It was a sense of déjà vu when we recently took delivery of a Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S E Performance. The SUV followed in the footsteps of the C63 S E Performance that ushered in the controversial new generation of Affalterbach’s performance powertrains. Ever since Mercedes’ announcement in 2022 that the C63 will ditch the popular 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 for an electrified 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, Plant Petrolhead has been bracing for the Armageddon. Despite the powertrain producing all of 500kW of power and an eye-popping 1 020Nm of torque, petrified purists detested the idea. 2.0-litre mills in their opinions belong in Golf GTIs and lacks the soundtrack associated with eight cylinders. And don’t dare infuriate them further by stating that a flat foot awakens an articulated soundtrack that blares throughout the cabin and even on the outside through a barrage of speakers. Mercedes-AMG GLC63 against the clock So the proof was finally in the pudding when The Citizen Motoring ‘s Road Test Editor Mark Jones ran the AMG C63 against the clock at Gerotek. In clocking a 0 to 100km/h run in a mere 3.31 seconds, the new technology smashed the V8’s time by 0.78 seconds despite being an almighty 360kg heavier The sedan went one further by beating its arch-rival, the all-paw BMW M3 by 0.03 seconds. Back to the business of déjà vu, a noun which Brittanica Dictionary describes as “the feeling that you have already experienced something”. Like its sedan sibling, the Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S E also features a 350kW/545Nm 2.0-litre petrol engine in conjunction with a 6.1-kWh battery pack connected to an 150kW electric motor. And like the sedan, the GLC63 sends 500kW/1 020Nm to all four corners via nine-speed MCT Speedshift transmission. ALSO READ: PODCAST: Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 ‘not too shabby’ for a 2.0-litre V8 no match for new model The sprint time clocked by its 375kW/700Nm 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 predecessor was the 3.99 seconds recorded with Mark’s Racelogic Vbox in 2018. The virtual drag race from 0 to 100km/h was dead and buried in the first second already as the new model reached 20km/h from a standstill more than half a second faster. It held onto this advantage in reaching 100km/h in 3.53 seconds, 0.46 seconds quicker than the V8, despite hauling and additional 225kg of weight. But, like with the new C63 compared to its predecessor , the new GLC63 eventually starts to fade the longer the race goes on as the battery starts depleting. The new Mercedes-AMG GLC63 reaches 200km/h in 14.82 seconds, trailing the V8 (13.6) by 1.22 seconds. Outsprinting BMW X3 M Competition The new GLC63 also secures the bragging rights over its main rival from Munich, the BMW X3 M Competition, although there is very little in it. The 375kW/650Nm 3.0-litre straight-six BMW managed a sprint time of 3.62 seconds last year which is only nine thousandths from the AMG. But again, like with the C63 and M3, the BMW X3 M Competition catches up with the AMG the longer the race goes on for. The X3 (11.71 seconds) just gets the better of the AMG (11.84) at a quarter-mile. But after that the punishment gets severe with the BMW reaching 200km/h in 12.74 seconds compared to the AMG’s 14.82 seconds. There are eight AMG Dynamic Select driving modes on offer; Electric, Comfort, Battery Hold, Sport, Sport+, Race, Slippery and Individual. These utilise the engine, battery and electric motor in various combinations, as well as the suspension, which in Comfort mode still allows the car to be a daily ride. Technically the GLC63 is a plug-in hybrid which offers pure electric driving, but this range is hardly more than a dozen kilos. The main purpose of the electric setup is to add performance to the internal combustion engine. Much more to come While the fake soundtracks of Affalterbach’s new tech might not be enough to convince the die-hards, the timesheets are indicative of the improvements in performance. We must also remember that this was their first attempt at this hybrid performance concoction and that it will further be improved over time. One very bitter pill to swallow though is the Mercedes-AMG GLC63’s price tag that starts at R2 760 000 before options. The V8 model that Mark tested just over six years ago started at R1 665 000. Like with the standard GLC range and other recently update models, Mercedes has loaded a lot more standard spec to the AMG GLC63. The cabin features as much tech as the drivetrain, while rear-axle steering is also now available. All in all, not too shabby for a two-litre. Mercedes-AMG GLC63 road test dataBy JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump loved to use tariffs on foreign goods during his first presidency. But their impact was barely noticeable in the overall economy, even if their aftershocks were clear in specific industries. The data show they never fully delivered on his promised factory jobs. Nor did they provoke the avalanche of inflation that critics feared. This time, though, his tariff threats might be different . The president-elect is talking about going much bigger — on a potential scale that creates more uncertainty about whether he’ll do what he says and what the consequences could be. “There’s going to be a lot more tariffs, I mean, he’s pretty clear,” said Michael Stumo, the CEO of Coalition for a Prosperous America, a group that has supported import taxes to help domestic manufacturing. The president-elect posted on social media Monday that on his first day in office he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada until those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his initial term. Chinese imports would face additional tariffs of 10% until Beijing cracks down on the production of materials used in making fentanyl, Trump posted. Business groups were quick to warn about rapidly escalating inflation , while Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she would counter the move with tariffs on U.S. products. House Democrats put together legislation to strip a president’s ability to unilaterally apply tariffs this drastic, warning that they would likely lead to higher prices for autos, shoes, housing and groceries. Sheinbaum said Wednesday that her administration is already working up a list of possible retaliatory tariffs “if the situation comes to that.” “The economy department is preparing it,” Sheinbaum said. “If there are tariffs, Mexico would increase tariffs, it is a technical task about what would also benefit Mexico,” she said, suggesting her country would impose targeted import duties on U.S. goods in sensitive areas. House Democrats on Tuesday introduced a bill that would require congressional approval for a president to impose tariffs due to claims of a national emergency, a largely symbolic action given Republicans’ coming control of both the House and Senate. “This legislation would enable Congress to limit this sweeping emergency authority and put in place the necessary Congressional oversight before any president – Democrat or Republican – could indiscriminately raise costs on the American people through tariffs,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash. But for Trump, tariffs are now a tested tool that seems less politically controversial even if the mandate he received in November’s election largely involved restraining inflation. The tariffs he imposed on China in his first term were continued by President Joe Biden, a Democrat who even expanded tariffs and restrictions on the world’s second largest economy. Biden administration officials looked at removing Trump’s tariffs in order to bring down inflationary pressures, only to find they were unlikely to help significantly. Tariffs were “so new and unique that it freaked everybody out in 2017,” said Stumo, but they were ultimately somewhat modest. Trump imposed tariffs on solar panels and washing machines at the start of 2018, moves that might have pushed up prices in those sectors even though they also overlapped with plans to open washing machine plants in Tennessee and South Carolina. His administration also levied tariffs on steel and aluminum, including against allies. He then increased tariffs on China, leading to a trade conflict and a limited 2020 agreement that failed to produce the promised Chinese purchases of U.S. goods. Still, the dispute changed relations with China as more U.S. companies looked for alternative suppliers in other countries. Economic research also found the United States may have sacrificed some of its “soft power” as the Chinese population began to watch fewer American movies. The Federal Reserve kept inflation roughly on target, but factory construction spending never jumped in a way that suggested a lasting gain in manufacturing jobs. Separate economic research found the tariff war with China did nothing economically for the communities hurt by offshoring, but it did help Trump and Republicans in those communities politically. When Trump first became president in 2017, the federal government collected $34.6 billion in customs, duties and fees. That sum more than doubled under Trump to $70.8 billion in 2019, according to Office of Management and Budget records. While that sum might seem meaningful, it was relatively small compared to the overall economy. America’s gross domestic product is now $29.3 trillion, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The total tariffs collected in the United States would equal less than 0.3% of GDP. The new tariffs being floated by Trump now are dramatically larger and there could be far more significant impacts. If Mexico, Canada, and China faced the additional tariffs proposed by Trump on all goods imported to the United States, that could be roughly equal to $266 billion in tax collections, a number that does not assume any disruptions in trade or retaliatory moves by other countries. The cost of those taxes would likely be borne by U.S. families, importers and domestic and foreign companies in the form of higher prices or lower profits. Former Biden administration officials said they worried that companies could piggyback on Trump’s tariffs — if they’re imposed — as a rationale to raise their prices, just as many companies after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 boosted food and energy costs and gave several major companies the space to raise prices, according to their own earnings calls with investors. But what Trump didn’t really spell out is what might cause him to back down on tariffs and declare a victory. What he is creating instead with his tariff threats is a sense of uncertainty as companies and countries await the details to figure out what all of this could mean. “We know the key economic policy priorities of the incoming Trump administration, but we don’t know how or when they will be addressed,” said Greg Daco, chief U.S. economist at EY-Parthenon. AP writer Mark Stevenson contributed to this report from Mexico City.
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Emi Martinez began the night by walking onto the field with his children and parading a pair of trophies for being the world’s best goalkeeper for the last two years. He finished it by producing an astonishing save that vindicated those awards. The Argentina international illuminated a 0-0 draw between his Aston Villa team and Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday by plucking the ball from behind him and scooping it off the goal line to deny Francisco Conceição what could have been the winner. Replays showed the ball was almost entirely over the line before Martinez hooked it clear, and the goalkeeper was quickly congratulated by his teammates. No save by Martinez will ever beat the one he pulled off for Argentina in the last seconds of extra time in the 2022 World Cup final , denying France striker Randal Kolo Muani and keeping teammate Lionel Messi’s dream alive of finally winning soccer’s biggest prize. He might just have run it close. It was fitting he produced his wonder save against Juve on the night he showed off the two Yashin Trophies he claimed at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in each of the past two years. The most recent one came last month. As for Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, he finished the game relieved that what appeared to be a mistake in the final seconds of stoppage time didn't cost his team. Di Gregorio spilled a cross under pressure from Villa defender Diego Carlos and Morgan Rogers was there to poke the ball into the net. A goal was awarded by the on-field referee but after a two-minute check, it was ruled out for a foul on Di Gregorio by Carlos. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerPeople's financial services CEO sells $142,536 in stock
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Published 4:51 pm Monday, November 25, 2024 By Data Skrive Ranked teams are on the Tuesday college basketball schedule for four games, including the Arizona State Sun Devils playing the Kentucky Wildcats. Watch women’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up for a free trial. Catch tons of live women’s college basketball , plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — DJ Lagway threw two touchdown passes, Montrell Johnson ran for 127 yards and a score, and Florida upset No. 9 Mississippi 24-17 on Saturday to knock the Rebels out of College Football Playoff contention. The Gators (6-5, 4-4 Southeastern Conference), who topped LSU last week, beat ranked teams in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2008 and became bowl eligible. The late-season spurt provided another vote of confidence for coach Billy Napier, who is expected back for a fourth season. Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3), which entered the day as a 10-point favorite, lost for the first time in four games and surely will drop out of the 12-team playoff picture. The Rebels ranked ninth in the latest CFP and needed only to avoid stumbling down the stretch against Florida and lowly Mississippi State to clinch a spot in the playoff field. But coach Lane Kiffin’s team failed to score in three trips inside the red zone and dropped countless passes in perfect weather. No. 2 OHIO ST. 38, No. 5 INDIANA 15 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana. All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, CFP No. 2) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. The Hoosiers (10-1, 7-1, No. 5 CFP) had their best chance to beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 1988 but were hurt by special teams mistakes and disrupted by an Ohio State defense that sacked quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times. Howard finished 22 for 26 for 201 yards. Emeka Egbuka had seven catches for 80 yards and a TD. No. 8 GEORGIA 59, UMass 21 ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Carson Beck threw four touchdown passes, Nate Frazier ran for 136 yards with three scores and No. 8 Georgia overwhelmed Massachusetts as the Bulldogs tried to protect their College Football Playoff hopes. Georgia (9-2, No. 10 CFP) needed the big offense from Beck and Frazier to rescue a defense that gave up 226 rushing yards. UMass (2-9) played its first game under interim coach Shane Montgomery, the offensive coordinator who retained his play-calling duties after replacing fired coach Don Brown on Monday. Jalen John led the Minutemen with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown. Georgia extended its streak of consecutive home wins to 30, the longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision. No. 10 TENNESSEE 56, UTEP 0 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nico Iamaleava threw for 209 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 10 Tennessee to a victory over UTEP. The Volunteers (9-2) overcame a sluggish start to roll up the impressive win. Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter, but Tennessee found its rhythm. Grad student receiver Bru McCoy, who hadn’t caught a touchdown pass this season, had two. Peyton Lewis also ran for two scores. Tennessee’s defensive line, which had no sacks in last week’s loss to Georgia, had three against the Miners. UTEP (2-9) struggled with two missed field goals and three turnovers. Tennessee’s offense came alive with 28 points in the second quarter. In the final four drives of the quarter, Iamaleava completed 11 of 12 passes for 146 yards and touchdowns to Squirrel White, Ethan Davis and McCoy. No. 11 MIAMI 42, WAKE FOREST 14 MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Cam Ward passed for 280 yards and threw two touchdowns to Jacolby George on another record-breaking day, Mishael Powell ran an interception back 76 yards for a touchdown and No. 11 Miami pulled away late to beat Wake Forest. The Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 8 College Football Playoff) can clinch a berth in the ACC title game with a win at Syracuse next weekend. Ward completed 27 of 38 passes, plus ran for a score. He broke two more single-season Miami records, both of which had been held for 40 years by Bernie Kosar — most passing yards in a season and most completions in a season. Ward now has 3,774 yards on 268 completions this season. Kosar threw for 3,642 yards on 262 completions in 1984. Demond Claiborne had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for Wake Forest (4-7, 2-5). Claiborne also rushed for 62 yards for the Demon Deacons, and starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier was 8 of 14 passing for 86 yards and a touchdown. No. 13 SMU 33, VIRGINIA 7 CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Kevin Jennings threw for a career-high 323 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 13 SMU clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game by routing Virginia. Isaiah Smith and Jared Harrison-Hunte each had two sacks to help the Mustangs (10-1, 7-0, No. 13 CFP) extend their winning streak to eight. They would earn an automatic bid into the expanded College Football Playoff by beating 11th-ranked Miami or 17th-ranked Clemson in the ACC title game on Dec. 7 in Charlotte, North Carolina. SMU had to get there first, and Jennings led the way again, bouncing back from an interception and a fumble to complete 25 of 33 passes to six different receivers, including TD tosses to Jordan Hudson and Matthew Hibner. Brashard Smith provided a little balance on offense, running for 63 yards and his 13th touchdown of the season. SMU’s defense overwhelmed UVa’s offensive line, sacking Anthony Colandrea nine times and allowing the Cavaliers (5-6, 3-4) just 173 yards. Special teams contributed, too, with Roderick Daniels Jr. returning a punt 48 yards and Collin Rogers making two field goals. No. 24 ILLINOIS 38, RUTGERS 31 PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending No. 24 Illinois to a wild victory over Rutgers. Illinois (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) was down 31-30 when it sent long kicker Ethan Moczulski out for a desperation 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds to go. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano then called for a timeout right before Moczulski’s attempt was wide left and about 15 yards short. After the missed field goal was waved off by the timeout, Illinois coach Bret Bielema sent his offense back on the field. Altmyer hit Bryant on an in cut on the left side at the 22, and he continued across the field and scored untouched in a game that featured three lead changes in the final 3:07. Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) gave up a safety on the final kickoff return, throwing a ball out of bounds in the end zone as players passed it around hoping for a miracle touchdown. Altmyer was 12-of-26 passing for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Bryant finished with seven receptions for 197 yards.Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan called off their massive street protest in the capital of Islamabad on Wednesday following massive overnight raids by police and paramilitary forces, which resulted in hundreds of injuries and more than a thousand arrests. An immense column of protesters descended upon Islamabad on Sunday, triggering a citywide lockdown and massive police response. The police created barricades from shipping containers to keep the marchers away from D-Chowk Square, where vital government offices are located, but the marchers pushed through the barricades, triggering violent clashes on Tuesday that left a half-dozen security personnel dead. The protesters are largely members of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, enraged that the former PM has been jailed for years on charges of corruption and abuse of power, which PTI dismisses as political fabrications. Khan’s supporters also believed this year’s elections were rigged to keep PTI out of power. The demonstration, led by Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, had plans to occupy the “red zone” of D-Chowk square until Khan was released and the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif resigned. Those plans appear to have been scuttled after Wednesday’s overnight raids . According to Pakistani media reports, the government turned out the lights in central Islamabad after midnight, then bathed the protest encampments in a cloud of tear gas. Almost all of the protesters had cleared out by sunrise. An ominous symbol of the broken protest was the burned wreckage of the truck that carried Bushra Bibi to Islamabad. Human rights groups and PTI leaders expressed some unease about the heavy-handed midnight raid, but things could certainly have been a lot worse as the Pakistani military had been deployed to protect D-Chowk Square, and government officials spoke of giving them shoot-on-sight orders. The army has taken a dim view of PTI supporters ever since they destroyed military property during riots in May 2023 following Khan’s arrest. PTI also marched on Islamabad in October, prompting clashes with police that killed one officer. Security officials described this week’s protesters as an invading army, armed with steel rods, clubs, slingshots, and tear gas launchers of their own, and accused them of committing vandalism and arson as they swept into Islamabad. PTI decided to throw in the towel after the midnight raids. Spokesman Zulfikar Bukhari said two protesters have been killed, one shot dead and the other run over by a police vehicle. Mohammad Asim, president of the PTI in its stronghold city of Peshawar, said it was necessary to perform a tactical retreat after the forceful overnight police action. “We will chalk out a new strategy later, after proper consultation,” Asim said . He added that Bibi and other PTI leaders were able to depart “safely” from Islamabad and return to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the province where Peshawar is located. Police officials said on Wednesday that 954 of the estimated 10,000 pro-Khan marchers have been arrested for defying a ban on public gatherings. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi saluted security forces for “bravely repulsing the protesters.” Khan himself issued a call for his followers to keep fighting, and perhaps return in even greater numbers, but he also urged them to “remain peaceful, stay united, and stand firm until our demands are met.”Bryce James Visits Historic College Basketball Program This Week
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A student made a desperate call from an unknown number before she vanished several weeks ago. After Lilyanne Hook, 19, rang her parents to tell them her phone had been stolen, the teenager disappeared and concern has grown for her welfare since. Lilyanne's dad Mark said his family is experiencing "a living nightmare" as they've joined the search in and around Peckham, southeast London , for the student. Lilyanne is originally from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, but moved to the capital to live near friends, but her disappearance is "very out of character". Speaking to Metro , Mark: "She’s a very outgoing and independent young lady, but the longest we have ever gone without speaking to her before was two days. "We can’t think why she would not want any contact, but we just want to know she is okay. She rang us from an unknown number to let us know her phone had been snatched, and we’ve been worried ever since." The phone call was on November 11, one day after Lilyanne was last seen when she left her flat in Lewisham, southeast London. Police are making enquiries in both Lewisham and nearby Peckham. Mark said Lilyanne has her mum's number memorised, and has previously rang her off friends' phones. She told her parents her phone had been stolen on November 11 but then called her mum for days later on another unknown number, but this brief call ended abruptly. Lilyanne turns 20 on December 21 and her dad says she usually spends her birthday with him, her mum and her sister. Metropolitan Police, though, are yet to come across the teenager, despite scouring CCTV. Mark told the Independent : "It's been a living nightmare. Someone, somewhere knows where my daughter is... I just need to be strong in case my little baby needs me. It's very out of character for her. The longest time without speaking to me or her mum is about three days." The Met appealed on social media: "Can you help us find 19-year-old Lilyanne who is missing from Lewisham? She is about 5 ft 1, of slim build, with long brown wavy hair and a nose piercing on both sides."The number of cyclists commuting in Toronto is triple what Doug Ford claims, latest transportation study reveals