Gasly beefs up body ahead of anticipated frantic summer

Posted on March 24, 2020 by BLOGGERPARUNG

Pierre Gasly is using F1’s forced pause to undergo an intensive physical training program to prepare for what he expects – and indeed hopes – could be a frantic summer of racing waiting ahead.

On Monday, the global coronavirus crisis shaved off another round of the F1 world championship – the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – bringing to eight the number of cancelled or postponed events.

F1 boss Chase Carey is hopeful the racing will resume “at some point this summer”.

But the disruption has forced the sport and the FIA to rebuild the 2020 calendar, and while not all called-off races will find a slot in the upcoming schedule, the prospect of triple or even quadruple weekends later this year is real.

Carey banking on summer start for F1 and at least 15 races

Gasly is taking advantage of the unexpected hiatus to sustain his physical fitness but also to build muscle and endurance in preparation for the heavy program that hopefully awaits drivers later this year.

“When I arrived in Australia, I had almost zero jet lag, I felt great. But when they announced that we would not be racing, it hit me,” Gasly told the AFP.

“I had been so excited, there had been so much preparation with the team and physically all winter.

“At the time, we were a little frustrated not to be racing because that is what I want to do and it’s what motivates me.

“But when you see the situation, there is no way to avoid postponing events, sports or otherwise.”

Rather than returning to France after Melbourne’s cancellation, Gasly and his physical trainer headed to Dubai for an energetic two-week workout under the sun.

“We have a plan for the next few weeks and we’re doing even more than usual,” he added.

“I have never had, over the past 10 years, two months ahead of me before the season resumes to prepare physically.

“I already felt largely ready, we had worked really well during the winter, but to add another two months of preparation, it’s an opportunity to be even stronger physically when the season starts.”

And the extra strength and stamina will come in handy during F1’s expected grueling months of July and August.

It has happened before, in 2018, although many teams were far from enthusiastic, complaining about the fatigue suffered by staff.

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“There is an intensity during a race weekend – from morning to evening, it never stops,” explained the 24-year-old.

“But if we have three or four races in a row, it is up to us to prepare in the best conditions, pay even more attention to recovery and to be at 100 per cent capacity each time.”

Unlike a few of his colleagues, Gasly won’t be taking part in F1’s Esports Virtual Grand Prix Series that will unfold in the coming weeks and months. But there will be simulator work for the Frenchman in the near future.

“In Dubai, we don’t have a ‘sim’, just a PlayStation, so I play games other than F1,” he admitted.

“There’ll be a time when I go back to Europe and go back into the simulator at the factory, which is closer to what reality is.

“This is where we learn the most as a driver.”

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

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With banks like these…

Posted on March 24, 2020 by BLOGGERPARUNG

With banks like these…

Is the EIB undermining the EU’s long-term climate targets? The example of Slovenia suggests it is.

Last month, the first European Council devoted specifically to energy confirmed the need for an 80%-95% reduction in output of greenhouse gases by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels). This month, the European Commission will launch a ‘roadmap for a low-carbon economy by 2050’ incorporating this objective.

Yet, despite these ambitious statements of intent, EU leaders still fail to realise that the fate of the European energy sector and, consequently, of its 2050 climate targets is dependent on infrastructure investments made today. While emission-reduction objectives are being defined and adopted, European public banks continue to invest important sums in projects that will lock countries into fossil fuel-dependent paths.

Half of the cost of a new 600 MW block scheduled to be built at lignite-fired plant Šoštanj in northern Slovenia will be covered through loans from European public banks. Out of an estimated cost of €1.2 billion, €550 million is to come from the European Investment Bank, the EU’s house bank, and another €100m from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which has a European Commission representative on its board of directors and is majority-owned by EU states. The rest of the money will come from Holding Slovenske Elektrarne, the Slovene state-owned utility that owns the power plant, with a mere €100m syndicated by the EBRD to commercial banks.

The operation of the new Šoštanj block will result in emissions of 3.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, which represents almost all of the emissions quota that Slovenia will have under the EU-wide plan to cut emissions by 80%. In this scenario, by 2050, all transport, agriculture and industrial facilities in Slovenia would have to cut their emissions radically, and certainly disproportionately more than the energy sector. Why expect so much of all other sectors of the Slovenian economy if energy, the easiest sector to de-carbonise and the least prone to carbon leakage, is moving in the wrong direction, through the expansion of coal operations?

The Šoštanj case is serious in itself, but securing the funding from the EIB and EBRD would set a dangerous precedent. Šoštanj’s 600MW are nothing compared to Poland’s 12,000 MW of planned new or modernised coal capacities. Financial support from the EIB is merely speculated at this point for the 2,000 MW Elektrownia Pólnoc plant near Gdańsk, but due diligence is ongoing in the case of a smaller plant at Bielsko-Biała in southern Poland. The Šoštanj example represents a showcase of what can happen in Poland and other member states if coal reliance continues to be encouraged.

It is often repeated that the EU as a bloc does not define the choice of energy mix of individual states. Nevertheless, it still has a right to decide where to put its money.

Need for investment

The transition in Europe towards an energy-efficient, decentralised, renewable-energy system will require considerable investment if we are to reach our decarbonisation targets. Recent Commission estimates show that the investment need by 2020 amounts to €1 trillion.

The mandate of the EIB is to provide financing for the implementation of EU policies, and the bank should therefore be spearheading the work to achieve this low-carbon vision. In spite of this, the EIB has lent only €160m in support of energy efficiency and renewables in Slovenia since 2002 (five times less than the amount lent for the new block at Šoštanj). So why is the EIB frittering its limited resources away on lignite coal plants that prevent EU climate targets from being reached?

Replacing old coal-fired power stations with new ones is a misguided fix that will lock in high-emitting infrastructure for the next 40-50 years. Such policy choices are a huge barrier to meeting the EU’s emissions reduction goals.

The financing of coal projects by European in-house banks sends out the wrong signal about the seriousness of European climate and energy policies. By failing to enact its own policies at home, the EU risks losing its leading position in the global climate-action scene. EU institutions must start talking to each other to make sure that the bloc’s financial resources truly follow its policies. Stopping these loans would be a good starting point.

Piotr Trzaskowski works on energy and climate issues for CEE Bankwatch.

MEPs to back tougher rules on economic regulation

Posted on March 24, 2020 by BLOGGERPARUNG

MEPs to back tougher rules on economic regulation

Parliament to vote on ‘six-pack’ legislation but split over sanctions for countries that break rules.

MEPs are next week expected to reach a cross-party agreement on six pieces of legislation aimed at preventing another financial crisis.

The new laws will result in changes to the way the EU monitors fiscal policy, deals with microeconomic imbalances, and punishes member states that breach toughened-up rules.

Member states have already agreed their approach to the planned legislation, dubbed the “six-pack” by Olli Rehn, the European commissioner for economic and monetary affairs. But many MEPs believe that the member states’ position does not impose enough constraints.

This is a significant moment for the European Parliament, which is for the first time using its powers under the Lisbon treaty that give it an equal say with member states on macroeconomic issues.

Six MEPS from across the political spectrum have drafted reports on the proposals, and between them have made 300 amendments to the European Commission’s initial text. A further 1,700 amendments have been put forward by other MEPs since the start of the year.

Views among the six MEPs differ on the final text to be agreed by the Parliament’s economic and monetary affairs committee, but they are “much closer than we were expecting”, according to Elisa Ferreira, a Portuguese Socialist MEP who is in charge of the report on dealing with macroeconomic imbalances.

“The Lisbon treaty gave extra powers to the European Parliament and the European Parliament is going to use them,” she said. “It needs to use them more than ever.”

Ferreira said she hoped that the final text would say more about wage-level protection and about encouraging growth through spending.

The political groups also hold diverse opinions about the sanctions for member states that breach stability and growth pact rules, and about the rate at which excessive debt should be reduced per year.

Hungarian hopes

The vote will take place on 19 April. EU finance ministers agreed their position on the six proposals on 15 March. Hungary, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of Ministers, wants political agreement between the Council and the Parliament by the summer.

Corien Wortmann-Kool, a centre-right Dutch MEP who is leading the Parliament’s work on prudent fiscal policy, has called for a “rules-based approach” to prevent member states making decisions among themselves.

“We have to learn from the current crisis,” she said. “There needs to be a clear surveillance process [of macroeconomic imbalances] with clear sanctions that a country cannot get out of. Small member states and large ones need to be treated equally.”

She favours a ‘reverse majority’ mechanism, under which sanctions on member states would be considered approved – unless member states decide otherwise by a qualified majority.

“We cannot spend money we do not have. That is a rule that has been forgotten and that is why we have ended up in this mess,” she said.

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EU to assist Japan quake response

Posted on March 24, 2020 by BLOGGERPARUNG

EU to assist Japan quake response

Civil protection team to travel to Japan in coming days.

José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, has announced that the European Union will provide assistance to Japan in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake last Friday (11 March).

Barroso said today (15 March) that the EU will “stand by the Japanese people and the Japanese authorities in these very difficult moments”.

Barroso stressed that Japan wanted a unified EU response rather than member states rushing in. “In light of the difficulties on the ground, the Japanese authorities have pleaded for a co-ordinated EU response, focused on in-kind assistance to bring relief to the affected population,” Barroso said. He said the EU had now made a “consolidated offer”.

The EU’s response will be co-ordinated by the Commission’s Monitoring and Information Centre. The Commission currently has two experts on the ground and is preparing to send a full civil protection team in the coming days.

Japan has requested blankets, mattresses, bottled water and water tanks, according to the Commission, but has not yet indicated the quantities it needs.

Barroso called the situation in Japan “very dramatic”.

Around half a million Japanese are believed to have lost their homes in the earthquake and a tsunami that destroyed entire villages.

Mayhoola donates 2 million euros to fight coronavirus

Posted on March 24, 2020 by BLOGGERPARUNG

Mayhoola, the parent company of Balmain and Valentino, will be donating 1
million euros to Sacco Hospital in Italy to help stop the spread of
coronavirus. They will also be donating an additional 1 million euros to
Italy’s Civil Protection.

The funds going toward Sacco hospital will help improve the ICU in what has
become one of the most affected areas of italy. The funds will also be used
to provide new negative pressure ventilation installation to help from
further infecting doctors and nurses on the floor.

Italy’s Civil Protection authority, Protezione Civile Italiana, has
reported 59,238 infected patients and 5,476 deaths in Italy. The country is
continuing to take measures to try and reduce the number of infected
patients as they continue with a lockdown for citizens and have halted
domestic travel.

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Commission criticised over ‘harmful’ subsidies

Posted on March 24, 2020 by BLOGGERPARUNG

Commission criticised over ‘harmful’ subsidies

Green groups attack Commission over delay to phase-out of subsidies that damage the environment.

The European Commission has been sharply criticised for stalling on the phase-out of subsidies that damage the environment.

“The European Commission has failed to live up to its own commitments…by not publishing the roadmap for the reform of environmentally harmful subsidies,” according to a wide coalition of green and transparency groups, in a letter sent today (17 March) to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

Roadmap for action

The EU’s 2006 “sustainable development strategy” gave the Commission until 2008 to draw up a roadmap for action. Last year, MEPs and environment ministers urged the Commission to publish the roadmap, but it has still not been seen.

The 91 signatories are targeting agriculture payments that support soil-eroding, water-depleting farming; fishing subsidies that help crews to build more powerful boats and deplete stocks; and EU competition rules that permit governments to subsidise coal plants.

Markus Knigge at the Pew Environment Group said that without action, taxpayers’ money would continue to be “wasted” on environmentally-damaging subsidies. “There is no excuse,” he said. Ariel Brunner of Birdlife International said: “Actively spending money to harm society is the most obvious absurdity.”

The signatories to the letter contest Commission suggestions that the European Fisheries Fund does not allow environmentally-damaging subsidies: according to fishsubsidy.org, in 1994-2006, 36 boats convicted of breaking EU law netted €13.5 million in public money.

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VIDEO. “C’est très douloureux” : le chef d’état-major des armées très ému après la mort de deux militaires français au Burkina Faso

Posted on March 23, 2020 by BLOGGERPARUNG

Il a été pris par l’émotion. Lors d’une conférence de presse commune avec la ministre des Armées, Florence Parly, le chef d’état-major des armées, François Lecointre, a évoqué la mort de deux militaires français, vendredi 10 mai. “La France a perdu deux de ses fils. Nous, nous perdons deux de nos frères”, a-t-il déclaré, au bord des larmes. “C’est toujours très douloureux”, a-t-il ajouté avant un silence. Dans la nuit de jeudi à vendredi, les forces spéciales françaises ont libéré quatre otages dans le nord du Burkina Faso. Parmi eux se trouvaient deux touristes français enlevés au Bénin. Ces derniers seront accueillis samedi en fin d’après-midi par Emmanuel Macron à Villacoublay (Yvelines), a annoncé l’Elysée. Le président sera accompagné du ministre des Affaires étrangères, Jean-Yves Le Drian, de Florence Parly et de François Lecointre.

Militaires tués : hommage de la nation à ses soldats

Posted on March 23, 2020 by BLOGGERPARUNG

La France a rendu un hommage émouvant à Cédric de Pierrepont et Alain Bertoncello, soldats tués au Burkina Faso en libérant quatre otages. Mardi 14 mai, aux Invalides (Paris), l’émotion était palpable lorsque les frères d’armes des deux militaires ont porté les cercueils dans la cour carrée de ce panthéon des soldats français. Au premier rang, les familles serrent des portraits des deux héros, en tentant de retenir leurs larmes. “Des soldats hors normes”Emmanuel Macron a de son côté rendu hommage lors d’un discours qui a vu les deux militaires décorés de la Légion d’honneur à titre posthume. “Ces officiers mariniers étaient des soldats hors normes comme peu d’armées dans le monde ont la chance d’en compter (…) Voyez la nation rassemblée dans cette cour des Invalides pour rendre l’hommage que vous méritez“, a déclaré le chef de l’État. Le JT

JT de 13h du mardi 14 mai 2019 L’intégrale

Les autres sujets du JT

1

Soldats tués : un hommage émouvant aux Invalides
2

Militaires tués : les anonymes au rendez-vous pour rendre hommage
3

Militaires tués : silence profond et émotion vive parmi les anonymes
4

Haute-Savoie : émotion dans le village d’Alain Bertoncello
5

Militaires tués : les commandos des forces spéciales, des soldats d’exception
6

Soldats tués : des cagnottes créées en soutien aux familles
7

Var : la commune de Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer rend hommage aux deux soldats tués
8

États-Unis : Monsanto condamné à verser une amende record
9

Énergie : le médiateur pointe du doigt les litiges qui sont en hausse
10

Environnement : quelles sont les aides à disposition pour renoncer au fioul ?
11

Union européenne : quel est son impact dans la vie quotidienne ?
12

Solidarité : une association a repris en main une épicerie dans le Loir-et-Cher
13

Feuilleton : L’Europe en chansons (2/5)

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Thaïlande : les enfants boxeurs

Posted on March 23, 2020 by BLOGGERPARUNG

Sin Chan est déjà un boxeur redouté et réputé. Ce Thaïlandais, qui a commencé la boxe il y a un an, n’a pourtant que 6 ans. “Je n’ai pas peur avant le combat. Mais, avant certaines rencontres, j’ai eu un peu peur quand même“, explique le petit combattant. Pour aider sa famille et s’assurer un avenir meilleur, Sin Chan est sur le point de se battre contre un autre enfant, qui a un an de plus, mais qui pèse 20 kilos, comme lui. Des combats risqués aux conséquences parfois dramatiquesTout au long du combat, le public ne se contente pas de regarder, il parie. L’argent liquide circule dans toute la salle. Après 25 minutes d’une incroyable intensité, Sin Chan remporte son combat et empoche 5 000 bahts (140 €). Plus les enfants grandissent et plus les coups font mal. Les K.O sont plus rares que chez les adultes, mais ils sont tout de même fréquents, et tout aussi impressionnants. Les arbitres sont incités à laisser se dérouler les combats jusqu’au bout pour faire monter les enchères des paris. Une escalade qui a mené au drame le 10 novembre dernier, avec le décès d’un jeune boxeur de 13 ans sur le ring. Click Here: geelong cats guernsey 2019

Jean Sarkozy présente la note à ses détracteurs

Posted on March 23, 2020 by BLOGGERPARUNG

Il se compare à une « dauphin » dans un monde de « requins » mais commence à montrer les dents. dénonce un acharnement, et veut prouver ses capacités via son bulletin de notes en fac de droits…

Jean Sarkozy fait mine d’accepter le qualificatif de « dauphin ». A condition de dénoncer les « requins » qui feraient cercle autour de lui depuis l’annonce de son ascension au sommet des tours de l’EPAD, à la Défense. Et, question défense, c’est à une contre-attaque que se livre actuellement le fils du président qui, dans les colonnes du Point, passe son grand oral en donnant le détail de ses notes…

Car, malmené en tant que riche héritier du pouvoir, moqué pour son jeune âge (23 ans), Jean Sarkozy est aussi remis en doute quant à ses capacités et son niveau d’études. Alors, il dégaine son bulletin, ses résultats et ses ambitions en fac de droit à Dauphine…

Dans l’interview qu’il accorde au Point, Jean Sarkozy brosse l’autoportrait d’un étudiant dont les performances sont altérées par les hautes destinées qui sont déjà les siennes et non comme de simples difficultés de cursus. Et de plaider sa cause ainsi: « J’ai fait un choix exigeant (…) concilier mon engagement politique, mes responsabilités d’élu (conseiller général des Hauts-de-Seine, NDR) et ma formation universitaire. »

Etudiant en deuxième année de droit, dont il dit avoir « validé trois matières », il dévoile ses notes ainsi: « 11 en histoire des idées politiques; 14 en finances publiques et 19 en droit immobilier et en droit civil. Vous pouvez vérifier. » Lui restent quatre matières qu’il assure vouloir « présenter lors du prochain contrôle », à « la mesure de (ses) possibilités. » Il jure: « Dans un an et demi, j’airai ma licence! » Avec un tel engagement, il a intérêt à plancher sérieusement. Parce que ce n’est pas seulement à Papa que Jean Sarkozy devra rendre des comptes en cas d’échec…

Jeudi 15 octobre 2009