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The Tojan married unique styling and a Firebird chassis. The cars were sold at Pontiac dealers in the 1980s. This is one nearly forgotten piece of Pontiac history. The 1980s F-body Pontiac Firebird was incredibly po[CENSORED]r, thanks in part to its starring role the show Knight Rider. The Firebird-based Tojan, however, is a car most people have never heard of. This all-black example shows its unique design off best, and it's up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. Somewhere between an official production car and an independent build, it's the kind of car that will have nearly every bystander asking, "What is that thing?" Should you make the winning bid, here's the story you should get ready to tell and re-tell again: At the start of the 1980s, Pontiac was looking for opportunities to set itself apart from GM's other brands. Specifically, executives wanted to lean into the “We build excitement!” tagline. Thus, they contracted with Omaha, Nebraska–based Knudsen Automotive, a coachbuilder that made cars similar to the neo-classic Excalibur, to build a prototype Firebird-based machine that would offer next-level performance and exclusivity. The Tojan's design—that's "Tojan" not "Trojan," possibly due to some obvious copyright issues—was sketched by Harry Bentley Bradley. Bradley had designed most of the original Hot Wheels toy cars as well as the modern version of the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile. The Tojan sadly would be far a more obscure example of his work. Which is a shame because, given the constraints of working a gen-three Firebird body, the Tojan's design looks like it might have rolled out of the futuristic dystopia of the videogame Cyberpunk 2077. Inside, you get some nicely bolstered Recaros and burled wood trim, the latter being the 1980s version of piano black plastic. All the expected '80s luxuries are here, from an AM/FM stereo with subwoofer to air-conditioning and cruise control. The first Pontiac Tojan prototype reportedly was an absolute monster, its V-8 fitted with a Gale Banks twin-turbocharging kit good for something on the order of 800 horsepower. In-period, it was tested to a top speed of 206 mph, which would sound unbelievable were it not for Banks' repeated record-setting on the Bonneville salt flats. However, Pontiac turned down the boost or switched it off entirely. Tojans, which were offered in both convertible or coupe form, mostly came with a standard 5.0-liter or 5.7-liter GM V-8, although supercharging and turbocharging reportedly were optional. This example has an L98 5.7-liter V-8 rated at 205 horsepower with a four-speed automatic transmission. It's also equipped with the WS6 performance suspension, a limited slip differential, and disc brakes at all four corners. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a46288059/pontiac-firebird-tojan-bring-a-trailer-auction/

The Israeli military has ‘dismantled’ Hamas in the north, but suggests the onslaught will continue in the rest of Gaza. Israeli bombardment has devastated many areas of Gaza [File: Mahmud Hams/AFP] 7 Jan 2024 Israel has signalled that it is ready to end its bombardment of northern Gaza, saying it has “dismantled” Hamas in that part of the Gaza Strip. The claim from the military spokesperson that Israel has nullified the Palestinian armed group in the north of the enclave extends the signs that it plans to shift to a more precise campaign. It came as top American and European envoys toured the region on Sunday, stepping up the international pressure over the mounting death toll and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The spokesperson said Israeli forces have now completely dismantled Hamas’s “military framework” in northern Gaza after killing about 8,000 fighters, and will now end major combat operations. Hamas fighters “without a framework and without commanders” are still present, he continued, and scattered fighting is to be expected, along with rockets sporadically being launched towards Israel. But Hamas no longer operates in an organised manner in the area, he asserted. The military did not address troop deployments in northern Gaza going forward, but the spokesperson said it will “continue to deepen the achievement” in the area. However, the onslaught in the rest of the enclave, including the south, to which Israel previously pushed Palestinians labelling it a safe area, is set to continue. “We are now focused on dismantling Hamas in the centre of and south of the strip,” the spokesperson said. The Israeli military’s assault using drones, missiles and ground forces was launched following Hamas’s attack on October 7, which killed about 1,140 people in Israel and saw some 240 taken captive. The latest figures on casualties in Gaza show that close to 23,000 people have been killed and more than 58,000 wounded. Many more are missing, feared under the rubble of bombed buildings. Most of the 2.3 million po[CENSORED]tion has been displaced, and are struggling for food and shelter. Spillover Amid these figures and the ongoing humanitarian crisis, pressure has been growing on Israel for weeks to end its indiscriminate warfare. In particular, the United States, Israel’s main backer, is reported to be pressing Tel Aviv to end its tactic of widespread bombardment, and the associated civilian casualties. However, Israel has remained defiant. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted the war will not end until the objectives of eliminating Hamas, getting Israel’s hostages returned, and ensuring that Gaza will no longer be a threat are met. The military spokesperson reiterated that stance, stating that “fighting will continue during 2024. We are operating according to a plan to achieve the war’s goals, to dismantle Hamas in the north and south.” Yet, as the death toll mounts, the risk that the war could spark a regional conflagration looks to be rising. Violence is flaring in the occupied West Bank, on the Israel-Lebanon border, in Iraq and Syria, and in the Red Sea. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat, are currently in the Middle East seeking to prevent Israel’s high-intensity campaign from spilling over into a wider war across the region. On his fourth visit to the region in three months, Blinken is stressing that Israel should adjust its military operations to reduce civilian casualties and significantly boost humanitarian aid into Gaza. However, many in the region suggest that they expect Washington to do more to rein in Israel, which is receiving billions of dollars worth of support from the US. Jordan’s King Abdullah on Sunday warned the US secretary of state of “catastrophic repercussions” from the continuation of Israel’s military campaign. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/7/israel-signals-bombardment-of-northern-gaza-set-to-end

Luis Díaz (left) punished Arsenal on the counter-attack after the hosts missed a number of chances against Liverpool. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian It was one of those days when Arsenal might have played for another 90 minutes and failed to score. It was so deeply frustrating for Mikel Arteta and the home support. The sting in the tail, however, would devastate them, sparking boos at full-time and the sense that the club have stumbled into a mini-crisis. Liverpool’s joy knew no bounds. There had been the sense that this FA Cup tie was more important for Arsenal, given the form that they had taken into it – three Premier League defeats in five. The need for them to recover momentum was greater. Liverpool, sitting pretty at the top of the table, had the security of their shot at Carabao Cup glory; they face Fulham in their semi-final first leg at Anfield on Wednesday. It was Liverpool who rode out the Arsenal storm or, to put it another way, watched them repeatedly lack ruthlessness in the areas that mattered the most – an increasingly worrying trend. And then they hit them hard. The opening goal was a body blow for Arsenal, Trent Alexander-Arnold whipping in a free-kick from the left on 80 minutes and Jakub Kiwior, under no huge pressure, directing an attempted clearing header into his own net. The die was cast. Top of the league at Christmas but now down to fourth, Arsenal have had a sinking feeling. Luis Díaz pushed them down even further when he lashed into the near top corner on the break at the very end. In terms of the title race, this was Liverpool laying down a marker ahead of their return here in the league on 4 February. Yet progress in the cup still matters. And they did it without Mohamed Salah, who is on Africa Cup of Nations duty. Liverpool celebrate after Jakub Kiwior scored an own goal from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian Arteta had described last Sunday’s league defeat at Fulham as the low point of the season, a “painful and sad day”, and he got a reaction from his players, Arsenal storming out of the blocks, the flashing lights on the underside of Bukayo Saka’s boots not the only eye-catching detail. He would change into a more conventional pair later in the first-half. Martin Ødegaard should have scored on 11 minutes after Saka robbed Joe Gomez and Arsenal worked the ball into the area. The shooting opportunity opened up only for Ødegaard to thump the ball off the crossbar. It was not the only good chance that Arsenal created in the early running. Arteta had started Reiss Nelson ahead of Gabriel Martinelli on the left and there was Nelson in the second minute, streaking on to a long ball by the club’s domestic cup goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale. Nelson got around Alisson but he was forced too wide and shot into the side-net. Nelson would see another effort deflect wide while Kai Havertz worked Alisson with a curler after a lovely touch by Ødegaard. It was possible to wonder from an early juncture whether Arsenal would live to regret their profligacy. The major team news item had been Liverpool’s loss of Virgil van Dijk to illness. Jürgen Klopp started with Jarell Quansah in what was pretty much his strongest available lineup. Anybody who wanted evidence of the strain on the club’s resources needed only to look at the substitutes’ bench which was heavily stocked with youngsters. Conor Bradley and Bobby Clark would get on. Arsenal drew breath before pushing again. Arteta played Havertz in the No 9 role in the absence of the injured Gabriel Jesus and he had decent chances to score before the interval. Twice, Havertz dallied before shooting without much conviction and Arteta was howling when his player levered Quansah out of the way on a corner only to direct a close-range header wide. Ben White had won it when he forced Alisson to tip over his rising drive. It was practically all Arsenal in the first half and yet Liverpool, for whom Darwin Núñez had glanced wide after a 22ndminute corner, almost stole the lead at the end of it. Alexander-Arnold ran on to an inviting ball up the inside right and unfurled a venomous shot that made a serious mark on the crossbar. Alexander-Arnold had done something similar in the 1-1 league draw between the teams at Anfield before Christmas. Arsenal, wearing an all-white kit as part of their No To Red anti-knife crime initiative, had to think that Liverpool would push more in the second half. Their inability to find a way past Alisson in the first period also had to be on their minds. It turned into a psychological test, as much as anything else, and it was draining just to watch Arteta on the touchline. He went through all kinds of agonies and they resumed after the interval when Ødegaard released Havertz and he stood up a cross for Saka at the back post. Saka could not sort out his feet and volleyed high. Moments later, following a deflected Havertz cross that Alisson clawed away, Saka shot wastefully. Klopp reshuffled. On came Diogo Jota in the No 9 role, Núñez moving to the left. On came Ryan Gravenberch as the left-sided No 8, Curtis Jones moving to No 6. Slowly but surely, Liverpool set about advertising the breakthrough. Núñez missed a pass to Díaz on the break. Jota sliced from left to right and fed Díaz, whose low shot was brilliantly saved by Ramsdale. From the ensuing corner, Jota rose to head against the crossbar. Arsenal looked out of ideas. They would be floored by the late goals. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/jan/07/arsenal-liverpool-fa-cup-match-report

Simon Akam in one of the Alps’ highest regions, near the Jungfrau and Finsteraarhorn. Photograph: Simon Akam A high-altitude ski touring trip among the 4,000-metre peaks of the Bernese Alps proves a tough challenge and a valuable lesson in mountain skills Simon Akam @simonakam Thu 4 Jan 2024 07.00 GMT One Thursday last March I emerged from the Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest train station, and crossed into another world. Inside the station, a guide with a novelty Swiss flag was marshalling a party of Asian visitors. Outside, we were soon on the Jungfraufirn, a small glacier that feeds the Aletsch, the largest glacier in the Alps. Sunlight shone through breaks in the cloud, and the ice, flanked by buttresses of dark rock, ran south for miles. The pitch was gentle and the ungroomed snow looked inviting. I was on a training course in skihochtouren – high-altitude ski touring –organised by Bergpunkt, a Swiss-German mountaineering school for a book I’m working on about ski mountaineering. Bergpunkt’s guides were multilingual and a visitor without German could, with patience, manage. The real difference with touring is the emotional – and perhaps even spiritual – tenor of the experience. You are among wild mountains, in nature and peace Ski touring is an entirely distinct experience from resort skiing. By using “skins” – fabric strips that attach to the base of the ski and provide traction on the snow, and specialised bindings that can release at the heel – tourers can climb hills as well as ski down them. At the top of a climb, you strip the skins, lock down your heels, and then ski in the conventional way. But the real difference with touring is the emotional – and perhaps even spiritual – tenor of the experience. Rather than skiing in managed, groomed and often-crowded resorts, you are among wild mountains, in nature and peace. A multi-day tour, with stays in mountain huts, can feel like an Alpine odyssey. The other side of skiing outside a secured environment is that there are risks, notably avalanches and, on glaciers, crevasses. Beginners should go with guides. Simon Akam learned traditional navigation schemes. Photograph: Simon Akam For me, the appeal of ski touring is also the cultural immersion. Among English speakers, the sport is often the preserve of men working in finance or working through a mid-life crisis. My experiences with Alpine natives saw me touring with bus drivers as well as bankers, and while men still outnumbered women there was much less overt machismo. Any lodging that can’t be reached by road has a distinct atmosphere – you are not strangers, you are comrades From Jungfraujoch, we descended to Konkordiaplatz, a plateau at about 2,700 metres where several glaciers meet, before traversing the Grünhornlücke, a pass at 3,273 metres. In cloud, the descent became a chance to practise roped-up downhill skiing: this is a standard technique on glaciers in poor visibility, given crevasses, but challenging. The rope snaps tight at inopportune moments. We emerged below the murk into a grey and spare world and traversed to the Finsteraarhorn hut at 3,048 metres. Skiers have to rope together in some conditions. Photograph: Simon Akam Staying in huts – on this trip we also lodged at another one at Konkordia – transforms the ski-touring experience. It means skiers don’t have to carry food, fuel, or tents: carrying a heavy pack can ruin any skiing experience. But again, the real lure is the company. I have always found that any lodging that can’t be reached by road has an immediately distinct atmosphere – you are not strangers, but comrades. Though they are staffed in the ski-touring season, huts are not hotels – there are dormitories with bunks or enormous shared mattress, meals of hearty but unfancy food, and in winter you sometimes have to buy water as – in its liquid form – it’s at a premium. But you are together in the mountains. I can think of few happier evenings than the one I spent this year than in the Konkordia hut, boot liners and gloves drying around the strove, asking the other members of my group to try to locate precisely which valley the custodian’s extraordinary lilting Swiss-German accent came from. For me, the appeal of ski touring is also intrinsically tied up with cultural immersion - I toured with bus drivers as well as bankers Ski touring also means constant adaptation. Given the inclement weather, our guide picked a careful route to the south summit of the Kranzberg, a 3,666-metre peak across the valley. By the last stretch, we were in a howling blizzard, visible rocks cross-hatched with blowing snow. We took off our skis shortly below the summit and stomped up the last metres with crampons and axes. There is satisfaction in being out in such weather, in managing it through gear and skills. By midday on the last day, we followed a compass bearing in limited visibility up the Grosser Aletschfirn glacier. Ski tourers today largely navigate digitally but over-reliance on GPS has been known to cause accidents, and the old skills remain valid. The guide’s neat black matchbox-style compass added to my fascination with Swiss material culture. The storm intensified as we approached the Lötschenlücke pass. My goggles froze. I was later told that a small avalanche came down nearby, though I neither heard nor saw it, given the tempest. And then, quite suddenly, we emerged below the clouds into Lötschental, one of the loveliest valleys in the alps, and saw our first trees for days. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2024/jan/04/my-ski-touring-adventure-in-switzerland

As long as a paperclip and as thin as pencil lead, Illacme socal is no ordinary SoCal denizen – it uses 486 legs to walk wherever it goes The Los Angeles thread millipede feeds on dead organic material, cleaning up the environment so humans aren’t buried in waste. Photograph: Paul Marek/AP This article is more than 5 months old Leggy new star discovered four inches under Los Angeles: the thread millipede This article is more than 5 months old As long as a paperclip and as thin as pencil lead, Illacme socal is no ordinary SoCal denizen – it uses 486 legs to walk wherever it goes Associated Press Thu 27 Jul 2023 19.56 BST The city of angels, a metropolis of freeways and traffic, has a newly discovered species named in its honor: the Los Angeles thread millipede. The tiny arthropod was found just underground by naturalists at a southern California hiking area – near a freeway, a Starbucks and an Oakley sunglasses store. About the length of a paperclip but skinny as pencil lead, it’s translucent and sinuous like a jellyfish tentacle. The creature burrows four inches below ground, secretes unusual chemicals and is blind, relying on hornlike antennae protruding from its head to find its way. Under a microscope, the millipede, with its 486 legs and helmet-like head, resembles a creature in a Hollywood monster film. “It’s amazing to think these millipedes are crawling in the inner cracks and crevices between little pieces of rock below our feet in Los Angeles,” said entomologist Paul Marek of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He was part of the research team that included scientists from West Virginia University and the University of California, Berkeley. Their findings on the species, whose scientific name is Illacme socal, were published on 21 June in the journal ZooKeys. The species’ vernacular name is the Los Angeles thread millipede. “It goes to show that there’s this undiscovered planet underground,” Marek added. I socal joins other millipedes found in the state, including one that until recently held the crown for having the most legs of any creature ever recorded – a whopping 750 limbs. It is aptly named Illacme plenipes, Latin for “in highest fulfillment of feet”. Discovered in 1926 in a small area in northern California, it was believed to be the leggiest creature on Earth until 2021, when a millipede with 1,306 legs was found in Australia. Millipedes feed on dead organic material and without them people would be “up to our necks” in it, Marek said. “By knowing something about the species that fulfill these really important ecological roles, we can protect them and then the environment that protects us as well,” he said. iNaturalist, a citizen naturalist app, led Marek to the discovery. Naturalists Cedric Lee and James Bailey posted on the app the critter they found when they were out collecting slugs at Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in nearby Orange county four years ago. The team used DNA sequencing and analysis to prove it was indeed a new species. Lee, a doctoral student at UC Berkeley, has discovered and documented 30 centipede species in California. He said microorganisms have been often neglected in the search for new species, but thanks to modern tools available to anyone, citizen science can be a bridge between the natural world and the lab. “We don’t know what’s completely out there,” Lee said. “There’s literally undescribed species right under our feet.” Scientists estimate that 10 million animal species live on Earth, but only 1 million have been discovered. “What we don’t know is far more than what we know in terms of insect species and small creatures around the world,” said Brian Brown, the curator of entomology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. After having led a four-year research project called BioSCAN, which planted insect traps throughout back yards in the city, Brown estimates 20,000 species of insects inhabit Los Angeles alone, both discovered and undiscovered. But he worries about threats to native species, such as the climate crisis and invasive species. “It really is going to take a lot more work and effort to try and save, try and document the species before they all go extinct,” he said. Daniel Gluesenkamp, the president of the California Institute for Biodiversity, who was not involved in the research, points to the Los Angeles thread millipede as the perfect example of an unexplored frontier. “We need to be investing in local parks, we need to be saving any little patch of wild land, even if it’s surrounded by housing and parking lots,” Gluesenkamp said. “We need to know what’s there so that we can protect it and use it as a solution in the tremendously challenging times ahead.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/27/new-species-los-angeles-thread-millipede-illacme-socal

The top US diplomat is travelling across the Middle East amid growing calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Jordan's King Abdullah II receives US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Amman during his visit to the Jordanian capital as part of a Middle East tour aiming to ensure the Israel-Hamas war does not spread [Handout/Jordanian Royal Palace via AFP] 7 Jan 2024 Jordan’s King Abdullah II has urged US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to push for a ceasefire in Gaza and bring an end to the humanitarian crisis in the besieged Palestinian territory, as the months-long war continues to rage. The king met Blinken in the Jordanian capital Amman on Sunday and warned him of the “catastrophic repercussions” of the continuation of the war which began three months ago, the royal palace said. At least 22,835 people have been killed – including 9,600 children – in Israel’s assault on Gaza since October 7, according to Palestinian officials. At least 1,139 people were killed in Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, according to Israeli authorities. The king reiterated “the important role of the United States in bringing pressure for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, protection of civilians, and guaranteeing delivery” of medical and humanitarian aid, the royal palace said. Blinken, who kicked off a weeklong trip across the Middle East on Friday, aimed at calming tensions in the region and ensuring the war does not spread, arrived in Jordan from Turkey and Greece, where he noted that there was “real concern” over the Israel-Lebanon border. “We want to do everything possible to make sure that we don’t see escalation there” and to avoid an “endless cycle of violence”, he said. After visiting Jordan, Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and the occupied West Bank, where he will deliver a message that Washington does not want a regional escalation of the Gaza conflict. The top US diplomat also hopes to make progress in talks about how Gaza could be governed after the war. Future of Gaza Earlier on Sunday Blinken met Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, who discussed a future scenario that would bring the West Bank and Gaza together as the basis of a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians, according to a statement from Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994 and King Abdullah reaffirmed the need for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian question and underlined Jordan’s “total rejection” of any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Washington also insists on a two-state solution, something rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, some of whose cabinet members have also called for Palestinian inhabitants of Gaza to leave. A senior US State Department official travelling with the top diplomat told Reuters that Blinken will continue pressing hesitant Muslim nations to prepare to play a role in the reconstruction, governance and security of Gaza. The US delegation aims to gather Arab states’ views on the future of Gaza before taking those positions to Israel, the official said, acknowledging there would be a significant gap between the different parties’ positions. Humanitarian crisis After his meeting with Jordanian officials, Blinken visited the World Food Programme’s regional coordination warehouse near the Jordanian capital and highlighted that “it is imperative” to “maximise assistance to people in need”, by getting the aid in and distributing it effectively. Inside the warehouse, stocked with pallets of canned food aid, the senior UN official in Jordan, Sheri Ritsema-Anderson, described the situation in Gaza as unlike anything she had seen during 15 years in the Middle East. It is “catastrophic”, she told reporters. Blinken said the US was working to keep aid routes into the strip open and multiply them. “We are intensely focused on the very difficult and indeed deteriorating food situation for men, women and children in Gaza, and it’s something we’re working on 24/7.” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/7/jordans-king-abdullah-ii-presses-blinken-to-push-for-a-ceasefire-in-gaza

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Music title: Jonas Blue - By Your Side ft. RAYE Signer: Jonas Blue Release date: 2016, Nov, 16 Official YouTube link:

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We peel back the camouflage on the next-generation T7, just ahead of its highly anticipated debut Volkswagen’s all-new Transporter cargo van has yet to be fully unveiled, yet pre-orders have already kicked off in Germany ahead of its global rollout over the next 12 months. The Transporter and its Caravelle passenger van siblings are under-skin-twins with Ford’s latest Transit Custom. The German automaker has already shown us a preview of its all-new interior and thinly disguised exterior. Let’s digitally peel back the camo and explore everything we know before its imminent debut. A Sharp New Look Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle team have made a lot of effort to ensure its van looks unique compared to the Blue Oval’s offering. At first glance, it might not look like much, but it has a distinctly different front end with a sharp aesthetic that Volkswagen is renowned for. All models sport LED headlights and taillamps and share the same glasshouse as the Transit. More: New VW T7 California Campervan Spied Testing On The Track Other key distinctions include different front doors (the Transit has curvier surfacing and an angled element at the base of the B-pillar), shaper lower door moldings and a flatter hood. Out back, the Transporter sports different taillight detailing and crisp tailgate surfacing compared to the Ford. A Classier Workspace As with the exterior, the cabin is essentially the same as its donor sibling, albeit with enough Germanic touches to convince you that you’re driving a Volkswagen product. Teutonic cabin surfacing and a dark upper environment exude a premium atmosphere, although lower grades naturally sport a lot of hard plastics throughout. We applaud Volkswagen for offering a steering wheel with physical buttons rather than the recent touch-capacitive BS plaguing its passenger car line-up. Tech goodies will include a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, a 13-inch infotainment touchscreen – which is Ford-based with Volkswagen skin (fonts, colors and icons), DAB+, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Delivering The Goods The Transporter and its passenger van sibling share the same metrics as the Ford, which is no surprise, with all of them essentially being the same shaped box. Compared with its predecessor, the standard Transporter is 146mm longer and 128mm wider and sports a 3,100mm wheelbase. An extended wheelbase variant with a 5,450 mm-long body can also be ordered. It will be available in two roof heights and as a two-row van with covered-in panel or glass window options. Alongside the passenger variant, a double-cab chassis version is offered, as is the option of a traditional tailgate or rear barn-style doors. Sharing powertrains with its Ford sibling, the new Transporter will cater to many, offering petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and electric power. The range starts with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel unit in three states of tune (81kW/108hp, 110kW/147hp and 125kW/167hp) and a 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid developing 171kW/229hp. Battery-electric variants will come with two battery pack sizes: 54kWh and 83kWh. The former produces a modest 85kW/114hp, while the larger pack can be had with 100kW/134hp, 160kW/214 and 210kW/281hp motors. For the ICE variants, front-wheel drive is standard, while the all-paw grip is available on the higher-output diesels. The electrics are rear-drive, with all-wheel-drive planned at a later date. Towing and payload metrics have improved, with the standard 110kW turbo-diesel variant now capable of a 1.3-tonne payload (an increase of 100kg), and towing has increased to 2.8 tonnes on the same version. Rivals and Reveal Built at Ford’s Ford Otosan factory in Turkey, the new Transporter competes with the Transit Custom, Renault Trafic, Peugeot Expert, Vauxhall Vivaro, Toyota HiAce/Granvia, Hyundai Staria, and Mercedes-Benz Vito. German pre-orders commenced on 14 December, and pricing starts at 36,780 euros ($40,251) . A full reveal is imminent, with deliveries kicking off later next year. https://www.carscoops.com/2024/01/2025-vw-transporter-t7-design-powertrains-and-everything-else-we-know/

Success against Sunderland will not be remembered as a vintage edition but manager could not afford loss to local rivals Newcastle’s victory against Sunderland was sorely needed after a worrying run. Photograph: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United/Getty Images Respite at last for Eddie Howe. It wasn’t the best game, it wasn’t the prettiest game, it wasn’t a derby that will take its place in the history of great derbies, beyond the fact it happened after more than seven years and with little immediate prospect of hostilities being resumed any time soon, but it was a win and one that was sorely needed. The word from the club was always that Howe’s job was safe, but no manager could feel entirely secure after a run of eight defeats (one of them on penalties) in nine games when his side went out of three competitions, with their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League significantly diminished. While progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup is not enough to excite many any more, whether fans or directors, a bad defeat to a local rival may have begun to erode Howe’s standing with the fans – who have been generally supportive. One win does not entirely dispel the disquiet and the run is still seven defeats (one of them on penalties) in nine games. An uneasiness may return after the league games against Manchester City and Aston Villa this month. But Newcastle won the one game that may have hurt Howe and in doing so ended a run of nine derbies without success and levelled the overall score in this fixture at 54 wins each. For a long time, the atmosphere was rather better than the game. With a watery sun gleaming off damp pavements, a January chill to the air and a palpable sense of occasion, this felt like a throwback to the days when the FA Cup mattered, when third-round day was one of the biggest days in the calendar, rather than a weird day of abstinence after gorging on the Premier League over Christmas. The football itself came as something of an anti-climax. Sunderland never looked like causing an upset. Any optimism home fans felt was rooted more in Newcastle’s recent failings than in any great confidence in their own side, who remain patchy under Michael Beale. Sunderland did not manage a shot in the first half and did not look like having one until they were already 2-0 down. There were a welter of bad touches, misplaced passes and an evident nervousness. Daniel Ballard’s gaffe was not the worst own goal of the week at the Stadium of Light. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images Nazariy Rusyn, who scored his first goal for the club against Preston on Monday, was isolated while the two notional wide players, Alex Pritchard and Jack Clarke, struggled to get on the ball. That has been one of Sunderland’s biggest problems this season: they are a team set up for dominating possession and when they cannot do that, they are very lacking in creative options – or even in ways to take goal-kicks; the attempts to play them short seemed only to invite pressure. Newcastle were not great, but they did not need to be. For the first half-hour, only Sean Longstaff had attempts on goal, three of them, but then Sunderland’s two Northern Ireland internationals, Trai Hume and Daniel Ballard, combined to give Newcastle the lead, the former allowing Joelinton in behind him and the latter slicing the Brazilian’s cross into his own net. At least after the gaffe over the refurbishment of the Black Cat bar with Newcastle slogans, it was not the worst own goal at the Stadium of Light this past week. As if that were not generous enough, Pierre Ekwah (from a free-kick for offside taken short) gifted Newcastle their second moments after half-time before Clarke sloppy concession of possession and Ballard’s clumsy challenge gave away the late penalty. Which says what, exactly? Newcastle will not care how the win was achieved and nor should they. Without being anywhere near their best they were much the better side and never looked in any danger. From that point of view it was a job done extremely efficiently and they can argue, not without justification, that they forced the errors. It is not their fault Sunderland were so willing to make them or that they looked so obviously the side from the lower division. This was a game in which Newcastle had very little to win and a lot to lose; what mattered was getting the job done, stopping the rot and getting out having sustained as little damage as possible. That Joelinton suffered a thigh injury in twisting awkwardly and was forced off just after half-time, though, comes as a blow and, in that context, it is surprising Howe did not make any other substitutions until the 90th minute. He can now get on with trying to get Newcastle firing again as they were in early autumn and qualifying for the Europa League, or perhaps even the Champions League, and if something develops in the FA Cup, that is a bonus. The fixture that could have hurt him is done and a win in the derby can now be added to his list of achievements, which is more than his four predecessors can say. https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2024/jan/06/eddie-howe-newcastle-sunderland-fa-cup-football

The strikes have helped the Yemeni group gain recruits – and analysts worry that a domestic build-up of might could strain ceasefire attempts. Houthi supporters rally to commemorate 10 Houthi fighters killed by the United States Navy in the Red Sea, in Sanaa, Yemen, on January 5, 2024 [Khaled Abdullah/Reuters] By Justin Salhani Published On 6 Jan 2024 6 Jan 2024 Beirut, Lebanon — The recent Houthi attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea have helped the group drive domestic recruitment and mobilise large rallies in the capital, Sanaa. Analysts say the attacks have provided the group a boost after its po[CENSORED]rity had taken a hit in recent months. But they also warn that domestic moves by the emboldened group could threaten the fragile peace within Yemen, as talks towards a ceasefire to a decade-long-war appear to be gathering momentum. The Houthis say their attacks in the Red Sea target Israeli-connected or allied ships and are aimed at pressuring Israel to stop its devastating war on Gaza, which has killed more than 22,000 people since October 7. That’s a message that appears to have resonated with many Yemenis. Ansar Allah, more po[CENSORED]rly known as the Houthis, held a rally in Sanaa in support of Gaza on Friday, drawing millions of Yemenis, according to a Houthi-affiliated media outlet. Images from the event showed a packed al-Sabeen Square, where protesters carried Palestinian and Yemeni flags. The mobilisation took place as the Houthis continued sending missiles and drones into the Red Sea, defying threats of increased military action by the United States. Amid the heightened tensions in the key maritime waterway, international shipping companies have decided to avoid the Red Sea and go around the southern coast of Africa, adding about nine days to their journey and increasing costs by at least 15 percent. Danish shipping giant Maersk announced on Friday that it would avoid the Red Sea for the foreseeable future. The Galaxy Leader cargo ship is escorted by Houthi boats in the Red Sea in this photo released on November 20, 2023 [File: Houthi Military Media/Handout via Reuters] Undeterred by US coalition In December the US put together Operation Prosperity Guardian, a 10-country coalition that originally included the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Seychelles and Bahrain. Their ostensible aim? To stop the Houthis from targeting commercial ships passing through the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a narrow passageway leading into the Red Sea and further on to the Suez Canal. On November 19, the Houthis took over the Galaxy Leader and turned it into a tourist attraction for Yemenis. But the Houthis have not been deterred. They have continued targeting commercial traffic in the Red Sea. On December 31, four Houthi vessels tried commandeering a ship travelling through the Red Sea when US Navy helicopters attacked them, killing 10 Houthi fighters and sinking three boats. On Wednesday, the US and their allies announced what they said was a final warning to the Houthis to stop attacking ships. But at Friday’s rally, the Houthis seemed defiant, as a fighter plane flew overhead, leaders praised the group’s martyrs and declared they were prepared for a military escalation from the US. “The Houthis seem immune to Western and US pressure,” Sanam Vakil, deputy head of the Middle East North Africa programme at Chatham House, told Al Jazeera. A helicopter flies, as a sea of Houthi supporters gather in Sanaa, Yemen, to commemorate 10 Houthi fighters killed by the US Navy in the Red Sea, on January 5, 2024 [Khaled Abdullah/Reuters] Ceasefire close The Palestinian cause is extremely po[CENSORED]r among Yemenis. But prior to their attacks on ships in the Red Sea, some analysts said the Houthis had struggled to pay salaries and attract new recruits. That changed after the Houthis started attacking vessels. Recruitment has spiked in recent months as young Yemenis eagerly enlist in the hopes of fighting for the Palestinian cause. The group recently graduated more than 20,000 new fighters, according to Yemen researcher Nicholas Brumfield. He added that the class was named after Hamas’s October 7 mission, Al-Aqsa Flood. “The attacks towards Israel and maritime targets in the Red Sea are favouring Houthis’ internal support and recruitment, thus diverting the attention from the social and economic failures,” under their rule in Yemen domestically, said Eleonora Ardemagni, a senior associate research fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI). “Direct confrontation with the US is likely to have the same effect.” A decade-long war with a Saudi-backed coalition, which supports the internationally recognised government of Yemen, dampened enthusiasm surrounding the group. A truce took effect in October 2022 and the parties have since been in ceasefire talks. The two sides seem to have made serious progress with an end to hostilities in sight, the United Nations announced in late December. But analysts believe that the Houthis’ recent actions mean a final deal could still be derailed. “Their actions continue to foreshadow escalation that could easily trigger a more aggressive US military response that in turn can unravel the fragile ceasefire conditions,” Vakil said. Brumfield added that “it wouldn’t be the first time that there was progress and the whole thing fell apart at the last minute”. A Houthi police trooper mans a machine gun mounted on a patrol vehicle, outside a rally held to commemorate 10 fighters killed by the US Navy in the Red Sea, in Sanaa, Yemen, on January 5, 2024 [Khaled Abdullah/Reuters] A teetering truce The ceasefire could be threatened if the Houthis decide to launch a new domestic offensive, a prospect that some analysts say is a distinct possibility. In February 2021, the Houthis launched an offensive to seize Marib, the internationally recognised Yemeni government’s last stronghold. The city saw active fighting until the truce was announced in October 2022. But in recent weeks, the Houthis have capitalised on their recent recruitment bump by deploying 50,000 troops around Marib, sparking fears that hostilities could be renewed. “We’ve seen this very large build-up of forces there over the course of the last couple of months,” Brumfield said. “Within the last week, they’ve deployed even more forces to that location.” He warned that the relative period of calm in Yemen could soon be over. The Houthis appear to be in position for possible confrontations on both the domestic and regional fronts – on land and at sea. “For the last 18 months, Yemen has been relatively quiet and that’s been a good thing,” Brumfield said. “It’s just a matter of smoothing out how this war can end and it could very easily go the other way.” SOURCE: AL JAZEERA https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/6/will-the-houthi-red-sea-attacks-destabilise-yemens-fragile-peace