Up to Centre to decide if it wants to forcibly evict Dallewal from protest site: Farmer leaders

(Photo by Kampus Production via Pexels) By Stephen Beech Employees are suffering "techno-strain" as a result of digital systems making it difficult to switch off from work, warns a new study. Staff are experiencing mental and physical issues due to being "hyperconnected" through digital technology, according to the findings. Researchers from the University of Nottingham’s Schools of Psychology and Medicine conducted detailed interviews with employees from a variety of professions. They found that the cognitive and affective effort associated with constant connectivity and high work pace driven by the digital workplace is detrimental to employee well-being. The study is the final part of a research project exploring the "dark side effects" of digital working which include stress, overload, anxiety and fear of missing out. The results, published in the journal Frontiers in Organisational Psychology , highlight an "overarching" theme of "digital workplace technology intensity" as a result of digital workplace job demands. The research team says their findings indicate a "sense of burden" associated with working digitally which surfaced for most participants in perceptions of overload and feelings of being "overwhelmed" by the proliferation of messages, apps and meetings in the digital workplace. They say "fear of missing out" - or FOMO- on important information and contact with colleagues also contributed to stress and strain for digital workers, as did hassles encountered when using digital technologies. (Photo by Tara Winstead via Pexels) Study leader Elizabeth Marsh said: “Digital workplaces benefit both organizations and employees, for example by enabling collaborative and flexible work. "However, what we have found in our research is that there is a potential dark side to digital working, where employees can feel fatigue and strain due to being overburdened by the demands and intensity of the digital work environment. "A sense of pressure to be constantly connected and keeping up with messages can make it hard to psychologically detach from work." Fourteen employees were interviewed in detail and asked about their perceptions and experiences of digital workplace job demands and impacts to their health. Comments from interviewees included: “[It’s] just more difficult to leave it behind when it's all online and you can kind of jump on and do work at any time of the day or night.” Another participant said: “You kind of feel like you have to be there all the time. You have to be a little green light,” while another commented: “It's that pressure to respond [...] I've received an e-mail, I've gotta do this quickly because if not, someone might think “What is she doing from home?” In their analysis, the researchers explored potential underlying psychological, technological and organizational factors that may influence ways in which employees experience digital workplace job demands. The findings showed that participants' dark side experiences were particularly shaped by a pervasive and constant state of connectivity in the digital workplace, termed "hyperconnectivity." Those experiences contributed to a sense of pressure to be available and the erosion of work-life boundaries, according to the research team. (Photo by Thirdman via Pexels) They said the evidence also indicates that "hyperconnectivity" has become the norm among workers post-pandemic. PhD student Marsh said: “The findings underline the need for both researchers and professionals to identify, understand and mitigate the digital workplace job demands to protect the well-being of digital workers.” The research also makes practical suggestions for employers including helping workers improve their digital skills and empowering them to manage boundaries in the digital workplace. The team says their findings could also be used by IT departments to consider how to improve the usability and accessibility of the digital workplace, as well as reining in the proliferation of applications. Dr. Alexa Spence, Professor of Psychology, said: “This research extends the Job Demands-Resources literature by clarifying digital workplace job demands including hyperconnectivity and overload." She added: "It also contributes a novel construct of digital workplace technology intensity which adds new insight on the causes of technostress in the digital workplace. "In doing so, it highlights the potential health impacts, both mental and physical, of digital work.”

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'Democracy and freedom': Jimmy Carter's human rights efforts in Latin AmericaTalon Metals, the company proposing an underground nickel mine near Tamarack, Minn., has backed away from a novel plan that would have used a subway-digging machine to carve an underground loop to reach the ore. Instead, Talon, which hopes to one day supply the materials for Tesla’s electric vehicle batteries, will dig a straight path down to those minerals. The revised environmental assessment worksheet filed Dec. 12 incorporated public, state and tribal feedback, said Jessica Johnson, the vice president of external affairs for Talon. “We’re reducing the amount of ground disturbance and the amount of rock that we need to handle and manage,” Johnson said. By no longer using a tunnel boring machine, Talon has sidestepped early concerns from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources about waste rock, potential contamination of water and an untested technology for mining. But building a single, diagonal shaft underground also means that Talon will be blasting rock closer to the surface, at 100 feet below as opposed to 300 feet below. Talon is still studying how many sulfides will be in the waste rock between the surface and the nickel it is seeking, the company said in filings. Sulfide minerals that can interact with air and water to create acid mine drainage, or release sulfates that are toxic to wild rice . The company also abandoned a proposal to pile waste rock outside on top of liners, and now says it will store excess rock inside a central building — or ship it along with ore to a processing plant it intends to build in North Dakota. Several parts of the facility have been moved inside this building, and the central mine shaft will also reach the surface indoors. Johnson described the concept as a “mine in a box.” But the new design also introduces new questions, said Paula Maccabee of the environmental group WaterLegacy. She questioned how Talon would be able to supply enough fresh air for workers in the mine when the main opening is enclosed. Previously, the loop design had two openings at the surface of the ground. In addition to typical dust from blasting activities underground, Talon has acknowledged to the state that some amount of silica fibers will be present in the air. Silica, when inhaled by workers in high amounts, causes an incurable and deadly lung condition known as silicosis. The company also plans to sink two significantly smaller shafts to the underground mine to aid with airflow, according to documents. Talon’s Tamarack Mine is only the third hardrock mining proposal to reach environmental review in Minnesota. Two other projects near Babbitt, the Twin Metals mine the NorthMet mine proposed by the company PolyMet, have faced significant hurdles. Talon is seeking to excavate 8.2 million tons of ore over the 7- to 10-year life of the mine. The company has also said it believes other rich nickel deposits lie near its proposed site, which could eventually create a nickel-mining district in the state . It plans to ship the ore to a still-unannounced location in North Dakota for processing, and has received a $114 million grant from the federal government to support that plant. The company has stressed the underground mine design and lack of locally stored tailings as signs of its environmental friendliness. But many groups, including the Mille Lacs band of Ojibwe, are watching the project development closely for potential to pollute. “We need proof beyond a doubt that this will not harm our environment,” said Kelly Applegate, the commissioner of natural resources for the Mille Lacs band. He said the tribe was reviewing the company’s latest documents. Environmental review still in early stages. The state prepare a much more detailed environmental impact statement in the coming years. A DNR spokesman did immediately have an answer for how long it would take the agency to review the latest submission.

A pair of European satellites rocketed into orbit Thursday on the first mission to create artificial solar eclipses through fancy formation flying in space. Each fake eclipse should last six hours once operations begin next year. That's considerably longer than the few minutes of totality offered by a natural eclipse here on Earth, allowing for prolonged study of the sun's corona, or outer atmosphere. The launch took place from India. "We are a very happy science team here" in India, the European Space Agency's mission scientist Joe Zender said via email. Billed as a tech demo, the two satellites will separate in a month or so and fly 492 feet (150 meters) apart once reaching their destination high above Earth, lining up with the sun so that one spacecraft casts a shadow on the other. This will require extreme precision, within just one millimeter, equivalent to a fingernail's thickness, according to the European Space Agency. To maintain their position, the satellites will rely on GPS, star trackers, lasers and radio links, flying autonomously. Each cube-shaped spacecraft is less than 5 feet (1.5 meters) across. The shadow-casting satellite holds a disk to block the sun from the telescope on the other satellite. This disk will mimic the moon in a natural total solar eclipse, with the darkened satellite posing as Earth. "This has a huge scientific relevance" in addition to testing high-precision formation flying," said the European Space Agency's technology and engineering director Dietmar Pilz. Scientists need the glaring face of the sun completely blocked in order to scrutinize the wispy crown-like corona encircling it, getting an especially good look close to the solar rim on this mission. They're particularly interested to learn why the corona is hotter than the surface of the sun, and also want to better understand coronal mass ejections, eruptions of billions of tons of plasma with magnetic fields out into space. The resulting geomagnetic storms can disrupt power and communication on Earth and in orbit. Such outbursts can also produce stunning auroras in unexpected places. With a lopsided orbit stretching from 370 miles (600 kilometers) to 37,000 miles (60,000 kilometers) away, the satellites will take nearly 20 hours to circle the world. Six of those hours - at the farther end of certain orbits - will be spent generating an eclipse. Other orbits will be strictly for formation flying experiments, according to the European Space Agency. The first eclipse results should be available in March, following checkout of both craft. Zender said eclipses will be created at least twice a week, with six hours of totality each time for corona observations. The frequency will depend on solar activity, he noted, and prove a boon for scientists who now must travel across the world for a mere three to five minutes of totality during the occasional eclipse. The $210 million mission, dubbed Proba-3, is aiming for at least 1,000 hours of "on demand" totality during its two-year operation. Once their job is done, both satellites will gradually drop lower until they burn up in the atmosphere, likely within five years. Liftoff was delayed a day by a last-minute issue with the backup propulsion system of one of the satellites, crucial for precision formation flying. The European Space Agency said engineers relied on a computer software fix.Bright ideas Saturday, December 21 is the shortest day of the year so we thought it would be a good time to appreciate the history of light bulbs. We walk into a dark room and flick a light switch and don’t think anything of it. But you are using one of the greatest inventions ever made. The light bulb led to new energy breakthroughs — from power plants and electric transmission lines to home appliances and electric motors. Research on the bulbs began more than 150 years ago and like most great inventions, the light bulb can’t be credited to one inventor. It was a series of small improvements on the ideas of previous inventors that have led to the light bulbs we use in our homes today. Here’s a timeline of key events and the evolution of our lighting. If you cannot read the graphic the text is below. You can learn more about global energy trends here. 1803 — 1809: First arc lamp created Humphry Davy demonstrated the first incandescent light to the Royal Institute in Great Britain, using a bank of batteries and two charcoal rods. Arc lamps provided many cities with their first electric streetlights. 1835: First constant electric light demonstrated James Bowman Lindsay demonstrated a constant electric light at a public meeting in Scotland. Some have credited him with being the inventor of the incandescent light bulb. 1850 — 1859: Lightning in a tube In the 19th century, two Germans discovered that they could produce light by removing almost all of the air from a long glass tube and passing an electrical current through it. Called Geissler tubes, they became the basis of many lighting technologies including fluorescent lights. 1877 — 1885: Competition for the incandescent light bulb heats up Inventors all across the world — including William Sawyer and Albon Man in the U.S. and Joseph Swan in England — worked on creating an electric incandescent lamp. 1882: Developing the lighting system Thomas Edison focused on the entire lighting grid, showing that it was possible to distribute electricity from a centrally located generator with the Holborn Viaduct in London and developing the first commercial power utility in lower Manhattan. 1901: Precursor to fluorescent lights Peter Cooper Hewitt created a blue-green light by passing an electric current through mercury vapor. The lights had few suitable uses because of the color but were one of the precursors to fluorescent lights. 1904: Out with the carbon filament and in with the tungsten In 1904, incandescent lamps with tungsten filaments appear on the European market. These bulbs lasted longer, were brighter and more efficient than lamps with carbon filaments. 1908: Edison screws Part of Edison’s contribution to the light bulb was the socket he developed, which today is called the Edison Screw. By 1908, it was the most commonly used light bulb socket used, and today, it is used for almost all residential lighting applications. 1913: Doubling the efficiency of incandescents Irving Langmuir discovered that filling a light bulb with inert gas-like nitrogen instead of vacuuming out the air doubled the light bulb’s efficiency. 1926 — 1934: Neon tubes By the late 1920s and early 1930s, European researchers were doing experiments with neon tubes coated with phosphors. Word of these experiments helped spark fluorescent lamp research in the U.S. 1951: Fluorescents overtake incandescents By 1951, more light in the U.S. was being produced by linear fluorescent lamps than incandescent — a change that was led by the need for efficient lighting during World War II. 1962: First light-emitting diode (LED) is invented While working for General Electric, Nick Holonyak Jr., invented the first visible-spectrum LED in the form of red diodes. Pale yellow and green diodes were invented next. 1973: Energy is not cheap The 1973 oil crisis marked a turning point in U.S. energy consumption because energy was no longer cheap. Researchers rose to the challenge and began developing fluorescent bulbs for residential use. 1976: Fluorescent bulbs go spiral In 1976, Edward Hammer at General Electric figured out how to bend the fluorescent tube into a spiral shape, creating the first compact fluorescent light. 1978: LEDs appear in consumer products As researchers improved red diodes and their manufacturing, companies began incorporating them into consumer products such as calculator displays and indicator lights. 1985: First compact fluorescent lamp hits the market Early CFLs hit the market in the mid-1980s and ranged from $25-$35 a bulb. 1994: First blue, then white LEDs The invention of the blue diode in the 1990s quickly led to the discovery of white LEDs. Shortly thereafter, researchers demonstrated white light using red, green and blue LEDs. This leads to development of high-definition flat screen TVs. 2000: Energy Department works to push LEDs forward In 2000, the Energy Department partnered with private industry to push white LED technology forward by creating a high-efficiency packaged LED device. 2002 — 2008: First residential LED bulb hits the market By 2008, there were just a few LED replacement bulbs on the market, and most were 25-40 watt equivalents. 2012: 49 million LED products installed In 2012 alone, more than 49 million LED products were installed in the U.S., saving about $675 million in annual energy costs. 2013: CFLs for as little as $1.74 Nearly 30 years after CFLs were first introduced on the market, their costs have dropped to as low as $1.74 a bulb. They also use about 75% less energy than incandescents and last about 10 times longer. 2013: LED costs drop dramatically Since 2008, the cost of LED bulbs has fallen more than 85%, and most recently, a number of retailers announced that they will be selling LEDs at $10 or less. Sources: U.S. Department of Energy , Edison Tech Center, The International Energy Agency, The Franklin Institute, Constellation Energy

Need help with today’s NYT Connections puzzle? Check out hints and answers for Game #556 (December 18, 2024). Solve it step-by-step with expert tips! NYT Connections: Game #556 hints and answers for December 18, 2024: Are you currently experiencing problems with NYT Connexions? Here are some advice to assist you get through it, so don’t worry! You must choose four sets of sixteen words each, each with varying degrees of difficulty, for this practice. The process is cautious and gradual. It gets a little harder with each step you take. Here’s how to accomplish it: You might start with the simpler phases and work your way up to the more challenging ones as a result. The yellow one is among the simplest, while the green, blue, and purple ones are the most difficult. The work of today isn’t very difficult, but it does require concentration and a deep understanding of social dynamics. Don’t make snap decisions without careful consideration. I won’t go into too much depth, but the following tips should help you get started. Enjoy yourself and remember that it’s quite acceptable to take a vacation somewhere new. NYT Connections Hints for December 18, 2024 (#556) Continue reading if you believe you can manage it. Try beginning each category with one of the following words: YELLOW – FIELD GREEN – BITTER BLUE – HEDGE PURPLE – CAPITOL NYT Connections Clues for December 18 (#556): Yellow Category: DEAL WITH Green Category: STYLES OF BEER Blue Category: INVESTMENT VERBS Purple Category: ___ DOME NYT Connections Hints for December 18 (#556) YELLOW – Terms describing how someone handles a problem or responsibility. GREEN – Different types of beer with unique flavours and brewing methods. BLUE – Verbs commonly associated with financial investments. PURPLE – Words or phrases that include specific kinds of “domes.” If you’ve tried everything, don’t give up; there’s always another way to locate the answers. The following are some examples of modern solutions that make use of the NYT Connexions: NYT Connections Answers for December 18, 2024 (#556) Yellow Category: FIELD, HANDLE, MANAGE, TACKLE Green Category: BITTER, BOCK, SOUR, STOUT Blue Category: HEDGE, HOLD, SHORT, TRADE Purple Category: CAPITOL, CHROME, ONION, TEAPOT Click for more latest Gaming news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. Pragya is an accomplished journalist known for in-depth reporting and a keen eye for detail. Delivers insightful and well-researched content that informs and engages readers. Latest News

In a bid to wash his hands off the criticism that BRS leaders were being arrested following orders from Gandhi Bhavan, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday claimed that the police were not working under any political pressure in the State. Stressing that police behaviour towards the victims gets accolades for State government, the Chief Minister said police should redefine friendly policing and be polite towards victims and act tough on offenders. “If any people try to boast about their status and connections, put them behind bars. When elected public representatives visit police stations, they should respect the police,” Revanth Reddy said, stressing that police should not consider designations of people and that protocol did not apply to criminals. Speaking at the Praja Palana Vijayotsavalu here on Friday, the Chief Minister, in an indirect hint at the recent protests by special police battalion personnel, said the uniformed force was expected to work with (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); discipline. “In case of any issues, you can raise the same with senior officers. If not, you can approach the Deputy Chief Minister or me,” Revanth Reddy said, adding that police personnel should not get embroiled in any issues as they solve people’s issues. Stating that December 6 was observed as Home Guards Raising Day, the Chief Minister said the daily honorarium was increased from Rs.921 to Rs.1,000. Similarly, the weekly parade allowance was increased from Rs.100 to Rs.200, he said. Rs.5 lakh exgratia would be offered to the families of Home Guards, if they lose lives on duty. Measures would be taken to extend support to Home Guards and treatment under Rajiv Arogyasri as well, he said, also adding that with increasing drug related cases at educational institutions, school and college managements should recruit professionals to observe changes among students and curb the drug menace. Special courts would be set up to solve drug related and cyber crime cases in six months, he added.

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) 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. 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) 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." 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. The Audi A5 lost its traditional two-door coupe body style after 2024, but the five-door Sportback body style remains before it's replaced later in 2025. Although it hasn't seen the IIHS' more stringent test regimen, its original crashworthiness scores were good enough to earn it a Top Safety Pick award as recently as 2022. The Sportback is the only variant to be tested by the government, where it earned a five-star safety rating. This story was produced by Edmunds and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.

In brief: Shopping for USB cables typically involves comparing compatibility, speed, power delivery, length, and price. However, Sanwa Supply's new USB-C cable features an interesting gimmick that could make using devices while connected easier. Although the cord isn't extremely fast or long, it is rugged and versatile when you need a quick charge. Sanwa Supply's 500-USB090 USB-C cable is now available on the company's Japanese storefront. The cable's rotating plug aims to make using portable devices less frustrating while charging. Each end of Sanwa's cable rotates 180 degrees vertically and 360 degrees horizontally, enabling users to tuck the cord out of the way in any orientation. Most USB cables dictate a device's position according to how they bend, but Sanwa demonstrates how the 500-USB090 eliminates this problem (below). The cable supports 240W power delivery to swiftly charge phones, tablets, a Nintendo Switch, portable monitors, and MacBooks. Its 240W power rating will likely remain uncommon until USB4 2.0 and Thunderbolt 5 become more widely available. Sanwa shows the flexible cable attached to such devices at a bedside, table, and vehicle dashboard. The 500-USB090's main drawback is that it only supports USB 2.0 data transfers at up to 480Mbps, which is likely why the company primarily advertises it as a power cable. Most standard USB cables currently support USB 3.2, which delivers much higher speeds. Once the new USB4 and Thunderbolt protocols are more widely adopted, we'll see bi-directional transfers at 80Gbps or asymmetrical connections at 120Gbps in one direction and 40Gbps in the other. Charging at 240W is also possible but not universal. Elecom became the first company to introduce a certified USB4 2.0 cable in October, but only one model supports 240W charging while the other is limited to 60W. Meanwhile, newer PCs like Apple's M4 Macs have begun adopting Thunderbolt 5, and older desktops can gain compatibility through PCIe cards . It remains unclear if or when Sanwa plans to sell the 500-USB090 globally, but the cable is already available in Japan for ¥2,580 (or about $16). The company also recently introduced a quick-release Ethernet cable. Taking inspiration from Apple's MagSafe technology, half of the CAT6 plug easily detaches, simplifying installation and preventing damage if someone trips over the cable. The 10Gbps accessory starts at ¥4,180 ($27) for the one-meter variant.Seven losses in a season is unfamiliar territory for the San Francisco 49ers. With two Super Bowl appearances in five seasons, general manager John Lynch openly admits the 49ers haven't earned the right to be called "as good" as the 2023 NFC championship group. San Francisco is 5-7 but only two games behind NFC West-leading Seattle with five games remaining as the Chicago Bears (4-8) arrive Sunday. "I've found the whole discussion on Kyle rather comical," Lynch said in an interview Friday with KNBR in San Francisco. "We have won four of the last five division championships. We've been to two Super Bowls. The standard here is to win championships, and we've fallen short of that, I understand. "But we have an excellent head coach, and the fact that people are talking about stuff like that, I do find it comical. We're 100 percent behind Kyle and what he brings to our organization. Like I said, our focus is really on the Bears and doing everything we can. That's where Kyle's focus is, and that's where all our focus is." San Francisco lost 35-10 in the snow at Buffalo last Sunday night and the 49ers placed their top two running backs on injured reserve due to injuries in that game. Christian McCaffrey (knee) and Jordan Mason (ankle) could return for Week 18 at Arizona if the 49ers are still fighting for a playoff spot. In a top-down ranking of NFC teams by record and playoff position, the 49ers are No. 11 entering Week 14. "You are what your record says you are in this league, and that isn't very good. So I think we've been through a lot as a team, this current team with a lot of stuff that has happened to members of our organization. Injuries, tragic circumstances, ultimately those are just excuses. One thing I can tell you is I'm proud of how this group has stuck together, had each other's back. The other thing I can tell you is the story's not written yet. We're still grinding, and we're still playing." The 49ers last missed the postseason in 2020 with a record of 6-10 that followed an appearance in the Super Bowl -- San Francisco's first title game loss of two to the Kansas City Chiefs. San Francisco's upcoming schedule after Sunday includes a short week before playing the division rival Rams on Thursday, at Miami (Dec. 22), a Monday night matchup with the Detroit Lions on Dec. 30 and the finale against the Cardinals. --Field Level Media

Jimmy Carter, former US president and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, dead at 100: media reportsThe Padres are bringing infielder Mason McCoy back on a minor league contract, reports Russell Dorsey of Yahoo! Sports ( X link ). The Republik Sports client will be in major league camp as a non-roster invitee. A glove-first utilityman, McCoy returns for his second season with San Diego. He signed a minor league deal last winter, not long after being outrighted off Toronto’s 40-man roster. The former sixth-round pick had made his big league debut with six games as a late-inning substitute for the Blue Jays in 2023. He got a slightly longer look in San Diego after being called up in late August. McCoy made 19 appearances for the Padres. He tallied 57 plate appearances, hitting .204/.278/.245 with a pair of doubles. McCoy got 16 starts at shortstop as a result of Ha-Seong Kim’s shoulder injury. Back inflammation sent McCoy to the injured list himself at the end of the season. The Padres opted not to tender him a contract at year’s end. That took him off the 40-man roster, but he made a strong enough impression that San Diego circled back with a minor league offer. The righty-swinging McCoy had a modest .260/.329/.382 batting line over 432 plate appearances for Triple-A El Paso this year. He’s a .239/.318/.400 hitter across parts of four Triple-A seasons. McCoy swiped 25 bases while spending the majority of his time at shortstop. He can play anywhere on the dirt and has limited experience in left and center field. He’s likely to open the season in the minors but could get an MLB look if injuries push the Padres to add another utility option to a bench that already includes Tyler Wade . This article first appeared on MLB Trade Rumors and was syndicated with permission.