Ralph Lauren Corp. Cl A stock rises Wednesday, still underperforms market
Electrical equipment shortage may hit infra works in NoidaAdele says it is time to ‘move on’ after completing her Las Vegas residencyWith a market capitalization of around $1 trillion, Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK.A 0.12% ) ( BRK.B -0.01% ) is a very large company. That's an important fact to consider when you think about what CEO Warren Buffett and his team have been doing so far in 2024. Although nothing big happened on the acquisition front in 2024, investors should be prepared for big news in 2025 and beyond, given some other things that transpired at the company in 2024. It takes a lot to move the needle at Berkshire Hathaway Size matters when it comes to companies. That's highlighted clearly with Berkshire Hathaway's most recent "big" stock investments. The business news headlines were filled with commentary about the company's purchase of shares in Pool Corp. ( POOL -0.38% ) and Domino's Pizza ( DPZ -1.25% ) . With Pool, which sells pool supplies, Berkshire Hathaway bought around $150 million or so of stock for a roughly 1% stake in the company. The Domino's Pizza investment amounted to $550 million and a 3.6% stake. When Warren Buffett buys a stock, investors generally pay close attention because of his incredible long-term success. That makes sense, but $700 million of investments for a company with a $1 trillion market cap ? Well, that's just not a huge deal. Even if those two investments turn into massive successes over time, as so many of Buffett's investments have, they aren't going to move the needle on the top or bottom line. Buffett himself explained the problem to investors in the company's 2023 annual report. Buffett is preparing to move the needle in 2025 and beyond This is where the really important moves Buffett made in 2024 come in. Berkshire Hathaway sold shares, including in Apple and Bank of America . That materially increased the size of the cash hoard sitting on the company's balance sheet . To put a number on that, at the end of 2023, Berkshire's cash balance was just shy of $168 billion. By the third quarter of 2024, that had ballooned to roughly $325 billion. The $700 million of investments Buffett made in Pool Corp. and Domino's Pizza didn't even make a dent in that giant cash pile. BRK.A cash and short-term investments (quarterly) , data by YCharts. But don't just think about today -- when you look at Buffett's decisions, you need to think down the road. That's because his approach is largely focused on the long term , with the overall goal of buying great companies at reasonable prices. Then he just sits back and lets the management of those companies do their jobs as they grow the business. Buffett -- and Berkshire Hathaway shareholders -- benefit from that growth. There's one more notable fact. Buffett doesn't have a problem sitting on cash if he can't find anything he wants to buy. With the S&P 500 index near all-time highs, it is hardly shocking that he isn't finding great stocks trading at reasonable prices. What he appears to be doing is selling stocks that have appreciated materially and socking away cash for future acquisitions -- a lot of cash since, as he noted, it takes a lot to move the needle at Berkshire Hathaway. No telling when, but Buffett is ready now What Buffett is likely preparing for is a bear market , when asset prices will be more attractive. There's no way to know when the market will turn south; it could be in 2025, it could be later. But whenever the next opportunity comes along, Berkshire Hathaway will have the cash to act on it. And that's the most important takeaway from 2024 when it comes to Buffett and the company he runs. At some point, there's likely to be a very large investment, one that makes Pool Corp. and Domino's Pizza look like child's play. Until that opportunity comes along, however, Buffett will happily wait and build more cash.
Dunxin Financial Holdings Limited Announces Planned ADS Ratio ChangeTRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey interim Sen. George Helmy, a Democrat appointed when Bob Menendez resigned after a federal corruption conviction , is stepping down this weekend so Sen.-elect Andy Kim can be sworn in early. The move was expected and confirmed what Helmy and Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy announced during his appointment this summer — that Helmy would resign early so the winner of November's election could get into office before the start of the new session of Congress next month. Murphy explained the arrangement, saying he wanted the “democratically chosen winner” of this year's election to have a smooth transition into office. Kim defeated Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw on Election Day. He'll become the first Korean-American in the Senate when he is sworn in on Monday. Helmy is a former chief of staff to Murphy and has said he wasn't interested in pursuing elected office. He counted voting to confirm 20 judicial nominations and resolving more than 100 constituent cases as some of his accomplishments in little more than two months in office. Helmy said he's been working closely with Kim since his election in November to “ensure a seamless transition.” Menendez, 70, used his influence to meddle in three different state and federal criminal investigations to protect the businessmen, prosecutors said. They said he helped one bribe-paying friend get a multimillion-dollar deal with a Qatari investment fund and another keep a contract to provide religious certification for meat bound for Egypt. Menendez has vowed to fight the conviction and recently filed for a new trial , citing improper evidence that was put on a computer used by jurors. The Associated Press
For understanding a patient’s illness, a doctor typically analyses several physiological indicators as well as reports generated following diagnostic tests. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI), however, is set to change the practices in vogue since decades. AI can correlate the patient’s symptoms and diagnostic results using health records in the database to identify the cause of illness within a few seconds — helping the doctor to save time and increase operational efficiency of a hospital. According to a comprehensive report published in August by the Indian School of Business (ISB), AI's real transformation in healthcare is in patient care and clinical research. In medical imaging, it accelerates diagnosis, while in surgeries, AI-driven robotics enhance precision. During the pandemic, AI played a critical role in tracking outbreaks and assisting in treatment planning. Initiatives such as Wadhwani AI’s media scanning solution for disease surveillance and Artelus’s image recognition for early diagnosis highlight the technology’s versatility. The doctor to patient ratio is abysmally low in rural India, with one doctor having to treat 2,000 people. The advent of AI is a morale-booster for doctors. The central government is reportedly keen on promoting AI applications in the healthcare sector. Several state governments are investing heavily in AI rollout in the healthcare sector. An advanced healthcare AI can help the government or private hospitals to roll out telemedicine to make healthcare more accessible, especially in remote regions. AI can also revolutionise preventive healthcare as it can identify patterns early, which will help the doctors to begin treatment at the earliest. In 2022, the Indian healthcare industry was estimated to be worth $372 billion. It is expected to grow at around 20 per cent till 2030. The use of AI will propel the growth rate. But how does AI work and how does one deploy AI for healthcare purposes? AI uses various advanced technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), expert systems, and image and signal processing for diagnosis. Machine learning automates data analysis to identify patterns, while NLP aids in processing medical records and transcription. Expert systems, on the other hand, specialise in solving specific problems like diagnosing chronic conditions. Image and signal processing refine medical imaging data, allowing for accurate and timely diagnosis. NITI Aayog has deployed AI for early detection of diabetes and eye-related ailments. Radiology was among the first fields to adopt AI. Startups like Dozee, which developed India’s first AI-powered remote patient monitoring system, and Augnito, a speech recognition tool for medical transcription, are setting benchmarks in healthcare innovation. IIIT Hyderabad is also using AI for detecting sleep quality and sleep-related disorders. While AI can study sleep stages to precise levels, deep learning (DL) can automate the sleep stage data through supervised and unsupervised learning models, said Prof. S. Bapi Raju, lead researcher and head of Cognitive Sciences Lab at IIIT Hyderabad. AI could be a boon for remote ICU assistance, says Dr D.V.R. Seshadri, director, centre for business markets, ISB. "Once a technology such as the one for remote ICU assistance (CloudPhysician), breast cancer detection (Niramai) or scanning through millions of x-rays to detect TB are scaled up, many companies will inevitably spring up to deploy these technologies on a massive scale," he said. However, the widespread adoption of AI in healthcare is not without challenges. A lack of comprehensive electronic health records (EHR) and high infrastructure costs are the hindrances. There is also a significant skill gap, as professionals proficient in both healthcare and AI, are scarce. Additionally, concerns about data privacy, accountability, and ethical use persist. An even wider concern is the possibility of AI replacing doctors. However, Dr Seshadri allayed these concerns: "This is very unlikely in the foreseeable future. At the end of the day, the patient would like the assurance of a human doctor. While AI tools may be leveraged to enhance the efficacy of the doctors, it cannot replace doctors any time soon." "There is convergence of multiple disciplines happening on a massive scale. It may be hard to isolate the application of AI in disease surveillance from its other applications. The regulatory systems to prevent such convergence typically lag behind the application of these technologies, and hence we cannot rule out the misuse of AI technologies in healthcare for purposes other than what was originally intended," Dr Seshadri explained. AI uses various advanced technologies such as machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP), expert systems, and image and signal processing for diagnosis. Machine learning automates data analysis to identify patterns, while NLP aids in processing medical records and transcription. Expert systems, on the other hand, specialise in solving specific problems like diagnosing chronic conditions. Image and signal processing refine medical imaging data, allowing for accurate and timely diagnosis.South Korea’s Yoon says he will lift martial law decree
Uber Has Ranked 15 Aussie Cities From Best To Worst Riders So Let The Petty Fighting Begin
Green Bay Packers standout cornerback Jaire Alexander missed the team’s Week 9 game with an injury, then played just 10 snaps in his Week 11 return against the Chicago Bears. As it turns out, what was characterized as a knee injury was a good bit more severe than that. Alexander admitted Thursday that he has been dealing with a torn PCL and will miss more time as a result. Alexander had been hopeful that he would be able to battle through the injury, but he aggravated the problem during his limited showing against Chicago. “I stayed here the whole bye week trying to hopefully come back and make an impact for the team,” Alexander said, via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic . “It was a game-time decision at that, so we didn’t know ... until, you know, a few minutes before the game if I would play or not. “I just tried to give it a go ... I went out there and s–t, all I could really give was 10 plays and then it — I felt something. If you know how (posterior cruciate ligaments) work, it don’t just get done in three weeks, so it just needed more time. I reaggravated it going back out there and only doing 10 plays, so now we just trying to get my knee back right.” A two-time All-Pro selection, injuries have been a big problem for Alexander over the last few seasons. He was limited to seven games in 2023, the same total he has played in this year. He and the Packers are not putting a timetable on his return, so it seems safe he will miss at least a few more weeks. Alexander has 16 total tackles and two interceptions for Green Bay this season. This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.Examining Generative AI: Cutting Through the Chaos / World-Renowned Japanese Architect’s Office Utilizes AI in Design Process; Kengo Kuma says Humans Must Always Make Final Decisions, Not MachinesBOSTON — Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson is the subject of a federal investigation, and subpoenas have been issued to City Hall in relation to the probe, the Herald has learned. The nature and circumstances of the investigation into the second-term city councilor have not been revealed, and no criminal charges have been filed. The city acknowledged the existence of a federal subpoena or subpoenas that have been “issued to the Boston City Council or specific city councilors” in a Friday response to a Herald public records request that sought “information and/or documents relating to federal subpoenas that have been issued to Boston City Hall, the Boston City Council, Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson and any of the 13 city councilors from Jan. 1, 2024 to Nov. 14, 2024. The city declined to provide the subpoena or subpoenas, which the Herald has learned pertained to a probe involving Fernandes Anderson, saying that it reached out to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s office to confirm that the “investigatory exemption” of the public records law applied in this instance. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, release of such information could impair the “integrity of a grand jury investigation,” per the city’s records response. When reached for comment, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s office declined to comment, saying that the office “can’t confirm or deny an investigation.” Fernandes Anderson, who represents District 7 which includes Roxbury, Dorchester, the South End and Fenway, did not immediately respond to the Herald’s request for comment. She declined to comment when reached by the Boston Globe on Tuesday, per a report from the outlet. “I don’t want to comment on it,” Fernandes Anderson, the first African immigrant and Muslim American elected to the City Council, told the Globe. City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune said in a statement to the Herald that “it is important to respect the legal process.” “Drawing any conclusions right now would be premature,” Louijeune said. “As the president of the Boston City Council and as a lawyer, I want to emphasize that any actions that are found to undermine the law must be taken very seriously. “The work of the Council will proceed without disruption and we will remain focused on the issues most important to residents, including acting with integrity as a body,” Louijeune added. “At this time, I will refrain from any further comments, while urging everyone to avoid speculation and to respect due process.” The existence of a federal probe is the latest controversy for a city councilor who has had her fair share since taking office roughly three years ago. Last month, Fernandes Anderson was hit with a number of state campaign finance violations, per a Nov. 14 letter from the Office of Campaign and Political Finance. The violations included her failure to report roughly $32,900 of $34,500 of campaign contributions over an 11-month period in a timely fashion, and receipt of individual contributions in excess of the $1,000 state limit. The letter notes that the Anderson Committee took steps to resolve the excess contributions, by purging $1,750 to the Commonwealth on Sept. 26 to resolve the individual matter, and refunding $100 to the committee of a state senator that had sent a second $100 contribution in the same calendar year to Fernandes Anderson. Only one $100 contribution per year between two campaign committees is allowed by state law. Fernandes Anderson admitted to a state ethics violation last year for hiring her sister and son to paid positions on her City Council staff and paid a $5,000 fine. The State Ethics Commission said Fernandes Anderson appointed her sister and son to full-time positions in 2022, her first year on the Council. She also chose to increase their salaries, and in the case of her sister, award a $7,000 bonus. Fernandes Anderson set her sister’s salary at $65,000. She awarded her sister a raise in June 2022, increasing her salary to $70,000 and tacking on a $7,000 bonus, the Ethics Commission said. In June 2022, Fernandes Anderson appointed her son as her full-time office manager at an annual salary of $52,000. She participated in the Council’s July 15 vote to approve the appointment. Eleven days later, the councilor increased her son’s salary to $70,000, the Commission said. Fernandes Anderson addressed the matter in several tweets in July 2023 upon the ethics violation becoming public saying that she “messed up” and referencing her sister, said, “You are my everything and if it wasn’t unethical, I’d do it again.” More recently, a video of Fernandes Anderson not saying the oath of office during this past January’s inauguration, in violation of the city charter, went viral on social media. Fernandes Anderson retook the oath privately with the city clerk days later. In a social media statement at the time, she said she had been “internalizing” her oath and “committing a prayer between myself and God.” The 13 city councilors now make a $115,000 salary, after starting the year with an $11,500 pay hike. The last city councilor to be subject to a federal probe while in office was the late Chuck Turner who was sentenced to three years in jail in 2018 for pocketing a $1,000 bribe from an informant who claimed to be seeking a liquor license. Turner sued the city for $350,000 after being booted off the City Council in 2010 following the conviction, and settled for $106,000 eight years later, after the courts ruled that the Council violated its own rules because under state law, elected officials can only be removed from the body after sentencing, not conviction. --------- ©2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at bostonherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Trudeau says fall of Assad 'ends decades of brutal oppression' for Syria Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says a new chapter for Syria can begin that's free of terrorism and suffering for its people. In a social media post on X on Sunday, Trudeau said the fall of the Assad dictatorship "ends decades of brutal oppression. Canadian Press Dec 8, 2024 11:36 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Ottawa is urging Canadians to avoid all travel to Syria and to consider leaving the country if it's safe to do so. Opposition fighters celebrate as they burn down a military court in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Hussein Malla Listen to this article 00:01:12 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says a new chapter for Syria can begin that's free of terrorism and suffering for its people. In a social media post on X on Sunday, Trudeau said the fall of the Assad dictatorship "ends decades of brutal oppression." Syrian President Bashar Assad fled the country on Sunday and is now reported to be in Moscow, bringing to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto control as his country fragmented in a brutal civil war. The toppling of Assad comes after opposition forces entered the Syrian capital of Damascus, ending half a century of rule by his family. Trudeau said Canada is monitoring the transition closely, and he urged "order, stability, and respect for human rights." Ottawa is urging Canadians to avoid all travel to Syria and to consider leaving the country if it's safe to do so. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre told a news conference on Sunday that Assad "was a puppet for the tyrants of Tehran." "He has carried out genocides against the Sunni people in his own country, and now he appears to have been toppled," Poilievre said in Ottawa. Poilievre said it's unknown who will replace Assad, adding it isn't Canada's fight and that he doesn't believe Canada should get involved. "We should stand with our allies, including Israel, against the terrorists. We should focus on protecting our own country." Ottawa describes the security situation as volatile, and said the Damascus and Aleppo airports as well as some border crossings are closed. An updated travel advisory from the Canadian government warns people to avoid the Middle Eastern country due to what it calls "ongoing armed conflict, terrorism, criminality, arbitrary detention, torture and forced disappearance." Canada has urged its citizens to leave Syria since November 2011, and its embassy in Damascus suspended its operations in 2012. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2024. — With files from The Associated Press. The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National News Nobel recipient Geoffrey Hinton wishes he thought of AI safety sooner Dec 8, 2024 10:42 AM Border control and tariffs: Quebec Premier François Legault meets Trump in Paris Dec 8, 2024 10:23 AM Understanding the science behind Hinton and Hopfield's Nobel Prize in physics Dec 8, 2024 8:12 AM Featured Flyer
Adele says it is time to ‘move on’ after completing her Las Vegas residencyNew Jersey interim Sen. George Helmy stepping down for Andy Kim to be sworn in earlyAvery Dennison Corp. stock rises Wednesday, still underperforms market
NoneYou could keep things simple with the new BMW 1 Series , or you could satisfy your enthusiast desires instead. BMW’s fourth-generation 1 Series hatchback brings a lot to like: two variants with two different engines, both of which are well-geared for their intended purposes, loaded with advanced interior tech, and brimming with the kind of design and build quality expected of vehicles from such a well-established European brand. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today So the only question appears to be which of the two cars in the range your should choose. Well, they’re actually quite different, and they have a huge $26,000 pricing gulf between them, so it’s rather easy to set them apart. If you want an affordable German hatch to run around in, albeit one that offers decent performance, crisp handling and can accommodate a surprising amount of people and cargo, the logical choice is the front-wheel drive 118 three-cylinder – which we’ve published a separate review of. But if you want something a little extra that delivers hot-hatch performance in the same 1 Series body, you’d go for this – the new M135 xDrive. WATCH: Alborz’s video walk-around of a German-market M135 xDrive. It has the same high-quality cabin technologies, materials and fit and finish as the 118, but adds a four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive, so the difference is it’s properly fast. And there’s a comprehensive range of optional gear available to make it more like a full-fat 1 Series M model. Naturally, like the 118, the higher-performance M135 has a few competitors that also hail from Germany, including equivalent versions of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Audi A3 – the A35 AMG and the S3 respectively. There’s not a lot to separate them on paper, and their prices are equally competitive. We published our first review of the new 1 Series from the international launch a few months ago, and now we’ve had our first drive of the new 1er at BMW Australia’s local launch, where were able to sample both variants on roads in and around the Melbourne suburb of Dromana, providing a solid mix of road types and conditions. Is the new M135 worth the significant price premium, or are you better off keeping it simple and saving a big wad of cash by buying the 118 instead? How much does the BMW 1 Series cost? The 2025 M135 xDrive is priced at $82,500 before on-road costs – a $5900 increase over the outgoing model – while the new 118 costs ‘just’ $56,500 plus on-roads. At that price the M135 has three direct hot hatch rivals, and all of them are also German and powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine driving all four wheels via an automatic transmission. The closest-matched Merc is the A35 AMG, which for a premium ($88,500 before on-roads) offers nearly identical power outputs and, unlike the BMW, is also available in sedan form. However, note that the second-generation BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe sedan, including the similarly renewed and renamed M235 xDrive, arrives here in early 2025. In the case of Audi, the M135’s most direct competitor is the S3 Sportback at $75,400 before on-roads. Again, it has a similar engine with nearly identical outputs, all-wheel drive, and a sedan counterpart, meaning the BMW splits the difference on price. Though it’s significantly cheaper at $70,590 before on-roads, you can also compare the M135 to the Volkswagen Golf R , which again is almost nearly identical in terms of its powertrain and body configuration. To see how the BMW 1 Series stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool What is the BMW 1 Series like on the inside? The 118 and M135 are very similar inside, and that’s reflected by the similarities between our two reviews. That said, there are some tastier M-flavoured treats to be found in the M135. At first glance and without the M Sport Package Pro fitted, you’ll struggle to find any major differences between the M135 and the 118. That’s partly why you won’t be missing out on much by opting for the cheaper 1 Series, at least not on the inside. As standard, M135s are fitted with the same dual driver-oriented screens, sporty seats upholstered in either a mix of Alcantara/vegan leather – known as Veganza – or purely Veganza at no extra cost, and the same chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel as found in the 118. The subtle changes are in relation to the driving controls. Starting with the steering wheel, it’s still buttery smooth in the hands but you’ll notice a red 12 o’clock marker stitched into the top. Behind it are larger paddle shifters, which are aggressively shaped and feature unique cut-outs to signify positive and negative on each side. Adding the M Sport Package Pro takes things to the next level. The most minor change is the stitching, which on the steering wheel features the iconic blue and red M colourway. Then there are the seats, which are swapped out for aggressively racing-inspired sports buckets. They hold you in place well too, making sure you’re planted if you decide to take the M135 for a spirited drive. You’ll find more M accents on the seatbelts, while the brake calipers are now painted red and the interior ambient lighting also reflects the colours of BMW’s performance sub-brand. It’s all very nice, but it’s worth remembering those tweaks are added to an interior setup that’s already very well put together. The interior ambient lighting can also be adjusted through the 10.7-inch infotainment screen, through which most of the car’s other functions are also controlled. Unique interior presets can also be optioned at the time of purchase, which are configurable here and change the experience inside the cabin. A handful of modes are primarily presets for lighting colours and screen backgrounds, but others actively adjust things like audio and the panoramic sunroof to alter the environment for the cabin’s occupants. Silent mode, for example, closes the sunroof shade and mutes the quality audio coming from the Harman Kardon speakers, allowing you to focus on, well, driving. If optioned, there are realistically a few too many modes to figure out and select. Chances are most owners will find one they like best and stick with it, leaving the others sitting there dormant except perhaps for showing new passengers what the car can do. From a practical standpoint, the infotainment display is also where you’ll find the climate control system – with which BMW has taken an always-on approach. That means the screen displays the climate control interface at the very bottom regardless of what menu is selected above. It’s better than having to go through a menu, but we’d still prefer physical buttons because we find screen-focused climate systems to be finicky and distracting while on the move. The 1 Series in general also features a similar isolated toggle and dial, as seen in the 5 Series, to adjust air vent direction, which can be a little unintuitive until you get used to it. Using this system has allowed BMW to hide the vents in narrow slots within the dashboard itself. It’s clean in appearance as a result, but as with the 118 it’s perhaps not worth sacrificing user-friendliness in the pursuit of minimalism. Around the gear selector is the exact same array of buttons as found in the 118, which focus on functions like window demisters and driving-related modes. As expected, it’s linked directly to the infotainment screen above, which means a menu will open when a button is pressed. At least it’s not all gloss-black plastic, but that doesn’t excuse its use on the couple of buttons that are frequently touched. One of those is the button to start and stop the engine, which is integrated into the larger gear selector panel. It’s a neat place to put it but it’ll take you a moment to find when you first jump in. In a similar sense, the functions of some of the nearby buttons may not be completely obvious, which means some time with the car will be required to become fully familiar with the car. Even then we had to ask for some guidance from the BMW execs at the launch, primarily around what all the different infotainment modes do. We found the ‘Personal’ mode is the default setting, while the others – excluding Sport and Efficient – are almost entirely focused on interior aesthetics. We know choice is good, but again there’s just a bit too much going on. Still, having dedicated shortcut buttons for such menus in a place that’s easy to find and reach is always a bonus. On the centre console are two cupholders, as well as two USB-C ports and a 12V outlet. There’s also a phone-sized cubby, which doubles as a wireless charging pad. More buttons are found on the steering wheel, which – as mentioned – is exactly the same as in the 118 if you exclude the red stripe. All of its buttons are finished in durable hard plastic instead of the gloss-black alternative, and they’re all physical instead of haptic like we’ve seen in some other German cars. We’re thankful for that, because it means the 1er feels much more analogue and easy to work with. The buttons may also seem minimalist in appearance, but you’ll find their functions are all actually clearly labelled. That means the functions here – which include driver assist and infotainment controls – are easy to figure out, and unlike some of the car’s other features will not be too confusing when you first hop in. Better yet, we find the steering wheel’s edgy design elements to be quite stylish. As with the 118, the second row is surprisingly spacious. Given its hatch body though, the 1 Series will be fairly cramped when you’re at maximum five-person capacity. Average-height passengers will find there’s plenty of room all around, helped by the high roofline towards the back of the car and cut-outs in the front seatbacks. It may feel somewhat boxed-in back here, but that’s likely because of the black headlining above. That headliner and sunroof make everything feel a bit more premium, and the cozy atmosphere back here means it’s a nice place to spend time in. Rear-seat passengers can also make use of two USB-C ports and a pair of rear-facing air vents. There’s a fold-down centre armrest too, and overall the three-seat rear bench is comfortable to sit in, if a little flat. Finally, the boot offers a large, flat floor and a robust cargo cover up top. For comparison, seats-up space in the 1er is 10 litres larger than in the A-Class hatch, and exactly the same as in the A3 Sportback. BMW has fitted a fair few cargo hooks here too, but there is a pronounced loading lip between the boot opening and the floor. That’s typical of many other similarly sized hatches, though it’s not any less impractical. The lack of a spare wheel means the floor can sit lower, which means you get more cargo space. Unfortunately, BMW only provides a tyre repair kit. To top it all off, there’s a powered tailgate as standard. Everything is just as premium as in the 118, though those optional M Sport extras are well worth adding if you’re already making the jump to BMW’s fastest hatch. To see how the BMW 1 Series stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool What’s under the bonnet? You’ll find the most powerful engine of the two-car 1 Series range in the M135, and it’s capable of producing 233kW of power and 400Nm of torque, which despite being 160kg heavier than the 118 is enough for BMW claim a rapid sub-5.0-second 0-100km/h acceleration time (more than 3.5 seconds better than the 118 and it feels that quick). Its peak power output is up 8kW over the previous model (and now ahead of both the 228kW S3 and 225kW A35), though maximum torque is down by 50Nm and now matches its German foes. The engine is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (like the 118) and all-wheel drive as standard. We’re unable to provide a representative real-world fuel economy figure, as we didn’t get enough time behind the wheel of any one vehicle to properly test how efficient it would be to live with, but note that fuel bills will be pricier on a diet of 98 RON unleaded, as per the 118. To see how the BMW 1 Series stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool How does the BMW 1 Series drive? This is where the largest disparity between the M235 and the 118 lies, and the performance gap is big enough to make them feel like completely different cars on the road. While you’d be forgiven for mistaking the 118 for the M135 inside, closer inspection reveals exactly what you’re about to drive when you hop behind the wheel of this car. There’s a heightened sense of excitement, even if you’re greeted by the same M badges as seen across the BMW range. But pressing that discreet startup button reveals exactly what it is you’re dealing with. The M135-specific quad-exit exhaust gives the car much more presence via an aggressive idle, which sounds as tastefully harsh as you’d expect from a performance BMW. It’s clear the German brand wanted this car to have much more aural character, which is just one of the ways in which it sets itself apart from the comparatively tame 118. Flick the gear selector down into Drive and you’ll immediately find there’s plenty to take in, starting with all the tech going on here. First are the drive modes, which have a significant impact on how the car feels on the road. The default Personal mode provides a good compromise between performance and comfort, though you will notice how firm the suspension is straight off the bat. As you’d expect from an M-badged BMW, the suspension is firm enough to keep body roll well in check, yet it’s still surprisingly compliant over difficult bumps. Switching to Efficient mode will dramatically cut power, while also dulling the throttle response in an attempt to save fuel. The steering remains light in both modes, which aids manoeuvrability around town. But the real deal of the M135 is its Sport mode, which is when everything gets turned up to 11. The exhaust becomes louder, steering heavier, and the suspension stiffer, setting the car up for some properly fast driving. Its displays reflect these modes too, with the colours and amount of information presented on the digital instrument cluster adapting accordingly. Hitting the open road with Sport mode engaged is a lot of fun. Put your foot into the throttle and that 2.0-litre turbo four opens right up, with an appropriately loud exhaust note to match – even if it may be partly fake. Throw it into a turn and you’ll feel just how well it sticks to the road. Even on the tightest bends we struggled to induce any serious understeer, and planting your right foot out of a turn won’t spin the wheels thanks to its AWD traction. While the standard Sport mode will automatically shift the transmission into its own sport setting by default, the M135 has no issue letting you take control yourself via the paddle shifters, when the shifts are fast and responsive – and complemented by a unique feature on the head-up display. When in Sport mode and shifting manually, the head-up display shows a shift indicator when you get close to redline, like the old-school gauges in previous M-cars. The lights that climb from yellow to orange and finally to red are a racy addition, and it all adds to the experience when you’re throwing the car around. Naturally, the engine has a surprising amount of poke in it’s most aggressive mode. Though there has been a 50Nm reduction in torque, it never feels like M135 is hanging around and there’s always plenty of twist on tap. In normal driving it may take a second for the transmission to kick down for optimum power, but Sport mode does well to keep the engine in its ideal range. But if you’re just cruising and need a quick boost of power, BMW has thought of that too. As in the 118, holding the left paddle for a second or two will engage Boost mode, which provides 10 seconds of full power regardless of the drive mode selected, making it easier to overtake slower traffic thanks to a quick acceleration hit. Despite its somewhat unassuming face, BMW has successfully managed to apply its ‘driver’s car’ ethos to the M135 xDrive without ruining its everyday appeal, and it’s impressive just how fun it can be on the right road. Of course, most won’t buy this car just to throw it around a mountain road or racetrack, so it’s pleasing it’s also such an easy car to live with on a daily basis. Without the M Sport Package Pro you still get sporty seats, but they remain well within the realms of liveability. That means on rough roads or during the typical commute, you won’t be sore by the time you get to your destination. As mentioned, the suspension does a good job of ironing out major bumps even if it is very much on the firm side, and we found that its ride quality helps boost confidence even in normal driving. A downside may be that the dual-clutch transmission is a little hesitant at low speeds, but it’s by no means difficult to manage. Of course, that trait is typical of such transmissions anyway, and its application in the 1 Series feels much more polished than it does in some of the alternatives. On the tech side, there’s also plenty to like. Though there is wireless smartphone mirroring, BMW’s native software is pretty clever and easy to use. If you engage the native navigation, some interesting things happen immediately. Of course, the maps appear on the central screen and head-up display, but BMW has also cleverly integrated the car’s front facing cameras. An augmented reality display will automatically appear on the infotainment screen, which shows the view out the front of the car while adding digital arrows to show you exactly where you need to go. It’s a fun novelty when you first see it, but likely won’t be something you use all the time. The camera view takes up a significant portion of the map as well, but it can quickly be turned off if you’d rather do it the old fashioned way. Thankfully, driver assist systems like adaptive cruise control and lane centring all work reliably, and even the driver monitoring function didn’t get in the way while on the road. Another thing that can be easily turned off is the speed limit warning, because the M135 suffers from the same annoying beeps as the 118. It’ll beep when you first exceed the limit by any amount, and then beep again when your speed changes by even 1km/h. Its volume and tone aren’t nearly as intrusive as in some other cars, but they quickly become grating. Unfortunately, just keeping up with traffic will often see the speedo reading higher than your actual speed, so a quick dive through the infotainment menus is the easiest way around its warning. Diving through those menus isn’t as simple as it is in the 118 though. There are loads more screens to flick through and many more settings that can be changed because of those optional extras, which makes things overwhelming if you’re looking through it for the first time. For that reason it pays to take a moment to have a look through the multimedia system before you hit the road, because unless you have a passenger it won’t be easy to identify everything while you’re moving. That said, after a while many owners may appreciate the level of choice available. The modes are easy enough to navigate once you’re used to the car, and the minimalist approach to physical controls never really gets in the way of making the car do what you want it to do. Overall, we were pleasantly surprised with the M135 xDrive’s on-road performance. It’s just as fast as you’d like it to be, thanks to an engine that’s as great as its chassis, forming a combination that’s deeply rewarding when you drive it aggressively and access its limits. While it may ride and handle a lot like the 118, the increase in power makes this car a much more complete package. Indeed, ride quality and dynamics are the highlights of the M135, even if it is geared more towards the latter. We could just do without those speed limit warnings, and perhaps a pruning of the driving-related menus. To see how the BMW 1 Series stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool What do you get? The 2025 BMW 1 Series range is available in two variants, and the top-spec M135 xDrive is as good as it gets in terms of standard tech. If you can spring for the M Sport Package Pro, you’ll bring the new 1er as close as possible to the full-fat ‘M1’ that BMW will never build. 2025 BMW 118 equipment highlights: M135 xDrive adds: The optional M Sport Package Pro ($2700) adds: Is the BMW 1 Series safe? The 2025 BMW 1 Series has yet to be assessed by ANCAP or Euro NCAP. Standard safety equipment on the 118 includes: The M135 xDrive adds: How much does the BMW 1 Series cost to run? The BMW 1 Series range is covered by the German brand’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. BMW offers a five-year, 80,000km Service Inclusive Basic package for the 1 Series, which costs $2210 as per the 2 Series . To see how the BMW 1 Series stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool CarExpert’s Take on the BMW M135 xDrive The new BMW 118 is good, but the M135 should be high on the list for any European hot hatch enthusiast. Sure, its price may be higher than some of its non-European alternatives, but against its immediate rivals it’s right where it needs to be. It backs up its price with upmarket interior presentation, ergonomics and build quality, as well as a plethora of advanced tech as standard. What is disappointing is the fact you need to pay extra for the M Sport Package Pro goodies to really separate this from the 118, but the M135’s standard spec is still nothing to sneeze at. But all that is forgotten when you hit the road, where the bristling turbo four slams down exceptional performance, and its sharp chassis setup is plenty capable of maximising every ounce of it in the bends, even if it eschews the rear-drive layout for which BMW was famous. However, the M135 is just as well suited to the weekday grind, where its practical yet compact five-door body, premium high-tech interior and well-sorted ride may well be the icing on the cake. Of course it isn’t all perfect, because there’s almost a dizzying amount of settings and menus to wrap your head around. A lot of it is optional, but we’d forgive you for not being able to figure it all out on your own. The speed limit warning is annoying too, and it’s not made any better by the fact you have to trawl through those menus to turn it off. You’d get used to it if you lived with the car though, but some more physical buttons for such shortcuts would go a long way in tightening up the experience. Nevertheless, we’re very impressed with the M135. It offers everything you’d need in a performance-oriented hatch while carrying BMW’s exceptional standards for quality and driver experience – partly helped by the fact some of the competition has lost its way in recent years. If you can get over the price and optional extras, the new performance 1er is undoubtedly worthy of your time. Interested in buying a BMW 1 Series? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here MORE: Everything BMW 1 Series Pros Cons Top Line SpecsReport: Texans S Jalen Pitre (pectoral) expected out for weeks
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ehrlif Introduction Enbridge ( NYSE: ENB ) stock performs good as it has delivered a total 10.3% return to investors since my previous bullish call . Developments around the company are quite positive and there is quite an ambitious and well-diversified pipeline Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of ENB either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.STOCK MARKET SNAPSHOT FOR 05/12/2024Steelers' Russell Wilson Laments Brutal Loss To The Browns: 'We Should Have Won'