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10jili. com Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save BANGKOK — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world's third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, left, and Honda Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe, center, and Takao Kato CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, right, arrive to attend a joint news conference Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) An industry shakeup The ascent of Chinese automakers is rattling the industry at a time when manufacturers are struggling to shift from fossil fuel-driven vehicles to electrics. Relatively inexpensive EVs from China's BYD, Great Wall and Nio are eating into the market shares of U.S. and Japanese car companies in China and elsewhere. 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New Jersey 'homelessness czar' at work in Atlantic City, DCA says Fans say farewell as a beloved White Horse Pike cheesesteak shop closes 2 Wildwood men accused of sexually assaulting juveniles Japanese automakers have lagged behind big rivals in EVs and are now trying to cut costs and make up for lost time. Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi announced in August that they will share components for electric vehicles like batteries and jointly research software for autonomous driving to adapt better to dramatic changes in the auto industry centered around electrification. A preliminary agreement between Honda, Japan's second-largest automaker, and Nissan, third largest, was announced in March. A merger could result in a behemoth worth about $55 billion based on the market capitalization of all three automakers. Joining forces would help the smaller Japanese automakers add scale to compete with Japan's market leader Toyota Motor Corp. and with Germany's Volkswagen AG. Toyota itself has technology partnerships with Japan's Mazda Motor Corp. and Subaru Corp. Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, left, Honda Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe, center, and Takao Kato, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, right, pose for photographers during a joint news conference in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) What would Honda need from Nissan? Nissan has truck-based body-on-frame large SUVs such as the Armada and Infiniti QX80 that Honda doesn't have, with large towing capacities and good off-road performance, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of AutoForecast Solutions. Nissan also has years of experience building batteries and electric vehicles, and gas-electric hybird powertrains that could help Honda in developing its own EVs and next generation of hybrids, he said. "Nissan does have some product segments where Honda doesn't currently play," that a merger or partnership could help, said Sam Abuelsamid, a Detroit-area automotive industry analsyt. While Nissan's electric Leaf and Ariya haven't sold well in the U.S., they're solid vehicles, Fiorani said. "They haven't been resting on their laurels, and they have been developing this technology," he said. "They have new products coming that could provide a good platform for Honda for its next generation." Why now? Nissan said last month that it was slashing 9,000 jobs, or about 6% of its global work force, and reducing global production capacity by 20% after reporting a quarterly loss of 9.3 billion yen ($61 million). Earlier this month it reshuffled its management and its chief executive, Makoto Uchida, took a 50% pay cut to take responsibility for the financial woes, saying Nissan needed to become more efficient and respond better to market tastes, rising costs and other global changes. Fitch Ratings recently downgraded Nissan's credit outlook to "negative," citing worsening profitability, partly due to price cuts in the North American market. But it noted that it has a strong financial structure and solid cash reserves that amounted to 1.44 trillion yen ($9.4 billion). Nissan's share price has fallen to the point where it is considered something of a bargain. A report in the Japanese financial magazine Diamond said talks with Honda gained urgency after the Taiwan maker of iPhones Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known as Foxconn, began exploring a possible acquisition of Nissan as part of its push into the EV sector. The company has struggled for years following a scandal that began with the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn in late 2018 on charges of fraud and misuse of company assets, allegations that he denies. He eventually was released on bail and fled to Lebanon. Honda reported its profits slipped nearly 20% in the first half of the April-March fiscal year from a year earlier, as sales suffered in China. More headwinds Toyota made 11.5 million vehicles in 2023, while Honda rolled out 4 million and Nissan produced 3.4 million. Mitsubishi Motors made just over 1 million. Even after a merger Toyota would remain the leading Japanese automaker. All the global automakers are facing potential shocks if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on threats to raise or impose tariffs on imports of foreign products, even from allies like Japan and neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico. Nissan is among the major car companies that have adjusted their supply chains to include vehicles assembled in Mexico. Meanwhile, analysts say there is an "affordability shift" taking place across the industry, led by people who feel they cannot afford to pay nearly $50,000 for a new vehicle. In American, a vital market for companies like Nissan, Honda and Toyota, that's forcing automakers to consider lower pricing, which will eat further into industry profits. ____ AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher contributed to this report from Detroit. Airbags, advanced driver assistance features, and high-strength materials mean that the safest cars today are far better at protecting people from injuries than ever before. Although most new cars compare well to their predecessors, some stand above the rest. The safest cars for 2025 offer excellent occupant protection and also do a good job of preventing accidents from happening in the first place. Based on testing data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety , or IIHS, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , or NHTSA, these are some of the safest cars available today. Ranging from inexpensive compact cars and mainstream midsize sedans to stylish station wagons, posh luxury cars, and sporty coupes and convertibles, Edmunds shares a list that has something for just about everyone. For those who prefer a higher seating position and maybe some added practicality, Edmunds' list of safest SUVs is for you. The stylish Mazda 3 has a lot to offer compact-car shoppers, including great looks, a composed driving experience, and reasonable fuel economy from its base 2.0-liter engine. It's also one of the safest cars in its class, earning a perfect five stars in NHTSA crash testing and sterling crashworthiness and collision avoidance scores from the IIHS. Its standard features are forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure prevention. Base price: $25,135 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 7.6 (out of 10) With mature styling, a premium interior, and an efficient hybrid powertrain option, the 2025 Honda Civic is a great option if safety is a concern since it aces almost all of the IIHS' crash tests and earns a five-star safety rating from the federal government. It also comes standard with adaptive cruise control, lane departure prevention, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking. The Civic falls short slightly in the IIHS' updated moderate overlap front test, which now accounts for rear passenger safety, but even so, it's one of the safest cars in its class. Base price: $25,345 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.2 (out of 10) Reflective of parent company BMW, today's Mini Cooper is well constructed and features premium safety features that belie its small size, including automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning. Although the Mini hasn't been tested by NHTSA, the IIHS gives the Cooper its highest score of Good in the original driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and side-impact tests. That said, the IIHS doesn't place the Cooper on its Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ lists since it hasn't been evaluated on the updated battery of passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, or side-impact tests. Expect the new-for-2025 Mini Cooper to earn decent crash ratings in those scenarios, especially since it shares its strong platform with the outgoing model. Base price: $33,195 NHTSA rating: not tested IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 7.5 (out of 10) With its recent redesign, the Toyota Prius transformed from a frumpy little caterpillar to a stylish and efficient butterfly. It also became a very safe hybrid hatchback. Perfect scores in all of its government and IIHS crash tests, as well as a sophisticated system of collision avoidance technology, earn it top marks. It's also one of our favorite cars on the market, period, as evidenced by its status as a 2024 Edmunds Top Rated vehicle. Base price (2024): $29,045 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.0 (out of 10) The Honda Accord is among the safest midsize sedans on the market today thanks to excellent crashworthiness scores and a competent standard collision prevention system. It's a Top Safety Pick+, beating out rivals like the Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5, and Subaru Legacy, and the Accord also earns a perfect five-star rating from NHTSA. Honda's hybrid-intensive product planning is on full display here—all but the two lowest Accord trims have a hybrid powertrain—and it's also among the most spacious cars in its class. Base price: $29,390 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.0 (out of 10) Like its Honda Accord rival, the Toyota Camry is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ with a five-star NHTSA rating. It also has a very impressive suite of driver assistance and safety technology, including lane departure prevention with active centering, full-speed adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking. The Camry edges out the Accord in IIHS testing thanks to a more effective collision avoidance system, but both cars are remarkably well matched otherwise. Base price: $29,495 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.1 (out of 10) The fully electric Hyundai Ioniq 6 offers excellent safety and collision prevention, with excellent scores across the entire line of IIHS tests. The Ioniq 6 hasn't been tested for rollover resistance by NHTSA, but it earned a four-star front safety rating and a five-star side-impact rating in government tests. Like most EVs, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 comes standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure prevention. It also offers up to 342 miles of all-electric driving in its longest-range trim level. Base price: $38,900 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.1 (out of 10) The Acura Integra is a close mechanical cousin to the Honda Civic, so it's no surprise it does well in both the IIHS' and NHTSA's crash tests. The luxury hatchback is a Top Safety Pick+ and earns a perfect five stars in government testing. The AcuraWatch safety suite is standard on the Integra, bringing automatic emergency braking, lane centering, lane departure prevention, and adaptive cruise control. Base price: $34,195 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 7.4 (out of 10) The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a safe option in the popular small luxury sedan segment thanks to its good scores in IIHS crash testing. Mercedes' best-selling sedan also comes standard with automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, which helps it earn a Top Safety Pick award. However, it hasn't been tested by the NHTSA. Base price: $49,600 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick Edmunds Rating: 7.9 (out of 10) Both the Genesis G80 and the fully electric Genesis Electrified G80 earn a Top Safety Pick+ score from the IIHS thanks to their good scores on the agency's crash tests, as well as a comprehensive suite of active safety features that avoided collisions with simulated pedestrians. The internal-combustion-engine G80 earned a perfect five-star safety rating from NHTSA, and although the Electrified G80 hasn't been tested by the feds just yet, it should likely excel in those tests too. Base price: $58,350 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.0 (out of 10) The flagship Genesis G90 sedan competes with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series, and the South Korean automaker clearly hasn't skimped on safety in its fight against the establishment. Although it hasn't been subjected to the NHTSA array of tests, it aced almost all of its IIHS tests, and a long list of standard active safety and driver assistance features sets it apart from the stingy German makes that charge extra for them. Base price: $90,450 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.1 (out of 10) With handsome styling and a well-finished interior, the Volvo V60 is a very appealing station wagon for those looking for such a thing. It's also quite safe, with good crashworthiness scores in the IIHS' original moderate overlap front and side-impact scores. Unfortunately, since it hasn't been tested with the updated versions of those tests, it didn't earn this year's Top Safety Pick award, but it was called a Top Safety Pick+ in 2022. NHTSA also gives the V60 a five-star safety rating. Base price: $51,495 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 7.9 (out of 10) Although the Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain isn't a traditional wagon — it follows the lifted almost-crossover formula shared with the Audi A6 Allroad and Volvo V90 Cross Country — we'll take what we can get in this dwindling category. The All-Terrain hasn't been tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but a previous-generation E-Class earned a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award, and Mercedes isn't the kind of company that goes backward when it comes to safety. The E 450 All-Terrain comes standard with automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, though, at this price, Benz should just make other active safety features standard. Base price: $75,850 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.5 (out of 10) With a five-star NHTSA safety rating, standard forward collision warning and emergency braking, and excellent IIHS crashworthiness scores on its original tests, the Audi A6 Allroad does a good job protecting people (both passengers and pedestrians) from crashes. However, since the IIHS hasn't subjected the Allroad to its updated side and moderate front crash criteria, it lost its Top Safety Pick+ status in 2022. Still, it should be a fine option for luxury longroof shoppers. Base price: $70,395 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 7.6 (out of 10) Both the Ford Mustang coupe and convertible perform well in crash testing. The coupe received a five-star safety rating from NHTSA, and both variants scored decently on all the IIHS tests they've undergone. They also come standard with forward collision warning, lane departure prevention, and automatic emergency braking. However, the IIHS needs to test both models on its updated criteria before it will rate them. Base price: $33,515 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 7.9 (out of 10) Although the government hasn't tested it, the Toyota GR86 aced all of its IIHS crashworthiness tests when it was new for the 2022 model year. Unfortunately, since it hasn't been subjected to the IIHS' updated testing since then, it lost its Top Safety Pick+ status. Still, this is a fun-to-drive, sporty coupe that comes standard with a long list of active safety features, and it's reasonably priced to boot. Base price: $31,085 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 8.2 (out of 10) Mechanically identical to the Toyota GR86, the 2025 Subaru BRZ achieves the same safety ratings—who would have thought? It likewise received a Top Safety Pick+ score in 2022 that lapsed when the IIHS updated its criteria for 2023, but like the Toyota, it has a long list of active safety features to go along with its lightweight, rip-roaring sports car attitude. Base price: $32,365 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 8.3 (out of 10) The Audi A5 lost its traditional two-door coupe body style after 2024, but the five-door Sportback body style remains before it's replaced later in 2025. Although it hasn't seen the IIHS' more stringent test regimen, its original crashworthiness scores were good enough to earn it a Top Safety Pick award as recently as 2022. The Sportback is the only variant to be tested by the government, where it earned a five-star safety rating. Base price: $49,965 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: not rated This story was produced by Edmunds and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.The Infrastructure and Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) is targeting to roll out additional accommodation facilities for students countrywide to create a good learning environment for learners at tertiary education level. IDBZ chief executive Mr Thomas Zondo Sakala said the bank wasat various project development stages for other facilities in Lupane, KweKwe,Bindura, Chinhoyi, Masvingo, Gweru, Gwanda, Mutare, Harare and Chipinge. Already, some special purpose vehicles (SPVs) to mobilisefunding for student accommodation facilities at four universities have beencreated. These are Campus Oasis for Lupane State University (LSU), CatholicUniversity of Zimbabwe Students Hostels Private Limited, Multi BUSE Properties PrivateLimited for Bindura University for Science Education and Sesevven Heroes Campus PrivateLimited for Chinhoyi University of Technology. The SPVs are modelled on the Bulawayo Student Accommodation Complex, which was commissioned by President Mnangagwa last Friday and fundedto the tune of US$17,5 million. To develop and deliver the Bulawayo facility, the IDBZ first purchased the land from a private owner who already had the designs but couldnot raise the money for implementation. To mobilise funding for the project,the bank then created a SPV called Zimcampus Properties Private Limited toimplement, own, and operate the complex. As a deliberate strategy, anchored on playing a catalytic role and enabling IDBZ to work on several similar projects across the country,the IDBZ deliberately diluted its shareholding to a minimum. Thus, after Bulawayo facility, the respective shareholding of the three private investors and the IDBZ stands as follows: IDBZ, 7,67 percent, Motor Industry Pension Fund, 19,44 percent, Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Zimbabwe Limited, 49,37 percent and Zimnat, 23,52 percent. Through Zimcampus, the IDBZ secured funding commitments fromOld Mutual, Zimnat and Motor Industry Pension Fund. There are also a number of nominees invested through Old Mutual and Zimnat. Among them is the PublicService Commission Pension Fund who contributed about US1,8 million by the time the project was completed. The partners have rights to participate in the project revenues proportional to their contribution to the development of the facility. The Zimcampus board has since appointed Old Mutual as the facility manager. Until then, the IDBZ was responsible. The complex boasts 516 double rooms, accommodating 1 032 students. The ground floor offers 33 commercial units for businesses like food courts, grocery shops, a sporting facility, a bookshop, banks, apharmacy, laundromats, and supermarkets, exemplifying a modern world-classfacility. Students benefiting from the facility are from institutions like the National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo Polytechnic College and the Zimbabwe School of Mines. Notably, female students will be the primary beneficiaries,with a 60 percent quota set aside for them. Mr Sakala said the bank had already spent close to US$1 million towards project preparation for LSU and US$600 000 for theCatholic University. "The resources are from our Project Preparation and DevelopmentFacility (PPDF)," said Mr Sakala. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Zimbabwe Education Banking Submit By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. _ready.push(function($) {if ( ! loadjs.isDefined( 'newsletter-signup-assets' ) ) { loadjs( ["https://cdn01.allafrica.com/static/js/jquery/jquery.serialize-object.min.js?v=2024110900","https://cdn05.allafrica.com/static/js/newsletter-signup.min.js?v=2024110900","https://cdn05.allafrica.com/static/css/newsletter-signup.min.css?v=2024110900"], 'newsletter-signup-assets', { async: true, });} // the newsletter widget calls storageAllowed(), which is imported with // the cmp bundle. passing an array of bundle names to loadjs triggers // the callback only after all of the listed bundles have fired. loadjs.ready( [ 'cmp', 'js-cookie', 'events', 'newsletter-signup-assets' ], function() { $('.newsletter-signup.inread.collapse.w-background.w-background-color.blue').newsletterInRead({ maxShowCount: 10, maxCloseCount: 3, maxSuccessCount: 1, }); }); }); "It (The PPDF) needs to be optimally resourced, especially given the fact that there is a significant timelag before these outlays are recovered and re-invested through the PPDF." He said the bank had accelerated preparations for similar developments at Lupane, Kwekwe and the Catholic University in Harare and "we havealready funded the designs for these three sites." Accommodation for students remains a challenge nationwide,with students forced to stay in inappropriate environments. A significant number stay in private homes without safety and good hygienic conditions.In 2016, out of about 70 000 enrolled in various State universities across the country, only just under 11 000 were provided with accommodation. The remaining 59 000 students head to make their own arrangements. The situation created a lot of learning, social and security risks for thestudents, especially the girls. Read the original article on The Herald .

Can you remember where you were when Manchester City sold Morgan Rogers? The fury that you took to group chats and social media with, the national phone-ins that you rang up and the articles you shared about what a huge mistake Pep Guardiola had made? No, me neither. The same goes for Romeo Lavia, Liam Delap, and even Cole Palmer in the long list of players that now look ideal to help the Blues get out of their current mess but simply didn't at the time. Rogers bullied City on Saturday but his time at the club didn't work to the extent that while he was at Bournemouth in the Championship he was left out of their squad for the second half of the 2021/22 season and could not sort another loan deal in the January window. If there was any talk of Rogers when he left City, it was that the mistake was in paying what they did for him. That isn't to say that that was right either, but should illustrate that it takes time to...Trump’s tariffs in his first term did little to alter the economy, but this time could be different

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Middle East latest: Displaced people return to south Lebanon as ceasefire appears to holdEducation has always been contentious — K-12 education, particularly so. Few locales of public life are more vulnerable to the imposition (and questioning) of values than are schools: the places where we send our children to be prepared for life as citizens. So, in times of civic distance and discord, it’s not surprising that education, too, has become a political battleground. And yet, as dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Education, I am hopeful. I see evidence that no matter the election outcome, American educators will continue to connect across differences to deliver better student outcomes, close opportunity gaps and strengthen our communities. Here is what gives me that confidence. Kat Locke-Jones, Maryland’s Teacher of the Year, is a case in point. Motivated by her brother’s death by suicide, this seventh-grade teacher has dedicated herself to supporting the mental health of her students, transforming her classroom into what she calls a “brave space.” At the start of each academic year, Locke-Jones shares her story with her students at Baltimore’s Hampstead Hill Academy, building a sense of family and trust within the classroom. She encourages them to write and share their own stories, helping them find the courage to be authentic and vulnerable while learning to navigate conflict. At Hampstead Hill, a public charter school, 39% of the students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and 18% are immigrants just learning English. Locke-Jones’ students have excelled in English language arts. While the English assessment pass rate for seventh graders was 29% in Baltimore City, and 47% statewide, 82% of Hampstead Hill students passed — and more than a quarter of her students scored at the advanced level. For the majority of American families, schools are important community anchors. It is no accident that a great many of them serve as voting sites. Schools are still among our most trusted public institutions and most valuable connectors. One of these is our Johns Hopkins neighborhood partner, Margaret Brent Elementary/Middle School. Approximately one-third of Margaret Brent’s students speak English as a second language, and 85% are students of color. The school offers an innovative curriculum that embeds the visual and performing arts into strategies to help students retain academic content — especially those who are struggling with STEM subjects. When I visit the school each year for its arts celebration, parents reach out to tell me how grateful they are that Margaret Brent and its teachers use the arts to engage and develop their children in culturally relevant ways. One teacher said she counted nine different languages in her first-grade class alone. In such a diverse community, this arts-rich school builds relationships across all kinds of differences. At the Johns Hopkins School of Education, we examine interventions and models, new and old, for one basic measure: Does it work? Does distributing eyeglasses to children with vision problems improve learning? (Yes.) Does in-class surveillance technology promote school safety? (Possibly, but likely at the expense of academic performance.) One system model that works in most democracies around the world is educational pluralism — in which the government funds a broad range of schools that are owned and administered by private and public organizations, including churches and other civil society organizations, as well as secular agencies. In our education system, about 83% of K-12 students today attend public schools — 90% if we include public charter schools. That’s a heavy load for one sector — and an unwieldy one, when administered by 50-plus different government entities. Well-designed educationally pluralist systems support the distinctive character of different schools while holding them accountable for academic quality. The Netherlands funds 36 kinds of schools while requiring students in all of them to take common, knowledge-rich assessments. Belgium, England, South Africa and Indonesia operate in similar fashion. Importantly, leaders in these systems don’t pit entire school sectors against one another but seek to help all schools serve students well. Faculty and students at our school of education practice this approach by researching public, private, charter and homeschooling models and preparing leaders for all sectors. There are many more examples of the power of education to connect across divides, and my colleagues at the Johns Hopkins School of Education prove it every day as we work to prepare a new generation of education leaders and scholars to solve common problems together. We know that no matter what, we will work together to benefit the nation’s students — wherever they attend school.