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flik flak magical ocean None2024 was a year of stand-out music with fans’ lives soundtracked by redefining pop tunes, beefy diss tracks and viral songs taking off across social media platforms. With so much content to consider, narrowing down the world’s best five tunes of the past year proved challenging. However, some stood out above the others, not just on the charts but in the impact they could deliver. So, in no particular order, here’s our take on the best songs of 2024. Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar It debuted at No.1 on the Hot 100 and became the longest-running No.1 in the history of Billboard’s rap chart. It is none other than Lamar’s response to Drake’s seven-and-a-half-minute diss track that dragged his long-simmering beef with the fellow rapper even more into the public eye. The controversy centres around extremely serious allegations of paedophilia and exploitation aimed at Drake and his associates which remain unproven and are denied. Lamar’s vocals are sharp and relentless, matching the song’s intensity, synth and ratchet vibes. Pitchfork’s Paul A. Thompson described how Kendrick “tap dances across the beat, as nimble as he’s sounded since he signed to Interscope”. The feud between Lamar and Drake is among the biggest in hip-hop in recent years but many people are clearly enjoying singing along to it. Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan The 26-year-old has been a name in the music industry for almost a decade but this year she has really kicked off thanks to this song which was her first top 10 hit to make it onto the Billboard chart. The catchy heartbreak track consists of good wishes to a former lover in denial about their queerness. Billboard wrote: “The verses are every bit as strong as the glistening chorus, all playful, pillowy synths and easygoing ‘80s beats.” It’s just as glittery as her onstage costumes and awards outfits. Before she was Chappell Roan, she was Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, a closeted sad-girl singer-songwriter who got dropped by her label Atlantic Records in 2020. In 2023, she released her debut album via a new label and cued instant success which doesn’t seem to be waning. Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter Some music lovers have declared the former Disney Channel actress’ song as the hit of the summer. The catchphrase “That’s that me espresso” was the “foam on top of what was already one of the most unmistakable, invigorating and naturally addictive singles of 2024”, Billboard wrote. The play-on-words and lyricist queen demands to be heard with lines such as “walked in and dream-came-trued it for ya”, and “I can’t relate to desperation / My give-a-f---s are on vacation”. If it wasn’t the song itself garnering chatter online, it was the accompanying music video that featured a flirty Carpenter getting herself into all sorts of trouble. While the caffeine-injected hit didn’t earn her spot on the Billboard Hot 100, her breezy Please Please Please follow-up sure did making it a breakout year for the star. This year was also a big one for Carpenter having toured with Taylor Swift on her The Eras Tour. It’s Ok, I’m Ok by Tate McRae This generation’s so-called Britney Spears has said goodbye to her child-star days and is preparing to enter a fiery adulthood with this relatable and personal viral track. The 21-year-old is happy to tell the next girl in her ex’s life that she can have him with the line: “It’s okay, you can have him anyway.” McRae alludes that she’s detoxed herself from a past relationship and is letting both her ex and the other woman know she’s over it and onto bigger and better things. With humour and sarcasm shining through, the track was first teased to fans via TikTok with a snippet of the chorus doing the rounds on the video-sharing platform prior to its anticipated release. The pop star has well and truly risen up the ranks this year having completed her first world tour. And she even kicked off the Aussie leg right here in Perth last month. McRae has extended the tour with more dates in Europe, the UK and the US in celebration of a new album coming out on February 21. Girl, so confusing featuring Lorde by Charli XCX Rumours of a feud between UK pop star Charli XCX and New Zealand’s Lorde were finally addressed and put to bed when Charli released a remix of her song Girl, so confusing. She turned her original song about her fears of a frenemy’s intentions into an emotional moment of resolution between the two singers who not only have the same hair but also a lot of self-doubt and mutual admiration in common. Billboard wrote: “A song born out of real life that’s committed to remaining grounded in that messy and complicated reality. Equal parts reactionary and revelatory, ‘Girl, so confusing’ is a towering peek inside the psyches of two of pop’s most important women.”

LUANDA, Angola (AP) — President Joe Biden's long-delayed trip to Africa had many of the hallmarks of a traditional state visit: There was a 12-shot cannon salute. A series of warm handshakes with Angolan President João Lourenço. Celebratory music. Photo opportunities. But another issue overshadowed the visit. When reporters tried to question the president about why he gave his son Hunter a far-reaching pardon after repeatedly saying he would not do so, Biden tried to brush aside the questions. He gestured toward Lourenço and laughed, declaring, “Welcome to America.” Biden saluted Lourenço for his efforts to bolster stronger U.S. relations, declared that Africa and its booming youth population would shape the world's future and even indulged his love of trains by championing a major railway project that his administration says could change the way the entire continent does business. Some takeaways from the president's visit: (Don't) meet the press Biden offered the joke about America before his meeting with Lourenço, and he answered a question on Tuesday about the political situation in South Korea, saying only that he'd not been briefed — something that was rectified moments later when advisers filled him in on what was happening as the motorcade sped away from a site where he'd given a speech. Other than that, Biden went the entire trip, which began Sunday night and included two brief stopovers in Cape Verde in addition to Angola, dodging reporters. He did similar during last month's six-day visit to South America . Biden's press secretary tried to explain the pardon decision Since Biden announced his pardon decision shortly before climbing aboard Air Force One bound for Africa, it fell to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to spend nearly half an hour offering long and awkward answers to uncomfortable questions aboard the aircraft hours later. Biden said in a statement explaining the pardon that, while he believed in the justice system, he also felt that politics had infected the cases against his son and “enough was enough.” Jean-Pierre maintained that he wasn't trying to have it both ways. “I don’t think it’s a contradiction,” she said. “Two things could be true. You can believe in the Department of Justice system, and you could also believe that the process was infected politically.” She also bristled when it was suggested that such complaints about the Department of Justice smacked of President-elect Donald Trump's promises to dismantle the “deep state” of federal bureaucrats that he's said for years are out to unfairly undermine him and fellow top Republicans. ‘All in on Africa’ — with time running out During his meeting with Lourenço at the presidential palace, Biden said, “The United States is all in on Africa,” and extolled how strong Angolan relations were with Washington. His administration has invested billions in Angola, with the centerpiece being promoting the Lobito Corridor, a vast project to revitalize supply chains by refurbishing 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) of train lines in Angola, Zambia and Congo. Given where Angola was barely a generation ago, the alliance is in many ways remarkable. An oil-rich nation on Africa's southwest coast, Angola achieved independence from Portugal in 1975, but spent subsequent years embroiled in civil war, which often featured proxy fighting between U.S.-backed forces and those allied with the Soviet Union. Even today, the country's red and black flag features a yellow machete and half-cog, an insignia resembling the Soviet hammer and sickle. But Biden leaves office on Jan. 20, and Lourenço, like many leaders of African nations, has already begun suggesting that he's looking toward a Trump-dominated future. Biden administration officials say they're hopeful Trump and top Republicans will continue a business-friendly approach to investing in Africa that includes continuing to support the Lobito Corridor. Now the Africa policy will be up to Trump Biden lauded Lourenço for helping boost his country's relationship with the United States, and he said the youth of Africa would change the world. He also visited the country’s national slavery museum, stressing how Angola and the United States — which were once linked by the horrors of enslaved human beings, now could increasingly be linked by economic opportunity. But if Biden came to Angola hoping to cement his foreign policy legacy in this country and throughout Africa, it will actually fall to Trump — the man he beat in the 2020 election and spent much of 2024 running against before bowing out of the race in July — to see it through. ___ Will Weissert, The Associated PressSHE plays picture-perfect Good Witch Glinda in the big-screen adaptation of West End hit Wicked. But despite having a dream role in a hit Hollywood film, Ariana Grande has lifted the veil on her own path to stardom ­— revealing that she first saw a therapist at the tender age of eight. Advertisement 5 Ariana Grande has lifted the veil on her own path to stardom Credit: Getty The Thank U, Next singer told how she struggled to “process things” after mum Joan Grande and dad Edward Butera ended their marriage in 2001. She said: “I first saw a therapist when I was eight after my parents’ divorce — but I don’t think I was really mature enough to process things. “But as I have gotten older, my therapist has been everything to me.” Ariana previously credited therapy with helping her process the aftermath of the terror bomb attack on the Manchester Arena which tragically killed 22 at her concert in May 2017. Advertisement Read more on Ariana Grande MOVIE MAGIC Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo dazzle at UK premiere of musical movie Wicked The pop star suffered further heartbreak when her rapper ex Mac Miller died from an accidental drug overdose in 2018. She added: “Therapy has saved my life. That is why I am so passionate about making therapy and mental health services available for all. "It shouldn’t just be for those that can afford it.” Meanwhile, the US singer also opened up about her close relationship with Wicked co-star and British actress Cynthia Erivo , who plays Elphaba in the film, which hit cinemas on Friday. Advertisement Most read in Bizarre Exclusive MY LORD Rangers poised to name new chairman as Lord emerges as main contender for top job RANGERS 1 DUNDEE UTD 1 Snow joke as Clement gets blizzard of abuse over more dropped points COLD BEERS SPFL side spotted going for a PINT after their bus got stuck in the snow WAITING GAME Rangers-Dundee Utd kick off DELAYED amid Storm Bert chaos as new time revealed She said: “We have become such criers — especially in the last few weeks. "As we have been able to see the final product of what we have done, as we have been able to see people’s reactions to the movie — it’s just been so emotional. Wicked fans furious after Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo's Mattel doll promos leak crucial movie plot “ Cynthia and myself just randomly burst out crying — but don’t worry, they are good tears! “Honestly, she has become my sister. Advertisement "The first time we met we had what we thought would be a short conversation about what we wanted to achieve creatively — and it ended up with us talking for hours, bonding over so many things. “Creatively we wanted to do all we could — but we also decided early on that we would be there during shooting for each other — no matter what. “I am so proud of what everybody on Wicked has achieved — but the greatest thing for me is that I have gained a sister for life.” Sabrina lives the American gleam 5 Sabrina Carpenter glittered in a fuchsia bodysuit and matching suspenders as she posed backstage earlier this week Credit: Instagram Advertisement 5 Pop superstar Sabrina has wrapped up the North American leg of her Short n’ Sweet Tour Credit: Getty POP superstar Sabrina Carpenter is in the pink as she wraps the North American leg of her Short n’ Sweet Tour. The Espresso hitmaker glittered in a fuchsia bodysuit and matching suspenders as she posed backstage earlier this week. She said: “I have always dreamt of bringing this tour to life but it was even better than I could have imagined because of every crowd that showed up and gave 100 per cent of their energy and time.” Advertisement Sabrina added: “Cry because it’s over for now, but we can’t wait to see you in the new year in Europe.” She kicks off in the UK on March 6 at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena. I cannot wait. Lotts of cash LOTTIE MOSS plans to ditch her OnlyFans career to bag brand deals. It sounds like she is following the lead of her model half-sister Kate, who previously had deals with Diet Coke and been the face of Calvin Klein. Speaking to Biz on Sunday at Boohoo’s party at Kachette in Shoreditch, East London, Lottie, said: “I want to do brand deals to make the money that I’ll lose from OnlyFans.” So ma, so good, Adele 5 Adele was joined by her mum on stage as her Las Vegas residency came to an end Credit: Getty Advertisement FAMILY matters were on Adele's mind when her mum joined her on stage as her long-running Las Vegas residency drew to a close. Penny Adkins appeared alongside her daughter on Friday night at the singer’s penultimate show at Caesars Palace. Adele, who shares 12-year-old Angelo with ex-husband Simon Konecki, said: “My own motherhood has helped me see my mother as a person rather than as a mum. “My [social media] feed used to be about pets and nail results and the motivational meme was: ‘Go easy on your mother – it’s her first time living too.’ Advertisement “And that really, really changed my perspective on everything to do with myself as a mum, her as a mum or all parents. “Because life is hard. Life sucks. It doesn’t matter what situation you’re in. The problems never, never disappear – they just come in different forms.” Adele, who completed her 100th show on Saturday night, said the residency has been the perfect “bookend” to her album 30, which she released in 2021. She said: “All I wanted to do was do some shows – I didn’t mean to do this many. Advertisement “I wanted to do some songs from 30 and just fall in love with performing again. Adele revealed: “My last tour in stadiums f * g freaked me out”, adding that she performed before “so many people, it took me a long time to kind of wrap my head around it. “This [residency] felt perfect and was the bookend to this story and this album.” Las Vegas won’t be the same without her. Advertisement Craig wed-dy HE famously sang about wooing a woman every day of the week, but Craig David is ready to settle down. The 7 Days hitmaker said: “I would have said I was commitment-phobic. I was all about the music. Now my heart is saying, ‘Open up’.” Craig, left, will kick off his aptly named Commitment tour in Leeds next year, with special guest Lemar joining him for 11 UK dates. Ed to Ed for film 5 Hitmaker Ed Sheeran with Bridgerton star Claudia Jessie Credit: Supplied ED SHEERAN has been spotted getting into the Christmas spirit. The Thinking Out Loud hitmaker was filming in Southwold, Suffolk, with Bridgerton star Claudia Jessie also starring in a video for his new festive track Under The Tree, earlier this month. The song is set to feature in a new Netflix animation film, That Christ-mas, directed by Love Actually and Notting Hill writer Richard Curtis. Advertisement A fan filmed the pair sitting in a beach hut with their arms around each other as Richard gave them instructions. Claudia – best known as Eloise Bridgerton – could also be seen making cups of tea as pals stopped by to chat. Earlier this year, Ed said of Richard: “He came to me two years ago to play me the rough [version] of That Christmas. “It was just sketches and voices, but it blew me away. So emotional, yet so heartwarmingly funny.” Advertisement The film is set in the fictional town of Wellington-on-Sea and tells the story of the worst snowstorm in history, which causes havoc for everyone – including Santa. Let’s hope Storm Bert doesn’t do the same... JAMES BOND actor Daniel Craig reckons 007 movie bosses gambled on him. He said: “They took a big risk and I am eternally grateful.” Advertisement But the Brit star of five Bond films had to take the job. He said of franchise producer Barbara Brocolli: “If you ever tried to tell Barbara ‘no’, you may understand. SIMONE ASHLEY has swapped Bridgerton for Bastille in her latest project. The Netflix star, who rose to fame as Kate Sharma, in the hit regency series, is the star of the band’s short film for their track Eve and Paradise Lost. It sees Simone crying as she takes on the role of Eve with the lyrics delving into love, loss and betrayal. Advertisement Read more on the Scottish Sun FESTIVE FIZZ Coca-Cola Christmas truck in Scotland: Dates, locations & all you need to know AND RELAX Scots seaside hotel with outdoor hot tub and firepit named UK's top spa resort Lead singer Dan Smith, who worked with British director Dominic Savage, said: “I was totally blown away by Simone’s performance on the day which surpasses anything I could have imagined.” Simon added: “When I first heard this song, I immediately felt a connection to it. I loved working with Dan and Dominic and feel so proud of what we have created."

As President-elect Donald Trump shapes his second administration, the country is getting a preview of what the next four years may look like. Early in December Trump filled the last slot of his core cabinet with Brooke Rollin's Secretary of Agriculture nomination. Now he has started to flesh out different departments and name additional leaders for his upcoming term. Among those named are several celebrity figures like TV show host Mehmet Oz , better known as Dr. Oz, who Trump tapped for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator. There's also former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon who was picked to lead the Department of Education and former NFL player Scott Turner named to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Trump has brought some newer faces to America's top politics with investment company executive and art collector John Phelan and media host Sebastian Gorka. The two have been named as Secretary of the Navy and Senior Director for Counterterrorism, respectively. Other notable names include disbarred attorney Charles Kushner as Trump's pick for Ambassador to France. Kushner is Trump's son-in-law's father and was pardoned by Trump in 2020 after pleading guilty in 2003 to having made false statements to the Federal Election Commission, among other subsequent charges. Trump has announced new roles will be coming in his administration, most notably the Department of Government Efficiency that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have been appointed to lead. The group, coined "DOGE," has been tasked with eliminating excess government waste and spending. Trump has also asked technology investor David Sacks to act as his new AI and crypto czar , and has named former acting ICE director Tom Homan as the country's border czar. While nearly 100 positions have been named, many still face what may be a long and arduous Senate confirmation process ahead — one that some may not make it through. Already, some of the picks have caused controversy. Facing opposition over alleged sex trafficking , Trump's initial pick for attorney general, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, withdrew from the nomination. Trump has now called former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi up to fill the role. Questions have also circled around Trump's selection of Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense. The Fox News political commentator has come under scrutiny for a sexual assault allegation , which he has denied, and has been meeting with senators to salvage the nomination.December 18, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked peer-reviewed publication trusted source proofread by Syl Kacapyr, Cornell University Using a chemical reaction inspired by rocket fuel ignition, Cornell researchers have engineered a nanoporous carbon with the highest surface area ever reported, a breakthrough that is already proving beneficial for carbon-dioxide capture and energy storage technologies. Scientists are continually striving to enhance the porosity of carbon, which exposes more of the material's surface and optimizes its performance in applications such as adsorbing pollutants and storing electrical energy . A new synthesis technique detailed in the journal ACS Nano pushes carbon's surface area to an unprecedented 4,800 square meters per gram, equivalent to about the size of a football field packed into a teaspoon of material. "Having more surface per mass is very important, but you can get to a point where there is no material left. It's just air," said senior author Emmanuel Giannelis, the Walter R. Read Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, in Cornell Engineering. "So the challenge is how much of that porosity you can introduce and still have structure left behind, along with enough yield to do something practical with it." To address this challenge, Giannelis enlisted postdoctoral researcher Nikolaos Chalmpes, who had been engineering materials using hypergolic reactions, which occur spontaneously when certain chemicals mix and release a rapid, intense burst of energy. "I was trying to understand how to harness and control these unexplored reactions for synthesizing various carbon nanostructures, and after adjusting various parameters, I discovered that we might be able to achieve ultrahigh porosity," said Chalmpes, who is lead author of the study. "Until then, these reactions had only been used in rocket and aircraft systems, and deep space probes for propulsion and hydraulic power." The technique begins with sucrose and a template material to help shape the carbon into a structured form. When mixed with specific chemicals, the hypergolic reaction ignites, forming carbon tubes with a high concentration of reactive molecular rings made up of five carbon atoms , instead of the typical six-membered rings found in most carbon structures. The final step involves treating the material with potassium hydroxide , which etches away less-stable structures, creating an intricate network of microscopic pores. "When you do this very fast reaction, it creates a perfect situation where the system cannot relax and go to its lowest energy state, which it would normally do," Giannelis said. "Because of the speed of hypergolic reactions, you can catch the material in a metastable configuration that you cannot get from the slow heating of a normal reaction." With collaborators at Cornell and the National Centre of Scientific Research, Demokritos, in Greece, the researchers demonstrated that the nanoporous material could adsorb carbon dioxide at nearly twice the capacity of traditional activated carbons, and can capture 99% of its total capacity in just two minutes, making it one of the fastest-acting sorbents of its kind. The new material also shows promise in energy storage, achieving a volumetric energy density of 60 watt-hours per liter, four times greater than commercially available activated carbons. "This approach offers an alternative strategy for designing and synthesizing carbon-based materials suitable for sorbents, catalyst supports and active materials for supercapacitors, particularly in applications requiring space efficiency," said Chalmpes, who is also using the technique to create new nanoparticle alloys. "Furthermore, the unique experimental conditions of hypergolic reactions provide another pathway for the design and synthesis of electrocatalysts with enhanced properties." More information: Nikolaos Chalmpes et al, Ultrahigh Surface Area Nanoporous Carbons Synthesized via Hypergolic and Activation Reactions for Enhanced CO 2 Capacity and Volumetric Energy Density, ACS Nano (2024). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c10531 Journal information: ACS Nano Provided by Cornell University

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COMMERCE, Texas (AP) — Scooter Williams Jr. had 19 points in East Texas A&M's 68-67 victory over Abilene Christian on Wednesday. Williams added six rebounds and three steals for the Lions (2-10). Khaliq Abdul-Mateen added 17 points while going 3 of 8 and 11 of 12 from the free-throw line while he also had five assists and three steals. The Lions snapped a seven-game slide. Quion Williams led the Wildcats (7-5) in scoring, finishing with 17 points and seven assists. Leonardo Bettiol added 16 points and seven rebounds for Abilene Christian. Hunter Jack Madden had 13 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Iowa's O hopes to stay hot vs. defense-minded NorthwesternCHICAGO, Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Technip Energies (PARIS:TE) and LanzaTech Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: LNZA) (“LanzaTech”) announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) has committed up to $200 million in federal funding and authorized the initiation of Phase 1 of their Sustainable Ethylene from CO2 Utilization with Renewable Energy Project (Project SECURE). Project SECURE, led by Technip Energies in partnership with LanzaTech, aims to provide an integrated commercial process which takes captured carbon dioxide from ethylene production and recycles it with low carbon intensity hydrogen to create sustainable ethanol and ethylene. This joint technology solution is intended to first be deployed in the U.S. Gulf Coast region for integration directly into an existing commercial ethylene cracker and has significant replication potential for ethylene crackers worldwide. Globally, there are approximately 370 ethylene steam crackers, over 40 percent of which use Technip Energies’ technology, including eight in the US. LanzaTech’s carbon recycling technology, which has benefited from previous DOE support, can also be utilized in any industry with waste carbon, allowing other sectors to profit from capturing and recycling carbon-rich emissions into valuable ethanol, instead of sequestering or releasing them into the atmosphere. OCED has committed up to $200 million throughout the project duration to Project SECURE to fund the design, engineering, construction, and equipment for the commercial-scale integrated technology unit. Today’s announcement represents the award of nearly $20 million for the first of four phases to be funded by OCED over the course of the project. During Phase 1 of the project, Technip Energies and LanzaTech will conduct a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study, develop project plans, provide documentation and reports necessary to complete the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review, and engage with local community and labor stakeholders. Arnaud Pieton, CEO at Technip Energies, stated “ We are pleased to receive the Phase 1 award from the OCED and begin the engineering design work to progress the development of this innovative technology. The global population is expected to continue to rise by 2050, bringing with it a greater demand for consumer goods that rely on ethylene. While addressing this growing demand, we absolutely need to decarbonize ethylene production. We not only need to do something about carbon but very importantly with carbon. That is what our partnership with LanzaTech on this technology is all about. Leveraging our long-lasting leadership in ethylene, we are committed, together with LanzaTech, to develop this technology at scale and continue to explore ways to decarbonize ethylene production.” Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, Chair and CEO of LanzaTech stated, “ We are thrilled to reach this milestone and commence work on this important project. Ethylene is a key building block for thousands of chemicals and materials, and is often referred to as the world’s most important chemical. Our project not only increases the efficiency and value of existing ethylene production infrastructure, but also creates high-quality jobs and supports local communities . Circularizing our global carbon economy requires combining ambition with action, and we are grateful for the shared vision and support of the OCED to advance this replicable technology, strengthening our domestic manufacturing base for valuable commodities .” OCED’s mission is to deliver clean energy demonstration projects at scale in partnership with the private sector to accelerate deployment, market adoption, and the equitable transition to a decarbonized system. OCED will provide oversight of the project by evaluating the status and quality of implementation at each phase of the project. Through its phased approach to project management oversight, OCED will review and evaluate the project’s progress, including community benefits, which impact OCED’s decision to continue to provide federal funding and allow a project to progress to the following phase. About Technip Energies Technip Energies is a global technology and engineering powerhouse. With leadership positions in LNG, hydrogen, ethylene, sustainable chemistry, and CO2 management, we are contributing to the development of critical markets such as energy, energy derivatives, decarbonization, and circularity. Our complementary business segments, Technology, Products and Services (TPS) and Project Delivery, turn innovation into scalable and industrial reality. Through collaboration and excellence in execution, our 17,000+ employees across 34 countries are fully committed to bridging prosperity with sustainability for a world designed to last. Technip Energies generated revenues of €6 billion in 2023 and is listed on Euronext Paris. The Company also has American Depositary Receipts trading over the counter. For further information: www.ten.com Contacts Technip Energies About LanzaTech LanzaTech Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: LNZA) is the carbon recycling company transforming waste carbon into sustainable fuels, chemicals, materials, and protein for everyday products. Using its bio-recycling technology, LanzaTech captures carbon generated by energy-intensive industries at the source, preventing it from being emitted into the air. LanzaTech then gives that captured carbon a new life as a clean replacement for virgin fossil carbon in everything from household cleaners and clothing fibers to packaging and fuels. By partnering with companies across the global supply chain like ArcelorMittal, Coty, Craghoppers, REI, and LanzaJet, LanzaTech is paving the way for a circular carbon economy. For more information about LanzaTech, visit https://lanzatech.com . LanzaTech Global, Inc. Investor Relations Kate Walsh VP, Investor Relations & Tax Investor.Relations@lanzatech.com Media Relations Kit McDonnell Director of Communications press@lanzatech.com Important Information for Investors and Securityholders Forward-Looking Statements This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that reflect Technip Energies’ and LanzaTech’s (the “Companies”) intentions, beliefs or current expectations and projections about the Companies’ future results of operations, anticipated revenues, earnings, cashflows, financial condition, liquidity, performance, prospects, anticipated growth, strategies and opportunities and the markets in which the Companies operate. Forward-looking statements are often identified by the words “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “intend”, “foresee”, “should”, “would”, “could”, “may”, “estimate”, “outlook”, and similar expressions, including the negative thereof. The absence of these words, however, does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are based on the Companies’ current expectations, beliefs and assumptions concerning future developments and business conditions and their potential effect on the Companies. While the Companies believe that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Companies will be those that the Companies anticipate. All of the Companies’ forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, some of which are significant or beyond the Companies’ control, and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Companies’ historical experience and the Companies’ present expectations or projections. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. For information regarding known material factors that could cause actual results to differ from projected results, please see Technip Energies’ risk factors set forth in Technip Energies’ 2023 Annual Financial Report filed on March 8, 2024 and in Technip Energies’ 2024 Half-Year Report filed on August 1, 2024, with the Dutch Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM) and the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) which include a discussion of factors that could affect Technip Energies’ future performance and the markets in which the Company operates. For information regarding LanzaTech’s risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from projected results, please see information contained in LanzaTech’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other existing and future filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and speak only as of the date they are made. The Companies undertake no duty to and will not necessarily update any of the forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events, except to the extent required by applicable law.

Crypto.com and Mastercard Collaborate to Scale the Digital Payments Industry in GCC RegionWASHINGTON - Jimmy Carter held a unique place in US politics: he was the oldest former president and a Nobel peace laureate, but his one term in office was forever tainted by his inability to end the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, arguably wielded his greatest influence not during his 1977-1981 term in the White House, but in the decades following, when he served as a global mediator, rights activist and elder statesman. The Southern Democrat, who left 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in January 1981 after a crushing election loss to Ronald Reagan, was perceived as naive and weak in the dog-eat-dog world of Washington politics. Even within his own party, the Georgia native with the broad toothy grin -- a "born-again" Christian who taught Sunday school well into his 90s -- was something of a persona non grata for a long time. But as the years passed, a more nuanced image of Carter emerged, one that took in his post-presidential activities and reassessed his achievements, like the brokering of a peace deal between Israel and Egypt. He placed a commitment to human rights and social justice at the core of his tenure as the 39th president of the United States. That dedication later served as the cornerstone of The Carter Center, which he founded in 1982 to pursue his vision of world diplomacy, earning broad international praise. Carter represented a new generation of Southern men who were more tolerant and progressive on issues of race. The former president -- who had been both a naval officer and a peanut farmer -- heartily embraced his roots. "I am a Southerner and an American," said Carter, a virtual unknown on the national political scene when he launched his presidential campaign ahead of the 1976 election. - From farm to White House - James Earl Carter Jr. -- the full name he rarely used -- was born on October 1, 1924 in the small farm town of Plains, Georgia, south of Atlanta -- the same town where he lived out his golden years. After seven years in the navy, where he worked on the nuclear submarine program and rose to the rank of lieutenant, he returned home to run the family peanut farm. But eventually, politics came calling. He served in Georgia's state senate and took over as governor in 1971. Only a few years later, his unlikely White House bid began. Carter arrived in Washington in January 1977, sworn in to head a country needing a strong leader to dispel the gloom left over from the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal and a deep recession. For the first time since 1968, the Democrats controlled the White House and Congress, so hopes were high as Carter took office. - 'Extraordinarily difficult' - He enjoyed a strong first two years, with high approval ratings. A shining moment of his term in office was the historic 1978 Camp David Accords signed by Israel's Menachem Begin and Egypt's Anwar Sadat, which ultimately led to a peace treaty the following year. Carter also established diplomatic relations with China following the rapprochement initiated by then-president Richard Nixon, and endorsed solar energy, even installing solar panels on the White House. But his administration hit numerous snags, the most serious being the Iran hostage crisis and the disastrous failed attempt to rescue the 52 captive Americans in 1980. His handling of the renewed oil crisis in 1979-1980 was also sharply criticized. Images of cars lined up at gas stations were long associated with his presidency. In the wake of Carter's defeat at the polls, the Democratic Party weathered a political storm -- 12 years of Republican presidents in Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Even now, few Democrats claim to be picking up Carter's mantle. In a biography published in 2010, historian Julian Zelizer, a professor at Princeton University, said Carter had fallen victim to "an extraordinarily difficult set of circumstances that would have challenged any president." - 'Best ex-president' - But Carter bounced back in perhaps the most spectacular reinvention of any US leader and was often called America's "best ex-president." Carter founded his eponymous center in Atlanta and emerged as a prominent international mediator, tackling some of the most intransigent global dilemmas -- including North Korea and Bosnia in the 1990s. He monitored dozens of elections around the world, from Haiti to East Timor, and went to Cuba in 2002 for a historic meeting with then longtime communist leader Fidel Castro to prod him on human rights. Carter won a host of awards including the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize and the highest US civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He won three Grammys for best spoken-word album, a category that included audiobooks. Carter maintained a busy schedule into his 90s. He and wife Rosalynn helped build houses for the charity Habitat for Humanity for decades. Rosalynn died in November 2023 at age 96. The couple had three sons and a daughter. In August 2015, Carter revealed he had cancer on his brain and was undergoing radiation treatment. At the time of his diagnosis, Carter said that while the presidency was the "pinnacle" of his political career, "life since the White House has been personally more gratifying." During a church service in November 2019 in Plains, Carter looked back -- with serenity, and a touch of humor -- at his battle with cancer. "I assumed, naturally, that I was going to die very quickly," he said. "I obviously prayed about it. I didn't ask God to let me live, but I asked God to give me a proper attitude toward death." "And I found that I was absolutely and completely at ease with death."

The Reds ultimately left St James’ Park with only a point after Fabian Schar snatched a 3-3 draw at the end of a pulsating encounter, but Salah’s double – his 14th and 15th goals of the season – transformed a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead before the Switzerland defender’s late intervention. The 32-year-old Egypt international’s future at Anfield remains a topic of debate with his current contract running down. Asked about Salah’s future, Slot said: “It’s difficult for me to predict the long-term future, but the only thing I can expect or predict is that he is in a very good place at the moment. “He plays in a very good team that provides him with good opportunities and then he is able to do special things. “And what makes him for me even more special is that in the first hour or before we scored to make it 1-1, you thought, ‘He’s not playing his best game today’, and to then come up with a half-hour or 45 minutes – I don’t know how long it was – afterwards with an assist, two goals, having a shot on the bar, being a constant threat, that is something not many players can do if they’ve played the first hour like he did. “That is also what makes him special. If you just look at the goals, his finish is so clinical. He’s a special player, but that’s what we all know.” Salah did indeed endure a quiet opening 45 minutes by his standards and it was the Magpies who went in at the break a goal to the good after Alexander Isak’s stunning 35th-minute finish. Slot said: “The shot from Isak, I don’t even know if Caoimh (keeper Caoimhin Kelleher) saw that ball, as hard as it was.” Salah set up Curtis Jones to level five minutes into the second half and after Anthony Gordon has restored the hosts’ lead, levelled himself from substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 68th-minute cross. He looked to have won it with a fine turn and finish – his ninth goal in seven league games – seven minutes from time, only for Schar to pounce from a tight angle in the 90th minute. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was delighted with the way his team took the game to the Reds four days after their disappointing 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace. Howe, who admitted his surprise that VAR official Stuart Attwell had not taken a dimmer view of a Virgil van Dijk shoulder barge on Gordon, said: “It’s mixed emotions. “Part of me feels we should have won it – a big part of me – but part of me is pleased we didn’t lose either because it was such a late goal for us. “Generally, I’m just pleased with the performance. There was much more attacking output, a much better feel about the team. “There was much better energy, and it was a really good performance against, for me, the best team we’ve played so far this season in the Premier League, so it was a big jump forward for us.”Dr Charlotte Proudman, who specialises in family law, had faced a Bar Standards Board (BSB) disciplinary tribunal over a 14-part Twitter thread criticising a judge’s ruling over a domestic abuse case, saying it echoed a “boys’ club”. However, the five charges against the 36-year-old were dropped on Thursday. In an interview with The Times, Dr Proudman described the position of Mark Neale, the board’s director-general, as “untenable” and said its chairwoman, Kathryn Stone, should also stand down. “They need a change, not just in those two individuals, though, because, of course, it seeps down to the rest of the organisation,” she said. She told the paper she “genuinely” wanted to work with the Bar Standards Board in helping them to understand how misogyny and sexism have impacted women at the bar. However, she said that “under the current leadership, it’s just not going to be possible”. The charges alleged Dr Proudman had “failed to act with integrity” in posting the tweets, that they amounted to professional misconduct, were “misleading” and “inaccurately reflected the findings of the judge” in the case. The women’s rights campaigner was also accused of behaving in a way “which was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public placed in her and in the profession”, and that she “knowingly or recklessly misled or attempted to mislead the public” by making the posts. But panel chairman Nicholas Ainley found her tweets are protected under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right of freedom of expression. He said her tweets did not “gravely damage” the judiciary, which would “put them outside” of Article 10 protection, even if they “might not have been pleasant for any judge to read” or even “hurtful”. “We take the view that the judiciary of England and Wales is far more robust than that,” he said. The panel also concluded that some of the tweets were only inaccurate “to a minor degree” and not to the extent necessary for a charge of a lack of integrity. Speaking after the hearing, Dr Proudman told the PA news agency: “This ruling is a victory for women’s rights and a right to freedom of speech. “The prosecution against me brought by my regulatory body, the Bar Standards Board, should never have happened and I said that from day one. “I criticised a domestic abuse judgment. Everyone should have the right to do that, whether you’re a barrister or not. Our justice system, which I strongly believe in, is robust enough to withstand criticism from me.” She believes her tweets help “foster confidence” in the justice system, adding: “Only that way can we go about building change and a better treatment for all victims, women and children and men who are affected by domestic abuse.” Explaining that the BSB appears to have spent almost £40,000 “of barristers’ money” on instructing counsel in her case, she added: “I think it’s shameful that they’re using our money to pay for, in my view, malicious, vexatious prosecutions which I have no doubt was a personal attack against me as a woman and as a feminist, as an outspoken critic and advocate for women’s rights.” Dr Proudman called for “systemic change” within the board. “They don’t understand gender, they don’t understand diversity, I don’t think they’ve ever heard of the concept misogyny and certainly not institutional misogyny,” she said. “Until they recognise the deeply rooted, entrenched issue of bullying, harassment, sexism at the bar, for which I have suffered relentlessly... and own up to it I don’t think we’re going to see any change and I have no confidence in them.” She told of how male barristers have called her insulting names on social media and made derogatory comments about her. In the posts on April 6 2022, Dr Proudman referenced a case in which her client alleged she had been subjected to coercive and controlling behaviour by her husband, a part-time judge, meaning she had been “unable to freely enter” the couple’s “post-nuptial” financial agreement. Commenting on the ruling by Family Court judge Sir Jonathan Cohen, Dr Proudman wrote: “I represented Amanda Traharne. “She said she was coerced into signing a post-nuptial agreement by her husband (who is a part-time judge). I lost the case. “I do not accept the Judge’s reasoning. I will never accept the minimisation of domestic abuse.” She continued: “Demeaning the significance of domestic abuse has the affect of silencing victims and rendering perpetrators invisible. “This judgement has echoes of (t)he ‘boys club’ which still exists among men in powerful positions.” In the thread, Dr Proudman wrote that the judge had described the relationship of the couple as “tempestuous”, which she argued was a “trivialisation” of domestic abuse. “Tempestuous? Lose his temper? Isn’t this the trivialisation of domestic abuse & gendered language. This is not normal married life,” she wrote.

Tailoring your portfolio2024 was a major year for new vehicle launches, with new generations of key models like the Toyota LandCruiser Prado, plus the first of a new wave of Chinese auto brands entering the market. But many models also departed the Australian market, headlined by the departure of what had been the longest-running auto brand in Australia: Citroen. In fact, there were so many discontinuations that we split all the SUVs axed in Australia into a separate article . Scroll below for all the passenger cars axed this year, or click on one of the links below to take you directly to a vehicle. If you love the look of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe , rest assured you’ll still be able to buy a car that looks like this – it’ll just have electric power. BMW revealed updated versions of the 4 Series Gran Coupe and its electric i4 sibling back in April, but never confirmed timing for the combustion-powered model. Somewhat unusually, the electric version sold in considerably greater numbers than the petrol model. To the end of November, BMW sold 1866 i4s in Australia this year, against just 243 examples of the 4 Series Gran Coupe. That led to BMW pulling the plug on the petrol-powered range. “The high volume of new BMW models introduced to the local market prompts us to constantly assess our product portfolio in line with customer demand and our commitment to offering products that suit individual needs,” a BMW Australia spokesperson told CarExpert in a statement. “This has led us to restructure the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe lineup.” The 4 Series Gran Coupe was the second BMW to bear the Gran Coupe nameplate, which has been applied to a five-door liftback (the 4 Series Gran Coupe), a four-door sedan (the 2 Series ), and what you could arguably call four-door coupes (the 6 Series and 8 Series ). This nomenclature was born in a period where BMW was busily chasing niches, including coupe SUVs like the X4 and X6 and the unusual Gran Turismo models which were more upright five-door hatchbacks. The second-generation 4 Series Gran Coupe was revealed in June 2021 and arrived here later that year, sharing the same plunging double-kidney grille as coupe and convertible 4 Series models. While it later gained an electric version, the i4, it never received a full-fat M version like the other 4 Series body styles. There was no M4 version of the first-generation 4 Series Gran Coupe, either. With the axing of the base 420i in 2023, just two variants remained: the turbocharged four-cylinder, rear-wheel drive 430i and the turbocharged six-cylinder, all-wheel drive M440i xDrive. Though the Gran Coupe brought superior practicality over the 3 Series Sedan , if not the Touring wagon, it cost up to $14,100 more than its booted counterpart. 4 Series Gran Coupe sales had peaked in 2015 and 2022 with 858 sales in both years – incidentally, both of which were the first full years of their respective generations. MORE: BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe axed in Australia, i4 EV to live on MORE: Everything BMW 4 Series Citroen had been hanging on like grim death in Australia, even as its sales winnowed away each year. From a height of 3803 sales in 2007, Citroen fell below 1000 annual units in 2016 and continued sliding. Its retail network continued to shrink, and Peugeot Citroen Australia’s decision to make Peugeot its exclusive commercial vehicle brand here killed one of its higher-volume models, the Berlingo. Most embarrassingly for the brand, it was outsold by Ferrari in 2020 and 2021. But there were signs Peugeot Citroen Australia was taking the brand seriously here, introducing the C4 in 2021 and C5 X in 2022. These replaced the old C4 and C5 that hadn’t been on sale here for several years, and came after several years of Citroen focusing on more traditionally SUV-shaped models. Not that the C4 and C5 X were conventional passenger cars themselves, with their higher-riding stances blurring the lines between cars and SUVs. Though it was the C5 X that wore the ‘X’ suffix commonly used for SUVs, it was the C4 that was classified as an SUV in VFACTS industry sales reports. There was a C4 X, mind you, but this was a sedan version of the C4 that we never received. Confused? We were too. Disinterested? Well, it seems Australians were. C4 sales peaked at 94 units in its first full year on sale, before falling; the same happened with the C5 X, with 68 sold in its first full year on sale. From launch to the end of November 2024, Citroen sold just 200 C4s and 168 C5 Xs. The rarest of them all is the C5 X Plug-in Hybrid, for which orders opened in May... just three months before Citroen announced it was pulling up stumps here. Being an order-only vehicle and priced just over $16,000 higher than the regular C5 X, itself not the most affordable vehicle of its size, it may be one of the rarest Citroens ever sold here. The C4 and C5 X may have lacked the clever hydropneumatic suspension of older Citroens, but with their quirky styling and focus on comfort – in suspension tuning and even in the construction of their seats – these cars were distinctively Citroen. Alas, it seems buyers just didn’t care. MORE: Citroen leaving Australia after more than 100 years, importer focusing on Peugeot MORE: Everything Citroen C4 MORE: Everything Citroen C5 X While we received new generations of Citroen’s small and medium/large cars, the latest C3 – revealed in electric guise in October 2023, and with petrol power in April this year – was kept from us. That was perhaps an early warning that the brand wasn’t going to stick around here for long, and in August this year distributor Inchcape Australia announced it would close orders for all Citroen vehicles. The third-generation C3 arrived here in 2017, with an extremely mild facelift coming in 2021. That means the C3 is much the same as when it arrived here around seven years ago, and sales figures have reflected that. From a height of 122 sales in 2018, sales fell to double digits in 2019 and have subsequently remained relatively steady, if very, very low. The price has climbed since launch and this year sat at $32,267 before on-road costs for the single Shine variant, putting it up against vehicles the segment above. But even comparing it with similarly sized vehicles with similarly premium pricing, the C3 comes up short. From its 2017 launch to the end of November this year, Citroen has sold 544 C3s. In contrast, Audi sold 462 A1s and Skoda sold 433 Fabias in 2023 alone. Showing just how far Citroen sales have dropped off over the years, as well as the decline in light car sales, the brand sold upwards of 908 examples of the first-generation C3 in 2003. MORE: Everything Citroen C3 The Fiat 500 is cute as a bug, but its ability to survive year after year well after rivals were replaced made it seem like more of a cockroach. It’s still being manufactured, but Fiat announced it was axing the petrol-powered 500 in Australia in August. As of December, however, it still has stock at its dealers. The 500 and its hotter Abarth 595 sibling are sold alongside the new-generation Fiat 500e and Abarth 500e, electric-only micro cars with similar styling but much more modern underpinnings and technology. With the Fiat 500e set to be joined by a mild-hybrid petrol-powered variant in 2026, this should finally spell the end of the old 500, which has been in production since 2007 and which launched here in 2008. In that time, Fiats from the little Panda to the Dodge Journey-based Freemont have come and gone from the Australian market, but the little 500 has kept on ticking with the occasional minor refresh. Though it no longer sells in quite the same volumes as it did in the early/mid 2010s – where it sold between 2000 and 3000 units annually – it still sells in consistent volumes in a segment that consists solely of it and the Kia Picanto . Last year, Fiat sold 581 examples of the 500 and its Abarth sibling in Australia, an increase on the year before despite the axing of their cabriolet models. MORE: Fiat culls petrol 500 in favour of $50k EV hatch in Australia MORE: Everything Fiat 500 When the E-Type ended production in 1974, it left a hole in Jaguar’s lineup. The XJ-S that succeeded it was more of a grand tourer, a tradition which its XK replacement followed in. It wasn’t until the F-Type , which entered production in 2013, that Jaguar had a genuine spiritual successor to the E-Type. An E-Type successor had existed in development hell during the 1980s and 1990s, before Jaguar revealed the F-Type concept in 2000... only for a planned production version to be scrapped before it could see the light of day. Fast-forward to the 2011 Frankfurt motor show and the F-Type as we came to know it was previewed in concept form, albeit featuring a supercharged V6 hybrid powertrain that never reached production. Instead, the production coupe – which looked essentially identical to the concept – was launched with a choice of supercharged V6 or V8 powertrains. Like the E-Type, there was also a convertible; unlike the iconic Jag, there was an all-wheel drive option. Also in a departure from past Jaguar two-doors, a turbocharged four-cylinder engine joined the range. Designed under Ian Callum, the F-Type was widely regarded as gorgeous. Somehow a facelift, revealed in 2019, arguably improved the styling with a more aggressive look up front. The F-Type featured all-aluminium construction, and Jaguar touted the coupe as the most torsionally rigid production car it had ever built. While the four- and six-cylinder powertrains weren’t shrinking violets, the supercharged V8 was the star. For 2022, Jaguar Australia dropped the four- and six-cylinder engines entirely, leaving the blown 5.0-litre in 331kW/580Nm P450 and 423kW/700Nm R tunes. In June 2024, Jaguar revealed the final F-Type and what it says will be its final combustion-powered sports car: a supercharged 5.0-litre V8-powered convertible in classic green-over-tan. A total of 87,731 F-Types were produced between 2013 and 2024. MORE: Jaguar reveals its last-ever petrol-powered sports car, bound for a museum MORE: Jaguar’s last ever petrol-powered sports car is coming to Australia MORE: Everything Jaguar F-Type When Jaguar used the Ford Mondeo platform to create its first BMW 3 Series rival, many scoffed. To Jaguar’s credit, it went back to the drawing board and developed a rear/all-wheel drive sports sedan with tasteful, modern styling and poised dynamics. Look out, BMW! Except the XE is now being axed almost a decade after it entered production in 2015, as part of Jaguar’s pivot to being a more exclusive, electric-only brand. Jaguar is done trying to take on BMW and is aiming higher, with JLR design boss Gerry McGovern saying in 2023: “What we won’t worry about is being loved by everybody, because that’s the kiss of death.” “That’s what’s put Jaguar where it is today, which is with no equity whatsoever,” he said. The XE never could match its German rivals in the sales race, and JLR confirmed the sedan wasn’t profitable – something likely not helped by its use of aluminium suspension componentry and a bonded and riveted aluminium unitary structure, unusual for this segment. The 3 Series rival was offered with a range of powertrains, including turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines plus a supercharged V6. Jaguar even developed the limited-run SV Project 8, which featured a supercharged V8 engine. Sadly, the SV Project 8 never came here, nor did it presage a more widely available BMW M3 rival. The six-cylinder and diesel engines were also eventually phased out in Australia. Disappointing sales and the resultant lack of profitability doomed the XE, which was axed in the US in 2020 but grimly held on for a few more years in markets such as ours. Unusually, Jaguar Australia switched the XE from rear-wheel drive to all-wheel drive for 2021 for reasons unclear. For 2023, the XE range was whittled down to a single model and, though it still appears on Jaguar’s local website, production ended this year. In its best year, 2016, global sales for the XE reached 44,095 units. The same year, BMW produced over 400,000 3 Series models globally. In Australia, the XE’s best year was also 2016 with 1524 sold, beating the Infiniti Q50 and Volvo S60 and falling just short of the Lexus IS . But sales fell each year, plunging to double-digits in 2022. Last year, the XE was outsold by every single one of its rivals, with its 58 sales bested by the Genesis G70 (81 sales) and Volvo S60 (152). From launch to the end of November 2024, Jaguar sold 4332 XEs in Australia. While rivals received significant facelifts or new generations, the XE was left to soldier on as its lineup shrunk. It’s a sad end for what was an extremely promising BMW 3 Series rival. MORE: Everything Jaguar XE If any car could make Jaguar’s XE look like a sales success, it’s the second generation of the brand’s BMW 5 Series rival. The first-generation XF was a breath of fresh air when it was revealed in 2007, with the Ian Callum-penned sedan casting aside the shackles of Jaguar’s retro design language in favour of a more modern yet still elegant look inside and out. The second generation wasn’t as impactful. Also attributed to Mr. Callum, the design was conservative, looking more like a stretched version of the XE with which it shared its new platform. Unlike the XE, however, there was a wagon version; this made the trip to Australia, even though the first-generation model was offered here only in sedan guise. Globally, the XF was offered with a choice of turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines, plus a turbo-diesel V6 and a supercharged petrol V6. Sadly, there was no supercharged V8 XFR as there had been with the first generation. To Jaguar Australia’s credit, it offered almost every available powertrain, and even brought the niche wagon here. But the British 5 Series rival was met with buyer apathy: sales shrunk compared to the outgoing model, with just 433 sold in 2016. That was down from the over 800 units Jaguar shifted in 2013 and 2014. Sales fell below three digits in 2019 with 50 units, and below two digits in 2023 with just 6 sold. By this point the XF range had been shrunk to a single variant, as for model year 2021 Jaguar axed all rear-wheel drive, diesel, six-cylinder and wagon variants in favour of a lone all-wheel drive turbo-petrol four-cylinder. MORE: Everything Jaguar XF Technically, Maserati didn’t sell any Quattroportes in Australia in 2024, with global production wrapping late last year. No further examples were delivered this year but as it appeared on Maserati’s local website during 2024, we’ve included it in this article. The Quattroporte nameplate is taking a leave of absence, with a replacement – featuring electric power – delayed until 2028. It’s not the first time the Quattroporte nameplate has taken a lengthy leave of absence, with gaps of several years between the first and second and the third and fourth generations. The Quattroporte competed in an extremely low-volume segment in Australia, battling the likes of the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class . Maserati executives would therefore clearly bristle at the mention of the Quattroporte sharing a platform with Chrysler and Dodge. “From the Chrysler 300 we carried over the electrical system, a portion on the platform where seats are hinged and some elements of the air conditioning, that is all,” then-Maserati global CEO Harald Wester told Automotive News Europe back in 2013. The current, sixth-generation Quattroporte entered production that year, underpinned by what Maserati called its M156 platform which was also used by the Ghibli and Levante . The gorgeous, lithe Pininfarina styling of its predecessor made way for an in-house design that was more fuller-figured and conservative, with a clear kinship with the cheaper Ghibli. If it looked bigger than the previous Quattroporte, that’s because it was – in length alone, the Quattroporte VI grew by over 200mm. A Ferrari-developed twin-turbo V8 remained available, along with a twin-turbo V6 developed with the Prancing Horse brand. This was also the first Quattroporte to offer a diesel engine, a turbocharged V6 mill sold here from 2014 to 2019. While the Quattroporte had a decade-long production run, there were updates made during this time. In 2016, the Quattroporte received a new infotainment system and more standard equipment including a suite of active safety features. This suite was expanded in a subsequent update in 2018. In 2020, Maserati revealed a hot Trofeo version of its luxury limo, featuring a 433kW/730Nm tune of the twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8 – up 43kW and 80Nm on the GTS. This coincided with another minor facelift for the Quattroporte line that saw the old Chrysler-derived infotainment system swapped for one running on Android Automotive. The Quattroporte consistently sold in the double digits each year in Australia, before slumping to just three units in 2023. Even in a low-volume segment, that was very low. MORE: Everything Maserati Quattroporte The Ghibli was first a stunning coupe and convertible in the 1960s, then a rather brutalist two-door in the 1990s, before being revived as a BMW 5 Series sedan rival that was revealed at the 2013 Shanghai motor show. It represented a return to a segment which Maserati last occupied in 1995 with the 430, a descendant of the Biturbo. With the introduction of the Ghibli and Levante, which entered production in 2013 and 2016 respectively, Maserati was chasing broader market appeal and therefore greater sales volumes. By the 2000s, after the end of the Biturbo era, its lineup had receded to a small, more exclusive one. In 2013, it announced plans to sell 50,000 vehicles each year around the world in 2015, more than eight times as many as it sold in 2011. The Ghibli used the M158 platform of the new sixth-generation Quattroporte, and shared its twin-turbocharged V6 petrol and turbocharged V6 diesel engines. There was a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive, while an eight-speed automatic transmission was standard across the range. The Quattroporte’s twin-turbo V8 wasn’t added until 2020, while at the other end of the spectrum the Ghibli gained a turbocharged four-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain. Other changes to the Ghibli during its lengthy run mirrored those of the Quattroporte: new infotainment and a suite of active safety tech for 2017, and an expanded suite in 2018 enabled by the switch to an electric-assisted power steering setup. The Ghibli helped Maserati reach its 50,000-unit target, albeit a couple of years late. Alas, the brand’s sales dropped from then. In 2022, Maserati announced its plans to transition to an EV-only lineup by 2028, but conspicuous by its absence from these plans was the Ghibli nameplate. Instead, both it and the Quattroporte are set to be replaced by a single sedan model bearing the latter’s nameplate, though this has subsequently been delayed to 2028. In Australia, from a height of 345 sales in 2015, the Ghibli gradually declined before an uptick in 2021 to 152 sales. They then slumped to double digits, and just 17 Ghiblis found homes in Australia this year to the end of November. From its debut year, the Levante took over as Maserati’s best-selling vehicle locally, a title it maintained until the launch of the smaller Grecale SUV in 2023. The Ghibli remains on Maserati’s local website, but with production having ended it’s only a matter of time before the nameplate is retired for a third time. MORE: Everything Maserati Ghibli Even as it rolls out new electric vehicles (EVs) like the Aceman , Mini has updated its long-running three- and five-door hatchbacks and convertible and given them a slightly fresher look. The same treatment hasn’t been extended to the long-running Clubman , which Mini ended production of in February after two generations. It’s probably best to blame the Countryman as, in many markets including ours, given the choice of a wagon or an SUV most buyers will opt for the latter. BMW launched Mini as a standalone brand in 2000, and for the first several years of its life it only sold a hatchback. A convertible followed, before the Clubman was launched as Mini’s third body style. It came during a period where Mini was rapidly and creatively expanding its lineup or, to put it less charitably, throwing things at a wall and seeing what stuck. If debuted in 2007, and was followed in 2010 by the Countryman SUV (which did stick) and the Roadster, Coupe and Paceman (which didn’t). Mini wisely added a pair of conventional rear passenger doors with the second-generation Clubman, which launched in Australia in 2015, replacing the suicide door setup of its predecessor. A more practical alternative to the hatchback it was based on, the second-generation Clubman stuck with the rear barn doors of its predecessor – highly unusual for a wagon in 2024. The second-generation Clubman moved to the UKL2 platform underpinning vehicles like the BMW 1 Series . While this platform was used for a raft of vehicles including BMW and Mini-branded hatchbacks, sedans and even a people mover, the quirky Clubman was the only wagon. While it offered a choice of petrol powertrains (though as with its predecessor, no diesel in Australia), including a hot John Cooper Works model with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive. Between the launch of the second-gen model and the end of November 2024, Mini Australia sold 3143 Clubmans. It was a steady if unexceptional seller, but over the same period Mini sold around twice as many Countryman SUVs. MORE: Everything Mini Clubman The 508 may have been the prettiest mid-sized Peugeot since the 406 Coupe of the 1990s, but that wasn’t enough to save it. While it lives on in Europe, in September Peugeot Australia pulled the plug on the liftback and wagon “in response to changing consumer preferences in the segment”. It arguably wasn’t a surprise, given Ford, Kia and Volkswagen, among other brands, had already exited the mid-sized segment. Peugeot sales have also been broadly on a downward trajectory over the past decade. Peugeot Australia added a plug-in hybrid version of the 508 Fastback in 2022, with a Sportwagon PHEV following in 2023. But with one hand Peugeot Australia giveth, and with one another it taketh away. Later in 2023, Peugeot axed the petrol-powered 508s, leaving only the pricier PHEVs. Unusually, the Sportwagon PHEV was introduced after Peugeot revealed a facelifted version of the 508 in Europe, for which it conspicuously didn’t announce specific local launch timing. The facelifted model never came, and when Peugeot UK announced earlier this year it was axing the 508, its local demise appeared inevitable. The second-generation 508’s best year in Australia was 2021, with 240 sold. That was a far cry from the first-generation model which in 2012, its first full year on the market, recorded 1085 sales. In fairness to the 508, mid-sized passenger car sales have fallen over the past decade or so. But in 2023, the 508’s 156 sales saw it outsold by the Volkswagen Passat and Arteon , and even more niche models like the Volvo V60 Cross Country. MORE: Another mid-sized car gets the axe in Australia MORE: Everything Peugeot 508 You can still buy a Renault Megane in Australia, but it’s quite a different creature. The last examples of the RS Trophy hot hatch, the sole remaining member of the combustion-powered Megane range, were sold earlier this year as the new electric Megane E-Tech joined the local lineup. The RS-badged Megane hatch, sent off with a special-edition RS Ultime, was the last member of a once significantly wider lineup of small Renaults. The current, fourth-generation Megane was revealed in 2015 and went on sale locally late in 2016. Wagon and sedan models, introduced in 2017, were dropped in 2019 along with the entry-level Zen hatch, while the RS Sport and RS Cup hatchbacks were axed in 2021. That left just the RS Trophy. Not only was the Australian Megane lineup winnowed down locally, the car was discontinued in almost every market. Turkish production continues, however, of the sedan. This mirrors what happened with the Ford Focus , with a once-wide lineup continually chipped away at in Australia until a single hot hatch was left, before the nameplate was axed entirely. The Focus is also being discontinued globally. Renault only sold 69 Meganes in Australia in 2023. That was well down on the 1259 units it shifted in 2017, its first full year on sale. The Megane RS Trophy (and RS Ultime) used a turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine, mated with either a six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, producing 221kW of power and 420Nm of torque (400Nm in the manual) Those outputs remained competitive even among a growing contingent of hot hatches on the local market. While Renault is moving away from hot petrol-powered models, it’s entering the hot electric hatch fray with both its namesake brand and its Alpine spinoff. It remains to be seen whether these hot EVs will come here, however. MORE: Everything Renault Megane MORE: Every SUV discontinued in Australia in 2024 MORE: Every car and SUV discontinued in Australia in 2023 MORE: Every car discontinued in 2022 MORE: Every car discontinued in 2021 MORE: The cars we lost in 2020

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