon concept , which could prove to be very interesting. Can you imagine a Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle EV with Halcyon styling? What do you think? Is an all-electric minivan just what we need? Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on Instagram , Facebook and X to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.
By Anura Gunasekera About 20 years ago, I used the same title, in a writing dealing with Mahinda Rajapaksa’s triumphant ascent to power, published in an issue of the Sunday Island. In that I expressed my deep apprehensions of a Rajapaksa dispensation. As the years unfolded, the grim realities of years of misrule, with the younger Rajapaksa outdoing the elder brother in criminality, corruption and incompetence, exceeded the worst fears of my imagination. In between, not to be forgotten, there was also the crushingly disappointing “yahapalanya” farce, perpetrated by the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe collaboration. But I am an eternal optimist. At an year short of eighty, there cannot be either space or time for pessimism, despite decades of despair, disappointment and disillusionment, over the country’s political trajectory since 1956 when, as a ten year old, I was made acutely aware by adult discussions around me, and the screaming headlines of newspapers then, of the magnitude and the implications of SWRD Bandaranaike’s election victory. The 1956 election victory of the “Pancha Maha Balavegaya” , was the so-called ushering in of the “Era of the common man”, engineered by a cynical aristocrat -as uncommon as they come – who leveraged the clear gulf between the anglophilic, feudalistic UNP regime of a decade, and the aspirations and frustrations of the majority, largely rural, Sinhala-Buddhist polity. That this social and political revolution also heralded the marginalization of the minority groups within the polity, institutionalized through subsequent legislation, is now a matter of history. There is no space in this writing for a discussion of the tragic consequences. In the recent demolition of all opposing parties by the NPP-JVP, led by the charismatic Anura Kumara Dissasnayake (AKD) , I see the “Era of the common man”, ushered in by an uncommon man of genuinely common origin. Despite the repetitive use of the word “common”, the latter is a statement made with great respect, and hope, that the overpowering political and social transformation commencing on September 21 and culminating on November 14, realistically signals the “Dawn of a New Era”; that it will usher in national ethnic and religious consensus, corruption-free governance, the re-establishment of the rule of law, a more equitable re-distribution of wealth, a state education system specially geared to meet the needs of development, a state medical service in which drugs are designed not to kill but to cure, and the empowerment of the long-neglected agricultural sector. These are but a few from the long list of critical national needs, for a “richer nation and a beautiful life”, which the NPP-JVP election manifesto has promised. AKD’s victory in the presidential election and the NPP-JVP victory in the subsequent general election, have been analyzed in all possible ways. The statistics of the victory are mind-boggling but not incomprehensible. 1.1 million voters who went to the presidential election in September, boycotted the general election in November. Sajith Premadasa’s (SP) SJB lost 3.4 million votes and Ranil Wickremesinghe’s (RW) NDF lost 1.7 million votes ( 78% and 75% respectively) within the space of six weeks, whilst AKD’s 42% increased to 61 % for his party. Despite critics and defeated opponents trivializing AKD as a minority president, on that showing alone the NPP-JVP was still assured of a simple majority at the general election. However, it may not have obtained the two-thirds majority at the general election, almost unimaginable within a proportional representation system, if not for mass voter abstention. But the obsession with the statistics of that victory is to ignore the qualitative aspects, reflected by the aspirations of the people. The SJB and the NDF fielded tainted candidates with long histories of alleged corruption, most of them from the Rajapaksa dispensation. Neither Sajith nor Ranil understood that ordinary people wanted a clean political culture, accountability by the legislature, the elimination of impunity for the privileged and the ruling elite, the answerability for abuse of privileges and a host of allied issues. Sajith persisted in delivering verbose analyses of AKD’s alleged bungling of the IMF programme, and the non-delivery of the assurances given to the nation in his manifesto. RW, despite an ignominious relegation to third place in the presidential race, resorted to belittlingnAKD as a “minority president”, accompanied by sick, insensitive jokes, unacceptable even from a schoolboy. Neither had a compelling vision or programme which could attract the polity, as an alternative to a more decent, fulfilling life within a clean administration, which was the essence of AKD’s philosophy. As a direct outcome of the election loss, the door has been firmly shut in RW’s face, despite his pathetic subsequent attempts at regaining political relevance. As for the SJB, if it is to regain any kind of political traction, it would need to seriously reconsider leadership options. Waiting for the present government to falter, or fail, is not an option. Sajith, a serial loser within a short span of time, is more ineffective than his elder clone, and perhaps one-time mentor, Ranil. The latter, over a couple of decades, presided over the gradual disintegration and disappearance of the UNP, once dominant in local politics. Under Sajith the SJB is certain to suffer the same fate, but much, much, quicker. The party, if it is to survive, needs to unceremoniously jettison a man who has proved, quickly and convincingly, to be an incompetent leader. Hopefully, by the time this is published, the mechanism for his eviction would have been set in motion. The outstanding, and most refreshing feature in the NPP-JVP election result is its performance in the North. For the first time since Independence in 1948, the northern polity rejected traditional, ethnic politicians, and responded to a leader of a different ethnicity from the South. One reason for the NPP-JVP success in the North is that AKD, from the very outset, fought a campaign based on equality for all races and religions, with national needs at the forefront, but totally free from ethnically divisive sentiments, customarily the primary weapons in the campaign armory of politicians of all ethnicities. The other is that despite decades of insular political representation, minority leaders have achieved very little on behalf of the polity they represented. People in all parts of the country share the same socio-economic problems, but those in the North, the victims of a brutal war, fought across the very lands they lived on, have deeper grievances awaiting resolution. AKD had already demonstrated good faith by the people of the North, by opening the Palaly-Atchchuvely road, after 34 years. In his campaign speech in Jaffna on November 10, he gave the assurance that Tamil political prisoners held in jails in the South, would be released. This drew a quick and detailed response from former minister of justice, Wijedasa Rajapakse, who stated that the use of the term, “political prisoners”, would compromise Sri Lanka’s position in Geneva, in regard to related issues. President AKD also promised to release formerly privately owned land, now held by the military. Reportedly, around 70,000 acres have already been released, although there is no clarity on the exact extent still held by the forces. There is also the accusation that acquired land has been leveled, and pre-existing boundaries and markers, such as trees, rocks and buildings, obliterated, thus making identification and restoration to original owners, impractical. Land, especially to a citizenry, for centuries heavily reliant on cultivation as a means of sustenance, is fundamental to existence. Therefore, this is a primary concern for immediate government attention. Another need is for Tamils in the North to be given the total freedom to commemorate their dead, whether they be civilians, or LTTE activists and combatants. To the kith and kin of those who died in battle against the largely Sinhala-Buddhist forces, the dead are not terrorists who waged war against an elected government, but, simply, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and husbands and wives, still remembered with love by the living. Their right to grieve is indisputable. If the Sinhalese of the South are permitted to commemorate JVP activists, eliminated largely through extra-judicial means by state-sponsored forces, the Tamils of the North have an equal right to publicly mourn the LTTE dead. An important issue the government must be aware of, is that establishing accord between the Tamil North, and the Sinhala South, will be resisted by extremist politicians on both sides, to whom racial and religious divisions have always been the means of inciting public sentiment, and securing and maintaining political power. In recent decades, the Rajapakse clan, especially Mahinda and Gotabhaya, elevated racially divisive rhetoric to an art form, tirelessly inventing enemies, from which only the family could deliver the Sinhala-Buddhist nation. A succession of racist politicians have drummed in to the minds of the Sinhalese, that a concession to the Tamil North, is a threat to the Sinhala-Buddhist South. In fact, already, there have been thinly veiled references by known extremists, suggesting that the NPP-JVP election victory win in the North, could be the result of a secret pact with one or more of the minority parties. For politicians and parties with no vision to offer the citizen, it is inconceivable that voters would respond to decent, sincere propositions with no strings attached. The people have given the NPP-JVP an overwhelming mandate, much more than the strong government that AKD requested during his campaign. The election result does not reflect a nation-wide ideological shift on the part of the voter, although the government, by delivering on its promises, can certainly stimulate one. If a government, with its roots in left-oriented, Marxist doctrine, becomes the engine of deliverance, to a nation in deep want in every aspect of its existence, then the whole nation will automatically turn Left. The nation now waits, impatiently, for the NPP-JVP to deliver. Failure may result in an eruption and the release of darker forces, in the face of which the “Aragalaya” would pale in to insignificance.The bill to ban social media for children under 16 will be a “test” for Peter Dutton’s leadership, says Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth. Speaking on Nine’s Today , Rishworth said there was bipartisan support for the bill, but that Dutton was losing control of his caucus. “Just a couple of weeks ago, Peter Dutton said he would facilitate this important piece of legislation and support the government. And now we see our senators defying him,” she said. “So this is a test for Peter Dutton and his leadership.” Also on Today was Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie, who said there were still concerns about digital ID laws and privacy. “Given the [is] censoring the Australian public bill from the Senate this week, we want to make sure we get strong, robust laws that don’t damage privacy and make compulsory Australians having to have digital IDs,” she said. “We do want strong, robust laws to protect kids under 16 on social media platforms. We’ve been out of the blocks before the government on this. We need to get the legislation right so it does actually get the outcomes we want. And we need to make sure that those protections exist in the legislation.” Read more about the debate within the Coalition on the ban here. An alternative proposal to the social media ban on children under 16 has been put forth by independent MP Zoe Daniel, who claims a ban doesn’t tackle the underlying issues that harm young people. Daniel’s bill would implement an overarching statutory duty of care on social media companies, with the goal being “safety by design”. “What you need to make that work is the companies to assess the risks, mitigate the risks, and be transparent about how they’re doing that,” Daniel told ABC News Breakfast. “The bill also has a provision to enable users to have control over the algorithm as exists overseas, particularly in the EU, enabling users to either reset or turn off their algorithm if they wish.” Independent MP Zoe Daniel. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Daniel says her work in the space began with tackling eating disorders, with a working group revealing the damage the algorithm was doing to sufferers by delivering them more content about eating disorders. She says the same trend is seen in a range of public health issues including gambling. “The problem with the algorithm is that in many ways, it compounds negative behaviour, and particularly for young people - that can send young people into a real spiral,” Daniel said. “The legislation is based on international best practice, so in effect, it cherry-picks the best of legislation that is already in place in Europe and in the UK.” The Goldstein MP said the government have been responsive to her proposal, and flagged they would consider duty of care eventually. But Daniel hopes the government will consider her bill now. “I understand why they want to do [the under 16s social media ban] because it is a lever to pull now and it makes parents feel better, but it actually makes zero difference to what is happening on the platforms. It doesn’t manage the algorithm or force the platforms to do anything about what is happening in their environment.” Social media companies, including Snapchat, TikTok, and Meta, have taken aim at the “rushed” consultation process for the ban on children under 16. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland introduced the world-leading reform to parliament last Thursday, which she said would make the online environment better for young people. The consultation period for groups and individuals to make submissions closed on Friday. A Senate committee held a one-day hearing on Monday and is due to report back on Tuesday. In submissions to the inquiry, several groups, including social media companies, pointed to the short notice period. Snap Inc. wrote that “the extremely compressed timeline” had allowed stakeholders little more than 24 hours to provide a response, which “severely” constrained thorough analysis and informed debate. X, formerly Twitter, also criticised the “unreasonably short time frame of one day”, writing that it has “serious concerns as to the lawfulness of the bill”. Meta, which owns Facebook, wrote that there had been “minimal consultation or engagement” and urged the government to wait for the results of the age assurance trial before progressing with the legislation. TikTok said that despite the “time-limited review”, there was a range of “serious, unresolved problems” that the government must clarify to ensure there wouldn’t be unintended consequences for all Australians. AAP Labor has gained a crucial concession from the Greens after a year of dispute over a $5.5 billion plan to help young Australians buy their first homes, securing the policy with a stunning back down from the minor party. The decisions late on Monday delivered a big victory to the federal government in the final week of parliament for the year, but other bills are on the brink of defeat after Senate crossbenchers blasted Labor for trying to rush through changes on the environment, political donations and other issues. Read more about the status of the bills on the brink, including the social media ban, political donation changes and environmental reforms, here. Good morning and welcome to the national news blog. My name is Josefine Ganko, and as always, I’ll lead our coverage for the first half of the day. It’s Tuesday, November 26. Here’s what’s making news this morning. Let’s get into it.N.J. Benson has 22 points, 17 rebounds and DePaul wins 84-65 over Loyola Maryland
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Today, December 17th, marks the 121st anniversary of the first flight. The flight was famously conducted by the Wright brothers in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The two brothers, Orville and Wilbur, are credited with the invention, building, and flying of the world's first successful airplane. It is known as the first controlled and sustained flight of an aircraft. Since then, over 121 years later, the aviation industry has changed remarkably, with the introduction of considerably more powerful and larger aircraft over the years. Let's take a look at the first flight of an airplane, as well as how the general aviation industry has changed since then. This story turns out to be way more complicated than you might expect. About the first flight In late 1903, the Wright brothers were setting up shop in the hills of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in order to attempt the world's first powered-flight. Prior to this, the two brothers had historically developed gliders and similar contraptions to test the abilities of flight. This included testing different types of wings, flight controls, and other changes to the empennage. By 1903, the Wright brothers wanted to add power to their aircraft, known as the Wright Flyer . This led the Wright brothers to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in late 1903, where they set up camp to begin testing. After experiencing initial delays, such as broken propeller shafts during engine testing, the two brothers were ready for the first flight. They flipped a coin to determine which brother would fly first, with Wilbur winning. On December 14, 1903, Wilbur Wright conducted a three-second flight attempt. However, it was ruled only a partial success, as Wilbur was unfamiliar with the engine and could not properly get it started. After a few days to repair the aircraft, Orville decided to make an attempt at flight. On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright conducted the world's first successful flight . He conducted two flights that day, both beginning at ground level, with Wilbur conducting a third and fourth flight as well. The first flight began at approximately 10:30 in the morning that day, which lasted just 12 seconds and covered a total of 120 feet. The aircraft recorded a speed of only 6.8 miles per hour and also only reached about ten feet off the ground. The next set of flights went slightly further, reaching around 175 and 200 feet each. Although the speed and range of the first flights were not remarkable, the Wright brothers proved that flight was possible, inspiring creators and inventors around the world. This flight would eventually spark the global aviation industry that we follow today. How has the aviation industry changed over the last hundred years? The first flight conducted by the flight brothers was the first step in the development of the aviation industry that we know today. Entrepreneurs, engineers, and aircraft designers found countless roles for aircraft, including prominent roles as machines in the military industry. This industry became especially prominent as, in the early 1910s, World War I began. Airplanes were just falling into public use by the end of the war, so they were initially used for reconnaissance. However, since then, the roles of aircraft in the military have expanded rapidly, including the use of planes as fighters, bombers, and countless other roles. Many designers and engineers also immediately tried to create aircraft that could be used for transportation ability found in the booming commercial industry that has become so prominent. Also in the early 1910s, the first scheduled commercial airplane flight was conducted by Tony Jannus from St. Petersburg to Tampa in Florida . Since then, commercial airliners have been increasingly prominent, with narrowbody and widebody airliners dominating the skies above us. General aviation has continued to grow. Single-engine light aircraft are still the basis for training new pilots, resembling many early aircraft produced by aviation pioneers. The aviation industry has changed remarkably over the last 121 years, and it is exciting to continue to see new technological advances in the sky.
Across the country, high-quality, accessible and affordable early child care can be difficult to find . A growing program in Alabama aims to ease that problem by expanding the number of at-home day care centers, in a move its creator believes will provide more care options to stressed parents and also give the workforce a boost. “Alabama has a large workforce and a large workforce need at the same time,” said Holly Glasgow, director of child development at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa. “And we know that child care is one of those things that is often a barrier.” Glasgow is leading 3by3 , a program run out of Shelton State that aims to bring more at-home day care centers to local families. There are fewer than 50 licensed child care centers in Tuscaloosa County, and Glasgow estimates that there are about 3,000 child care spots available for the more than 12,000 kids under the age of 5. “We realized pretty quickly that regardless of how much money they were able to raise, it would not be enough to really build enough centers across our state to be able to effectively change what we have in terms of the number of child care slots,” Glasgow said. “But what we could do instead was really focus on family child care homes. They give us the ability to kind of meet the needs of the workforce a little bit differently. They give us the opportunity to add child care in a family setting,” she added. The lack of affordable, quality child care has bedeviled parents and employers across the country for several years, even becoming a talking point in this year’s presidential election . It has played a central role in discussions about the economy since the pandemic, when many child care centers closed and some parents could not return to work. According to the Census Bureau , 35% of parents with children under age 5 have no formal child care arrangements. In the Tuscaloosa area, where major employers include manufacturing facilities that operate 24 hours a day, it can be challenging to find child care during off-hours. “When you combine the shortage with shift-based work, one thing becomes clear: Tuscaloosa County needs more child care for its families — and part of that care at night,” the program’s website says. The 3by3 program matches people who want to start at-home day cares with grants and partner organizations to help cover startup costs, one of the greatest barriers to entry for people who want to start an at-home day care. The participants also receive about 100 hours of training, learning everything from social media marketing to the required alterations they must make to their homes. Glasgow assists in making sure each house is up to code, visiting often and stocking each one with toys, books, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, outlet covers and more. Most of these homes have the capacity to care for three to six children. The program, which launched earlier this year, has helped to set up 19 at-home day cares, each with three to six children. The operators keep all of their profits. Among them is Lynnette Washington, a member of the inaugural 3by3 program cohort who started a home day care that her daughter can also attend. “To be able to help kids and parents and stuff like that, because everybody got to work, and to be able to help, that’s an awesome feeling,” she said. Receiving quality child care at a young age can improve numerous outcomes for children, said Steve Barnett, senior co-director of the National Institute for Early Education Research. “We know that kids who don’t get these investments can be 18 months behind when they start school. It’s very difficult to ever catch up,” Barnett said. “Their language, literacy and math skills, we set the foundation for all of that. That’s so important for the rest of their lives,” he added. “And we know that if we do this well, kids will be more likely to go on to higher education and to be more productive and successful. And actually they’ll live longer lives, healthier because of this.” Glasgow said she has big dreams for 3by3. “I don’t think Alabama is where we will stop. I do think going forward, we’ll be able to provide a model for other states,” she said. “Early care and early education is pivotal,” Glasgow added. “We have to make it better. And it’s much easier to spend the money doing it better at the beginning than to remediate the issues at the end. By leaps and bounds.”Key Takeaways: Transportation is the highest emissions segment in United States Of rail, water, and road, only freight trucking can readily decarbonize Electric trucks are cost-effective and rapidly advancing The United States has unintentionally made itself into the country with the hardest to decarbonize transportation sector, and it matters. Transportation produces a third of all greenhouse gas emissions for the country, more than electrical generation now, as well as contributing an outsized share of air pollution. The one segment of freight transportation with a potential for significant decarbonization in the near term, heavy-duty road trucking, faces headwinds despite contributing to 30% of total emissions of the transportation sector, and being only 5% of road vehicles. How can electrification of road trucking be accelerated so that this win can be realized quickly? As the first article in this strategy series lays out, the authors’ intended audience is three-fold: 1) firms with major internal freight logistics and operations such as UPS, FedEx, and Amazon which operate many depots; 2) large firms that own and operate many existing highway truck stops and depots; and 3) turn-key engineering, procurement, and construction solution providers that can build all elements of charging at existing or new truck stops and depots. The reason is simple: these are the organizations with the ability to deliver repeatable, high-quality, low-cost truck charging solutions following the diagnosis and self-reinforcing actions contained in this series. Other stakeholders, such as policymakers, truck makers, manufacturers of battery, solar, and charging equipment, energy management companies, and more, should look at this material and determine how they can support the primary audiences. The authors, Rish Ghatikar and Michael Barnard, are professionals with global careers in strategy, sustainability and transportation. They took it upon themselves to articulate over a series of articles what they consider a high-efficiency strategy, policies and action plans to address one of the the important challenges — to decarbonize heavy-duty road freight. They are available to guide firms which want to take up this strategy to assist with its refinement and adaptation for specific firms’ requirements. The authors share the perspective that Richard Rumelt’s Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters is the best book on strategic planning for businesses and policy makers available today, and will use Rumelt’s framing to articulate their perspective. At heart, Rumelt says a good strategy has a kernel consisting of three things. First, a diagnosis of what is going on here, a clear-eyed look at all relevant aspects of the situation. Second, a policy which simplifies and focuses actions, designed to maximize benefits and minimize risks. Third, a set of self-reinforcing actions aligned with the policy. That’s it: diagnosis, policy, actions. The book is a highly recommended read and provides example after example of bad strategies that don’t have this. And so, to the diagnosis of freight decarbonization. As noted in the introduction, the United States has a challenge in decarbonizing the transportation sector. While this is true for the movement of people around the country in their daily rounds and trips, we’ll set this aside and focus on freight road transport. Per earlier assessments Barnard has done of global freight mode variances across major economic blocs, the United States has a breakdown of roughly 2 trillion ton miles (TTM) of road freight, 1.5 TTM of rail freight, and 0.4 TTM of domestic water freight. Two of these modes face significant challenges in decarbonization in the coming two decades. Per the US’ own transportation blueprint , which Barnard analyzed upon its release, the intent is mode-shifting of freight from roads to rail and water. However, the reality is that the inverse that will happen, for better or worse. Water freight in the US is heavily constrained for growth. The Jones Act, the most restrictive cabotage act in the world, which requires all domestic water freight vessels to be made in America, by American firms, owned by American firms, flagged in America, and crewed by Americans, was intended to preserve the merchant marine in the aftermath of World War One, where it was a vital logistics arm of the US military. However, as Barnard pointed out in his assessment of US water freight challenges , in combination with the deindustrialization of the US over the past four decades, American shipbuilding has dwindled. Now the country isn’t even in the top 15 of shipbuilding countries, outstripped by much smaller European countries. However, it isn’t the European shipbuilders which are the challenge, although they will be running flat out to build the electrified ships of the future for that continent. It’s that China is now by far the biggest shipbuilder in the world, with 59% of all new ship orders flowing to Chinese shipyards. That’s followed by South Korea and Japan, both of which are also on the other side of the Pacific. While those two countries are US allies, having them build new, smaller domestic ships for the US market when they are building high-ticket large ships for global freight firms will be challenging. Of course, inland and short-sea ships often can’t cross oceans, so delivery of the vessels will be challenging as well. Finally, inland and short sea shippings’ largest lever in the coming years is battery-electric propulsion, as that has the best economics and emissions savings. Per US Department of Energy Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory studies in 2022 and 2024 , 950-mile journeys break even economically with batteries that cost US$100 per kWh, and 1,900 mile journeys at $50 per kWh. The Chinese firm CATL, the market leader in electric vehicle batteries, delivers lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries at $56 per kWh today, however, the US has put significant tariffs on Chinese batteries and has very limited battery manufacturing capacity. Batteries built in the US, with the possible exception of Tesla, will remain much more expensive, and cheaper batteries from China will be difficult to consider immediately. The authors recognize that the United States is pursuing domestic manufacturing policies and investments which have the potential to lower battery costs over the longer-term, but the recent failure of Northvolt, which Barnard analyzed , means that those initiatives are high risk. The small and aging fleet of merchant marine vessels operating domestically — only 93 vessels over 100 tons currently qualify — will be difficult to retrofit and new vessels will be difficult to build. That’s true for dual fuel vessels for lower likelihood alternative fuels such as methanol and ammonia as well. This leaves biodiesel repurposed from other parts of the US economy as likely the only lever available for the small number of ships. Growing the water freight segment, as the blueprint suggests, is heavily constrained, and it’s the smallest freight carrier today despite the excellent waterway and coastal resources the United States has. Moving on to rail, the US, uniquely among major economic blocs, has no heavy freight electrification. India is at 97% electrification this year after 15 years of its program and will hit 100% soon, and rail is the dominant mode of domestic freight shipping. China is well over 70% electrified. Europe, while moving little freight by rail as it prioritizes passengers there, has a high degree of electrification. The lack of rail electrification in the United States is due to the corporate structure of heavy rail and bordering countries, Canada and Mexico. All of the tracks are owned by operators, unlike other countries where they are national infrastructure or public-sector assets. In the US, investment in their maintenance, as well as strategic improvements, are the responsibilities of the operators. The operators are constrained under US fiduciary responsibility to only consider the requirements of their shareholders. Strategic investments that would impact quarterly profits, operations, dividends, and earnings calls this year for a benefit in five to ten years, are close to impossible to get approved. US rail operators are going to see seriously declining revenue in coming years as the full third of their tonnage which is coal and a bit of oil disappears as global demand diminishes. They will be operating under falling revenues and seeing an even lower ratio of freight tons per mile of track than they do today, when over the entire set of rails they are already at half of European levels and worse compared to India and China. As a result of this situation, the official American Association of Railroads policy is that what every other major economy is just getting on with is impossible in the US. They are formally and vocally opposed to rail electrification. Further, while they could operate their trains on biodiesel, it would increase their operating expenses and decrease their profits, so it isn’t viable for them either. The lack of a carbon price on fuels in the United States, with limited carbon pricing in only two states, means that rail operators have no economic incentive to purchase more expensive fuels. The Inflation Reduction Act, while it is subsidizing green hydrogen and synthetic fuels, still leaves resulting liquid fuels that are plug compatible with aging diesel electric locomotives far above the cost of diesel today. The only lever is pressure from major logistics firms such as Amazon which are looking to decarbonize their supply chains, and while rail operators are listening, they aren’t acting. The situation brings us to freight road trucks where diesel-powered trucks still dominate. At the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) Run on Less test month in September of 2023, two Tesla Semis covered over 1,000 miles in a day of operation with two half-hour charging sessions. Other manufacturers had 500-mile days. The accomplishments show that the challenges of scaling electric technology in heavier and longer-distance trucks are addressable. However, the current share of electric trucks is statistically insignificant (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 . CHICAGO (AP) — N.J. Benson had 22 points and 17 rebounds in DePaul’s 84-65 victory over Loyola Maryland on Saturday. Benson added 17 rebounds for the Blue Demons (9-4). Jacob Meyer added 12 points while shooting 4 for 11 (0 for 3 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line while they also had five rebounds. CJ Gunn went 4 of 11 from the field (1 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 11 points. The Greyhounds (5-6) were led in scoring by Jacob Theodosiou, who finished with 22 points. Milos Ilic added 13 points, six rebounds and two steals for Loyola (MD). Jordan Stiemke had 10 points. DePaul took the lead with 18:45 left in the first half and did not relinquish it. Benson led their team in scoring with 14 points in the first half to help put them up 44-26 at the break. DePaul extended its lead to 64-36 during the second half, fueled by an 8-0 scoring run. Isaiah Rivera scored a team-high 10 points in the second half as his team closed out the win. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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 . CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — KyKy Tandy scored 21 points and Florida Atlantic pulled away late in the second half to beat Oklahoma State 86-78 on Thursday in the Charleston Classic. It was the second straight loss by a Power Four team in the tournament after Miami fell to Drake in the opener. Florida Atlantic (4-2) plays the Bulldogs in the semifinals on Friday, while Oklahoma State (3-1) battles the Hurricanes in a consolation game. Leland Walker completed a three-point play with 4:38 left in the second half to give FAU its first lead, 68-67, since it was 16-14. Tandy made a 3-pointer from the corner to cap FAU’s 11-1 run for a 75-68 lead with 2:41 left. Oklahoma State went five-plus minutes without a field goal late in the second half until Brandon Newman made a fast-break layup with 1:17 remaining. But Ken Evans Jr. answered with a three-point play at the other end for a nine-point lead. The Cowboys turned it over on their next possession with 52.3 seconds left. Evans finished with 13 points, Walker scored 12 and Tre Carroll had 10 for FAU. The Owls attempted 49 free throws leading to three Oklahoma State players fouling out and three others finishing with four fouls. RELATED COVERAGE Jeremy Roach rescues No. 13 Baylor with buzzer-beater in 5th game after standout 4 years at Duke No. 16 Indiana remains unbeaten with 69-58 win over UNC Greensboro Mark Few likes No. 3 Gonzaga’s toughness after win over future Pac-12 ‘partner’ SDSU Khalil Brantley had 16 points and Robert Jennings II scored a career-high 14 points to go with 11 rebounds for Oklahoma State. Patrick Suemnick was helped off the floor with 1:40 left in the first half and did not return. Oklahoma State led 39-34 at halftime despite making just 33.3% of its shots. FAU shot a better percentage from the field (47.8) than at the free-throw line (46.7) in the first half. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballIt's Thanksgiving feast week! Time for family, friends, food, fun, and of course, DFS football. The Sporting News can't wait to get you ready for another loaded Turkey Day weekend of DFS sleepers and value plays, highlighting the top bargains on DraftKings , FanDuel , and SuperDraft . The No. 1 key to success in daily fantasy: identifying value. You won't win any DFS jackpots if you don't get the most bang for your buck during lineup construction. Finding a balance between proven weekly studs and high-value sleepers is crucial, just like lining your Turkey Day buffet with solid sides, in addition to the classic favorites. For years, this column has shined a light on the undervalued gems each week on DraftKings, FanDuel, and now SuperDraft. Anyone can spot the elite DFS stars, but it's the sleepers and value plays that separate lineups from the crowd and start making you some real money. MORE NFL WEEK 13: Best bets and top props | Odds, lines, totals By finding solid production at discount DFS prices, we afford ourselves more proven weekly studs at other roster positions. That way, a larger percentage of our lineup is contributing, and we establish lineup variance by separating our entries from the rest of the DFS pack. Throughout the season, we highlight our biggest hits from the previous week to prove the effectiveness of our strategies. Let's take a look at our list of successes from last week, with each player's Week 12 salaries as well as their final DraftKings points production. POS. PLAYER WEEK 12 GAME SALARY POINTS QB Bo Nix Broncos at Raiders $6,300 23.4 QB Sam Darnold Vikings at Bears $5,900 24.1 QB Baker Mayfield Bucs at Giants $6,100 19.7 RB Bucky Irving Bucs at Giants $5,400 27.1 RB David Montgomery Lions at Colts $6,700 16.3 WR DJ Moore Bears vs. Vikings $5,500 20.1 WR Calvin Ridley Titans vs. Texans $5,700 14.3 TE Jonnu Smith Dolphins vs. Patriots $4,100 23.7 TE T.J. Hockenson Vikings at Bears $4,200 21.4 TE Zach Ertz Commanders vs. Cowboys $3,800 15.8 DST Denver Broncos at Raiders $3,200 10.0 DST Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Giants $3,300 10.0 We didn't have as many massive scores as we enjoyed two weeks ago. Still, that's a healthy list, with 12 juicy servings of DFS goodness. We were particularly pleased with our QB and TE offerings, not to mention the gold we struck with Bucky Irving and DJ Moore in the mid-$5,000s. Let's carry over the momentum and unveil our Week 13 DFS sleepers and value picks on DraftKings , FanDuel , and SuperDraft . We'll highlight the most affordable high-value options at each position, as well as their listed cost or scoring boost on each DFS site. Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a weekend of good DFS fortune! WEEK 13 FANTASY FOOTBALL ROSTER MANAGEMENT ADVICE Stock Watch | Sleepers | Busts | Start 'Em, Sit 'Em | Usage Report Best NFL DFS sleepers for Week 13: Quarterback Russell Wilson, Steelers at Bengals (DK: $5,700 | FD: $7,500 | SD: 1.3x) After averaging 19.6 DK points per game in his first three contests with the Steelers, Russ has come back to Earth a bit with just 11.05 PPG in the two games since. This should be a get-right game, however, as long as DangeRuss can stay away from sack-monster Trey Hendrickson. That one name aside, Cincinnati has been awful defensively. Only three teams have surrendered more fantasy points per game to QBs this season (DK and FD), and both Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson went OFF the last time they faced the Bengals (Herbs had 297 and 2 TDs, LJax had 290 and 4 TDs). Fire Russ up, and let's hope for a Pittsburgh-related catchphrase soon! WEEK 13 FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST | Kickers Justin Herbert, Chargers at Falcons (DK: $5,600 | FD: $7,900 | SD: 1.3x) Every Turkey Day weekend needs some Herbs and seasoning, and we're loving the flavor Herbert has provided since the Bolts became relevant again. He's the QB6 since Week 7, averaging over 20 PPG during that span. Now he faces a Falcons D that has allowed the 6th-most QB PPG and just got destroyed by Bo Nix last week. Other QBs whose Week 13 values exceed their price tags: Drake Maye, Patriots vs. Colts (DK: $5,600 | FD: $6,800 | SD: 1.3x) Anthony Richardson, Colts at Patriots (DK: $5,500 | FD: $7,800 | SD: 1.3x) Will Levis, Titans at Commanders (DK: $5,000 | FD: $7,100 | SD: 1.4x) WEEK 13 WAIVER WIRE ADVICE Full waiver wire list | FAAB guide | Top players to target Best NFL DFS sleepers for Week 13: Running back Bucky Irving, Buccaneers at Panthers (DK: $5,800 | FD: $ | SD: 1.45x) It's a glorious time of year, and an even more glorious time to be a Bucky Irving fantasy manager or investor. The rookie exploded for 151 all-purpose yards and a TD last week against the Giants, good for 27.1 points. Now he faces the Panthers, an even more abysmal run D that has yielded the most DK and FD points in the NFL to RBs this season. It's time to get Buck-wild. Other strong Week 13 RB values (bold prices indicate volatilty) : Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots vs. Colts (DK: $5,900 | FD: $6,400 | SD: 1.35x) Tony Pollard, Titans at Commanders (DK: $6,300 | FD: $7,000 | SD: 1.3x) Chase Brown, Bengals vs. Steelers (DK: $6,200 | FD: $7,300 | SD: 1.3x) Jeremy McNichols, Commanders vs. Titans (DK: $5,400 | FD: $6,700 | SD: 1.5x) MORE: Learn about the SuperDraft Jackpot | How to play DFS Best NFL DFS sleepers for Week 13: Wide receiver Ladd McConkey, Chargers at Falcons (DK: $6,100 | FD: $6,300 | SD: 1.25x) McConkey has been a revelation for the Bolts, who have been otherwise plagued by underwhelming downfield playmakers most weeks. Quentin Johnston had multiple awful drops against the Ravens in the MNF Harbaugh Bowl, while tight end Will Dissly is good but one-dimensional. It's time for the rookie Ladd to heat up the hot sauce and unleash his inner beast in Atlanta. We just saw Bo Nix and Courtland Sutton go HAM on the Dirty Birds — here's hoping Herbs and McConkey are the next QB/WR duo to feast on their below-average defense. Other strong Week 13 DFS values at WR: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks at Jets (DK: $6,300 | FD: $7,700 | SD: 1.25x) Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals at Vikings (DK: $6,000 | FD: $6,900 | SD: 1.25x) Tank Dell, Texans at Jaguars (DK: $5,900 | FD: $6,400 | SD: 1.25x) Michael Pittman Jr., Colts at Patriots (DK: $5,200 | FD: $6,600 | SD: 1.35x) Best NFL DFS sleepers for Week 13: Tight end Pat Freiermuth, Steelers at Bengals (DK: $3,500 | FD: $5,100 | SD: 1.55x) The 'Muth has been pretty solid over the past month, but he's long overdue for a big "Muth on the loose" game. He has caught 100 percent of his targets since Week 8, and he just logged a 59-yard game against the division-rival Browns. Now he draws the Bengals, who have surrendered the 3rd-most fantasy PPG to tight ends this season. Stuff your lineups with 'Muth this weekend. More Week 13 TEs worth a look : Will Dissly, Chargers at Falcons (DK: $4,000 | FD: $5,200 | SD: 1.45x) Hunter Henry, Patriots vs. Colts (DK: $4,200 | FD: $5,100 | SD: 1.35x) Dallas Goedert, Eagles at Ravens (DK: $4,300 | FD: $6,000 | SD: 1.35x) Best NFL DFS sleepers for Week 13: D/ST Los Angeles Rams at Saints (DK: $2,700 | FD: $5,100) The Broncos should be among the top-3 most expensive D/STs this week, yet they're just the 7th-most expensive. Denver just blasted a good Falcons team by a score of 38-6, racking up 13 DK points via an interception, four sacks, and the six points allowed. Las Vegas has yielded the 2nd-most D/ST points on the season. This is a no-brainer, like honey glaze on your holiday ham. Other decent D/ST plays for Week 13 : New England Patriots vs. Colts (DK: $2,500 | FD: $3,600) New York Jets vs. Seahawks (DK: $2,500 | FD: $3,700) If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Learn more >
A church in Switzerland has started using a hologram of Jesus made with the help of artificial intelligence for confession. Thanks to technological advances, parishioners can now hear the voice of the Almighty and address him with their prayers and requests. The hologram of Jesus appeared in St. Peter's Church as part of an art project called "Deus in Machina" (God in the Machine). At least two-thirds of the people who talked to AI Jesus came out of confession reports with a new "spiritual" experience, MailOnline writes . This is currently a temporary installation, but representatives of St. Peter's Church say that in the future, similar chatbots may take over some of the responsibilities of church pastors. "I was surprised, it was so easy, and even though it's a machine, it gave me so much advice," said one of the churchgoers. Visitors to this futuristic shrine sit in a confession booth from which a screen showing the face of Jesus can be seen through a grille. When a visitor asks a question, the artificial intelligence interprets his words and formulates answers, animating the face to move in time with the computer speech. AI Jesus has the ability to speak 100 different languages to satisfy many tourists visiting Lucerne. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber . Don't fall for fakes!My Special Aflac Duck® lands in the Sacramento Valley
Musk digs in on German far right plug, sparking rowMITCHELL — After months of classes, studying, athletic and activities practices and even part-time jobs, students at Dakota Wesleyan University are ready to embrace some time off as Thanksgiving arrives. With Thanksgiving break starting Nov. 25, many students have already departed campus to head back to their hometowns to visit family and friends and take in the traditional meal while getting a little chance to decompress from the routine. ADVERTISEMENT But not every student. “We have an increasing population of foreign-born students, especially our soccer team, which has a significant number of them. I believe we have 21 internationals this year,” Clifford Chamberlain, a business professor at Dakota Wesleyan, told the Mitchell Republic recently. “So, just logistically, it’s very difficult for students to go home both (for Thanksgiving and Christmas), especially if they’re flying internationally.” That leaves a significant number of students without a destination over Thanksgiving break. Instead of packing up and fighting traffic heading off to whatever part of the country they come from, those students are spending their time on campus in Mitchell this week. It also leaves them without specific meal plans, as the campus cafeteria is closed until Dec. 1. That led Chamberlain, in his fourth year at Dakota Wesleyan, to step in and help fill a need for those students. He is spearheading a project to see that those students without a specific place to go have plenty of good food and company in what could otherwise be a very lonely time of year. Chamberlain is coordinating a set of volunteers to transform Dakota Hall, a residence hall on campus, into the “Dakota Kitchen,” where students remaining on campus can pick up ingredients to cook up hearty meals or even stop in to grab a fully-cooked meal. “Our cafeteria has not had enough people to justify having it open over the break because most people until this point were going home. So it was a cost-saving benefit thing. So these students were having to fend for themselves for essentially the entire week,” Chamberlain said. “The cafeteria closes on Friday, and then it doesn’t reopen until Sunday night. That’s a long time. That’s what prompted it, and I was wanting to do something.” ADVERTISEMENT He put out feelers to school staff and faculty for anyone who was willing to lend a hand, either with donations or hands-on help. He arranges for students staying over the holiday to have their key fobs updated to allow them access to the facilities hosting the meals. Willing volunteers are able to prepare a full meal, which is designated specifically for evening meals that run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The business department at the school recently whipped up soup for the students to enjoy, none of which remained at the end of the evening. In addition, Chamberlain has purchased groceries to serve a continental-style breakfast in the mornings. The pantry at Dakota Hall is also stocked with ingredients, so students can put together their own meals. Eggs and other fresh items are turned into breakfast sandwiches. “The pantry is stocked, and literally you just take what you need and go from there. And there is lunch stuff, too,” Chamberlain. He has also connected with local churches such as First United Methodist in Mitchell, where he and students from the school were Monday night enjoying a dinner of hot soup. In addition to the international students on hand, members of the Tigers men's basketball team were also present to take advantage of the ad hoc program. Later in the week, Thanksgiving Day to be specific, Chamberlain expected to haul any interested students down to RiverTree Church for its annual free Thanksgiving meal, which feeds hundreds of people every year. The Kiwanis Club is also taking part in the effort. The project is only in its first year, but it has already received praise from both the students who utilize it and the volunteers who give of their time or cooking skills to contribute to it. Chamberlain said the need is there with the school’s growing international student body, and it is the time of year to be helpful and giving, with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays coming up soon. ADVERTISEMENT It’s about more than just a hot meal for students who can’t go home for the holiday. It’s also about embracing a sense of community – both at the university and the Mitchell community itself – and sharing that with those students. A sense of belonging is important, and the new project is as much about sharing personal time with those students as it is a tasty dinner. “It’s the season for it. There is a significant need, and we understand that this is a time that people really need to be around family. And because of logistical reasons, these students are in a situation where they can’t be,” Chamberlain said. “I think it drives it home a little bit more than at other times during the year. But I also think it speaks to our identity as a university. There was a need presented and they rose to the occasion.” The church basement at First United Methodist Church on Monday night in downtown Mitchell was bustling with various Dakota Wesleyan students. Quiet chatter filled the room as students gathered around bowls of hot soup. The crowd features several athletes and international students, including members of the men’s basketball team, which had a game scheduled Tuesday against Briar Cliff at the Corn Palace. That means several players are hanging around campus instead of heading home for Thanksgiving. Kevin Williamson, head coach for the men’s basketball team, was also on hand with members of his team. With the campus cafeteria closed and several players far from home, the dinner option at the church and through Chamberlain’s efforts have been helpful. It not only helps with dinner plans during a holiday week, it’s also a chance to connect with the community itself. “It’s great that people in town care enough to want to take care of our college students and student athletes, and obviously men’s basketball is here during the break when many other people are not, and it’s good that they’re putting stuff on for student athletes so they get a chance to hang out and go to different environments that aren’t just their dorm rooms,” Williamson said. “They get to go out and meet people and have different experiences that a lot of other people don’t get in college.” ADVERTISEMENT Juan Gomez seated himself with some friends, ready to dig into a bowl of soup. The senior business and finance major from Columbia tries to make it home every year for Christmas, but usually finds himself staying in Mitchell during Thanksgiving. Having formerly attended college in Iowa during his freshman year, he appreciates the gesture of Chamberlain and groups like the United Methodist Church and other volunteer groups. “This is really great. I spent my freshman year in Iowa, and I remember we had to cook our meals for ourselves. It was pasta and tuna for an entire week,” said Gomez, who is also a member of the school’s men’s soccer team. “We appreciate it, especially us internationals. We are so far from home.” For Chamberlain, the project is a way to give back, to get to know his students better and to share in the community spirit Mitchell brings to life during the holidays. That community feeling doesn’t stop with the meals, either. Sometimes, it’s just fun. “Personally, I get a lot out of it. Just interacting with the students,” Chamberlain said. “Last night I was playing Rummy with the kids, and I haven’t played Rummy in 20 years. It was really fun, and I’m already planning on doing it next Thanksgiving.” With its early success, there will likely be more, similar projects at other points during the year. Chamberlain said he was also planning to host a similar project during the school’s spring break in March, which also sees a fair amount of students linger on campus instead of heading out to warmer climates. ADVERTISEMENT For those who remain on campus, there will be hot food and warm camaraderie available from Chamberlain and his fellow volunteers at Dakota Wesleyan University and the Mitchell community in general. “It’s been amazingly well-received. The people that are doing it, they’ve had fun,” Chamberlain said.What's Going On With ASP Isotopes Stock Tuesday?
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