Friday, December 6, 2024

#France - Notre Dame Cathedral LIVE | Notre-Dame Cathedral Reopening Ceremony LIVE | Paris LIVE | N18G

6 December 2024

The iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is set to reopen its doors to the public on December 7, marking a huge milestone in the historic monument's recovery following the devastating fire in April 2019. #notredame #notredameparis #france #news18live

#F1 - 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Friday "Final Friday of the season completed in Abu Dhabi" Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team

Press Information
06 December 2024

F1: Session Report

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Friday

Final Friday of the season completed in Abu Dhabi

The team began what is sure to be an emotional weekend in Abu Dhabi as we bid farewell to Lewis Hamilton.
The team ran the Medium and Soft compound tyres in both sessions, saving the Hard compound for the remainder of the weekend.
In FP1, Lewis posted the third fastest time with George fourth quickest using the Soft tyre.
As the sun set, both took to the track for FP2 and again used the Soft compound to set their quickest times.
Lewis went fifth fastest, but was improving on his second push lap before a snap at turn 12 cost him time.
George was less happy but chose only to set one time on the Soft tyre in order to focus on his long run work.
The team return to the track tomorrow for FP3 and Qualifying.

Driver	FP1				FP2
Lewis Hamilton	27 Laps	1:24.806	P3	Medium, Soft, Medium	28 Laps	1:24.119	P5	Medium, Soft, Medium
George Russell	27 Laps	1:25.165	P4	Medium, Soft, Medium	24 Laps	1:24.534	P13	Medium, Soft, Medium

Lewis Hamilton
It's all feeling very surreal being my last weekend with the team. I'm trying to be as present as I can and enjoy every moment. I've enjoyed driving the car, working with everyone in the garage, with the engineers, and I'm just trying to capture the moments as much as I can. I'm aiming to channel all of my emotions into the car and the team because I have so much love for them and as always, I want to do really well for them. This weekend I have one last chance to go for it and try to do so.

I'm not planning on changing too much on the car tonight. We obviously have some work to do as the McLarens are still fast and the Ferraris are also within that mix too. So, we do need to find some time. Overall, though, my feeling with the car has been good today. It's never easy to determine what our long run pace looks like, but it didn't seem too bad today so hopefully that's a positive for us. Ultimately, we have some work to do on our single lap pace and I hope tomorrow we can be closer to those ahead of us.

George Russell
Today was a bit of a struggle, but it's only Friday. We were also trying a lot of different things today in preparation for next year as obviously this is our last opportunity to do so. We therefore wanted to go a little more radical with the set-up options, see if there's anything more we can learn, and test things to develop our learnings and understanding for 2025.

As we saw, Lewis did some great laps today. Still, as a team, we don't seem to be on the pace of the very front runners on a single lap. McLaren in particular look to be in a league of their own at the moment and their pace in both sessions showed that again today. Tomorrow, I expect the Ferraris to be back in the mix but I'm hoping we can make some improvements overnight and have a more competitive showing than today.

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director
We've had strong single lap performance at the last two races but today we've found the Soft tyre quite tricky. McLaren were clearly very fast today and they will be hard to beat this weekend, but if you look at Lewis' lap then you can see how with a few improvements he could put himself just behind.

George has a bit more to find but we were experimenting with some new setup directions and the cars were quite different for the low fuel work. We can unpick that work on the simulator overnight, but I'd expect we'll find a good direction through which George can improve for tomorrow. The long run picture was better; Lewis a bit ahead of George and like the single lap, we can see some areas that we ought to be able to improve that should put us closer to the front. We'll use FP3 to continue the work on low fuel and hope that tomorrow we'll close the day a bit nearer the top of the timing screen.

#Israel - war on the media: Accusations of propaganda, intimidation and censorship • FRANCE 24

6 December 2024

Israel's government has been accused of increasing pressure on journalists over coverage of the war in Gaza.

Press advocates say the decision to impose economic sanctions on Haaretz is part of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's master plan to control the narrative and stomp out criticism.

#France - The women who rebuilt and restored Notre Dame • FRANCE 24 English FRANCE 24 English

6 December 2024

As Paris celebrates the reopening of Notre Dame more than five years after it was destroyed by fire; Annette Young meets some of the women who have restored or rebuilt the historic cathedral.

They talk of the challenges of bringing the 900-year-old building back to life as hundreds of skilled artisans from around the globe worked furiously to meet the December 2024 deadline.

But all three women speak of the deep satisfaction of being involved in the cathedral’s rebirth. Plus, we speak to a medieval historian who reveals that women were also part of the cathedral’s original construction in the Middle Ages.

#F1 - 'Thank You, Lewis' Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team

Press Information
5 December 2024

F1: Lewis Farewell

'Thank You, Lewis'

Ready to write the final chapter in an incredible story

245 races. 84 wins. 78 pole positions. 153 podium finishes. Eight World Constructors' Championships. Six World Drivers' Championships.

A career that, to this point, has been powered solely by Mercedes-Benz; over 20,000 racing laps and 100,000 racing kilometres.

This weekend marks the closing chapter in the longest and most successful team-driver partnership in the sport's history. The final race of a relationship with the three-pointed star that began 26 years ago.

Saying farewell after such a journey together is therefore about so much more than just marking records and statistics. It's about paying tribute to a remarkable individual. Recognising a person who has catalysed and led change in our sport. How together, we have strived to make a lasting impact far beyond podium celebrations and trophy collections.

Launching this evening, and working with London-based agency AMV BBDO, the team has created a global campaign that pays tribute to Lewis's remarkable record, capturing the highs and lows of 12 seasons together.

'Every Dream Needs a Team' bridges between the hopes of the young Lewis Hamilton aiming for F1, and the aspirations of the next generation he has inspired. One that sees our sport as a place where they can achieve their own hopes and dreams. 'Every dream needs a team' speaks to the essential truth of our sport that Lewis has always recognised - that we win, and we lose, together. That success is a collective endeavour.

The centrepiece is a film produced, thanks to the support and collaboration of Formula One, by prettybird and directed by Grammy Award winner Melina Matsoukas. It blends young people for whom Lewis has been an inspirational figure - including our next generation of Mercedes F1 racers, karters Luna Fluxa, Kenzo Craigie and James Anagnostiadis - with iconic archive from Lewis's time with the team, and his own early career. It is underscored by Stormzy's iconic track "Blinded by Your Grace, Pt.2" and includes original commentary from some of the team's most memorable moments.

The film is only the starting point for the team's tributes to Lewis and his achievements. An outdoor campaign featuring iconic photography (attached) of Lewis and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team will light up landmarks in Kuala Lumpur, the UK, and the US, including locations such as Times Square. Over the race weekend in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton will carry the campaign message on his car, underscored with the names of 150 fans, representing the millions of loyal followers who have been part of the incredible journey.

Toto also recorded an open voice note for Lewis, offering heartfelt parting words and advice. A modern-day equivalent of an open letter, the note captures Toto's perspective as both a leader and a friend. Distributed via WhatsApp, the voice note reflects the campaign's emphasis on connection, authenticity, and shared memories.

From out-of-home advertising in the UK, US and Malaysia, 150 fan names being carried on Lewis's car, a special message from our partner WhatsApp on his clothing, to the final farewell among team-mates at the end of next week, we will honour the remarkable role Lewis has played in our team - and the defining achievements of his years with us.

Lewis has achieved every possible dream with Mercedes that he could have possibly imagined as a young racer. But racing in red is something you simply can't do with the Silver Arrows. So, as he heads to Maranello with our deep gratitude and warmest of wishes in a few weeks' time, we will turn the page and the begin the next chapter of our adventure.

But that's for then, and this is for now. In the coming days, our message is simple: thank you, Lewis.

Toto Wolff Exclusive: The Full Story Of

Lewis Hamilton's Exit, Verstappen Rivalry & My Childhood

#USA - New York police issue new photos in hunt for killer of insurance boss | BBC News

6 December 2024

Police in New York have released new photos of an unmasked individual wanted for questioning over the killing of a healthcare chief executive. UnitedHealthcare boss Brian Thompson, 50, was fatally shot in the back on Wednesday morning outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

The attacker fled the scene without taking any of Thompson's belongings. Police believe the victim was targeted in a pre-planned killing. Investigators are also using facial recognition technology and examining bullet casings with cryptic messages written on them as they seek to track down the killer. The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were written on the ammunition. It’s been suggested this is a reference to methods used by the US healthcare insurance industry to reduce or deny claims for payouts. Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Ros Atkins and Nada Tawfik.

#BBCNews

#motorsports - Motorsport Giants File For INSOLVENCY With €3BILLION Debt Despite Lewis Hamilton’s Offer To BUY TEAM

6 December 2024

KTM, one of just five MotoGP manufacturers, have now paused development on their bikes a week after filing for insolvency. The Austrian brand has a reported debt of €3bn (£2.5bn) and is trying to avoid bankruptcy.

Read more on this story here: https://talksport.com/motorsport/2350...

KTM - READY TO RACE | United States

KTM

https://www.ktm.com

Powered by a distinct READY TO RACE mentality, KTM is Europe's leading high-performance street and offroad sport motorcycle manufacturer.

#Putinswar - 'Don't make Ukraine your Afghanistan', ex Nato chief warns Trump: Euro News

6 December 2024

Former NATO Secretary General of NATO and Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen spoke exclusively to Euronews on the impending arrival of President Donald Trump and his impact on the Ukraine war and NATO.

#EuropeNews

Lavrov and Blinken trade blame for Ukraine war escalation at OSCE meeting in Malta

#F1 - Will Cadillac, F1’s 11th team, deliver from 2026? The Inside Line

6 December 2024

America’s dreams finally came true last week, with news that auto giant General Motors, and race operation TWG Global, had agreed in principle with Formula 1 for Cadillac to become an 11th team from 2026. The announcement did not blindside the sport, though, with rumours that the green light had been given in Las Vegas.

Watch the video, and tell us what you think in the comments…

webmaster John Nichols @itcracing @Linkedin