A trip to Rome for state officials. Paid for in part by companies they regulate.
A group of US state officials flew free to Italy and stayed in a five-star Rome hotel thanks to a group funded by corporate interests. CNN's Kyung Lah reports.
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Car and Driver
32 minutes ago
- Car and Driver
2026 BMW XM Review, Pricing, and Specs
Overview Some letters carry a lot of weight in BMW nomenclature, with "X" and "M" being two of the most significant badges in all of Bimmerdom. Xs are reserved for SUVs, while Ms mark the touch of the fabled BMW Motorsport division; put them side by side and you end up with the BMW XM super-SUV. With all-wheel drive and ample space for five passengers in a seriously lavish cabin, the X holds up its end of the bargain. The M is where things get tricky; its 738-hp plug-in-hybrid powertrain makes the XM Label a certified rocket, but it lacks the overall finesse expected of Bavaria's motorsport maestros. The sole trim on offer is a pricey proposition, especially considering the BMW X7 is more practical and nearly as capable for far less money. What's New for 2026? BMW has whittled down the XM lineup for 2026, ditching the entry-level XM and leaving the XM Label as the sole trim. The XM Label gets a few fresh exterior options, including a new BMW Individual Frozen Tanzanite Blue paint color, a revised welcome light animation, and a Jet Black finish for the 23-inch wheels. There are also new interior themes to choose from, combining three new hues of Merino leather with either brown or black accents. AC charging speed has also been increased, up to 11 kW from 7.4 kW previously. BMW says that production for the 2026 XM Label will begin in August. Pricing and Which One to Buy The price of the 2026 BMW XM is expected to start around $187,000. XM Label $187,000 (est) 0 $50k $100k $150k $200k $250k $300k The removal of the base XM trim from the lineup takes the guesswork out of selecting a trim. The 738-hp XM Label is the only option, and with a starting price of over $186,000, it's a pricey one. However, it does come loaded with luxury features, including leather upholstery, huge 23-inch wheels, a cool curved infotainment display, and a host of driver-assistance features. This content is imported from Third party. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Engine, Transmission, and Performance A twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 isn't new to the BMW powertrain portfolio, but in the XM Label, it's partnered with an electric motor and a battery pack to create 738 horsepower. The XM uses a coil-spring suspension system that's augmented by adaptive dampers and active anti-roll bars. The resulting ride isn't as compliant and composed as we'd like, but in comfort driving mode it is acceptably absorbent. When set to sport, the XM's handling is responsive, but the ride gets stiff-legged. 0–60-MPH Times We haven't had a chance to sample the XM Label's acceleration yet, but when we tested a standard XM with 94 fewer horsepower, it delivered a 3.4-second sprint to 60 mph. BMW claims that the XM Label is capable of 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds, but with even the standard model besting that claim, we wouldn't be surprised if the Label's sprint time was closer to 3.2 seconds. We'll update this section when we have a chance to test it for ourselves. View Photos BMW Range, Charging, and Battery Life The XM's 25.7-kWh battery pack is said to be good for about 31 miles of electric-only range per charge, according to the EPA. BMW says the XM's onboard charger is now capable of juicing the battery at up to 11 kW on an AC charger, up from just 7.4 kW previously. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG The EPA hasn't released any fuel economy information for the 2026 XM yet, but last year's Label model received unspectacular ratings of 12 mpg city and 17 mpg highway despite its plug-in hybrid system. On our 75-mph highway fuel economy route, a standard XM bested its EPA estimate by returning 20 mpg when driving solely on the gasoline engine; when factoring in the 29 miles we drove on electric power, its result is an even more palatable 49 MPGe. We'll update this section when the EPA releases information on the 2026 model. For more information about the XM's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website. Interior, Comfort, and Cargo Everything about the XM's cabin is high-end, including its optional vintage-look leather upholstery, which was first shown on a concept version of the SUV. The XM's cabin is strictly a two-row affair, and in place of a large panoramic sunroof, the XM can be had with a geometric-patterned faux-suede headliner that features dramatic fiber-optic lighting. An optional audio upgrade adds a Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System with tweeters that illuminate. View Photos BMW Infotainment and Connectivity A large, curved display stretches across two-thirds of the dashboard. The display serves as both a digital gauge cluster as well as an on-board infotainment center, and it runs BMW's latest iDrive 8.5 software interface. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and additional features such as SiriusXM satellite radio, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a premium stereo system are included as well. Safety and Driver-Assistance Features Basic features such as automated emergency braking and lane-keeping assist are standard on all XM models, but more advanced tech, including an adaptive cruise control system with a lane-centering feature, is available too. For more information about the XM's crash test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include: Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Standard lane departure warning with lane keeping assist. Available adaptive cruise control with a lane-centering feature. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage BMW offers a competitive limited and powertrain warranty that is bolstered by above-average complimentary scheduled maintenance.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Chabria: Newsom's 'Democracy is under assault' speech could turn the tables on Trump
Frame it as a call to action or a presidential campaign announcement, Gov. Gavin Newsom's address to America on Tuesday has tapped into our zeitgeist (German words feel oddly appropriate at the moment) in a way few others have. 'Democracy is under assault right before our eyes,' Newsom said during a live broadcast with a California flag and the U.S. flag in the background. 'The moment we've feared has arrived.' What moment exactly is he referring to? President Trump has put Marines and National Guardsmen on the streets of Los Angeles, and granted himself the power to put them anywhere. Wednesday, a top military leader said those forces could "detain" protesters, but not outright arrest them, though — despite what you see on right wing media — most protesters have been peaceful. But every would-be authoritarian ultimately faces a decisive moment, when the fear they have generated must be enforced with action to solidify power. The danger of that moment for the would-be king is that it is also the time when rebellion is most likely, and most likely to be effective. People wake up. In using force against his own citizens, the leader risks alienating supporters and activating resistance. Read more: Mayor Karen Bass decries continuing raids, wonders if L.A. is a 'national experiment' What happens next in Los Angeles between the military and protesters — which group is perceived as the aggressors — may likely determine what happens next in our democracy. If the military is the aggressor and protesters remain largely peaceful, Trump risks losing support. If the protesters are violent, public perception could further empower Trump. The president's immigration czar Tom Homan, said on CNN that what happens next, 'It all depends on the activities of these protesters — I mean, they make the decisions.' Welcome to that fraught moment, America. Who would have thought Newsom would lead on it so effectively? "Everybody who's not a Trumpist in this society has been taken by surprise, and is still groggy from the authoritarian offensive of the last five months," said Steven Levitsky, a professor of government at the embattled Harvard University, and author of "How Democracies Die." Levitsky told me that it helps shake off that shock to have national leaders, people who others can look to and rally behind. Especially as fear nudges some into silence. "You never know who that leader sometimes is going to be, and it may be Newsom," Levitsky said. "Maybe his political ambitions end up converging with the small d, democratic opposition." Maybe. Since his address, and a coinciding and A-game funny online offensive, Newsom's reach has skyrocketed. Millions of people watched his address, and hundreds of thousands have followed him on TikTok and other social media platforms. Searches about him on Google were up 9,700%, according to CNN. Love his message or find it laughable, it had reach — partly because it was unapologetically clear and also unexpected. "Trump and his loyalist thrive on division because it allow them to take more power and exert even more control," Newsom said. I was on the ground with the protesters this week, and I can say from firsthand experience that there are a small number of agitators and a large number of peaceful protesters. But Trump has done an excellent job of creating crisis and fear by portraying events as out of the control of local and state authorities, and therefore in need of his intervention. Republicans "need that violence to corroborate their talking points," Mia Bloom told me. She's an expert on extremism and a professor at Georgia State University. Violence "like in the aftermath of George Floyd, when there was the rioting, that actually was helpful for Republicans," she said. Read more: After images of unrest comes the political spin, distorting the reality on the ground in L.A. Levitsky said authoritarians look for crises. "You need an emergency, both rhetorically and legally, to engage in authoritarian behavior," he said. So Trump has laid a trap with his immigration sweeps in a city of immigrants to create opportunity, and Newsom has called it out. And it calling it out — pointing out the danger of protesters turning violent and yet still calling for peaceful protest — Newsom has put Trump in a precarious position that the president may not have been expecting. "Repressing protest is a very risky venture," said Levitsky. "It often, not always, but often, does trigger push back." Levitsky points out that already, there is some evidence that Trump may have overreached, and is losing support. A new poll by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 76% of Americans oppose the military birthday parade Trump plans on throwing for himself in Washington, D.C. this weekend. That includes disapproval from more than half of Trump supporters. A separate poll by Quinnipiac University found that 54% of those polled disapprove of how he's handling immigration issues, and 56% disapprove of his deportations. Bloom warns that there's a danger in raising too many alarms about authoritarianism right now, because we still have some functioning guardrails. She said that stoking too much fear could backfire, for Newsom and for democracy. "We're at a moment in which the country is very polarized and that these things are being told through two very different types of narratives, and the moment we give the other side, which was a very apocalyptic, nihilistic narrative, we give them fodder, we justify the worst policies" she said. She pointed to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, when some protesters placed flowers in the barrels of soldiers' guns, and act of peaceful protest she said changed public perception. That, she said, is what's needed now. Newsom was clear in his call for peaceful protest. But also clear that it was a call to action in a historic inflection point. We can't know in the moment who or what history will remember, said Levitsky. "It's really important that the most privileged among us stand up and fight," he said. "If they don't, citizens are going to look around and say, 'Well, why should I?" Having leaders willing to be the target, when so many feel the danger of speaking out, has value, he said. Because fear may spread like a virus, but courage is contagious, too. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sunday, June 8 Evening Cable News Ratings: L.A. Demonstrations Drive Cable Viewership
The cable news networks offered continuous coverage of the unrest unfolding in Los Angeles as a result of the ICE raids. CNN and MSNBC saw a rise in viewership in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo due to their live coverage, but still trailed Fox News, which remained the most-watched cable news network of the evening. CNN landed in second place in the demo during total day and primetime, but split the the No. 2 finish with MSNBC among total viewers; MSNBC claimed that spot in primetime, while CNN was second in total day. 25-54 Demographic (Live+SD x 1,000) Total Day: FNC: 170 | CNN: 75 | MSNBC: 44Prime: FNC: 184 | CNN: 111 | MSNBC: 57 FNC: CNN: MSNBC: 4PM Scott:221 CNN Newsroom:83 MSNBC Reports:32 5PM Breaking News/Levin*:211 CNN Newsroom/Dean:103 Sharpton:29 6PM Big Weekend Show:209 CNN Newsroom/Dean:120 Weekend:55 7PM Big Weekend Show:253 CNN Newsroom/Dean:123 Weekend:60 8PM Breaking News/Levin:159 CNN Newsroom/Dean:125 Weekend:44 9PM Breaking News/Gowdy:203 CNN Newsroom/Dean:123 MSNBC Reports:50 10PM Kilmeade:191 CNN Newsroom:86 MSNBC Reports:78 11PM Breaking News/Levin*:187 CNN Newsroom:80 MSNBC Reports:48 Total Viewers (Live+SD x 1,000) Total Day: FNC: 1.218 | CNN: 438 | MSNBC: 432Prime: FNC: 1.621 | CNN: 537 | MSNBC: 565 FNC: CNN: MSNBC: 4PM Scott:1.231 CNN Newsroom:494 MSNBC Reports:356 5PM Breaking News/Levin*:1.215 CNN Newsroom/Dean:694 Sharpton:445 6PM Big Weekend Show:1.475 CNN Newsroom/Dean:730 Weekend:539 7PM Big Weekend Show:1.888 CNN Newsroom/Dean:654 Weekend:561 8PM Breaking News/Levin:1.526 CNN Newsroom/Dean:647 Weekend:510 9PM Breaking News/Gowdy:1.715 CNN Newsroom/Dean:553 MSNBC Reports:550 10PM Kilmeade:1.623 CNN Newsroom:410 MSNBC Reports:635 11PM Breaking News/Levin*:1.081 CNN Newsroom:341 MSNBC Reports:459
