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8 Thanksgiving mistakes: Frozen or overcooked turkey, too many sides and other common holiday miscuesUS lawmakers back Covid Chinese lab leak theory after two-year probeA Macy’s employee hid $132 million to $154 million in company expenses over nearly three years, the company announced Monday. The secret fraud forced the company to delay its full third quarter earnings report , which was scheduled for Tuesday. Macy’s claimed the operation was the work of a single employee responsible for small package delivery expense accounting. That employee is no longer with the company . “At Macy’s, Inc., we promote a culture of ethical conduct,” CEO Tony Spring said in a press release. “While we work diligently to complete the investigation as soon as practicable and ensure this matter is handled appropriately, our colleagues across the company are focused on serving our customers and executing our strategy for a successful holiday season.” According to a company-funded investigation, the expense hiding began in the fourth financial quarter of 2021 and continued until Macy’s fiscal quarter that ended Nov. 2. During that time period, Macy’s announced $4.36 billion in delivery expenses. The fraudulent accounting did not affect daily business, according to the company. In a preliminary report Monday, Macy’s said net sales fell 2.4% to $4.74 billion. The company’s financials have been closely watched since a hostile takeover bid earlier this year from two hedge funds , Arkhouse and Brigade Capital. Macy’s ended the buyout talks in July, rejecting a $6.6 billion offer from the firms. That offer valued Macy’s stock at $24 per share. After Monday’s announcement, Macy’s stock was trading at $15.89 per share. When the takeover bid was rejected, it was above $16 per share. Macy’s said it would present a full third quarter earnings report on Dec. 11. In Monday’s preliminary report, the company said sales at flagship Macy’s stores were down 3%, while sales at Bloomingdale’s rose 1%. The company also owns Bluemercury cosmetics , which reported a 3.3% increase in sales. With News Wire Services
Posing on red carpet at film premiere, Gray after another trip in taxpayer funded limo Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport By TOM GORDON DEPUTY SCOTTISH POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 21:56, 25 November 2024 | Updated: 22:02, 25 November 2024 e-mail View comments Neil Gray is facing more claims he indulged himself at the taxpayers’ expense after being chauffeured to a star-studded film premiere. The Health Secretary, who grew up in Orkney where the film is set, previously said ‘cannot wait to see this’ on social media. The updated register of ministerial engagements states he met with Screen Scotland at a ‘reception’ that night about ‘culture’. Mr Gray, who took over the health portfolio in February after a year with the economy brief, last had ministerial responsibility for culture in March 2023. After visiting the cinema with his wife Karlie, the Airdrie and Shotts MSP took a ministerial limo from another Film Festival venue to a ‘personal address’. Health Minister Neil Gray and his wife on the red carpet at the premiere Saoirse Ronan starred in Amy Liptrot’s The Outrun and appeared at the red carpet event in Edinburgh Mr Gray, 38, did have a series of health-related meetings in Edinburgh earlier involving the BMA, NHS Forth Valley and a ‘health workforce roundtable’. But the Film Festival event was the last ‘ministerial’ engagement of the day. The government refused to say why Mr Gray attended, what ministerial business was discussed, or whether he took a family member or guest – as he did to the football. A spokesman said: ‘Ministers attend sporting and cultural events as part of their ministerial duties.’ Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport Advertisement The Outrun, based on Orcadian writer Amy Liptrot’s memoir about recovering from alcoholism, was well-known to Mr Gray. In December last year, he reposted a message on X about it being shown at the Sundance Film Festival in the US the following month. He wrote: ‘Cannot wait to see this!’ Mr Gray apologised to parliament this month after taking official limos to eight football matches in around two years, four involving Aberdeen. He admitted the many Aberdeen matches gave ‘the impression of acting more as a fan and less as a minister’. He said yesterday he would continue to attend games, but would ‘get the balance right’. Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: ‘There is a growing pattern of behaviour from Neil Gray. He has serious questions to answer over why he was chauffeured in the ministerial limo to and from a film premiere. ‘It looks as though he likes to use his position of privilege to indulge in his favourite passions, rather than focusing on his actual job. ‘The scandal smacks of another SNP cover-up and it won’t go away until he is fully upfront about why he was at certain events and if any government business actually took place.’ Edinburgh Share or comment on this article: Posing on red carpet at film premiere, Gray after another trip in taxpayer funded limo e-mail Add comment
It was late in the evening on Friday the 13th when I stepped out onto our back deck on the off-chance I might catch a glimpse of one of those mysterious drones that have become front page news in the course of the last week or two. Initially the bulk of the drone activity had taken place over in northern New Jersey, but lately it seemed to have pushed its way here into southeastern Pennsylvania. A Facebook post the day before had alerted me to the fact that entire fleets of drones had recently been spotted over the skies of [...]
Kash Patel is Donald Trump ‘s pick to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation, making him another member of the Trump Media & Technology Group DJT board to be selected for a position in the president-elect's next administration. What Happened: Patel is well-known as a loyal Trump supporter and, in the past, has spoken publicly about overhauling the FBI. Patel previously worked for Trump on the National Security Council in 2019. Patel also helped with the Pentagon transition effort from Trump to Biden, as reported by CNN . Along with his past experience working for the National Security Council, Patel also plays a role with Trump Media & Technology Group, which was co-founded by Trump. Patel serves as a director on the company’s board. Trump Media CEO Devin Nunes recently congratulated Patel on Trump's announcement. "An immensely talented lawyer and investigator with an unimpeachable devotion to our Constitution, Kash is a brilliant pick to serve as Director of the FBI," Nunes said in a press release. Nunes said he worked closely with Patel to "expose the saboteurs within the Intelligence Community who perpetuated the Russia collusion hoax." Patel previously served as an aide to Nunes when he was a U.S. representative and the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, CNN reported. Did You Know? Congress Is Making Huge Investments. Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool Patel's Wealth : A formal nomination of Patel as FBI director could shed more light on his finances and wealth, but right now, limited sources indicate how rich Trump’s anticipated nominee is likely to be. Since Trump left the White House after losing the 2020 election, Patel has remained close with the former president and has grown his wealth through merchandise related to Trump and positions with foundations. Patel was paid $130,000 last year as part of a consulting agreement between his company Trishul and Trump Media and Technology Group. Patel serves as an independent contractor of TMTG in exchange for an annual payment of $120,000 plus out-of-pocket reimbursements, according to a company filing . Patel is the author of a children's book trilogy called "The Plot Against the King." The book series features characters like King Donald, Sleepy Joe and Hillary Queenton, weaving plots about spreading lies to seize the throne and efforts to unseat "Comma-la-la-la-la" to reclaim it. Patel also founded the Kash Foundation, previously known as Fight With Kash, which provides financial assistance to active duty service members and veterans. Trump's leadership PAC has paid Patel over $300,000 since the start of 2023, the Associated Press reported. Patel has also promoted pills that claim to reverse the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, Newsweek reported . Merchandise sold under the "K$H brand" includes playing cards and apparel that may also add to Patel's wealth and sources of income related to Trump. Patel also served as a producer on the song "Justice For All," which was penned by the Jan. 6 Prison Choir singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" mixed with Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. What's Next: Like other nominees announced by Trump, no formal approval process has occurred yet as he awaits his January inauguration. Similar to other Cabinet nominations, a formal nomination of Patel by Trump would need to be approved and confirmed by the Senate. Prediction market Polymarket shows odds of 61% that Patel will be confirmed by the Senate. The market resolves as Yes and pays out at $1 per Yes contract if Patel is confirmed as the FBI Director by June 30, 2025. A rejection by the Senate, a withdrawal of Patel's nomination or an appointment approved during the Recess party without Senate confirmation will close at No and pay out $1 for No contracts and at zero for Yes contracts. On Polymarket, users can deposit funds using USDC USDC/USD via the Polygon MATIC/USD network, or directly from a crypto account with Ethereum ETH/USD . Like the 2024 election markets, the odds on potential Cabinet members are becoming hot betting markets on Polymarket. Read Next: Trump HHS Pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Wealth Comes From Family, Law Practice, Oil, Bitcoin Photo: Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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Political turmoil in France sends euro tumbling and borrowing costs soaring as manufacturing crisis deepensFOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The NFL removed New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers from the commissioner exempt list on Monday, making him eligible to participate in practice and play in the team’s games. Peppers missed seven games since being placed on the list on Oct. 9 after he was arrested and charged with shoving his girlfriend’s head into a wall and choking her. The league said its review is ongoing and is not affected by the change in Peppers’ roster status. Braintree, Massachusetts, police said they were called to a home for an altercation between two people on Oct. 7, and a woman told them Peppers choked her. Police said they found at the home a clear plastic bag containing a white powder, which later tested positive for cocaine. Peppers, 29, pleaded not guilty in Quincy District Court to charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a Class “B” substance believed to be cocaine. At a court appearance last week a trial date was set for Jan. 22. “Any act of domestic violence is unacceptable for us,” Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said after the arrest. “With that being said, I do think that Jabrill has to go through the system, has to continue to go through due process. We’ll see how that works out.” A 2017 first-round draft choice by Cleveland, Peppers spent two seasons with the Browns and three with the New York Giants before coming to New England in 2022. He was signed to an extension this summer. He played in the first four games of the season and missed one with a shoulder injury before going on the exempt list, which allows NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to place a player on paid leave while reviewing his case. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflLawyers for a Missouri man facing the death penalty for sexually assaulting and killing a child are seeking clemency, claiming that he has "structurally abnormal" brain due to physical and sexual abuse he endured in his youth. Christopher Collings, 49, is scheduled to die by an injection of pentobarbital Tuesday evening at the state prison in Bonne Terre. He was convicted of killing 9-year-old Rowan Ford, a fourth-grader from the tiny southwestern Missouri town of Stella, on Nov. 3, 2007. Her body was found in a sinkhole six days later, the Associated Press reported. Collings confessed to the crimes. The clemency petition states that the abnormality of Collings' brain causes him to suffer from "functional deficits in awareness, judgment and deliberation, comportment, appropriate social inhibition, and emotional regulation." It also notes that he suffered from frequent and often violent abuse as a child. Arizona to resume executions after 2-year pause - with first inmate facing possible death named Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson has execution halted minutes before lethal injection "The result was a damaged human being with no guidance on how to grow into a functioning adult," the petition states. The clemency petition and the Supreme Court appeal both challenge the reliability of the key law enforcement witness at Collings' trial, a police chief from a neighboring town who had four AWOL convictions while serving in the Army. Failure to disclose details about that criminal history at trial violated Collings' right to due process, Collings' attorney, Jeremy Weis contends. "His credibility was really at the heart of the entire case against Mr. Collings," Weis told AP in an interview The petition also challenges the fairness of executing Collings when another man was charged in the crime, Rowan's stepfather, David Spears, also confessed but was allowed to plead to lesser crimes. Spears served more than seven years in prison before his release in 2015. Collings confesses to strangling the child with a rope and taking her body to the sinkhole. He told investigators he burned to rope, the clothes he was wearing, and his blood-stained mattress, prosecutors said. Spears also implicated himself in the crimes, according to court documents and the clemency petition. A transcript of Spears' statement to police, cited in the petition, said he told police that Collings handed him a cord and that he killed Rowan. "I choke her with it. I realize she's gone. She's ... she's really gone," Spears said, according to the transcript. Spears was also the person who led authorities to the sinkhole where her body was found, according to court documents. Republican Gov. Mike Parson was still weighing the clemency petition on Monday. The former county sheriff has overseen 12 executions and has never granted clemency. Weis said another appeal is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, but various courts have rejected several of his previous appeals. Three men have been executed in Missouri this year - Brian Dorsey on April 9, David Hosier on June 11 and Marcellus Williams on Sept. 24. Collings would be the 23rd execution in the U.S. this year and the fourth in Missouri. DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on Wednesday in a case that could shape the way gender-affirming health care is provided in the U.S. — specifically for minors. The case in question comes from Tennessee, where the state banned medical care such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery for transgender minors regardless of parental consent and recommendations from a health care provider. Tennessee’s ban, as it was passed, would require transgender minors who already received gender-affirming care to stop their treatments within nine months of the law’s effective date as well as establish a path of legal action against medical professionals who provide the treatments. RELATED STORY | Ohio governor signs bill limiting bathroom use by transgender students Shortly after the state’s legislation passed the ban in 2023, the American Civil Liberties Union sued on behalf of three families with transgender youths and a Memphis-based medical doctor who wanted to block the ban from going into effect. The U.S. Justice Department later joined in opposition to the law. The plaintiffs argue that Tennessee’s ban violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause by discriminating against trans youth on the basis of sex. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has said the law is meant to protect minors from harm in the state. In the lower courts, he claimed that there is uncertainty around the risks and benefits of transition care for minors. RELATED STORY | Supreme Court will take up state bans on gender-affirming care for minors Over half of the states in the U.S. have enacted some type of ban on gender-affirming care for minors to date. The Supreme Court’s decision in the case US v. Skirmetti could have implications across the country. If the Supreme Court rules that Tennessee’s ban is unconstitutional, then similar bans passed by other states could also be deemed unconstitutional. But if the high court affirms that laws prohibiting healthcare for transgender minors do not violate the equal protection clause, then those bans could remain in place.WARREN: Explore “Unknown Worlds” at Crary Art Gallery
HP forecasts Q1 profit below estimates on sluggish demand in PC marketKansas holds off Auburn for No. 1 in AP Top 25 as SEC grabs 3 of top 4 spots; UConn slides to No. 25 Kansas continues to hold the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll. Auburn is pushing the Jayhawks in the latest poll after winning the Maui Invitational and checked in at No. 2. Two-time reigning national champion UConn nearly fell out entirely after an 0-3 week at Maui, falling from No. 2 to 25th. The Southeastern Conference had three of the top four teams with No. 3 Tennessee and No. 4 Kentucky behind the Tigers. The poll featured six new teams, headlined by No. 13 Oregon, No. 16 Memphis and No. 18 Pittsburgh. TCU, Duke climb into top 10, Notre Dame drops in women's AP Top 25; UCLA and UConn remain 1-2 TCU has its best ranking ever in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll after a convincing win over Notre Dame. The Horned Frogs jumped eight spots to No. 9, the first time the school has ever been in the top 10. The Fighting Irish, who were third last week, fell seven spots to 10th after losses to TCU and Utah. UCLA remained No. 1, followed by UConn, South Carolina, Texas and LSU. USC, Maryland and Duke are next. Houston's Al-Shaair apologizes for hit on Jacksonville's Lawrence that led to concussion HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair took to X to apologize to Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence after his violent blow to the quarterback’s facemask led to him being carted off the field with a concussion. Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter of Houston’s 23-20 win on Sunday. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback. In the long post, Al-Shaair says "To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening.” Philadelphia ready to go the distance with RockyFest week dedicated to 'Rocky' movies PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Rocky Balboa fans are ready to go the distance to honor Philly’s favorite fictional fighter almost 50 years after the first movie launched the enduring series of an underdog boxer persevering despite the odds. The city Rocky called home at last has a week dedicated to the box office heavyweight champion of the world a year after the inaugural Rocky Day was held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps. RockyFest officially kicks off Tuesday and a series of events dedicated to the movies series are set to be held around the city. How to sum up 2024? The Oxford University Press word of the year is 'brain rot' LONDON (AP) — Oxford University Press has named “brain rot” its word of the year. It's defined as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state,” especially from consuming too much low-grade online content. Oxford University Press said Monday that the phrase “gained new prominence in 2024,” with its frequency of use increasing 230% from the year before. It was chosen by a combination of public vote and language analysis by Oxford lexicographers. The five other word-of-the-year finalists were demure, slop, dynamic pricing, romantasy and lore. Oxford Languages President Casper Grathwohl said the choice of phrase “feels like a rightful next chapter in the cultural conversation about humanity and technology.” Scientists gather to decode puzzle of the world's rarest whale in 'extraordinary' New Zealand study WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Scientists and culture experts in New Zealand have begun the first-ever dissection of a spade-toothed whale, the world's rarest whale species. The creature, which washed up dead on a beach on New Zealand's South Island in July, is only the seventh specimen ever found. None has ever been seen alive at sea. Almost nothing is known about it but scientists, working with Māori cultural experts, hope to answer some of the many lingering questions this week, including where they live, what they eat, how they produce sound and how this specimen died. Hong Kong launches panda sculpture tour as the city hopes the bear craze boosts tourism HONG KONG (AP) — Thousands of giant panda sculptures will greet residents and tourists starting on Saturday in Hong Kong, where enthusiasm for the bears has grown since two cubs were born in a local theme park. The 2,500 exhibits will be publicly displayed at the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui, one of Hong Kong’s popular shopping districts, this weekend before setting their footprint at three other locations this month. The displays reflect Hong Kong’s use of pandas to boost its economy as the Chinese financial hub works to regain its position as one of Asia’s top tourism destinations. Violent hit on Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence 'has no business being in our league,' coach says JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was carted off the field after taking a violent elbow to the facemask from Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. It prompted two sideline-clearing scuffles. Lawrence clenched both fists after the hit, movements consistent with what’s referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury. Lawrence was on the ground for several minutes as teammates came to his defense and mobbed Al-Shaair. Lawrence eventually was helped to his feet and loaded into the front seat of a cart to be taken off the field. He was not transported to a hospital. He was quickly ruled out with a concussion, though. Al-Shaair and Jaguars rookie cornerback Jarrian Jones were ejected after the first altercation. Big Ten fines Michigan and Ohio State $100,000 each for postgame melee ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — The Big Ten Conference has announced it fined Michigan and Ohio State $100,000 each for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy for the on-field melee at the end of the Wolverines’ win in Columbus .A fight broke out at midfield Saturday after the Wolverines’ 13-10 victory when Michigan players attempted to plant their flag on the OSU logo and were confronted by the Buckeyes. Police used pepper spray to break up the players, who threw punches and shoves. One officer suffered a head injury when he was “knocked down and trampled while trying to separate players fighting." The officer was taken to a hospital and has since been released. Marshall Brickman, who co-wrote 'Annie Hall' with Woody Allen, dies at 85 NEW YORK (AP) — The Oscar-winning screenwriter Marshall Brickman, whose wide-ranging career spanned some of Woody Allen’s best films, the Broadway musical “Jersey Boys” and a number of Johnny Carson’s most beloved sketches, has died. He was 85. Brickman died Friday in Manhattan, his daughter Sophie Brickman told The New York Times. No cause of death was cited. Brickman was best known for his extensive collaboration with Allen, beginning with the 1973 film “Sleeper.” Together, they co-wrote “Annie Hall," “Manhattan” and “Manhattan Murder Mystery." The loosely structured script for “Annie Hall,” in particular, has been hailed as one of the wittiest comedies. It won Brickman and Allen an Oscar for best original screenplay.
DETROIT (AP) — Starting in September of 2027, all new passenger vehicles in the U.S. will have to sound a warning if rear-seat passengers don't buckle up. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday that it finalized the rule, which also requires enhanced warnings when front seat belts aren't fastened. The agency estimates that the new rule will save 50 lives per year and prevent 500 injuries when fully in effect, according to a statement. The new rule will apply to passenger cars, trucks, buses except for school buses, and multipurpose vehicles weighing up to 10,000 pounds. Before the rule, seat belt warnings were required only for the driver's seat. Under the new rule, outboard front-seat passengers also must get a warning if they don't fasten their belts. Front-center seats will not get a warning because NHTSA found that it wouldn't be cost effective. The agency said most vehicles already have warnings for the outboard passenger seats. The rule also lengthens the duration of audio and visual warnings for the driver's seat. The front-seat rules are effective starting Sept. 1 of 2026. Rear passengers consistently use seat belts at a lower rate than front passengers, the agency says. In 2022, front belt use was just under 92%, while rear use dropped to about 82%. About half of automobile passengers who died in crashes two years ago weren’t wearing belts, according to NHTSA data. The seat belt rule is the second significant regulation to come from NHTSA in the past two months. In November the agency bolstered its five-star auto safety ratings to include driver assistance technologies and pedestrian protection. Safety advocates want the Department of Transportation, which includes NHTSA, to finish several more rules before the end of the Biden administration, because President-elect Donald Trump has said he’s against new government regulations. Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, urged the department to approve automatic emergency braking for heavy trucks and technology to prevent impaired driving.US lawmakers concluded a two-year investigation Monday into the Covid-19 outbreak that killed 1.1 million Americans -- backing the theory that the virus likely leaked from a Chinese laboratory. A 520-page report from the Republican-controlled House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic looked at the federal and state-level response, as well as the pandemic's origins and vaccination efforts. "This work will help the United States, and the world, predict the next pandemic, prepare for the next pandemic, protect ourselves from the next pandemic, and hopefully prevent the next pandemic," panel chairman Brad Wenstrup said in a letter to Congress. US federal agencies, the World Health Organization and scientists across the planet have arrived at different conclusions about the most likely origin of Covid-19, and no consensus has emerged. Most believe it to have spread from animals in China, but a US intelligence analysis said last year that the virus may have been genetically engineered and escaped from a virology lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where human cases first emerged. The congressional panel was persuaded by the lab leak theory after meeting 25 times, conducting more than 30 transcribed interviews and reviewing more than one million pages of documents. The investigation included two days of interviews behind closed doors with Anthony Fauci, the government scientist who became the nation's most trusted expert in the chaotic early days of the 2020 outbreak. Fauci's clashes with former and incoming president Donald Trump over the response sparked fury on the right, and he now lives with security protection following death threats against his family. Republicans accuse the 83-year-old immunologist of helping to set off the worst pandemic in a century by approving funding passed on to Chinese scientists they accuse of manufacturing the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes Covid-19. Among its headline conclusions, the report said the National Institutes of Health had indeed funded contentious "gain-of-function" research -- which seeks to enhance viruses as a way of finding ways to combat them -- at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Fauci angrily denied covering up the origins of Covid-19 before the panel in June, arguing that it would be "molecularly impossible" for the bat viruses studied at the lab to be turned into the virus that caused the pandemic. But the panel's report said SARS-CoV-2 "likely emerged because of a laboratory or research related accident." The probe found that lockdowns "did more harm than good" and that mask mandates were "ineffective at controlling the spread of Covid-19," contradicting other research showing that masking in public does reduce transmission rates. Social distancing guidelines also came under criticism, although travel restrictions were deemed to have saved lives. Investigators found that Trump's Operation Warp Speed -- the publicly-funded project to develop Covid vaccines -- was a "tremendous success" but that school closures would have an "enduring impact" on US children. ft/jgc
McLean, Duax lead FGCU over Florida International 60-59Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers, accused of domestic violence, cleared to practice and play
It's an Athletic Holiday: Adidas and Dick's Sporting Goods Make the Gift of Fitness and Boxing Easier
Hyundai has launched the facelifted Creta in South Africa. The range offerings have increased from three to five models with the addition of the new Creta 1.5 Premium IVT and 1.5 Executive IVT Matte Editions. They are priced at R484,900 and R524,900 respectively and customers can choose between matte black, silver and white, or stick with the six regular metallic paint choices, namely Galaxy blue, Midnight black, Titan grey, Magnetic silver, Dragon red and Optic white. The velvety hues are available as matte black, silver and white while slight changes to the designs of the front and rear bumper have also been applied. The cascading grille remains but there is black high gloss surfacing on the pillars. If you are in the market for a crossover that is well stocked, the Hyundai Creta comes with range-wide basics such as a 3.5” colour touchscreen, smartphone integration, air-conditioning, voice recognition and cruise control, but Hyundai has added power windows with auto up/down in the Premium six-speed manual derivative, as well as LED daytime running lights, and leather upholstery on the seats, steering and gear knob. The new Premium Matte Edition with a CVT transmission gets similar amenities but adds a starter button and the option of black alloy wheels. The range-topping Creta 1.5 Executive Matt Edition, with the optional matt paint, gets all the available convenience items but adds lane keeping assist, blind-spot collision avoidance assist and lane following assist. Hyundai’s Creta is well packaged with good build quality and the living quarters will suit the needs of the nuclear family perfectly, but add one more passenger with their luggage and it becomes a squeeze. The drive experience is faultless. It’s a softly sprung thing with slight body roll but copes OK in the corners. The range-wide 1.5 l four-cylinder motor that drives the front wheels develops outputs of 84kW and 144Nm. It is smooth and perky, and perhaps only let down by the CVT transmission that drones at higher speeds. Hyundai said fuel consumption is 6.4 l /100km on average, and the 1.5 Premium Matt Edition I drove at the media launch in Gauteng last week matched the claim, and returned an impressive 6.0 l /100km driving on open roads. PRICES Creta 1.5 Premium MT — R449,900 Creta 1.5 Premium IVT — R479,900 Creta 1.5 Premium IVT — Matte Edition R484,900 Creta 1.5 Executive IVT — R519,900 Creta 1.5 Executive IVT — Matte Edition — R524,900 Prices include five-year/150,000km vehicle and seven-year/200,000km drivetrain warranty, and four-year/60,000km service plan.
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