FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — Jalen Haynes scored 18 points as George Mason beat Mount St. Mary's 64-56 on Saturday. Haynes also added 16 rebounds for the Patriots (9-4). Darius Maddox shot 5 of 11 from the field, including 1 for 5 from 3-point range, and went 2 for 3 from the line to add 13 points. Brayden O'Connor shot 2 for 5 (2 for 3 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with nine points. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week
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Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.The Department of Health spent the most on consultants for a second year, as federal government agencies report varied progress on a mission to slash outsourced labour. Black Friday Sale Subscribe Now! Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue Analysis of 2023-24 financial year annual reports shows Health handed out $70.8 million worth of new consultancy contracts, spending $13.9 million more than it had in the preceding year. Including expenditure on ongoing consultancy contracts, the department spent $125.9 million. Health says its use of consultants as a proportion of overall activity has remained relatively stable over the past two financial years. "The amount associated with consultancies is around 0.3 per cent of overall appropriations over the past two financial years," a spokesperson said. "This increase in the department's activity levels is related to the delivery of significant government priorities such as improving the aged care system and 'Strengthening Medicare'." Parliament House. Picture by Gary Ramage Defence trailed Health, entering into consultancy contracts worth $38.3 million in 2023-24, but topped the list for total consultancy contracts, spending $159.9 million. The figures reflect the period before the Albanese government mandated agency heads slash outsourced labour and bring core work back in-house. Reducing outsourcing bills is crucial for Labor, which is under pressure from the opposition to prove that its 36,000-place increase to the public service has been cost-effective. The latest data shows just over half of the 16 departments and two major agencies (Services Australia and the Australian Taxation Office) reduced their spending on new consultancy contracts in the 2023-24 financial year. It does not include all APS agencies, of which there are more than 100. Eight departments spent more on consultancies in the past financial year, with Services Australia, Industry and Social Services spending multi-millions on new contracts. This graph shows expenditure on new consultancy contracts in the past two financial years but does not include spending on contracts already in place. Agencies also award a broad range of contracts for other reasons, which they report as non-consultancy contracts. Non-consultancy contracts reflect a broader picture of government spending, incorporating much more than just outsourced labour. Defence soared above the rest on this measure, spending about $7.6 billion on contracts for projects such as building Australia's fleet of nuclear submarines and Defence aircraft, technology and property. This graph shows new non-consultancy contracts entered into in the past two financial years. Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher said the government had substantially reduced consultancy contracts compared to the former Coalition government. Agencies expect to cut $527 million worth of outsourced labour in 2024-25, most of which will come from contractors and labour hire rather than consultancies. "We have followed through on our promise to get this outsourcing under control and instead invest in the capability of the public service to perform this important work," Senator Gallagher said. "The facts speak for themselves. Today, there are 500 fewer consultancy contracts than there were in 2021-22. This totals a reduction of more than $130 million." READ MORE PUBLIC SERVICE NEWS: It started as a joke, but Musk's crusade to slash US public service is getting serious Big business will be required to set targets for executive boards, pay gap 'I disagree with it': Brereton pressed on robodebt mistake by parliamentary committee Spending on the big four firms, plus Accenture and Scyne Advisory, has also fallen from about $2.4 billion in 2021-22 to $1.5 billion in 2023-24. "The job of rebuilding the public service after a decade of neglect from the Liberals and Nationals is not done, but we are up for the task of making sure Australians are served by a well-resourced and community-focused APS," the Public Service Minister said. This table shows each department's total expenditure on contracts for 2023-24, and whether they spent more or less than in 2022-23. Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Miriam Webber Public service and politics reporter Miriam Webber is a federal politics and public sector reporter, with an interest in integrity, transparency and accountability in government. She has been a member of the federal political bureau since 2023, and previously worked as the city reporter. Reach her at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au Miriam Webber is a federal politics and public sector reporter, with an interest in integrity, transparency and accountability in government. She has been a member of the federal political bureau since 2023, and previously worked as the city reporter. Reach her at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au More from Canberra Police will investigate alleged bus driver fish head assault 6m ago No comment s Job-sharing: Can two people share a Senate seat? 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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.Countries have agreed to a hard-fought COP29 deal to provide $US300 billion ($A462 billion) in annual climate finance by 2035. But while some delegates reacted to the agreement with a standing ovation, others voiced anger and lambasted wealthy nations for not doing more. UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SIMON STIELL "It has been a difficult journey, but we've delivered a deal. This new finance goal is an insurance policy for humanity, amid worsening climate impacts hitting every country. "This deal will keep the clean energy boom growing and protect billions of lives. It will help all countries to share in the huge benefits of bold climate action: more jobs, stronger growth, cheaper and cleaner energy for all. "But like any insurance policy – it only works – if the premiums are paid in full, and on time. No country got everything they wanted, and we leave Baku with a mountain of work still to do. So this is no time for victory laps." INDIA REPRESENTATIVE CHANDNI RAINA "We are disappointed in the outcome which clearly brings out the unwillingness of the developed country parties to fulfil their responsibilities." "I regret to say that this document is nothing more than an optical illusion. This, in our opinion, will not address the enormity of the challenge we all face. Therefore, we oppose the adoption of this document." UN SECRETARY GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES "I had hoped for a more ambitious outcome – on both finance and mitigation – to meet the great challenge we face. But this agreement provides a base on which to build. It must be honoured in full and on time. Commitments must quickly become cash." BOLIVIA REPRESENTATIVE DIEGO PACHECO BALANZA "We need a finance which will properly grant us the resources we need to take steps. The finance that is hugely below our requirements is an insult and it is a flagrant violation of justice and climate equity. "Climate finance, as it stands in this agreement, is extinguishing international co-operation. We are moving on from the time of leaving of no-one behind to an era of let every man save himself." BRITISH ENERGY MINISTER ED MILIBAND "This is a critical eleventh hour deal at the eleventh hour for the climate. It is not everything we or others wanted but is a step forward for us all." "Today's agreement sends the signal that the clean energy transition is unstoppable. It is the biggest economic opportunity of the 21st century and through our championing of it we can help crowd in private investment." TINA STEGE, MARSHALL ISLANDS CLIMATE ENVOY "We came in good faith, with the safety of our communities and the well-being of the world at heart. Yet, we have seen the very worst of political opportunism here at this COP, playing games with the lives of the world's most vulnerable people. "Fossil fuel interests have been determined to block progress and undermine the multilateral goals we've worked to build. This can never be allowed to happen. "Despite the barriers, we've fought hard and secured something for our communities. We are leaving with a small portion of the funding climate-vulnerable countries urgently need. "It isn't nearly enough, but it's a start, and we've made it clear that these funds must come with fewer obstacles so they reach those who need them most. We have also rejected those who sought to undo the agreements we made on phasing out fossil fuels." EU CLIMATE COMMISSIONER WOPKE HOEKSTRA "With these funds and with this structure, we are confident we will reach the $US1.3 trillion objective. On efforts to cut emissions: "It was not a focus of this COP but we wanted more, because the world needs more of it. And even though the UAE Consensus was attacked, we did move forward, even though it was just a bit. "We did manage to safeguard Dubai and take some steps forward. It is less than we would have liked, but it's better than we feared. So we're unhappy to lose a year, we're happy not to lose this fight."
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President-elect Donald Trump is poised to make significant changes within his upcoming administration by appointing several key figures to prominent roles. Jay Bhattacharya has emerged as a primary candidate to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH), potentially overseeing significant reforms. Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, Richard Grenell, a seasoned former intelligence chief, is being considered for a special envoy position in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as Trump looks to reshape U.S. foreign policy. In a series of strategic appointments, Trump's selections such as Martin Makary for the FDA and Scott Bessent for the Treasury reflect a plan to prioritize regulatory changes and economic strategies. These moves highlight Trump's intent to implement his policy agenda through experienced appointees across various sectors. (With inputs from agencies.)
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Large-scaleinvestigative activities are underway by the AzerbaijaniInvestigative Department regarding the crash of an AZAL (AzerbaijanAirlines) plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, the nation's GeneralProsecutor Kamran Aliyev said, reports During a strategic board meeting focused on the operationaldynamics of the Prosecutor's Office, he articulated hisobservations regarding the tasks executed in the current fiscalyear, alongside the forthcoming objectives and the overarchingorganizational framework of workflow. Aliyev noted that immediately after the incident, the GeneralProsecutor's Office initiated a criminal case. "As part of mutual cooperation with relevant state agencies, aswell as with the prosecutor's offices of Kazakhstan, Russia, andBrazil, investigations are being carried out to determine the realcauses of the incident, and concrete results will be provided inthis regard in the near future," the official added. The tragedy occurred on December 25, when an Embraer 190 planeoperated by AZAL, en route from Baku to Grozny, crashed just 3kilometers from Aktau Airport. The Embraer 190 was carrying 67 people, including 62 passengersand five crew members. In the aftermath of the crash, 27 people were hospitalized.Among them, 15 are citizens of Azerbaijan, eight are from Russia,and three are from Kyrgyzstan. The identity of one individualremains unknown. Of those hospitalized, 11 are being treated in intensive care,13 in the trauma ward, two in the neurosurgery ward, and one in thesurgical ward. They are under the care of experienced doctors fromKazakhstan, as well as specialists sent from Azerbaijan and Russia.All patients have received prompt and specialized medical andpsychological support. The crash claimed the lives of both pilots and a flightattendant. Two other crew members survived. On December 26, 14 victims and the bodies of four dead weretransported to Azerbaijan. The black box of the plane has already been found, andprocedures for its analysis are being carried out per theinternational aviation conventions. An investigation into thecauses of the disaster is currently underway. Final conclusionswill be made after completion of all necessary research and dataanalysis.Dylan Hernández: MLS deal with Apple TV could be hurting league's efforts to grow its fan base