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Formula One F1 - Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Baku City Circuit, Baku, Azerbaijan - June 12, 2022 Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. in action during the race REUTERS/Hamad I MohammedRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comLONDON, June 13 (Reuters) - Ferrari's early season delight has become a discussion of disaster after the Italian team's nightmare in Baku on Sunday, but it is still too early to write off their title hopes.The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was Ferrari's first double failure to finish for reasons of reliability since the 2009 opener in Australia.Charles Leclerc, starting on pole for the sixth time in eight rounds and fourth in a row, was stopped by a power unit problem while leading -- the second time that has hit the Monegasque in three races.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSpaniard Carlos Sainz, the first retirement of the race, was halted by hydraulics.Monday's front page of Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport spoke of 'Ferrari disaster' and declared, over a picture of Leclerc's stricken car, that the championship had gone up in smoke.Leclerc, who had led Red Bull's world champion Max Verstappen by 46 points after the first three races, is now 34 behind.Red Bull have won the last five races and Ferrari, the sport's oldest and most successful team who last won a title in 2008, are now 80 points behind in the constructors' standings.Yet the wild swings of fortune also provide some hope in a championship of 22 races where just one retirement can be a game-changer.Ferrari's car has gremlins lurking within but is also undeniably quick.WIDE OPEN"It must be immensely frustrating (for them) but the championship is still wide open," Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion, told Sky Sports television."OK, it’s a terrible day for them as a result but I don’t think it’s a disaster. It’s too early to start talking about that. And Red Bull have had their problems as well."That is true, with Verstappen twice failing to finish, but Sunday's race pointed to a wider problem for Ferrari with their Haas and Alfa Romeo 'customer' teams also suffering retirements for reliability reasons.Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto said there was plenty of work to do and pointed out his team had made a huge effort over the winter to upgrade their power unit and get back on top."It's a journey which we are on, and there is still another step which is required right now. I think as a team again we will stay united, work hard," he said."We have been capable of doing a proper job so far, we know that the job is not finished but we will do it."Just as Ferrari did not get euphoric after Leclerc won two of the first three races and was second in the other with fastest laps in all of them, the team were not about to get despondent, said Binotto.Time is not on Ferrari's side, however, with the next race in Canada this weekend."The trend has gone against Ferrari, the trend has gone towards Red Bull and now its going towards Max," said Hill. "Ferrari are obviously the losers ... and they’ve got a lot of thinking to do."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Published June 13, 2022 3:31PM Best, worst times to buy a car A car-buying expert gives a few tips and tricks for consumers looking to buy a car. Building electric vehicles is expensive, which is why their prices are high, and it's mostly about the batteries. Costs have been coming down over the years, but Ford CEO Jim Farley revealed at the Bernstein Conference in early June that the battery pack in a Ford Mustang Mach-E is still around $18,000 to produce. That’s a big part of why the base price is $43,895, not including delivery, while a similarly spacious Ford Escape starts at $28,520. This sort of premium is still the rule when it comes to electric vehicles, which often provide greater power and other features as a bonus, but also have the drawbacks of short driving ranges and long charging times. The $7,500 federal tax credit helps level the playing field, but the annual estimated energy savings of $1,650 the Mach-E offers over the Escape can't close the gap without it for nearly five years. That figure assumes the vehicles are driven the EPA annual estimated average of 15,000 miles at today’s inflated gas prices. THE MOST FUEL EFFICIENT GAS-POWERED VEHICLE MIGHT SURPRISE YOU However, a few automakers, including Ford, have aggressively priced some models to the point that they can cover their premiums in energy savings in just the first three years of ownership, if not much sooner. Here are a few of today’s discounted electric rides: Chevrolet Bolt EV The Bolt EV is the lowest-priced electric vehicle in the U.S. (Chevrolet) Chevrolet recently slashed prices on the Bolt EV to $26,595. The subcompact hatchback compares in size to the brand’s Trax SUV, which starts at $22,995. General Motors vehicles no longer qualify for the tax credit, but the Bolt EV costs only $550 to charge at home each year. That’s $2,000 less than the gasoline a Trax will burn through over 15,000 miles, which means an owner will come out ahead in under two years. Even if gas drops to $3.50 per gallon, the payback will still be under three years. Nissan Leaf The Nissan Leaf is just $20,295 after deducting the available $7,500 federal tax credit. (Nissan) The Nissan Leaf used to be the cheapest EV at $28,425, and still is after the tax credit, which brings that down to $20,925. That’s $90 more than a Nissan Sentra, which has a $1,600 higher annual energy cost. It might be tough to drive those 15,000 miles per year in the lowest-priced Leaf, however, which has a range of 149 miles per charge, while a 226-mile model is $5,000 more. Hyundai Kona Electric The Hyundai Kona is offered with gas and electric powertrains. (Hyundai) The Hyundai Kona subcompact SUV comes in gas and battery-powered models that start at $24,795 and $35,295 for the same SEL trim. The Kona Electric has a range of 258 miles per charge and qualifies for the tax credit while saving $1,750 in energy costs annually, which is over half its $3,000 total premium. Ford F-150 Lighting Pro The Ford F-150 Lightning Pro is cheaper and more powerful than the closest gasoline-powered F-150. (Ford) The Ford F-150 Lightning Pro work truck starts at $41,669, which is less than the Mustang Mach-E and includes a four-door body and 452 horsepower all-wheel-drive system. Ford’s cheapest gasoline-powered 4x4 SuperCrew has a 325 hp V6 and a base price of $44,220. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Along with being less expensive upfront, the F-150 Lighting has an annual operating cost that’s $2,350 less than the V6 model’s. The major caveat is that this F-150 Lighting trim has a range of only 230 miles between charges, and the lowest-priced version with an extended battery pack that’s rated for 320 miles starts at $74,269. Read more on FOX News.
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One of BYD's bestselling electric car models, the Han, is on display during an auto show in Shenzhen on June 5, 2022.Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesBEIJING — Chinese electric car maker BYD saw sales more than double in May, solidifying the company's climb into the ranks of the top three automakers in China.That's according to data by the China Passenger Car Association which was released Friday. China is the world's largest auto market.Backed by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, BYD is also a battery maker that's become a major electric car brand in China — and some of its models are vying with Tesla in popularity.So far this year, not only has BYD continued to dominate new energy vehicles, which include hybrid and battery-powered cars, but the company also climbed into the ranks of the top three brands in China by passenger car sales.Despite Covid lockdowns that hit supply chains and Chinese consumer sentiment, BYD sold 113,768 new energy passenger cars last month, the data showed.Whether in SUVs or smaller passenger cars, BYD accounted for two of the top three bestselling new energy models in China last month, according to association data. Tesla, Nio and Xpeng didn't make the cut.Those sales put BYD into second place in China's passenger car market overall — just behind FAW-Volkswagen, with 150,009 cars sold, according to the data. FAW-Volkswagen is the German automaker's joint venture in China that sells the Audi and Volkswagen branded vehicles.BYD's sales marked a 159.5% year-on-year increase, while FAW-Volkswagen's fell 10.6% from May last year. Geely was the third-largest by passenger car sales, at 73,315, down 14.5%.Last year, BYD ranked 13th by passenger car sales. FAW-Volkswagen, SAIC Volkswagen and SAIC GM took the top three spots.Read more about electric vehicles from CNBC ProIn the U.S. passenger car market, Tesla did not make the top three spots. Toyota ranks first by sales, followed by Ford and General Motors' Chevrolet brand, according to Sino Auto Insights.China's passenger car sales fell 11.8% in May from a year ago, while new energy vehicles saw sales climb 91.2%, according to the passenger car association.For the first five months of the year, FAW-Volkswagen ranked first by sales, followed by BYD and then Changan Automobile, the data showed.Within new energy vehicles, BYD ranked first, followed by General Motors' joint venture with Wuling Motors and state-owned SAIC Motor. Tesla China ranked third.
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By Russell HottenBusiness reporter, BBC NewsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Most drivers have been hereThe sight of a car limping along on a near-flat tyre, or a roadside wheel change are still common.So is the expense of replacing tyres that have worn out prematurely, perhaps because the driver may not have been checking the pressure as regularly as they should.Sometimes it's difficult not to feel tyres are a car's weak link. But is this about to change?Is it the end of the black rubber air-filled doughnut first used on vehicles in the 1890s - a product designed to be indestructible, and therefore not easy to recycle?On a test track in Luxembourg, a Tesla Model 3 is twisting through tight corners, accelerating rapidly, and doing emergency stops. Standard stuff. What's remarkable, though, is the car is sitting on four airless tyres - made by Goodyear, the US manufacturer.Special plastic spokes, support a thin, reinforced rubber tread. The spokes flex and contort as the car goes through its paces. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Plastic spokes support a thin tread on the Goodyear airless tyresMichael Rachita, Goodyear's senior program manager for non-pneumatic tyres (NPTs), is upfront about the limitations: "There will be noise, and some vibration. We're still learning how to soften the ride. But we think you'll be surprised at the performance." He wasn't wrong. Electric cars and autonomous mobility are changing tyre needs. Delivery firms and shuttle services want products that are low-maintenance, puncture-proof, recyclable, and have sensors that map road conditions.Car sharing and ride hailing, rather than ownership, are rising in cities. A car with a flat tyre, is a car not making money.Mr Rachita says: "While air-filled tyres will always have their place, a mixture of solutions is needed. As we move into a world where autonomous vehicles are becoming more common and many cities are offering transport-as-a-service strategies, having a maintenance-free tyre is hugely important." At Michelin's labs, the tyres are tested for 24 hours at a time, under different loads and speeds. That's thousands of miles non-stop. Some spokes deform, some break, but the structures continue to perform safely, Mr Rachita says. "It's test-learn, test-learn," he says. "But we're at a stage that's given us a huge amount of confidence. This is the real deal."Image source, MichelinImage caption, Reports suggest Michelin's airless tyres are close to launchGoodyear rival, Michelin, has been working with General Motors (GM) on airless tyres since 2019. In February there were media reports that Michelin's Unique Puncture-proof Tire System (Uptis) could debut on a new Chevrolet Bolt electric car being planned by GM, possibly as early as 2024. Uptis tyres are made of high-strength resin embedded with fiberglass and composite rubber (for which Michelin has filed 50 patents) to create a mesh structure that surrounds an aluminium wheel. Cyrille Roget, a scientific and innovation expert at the French tyre maker, won't confirm the Bolt reports, but tells the BBC Michelin will have more to say later this year. Michelin has been a market leader in airless wheels. Its Tweel (tyre-wheel) has been around since 2005 and is used on slow-moving vehicles, such as farm equipment. Optimising the technology for road vehicles is, however, a totally different challenge, Mr Roget says: "We have 130 years of experience and knowledge in perfecting inflatable structures like pneumatic tyres. Airless technology is very recent." Uptis, though, is just a step to something bigger. The company that gave us the pumped-up Michelin Man logo, has a multi-year plan, to create a tyre that is airless, connected, 3D-printed and made entirely of materials that can be melted down and re-used.Apart from occasional re-treads, it would be zero-maintenance, according to Michelin.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Michelin's Tweel was launched in 2005 but is mainly used on slower-moving vehiclesHeavy battery weight means airless structures are particularly suited to electric vehicles. "You can carry more load with a more compliant feel than in an air tyre," Mr Rachita says.On the other hand, airless tyres have a greater contact patch with the road, increasing the drag. This rolling resistance uses more energy to drive the tyres forward - with implications for battery life and range. And then there's noise - the hum of rubber-on-road. "With engine sound removed on an electric car, tyres become the dominant source of noise," says Matt Ross, editor-in-chief of Tire Technology International. In addition, the rigidity of plastic spokes transmits more vibration through the suspension. Drivers long used to the response and performance of air tyres could take some convincing, he feels. Image source, HankookImage caption, South Korea's Hankook unveiled its airless tyres this yearMore important than consumer perception, however, is what regulators decide. Governments will demand rigorous safety tests and a standardisation of rules. And tyre makers will need to invest heavily in new manufacturing facilities and develop supply chains. It will take years.Tyre makers hope early adopters in niche areas will help drive the technology forward. "Non-pneumatic tyres (NPTs) are of particular interest to sectors like the military, disaster response, security vehicles, and specialist machinery," Klaus Kraus, head of European research and development at Hankook, tells BBC News.The South Korean company unveiled the latest version of its i-Flex NPT in January. Smaller than a conventional tyre, a honeycomb of interlocking polyurethane spokes is a breakthrough in coping with lateral and horizontal stresses, the company says.Bridgestone, the world's largest tyre maker, is interested in industrial applications in farming, mining and construction, where demand could be high from customers that see a costly loss of productivity when tyres fail. Airless tyres will, initially at least, carry a premium price. But the ability for regular re-treading and 3D printing could be a game changer. Maybe, some experts speculate, consumers won't even need to buy tyres outright. Instead, they'll get them free and pay-per-mile, with sensors monitoring usage. Image source, GoodyearImage caption, Airless tyres have huge potential says Sosia Causeret JostenIt's an illustration of where the technology is taking the tyre of the future, says Sosia Causeret Josten, an analyst at Goodyear's Sightline Tyre Intelligence division. As the only contact between the road and the vehicle, tyres offer huge potential. Perhaps, thanks to cloud computing and algorithms, connected vehicles could deliver information about where government authorities need to make road repairs or lay grit during freezing weather. Take another example, automatic braking systems. "If the anti-lock braking system (ABS) can tell that the vehicle is driving on half-worn summer tyres, it can react quicker. This advantage can play an important role in an autonomous future, where the vehicle has to react itself," she says.Not all this tech need be exclusive to airless tyres, or course. And not all manufacturers are convinced NPTs are the future. "To this day, we believe that pneumatic tyres are the best choice for most vehicles," says Denise Sperl, a director of car tyre research and development at Germany's Continental.Tyres will always need "to simultaneously meet multiple requirements for safety, comfort, performance and sustainability" and air-filled rubber remains the best compromise, she says. Continental is developing a self-inflating system where pumps and sensors in the wheel keep the pressure at optimum levels. Like all manufactures, the company is looking into "greener" products. Polyester from recycled plastic bottles will soon be used in its premium tyres, and both Continental and Goodyear are researching a dandelion flower that produces latex similar to rubber trees. But sustainable alternatives to conventional materials are available only "to a limited extent," Ms Sperl adds. Air tyres have been around so long for a reason - they do the best job. "We remain convinced of this," she says.
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Visitors check on a Ford Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle displayed at a launch event in Shanghai, China April 13, 2021. REUTERS/Yilei Sun/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, June 14 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) said Tuesday it is recalling about 49,000 Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles in the United States because a part could overheat and result in a loss of propulsion power.The No. 2 U.S. automaker said DC fast charging and repeated wide-open pedal events can cause the high-voltage battery main contactors to overheat. Ford said it will address the issue that covers Mach-E vehicles built from late May 2020 through late May 2022 with a software update it expects to begin next month.Dealers cannot deliver new vehicles to customers until the vehicles have the software update.Ford said "overheating may lead to arcing and deformation of the electrical contact surfaces, which can result in a contactor that remains open or a contactor that welds closed." If an overheated contactor opens while driving, it could result in a loss of propulsion power, increasing the risk of a crash.Ford previously issued five recalls for various 2021 Mustang Mach-E vehicles, including calling back nearly 500 for a software issue that could cause unintended acceleration. Those recalls included loose bolts and inadequate windshield and panoramic roof glass bonding.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by David Shepardson; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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A 2022 Mustang Mach-E. (Photo: Ford/Media Kit) (NEXSTAR) – Ford has filed a recall notice with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, directing dealers to stop delivering nearly 49,000 Mustang Mach-E electric cars as they fix an issue with a battery component that could cause it to overheat. Dealers can still sell the Mach-E to customers, Ford spokesperson Said Deep said, but they are pausing delivery of the new cars as the issue is addressed. The issue is with the electric cars’ “Direct Current” fast charging, Deep explained. There’s a chance part of the battery could overheat, which “may lead to arcing and deformation of the electrical contact surfaces.” That could lead the car to lose power while driving, posing an accident risk. The recall affects 48,924 cars in the U.S., Deep said. The issue will be fixed remotely by a “Over-The-Air (OTA) deployment” of a software update starting next month, Deep said. Mach-E owners can also take their cars to a dealer for the update. The affected cars include both 2021 and 2022 Mach-E models, CNBC reported. According a notice sent to dealers that was obtained by CNBC, the recalled cars were built between May 2020 and May 2022 at a plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico. The NHTSA lists five other recalls associated with the Mustang Mach-E dating back to March 2021. The issues range from loose bolts to windshields that could detach in a crash. Tags
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Choosing the best running shorts is very personal. Every runner’s body is different, and everyone has distinctive preferences for fit and function. For instance, maybe you’re a frequent racer focused on speed or perhaps you jog several miles at a moderate pace each time you head out, or you might like to run shorter distances with quick treadmill warm-ups. Whatever your needs and goals, the best running shorts for women are lightweight and don’t cause painful chafing. Real runners say Outdoor Voices' Warmup 5'' Shorts ($48) are some of the best running shorts for ... [+] women. Outdoor Voices A good pair of running shorts, like a good pair of shoes, can be a huge motivator toward achieving your personal best. According to the women we spoke to, their favorite running shorts nail it on comfort and coverage—and more specifically, on factors like fit, practical details, such as phone pockets, and overall style as well. Read on for the best women’s shorts to help you hit the ground running. Best Overall Running Shorts For Women: On Running Shorts Best Comfortable Running Shorts For Women: Vuori Clementine Short Best Compression Running Shorts For Women: Outdoor Voices 5” Warmup Short Best Non-Chafing Running Shorts For Women: Lululemon Wunder Train High-Rise Shorts 6” Best High-Waisted Running Shorts For Women: Athleta High Rise Mesh Racer 3” Best Plus-Size Running Shorts For Women: Girlfriend Collective Trail Short Best Cooling Running Shorts For Women: Under Armour UA ISO-Chill 2-in-1 Running Shorts Best Tight Running Shorts For Women: Brooks Method 8” Short Tight Best Short Running Shorts For Women: Rabbit Catch Me If You Can 2.5 Inch Short Best Running Shorts For Women Overall Go-To Running Shorts That Will Go The Distance First they created the ubiquitous Cloud lines of shoes, and now On has achieved cult favorite status again with their featherlight running shorts. These feature a fitted inner brief, lightweight outer layer and an adjustable waistband designed not to ride up. “They’re well liked for looks, fit, smartly located pockets, weight and durability," says Mike Yardis, owner of Treads & Threads. These come in four go-with-everything colors—black, glacier, twilight and cerulean. Best Comfortable Running Shorts For Women
Cross The Finish Line In Style With These Shorts When putting in the miles, comfort is key, and few brands know comfort as well as Vuori. These uber popular shorts are standouts particularly because of their fit and functionality—from four-way stretch to a breathable liner—says Yardis. The 2.5 inseam, while on the shorter side, allows for freedom of movement. The Clementine also comes in eight color variations and prints so you’re bound to find something that works with your running wardrobe, and sizing ranges from 00 to 16. Best Compression Running Shorts For Women
A Tight Fit That Holds It All Together Outdoor Voices Outdoor Voices Warmup 5" Short Hitting just above mid thigh, these fitted shorts from Outdoor Voices look like they might bunch up as soon as you start running. But according to runner Mary M., that’s not the case. “They stay in place and are a great, breathable fabric,” she explains. Mary is such a fan of the compressive material and comfortable fit that she owns multiple pairs of these shorts. Best Non-Chafing Running Shorts For Women
A Mid-Thigh Style That Prevents Uncomfortable Skin Irritation Lululemon Lululemon Wunder Train High-Rise Short 6'' Avid jogger Ali B. says these are her favorite shorts to hit the pavement in, since they don’t ride up her 5’3’’ frame. If you have particularly long legs, she recommends opting for the eight-inch-long Wunder Train shorts, just to be safe. Another great feature of this pair is their sweat-wicking material which keeps the wearer cool, and doesn’t pills between the thighs, Ali adds. Plus, they come in a variety of pretty colors and patterns. forbes.comLululemon Promo Codes | 15% Off In June 2022 | ForbesBest High-Waisted Running Shorts For Women
Running Shorts That Sit High On the Hip Athleta Athleta High Rise Mesh Racer Run 3" Short If you’re long waisted—or you just really love the look of high-rise shorts with a crop top or sports bra—these are for you. The thick waistband with adjustable drawstring won’t ride up or down, and reviewers love the relaxed fit and 3”-4” inseam. The Athleta Mesh Racer is also insanely practical: They’re made from recycled polyester-spandex fabric that’s breathable, snag resistant, wrinkle resistant, quick drying and has SPF 50. These come in black or a bright, flattering coral. Best Plus-Size Running Shorts For Women
Built-In Compression Provides Coverage and Comfort Girlfriend Collective Girlfriend Collective Trail Short These shorts have got all the bases covered with a lightweight, sweat-wicking outside layer and an inner compressive micro short layer. Plus, they’ve got a handy back zipper pocket for stashing a phone, keys or money. You’ll also feel good about wearing these because they’re made from recycled water bottles and they come in eight non-boring colors. Best Cooling Running Shorts For Women
Stay Cool With Optimal Range of Motion Under Armour Under Armor UA Iso-Chill Run 2-in-1 Shorts Two-in-one styles are particularly versatile not just for running but for cross training because of the extra coverage. These shorts have special flattened fibers that draw heat away from the body so you’ll stay cool even on late summer runs. Another game-changing feature? Anti-odor technology to fight funky sweat smells. Best Tight Running Shorts For Women
Snug Running Shorts That Don’t Ride Up Brooks Running Brooks Method 8'' Short Tight Allie Buchalski, a member of the Brooks Beasts professional running team, says the Method 8’’ Short Tights are one of her favorite styles to hit the track in. “They look super flattering and stay in place—a huge win. My phone can also come along for the ride in the side pocket without me worrying about it falling out,” she says. The shorts also have lightweight, sweat-wicking fabric and minimal seams for a barely-there feel. Best Short Running Shorts For Women
Barely There Shorts To Help You Set The Pace Rabbit Rabbit Catch Me If You Can 2.5" Short These fitted, itty bitty shorts are built for speed. Lightweight, sweat-wicking material won’t weigh you down when you’re working up a sweat, so they’re ideal for running in hot temperatures. Other features that’ll help you run at max capacity include four-way stretch, a breathable, chafe-free liner, and two front internal pockets and a rear zip pocket that are seamlessly incorporated into the wide, stay-put waistband. What To Consider When Buying Running Shorts For Women Material: "The most popular running shorts are made from fully synthetic microfiber weaves created out of super stretchy woven polyesters and lycra/spandex blends,” says Michael Yardis of Threads & Treads running speciality shop. “These types of materials are breathable, sweat wicking, anti-chafe and potentially even anti odor." So basically, steer clear of cotton because they can be slow to dry and can be cumbersome and heavy when wet. Fit: This aspect is something that is entirely user preference, and there are a few different styles to choose from. Some prefer tight-fitting, compression shorts while others opt for a roomier lightweight material. Many prefer a combination of the two—with both a lightweight outer layer and a tight-fitting underlayer or liner. Lining: Often, "having a built-in liner is preferred so that it's a 'put on one and done’ set up," says Yardis. A liner should be breathable and non-chafing, and it shouldn’t inhibit the movement of the shorts at your inner thigh when running. However, liners are incredibly polarizing, and runners seem to either love them or hate them. Waistband: This feature ranges from thinner drawstring styles for easy and customizable adjustments to thicker, tight-fitting waistbands that can be folded over. Because you don’t want any of your extras—like keys, money or a phone—jangling around or getting lost, pockets are often concealed in the waistbands of running shorts. Length: When it comes to length, most runners find they have a sweet spot. You want to feel as if you have coverage but also don’t want shorts to ride up and chafe at your inner thigh. Typically, the best women’s running shorts range in inseam anywhere from two to seven inches. Frequently Asked Questions About Running Shorts For Women What are the best type of shorts for running?
This is a matter of opinion but most experts agree that the best women’s running shorts are lightweight, stay put during sprints and longer runs, dry quickly, don’t chafe and have convenient pockets. However, the best type depends largely on what you’re most comfortable in and what will help you meet your running and workout goals. Some brands that offer a wide variety of styles include Lululemon, Athleta and Under Armour, so you might want to start your search on those sites. Is it better to run in loose or tight-fitting shorts?
The tightness of shorts typically comes down to personal preference, length of run, and air temperature, says Michael Yardis of Threads & Treads running speciality shop. Many runners prefer tighter shorts in cooler temperatures to lock in heat and lightweight, shorter shorts for when it’s hot and humid.
How long should running shorts be?
Running shorts should be long enough to give you coverage that makes you comfortable and the appropriate length and fabric to allow for good range of motion. Many women prefer an inseam that keeps the delicate inner thigh skin covered to prevent chafing.
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Three June days exploring the roads around Rome in a rented Fiat 500: $276. An SUV for a long weekend in July in Orlando: $455. A week in August touring the Algarve in a family-friendly automatic: $845. But costs aren’t the only problem—there simply aren’t any cars to rent in some destinations.What happened? The pandemic, the chip shortage, and the war in Ukraine, for starters. But this isn’t just a short-term shock; the car rental market could be changed forever. That’s likely to mean permanently higher prices, an influx of electric cars, and the appearance of Chinese brands—and perhaps even the rise of peer-to-peer car sharing as a mainstream alternative, if enough people are willing to share their cars with strangers.Things started to break down in early 2020, when lockdowns around the world resulted in the car rental market falling off a cliff. Almost two-thirds of Avis-Budget’s rental business at airports vanished, with revenues company-wide sliding 41 percent year-on-year in 2020. At Europcar, 2020 revenue was down 42 percent, and Hertz's revenue fell 46 percent before it filed for bankruptcy—though it has since restructured and recovered.In response to the mayhem, rental companies sold off their cars. In the UK, fleets were slashed by 30 percent, according to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), a car rental membership organization. In 2019, Hertz had 700,000 vehicles globally. In the first quarter of 2022, that collapsed to 481,000, according to a company spokesperson. Europcar’s fleet size numbered 293,000 vehicles in the first quarter of 2020 but plunged to 187,200 in 2021.That move made sense as the industry’s two key markets, businesses and vacation travelers, were stuck at home, explains Yusuf Allinson, an analyst at market research firm IBISWorld. “There’s no point holding onto depreciating assets that were not generating money,” he says.But as lockdowns eased and travel recovered, car rental companies couldn’t restock, thanks to a chip shortage that stalled manufacturing, a problem exacerbated by complex supply chains that rely on parts made or assembled in Ukraine. The ensuing shortage of cars in rental lots more than doubled prices. Over Easter, car rental costs were up by an average of 135 percent across Portugal, Cyprus, Spain, Greece, Italy, and France versus 2019 levels, according to consumer organization Which. “You’re buying the car for more, you’re fueling it for more, there’s more demand—it’s very logical for prices to increase,” Allinson says.And there’s not much you can do about it. But if you want to avoid eye-watering rental quotes, or finding out you can’t get a car for your family holiday, then it’s best to book ahead. Way ahead. Anyone making last-minute plans may not find that advice particularly useful, but there is another option: car-sharing platforms that let people rent out their vehicles. Services such as Turo and Getaround, or UK-based HiyaCar, could fill the gap in corporate rental fleets and help out car owners hit by high fuel costs. HiyaCar has reported 220 percent growth in rental bookings year-on-year, while earnings for car owners on Turo increased tenfold.Peer-to-peer car-sharing platforms are—cliché though it is—exactly like Airbnb for cars. But, unlike Airbnb, which is currently valued at $78.8 billion, car sharing has yet to take off—despite cars sitting idle 96 percent of the time. But now, with old-fashioned rentals expensive and hard to get hold of, car sharing might finally have its moment.Xavier Collins, vice president of Turo, says that convenience is another benefit of going peer-to-peer, with many people able to find a car a short walk away rather than at a rental lot on the edge of town. That convenience is fine if you’re already in a city, but what about people flying in for a holiday? HiyaCar currently focuses on local renters rather than tourists, saying support for vacationers will hopefully be added this year, but the other two companies do target fliers. Getaround is working to get parking spots for its cars at transport hubs; in France, for example, it has dedicated spots near railway stations.Turo takes it a step further. Cars are delivered directly to the arrivals zone at airports, with the owner either meeting renters with the keys or leaving the vehicle in airport parking, where it’s unlocked via the app.Apps like Turo, Getaround, and HiyaCar have the same benefit as Airbnb and other so-called sharing-economy platforms: They don’t own anything. “The cars on the platforms don’t belong to the company,” says Even Heggernes, a vice president at Getaround Europe. “The shortage of cars occurring everywhere is not something that really affects us.”But that doesn’t mean these platforms have enough vehicles—in the UK, HiyaCar has 2,000 cars for its 150,000 registered users. Turo has 3,000 in the UK, while in the US, Getaround has 160,000. Sharing platforms rely on individuals letting strangers drive off in their car, which requires trust as well as effort to keep vehicles clean, full of petrol, and otherwise ready for renters. It’s a challenging ask, though Heggernes, whose job focuses on encouraging drivers to sign up—says supply has increased due to the cost-of-living crisis, with people seeking ways to make extra cash.HiyaCar has one solution to the continued lack of supply: Top up the system with its own vehicles. With 150,000 registered users, HiyaCar has just 2,000 cars, of which 350 are part of its car club system. They aren’t owned by HiyaCar, but by carmakers, who are guaranteed a minimum income, and the aim is to fill in cars where there isn’t yet enough supply, what the company calls the “cold-start problem.”“We have lots of demand but not enough cars,” says Rob Lamour, cofounder of HiyaCar. “You can’t just launch in an area and suddenly have loads of cars for people to hire; it takes time for it to build up.” Car clubs are also set up in areas without enough vehicles in general, such as central London, where public transport might reduce car ownership but demand for ad hoc rentals remains high.But traditional car rental companies aren’t sitting back and letting upstarts disrupt their market. Even before the pandemic, rental firms were lobbying for tighter regulation of the peer-to-peer market, demanding tighter vehicle checks and restrictions on drop-off zones in airports.Post-pandemic, they’re racing to boost their fleets in a few different ways. “Currently, our global fleet is almost back to pre-crisis levels,” says Tim Vetters, managing director of Sixt UK. But as buying cars remains difficult, the company is also buying from a wider range of manufacturers and keeping cars in its fleet for longer.Hertz’s latest annual report shows the average holding period for a vehicle hit historical highs of 25 months in the Americas and 20 months for the rest of the world, versus 18 months for the Americas and 12 internationally in 2019. Europcar’s latest quarterly results show that the company is turning to Asian car makers and electric vehicles to fill gaps in its fleet.Those tactics are working—but slowly. Europcar’s pre-pandemic fleet of 293,000 vehicles, which fell to 187,200 during 2020, has since rebounded to 243,700. That’s echoed by Avis-Budget, which had a fleet of 660,000 vehicles at the end of 2019; it fell to 533,000 the following year, and rose to 590,000 by the fourth quarter of 2021. Profits are recovering too, though US politicians have expressed concern of possible predatory pricing behavior, with Hertz posting a record quarterly profit after its bankruptcy restructuring.Even without apps and peer-to-peer disruption, the car shortage could mean a lasting shake-up in the rental market—and that means prices are likely to stay high. One reason: The car rental industry was previously able to keep prices down in part because automakers produced too many vehicles, says Toby Poston, director of corporate affairs at BVRLA. Rental companies would either buy excess vehicles in bulk at a discount, selling them off after their rental career ended, or set up buyback schemes with manufacturers, cutting a deal to use a car for a short time before returning it.Both setups favored car rental companies, but the recent shortages mean manufacturers now have the upper hand and no longer have to sell vehicles at a loss. Paired with fuel price inflation, that means car prices will stay high and renting will remain expensive.Whether that gives peer-to-peer car-sharing firms a chance to disrupt the market remains to be seen. But, if they do, they likely won’t just hit revenues at Avis-Budget and Hertz—they could change the whole business of owning a car. While there aren’t enough new cars being made, there isn’t actually a car shortage—we have more than we need parked, underused. In the UK, there are 40 million vehicles on the road; in the US there are 276 million. Rental company fleets are down by hundreds of thousands of vehicles—a difference that could be made up from cars sitting idle on roadsides and in driveways.
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Automotive and Transportation
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Ford on Tuesday issued a recall of 48,924 Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles due to a possible battery malfunction. The issue could render the crossover unable to start or lead to loss of power while in motion, according to CNBC, which earlier reported the recall. Affected vehicles include 2021 and 2022 models manufactured at Ford's Cuautitlan plant in Mexico between May 27, 2020 and May 24, 2022. A Ford spokesperson told CNET that a software update is expected to remedy the issue and is anticipated to be available over-the-air sometime next month. More to come.
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Automotive and Transportation
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Ford said it will address the issue with a software update.Ford displays the 2021 Mustang Mach-E GT during the Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place convention center on Feb. 10, 2022 in in Chicago.Scott Olson / Getty Images fileJune 14, 2022, 6:16 PM UTCFord Motor Co said Tuesday it is recalling about 49,000 Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles in the United States because a part could overheat and result in a loss of propulsion power.The No. 2 U.S. automaker said DC fast charging and repeated wide-open pedal events can cause the high-voltage battery main contactors to overheat. Ford said it will address the issue that covers Mach-E vehicles built from late May 2020 through late May 2022 with a software update it expects to begin next month.Dealers cannot deliver new vehicles to customers until the vehicles have the software update.Ford said “overheating may lead to arcing and deformation of the electrical contact surfaces, which can result in a contactor that remains open or a contactor that welds closed.” If an overheated contactor opens while driving, it could result in a loss of propulsion power, increasing the risk of a crash.Ford previously issued five recalls for various 2021 Mustang Mach-E vehicles, including calling back nearly 500 for a software issue that could cause unintended acceleration. Those recalls included loose bolts and inadequate windshield and panoramic roof glass bonding.
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Automotive and Transportation
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Tribeca: Director Nausheen Dadabhoy casts a wide net over several decades of Muslim American experience. Nausheen Dadabhoy’s documentary “An Act of Worship” has lofty ambitions, collapsing over 40 years of Muslim American history into 82 minutes. It is not, however, a linear informational relay, so it meets most of its goals through impressionistic portraits, archival footage, and images of modern activism, in an attempt to paint a multifaceted portrait of the pain caused by systems of bigotry and abuse. For the most part, it succeeds, even if its artistic highpoints — its transformative use of home videos — are rarely matched by its contemporary chronicles and re-enactments.
Framing its interviews as long-overdue confessionals (sometimes through one-on-one interviews, other times through therapeutic workshops), the film strings together a timeline of the pre-9/11 era, before the world’s biggest flashpoint for Islamophobia, but the image it paints is far from rosy; racist assumptions about American Muslims didn’t suddenly spring from the ground in 2001. Dadabhoy collects a handful personal family histories, contextualizing them along a timeline of several major landmarks — the Iran hostage crisis of 1979, the Oklahoma bombing of 1995, the election of Donald Trump, and so on — as she threads the needle between global events and American policies, from immigration crackdowns to the PATRIOT Act. As a broad collage of the “what,” “how,” and “why” of modern anti-Muslim sentiment, it’s an informative collection of stories. However, as a psychological exploration, it can’t help but feel scattered. The film offers hints (usually, through voiceover from various subjects) about the personal impact Islamophobia had on their lives, whether it made them suicidal or nudged them towards addiction, but these ideas are brushed aside quickly and often, as if the narrative’s purview has grown too wide and needs to find new focus.
For the most part, we follow a trio of young Muslim American women — a 16-year-old community organizer whose father was deported, an 18-year-old Sudanese immigrant and activist, and a civil rights lawyer — weaving in and out of their stories through candid moments that verge on vivid portraiture, but never quite get there. The footage shot specifically for the documentary never finds the right rhythm or visual approach, beyond its sense of removed observance. There’s a simplicity to it, but also a blandness. Capturing the three women’s daily challenges and conversations is a detailed act of witnessing and unburdening, but it pales in comparison to what the film does with its decades-old collection of home videos.
Aided by the eerie musical compositions of Mary Kouyoumdjian, subjects’ voiceovers are often matched (and mis-matched) with found and archival footage. Their personal recollections not only help frame widely-publicized events — from a much-needed perspective — but they also add emotional layers to each other’s stories, as if Dadabhoy and editor Ben Garchar were waving, in real time, a deeply meaningful tapestry of shared trauma and shared culture, shared joy, and shared resistance. These images, of children playing in lively drawing rooms, or families gathered in celebration, or unremarkable teenagers simply enjoying their downtime, soon begin to take on a more turbulent quality as the collective timeline approaches 2001. As a widely broadcast event, September 11th had an indelible impact on global societies; “An Act of Worship” wields its analog video clips with a similar immensity, through shudders and static that, in tandem with the subjects’ voiceovers, unearth the pain lurking beneath these unassuming pictures, and the horrifying burdens some of these subjects were forced to bear from a young age. While the film attempts to extrapolate their struggles — often intellectualizing them — it never does so as precisely as when its very fabric feels invaded by violence.
Placing conventional modern footage alongside video memories turned volatile, “An Act of Worship” casts a wide net across the lives of American Muslims, dividing its attention between the bureaucratic and the intimate. It never quite strikes a meaningful balance, but in the moments when it becomes an aesthetic encapsulation of social and psychological struggle, it is undoubtedly effective.
Grade: B
“An Act of Worship” premiered at 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
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Movies
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A Toyota Motor Corp. logo is seen on a car at the International Auto Show in Mexico City, Mexico November 23, 2017. REUTERS/Henry RomeroRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comTOYOTA, Japan, June 15 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), under scrutiny from investors over its commitment to embrace battery electric vehicles, said on Wednesday it needs to offer a variety of choices to suit different environments and customer needs.The world's largest automaker by sales kicked off its annual general meeting on Wednesday under fire from environmentally minded investors for not phasing out gasoline-powered cars and for its lobbying on climate policy. read more Once a favourite with environmentalists for the hybrid Prius model it popularised more than two decades ago, Toyota argues that hybrids still make sense in markets where infrastructure isn't ready to support a faster move to battery electric vehicles.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comThe company last year committed 8 trillion yen ($60 billion) to electrify its cars by 2030, half of which is slated to develop full EVs. Still, it expects annual sales of such cars to reach only 3.5 million vehicles by the end of the decade, or around a third of current sales.Like other car makers, Toyota has been plagued by a severe shortage of semiconductor chips that has forced it to repeatedly cut production.On Wednesday, head of Toyota's purchasing group, Kazunari Kumakura, said at the meeting that he expects the chip shortage to continue.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Richard PullinOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Automotive and Transportation
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A Toyota Motor Corp. logo is seen on a car at the International Auto Show in Mexico City, Mexico November 23, 2017. REUTERS/Henry RomeroRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comTOYOTA, Japan, June 15 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), under scrutiny from investors over a perceived sluggish embrace of battery electric vehicles, said on Wednesday it needs to offer a variety of choices to suit different environments and customers.At its annual general meeting, executives at the world's largest automaker by sales tackled questions ranging from concerns about its electrification strategy to CEO succession plans and the ongoing chip shortage.Once a favourite with environmentalists for the hybrid Prius model it popularised more than two decades ago, Toyota has come under fire from some investors for not phasing out gasoline-powered cars and its lobbying on climate policy. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"The goal is carbon neutrality," Toyota's Chief Technology Officer Masahiko Maeda told the meeting, responding to questions submitted by Danish pension fund AkademikerPension, which also asked Toyota to refrain from lobbying to undermine the transition to BEVs. read more However, "customers need to choose," Maeda said, in order to popularise electric cars that include hybrids. A variety of options should be available and the automaker should not narrow those down, he said.Toyota argues that hybrids still make sense in markets where infrastructure isn't ready to support a faster move to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and is exploring the viability of green fuels for internal combustion engine cars, including hydrogen.The company last year committed to spend 8 trillion yen ($60 billion) by 2030 to electrify its cars, half of which is slated to develop full EVs. Still, it expects annual sales of such cars to reach only 3.5 million vehicles by the end of the decade, or around a third of current sales.Just last month, Toyota rolled out its first mass-produced BEVs domestically, albeit for lease only, and gasoline-electric hybrid models remain far more popular in Japan than BEVs. read more NEXT CEOAsked about succession planning, Toyota chief executive Akio Toyoda, who has led the company for 13 years, said he was "thinking about timing and the selection of a successor."There has been no indication from the company that Toyoda plans to step down.Toyoda, 66, a grandson of company founder Kiichiro Toyoda, steered the company through a dark phase when Toyota sales slumped after millions of recalls and the company reported billions of dollars in losses."I'd pick someone who understands the company's philosophy as my successor," he added.Toyoda has sought to reform Toyota's corporate culture, spending more time with younger executives and cutting back some senior positions.In 2020, he appointed company veterans Maeda and Kenta Kon to top roles. Both were 51 at the time.Toyota - which sold 10.5 million vehicles in 2021, far outstripping closest rival Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) - has repeatedly cut production this year, plagued by a global chip crunch.It expects the chip shortage to continue, although there are signs of improvement, head of it purchasing group, Kazunari Kumakura, said on Wednesday.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Richard PullinOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Automotive and Transportation
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Oil and Energy Lamborghini Now playing Lamborghini reinvents an icon with it's all-new hybrid Countach KTVK/KPHO Now playing Hear why this gas station owner is selling gas at a loss Now playing This is what determines the price of gas CNN Now playing OECD secretary-general explains global cost of the Russian oil embargo Now playing How gas prices and inflation could impact midterm elections CNN Now playing 'Literally off the charts': Enten reacts to rising gas prices Now playing How to save money on gas by being more fuel efficient Now playing Oil industry consultant: 'Can't drill our way out of' Russian oil ban Reuters Now playing EU reaches deal on Russian oil ban. What will replace it? Now playing Workers consider cost of commute: 'It doesn't make sense for me' Now playing Energy secretary: Biden 'obsessed' with lowering 'outrageous' gas prices Oil Tank Media Boat Now playing How soaring diesel prices may impact consumers Now playing European Commission President: 'Putin must pay a high price' Now playing Energy company says this red state is No. 1 in wind turbine installations Now playing Inside the American struggle with rising energy prices Now playing Watch Congress members question oil executives about sky-high gas prices CNN Business — With gas prices passing $5 a gallon in many places, drivers may wish that they had a hybrid vehicle. In fact, many owners of newer vehicles could already be driving a hybrid and not even know it. Hybrid technology is finding its way into all sorts of vehicles that aren’t advertised as such. For automakers, that’s often part of the point. Electric vehicle sales continue to grow every year, and more companies announce plans to ditch gasoline engines altogether. But high fuel costs and the relatively high prices of fully electric cars have meant that hybrids can still help drivers save money. And customers are purchasing hybrids in high numbers, even if they don’t always recognize they’re buying one. The Toyota Prius sent car shoppers racing to dealerships in the early 2000s, as gasoline price spiked and a recession had them looking for fuel-efficient alternatives. But those Prius waitlists eased over the years as more hybrids entered the market. Toyota Prius sales peaked in the United States in 2012, with over 230,000 sold. In 2019, that number shrank to just over 69,000. But at the same time, hybrid technology has become more common. And, while fully electric vehicles carry a certain cultural cache, carmakers are often cautious about calling out their gasoline-electric hybrids. While many hybrids are proudly billed as such – the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and Ford Escape Hybrid, for instance – others, often vehicles with mild hybrid systems, include that information only in technical documents or the owner’s manual. Hybrid market share has more than doubled from 2017, going from 2.0% of the market to 5.1% of the market, according to data from the automotive web site Edmunds.com. But that doesn’t capture all hybrid vehicles, Edmunds.com analyst Ivan Drury said. It’s impossible to know exactly how many hybrid trucks, cars and SUVs are being sold because they’re only counted as hybrids in industry statistics when the manufacturer, itself, calls it a hybrid, or gives it a separate model name, said Drury. Often, carmakers don’t specifically call out hybrid systems any more than they would another engine or transmission feature. That means that a Toyota Rav4 Hybrid might be counted while a Toyota Tundra i-Force Max pick-up, which is also a hybrid, might not. The differences in how hybrid vehicles are marketed – sometimes with a chrome “Hybrid” badge on the back and sometimes with barely any mention – can come down to how the technology is perceived by different types customers. “There might be a little bit of a stigma with the word ‘hybrid,’” said Bill Visnic, editorial director at the Society of Automotive Engineers. Some car shoppers fear hybrid could mean “weeny” performance, he said. When people think of hybrids, they tend to think of the icon of the type, the Toyota Prius. The Prius, and other hybrids like it, have batteries that store up energy as the car drives. That electricity is then used to to power an electric motor that can drive the wheels at low speeds – or even at high speeds if the gas pedal isn’t pressed hard – and provide an extra push during acceleration. But modern hybrids have moved beyond the Prius’ technology. Many modern cars have what are called “mild hybrid” systems. These vehicles have smaller, lighter batteries and a less powerful electric motor than so-called full hybrids. The electric motor generally can’t drive the car on its own, but it can provide assistance whenever the vehicle is starting off from a stop. The gas engine still does most of the work, but the electric motor provides an extra push that eases the gas engine’s work. Because of their smaller batteries, mild-hybrid technology is easier to put into a vehicle without taking up cargo or passenger space for battery packs. They also don’t add as much cost to the vehicle, making them easier to sell to buyers not entirely focused on fuel economy. Mild hybrid systems can be found in surprising places, like some Jeep Wrangler and Ram 1500 full-size pickup models. The optional mild hybrid eTorque system in the Ram 1500 allows the truck’s gas engine to turn off when the truck comes to a stop, allowing the truck to run off of its battery as it sits still for up to about 10 minutes. (Not every vehicle that turns its engine off at a stop is necessarily a mild hybrid, though.) When the driver releases the brake pedal, an electric motor can start moving the truck forward for less than half a second while the gas engine starts up again. The mild hybrid system adds up to two extra miles per gallon, mostly in city driving, according to the manufacturer. Other cars have Prius-style full hybrid systems but just don’t market them that way. The Toyota Tundra i-Force Max, for instance, is a full hybrid pickup truck, but you’d never know from looking at it. It can shut off its engine and drive sometimes using just its electric motor. But even on the gauge cluster, there’s no indication that truck has a hybrid system. There’s a gauge showing the amount of power coming from the electric motor, but it’s labeled simply “Max.” The Tundra i-Force Max doesn’t make a big deal out of its hybrid nature, said Craig Herring, a Toyota engineer, because, during market research, potential customers showed no interest in buying a hybrid. But they were interested in more towing and hauling power without an impact on fuel economy. The Tundra’s hybrid system is tuned for maximum power rather than primarily fuel economy. In the Tundra line-up, the i-Force Max takes the place of what might have been a thirstier V8 engine option for customers who want maximum towing and hauling capability. With its emphasis on power, though, the hybrid Tundra is less fuel efficient than Ford’s hybrid F-150, but it provides slightly more horsepower and torque. Some vehicles, like the new Audi A3 compact sedan, are somewhere in between mild and full hybrids. It’s technically a mild hybrid, but it’s not all that mild. As in a full hybrid, an electric motor can move the relatively small and light A3, Audi’s entry level model, at low speeds or when coasting on flat roads or downhill. Similar technology has been available on larger Audi models in Europe, said Anthony Garbis, head of product planning for Audi of America, but it was felt US customers might not appreciate it on those larger, more luxurious cars. “We always thought it was a bit odd to have your A8 [full-size luxury sedan] coast down the highway,” he said. “So with the A3, it seemed like the right audience, the right price and the right technology to introduce the coasting function.” And with Audi moving towards a fully electric line-up in just over a decade, there’s less focus now on this sort of technology, he said. Now, Audi is looking ahead to when its cars will have no gas engine at all. If you’re curious if a car you are considering purchasing has mild hybrid technology, a visit to the automaker’s website will usually tell you. Or you can just Google or go straight to online resources like Consumer Reports (subscription required), KBB.com, Edmunds.com, or, if you really want to dig into the details, CarandDriver.com. If you’re just looking for the best fuel economy, regardless of what technology is involved, the Environmental Protection Agency’s fueleconomy.gov is always the best place to start.
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Automotive and Transportation
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A Toyota Motor Corp. logo is seen on a car at the International Auto Show in Mexico City, Mexico November 23, 2017. REUTERS/Henry RomeroRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comTOYOTA, Japan, June 15 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) pushed back against critics who say it has been slow to embrace battery electric vehicles, arguing it needed to offer a variety of car choices to suit different markets and customers.At its annual general meeting on Wednesday, the world's largest automaker by sales doubled down on its position that it would stick with technologies including fuel cell vehicles and hybrids that have for the past two decades made it a leader in cleaner cars.Apart from concerns about its electrification strategy, Toyota executives tackled a range of questions on CEO succession plans to the ongoing chip shortage.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comOnce a favourite with environmentalists for the hybrid Prius model it popularised more than two decades ago, Toyota has come under fire from some investors for not phasing out gasoline-powered cars and its lobbying on climate policy. read more "The goal is carbon neutrality," Toyota's Chief Technology Officer Masahiko Maeda told the meeting, responding to questions submitted by Danish pension fund AkademikerPension, which also asked Toyota to refrain from lobbying to undermine the transition to battery electric vehicles. read more However, "customers need to choose," Maeda said, in order to popularise electric cars that include plug-in hybrids. A variety of options should be available and the automaker should not narrow those down, he said.Toyota argues that hybrids still make sense in markets where infrastructure is not ready to support a faster move to battery electric vehicles, and is exploring the viability of green fuels for internal combustion engine cars, including hydrogen.There is a gap between Toyota, which approaches decarbonisation in a "pragmatic" way, and environmental groups that call for immediate action, said Seiji Sugiura, a senior analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute.The positions are not polar opposite, he said, adding Toyota has been working to slash greenhouse gas emissions from the vehicle production stage.The company last year committed to spend 8 trillion yen ($60 billion) by 2030 to electrify its cars, half of which is for the development of fully electric vehicles. Still, it expects annual sales of such cars to reach only 3.5 million vehicles by the end of the decade, or around a third of current sales.Just last month, Toyota rolled out its first mass-produced all-electric vehicle domestically, albeit for lease only, and gasoline-electric hybrid models remain far more popular in Japan. read more NEXT CEOAsked about succession planning, Chief Executive Akio Toyoda, who has led the company for 13 years, said he was "thinking about timing and the selection of a successor."There has been no indication from the company that Toyoda plans to step down.Toyoda, 66, a grandson of company founder Kiichiro Toyoda, steered the company through a dark phase when Toyota sales slumped after the recall of millions of vehicles and the company reported billions of dollars in losses."I'd pick someone who understands the company's philosophy as my successor," he added.Toyoda has sought to reform Toyota's corporate culture, spending more time with younger executives and cutting back some senior positions.In 2020, he appointed company veterans Maeda and Kenta Kon to top roles. Both were 51 at the time - a relatively young age for top Toyota executives.Toyota - which sold 10.5 million vehicles in 2021, far outstripping closest rival Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) - has repeatedly cut production this year, plagued by a global chip crunch.It expects the chip shortage to continue, although there are signs of improvement, head of its purchasing group, Kazunari Kumakura, said on Wednesday.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Richard PullinOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Automotive and Transportation
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By Russell HottenBusiness reporter, BBC NewsPublished1 day agocommentsCommentsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Most drivers have been hereThe sight of a car limping along on a near-flat tyre, or a roadside wheel change are still common.So is the expense of replacing tyres that have worn out prematurely, perhaps because the driver may not have been checking the pressure as regularly as they should.Sometimes it's difficult not to feel tyres are a car's weak link. But is this about to change?Is it the end of the black rubber air-filled doughnut first used on vehicles in the 1890s - a product designed to be indestructible, and therefore not easy to recycle?On a test track in Luxembourg, a Tesla Model 3 is twisting through tight corners, accelerating rapidly, and doing emergency stops. Standard stuff. What's remarkable, though, is the car is sitting on four airless tyres - made by Goodyear, the US manufacturer.Special plastic spokes, support a thin, reinforced rubber tread. The spokes flex and contort as the car goes through its paces. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Plastic spokes support a thin tread on the Goodyear airless tyresMichael Rachita, Goodyear's senior program manager for non-pneumatic tyres (NPTs), is upfront about the limitations: "There will be noise, and some vibration. We're still learning how to soften the ride. But we think you'll be surprised at the performance." He wasn't wrong. Electric cars and autonomous mobility are changing tyre needs. Delivery firms and shuttle services want products that are low-maintenance, puncture-proof, recyclable, and have sensors that map road conditions.Car sharing and ride hailing, rather than ownership, are rising in cities. A car with a flat tyre, is a car not making money.Mr Rachita says: "While air-filled tyres will always have their place, a mixture of solutions is needed. As we move into a world where autonomous vehicles are becoming more common and many cities are offering transport-as-a-service strategies, having a maintenance-free tyre is hugely important." At Goodyear's labs, the tyres are tested for 24 hours at a time, under different loads and speeds. That's thousands of miles non-stop. Some spokes deform, some break, but the structures continue to perform safely, Mr Rachita says. "It's test-learn, test-learn," he says. "But we're at a stage that's given us a huge amount of confidence. This is the real deal."Image source, MichelinImage caption, Reports suggest Michelin's airless tyres are close to launchGoodyear rival, Michelin, has been working with General Motors (GM) on airless tyres since 2019. In February there were media reports that Michelin's Unique Puncture-proof Tire System (Uptis) could debut on a new Chevrolet Bolt electric car being planned by GM, possibly as early as 2024. Uptis tyres are made of high-strength resin embedded with fiberglass and composite rubber (for which Michelin has filed 50 patents) to create a mesh structure that surrounds an aluminium wheel. Cyrille Roget, a scientific and innovation expert at the French tyre maker, won't confirm the Bolt reports, but tells the BBC Michelin will have more to say later this year. Michelin has been a market leader in airless wheels. Its Tweel (tyre-wheel) has been around since 2005 and is used on slow-moving vehicles, such as farm equipment. Optimising the technology for road vehicles is, however, a totally different challenge, Mr Roget says: "We have 130 years of experience and knowledge in perfecting inflatable structures like pneumatic tyres. Airless technology is very recent." Uptis, though, is just a step to something bigger. The company that gave us the pumped-up Michelin Man logo, has a multi-year plan, to create a tyre that is airless, connected, 3D-printed and made entirely of materials that can be melted down and re-used.Apart from occasional re-treads, it would be zero-maintenance, according to Michelin.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Michelin's Tweel was launched in 2005 but is mainly used on slower-moving vehiclesHeavy battery weight means airless structures are particularly suited to electric vehicles. "You can carry more load with a more compliant feel than in an air tyre," Mr Rachita says.On the other hand, airless tyres have a greater contact patch with the road, increasing the drag. This rolling resistance uses more energy to drive the tyres forward - with implications for battery life and range. And then there's noise - the hum of rubber-on-road. "With engine sound removed on an electric car, tyres become the dominant source of noise," says Matt Ross, editor-in-chief of Tire Technology International. In addition, the rigidity of plastic spokes transmits more vibration through the suspension. Drivers long used to the response and performance of air tyres could take some convincing, he feels. Image source, HankookImage caption, South Korea's Hankook unveiled its airless tyres this yearMore important than consumer perception, however, is what regulators decide. Governments will demand rigorous safety tests and a standardisation of rules. And tyre makers will need to invest heavily in new manufacturing facilities and develop supply chains. It will take years.Tyre makers hope early adopters in niche areas will help drive the technology forward. "Non-pneumatic tyres (NPTs) are of particular interest to sectors like the military, disaster response, security vehicles, and specialist machinery," Klaus Kraus, head of European research and development at Hankook, tells BBC News.The South Korean company unveiled the latest version of its i-Flex NPT in January. Smaller than a conventional tyre, a honeycomb of interlocking polyurethane spokes is a breakthrough in coping with lateral and horizontal stresses, the company says.Bridgestone, the world's largest tyre maker, is interested in industrial applications in farming, mining and construction, where demand could be high from customers that see a costly loss of productivity when tyres fail. Airless tyres will, initially at least, carry a premium price. But the ability for regular re-treading and 3D printing could be a game changer. Maybe, some experts speculate, consumers won't even need to buy tyres outright. Instead, they'll get them free and pay-per-mile, with sensors monitoring usage. Image source, GoodyearImage caption, Airless tyres have huge potential says Sosia Causeret JostenIt's an illustration of where the technology is taking the tyre of the future, says Sosia Causeret Josten, an analyst at Goodyear's Sightline Tyre Intelligence division. As the only contact between the road and the vehicle, tyres offer huge potential. Perhaps, thanks to cloud computing and algorithms, connected vehicles could deliver information about where government authorities need to make road repairs or lay grit during freezing weather. Take another example, automatic braking systems. "If the anti-lock braking system (ABS) can tell that the vehicle is driving on half-worn summer tyres, it can react quicker. This advantage can play an important role in an autonomous future, where the vehicle has to react itself," she says.Not all this tech need be exclusive to airless tyres, or course. And not all manufacturers are convinced NPTs are the future. "To this day, we believe that pneumatic tyres are the best choice for most vehicles," says Denise Sperl, a director of car tyre research and development at Germany's Continental.Tyres will always need "to simultaneously meet multiple requirements for safety, comfort, performance and sustainability" and air-filled rubber remains the best compromise, she says. Continental is developing a self-inflating system where pumps and sensors in the wheel keep the pressure at optimum levels. Like all manufactures, the company is looking into "greener" products. Polyester from recycled plastic bottles will soon be used in its premium tyres, and both Continental and Goodyear are researching a dandelion flower that produces latex similar to rubber trees. But sustainable alternatives to conventional materials are available only "to a limited extent," Ms Sperl adds. Air tyres have been around so long for a reason - they do the best job. "We remain convinced of this," she says.
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Non runnersDon’t put these on your betting slips. They aren’t turning up! I do like the idea of these horses self-certificating ...6.10pm Kensington Palace Handicap1 Technique (Self Certificate – In Season)12 Mobadra (Self Certificate – Infection)Sorting the finishing touches ... Photograph: Aaron Chown/PAGoing newsThe Ascot clerk of the course Chris Stickels has just been on Sky Sports Racing and said: “We’ve put 4mm of watering on the track to maintain the moisture. It will be fast ground but it’s a fantastic racing surface. We still have a dry forecast for the next couple of days and then we’re not sure what is going to happen on Saturday. There are one or two forecasts of thunderstorms.”The going for day two of Royal Ascot is officially Good to Firm, with the GoingStick readings at 8am: Stands side: 8.4Centre: 8.4 Farside: 8.5 Round: 7.4The farside is just a bit quicker on the straight but not much in it. Perhaps those in the low numbered stalls may be at advantage in the opener according to some pundits ...Worth noting that on good or faster since 2000, three Queen Mary winners (Romantic Myth, Maqaasid and Campanelle) have come from the stall nearest the far rail (1). @TheTote1000 @WorldPool— Rory Delargy (@helynsar) June 15, 2022
PreambleGreg WoodGood morning from Royal Ascot, where temperatures are forecast to reach 25C this afternoon, the good-to-firm ground will be getting quicker by the minute and several thousand gentlemen (and rogues) who are really not dressed for the weather will already be perspiring freely as the Royal Procession makes its way down the track at 2pm.But it should be worth the discomfort, because Wednesday’s card has something for everyone: a couple of juvenile sprints, a field full of St Leger types in the Queen’s Vase, one of the year’s most competitive handicaps and the Royal meeting’s first ever £1m race at 3.40. That works out as £200,000 per runner in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, but what the feature event lacks in numbers, it makes up for in quality and variety. Bay Bridge, the favourite, is stepping up to Group One company for the first time, whereas his four rivals all have at least one victory at the highest level to their name. Sir Michael Stoute’s colt was odds-against at 5-4 on Tuesday afternoon but there has been plenty of cash for him this morning and you will now struggle to beat 10-11. There were echoes of the great Mtoto about his win in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown last time – which to my mind is pretty much the highest praise you could ever attach to a racehorse – and Bay Bridge will send his Derby-winning trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, past £2m in prize money in 2022 if he picks up the £600,000 first prize. His biggest rival according to the betting is Japanese-trained Shahryar, who took the immensely valuable Sheema Classic on World Cup night in Dubai back in March and is looking to be the first runner from Japan to win a race at the Royal meeting. All five runners, though, will go to post with a realistic chance, and it promises to be a fine highlight despite the lack of numbers. The action is underway at 2.30pm as a big field of juvenile fillies flies down the five-furlong course in the Group Two Queen Mary Stakes. News, results, race-by-race previews and even in-running commentaries will be here on the blog as the action unfolds, so let’s saddle up for the second afternoon at the Royal meeting.
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Network Rail said there was “no real hope” of avoiding the biggest railway strike in 30 years next week, as it told passengers to plan ahead and only travel if necessary.The full timetable will be published on Friday but operators including Southern, Northern, TransPennine and Transport for Wales have already told passengers not to attempt to travel on strike days.Network Rail confirmed that large parts of the country will have no passenger services on the strike days, including locations such as Penzance in Cornwall, Bournemouth in Dorset, all of Wales west or north Cardiff, and no passenger trains running north from Glasgow or Edinburgh.With back-up staff for signalling, around 20% of trains will run on mainlines and urban areas on strike days, next Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, while services will start later in the morning with around 60% of the schedule on the subsequent days.Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines described the strike by 40,000 RMT workers as a “high-stakes gamble” by unions, and said it would cost the industry £150m and make a pay increase harder.Haines said proposals to modernise to increase safety and productivity were meeting “intransigence … even when terms and conditions are patently anachronistic”.He said talks would continue but added: “We haven’t yet seen movement that gives us real hope.”The RMT called for direct talks with the government, saying it was “clear that the Treasury is calling the shots”.General secretary Mick Lynch wrote to transport secretary Grant Shapps to seek an urgent meeting, saying: “In effect in recent weeks the union has been negotiating with the government, but the government have not been in the room.’’The last meeting between unions and government was with rail minister Wendy Morton in March.Labour accused the government of a “dereliction of duty” for failing to hold talks to resolve the strike. Shadow transport secretary, Louise Haigh said it was “frankly extraordinary” and wrote to Shapps calling on him to convene urgent talks.The number of passenger services on the strike days is expected to be limited to around 4,500 compared with 20,000 normallyLast services between London and Scotland will leave by 2pm, while most intercity trains in England will have their final departure mid-afternoon.Steve Montgomery, who chairs industry body the Rail Delivery Group, said: “These strikes will affect the millions of people who use the train each day, including key workers, students with exams, those who cannot work from home, holidaymakers and those attending important business and leisure events.“Working with Network Rail, our plan is to keep as many services running as possible, but significant disruption will be inevitable and some parts of the network will not have a service, so passengers should plan their journeys carefully and check their train times.”
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The long-running impasse over the financing of London’s public transport system has deepened just days before its latest deal with the government is due to expire.Sky News has learnt that Bernadette Kelly, the Department for Transport's (DfT) most senior civil servant, wrote to Andy Byford, Transport for London's (TfL) commissioner last week, to notify him that a formal dispute period under the terms of its funding settlement had been triggered.
In her letter, which has been obtained by Sky News from a Whitehall insider, Ms Kelly complained that TfL had failed to produce a recommended approach to reforming the organisation's pension scheme in order to put it in "a financially sustainable position"."We also do not consider the subsequent responses, indicating that a recommended approach will be delivered in approximately 18 months, to be in line with our previous agreement, nor do they represent an ambitious timeline to resolve this issue".Overhauling TfL's retirement scheme has been a long-standing point of dispute with the government, and has been among the factors in a string of strikes affecting London transport services in recent months. The emergence of Ms Kelly's letter comes just over a week before a four-month funding deal agreed in February is due to expire, with little sign that ministers are preparing to offer a more comprehensive long-term solution.
TfL has been mired in uncertainty over its future since the onset of the pandemic, with a slump in commuter traffic having a devastating impact on its revenues. More from Business Royal Mail boss issues union plea as costs crisis keeps prices 'under review' Three-day rail strike to cause six days of disruption, Network Rail warns Cost of living: Eight million households to start receiving support payments in July Image: (Right to left) Boris Johnson with transport secretary Grant Shapps and London's mayor Sadiq Khan on a Elizabeth Line train A series of short-term deals have triggered trenchant criticism of the government from business groups amid accusations that the delays have been politically motivated, and despite TfL meeting dozens of conditions imposed by Whitehall.Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, warned last week that cuts to bus and Tube services under its "managed decline scenario" would need to begin imminently without a long-term financing plan in place.Last month, TfL opened the long-awaited Elizabeth Line, or Crossrail, service, which Mr Byford hailed as "a truly historic day for the capital".Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, had previously criticised the timing of the announcement of the opening, which came shortly before the local elections.Mr Khan has since written to the transport secretary and to Conservative MPs who opposed Boris Johnson in this month's confidence vote on his leadership to urge them to seek an improved funding settlement for TfL.A TfL spokesperson said: "The only reason we need support is because fares revenue collapsed during the pandemic."We are on track to achieve financially sustainable operations by April 2023."At that stage we will no longer need operational funding support from the government, but will need continued support for vital capital investment if we are to avoid disastrous consequences for London's transport network, including the risk of managed decline."Without sufficient funding we will be forced to decrease service levels and reliability will fall."They added that talks with the government were ongoing "about the support we still require this financial year but it remains essential that agreement is also reached on longer term capital support".The DfT did not respond to a request for comment.
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Network Rail said there was “no real hope” of avoiding the biggest railway strike in 30 years next week, as it told passengers to plan ahead and only travel if necessary.The full timetable will be published on Friday but operators including Southern, Northern, TransPennine and Transport for Wales have already told passengers not to attempt to travel on strike days.Network Rail confirmed that large parts of Great Britain will have no passenger services on the strike days, including locations such as Penzance in Cornwall, Bournemouth in Dorset, all of Wales west or north of Cardiff, and no passenger trains running north from Glasgow or Edinburgh.With backup staff for signalling, about 20% of trains will run on mainlines and urban areas on the strike days – 21, 23 and 25 June – while services will start later in the morning, with about 60% of the schedule on the subsequent days.Network Rail’s chief executive, Andrew Haines, described the strike by 40,000 RMT workers as a “high-stakes gamble” by unions, and said it would cost the industry £150m and make a pay increase harder.Haines said proposals to modernise to increase safety and productivity were meeting “intransigence … even when terms and conditions are patently anachronistic”.He said talks would continue but added: “We haven’t yet seen movement that gives us real hope.”The RMT called for direct talks with the government, saying it was “clear that the Treasury is calling the shots”.Mick Lynch, the RMT’s general secretary, wrote to the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, to seek an urgent meeting, saying: “In effect, in recent weeks the union has been negotiating with the government but the government have not been in the room.’’The last meeting between unions and the government was with the rail minister Wendy Morton in March.Labour accused the government of a “dereliction of duty” for failing to hold talks to resolve the strike. The shadow transport secretary, Louise Haigh, said it was “frankly extraordinary” and wrote to Shapps calling on him to convene urgent talks.Sign up to the daily Business Today email or follow Guardian Business on Twitter at @BusinessDeskThe number of passenger services on the strike days is expected to be limited to about 4,500 compared with 20,000 normallyThe last services between London and Scotland will leave by 2pm, while most intercity trains in England will have their final departure mid-afternoon.Steve Montgomery, who chairs the industry body the Rail Delivery Group, said: “These strikes will affect the millions of people who use the train each day, including key workers, students with exams, those who cannot work from home, holidaymakers and those attending important business and leisure events.“Working with Network Rail, our plan is to keep as many services running as possible but significant disruption will be inevitable and some parts of the network will not have a service, so passengers should plan their journeys carefully and check their train times.”
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Cars share a variety of components that you may not necessarily expect, which is why a single part failure can end up creating a recall that spans a wide swath of models, as is the case with Ford's latest recall.Ford this week issued a recall for approximately 3 million vehicles. The vehicles do not have a specific set of build dates, and they include sedans, SUVs and vans. Here's the rundown of all five affected models:2013-2018 Ford C-Max2015-2018 Ford Edge2013-2019 Ford Escape2013-2016 Ford Fusion2013-2021 Ford Transit ConnectAccording to the recall documents filed with NHTSA, the issue stems from a shift bushing, which is a vehicle component that connects the shift lever's cable to the transmission, allowing the lever to change gears. Heat and humidity may cause the bushing material to deteriorate, at which point the transmission may not be in the gear the driver desires. In the event the vehicle is shifted to Park, it may not actually be in Park, which could lead to a rollaway if the driver then leaves the vehicle. Furthermore, if the vehicle is turned off when it's not actually in Park, it may not be able to restart.In the NHTSA documents, Ford says that it is aware of six reports of property damage potentially related to this shift bushing issue, in addition to four reports alleging injury. Furthermore, the automaker has found 1,630 warranty claims that it attributes to this issue.Fixing the problem is relatively straightforward. Owners will take their vehicles to their local dealership, and technicians will replace the affected bushing with an improved version that is better engineered to withstand heat. The techs will also add a cap over the bushing to prevent contaminants from possibly causing the issue again. Owners will be notified via first-class mail starting in late June.
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The Ford logo is pictured at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, Germany. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) is recalling more than 2.9 million vehicles that could roll away because a damaged or missing part may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear.In a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford said the recall covers various 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles, the agency said in a notice on Wednesday.A damaged or missing shift cable bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear or the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comFord said it is aware of six reports alleging property damage and four reports of injuries potentially related to the recall population.This is Ford's fifth recall over the issue since 2018, it told the agency.Ford did not immediately respond to a request for comment.After an April recall for the same issue, Ford continued to hold talks with NHTSA over field reports related to vehicles equipped that were not included in previous recalls."Although claim rates and projected failures remained low, Ford recommended a safety recall for the remaining vehicles in North America" with the specific shift cable bushing.Ford said from April 2015 through March 2022, it has identified 1,630 warranty reports and 233 other reports attributed to this concern.Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap.On Tuesday, the No. 2 U.S. automaker said it was recalling about 49,000 Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles because a part could overheat and result in a loss of propulsion power. read more On Wednesday, Ford also recalled 53,103 four-door 2021-2022 Bronco vehicles because the passenger-side rear door may be opened from inside of the vehicle when the child safety lock is in the "ON" position.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Aishwarya Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni and Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Rail strikes are 'entirely pointless and counterproductive' says transport secretary Upcoming rail strikes are "entirely pointless, counterproductive... and should never have been called", the transport secretary has told the House of Commons. He said rail industry "needs to help" transform itself to make it suitable for modern times."The railway is one of the nation's greatest legacies. The Industrial Revolution was forged upon it," Grant Shapps said.But, he says the railways have "fallen behind the times" and are in "desperate need of modernising and reform" with "some working practices that haven't changed for decades". "We put our money where our mouth is and committed £16 billion to support the railways through COVID," which he says is equivalent to "£160,000 per railways worker".However, responding former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the minister of "punishing those people that kept the railway system working" during the pandemic. Mr Shapps replied by comparing the median salary of a train driver (£59,000) to that of a care worker (£21,000) and nurse (£31,000). He says the medium salary within the rail sector is £44,000 - "significant above the sums of money which are paid on medium average in this country".When asked about negotiating with the unions, Mr Shapps said: "Only last month the leader of the RMT Mick Lynch says, and I quote, I do not negotiate with a Tory government." McDonnell says Starmer should apologise for 'Conservative Corbyn' comment at PMQs Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell has accused Sir Keir Starmer of "insulting" Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs and suggested the Labour leader make an apology to his predecessor.As reported in our post at 12.18pm, Sir Keir referenced a critical briefing document compiled by Tory backbenchers which referred to Boris Johnson as "the Conservative Corbyn.""I don't think that was intended as a compliment," Sir Keir added. UK 'disappointed' EU has launched legal action over NI Protocol Away from the Commons, the prime minister's spokesman has been reacting to the EU launching legal action against the UK. Brussels has taken the move due to the UK publishing legislation to override parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol.Boris Johnson's spokesman has said the UK is "disappointed" with the EU's decision.He said the latest proposals from Brussels would lead to more checks and controls and make the situation in Northern Ireland worse."We will consider these documents carefully and respond formally in due course, however we are disappointed the EU has taken this legal action today," the PM's spokesman said."The EU's proposed approach, which doesn't differ from what they have said previously, would increase burdens on business and citizens and take us backwards from where we are currently."The infractions are related to the implementation of the protocol in our recently published Bill. "It is difficult to see how scrapping grace periods and adding additional controls and checks would be the situation better." People smugglers 'abusing legal protections meant for those trafficked for modern slavery' People being smuggled across the English Channel are abusing legal protections meant for those trafficked for modern slavery, one Tory MP has said. Conservative MP Peter Bone told the Commons earlier: "People who are trafficked into this country are duped or coerced, they are exploited for sexual or labour purposes, people who are smuggled into this country willingly pay to do so and come for economic purposes."The first are victims and deserve the protection of the Modern Slavery Act, the second are not and deserve no protection from the Modern Slavery Act."That is being abused by people who are coming across in small boats. I hope the home secretary can sort this out."Priti Patel replied that it was in the "national interest" to ensure there are safeguards to protect people, but "we cannot allow people to exploit [these protections] for the wrong reasons." PMQs word cloud analysis - 'Investment' and 'economy' dominate By Daniel Dunford, senior data journalistLabour’s Keir Starmer tried to press the prime minister on issues concerning the economy – poor growth, tax hikes and the rising cost of living. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson tried to steer the discussion to rail strikes and Britain’s low level of unemployment, as well as investment – both in the UK from abroad and in the NHS from the government.Word cloud analysis of today's session shows"investment" as the main focus of the prime minister's contributions and "economy" the most prominent term used by Sir Keir Starmer.Yesterday’s failed Home Office flight taking UK migrants to Rwanda was only mentioned obliquely at the close of Boris Johnson’s final answer to Mr Starmer, and not at all by the Labour leader himself, suggesting that the Conservatives still believe the policy is a vote-winner among the public.There was one mention of Jabba the Hutt, and one of Obi-Wan Kenobi, as Mr Starmer accused Mr Johnson of attempting to perform "Jedi mind tricks" on the country.And mercifully the phrase "the ick" was also only mentioned once, a reference to Love Island where contestants are booted out if the public stop liking them. What is the government position on the European Convention on Human Rights? Earlier this morning cabinet minister Therese Coffey and junior minister Guy Opperman both gave interviews that seemed to play down the idea that the government would now move to pull out of the European Convention on Human Rights following the failed Rwanda deportation flight.The Convention, to which the UK is a signatory, is the basis on which the European Court of Human Rights judges cases brought before it.But as our deputy political editor Sam Coates points out in his latest update, the prime minister's spokesman has now insisted "all options are on the table" when it comes to the Convention.Sam says this suggests that contrary to the comments of ministers earlier, Number 10 is preparing to "lean in into the idea of yet another very big fight."Watch his analysis here: Government will do 'whatever it takes' to ensure Rwanda flights take off As well as hearing from Priti Patel in the Commons, the prime minister's official spokesman has been fielding questions from journalists at a regular Westminster briefing.He has said the government will do "whatever it takes" to make sure that deportation flights to Rwanda go ahead.The spokesman said ministers would be considering the ruling from the European Court of Human Rights but stressed that "all options are on the table".Asked if the government could withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights, the spokesman responded: "We are keeping all options on the table including any further legal reforms that may be necessary."We will look at all of the legislation and processes in this round."Asked if a flight could take off before legal proceedings in the UK are finished, he said: "That is my understanding." 'The home secretary has no one to blame but herself' Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper calls the immigration policy a "shambles and shameful, and the home secretary has no one but herself to blame". She says Priti Patel knew she was planning to send torture victims to Rwanda and did not have the proper screening processes in place.Ms Cooper asks: "Can she confirm that it was the Home Office itself that withdrew a whole series of these cases on Friday and yesterday because they knew there was a problem with these cases that even without the ECHR judgment, she was planning to send a plane with just seven people on board because she'd had to withdraw most of the cases at the last minute."She also asks the home secretary how much "she promised Rwanda for each of the people she was planning to end yesterday, and how many Rwandan refugees she promised to take in return.""If she was serious about tackling illegal migration she would be working night and day to get a better joint plan with France to crack down on the gangs going into the water in the first place," she continues. "But she isn't because her relationship with French ministers has totally broken down."Ms Cooper says Ms Patel spent half a million pounds chartering a plane "she never expected to fly", calling it "government by gimmick".SNP MP Stuart McDonald calls it an "unworkable, immoral and illegal policy that "does nothing to stop illegal people smugglers". He says "it's not the lawyers who caused this flight to be cancelled, or any courts" but "government illegality". Priti Patel says preparations for next Rwanda flights 'have begun' She says the flight was paused "following a decision by an out-of-hours judge" at the European Court of Human Rights.She says the European Court did not rule that the removal policy was unlawful.She tells the House of Commons: "These repeated legal barriers are very similar to those that we experience with all other removal flights."And we believe we are fully compliant with our domestic and international obligations and preparations for our future flights and next flights have already begun.""We are a generous and welcoming country, as has been shown time and time again. Over 20,000 people have used safe and legal routes to come to the UK since 2015," she says."Our capacity to help those in need is severely compromised by those who come here illegally."She says illegal immigration is "not fair on those who play by the rules", especially at the cost of £5m per day. Rwanda, she says, has "been vilified" and is "a safe and secure country with an outstanding track record of supporting refugees and asylum and seekers and we are proud that we are working together".She says she will not let the "usual suspects" or "mobs" prevent asylum seekers from being sent to the African country. Theresa May says case of missing journalist in Brazil must be be made a 'diplomatic priority' Former prime minister Theresa May used her question to ask Boris Johnson to make the case of missing British journalist Dom Phillips a "diplomatic priority." Mrs May said: "My constituent Dominique Davis is the niece of Dom Philips, the British journalist missing in Brazil, alongside the indigenous expert Bruno Pereira. "Will my Right Honourable friend ensure that the government makes his case a diplomatic priority and that it works to do everything it can to ensure that the Brazilian authorities put the resources necessary to uncover the truth, and find out what has happened to Dom and Bruno?" Mr Johnson responded: "Like everybody in this House we are deeply concerned about what may have happened to him. FCDO officials are working closely with the Brazilian authorities. The minister responsible has raised the issue repeatedly," he added. Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this. Open Privacy Options
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FILE - This Oct. 24, 2021 file photo shows a Ford company logo on a sign at a Ford dealership in southeast Denver. Ford is recalling over 2.9 million vehicles in the U.S., Wednesday, June 15, 2022, to fix a transmission problem that can increase the risk of inadvertent rollaway crashes. The recall covers certain 2013 to 2019 Escape, 2013 to 2018 C-Max, 2013 to 2016 Fusion, 2013 to 2021 Transit Connect, and 2015 to 2018 Edge vehicles. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
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The Ford logo is pictured at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, Germany. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) is recalling more than 3.3 million vehicles in North America that could roll away because a damaged or missing part may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear.In a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ford said Wednesday the recall covers various 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles, the agency said in a notice on Wednesday.The recall includes just over 2.9 million U.S. vehicles and 394,000 in Canada.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comA damaged or missing shift cable bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, or the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position.Ford said it was aware of six reports alleging property damage and four reports of injuries potentially related to the recalled vehicles.This is Ford's fifth recall over the issue since 2018, it told the agency. Ford previously recalled about 1.4 million vehicles worldwide in an earlier shift cable part recalls.Ford declined to say how many vehicles worldwide were part of the latest recall.After an April recall linked to the same issue, Ford continued to hold talks with NHTSA over field reports related to vehicles that were not included in previous recalls."Although claim rates and projected failures remained low, Ford recommended a safety recall for the remaining vehicles in North America" with the specific shift cable bushing.Ford said from April 2015 through March 2022, it had identified 1,630 warranty reports and 233 other reports attributed to this concern.To address the issue, dealers will replace the under-hood shift bushing and add a protective cap. The new parts will be manufactured from a different grade material.On Tuesday, the No. 2 U.S. automaker said it was recalling about 49,000 Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles because a part could overheat and result in a loss of propulsion power. read more The automaker will update vehicle software to address the issue. Ford said since July, it has receive 286 warranty claims in North America related to the recall.On Wednesday, Ford also recalled 53,103 four-door 2021-2022 Bronco vehicles because the passenger-side rear door may be opened from inside the vehicle when the child-safety lock is in the "ON" position.Dealers will inspect the passenger-side child safety lock and latch, and replace them if needed. Ford said it was not aware of any crashes or injuries tied to the Bronco or Mach-E recalls.Ford leads all automakers in the United States this year, with 38 recall campaigns covering 6.6 million vehicles.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Aishwarya Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Nio's ES7 sports utility vehicle adds another competitor to Tesla's Model X and Model Y in China.NioNio on Wednesday launched the ES7 sports utility vehicle as competition with Tesla intensifies in China.The ES7 adds another competitor to Tesla's Model Y and Model X in China as the competition in the electric SUV space ramps up.Nio is trying to differentiate its electric SUV by highlighting the technology features of the vehicle. This includes Nio Autonomous Driving, the company's system that powers some semi-autonomous driving features. The company also highlighted its infotainment system which includes a 23-speaker surround-sound configuration in the car.Nio's ES7 comes in three different range capabilities depending on the battery size — 485 kilometers, 620 kilometers and 930 kilometers.The ES7 with the 485-kilometer range starts from 468,000 Chinese yuan ($69,693) before subsidies. The longest range version starts at 526,000 yuan before subsidies.Pre-orders have begun with deliveries expected to begin in August.Shares of Nio were up more than 4% on Wednesday.Nio said the ES7 is one of the first certified passenger cars in China to be able to tow a caravan or trailer.Nio and its peers have been struggling with existing supply chain disruption that has been worsened by a resurgence of Covid-19 in China and subsequent lockdowns in and around key manufacturing hubs in the country.The company reported a rise in first-quarter revenue though its loss widened. While production was hampered in April and May, the company's second-quarter delivery outlook suggests a bounce back in June.Tesla meanwhile has also been struggling with production at its key China factory in Shanghai, which has been gripped by a particularly lengthy lockdown.
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Ford is planning a safety recall for nearly 49,000 Mustang Mach-E vehicles in response to a defect with the batteries. The company has instructed dealers to stop selling Mach-Es produced between May 27, 2020, and May 24, 2022, without the proper repairs as it develops a fix for the roughly 48,924 cars that have experienced overheating, startup problems, or loss of power. "In the affected vehicles, it is possible that the high voltage battery main contactors may overheat, which can result in an open contactor or welding condition. Should the contactors weld closed while driving, a powertrain malfunction warning light will be illuminated on the next drive cycle, along with a no start condition," the company said in a letter to its dealers. DA BOUDIN’S RECALL SEEN AS A VICTORY FOR BUSINESSES LIVING IN FEAR The company is working to develop a software fix to the problem that it plans to make available to owners over the air or through dealerships. The company first discovered the defect in April, but no accidents have been reported in connection to the battery problem, per Fox Business. "A complete Dealer Bulletin will be provided to dealers in the 3rd quarter of 2022 when it is anticipated that software and/or parts ordering information and repair instructions will be available to support this safety recall," the company added in its letter. The defect could cause the car to come to a stop while driving, according to Ford. "If the contactors open while driving, a powertrain malfunction warning light will be illuminated, the vehicle will display Stop Safely Now in the instrument panel cluster, and the vehicle will experience an immediate loss of motive power. The vehicle will coast to a stop, and all 12V systems including power brakes and steering will remain functional," the company explained. The Mustang Mach-E is able to become 10%-80% charged in 38-45 minutes on a fast charger, Ford claims. The auto manufacturer has begun investing heavily in electric vehicles in recent years, having announced plans earlier this year to invest up to $20 billion in electric vehicle development over the next five to 10 years. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Ford had the highest number of recalls among major car companies in 2022 as of May, according to data from the NHTSA, the Wall Street Journal reported. The company plans to begin notifying owners about the recall on July 18.
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Published June 15, 2022 10:43AM article Ford logo on a truck at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. DETROIT - Ford is recalling over 2.9 million vehicles to fix a transmission problem that can increase the risk of inadvertent rollaway crashes. The recall covers certain 2013 to 2019 Escape, 2013 to 2018 C-Max, 2013 to 2016 Fusion, 2013 to 2021 Transit Connect, and 2015 to 2018 Edge vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted on its website Wednesday that a bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission can degrade or detach. That can stop the vehicles from shifting into the intended gear. A vehicle thought to have been shifted into park may actually be in a different gear, allowing it to roll away. RELATED: These electric vehicles are cheaper to own than gas ones now Ford says in documents that it knows of four injury reports due to the problem, and another six property damage claims. The company has 1,630 warranty reports and 233 complaints about the problem. Dealers will replace the bushing and add a protective cap. Owners will be notified by letter starting June 27.
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Front driver's side view of the Celestiq show car, which GM is expected to unveil in late-July.GMDETROIT – General Motors on Wednesday said it is investing $81 million at its global design and technology campus in suburban Detroit to hand build the upcoming Cadillac Celestiq – a new electric flagship car for the brand that will be produced in limited quantities.The decision marks the first time GM will build a vehicle for commercial sales at its massive tech campus in Warren, Michigan. It also marks a pivot for Cadillac to offer a hand-built car, which is typically reserved for high-end sports cars and uber-luxury vehicles such as Bentley's exclusive models, as GM pushes to revive the quintessential American brand into a tech-savvy EV carmaker capable of challenging Tesla."As Cadillac's future flagship sedan, Celestiq signifies a new, resurgent era for the brand," GM President Mark Reuss said in a statement.GM is scheduled to officially unveil the car next month. Only hundreds are expected to be produced each year and cost $200,000 or more per car, Cadillac President Steve Carlisle told The Wall Street journal in 2020.The vehicle will be based on GM's new Ultium electric vehicle platform, which was first used on the GMC Hummer EV. The platform is meant to be modular and underpin GM's newest EVs, including 30 new models by 2025.In a release Wednesday, GM said the investment will be used to purchase and install equipment to hand-build the Celestiq and for campus renovation work that is already underway. The company reconfirmed that the Celestiq roof is expected to be one of the first to feature a four-quadrant, suspended-particle-device smart glass that lets each occupant of the car set their own level of roof transparency.The automaker also said the vehicle will feature a new interior screen display that spans the width of the vehicle and include more than 100 3D printed parts.Although machinery is used in making hand-built vehicles, it's largely controlled by humans. That compares to a typical vehicle, which is largely produced on an assembly line using hundreds of robots alongside assembly workers.
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FILE – In this April 25, 2021 file photo, the blue oval logo of Ford Motor Company is displayed on a sign over a row of vehicles at a dealership in east Denver. Ford will add 6,200 factory jobs in Michigan, Missouri and Ohio as it prepares to build more electric vehicles and roll out two redesigned combustion-engine models, the company announced, Thursday, June 2, 2022. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) Ford is recalling 2.9 million U.S. vehicles over concerns they could roll away after drivers move the gear shift into the park position. The recall, which also includes roughly 394,000 Canadian vehicles, includes some of Ford’s 2013-2018 C-Max, 2015-2018 Edge, 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2016 Fusion and 2013-2021 Transit Connect models. In documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posted on Wednesday, Ford said bushing that attaches the shift cable to the transmission could degrade in the vehicles. Even if drivers move the gear shift to the park position, this issue could prevent the shifter from actually moving the transmission, allowing the cars to still roll away. Although the driver does not receive a warning message or chime when the transmission does not shift correctly, Ford said its instrument panels will show the accurate position when the cars are turned on. The company indicated it has received 1,630 warranty reports and 233 vehicle owner questionnaires (VOQ) in connection with the issue since April 2015. Ford said it was aware of four injury reports and six property damage reports potentially related to the issue. Ford issued four previous recalls over the bushing issue, according to the documents. One recall announced in April included a quarter-million Explorer SUVs. The company continued meeting with the NHTSA in recent weeks to further examine the concerns. The company said the root cause of the issue is unknown but noted that heat and humidity could be the culprit. Owners of the recalled vehicles can service their cars for free at a Ford or Lincoln dealer. Dealerships will replace the bushing using a different grade material and add a protective cap, the company said. Ford will mail affected owners beginning June 27. The company filed a separate recall notice with NHTSA that was posted earlier this week for some of its Mustang Mach-E electric cars over concerns about overheating batteries, directing dealers to stop delivering nearly 49,000 of the cars. Tags Ford Ford Motor Company National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Recall Recall transmission
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Ford is recalling roughly 2.9 million vehicles in the United States over a gear shifting defect that could cause cars to roll away while the transmission is in the park position. The move is the second major recall in recent days by the automaker, which announced plans for a safety recall for nearly 49,000 Mustang Mach-E vehicles over a battery defect that is believed to have led to at least four reports of injury and six property damage claims, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. CAR TROUBLE: FORD RECALLS 49,000 ELECTRIC MUSTANGS "A damaged or missing bushing could prevent the shifter from moving the transmission to the intended gear position. The transmission may not be in the park position, even though the shifter position indicates that the vehicle was shifted to park. The driver does not receive a warning message or audible chime," an NHTSA report said. Ford’s recall includes 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2019 Escape, 2015-2018 Edge, 2013-2016 Fusion, and 2013-2021 Transit Connect models. There have been at least 233 complaints and 1,630 warranty reports related to the problem from April 29, 2015, through March 31, 2022, per the NHTSA report. Due to the defect, drivers may not be able to shift into the proper gear, which can create a heightened risk of injury or car crashes. A bushing that connects the shift cable to the transmission appears to have degraded in the recalled vehicles, which can result in rollaways, the NHTSA report explained. The root cause of the breakdown is not immediately clear, but Ford believes it may have been caused by heat and humidity. Owners of the affected vehicles will be able to take their cars to eligible dealerships to receive a free repair, in which mechanics will install a brushing and add a protective cap, the Hill reported. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The Washington Examiner reached out to a Ford representative for comment. Ford plans to mail owners of the affected vehicles starting June 27, per the Hill. As of May, the auto manufacturer had the largest number of recalls among major car companies in 2022, per the Wall Street Journal. Recently, Ford told its dealers to stop selling Mustang Mach-E vehicles produced between May 27, 2020, and May 24, 2022, while it waits for its team to develop a software update to address a defect with its battery that can cause those cars to experience overheating, startup problems, or loss of power. The auto manufacturer plans to recall nearly 50,000 of those vehicles as well.
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Ford is recalling 2.9 million vehicles that might not shift into the correct gear and could move in an unintended direction.The National Highway Safety Administration says it has six reports of property damage and four reports of injuries potentially related to the problem.Among the problems, the transmission on the affected Ford cars and SUVs may not be in the park position, even though the shifter position indicates that the vehicle was shifted to park. Drivers have exited a vehicle only to have it roll, increasing the risk of injury or crash, according to the safety regulator.A similar problem with the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee caused the death of actor Anton Yelchin in 2016. Yelchin's Jeep rolled down his driveway and pinned him to a brick post in front of his Los Angeles home. Fortunately, NHTSA has not reported any deaths caused by this problem with the Ford recall.The vehicles involved are the model year 2013 to 2019 Escape, the 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion and the 2013-2021 Transit Connect.RELATED: Goodyear tire recall: Company knew of defective RV tires as early as 2002, investigators sayThe-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
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Faraday Future's luxury electric car FF91 is seen at the company's headquarters in Gardena, California, U.S. November 21, 2019. REUTERS/Lucy NicholsonRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 15 (Reuters) - Faraday Future Intelligent Electric (FFIE.O) will be able to launch its FF91 luxury vehicle without the need for additional funding, Chief Executive Officer Carsten Breitfeld said on Wednesday in an interview with Reuters.Breitfeld added that the company would need to raise capital in the second half of the year. At a Deutsche Bank conference earlier on Wednesday he said the company was confident of securing additional funds despite tough macroeconomic conditions.Electric Last Mile Solutions (ELMS.O) filing for bankruptcy due to its inability to raise additional funds has had investors worried about how balance sheets of other startups fared. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comIn May, Rivian Automotive Inc (RIVN.O) said that it had enough cash on hand to open its Georgia factory in 2025, without the need for additional capital. read more Faraday said it would start delivery of its FF91 car in the third quarter this year and expects to make between 6,000 and 8,000 cars in 2023.The company will follow a "hybrid strategy" in building its cars, Breitfeld said, with the FF91 crossover being made at its Hanford, California facility and the FF81 mass market vehicle built by contract manufacturer Myoung Shin (009900.KS).It expects the FF91 luxury vehicle to compete with brands such as Rolls Royce (RR.L), Volkswagen Group's (VOWG_p.DE) Bentley and Mercedes Benz's (MBGn.DE) Maybach.Breitfeld said that Faraday would deliver cars with hardware required for its autonomous driving technology. However, it would use software stack from a third-party and drivers would get updates related to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) capabilities over the air after launch.Faraday also said it was in talks with local government and partners in China to start production in the country. However, developments are at a nascent stage.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju SamuelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Signage for Cadillac, an automobile brand owned by General Motors Company, is seen at a car dealership in Queens, New York, U.S., November 16, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 15 (Reuters) - General Motors (GM.N) will invest $81 million to build its future Cadillac Celestiq electric flagship sedan at GM's Warren Technical Center, the company said on Wednesday.The Celestiq, which will share battery cells, motors and other components with the Cadillac Lyriq, is slated to begin production in the Detroit suburb in late 2023, according to AutoForecast Solutions.The vehicle will be hand-assembled in extremely low volumes - around 400 units a year, according to AFS.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comGM declined to confirm production volumes or the start of production."If done properly, the Celestiq could become the kind of top-of-the-line model that used to make Cadillac the choice of celebrities and royalty," said Sam Fiorani, AFS vice president of global vehicle forecasting.GM said the Celestiq, which is expected to sell for well over $100,000, will be the first production vehicle built at the Warren Tech Center, which was designed by famed Finnish architect Eero Saarinen and his father Eliel Saarinen, and opened in 1956.The Celestiq will use more than 100 3D-printed components, including both structural and cosmetic parts printed in polymer and metal, the company said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Paul Lienert in Detroit
Editing by Nick ZieminskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Traffic is seen along the Strip on Memorial Day in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., May 31, 2021. REUTERS/Bridget Bennett/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comDETROIT, June 15 (Reuters) - Top executives of General Motors Co (GM.N) and Ford Motor Co (F.N) said on Wednesday U.S. consumer demand for cars and trucks remains strong, despite rising interest rates and record high gas prices.The Federal Reserve is expected to boost U.S. rates again as soon as Wednesday to combat a surge in consumer prices. Rate hikes, costly gas and inflation have been a toxic combination for Detroit's automakers in the past."We have not seen signs of weakening demand," GM Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson told investors at a conference sponsored by Deutsche Bank. New vehicle prices are high, and inventories of unsold cars and trucks remain low, he said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comGM has been able to offset $5 billion in higher supply chain costs by raising prices and cutting expenses, Jacobson said. He reaffirmed GM's earlier financial targets and its goal of increasing vehicle production for 2022 by 25-30% from 2021.Ford Chief Financial Officer John Lawler said in a separate presentation that demand remains as prices stay strong.Lawler said Ford's credit arm is starting to see an increase in loan delinquencies, a potential leading indicator of softer demand. However, "it's not yet a concern" because delinquencies were extremely low previously, he noted.Both Lawler and Jacobson said low inventory would benefit their companies should the U.S. economy tip into recession.Jacobson said GM executives are watching "every day, every week, every month" for signs of a slowdown, focusing on inventories and other indicators. Lawler said Ford has done modeling on the potential impact of both moderate and severe recessions.In the past, the Detroit automakers and their dealers carried two to three months' worth of vehicles on their lots. When consumer demand withered, they were forced to offer deep discounts to move out old models."We are not going to go back to the high inventories that we had in the past. We've targeted 45 to 55 days and we're going to stick to that," Lawler said.GM's management is being extra cautious about adding staff, and is reviewing capital spending plans, Jacobson said. But the company does not want to cut long-term investments in electric vehicles, software and other new technology "that are going to drive revenue growth," he added.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Joe White; Editing by Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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The motor company is aware of four reports of injuries possibly related to the problem, according to documents filed with the government.A car dealership in Falls Church, Va., on April 2, 2022.Stefani Reynolds / AFP via Getty ImagesJune 16, 2022, 1:45 AM UTCFord Motor Co. is recalling 2.9 million vehicles, including the Escape and Fusion, over a problem that can result in a car rolling even after the driver puts it into park.The recall affects certain Escape from 2013 to 2019; C-Max from 2013 to 2018; Fusion from 2013 to 2016; Transit Connect from 2013 to 2021; and the Edge from 2015-2018, according to safety regulators.The problem involves a bushing that attaches the shift cable to the transmission, which may degrade or detach, according to a recall notice posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.That can prevent the vehicles from shifting into the correct gear, which can cause it to move in an unexpected direction, the notice says.“Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the ‘Park’ position,” it says. Either scenario can cause a crash, it says.Documents filed with NHTSA say that Ford is aware of four reports alleging injuries and six reports of property damage that could be associated with the issue.Of the more than 2.9 million vehicles potentially affected, the Escape makes up the largest share with approximately 1.7 million, according to the documents. The next largest is the Edge with around 509,400.Ford plans to replace the bushing and add a protective cap for free, the documents say. The company intends to send letters starting June 27, and there is a toll-free number people can call, the notice says.Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.
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A VinFast electric SUV VF8 model is displayed at a store which the Vietnamese automaker plans to open in Santa Monica, California, U.S., May 23, 2022. REUTERS/David SwansonRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 16 (Reuters) - Four senior executives at Vietnam's VinFast have left the electric vehicle startup as it prepares to launch its first overseas model and roll out a network of showrooms in the United States and Europe, the company said.The recent round of departures comes as VinFast prepares to start construction of a $4-billion factory in North Carolina, open its first showrooms in California, moves toward a potential initial public offering of shares and seeks financing from the U.S. government.The executives who have left are Emmanuel Bret, deputy chief executive officer for global sales; Franck Euvrard, deputy CEO for product development; Hong Bae, deputy CEO for vehicle technology development and Bruno Tavares, who had been chief finance officer, the company said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comA spokesman for VinFast, a unit of conglomerate Vingroup(VIC.HM), said it had "ended labour contracts" with the four with their consent. It said two of the executives, whom it did not name, had resigned for personal reasons."All of them agreed to end their contracts in legal terms," the company said in a statement to Reuters. "Adjustment in human resources is a common business practice around the world. VinFast is no exception."Bret, a former BMW executive, had joined VinFast in January in Hanoi and was charged with rolling out the company’s planned overseas sales network. He was among the executives who represented VinFast at the New York auto show in April when it showed off prototypes of its VF8 and VF9 electric SUVs.Euvrard, who joined VinFast in January from Tata Technologies, had been charged with developing VinFast’s all EV product line-up.Hong Bae, a veteran of Samsung Electronics, Faraday Future and Fisker, joined VinFast last July.None of the executives could be reached for comment.BETTING ON U.S. MARKETA memo from the office of VinFast Chief Executive Le Thi Thu Thuy seen by Reuters said all of the executives had been released from employment for a range of causes related to the quality of their work.A company spokesman said that memo had not been properly reviewed and had been withdrawn.Huy Chieu, a former GM engineer, who joined VinFast in November last year had been promoted to lead its EV development efforts after leading the work on the VF8, a separate memo seen by Reuters said. The same memo said the company had chief engineers for two planned, future models that have not made it to prototype, the VF5 and VF6.VinFast confirmed that the appointments detailed in the memo had taken place. Chieu could not be reached for comment.Thuy took over as VinFast CEO in December after the resignation of German executive Michael Lohscheller, who quit as CEO of the Stellantis brand Opel to lead VinFast. Lohscheller resigned for personal reasons, the company said.VinFast has had three CEOs since its founding in 2017.VinFast, which began production in 2019, is betting big on the U.S. market, where it hopes to compete with legacy automakers and startups with two all-electric SUVs and a battery leasing model that will reduce the purchase price.VinFast has promised to create 7,500 jobs at its planned plant in North Carolina, where it will build the battery-powered VF8 and the larger and more expensive VF9.It plans to begin exporting the two electric vehicles to the United States later this year from its existing plant in Vietnam.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWriting by Kevin Krolicki;
Editing by Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Some are starting early! Photograph: John Sibley/ReutersGoing newsSpoiler alert ... it’s the same. The official going for day three of Royal Ascot is Good to Firm with the GoingStick readings at 8am:Stands side: 8.8Centre: 8.7Far side: 8.6Round: 7.6So the stands (nearside) is marginally faster (the higher the number the quicker the surface) but there is very little in it.The current forecast for the week indicates a dry week through to Saturday with temperaturs of 26c today due to rise to over 30c on Friday. There is currently a risk of thunderstorms on Saturday. For live weather station and going info please go to: www.ascot.co.uk/thegoingThe whole track had 4mm of water splashed on following racing on Wednesday. It is likely, as long as the forecast remains settled, that Ascot will water after racing each evening to replace moisture lost through evapotranspiration (!!!).Queen set to miss Gold Cup dayThe Racing Post are reporting that the Queen, who normally presents the trophy on Gold Cup day and has an odds-on favourite set to run in Reach For The Moon in the Hampton Court Stakes, will not be at Royal Ascot today.It is understood the Queen will not be in attendance at Royal Ascot on Thursday afternoon, when her homebred colt Reach For The Moon is odds-on favourite to win the Hampton Court Stakes— Racing Post (@RacingPost) June 16, 2022
PreambleGreg WoodGood morning from Ascot on the most famous and historic day of the Royal meeting, and quite possibly the only afternoon this year when the Queen might be in attendance. The Gold Cup on Ladies’ Day is the undoubted highlight of the week and this year’s race will see one of the most popular horses in training, Stradivarius, attempting to win the big race for a record-equalling fourth time. No horse had won the Gold Cup four times in a history that dates back to 1807 until Yeats reeled off four in a row from 2006. But Stradavarius would, in his way, be more remarkable still if he could get his fourth out of five, because keeping an “entire” – or ungelded – horse sufficiently interested to produce his best form at the age of eight is a mightily difficult task for a trainer. Stradavarius was an odds-on shot for this race last year but came up short against against a talented and rapidly-improving young stayer in Subjectivist. It is a similar story this time around, as Kyprios, a four-year-old from the Aidan O’Brien stable, is his biggest rival on form, although Kyprios is likely to set off as favourite with Stradivarius only second-pick in the market. Trueshan, incidentally, is a non-runner due to the fast ground, which is the least surprising news of the week. Whether the Queen will be at her racecourse to watch remains to be seen, but there is a big incentive to make the short trip from Windsor Castle as her colt Reach For The Moon will set off at odds-on for the Hampton Court Stakes at 5.35. He was seen as a possible runner in the Derby over the winter but John Gosden could not get him ready in time after an injury curtailed his juvenile campaign. Reach For The Moon made a satisfactory return to action in the Heron Stakes at Kempton last month, however, finishing one-and-a-quarter lengths behind My Prospero, who was not far away in the St James’s Palace Stakes here on Tuesday. This could also be “moving day” in the contests to end the week as the leading trainer and rider, though Danny Tudhope will be very pleased with his week’s work so far.Tudhope tops the jockeys’ table with three wins, one ahead of William Buick and James McDonald. He also has the ride on Post Impressionist, the favourite, in the King George V Handicap this afternoon, and a couple more at single-figure odds on Saturday. As for the trainers, the 14 races so far have been won by 14 different stables, and Gosden, as yet, is not among them. Temperatures are set to climb at the track again today, with a forecast high of 27C in mid-afternoon, so don’t forget the Factor 50 if you’re heading to the track. If not, you can follow all the Ladies’ Day action here on the live blog, and there are some thoughts about what might – repeat, might – be winning here.
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Even though the Queen is set to be absent there is still the strong likelihood of at least one royal winner today in the shape of Reach For The Moon (5.35pm), which the folks at horse.bet in a rather frothy press release (while stating that if Sage [5.00pm] and Tactical [6.10pm] win for Her Majesty as well that’s a tasty 99-1 treble) tell me has been the best-backed horse of the week. Patriotic punters have clearly latched onto the wager as the market leader in the Hampton Stakes, who was 4-7 when betting opened is now an unbackable 2-5. All the national newspaper tipsters are predicting a royal victory aside from the Daily Mirror and, er, the Guardian. Make of that what you will!Kammy is at the races! Photograph: Frank Sorge/racingfotos.com/Rex/ShutterstockLooking at that Royal Procession list it does rather beg the question again as to when the royal family and Royal Ascot will make its way into the 20th, never mind the 21st century, and modernise. In the first carriage, for instance, is Mrs Mike Tindall, or Zara as she is known in the real world.Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall at Royal Ascot this week. Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty ImagesRoyal Procession (2pm)1st CarriageThe Princess RoyalVice Admiral Sir Tim LaurenceMr. Mike TindallMrs. Mike Tindall2nd CarriageMr. Daniel ChattoThe Lady Sarah ChattoThe Viscount BrookeboroughThe Viscountess Brookeborough3rd CarriageThe Duke of BedfordThe Duchess of BedfordSir Johnny WeatherbyLady Weatherby4th CarriageMr. Martin St. QuintonMrs. Martin St. QuintonMr. John WarrenThe Lady Carolyn WarrenIt’s almost that time again ... the royal procession down the track is back at about 2pm (after being seen for the first time since 2019 yesterday) and we can expect the details of who will be in it at midday. The Queen is again a doubtful runner at Ascot this afternoon according to reports this morning.This, of course, is also the time when I mention the Serpentine gallery exhibition by artist Mark Wallinger I saw back in 1994 when one of his installations, called ‘Royal Ascot’, consisted of a series of video monitors on top of wheeled flight cases, each isolating the royal carriage’s leisurely progress down the track on the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (respectively, as it was then) of the meeting with the added TV commentary.The point Wallinger was making is that the difference from day to day was barely discernible but what has been different this week has been the absence of the Queen. The first carriage in the royal procession has been missing the Queen this week. Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty ImagesNon-runners2.30pm Norfolk Stakes5 My First Rodeo (Vet’s Cert – Not Sound)4.20pm Gold Cup 4 Trueshan (Going)Racegoers arriving at Royal Ascot. Photograph: Phil Noble/ReutersSome are starting early! Photograph: John Sibley/ReutersGoing newsSpoiler alert ... it’s the same. The official going for day three of Royal Ascot is Good to Firm with the GoingStick readings at 8am:Stands side: 8.8Centre: 8.7Far side: 8.6Round: 7.6So the stands (nearside) is marginally faster (the higher the number the quicker the surface) but there is very little in it.The current forecast for the week indicates a dry week through to Saturday with temperaturs of 26c today due to rise to over 30c on Friday. There is currently a risk of thunderstorms on Saturday. For live weather station and going info please go to: www.ascot.co.uk/thegoingThe whole track had 4mm of water splashed on following racing on Wednesday. It is likely, as long as the forecast remains settled, that Ascot will water after racing each evening to replace moisture lost through evapotranspiration (!!!).Queen set to miss Gold Cup dayThe Racing Post are reporting that the Queen, who normally presents the trophy on Gold Cup day and has an odds-on favourite set to run in Reach For The Moon in the Hampton Court Stakes, will not be at Royal Ascot today.It is understood the Queen will not be in attendance at Royal Ascot on Thursday afternoon, when her homebred colt Reach For The Moon is odds-on favourite to win the Hampton Court Stakes— Racing Post (@RacingPost) June 16, 2022
PreambleGreg WoodGood morning from Ascot on the most famous and historic day of the Royal meeting, and quite possibly the only afternoon this year when the Queen might be in attendance. The Gold Cup on Ladies’ Day is the undoubted highlight of the week and this year’s race will see one of the most popular horses in training, Stradivarius, attempting to win the big race for a record-equalling fourth time. No horse had won the Gold Cup four times in a history that dates back to 1807 until Yeats reeled off four in a row from 2006. But Stradavarius would, in his way, be more remarkable still if he could get his fourth out of five, because keeping an “entire” – or ungelded – horse sufficiently interested to produce his best form at the age of eight is a mightily difficult task for a trainer. Stradavarius was an odds-on shot for this race last year but came up short against against a talented and rapidly-improving young stayer in Subjectivist. It is a similar story this time around, as Kyprios, a four-year-old from the Aidan O’Brien stable, is his biggest rival on form, although Kyprios is likely to set off as favourite with Stradivarius only second-pick in the market. Trueshan, incidentally, is a non-runner due to the fast ground, which is the least surprising news of the week. Whether the Queen will be at her racecourse to watch remains to be seen, but there is a big incentive to make the short trip from Windsor Castle as her colt Reach For The Moon will set off at odds-on for the Hampton Court Stakes at 5.35. He was seen as a possible runner in the Derby over the winter but John Gosden could not get him ready in time after an injury curtailed his juvenile campaign. Reach For The Moon made a satisfactory return to action in the Heron Stakes at Kempton last month, however, finishing one-and-a-quarter lengths behind My Prospero, who was not far away in the St James’s Palace Stakes here on Tuesday. This could also be “moving day” in the contests to end the week as the leading trainer and rider, though Danny Tudhope will be very pleased with his week’s work so far.Tudhope tops the jockeys’ table with three wins, one ahead of William Buick and James McDonald. He also has the ride on Post Impressionist, the favourite, in the King George V Handicap this afternoon, and a couple more at single-figure odds on Saturday. As for the trainers, the 14 races so far have been won by 14 different stables, and Gosden, as yet, is not among them. Temperatures are set to climb at the track again today, with a forecast high of 27C in mid-afternoon, so don’t forget the Factor 50 if you’re heading to the track. If not, you can follow all the Ladies’ Day action here on the live blog, and there are some thoughts about what might – repeat, might – be winning here.
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A NIO ES8 electric SUV is displayed at its store in Beijing, China August 20, 2020. REUTERS/Tingshu WangRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBERLIN, June 16 (Reuters) - Volkswagen's (VOWG_p.DE) Audi has filed a lawsuit in a Munich court against Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio (9866.HK) over an alleged infringement of Audi's trademark rights, German newspaper Handelsblatt reported on Thursday.According to Audi, Nio's decision to name two of its models ES6 and ES8 infringes Audi's trademark for its own model designations S6 and S8, Handelsblatt reported.A Nio spokesperson declined to comment.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comA spokesperson for Audi was not immediately available for comment to Reuters.Nio, a premium brand which so far has made most of its sales in China, entered the Norwegian market in May last year and plans to launch in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark before the end of the year.The company started sales in Norway with the ES8 model but has said it plans to launch in Germany with the ET7 electric sedan.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Victoria Waldersee
Editing by Madeline ChambersOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Automotive and Transportation
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The transport secretary has told rail staff not to “risk striking yourself out of a job”, before industrial action that will close much of the railway next week.In a speech in which Grant Shapps said he was “appealing directly to workers” instead of unions, he claimed the strikes were “a bid to derail reforms that are critical to the network’s future, and designed to inflict damage at the worst possible time”.Network Rail bosses have estimated that next week’s stoppages, by RMT members on its signalling and maintenance staff across Great Britain, as well as onboard and station staff working for 13 train operators in England, will cost the industry about £150m in lost revenue.Speaking at a Siemens train depot in north London, Shapps said he wanted to see staff given a pay rise, but added: “Pay needs to be in step with the wider public sector.”He refused to say what a fair level of pay would be, but this week he highlighted the 7% rise over a decade that police received, and the salaries of nurses that are 30% lower than average rail workers.Shapps said: “Today the railway is in a fight. It’s not only competing against other forms of public and private transport. It’s in a battle with Zoom, Teams and remote working.”After the pandemic, he said, strikes would “lose even more passengers, more revenue … and potentially lose thousands of railway jobs”.He added: “Don’t risk striking yourselves out of a job. Don’t pitch yourselves against the public.” Questioned afterwards, Shapps said the words were “not a threat, it’s a statement of reality”.He reiterated the idea that agency workers could be used, should strikes be prolonged. “Transferrable skills, sometimes called agency working, will be something which will become available as well in this particular dispute.”Network Rail has said the cost of training agency workers “would be prohibitive” for most roles.The transport secretary again ruled out joining ongoing talks to resolve the dispute, saying that it was a matter for the employers.Nevertheless, several rail sources have said that they do not have leeway to offer pay rises to staff, and are bound by the Treasury. Rail contracts since the coronavirus pandemic are tightly controlled by government with firms paid a management fee and not collecting revenue.Mick Lynch, the RMT’s general secretary, said: “The threats made by Grant Shapps today to railway workers’ livelihoods and their right to strike are disgraceful and will make RMT members even more fiercely determined to win this dispute.”The leader of the TSSA union, Manuel Cortes, said: “Sadly, and perhaps predictably, what we heard from the transport secretary looked very much like threats and intimidation of workers instead of constructive dialogue.”The union, which has balloted Network Rail and some train operator managerial staff for action and could call strikes next month, said the Department for Transport was not allowing train operators to make pay offers or guarantees on job security, which called into question what could be achieved through the negotiations.It said many rail workers such as customer service staff were low paid, with members working for LNER receiving just above the full-time minimum wage of £18,278, while many station staff are on salaries of about £24,000.Unions said the government was trying to make political capital out of the strike rather than seeking a resolution. Conservatives are seeking to tie Labour to the pay revolt, with campaign emails asking for support to “stop Labour strikes” and MPs posting on Twitter using a #StopLabourStrikes hashtag.Labour said ministers were provoking rather than resolving the dispute. Louise Haigh, the shadow transport secretary, said: “Not only are ministers boycotting the talks, but they’re tying the hands of those at the table.”“Ministers have the power to settle this dispute, so it is utterly farcical they haven’t spent a single second in talks since March. It is for the government to avoid these strikes and the disruption to the public. But it is becoming clearer by the day, ministers would rather provoke this dispute than lift a finger to resolve it.”Sign up to the daily Business Today email or follow Guardian Business on Twitter at @BusinessDeskThe three imminent 24-hour strikes, by 40,000 RMT members, will cause almost a week of disruption. The walkouts are on 21, 23 and 25 June and a special timetable will be in operation from 20 to 26 June. Several operators have already told passengers not to attempt to travel on strike days.Large parts of Great Britain will have no passenger services at all on strike days, when about 20% of trains will run on mainlines and urban areas. Services will start later in the morning and be limited to about 60% of the normal schedule on subsequent days.A separate London Underground strike will also bring much of the capital’s transport to a halt on Tuesday, with Overground and Elizabeth lines affected by the national strike throughout the week. Cross-channel operator Eurostar confirmed it would also have to cancel early morning and late evening trains because of the strike – about three to five services a day.
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Automotive and Transportation
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The most popular vehicle in the U.S. is going electric, and it’s coming to Chicago.The Ford F-150 Lightning, an electric version of the best-selling pickup truck, has begun trickling into the city, with demo versions headed for nearly every Chicago-area dealership, and a few vehicles being delivered to the first customers on a very long waiting list.Starting at $40,000, the F-150 Lightning may steal some thunder from Rivian, the homegrown EV truck manufacturer that stumbled out of the gate with a slow production rampup. More broadly, the Lightning is being heralded as a potential game-changer for electric vehicles, incorporating the nascent technology into a utilitarian truck that can haul cargo and rival the speed of a Porsche.“It’s just as capable as our current trucks, and it’s the fastest F-150 we’ve ever made,” said Jasen Turnbull, F-150 Lightning marketing manager at Ford. “This is huge for us.”The Lightning launched production in April at the Rouge EV center in Dearborn, Mich., and job one for Ford is fulfilling preorders for the truck. Ford cut off online reservations in December after receiving nearly 200,000 preorders. The automaker plans to increase annual production to 150,000 vehicles by next year.The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning in Chicago on June 14, 2022. (Youngrae Kim/for the Chicago Tribune)The Lightning’s $40,000 starting price is the same as the comparable commercial gas-powered F-150, with premium versions costing upward of $90,000. The price is offset by a $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles. Illinois buyers are also eligible to apply for a $4,000 state EV rebate beginning in July through the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in September.EV sales, which made up 2.6% of the U.S. auto market in 2021, are projected to nearly double this year to a 5% market share, according to Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for car shopping website Edmunds. Demand has been boosted by spiking gas prices, but lagging production makes it hard to gauge how fast EV adoption will progress, she said.“We definitely see people shopping more electric vehicles,” Caldwell said. “The thing with EVs is that you really can’t get your hands on a lot of them.”Caldwell said supply chain issues, including the global semiconductor shortage, may continue to roil auto production into next year. But as automakers prioritize the transition to electric vehicles, production may accelerate at EV plants, she said.Rivian, the startup EV truck manufacturer that launched production of its R1T pickup truck in September, has struggled with a slower than expected rampup from a converted Mitsubishi plant in downstate Normal.The company, which is also building an R1S SUV and two electric delivery vans for Amazon, has produced about 5,000 vehicles as of May 9. The plant has the capacity to produce 150,000 vehicles annually, but is projected to build 25,000 EVs this year, hampered by supply chain issues.California-based Rivian, which went public in November, is sitting on $17 billion in cash and had 90,000 orders for its R1 consumer EVs as of May 9. Rivian is also building 100,000 electric delivery vans for Amazon, an early investor in the company.While Rivian has a head start on EV truck competitors, its first mover advantage may be evaporating as both Ford and General Motors accelerate production of rival pickups, Caldwell said.In addition to the F-150 Lightning, Chicagoans got their first in-person look at the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup truck at the Chicago Auto Show in February. The truck, which starts at $40,000, is expected to launch in fall 2023.“It’s been such a long ramp-up for Rivian, and now you have these mainstream automakers that have more brand recognition and way bigger marketing budgets coming out with these vehicles,” Caldwell said. “The F-150 is definitely going to have more mass appeal.”The 200,000 customers who reserved a Lightning are being asked to convert to a firm order, which can be placed online but will be delivered through a local dealer. Turnbull said it will take until mid-2023 to build and deliver those vehicles, so new customers are relegated to a waiting list to even begin the ordering process.Those potential customers can, however, get behind the wheel of a Lightning this summer at many Ford dealers in the Chicago area. Ford is delivering 2,400 demo versions of the EV truck to dealers across the U.S. by July, Turnbull said. The demo vehicles will be on the lot for six months before the dealers can sell them, giving Ford time to ramp up production.“We really thought it was important to get test drives,” Turnbull said. “So anyone can walk in and talk to a local dealer for a test drive.”The Lightning goes from zero to 60 mph in four-plus seconds, has 10,000 pounds of towing capacity, a maximum payload of 2,000 pounds and a range of up to 320 miles fully charged. But its true test may have been how it performed navigating potholes, construction work and the rugged urban terrain of Chicago’s North Side on a 100-degree Tuesday morning test drive.At first glance, the F-150 Lightning looks similar to the ubiquitous combustion engine F-150 trucks. But in the front, where the engine would be, is a large, easy-access storage trunk, commonly referred to as a frunk. The dual in-board electric motors are located at the front and rear axles.The cabin likewise feels familiar, but a large touchscreen in the middle of the dash includes features such as propulsion sound, which replicates engine noise for those unaccustomed to the quiet power of an EV, and 1-pedal drive, which makes the brake pedal a seldom-used appendage — depressing and releasing the accelerator is enough to handle most stop-and-go city driving.A large touchscreen in the middle of the F-150 Lightning's dashboard includes features such as propulsion sound, which replicates engine noise for those unaccustomed to the quiet power of an EV. (Youngrae Kim/for the Chicago Tribune)After getting behind the wheel of a $93,000, top-of-the-line Platinum Lightning, we set off north down Elston Avenue, air conditioner blasting movie-theater cold. Turning east on Diversey Avenue, the Lightning maneuvered through orange cones and heavy construction equipment, excelling on a de facto city obstacle course.Next, we headed west to the Kennedy Expressway, looking for some open road to unleash the 580 horsepower Lightning. Heavy mid-morning traffic kept a lid on the zero to 60 mph acceleration test. A few momentary bursts, however, generated sudden G-forces and curious stares from other drivers, who apparently didn’t expect a Ford pickup to pass like a Ferrari.Exiting at Montrose Avenue, we worked our way east back to Elston, turning south to Central Park Avenue, a narrow, quintessentially Chicago residential street lined with three-flats and badly parked vehicles. Switching into off-road mode from the touchscreen, we plied the rugged path with inches to spare, traversing speed humps, buckled pavement and gaping potholes like a rock crawler.After an hour on the road, we returned the Lightning to the Fox Ford dealership in the Bucktown neighborhood, with nearly 300 miles of range left and nary a scratch on its Atlas Blue finish.Ford is looking to reach 2 million EV sales by 2026, and is counting on the Lightning to propel the automaker to that target, Turnbull said. Customer deliveries began last month, with the first Lightning in Illinois going to Ken Stepps, a landscape designer and handyman who lives in west suburban Wheaton.An EV enthusiast, Stepps traded in his 2017 Tesla Model 3 to buy the $80,000 Lightning Lariat at Hopkins Ford of Elgin. He and his husband got to the top of the 200,000 preorder list through careful planning and execution.“We knew Ford was going to be announcing the F-150 Lightning, and so we had our laptops open and ready on the reservation page,” said Stepps, 42. “And we were able to place our reservation before (Ford CEO) Jim Farley even announced the truck.”Stepps said he kept his place at the front of the line by watching the production process “like a hawk.” As soon as he received an email from Ford inviting him to customize and place the order, he did. Stepps then reached out to the dealer to make sure the order was processed promptly.The couple had previously reserved a Rivian R1T pickup truck, but shifted to the F-150 Lightning when it became available. Stepps, who recently sold his gas-powered F-150, thought the Ford EV would be more practical in his line of work, questioning whether he wanted to be “hauling mulch” in the back of a Rivian.“What I love about the Lightning is that it’s a no-compromise vehicle,” Stepps said. “It comes with all the power that I was used to in the Tesla and all the capacity I was used to in our former F-150.”In the front of the F-150, where the engine would be, is a large, easy-access storage trunk, commonly referred to as a frunk. (Youngrae Kim/for the Chicago Tribune)Electrical outlets on the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning. (Youngrae Kim/for the Chicago Tribune)Stepps also cited the large frunk, electrical outlets to plug in his tools and a soon-to-be-installed home charging system to enable the Lightning to provide home backup power during extended outages as advantages to the electric version of the F-150 over the gas version.In an April interview with the Tribune at his Normal production facility, Rivian CEO and founder R.J. Scaringe said the evolving EV truck segment was not a winner-take-all competition. But the arrival of the F-150 Lightning on dealer lots and Chicago streets may certainly heat things up this summer.“I really deeply believe that the perspective that there’s a single winner just isn’t an accurate representation of the space,” Scaringe said. “I think that Lightning ... can be wildly successful, and so can we.”Buyers, meanwhile, “have no choice but to wait” for EV truck production to catch up to demand, Caldwell said.Stepps, who switched his Rivian truck order to the R1S SUV as a “family hauler,” received an email from the automaker Saturday pushing the delivery window back, once again, from April-May to [email protected]
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Automotive and Transportation
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Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryCompaniesPlans to launch 15 new models between 2023-2026Fully-electric cars to make up 40% of sales in 2030Expects to invest 4.4 bln euros by 2026Sees EBITDA of 2.5-2.7 bln euros by 2026MARANELLO, Italy, June 16 (Reuters) - Electric and hybrid models should make up 80% of Ferrari's (RACE.MI) sales by 2030, the luxury carmaker told investors on Thursday, vowing to produce "even more unique" cars as it leans on partners to make the costly shift to zero-emission driving."Everything we do will always focus on being distinctively Ferrari," chairman John Elkann said as the company unveiled its new business plan. Electrification "will allow us to make even more unique cars."To reduce investments, Ferrari will use suppliers for components or software that are not crucial, such as an operating system, Chief Executive Benedetto Vigna said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comLike other sports carmakers, Ferrari's challenge goes beyond just investing in electric models to deliver high performance - today's electric vehicle (EV) batteries cannot match combustion engine sports cars' sustained power.Like its rivals, Ferrari also sells an emotional experience to wealthy customers centred on the throaty roar of its powerful engines. As it goes electric, Ferrari must ensure its high-net worth customers and investors are along for the ride.Standing out in the multitude of EVs coming to market that can all accelerate quickly could be tough for the Italian carmaker, whose cars start at around 210,000 euros ($219,282.00).In the meantime, Ferrari will unveil its first ever sport-utility vehicle - powered by its gas-guzzling trademark 12-cylinder engine - this September.Vigna confirmed Ferrari will launch its first electric model in 2025, one of 15 new models between 2023 and 2026.Ferrari expects fully-electric cars will make up 5% of sales in 2025 and 40% in 2030. Hybrid models should rise to 55% of sales in 2025 from 20% in 2021, before dropping to 40% in 2030.Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna poses for a photograph as Ferrari unveils a new long term strategy, in Maranello, Italy, June 15, 2022. REUTERS/Flavio Lo ScalzoVigna said Ferrari would develop its own electric motors, inverters and battery modules on a new assembly line at its plant in Maranello, Italy, while outsourcing non-core components.To save money Ferrari will not develop an operating system for EVs. In contrast, other automakers, including Tesla (TSLA.O) and Mercedes (MBGn.DE), say proprietary operating systems to run cars, manage wireless upgrades and collect data on driver habits and preferences are crucial."I will never build a Ferrari operating system, I would be foolish," Vigna told investors. "You have to focus on the areas where you can be the best."Ferrari is working with four partners in Europe and Asia on battery components to research the next generation of high energy density solid state batteries.Ferrari said it will invest 4.4 billion euros by 2026, while delivering core earnings of 2.5-2.7 billion euros by that year. Ferrari's current guidance for 2022 is for adjusted core earnings of 1.65-1.70 billion euros.The carmaker expects cumulated free cash flow of 4.6-4.9 billion euros from 2022 to 2026.In a client note Kepler Cheuvreux analyst Thomas Besson said Ferrari's financial forecasts sent a "clear bullish signal," yet noted executives avoided questions about production volumes."But the direction is clear," Besson wrote. "Electrification is required but will not change the DNA of the company and its products."($1 = 0.9577 euros)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Nick Carey and Giulio Piovaccari
Editing by Mark Potter and Jane MerrimanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Automotive and Transportation
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The logo of German carmaker Porsche AG is seen before the company's annual news conference in Stuttgart, Germany, March 17, 2017. REUTERS/Lukas BarthRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 16 (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) and its Porsche AG unit have agreed to a class-action settlement worth at least $80 million to resolve claims it skewed emissions and fuel economy data on 500,000 Porsche vehicles in the United States, court documents show.The settlement, filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, must be approved by a federal judge. It covers 2005 through 2020 model year Porsche vehicles after owners accused the automaker of physically altering test vehicles that affected emissions and fuel economy results.Owners of eligible vehicles will receive payments of $250 to $1,109 per vehicle.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comPorsche confirmed the settlement in a statement but said it has "not acknowledged the allegations in these proceedings. The agreement serves to end the issue. The comparison applies only to vehicles sold in the United States."Scrutiny of Volkswagen's vehicles grew after the German automaker in 2015 disclosed it had used sophisticated software to evade emissions requirements in nearly 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide.VW settled U.S. criminal and civil actions prompted by the cheating scandal for more than $20 billion. The automaker pleaded guilty in 2017 to fraud, obstruction of justice and falsifying statements.Lawyers for the Porsche owners said the automaker physically altered the hardware - gears connecting the drive shaft and rear axle - and manipulated the software of testing vehicles. The test vehicles emitted fewer pollutants and were more fuel efficient than the production vehicles consumers boughtor leased.Settlement documents say testing showed fuel economy may have been 1-2 miles per gallon lower than listed on vehicle labels.VW also will pay $250 to owners of Porsche vehicles with "Sport+" driving mode that exceeded emissions limits when driven in that mode. They will receive the payment when they complete emissions compliant repair software updates that will reduce vehicles' emissions.The lawsuits were prompted after a whistleblower at Porsche reported at least one suspected defeat device in certain gasoline vehicles through an internal reporting system, which prompted Porsche to report these findings to German and U.S. regulators, the lawsuit said.The suit said in late 2015, Porsche management commissioned a systematic review that soon determined Porsche’s gas fleet was violating emissions test rules but was not immediately disclosed to U.S. regulators.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by David Shepardson; additional reporting by Jan Schwartz Editing by Richard Chang and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Automotive and Transportation
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Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Trains are said to be key for the north and north east economiesNext week's three-day rail strike will cut off communities outside of central Scotland, business leaders have warned.ScotRail faces having to cancel more than 90% of services if the planned strike by signal workers goes ahead.It will only operate a very limited service on five routes - all of them in the central belt. Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce called for "lifeline" morning and evening services elsewhere in the country. But Network Rail said signal staff could not be moved around at short notice.Members of the RMT union working for Network Rail are due to take action next Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday that will impact on services across the UK.Fergus Mutch, of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that city centre footfall would suffer if there were no trains, meaning lost revenue for shops and bars."If there's no trains, we're scuppered," he said. "It's going to be an absolute disaster."We have had severe disruption for several weeks now, off the back of the most miserable couple of years, it's going to hit the north east economy hard."It's going to be a nightmare for business travellers, for those going to and from work, for people travelling for leisure, at the start of the peak of Scotland's tourist season, visitors to this country flooding in, restricted services or non-existent services."Aberdeen is being completely cut off. We think that is completely unacceptable. At the very least, we want to see a morning and evening lifeline service operating on the east coast. We are going to be making representations."He added: "The oil industry is not just an Aberdeen sector, it's Scotland-wide, it's UK-wide. People need to get to their place of work."Jo De Sylva, chairwoman of Visit Inverness, described the situation as "incredibly devastating".She said: "Inverness and surrounding areas are very much dependent on tourism at this time of year. It's been a dreadful year and we are just starting to see the tourists coming back."Up here, the tourists are the lifeblood of so many businesses."It's not just the fact these trains are not running, it's the perception that we're not reachable. The Highlands is a huge place, it's the size of Belgium."We were thinking we were almost there, getting back to some sort of normality, so many businesses are clinging on by their teeth."ScotRail's service delivery director David Simpson said passengers should also expect significant disruption to services on the days between strike action.He added: "On the five routes where we are able to operate a very limited service on strike days, we're advising customers to seek alternative means of transport and to only travel if they really need to."Complex roleNick King, from Network Rail, said they were still keen to avert strike action.Asked about disruption north of the central belt, he said signalling was a very complex role, and staff could not be moved around at short notice.The RMT union has said that its members had been subject to pay freezes, threats to jobs and attacks on their terms and conditions, and that it was open to meaningful negotiations.The action is separate to the dispute between ScotRail and the Aslef union, which has seen hundreds of trains cancelled each day after many drivers opted not to work overtime.The Scottish government said in a statement on next week's planned signal workers action: "While this dispute is a matter for the RMT union and the relevant employers, we would of course encourage all parties to engage in meaningful dialogue to ensure a satisfactory agreement can be reached for the benefit of passengers and staff alike."This is particularly important given the current cost of living crisis."It is important to highlight that this dispute does not involve ScotRail staff, and there should be no conflation of this GB-wide dispute with pay negotiations for ScotRail staff, which are a separate matter."Related Internet LinksThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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Automotive and Transportation
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Commentary on Pac-12 developments on and off the field …
Rising: NIL opportunities I
For all the scrutiny on name, image and likeness — particularly when used to lure high school recruits as a proxy for pay-for-play — there are instances of NIL working as intended.
As a means for college athletes to be compensated by the private sector for promotional and endorsement opportunities. At least two examples of NIL-done-right will unfold this weekend in Portland, at the Worlds of Sport event.
If you’re unfamiliar with Worlds of Sport, no worries — until recently, so was the Hotline.
It’s billed as “the World’s Most Complete Celebration of Sports Fandom.”
For our purposes, the guest list is important.
A slew of college and pro athletes with roots in the Pacific Northwest will make appearances, including Oregon State safety Jaydon Grant and Oregon linebacker Keith Brown. In the past, public appearances would have come from the goodness of their hearts. But thanks to NIL, Grant and Brown can mingle with fans and collect a paycheck for their time.
How much? Our guess is $500, which is more than they had prior to the event.
Grant and Brown aren’t high-profile athletes. They aren’t collecting the six-figure NIL payments from booster collectives that have become standard fare for five-star recruits and prized transfers.
Instead, Grant and Brown are like the overwhelming majority of college athletes around the country, in all sports, who hope to use NIL as a means of earning a modest paycheck.
In that regard, they are no different from a typical college student who works the weekend shift to earn a few bucks.
That’s NIL in its purest form — the form envisioned by former UCLA basketball star Ed O’Bannon when he first filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA 13 years ago.
That’s NIL as envisioned by Judge Claudia Wilken when she ruled for O’Bannon in the summer of 2014 and by the NCAA when it legalized NIL last summer.
But predictably, there are two NILs worlds today:
One features a large number of athletes across myriad sports earning small dollars; the other, a small group of football and basketball players earning huge dollars.
The market for the former isn’t likely to disappear — there are enough local businesses to support the small-dollar NIL economy.
All eyes are on the latter and whether we see a market correction in the next 18-24 months.
Falling: NIL curtain
Until recently, the specifics of the NIL economy were largely the subject of media speculation: Quarterback A received X in guaranteed payments before committing; Receiver B received promises of Y.
But Ohio State coach Ryan Day put a price tag on the cost of a national championship, telling a gathering of Columbus business leaders earlier this month that $13 million would be required to keep the Buckeyes’ talent-laden roster intact.
That sum isn’t distributed evenly. According to Cleveland.com, Day indicated premium quarterbacks are commanding $2 million, with elite offensive tackles and receivers in the $1 million range.
If the Buckeyes don’t pay top dollar, the transfer portal beckons.
“One phone call, and they’re out the door,” Day said.
We suspect the NIL figures cited by Day, as well as those “reported” on social media, are inflated.
It serves Day’s interest to aim high when speaking to 100 Columbus business leaders, and it serves every team’s interest to exaggerate NIL guarantees on social media. The more dollars dangled, the more appealing their booster collectives look to recruits.
But even if the reported price tags are high by 30 percent, elite programs still need $10 million to retain a roster filled with the talent needed to compete for a championship.
How many schools in the Pac-12 … err, how many booster collectives in the Pac-12 are willing to hit that bar?
Rising: NIL opportunities II
On the topic of booster collectives, this much we know: USC absolutely won’t spend the money necessary to compete.
That’s because the Trojans don’t have a booster collective.
Best we can tell, they are the only blue blood program nationally without one.
That didn’t prevent USC from landing Caleb Williams from Oklahoma or Jordan Addison from Pittsburgh. (Nor does it hurt to have coach Lincoln Riley’s track record for producing elite quarterbacks and receivers.)
The highest-profile transfers don’t necessarily need collectives to land promotional opportunities in the private sector. But in order to compete for talent at multiple positions over multiple years, the Trojans needed something.
On Wednesday, they unveiled a partnership with Stay Doubted that the school billed as “a modern-day media agency empowering the next generation of student-athletes and fans, to provide enhanced NIL services to its student-athletes.” To what extent will Stay Doubted provide the funding necessary for USC to acquire and retain the talent essential to meeting expectations?
Will it become a source of economic opportunity for current and future USC players?
We should know in the next nine months.
The Trojans are sitting on commitments from several of the top high school recruits in the class of 2023, including five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson.
But the best indicator will be USC’s success (or failure) with a wider swath of talented players at positions other than quarterback — especially offensive and defensive linemen.
If they lose linemen to schools with booster collectives, we’ll have an answer. Support the Hotline: Receive three months of unlimited access for just 99 cents. Yep, that’s 99 cents for 90 days, with the option to cancel anytime. Details are here, and thanks for your support. *** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to [email protected] or call 408-920-5716
*** Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline
*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.
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Other Sports
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Line of Duty star Martin Compston has been filmed on stage singing with Celtic fans as they chant about the IRA.The Scottish actor, famed for playing nice-guy anti-corruption detective Steve Arnott, was seen on video singing as supporters chanted 'I-R-A' at the event in Las Vegas. The incident took place while the 38-year-old was at the North American Celtic Supporters Federation (NACSF) in the US city - where he lives wife Tianna and their young son.Compston, who is a life-long Celtic fan and supporter of Nicola Sturgeon's Scottish National Party (SNP), was filmed on stage with actor Gianni Capaldi as well as ex-Hoops midfielders Alan Thompson and Bobby Petta as fans chanted the song.The video shows the men signing and dancing as audience members sing along to the tune of Daniel Boone's 1972 hit Beautiful Sunday - which is regularly played at Celtic Park.Compston, who in the video is wearing last season's Celtic away top, can be seen pointing in the air shouting as fans sing 'Irish Republican Army. It's the I-I-I-IRA.'However Compston today denied singing about the IRA, insisting he kept to the song's original lyrics. 'If people want to change the lyrics to a song that is sung at Celtic Park, weddings, wherever that's up to them, I'm not the lyric police,' he said in a statement. Line of Duty star Martin Compston (pictured right) has been filmed on stage singing with Celtic fans as they chant about the IRAThe Scottish actor (pictured), famed for playing nice-guy anti-corruption detective Steve Arnott, was seen on video singing as supporters chanted 'I-R-A' at the event in Las Vegas Compston today denied he was singing about the IRA, insisting he kept to the original lyrics. Pictured: The actor shared a statement on TwitterHowever the video has been slammed by social media users for 'glorifying murdering terrorists'. What are the lyrics to the two songs? The real lyrics to Daniel Boone's 1972 hit Beautiful Sunday:'Hi hi hi, beautiful Sunday. This is my my my beautiful dayThe Celtic fans' IRA lyrics to the same tune:'We're the I,I,I, Irish Republican Army. We're the I,I,I,IRA' It was estimated that, between 1969 and 1994, the IRA killed as many as 1,800 people - including approximately 600 civilians.One Twitter user wrote: ''Imagine this was Rangers, the media/government would be all over it like a f***** rash.Media commentator Jim Gamble, commenting on the video on Twitter wrote: 'What an awful example.'Another Twitter user wrote: 'How long before Martin Compston releases a statement saying that he would never condone behaviour like that, was caught up in the moment, doesn't know those songs and apologises to anyone and everyone that might have been offended? I'm going for 24 hours.'However Compston today issued a statement via social media in which he denied signing the IRA lyrics.He wrote: 'Not best pleased to wake up to a story eight hours ahead of me before I've had a right to reply.'Let me be absolutely clear, I unequivocally did not sing ANY sectarian, songs. I've worked in Belfast too long to see the damage done to think this stuff is a laugh.'If people want to change the lyrics to a song that is sung at Celtic Park, weddings, Still game, wherever that's up to them, I'm not the lyric police.The Scottish actor, famed for playing nice-guy anti-corruption detective Steve Arnott (pictured), was seen on video singing along with supporters as they chanted 'I-R-A' at the event in Las Vegas Compston, who is a life-long Celtic fan and who was a youth football star at Aberdeen, was filmed on stage with actor Gianni Capaldi as well as ex-Hoops midfielders Alan Thompson and Bobby Petta as fans chanted the song. Pictured: Compston recently played in Soccer Aid in aid of the UN children's charity UNICEF'If it was an IRA song and I was bobbing onstage bobbing along I would understand the story, but I'm pretty sure Daniel Boone had nothing more than Beautiful Sundays in mind when he wrote that song and that's what I was singing.' Why would Celtic fans sing about the IRA? Glasgow-basic Celtic have a historic association with the people of Ireland and Scots of Irish descent, both of whom are mainly Roman Catholic.They were formed by an Irish Catholic, Brother Walfrid, in 1887.Meanwhile, fans of their city rivals, Rangers, Scottish or Northern Irish Protestant backgrounds and support Unionism in Ireland.And this has led to sectarian violence between the two clubs. Some supporters also use songs, chants and banners at matches to abuse or show support for the Protestant or Catholic religions and proclaim support for paramilitary groups such as the IRA and UVF.Celtic have previously been fined by UEFA over pro-IRA songs, following an investigation in 2011.Last year, Glasgow MSP James Dornan urged Celtic supporters to stop singing 'chants of hate' towards Kris Boyd after he was targeted with sectarian abuse.In a later statement, released to the Scottish Sun, Compston said: 'To be absolutely clear, I 100 per cent did not sing any IRA lyrics. 'You will see from the footage, I actually pulled up and told others to stop when the words were being changed.'I've spent the last 5 years or my life working in Belfast and I've seen how people's lives have been affected by sectarianism. I don't take that lightly.'If people want to change lyrics to a famous song I cannot police them, despite my best efforts.'I was simply singing along to Daniel Boones' Beautiful Sunday which is played at Celtic Park after every Sunday game.'Compston, grew in Greenock, west Scotland and played youth football for Aberdeen.After leaving school pursued a short-lived football career with his local side, before moving into acting.Despite having no acting experience, Compston, described as a life-long Celtic fan, landed a role in Ken Roach's film Sweet Sixteen, which became a cult classic.He also starred in BBC's Monarch of the Glen, before landing the part of DI Steve Arnott in smash hit series Line of Duty - which wrapped up last year after six seasons.Alongside football, Compston has been vocal about his politics, and is a support of the Scottish National Party - and publicly supported Scottish independence. In a video message released last year ahead of the Scottish elections, he told voters: 'Scotland's future is in your hands. Don't leave it to chance. 'The only way to make sure we re-elect Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister is to make it #BothVotesSNP. Make sure you and all your pals get out to vote.' Inside Martin Compston's $420,000 Las Vegas Mansion: The Line Of Duty star (L) gives fans a glimpse into his stunning home where he enjoys beers by the outdoor pool with his bikini-clad wife Tianna (R) Stunning: The Line Of Duty star bought the sprawling four-bed mansion in Nevada in 2019 for £300,000, after he relocated to the United States in 2019 with his wife Wow: Martin and Tianna were keen to buy a house with a pool, and they lucked out with their mansion as it boasts a spa, and even a solar-heated swimming pool Gorgeous: Inside, their home is incredibly spacious with their entryway sure to be a welcome site to guests with its bright open-plan design and spiral staircaseRelocation: Martin lives in Las Vegas because his wife Tianna is from there, and he recently said it makes sense, when he travels for work, for her to be near her family, especially after welcoming their first child last year He currently lives in Las Vegas. He bought a sprawling four-bed mansion in Nevada in 2019 for $420,000 (£300,000), after he relocated to the United States in 2019 with his American wife, their baby boy, and their pet pitbull King Compston and his wife married in 2016 at Mar Hall, Renfrewshire. Their son was born in 2020. Compston is reported to have moved to Las Vegas as Tianna is from the city, and they now live two streets away from her mother.Last week Compston was back in the UK as he played alongside the likes of alongside the likes of Usain Bolt, Patrice Evra, and Brazilian legend Cafu for World XI in Soccer Aid - against England XI. The event was raising money for UNICEF - the UN's agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide.
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Post Malone is part of Electric Feel Entertainment's stable of stars. Getty Images Austin Rosen has spent the past decade investing in chart-topping musicians. Now, he’s turning his attention to startups. Rosen, 34, is the founder and CEO of Electric Feel Entertainment, one of the music industry’s premier hit factories. Electric Feel’s stable of songwriters has churned out 19 number-ones over the past five years, working on tracks for the likes of Justin Bieber, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X and SZA. The company also co-manages mega-star Post Malone and other performers. At least one song from Electric Feel’s writers, producers and artists has landed in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 for 89 consecutive weeks, and in 2021, Variety named Rosen its music manager of the year. Austin Rosen Electric Feel It’s been a rapid rise since Rosen founded Electric Feel in 2013, one fueled by a keen eye for talent and a knack for fostering collaboration. “I created a whole roster of producers and writers from the beginnings of their careers and helped put them with the right people to make massive songs,” Rosen says. With Electric Feel Ventures—a new early-stage investment firm born amid the pandemic that has already done 50 deals and is currently investing out of a $30 million debut fund—he’s seeing if a similar strategy will work in venture capital. “The process of making music and making hit songs consistently, it’s really just about connecting the dots and putting the right talents together,” he says. “I feel like it’s a lot of the same thing when you’re dealing in venture.” Rosen is no stranger to investing: He’s the son of Andrew Rosen, a longtime fashion executive known for founding and running the Theory brand and serving as an impresario for up-and-coming designers and apparel companies, helping fund the rise of labels such as Alice + Olivia and Rag & Bone. The trade publication Women’s Wear Daily once described him as “a sort of Medici of fashion.” With capital from his early successes in music and guidance from his father, the younger Rosen began investing in apparel and entertainment companies a few years ago. He was an early backer of 300 Entertainment, the music label that’s home to Megan Thee Stallion and Young Thug, which sold to Warner Music Group late last year for a reported $400 million. It was also last year that he decided to formalize his investing activities under the Electric Feel Ventures umbrella—in part, he says, to meet the demand of artists who wanted access to Rosen’s deal flow. “I would start to do these deals, and all my clients and all these other people were wanting to be in them,” he says. “I wanted to create some structure around it.” Some of Rosen’s celebrity clients leverage their star power to bring more than mere capital to the table for EFV’s portfolio companies. 24kGoldn, the 21-year-old rapper best known for the chart-topping song “Mood,” invested alongside EFV in a skincare startup called Starface. He also collaborated with Starface to serve as the public face of a major marketing campaign. Tom Brady joined EFV in backing a low-carb bread startup called Hero Bread. Brady is also a spokesman for Subway; last year, he starred in an ad announcing Subway would start selling Hero Bread products in select stores.
EFV also takes a collaborative approach when it comes to finding investments. “A lot of top-tier funds send us deals,” Rosen says, citing Andreesen Horowitz, Maveron and Cavu Ventures as examples. Rosen’s place at the nexus of music-industry cool makes him an appealing partner for investors always on the lookout for the next big thing. “They look at us as a strategic entertainment partner and value-add.”
In making music, Rosen tries to bring together people with complementary skills that might be able to create a whole that’s larger than the sum of its parts. It’s the same in building a business—just with founders, influencers and investors instead of writers, producers and performers.
“You’re finding people early, you’re investing in their talents, their skills, and just connecting them with other great people and helping them solves problems,” Rosen says. EFV frequently invests in the entertainment and consumer sectors, with other portfolio companies including Superplastic, a startup trying to turn its cartoon creations into influencers, and Actual Veggies, a maker of plant-based burgers. Superplastic’s other backers include Founders Fund, Index Ventures, Justin Timberlake and music executive Scooter Braun, serving as an example of the sort of investor cross-section that EFV tries to find. The firm is in the process of raising its second institutional fund from a network of entertainment executives, clients, family offices and other LPs—all of whom are betting that, for Rosen, finding future unicorns and identifying a musical earworm might not be so different.
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Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBERLIN, June 16 (Reuters) - Volkswagen's (VOWG_p.DE) Audi has filed a lawsuit in a Munich court against Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio (9866.HK) over an alleged infringement of Audi's trademark rights, German newspaper Handelsblatt reported on Thursday.According to Audi, Nio's decision to name two of its models ES6 and ES8 infringes Audi's trademark for its own model designations S6 and S8, Handelsblatt reported.A Nio spokesperson declined to comment.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comA spokesperson for Audi was not immediately available for comment to Reuters.Nio, a premium brand which so far has made most of its sales in China, entered the Norwegian market in May last year and plans to launch in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark before the end of the year.The company started sales in Norway with the ES8 model but has said it plans to launch in Germany with the ET7 electric sedan.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Victoria Waldersee
Editing by Madeline ChambersOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Recreational Vehicles (RV) for sale are pictured at a dealership in Dover, Florida, U.S., June 20, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comNEW YORK, June 16 (Reuters) - Recreational vehicle renters in the U.S. are planning trips closer to home or having fuel-gulping motor homes delivered to their final destination in an effort to cut down on fuel costs as travel remains a top priority even during record inflation.At the height of the pandemic, recreational vehicle, or RV, vacations exploded in popularity for Americans eager for the great outdoors and socially distant experiences. But this summer, with diesel and gasoline prices at record levels, some RV travelers are changing their itineraries to try to save money.Some travelers opting to spend their summer on the road are now ditching long-haul trips for those that typically span around 100 to 150 miles (160 to 240 km).Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"We're seeing cancellations from people coming further away, but then those reservations are filling up with people that might be more in the region or local," said Toby O'Rourke, chief executive of Kampgrounds of America (KOA), a franchise brand of campgrounds across the country.Online RV rental site RVshare said about 58% of its renters factored fuel prices into their plans this summer, while around 16% of travelers said increased gas prices have hindered or halted their plans, according to its travel sentiment survey.So the company is now offering fuel rebates totaling $500,000 to customers to help ease their worries about pump prices.MORE DOLLARS, FEWER MILESThe Smith family started living in their RV full-time during the pandemic, and planned this year to drive from Florida to Maine, and then journey to California. But, with gas prices rising now, the Smiths are reconsidering their trip west."When we first planned it at our mileage per gallon, we figured it out to be about $1 for every three miles. We (now) envision the dollar bills just flying out the window," said Michelle Smith.In addition to motor homes that travel under their own power, RVs include trailers towed by a pickup truck or a car. Some are fueled by gasoline, some by diesel.The largest motorized RVs have a fuel tank that can hold up to 100 gallons (380 litres) but smaller models are plentiful. An average-size Class C motor-home tank holds about 25 gallons (95 litres) and would cost more than $140 to fill up with diesel at today's average price.Still, "the total gas used in a recreational vehicle trip is less than one airline ticket. On the aggregate, an RV trip is cheaper than a hotel vacation," said Jennifer Young, chief brand officer for Outdoorsy, an RV rental marketplace.RV renter and seller Cruise America's global marketing executive, Randall Smalley, said that during previous fuel price booms people still rented RVs - but shortened their itineraries.Some RV vacationers are skipping the driving altogether."People are getting the RV delivered to their destination rather than driving themselves, which definitely curbs gas price cost. We're seeing about a third of our bookings are delivered, which is a huge jump from previous years," said RVshare communications director Maddi Bourgerie.Austin, Texas-based Outdoorsy said that, so far, about 28% of their customers requested their rental be delivered to their campsite this summer, compared with about 24% last summer.During the pandemic, RV vacations grew in popularity among younger, more diverse demographics.In 2021, about 2.6 million more households in North America owned an RV than the year before, and the RV rental market added over 2 million new renters, according to Kampgrounds of America's 2022 camping report.If gas prices continue to rise, 25% of RV owners said they’d plan to use their RV less often. Eight out of 10 campers have already made some kind of adjustments to their travel plans due to increased gas prices, according to KOA's June monthly research report.However, not all RV vacationers are cutting back.Last summer, the McCune family traveled north by RV for 12 weeks from Florida to Virginia Beach, Virginia, and plan to drive this summer for another 12 weeks toward Maine.Outside Liberty Harbor RV Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from New York City, LoyAnn McCune said, "We already booked out our campgrounds for the summer, so we wouldn't change our plans just because of the diesel prices."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Doyinsola Oladipo; Editing by Anna Driver and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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The Toyota logo is seen at its booth during a media day for the Auto Shanghai show in Shanghai, China April 19, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 16 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) said on Thursday it plans an additional domestic factory line production suspension in June and July due to semiconductor shortages and a COVID-19 outbreak at one of its suppliers.Thursday's announcement is the third time the world's largest automaker by sales has adjusted its June production plans, which are down about 12% from its original plan.It now said it would produce 750,000 vehicles worldwide for the month. It did not disclose how many vehicles it aims to produce for July.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comIt did not change its global production target of roughly 9.7 million vehicles for this year.Toyota previously cited parts shortages caused by COVID-19 lockdowns in China and a shortage of semiconductors as reasons for its production changes.This time, it cited staffing disruptions at a supplier due to an outbreak of COVID-19 and a production equipment defect at another supplier.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Maria Ponnezhath in Bengaluru; editing by Aditya Soni and Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Volkswagen and its Porsche unit have agreed to a class-action settlement worth at least $80 million to resolve claims it skewed emissions and fuel economy data on 500,000 Porsche vehicles. The settlement, which must now be approved by a federal judge, covers models of Porsche vehicles between 2005 and 2020, and eligible owners will receive payments ranging from $250 to $1,109 per vehicle, according to court documents. Porsche says it has "not acknowledged the allegations in these proceedings" and that the agreement "serves to end the issue," according to Reuters. Owners of Porsche vehicles had accused the automaker of physically altering test vehicles that affected emissions and fuel economy results. The problem was discovered through an internal review process, and Porsche is confident it won't happen again, a spokesperson for the company told the Washington Examiner. SHIFTING GEARS: FORD RECALLS 2.9 MILLION CARS OVER DEFECT Volkswagen will also pay $250 to owners of Porsche vehicles with the "Sport+" driving mode, which exceeded emissions limits when enacted. Volkswagen disclosed in 2015 that it had used sophisticated software to evade emissions requirements in almost 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide. The automaker pleaded guilty two years later to fraud, obstruction of justice, and falsifying statements. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The automaker altered hardware and manipulated the software of testing vehicles to emit fewer pollutants and be more fuel-efficient than the vehicles being sold or leased to consumers, lawyers for Porsche owners said. Vehicle testing showed fuel economy may have been 1-2 mpg lower than listed on vehicle labels, according to settlement documents. The payments will go out once the owners complete emissions-compliant repair software updates that will lead to reductions.
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BY Meghan MalasJune 14, 2022, 1:48 PMCourtesy Mohamed AbdelsadekData science is a profoundly interdisciplinary field, which makes it difficult to define precisely. It’s a profession that entails more than just coding—the daily tasks and responsibilities of a data scientist can vary drastically as can the use of data, depending on the company.By 2025, it’s estimated that 463 exabytes of data will be created each day globally, according to Raconteur. More data provides opportunities for improving business strategy—but the more data available, the more personnel are needed to manage, analyze, and create solutions from it. That expanding need for data scientists is something Mohamed Abdelsadek knows quite well. He oversees data science efforts at Mastercard as the executive vice president of insights and analytics in the company’s data and services division—which, along with cyber and intelligence services, generated 35% of Mastercard’s net revenue in 2021. Mastercard’s data and services unit utilizes the data the credit card company collects to provide business tools and solutions to customers. These services were once directly tied to the company’s core business: its card products. However, the company began seeking ways to help customers effectively use all of the the information and technology Mastercard could provide. “Over time, we’ve invested a lot in making sure our data can be used and consumed, so that we could provide additional value,” Abdelsadek says. “As we did more and more of these solutions, we started to evolve increasingly outside of the core business to be able to offer solutions more broadly.” The data and services team at Mastercard now provides solutions not only to banks and retailers, but also to small businesses and governments. Today, data science is widely applied at the company as data scientists work on product development, analysis, and customer support—ultimately turning data into actions. The team is now supported by more than 2,000 data scientists, engineers, and consultants who come to the company with degrees in fields like data science, business analytics, information systems, mathematics, statistics, and engineering. Abdelsadek holds a master’s degree in computer science from Columbia University and an MBA degree from Wharton. To find out more about what a day in the life of a data scientist looks like at Mastercard, Fortune spoke with Abdelsadek and other data scientists at the company.The short answer: every day is differentIt makes sense that a multi-faceted occupation entails a variety of responsibilities every day, but some tasks and schedule items are constants for Abdelsadek.“If every day was the same, I’d be pretty bored,” Abdelsadek says. “My time is spent between customers, our partners, and our teams and employees.” Aspects of his routine remain the same though, and he finds it important to rely on some consistency to provide structure for the varied items on his to-do list. Every day, Abdelsadek wakes up between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m. and heads to the gym before work. Before he even turns on his computer, he writes down everything he wishes to accomplish for the day on a blank sheet of paper.“I find that if I don’t do that, I just end up getting consumed with emails and everything that comes at me during the day and I end up not doing the things that I think are really important,” Abdelsadek says. Here are some of the items that are written on that day-determining piece of paper:1. Meeting with customers: Abdelsadek typically has at least one meeting each day with a customer discussing requests and current product offerings.2. Developing new product ideas: Abdelsadek communicates with several different Mastercard teams about new ways to utilize data and what product developments that are on the horizon. 3. Mentoring others: Time is set aside for one phone call every day with a junior Mastercard employee to discuss ideas and career-related topics. 4. Meeting with industry experts: As an example, Abdelsadek meets with Bricklin Dwyer, chief economist and head of the Mastercard Economics Institute, to look at trends that are impacting partner companies, as well as Mastercard’s own business. 5. Determining key priorities for the business: A lot of Abdelsadek’s time is spent ensuring that the company continues to think about what third-party information—in addition to its own information—can help complement and make Mastercard’s services more powerful. One way he does this is by routinely working with JoAnn Stonier, Mastercard’s chief data officer, to improve the company’s data infrastructure and analytical environment.Day-to-day tasks are conducive to the interdisciplinary nature of data scienceAt Mastercard, data scientists have to balance the now with the new—meaning, they need to ensure the effectiveness of their current tools while preparing new tools for problems and topics they have not yet tackled. “We have over 2,000 consultants, data engineers, and data scientists who get deployed to help customers on a variety of different questions,” Abdelsadek says. “For some of these products, we’re working with customers for years at a time on a variety of different problems.”As Mastercard continues to expand community-driven partnerships, the company is focused on growing its data science team to keep up with additional projects. In February, the data and services team announced plans to add more than 500 college graduates and young professionals. The day-to-day tasks reflect an interdisciplinary nature of data science, according to Fuyuan Xiao, a data scientist and a director of product management at Mastercard. While new solutions are always on the docket, Mastercard data scientists tend to rely on a consistent system to work through new areas of development.“Data science’s nature is to use techniques drawn from many fields including statistics, mathematics, computer science, and information science to develop algorithms that can extract insights from data,” Xiao says. “When we apply data science to solve industrial problems, domain knowledge is also required.”Xiao’s day-to-day workflow is a cycle of four steps. First, he defines business goals by considering the clients’ needs and consulting experts. Second, a statistical model is designed, determining the best type of algorithm to address the business problem. Third, Xiao and his team train and validate the model with massive amounts of data. “Model training and validation will happen in a recursive manner—so it’s important to use the proper programming tools and systems,” Xiao says. Finally, the team applies what they’ve learned to solve the determined business problem and help their client meet their the goals. Communication and collaboration are a daily part of being a data scientist“Many data scientists in the field know it’s not enough to be very good at coding, or interpreting data, or creating automated data pipelines, or machine learning, or speaking,” says Joel Alcedo, a data scientist and vice president of applied economics at the Mastercard Economics Institute. “The most successful data scientists I have seen are equally good at all of it—kind-of like a Swiss army knife with various tools they can apply at any given time.”Data scientists don’t merely handle technical issues and provide code for products; they frequently interface with internal and external stakeholders. Any data science-related solution involves collaboration across several departments—including client services, product development, business development and account management, and more, says Vishal Arora, a data scientist and senior managing consultant for Mastercard Advisors’ client services team. So while the daily routine of a data scientist varies drastically, essentially every day includes a mix of technical tasks, analysis, and communication.“Effective data scientists also know how and where there are gaps in their team’s workflow and work with the right stakeholders to improve the team’s efficiency,” Alcedo says. “They also know where big gaps in their own skills are that they can learn from and lean on others for support.”
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Whatever happens on Saturday, Ellis Genge will leave Leicester with his promise intact. It was during the club’s steep decline, in which the once dynastic force finished 11th in the Premiership in 2018 and 2019, that the combative England prop vowed to remain in the east Midlands until a corner had been turned.“I made a pact a long time ago that I’d never leave Tigers if they were in a dark hole,” Genge says as he prepares for the Premiership final against Saracens. “I had all sorts of offers to go elsewhere when we were bottom of the pile. I said I wanted to stick it out to see brighter days. So I can hopefully leave with my head held high.”In December Genge announced he would be returning to Bristol, his hometown club where he started his professional career in the British and Irish Cup in 2013, scoring a try as an 18-year-old in a 62-7 win against Scottish side Gala. He joined Leicester in 2016, as much a result of off-field issues as for rugby reasons, having been arrested in Belfast the year before after a match against Ulster. “I am probably better off away from [Bristol],” he told the Express in 2017.A working-class kid from a council estate, Genge was always going to stand out in a sport that is still out of step with the rest of the UK, and he did so at an organisation still assured of its grand standing in the game. In 2013 Leicester secured their fourth Premiership title in seven years, having reached every final between 2005 and 2013. But as Saracens became the new powerhouse on the scene, the Tigers struggled to keep pace.“In the past, especially when I was here last time, it was very much: ‘Right, we’ve got a good pack, let’s try and kick the shit out of them and see what happens next,’” says the fly-half Freddie Burns, who rejoined Leicester this season having spent three years with the club between 2014 and 2017.This one-dimensional approach yielded expected results. In 2016 and 2017 Leicester finished fourth in the league. In 2018 they failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons. The 2018-19 campaign kicked off with a 40-6 defeat at Exeter and included a run of eight consecutive defeats. “It’s horrible, it’s not nice to be a part of,” Genge says of that torrid run. “It was probably easier to lose than it was to win. I thought we were going to get relegated. I definitely had [that] feeling.”Were it not for the salary-cap scandal at Saracens, Leicester would have been demoted a year later. They won just six of their 22 matches and ended the 2019-20 season with 29 points, their worst ever tally.Ellis Genge applauds the Leicester fans after his last game for the club at their Welford Road home. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty ImagesSteve Borthwick arrived and immediately set a higher standard for his players. He placed his faith in youngsters and promoted from the triumphant under-18s team that won consecutive academy league titles, developing the talents of Freddie Steward, Jack van Poortvliet and George Martin.Borthwick has also encouraged his players to kick more and they have gone on to average more kicks per game (34.8) and made more metres from kicks per game (1,091) than any other team in the league. But perhaps his masterstroke was handing the captaincy to a player many had written off as unruly: Genge.Lewis Moody, who represented Leicester 223 times during their golden age, has likened Genge’s leadership to that of the club’s most famous skipper, Martin Johnson. And though the 27‑year‑old’s reign began with a record 54-7 defeat at Wasps in September 2020, he has proved a catalyst for change, inspiring through example, scrumming and rucking and rampaging from the front foot. Now that he’s on the verge of saying goodbye, how does he want to be remembered? “As someone who was always himself,” Genge says after a prolonged pause. “And to my teammates, as someone who would do anything for them.”He has yet to pack his bags for the move back home, a change Genge insists has always been motivated by a desire to be closer to his family. “Knowing that there are things going on down there and I’m up here, I know it’s not a million miles away, I just want to be accessible. I’m at peace with it.”The Breakdown: sign up and get our weekly rugby union email.Genge expects an attritional final in what he describes as “the biggest game of my career”. Both teams, he explains, play a similar brand of rugby, one focused on eking out territorial gains from the boot and outmuscling their fellow heavies on the pitch. “It’s probably going to be a battle of the kick-chasers,” he says. “They sort of invented that, didn’t they? All those years ago when they started dominating. That’s high-pressure rugby. For us it’s just about executing as well as we can and for them it will be the same.”There are redemptive threads within reach for both clubs. For Saracens, victory would underline their credentials after an ignominious year in the Championship. For Leicester, an 11th Premiership crown would consign two woeful seasons to the margins of their fabled history.As much as he would love to lift that title, Genge doesn’t need to prove anything this weekend. He has already delivered on his promise.
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Vince McMahon has made WWE into a global sports entertainment empire WWE chairman Vince McMahon is reportedly under investigation by the company’s board for an alleged secret $3 million payment to a former employee he supposedly had an affair with. The 12-member board, which also includes McMahon’s daughter, Stephanie McMahon, and son-in-law Paul Levesque (better known as Triple H), learned of the alleged settlement agreement from anonymous emails from someone who claimed to be a friend of the woman, who was a paralegal at WWE, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. Austin Theory takes a selfie with WWE owner Vince McMahon during WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium April 3, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports / Reuters Photos)An email was reportedly sent to the board March 30 and claimed the woman’s salary was increased after McMahon began a "sexual relationship with her" and then McMahon "gave her like a toy" to the head of talent relations, John Laurinaitis. According to the Wall Street Journal, a separation agreement was reached that bars the former employee from discussing the relationship or disparaging McMahon. The woman was first hired in 2019.WWE'S NAOMI BREAKS SOCIAL MEDIA SILENCE WITH CRYPTIC VIDEO AFTER SUSPENSION WWE owner Vince McMahon enters the arena during WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium April 3, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports / Reuters Photos)The board’s investigation into the issue began in April, when other nondisclosure agreements over misconduct claims from former workers against McMahon and Laurinaitis were revealed, according to the report. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXBUSINESS.COMThe New York-based law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP has reportedly been retained to investigate the claims and assess the company’s culture.A WWE spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal it is fully cooperating with the board’s investigation and maintained the relationship between McMahon and the paralegal was consensual. A letter to the paper from McMahon’s lawyer, Jerry McDevitt, said the woman hadn’t made any claims of harassment against McMahon, and the company "did not pay any monies" to the woman "on her departure."Ticker Security Last Change Change % WWE WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT INC. 65.98 -1.21 -1.80% WWE owner Vince McMahon during WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium April 3, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports / Reuters Photos)GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREMcMahon bought the company, then called the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), from his father in 1982 and helped build it into what it is today.
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The Fire’s exit from WGN isn’t as disappointing as that of the other teams in town, which had decadeslong relationships with the station. But it’s further evidence of the evolving sports-media landscape. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] WGN TV will be without a team next year when MLS puts all of its games on Apple TV. The Fire are in their third season on WGN, which lost the Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox after their 2019 seasons. The station was able to stay in local sports broadcasting when it began simulcasting Fire games on ESPN+. But the league announced a 10-year deal with Apple this week, becoming the first to go all-in with a streaming service. Any game picked up by a national TV network, such as ESPN or Fox, would be simulcast. Some games will be available for free on Apple TV, but most will be for subscribers to Apple TV+. There will be no blackouts.The Fire’s exit from WGN isn’t as disappointing as that of the other teams in town, which had decadeslong relationships with the station. But it’s further evidence of the evolving sports-media landscape. The soccer club was upfront with the station about its potential departure, and the league essentially decided to cut the cord. More information, such as pricing, programming and broadcast teams, is forthcoming.Here’s hoping Fire play-by-play voice Tyler Terens and analyst Tony Meola remain on the call. Terens is a terrific broadcaster. He has a great voice and strong presence, he commands the broadcast and he knows the game. Meola, a National Soccer Hall of Famer, provides knowledge and levity. Remote patrolSox fans won’t have a local broadcast available for two of the three games this weekend in Houston. The game Friday night will air on Apple TV with Melanie Newman, Hannah Keyser, Chris Young and Brooke Fletcher on the call. The game Sunday night is on ESPN with Karl Ravech, David Cone, Eduardo Perez and Buster Olney. ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” will feature Bob Guerrero, a longtime wrestling coach in the western suburbs. The show, which will air at 8 a.m. Saturday, tells the story of Guerrero’s miraculous recovery from COVID-19. The Cup comes with a $500,000 prize pool Rory McIlroy one stroke back, Phil Mickelson way back after carding a 78 By Doug Ferguson | AP [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] A smart, concerted effort, as envisioned by Planning Commissioner Maurice Cox, finally seems to be taking shape nine years after former Mayor Rahm Emanuel closed 50 schools at once. The Trump rally is June 25 at the Adams County Fairgrounds near Quincy. By Lynn Sweet [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] Trump’s pressure campaign on Pence, who will travel to Chicago on Monday to deliver a major speech on the economy at the University Club of Chicago, was the focus of the Jan. 6 committee’s third hearing Thursday. By Lynn Sweet [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]
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The Will County Board approved its five-year transportation improvement plan Thursday including more than $568.6 million in improvement projects from fiscal year 2023 to 2028.The plan includes several projects across the south and southwest suburbs designed to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion and accidents, said transportation director Jeff Ronaldson. It includes more than 20 miles of improved highways and reconstruction of more than 30 intersections.The plan is updated yearly to provide residents with an overview of the construction projects the county plans and serves as a planning tool for future improvement and maintenance, Ronaldson said.The county expects continued residential, commercial, distribution and industrial growth and projects the population will top 1.2 million people and an additional 235,000 jobs, creating more congestion on the county’s highway system, according to the Will Connects 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan.Funding comes from federal, state and local sources. The county anticipates about $572 million of revenue over the five years.On Feb. 1, 2020, the county began to collect a 4-cent per gallon motor fuel tax to pay for road maintenance.Board member Joe VanDuyne said the 4-cent tax can generate about $19 million in revenue per year, and it is estimated about 65% of traffic that comes through the county originated from outside Will County. These drivers will refuel at stations within the county to reduce the burden of road maintenance from residents, he said.With an increase in the number of warehouses being built and the number of semi trucks traveling the roads, as well as the state’s decision to increase the weight limit on trucks, it is important to be proactive with road maintenance, VanDuyne said. He said it is more cost effective to resurface the roads before rebuilding.“We can’t stop trucks, but our job as a county is to make our roads as safe and most efficient as possible,” he said.Some of the corridor improvement projects include Bell Road in Homer Glen from 159th to 131st streets and 143rd Street in Homer Glen from State Street to Bell Road. The intersection of Bell Road and 143rd Street will also be improved likely in 2023 or 2024, Ronaldson said.The traffic volume through Homer Glen has increased over the last 10 years and the 143rd Street and Bell Road intersection improvements should help reduce accidents, Ronaldson said.Utility relocation is ongoing on Bell Road from 159th to 151st streets and construction on this segment could start as early as fall, Ronaldson said. This project ties into the Illinois Department of Transportation’s 159th Street widening project so the road will have two lanes in each direction, traffic signals at Meadow View Lane and a noise wall on the west side of the street from Meadow View Lane to Woodland Drive.Construction on 143rd Street from State Street to Bell Road in Homer Glen project is expected to begin in 2024 and include two lanes in each direction and a new traffic signal to be installed at Crème Road.Daily SouthtownTwice-weeklyNews updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and WednesdayIn the Tinley Park and Mokena area, the county is planning to reconstruct 80th Avenue between 191st and 183rd streets to create a four-lane divided roadway with intersection improvements and a new bridge over Interstate 80. County officials said 80th Avenue has seen a substantial increase in traffic as development south of I-80 has increased.Utility relocation is ongoing and construction could start as early as fall, Ronaldson said.Work along an eight-mile stretch of Laraway Road in the New Lenox and Frankfort area from US Route 52 to US Route 45 is expected over the next five years to accommodate an increase in traffic and improve safety, Ronaldson said.Laraway Road is a major east-west connector within the county and its improvements have been split into separate projects that include additional through lanes and traffic signals and intersection improvements.Also, the eastern Will County area is under a study to determine the best location and improvements needed for an east-west truck route. This is coming out of a grassroots effort by the eastern Will County communities to provide better information for truck traffic, county officials said.Ronaldson said it is possible that increasing costs of materials or supply chain disruptions could delay projects to the next fiscal year. He said the county has made conservative estimates on the costs of each of its projects.Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter.
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Three June days exploring the roads around Rome in a rented Fiat 500: $276. An SUV for a long weekend in July in Orlando: $455. A week in August touring the Algarve in a family-friendly automatic: $845. But costs aren’t the only problem—there simply aren’t any cars to rent in some destinations.What happened? The pandemic, the chip shortage, and the war in Ukraine, for starters. But this isn’t just a short-term shock; the car rental market could be changed forever. That’s likely to mean permanently higher prices, an influx of electric cars, and the appearance of Chinese brands—and perhaps even the rise of peer-to-peer car sharing as a mainstream alternative, if enough people are willing to share their cars with strangers.Things started to break down in early 2020, when lockdowns around the world resulted in the car rental market falling off a cliff. Almost two-thirds of Avis-Budget’s rental business at airports vanished, with revenues company-wide sliding 41 percent year-on-year in 2020. At Europcar, 2020 revenue was down 42 percent, and Hertz's revenue fell 46 percent before it filed for bankruptcy—though it has since restructured and recovered.In response to the mayhem, rental companies sold off their cars. In the UK, fleets were slashed by 30 percent, according to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), a car rental membership organization. In 2019, Hertz had 700,000 vehicles globally. In the first quarter of 2022, that collapsed to 481,000, according to a company spokesperson. Europcar’s fleet size numbered 293,000 vehicles in the first quarter of 2020 but plunged to 187,200 in 2021.That move made sense as the industry’s two key markets, businesses and vacation travelers, were stuck at home, explains Yusuf Allinson, an analyst at market research firm IBISWorld. “There’s no point holding onto depreciating assets that were not generating money,” he says.But as lockdowns eased and travel recovered, car rental companies couldn’t restock, thanks to a chip shortage that stalled manufacturing, a problem exacerbated by complex supply chains that rely on parts made or assembled in Ukraine. The ensuing shortage of cars in rental lots more than doubled prices. Over Easter, car rental costs were up by an average of 135 percent across Portugal, Cyprus, Spain, Greece, Italy, and France versus 2019 levels, according to consumer organization Which. “You’re buying the car for more, you’re fueling it for more, there’s more demand—it’s very logical for prices to increase,” Allinson says.And there’s not much you can do about it. But if you want to avoid eye-watering rental quotes, or finding out you can’t get a car for your family holiday, then it’s best to book ahead. Way ahead. Anyone making last-minute plans may not find that advice particularly useful, but there is another option: car-sharing platforms that let people rent out their vehicles. Services such as Turo and Getaround, or UK-based HiyaCar, could fill the gap in corporate rental fleets and help out car owners hit by high fuel costs. HiyaCar has reported 220 percent growth in rental bookings year-on-year, while earnings for car owners on Turo increased tenfold.Peer-to-peer car-sharing platforms are—cliché though it is—exactly like Airbnb for cars. But, unlike Airbnb, which is currently valued at $78.8 billion, car sharing has yet to take off—despite cars sitting idle 96 percent of the time. But now, with old-fashioned rentals expensive and hard to get hold of, car sharing might finally have its moment.Xavier Collins, vice president of Turo, says that convenience is another benefit of going peer-to-peer, with many people able to find a car a short walk away rather than at a rental lot on the edge of town. That convenience is fine if you’re already in a city, but what about people flying in for a holiday? HiyaCar currently focuses on local renters rather than tourists, saying support for vacationers will hopefully be added this year, but the other two companies do target fliers. Getaround is working to get parking spots for its cars at transport hubs; in France, for example, it has dedicated spots near railway stations.Turo takes it a step further. Cars are delivered directly to the arrivals zone at airports, with the owner either meeting renters with the keys or leaving the vehicle in airport parking, where it’s unlocked via the app.Apps like Turo, Getaround, and HiyaCar have the same benefit as Airbnb and other so-called sharing-economy platforms: They don’t own anything. “The cars on the platforms don’t belong to the company,” says Even Heggernes, a vice president at Getaround Europe. “The shortage of cars occurring everywhere is not something that really affects us.”But that doesn’t mean these platforms have enough vehicles—in the UK, HiyaCar has 2,000 cars for its 150,000 registered users. Turo has 3,000 in the UK, while in the US, Getaround has 271,000. Sharing platforms rely on individuals letting strangers drive off in their car, which requires trust as well as effort to keep vehicles clean, full of petrol, and otherwise ready for renters. It’s a challenging ask, though Heggernes, whose job focuses on encouraging drivers to sign up—says supply has increased due to the cost-of-living crisis, with people seeking ways to make extra cash.HiyaCar has one solution to the continued lack of supply: Top up the system with its own vehicles. With 150,000 registered users, HiyaCar has just 2,000 cars, of which 350 are part of its car club system. They aren’t owned by HiyaCar, but by carmakers, who are guaranteed a minimum income, and the aim is to fill in cars where there isn’t yet enough supply, what the company calls the “cold-start problem.”“We have lots of demand but not enough cars,” says Rob Lamour, cofounder of HiyaCar. “You can’t just launch in an area and suddenly have loads of cars for people to hire; it takes time for it to build up.” Car clubs are also set up in areas without enough vehicles in general, such as central London, where public transport might reduce car ownership but demand for ad hoc rentals remains high.But traditional car rental companies aren’t sitting back and letting upstarts disrupt their market. Even before the pandemic, rental firms were lobbying for tighter regulation of the peer-to-peer market, demanding tighter vehicle checks and restrictions on drop-off zones in airports.Post-pandemic, they’re racing to boost their fleets in a few different ways. “Currently, our global fleet is almost back to pre-crisis levels,” says Tim Vetters, managing director of Sixt UK. But as buying cars remains difficult, the company is also buying from a wider range of manufacturers and keeping cars in its fleet for longer.Hertz’s latest annual report shows the average holding period for a vehicle hit historical highs of 25 months in the Americas and 20 months for the rest of the world, versus 18 months for the Americas and 12 internationally in 2019. Europcar’s latest quarterly results show that the company is turning to Asian car makers and electric vehicles to fill gaps in its fleet.Those tactics are working—but slowly. Europcar’s pre-pandemic fleet of 293,000 vehicles, which fell to 187,200 during 2020, has since rebounded to 243,700. That’s echoed by Avis-Budget, which had a fleet of 660,000 vehicles at the end of 2019; it fell to 533,000 the following year, and rose to 590,000 by the fourth quarter of 2021. Profits are recovering too, though US politicians have expressed concern of possible predatory pricing behavior, with Hertz posting a record quarterly profit after its bankruptcy restructuring.Even without apps and peer-to-peer disruption, the car shortage could mean a lasting shake-up in the rental market—and that means prices are likely to stay high. One reason: The car rental industry was previously able to keep prices down in part because automakers produced too many vehicles, says Toby Poston, director of corporate affairs at BVRLA. Rental companies would either buy excess vehicles in bulk at a discount, selling them off after their rental career ended, or set up buyback schemes with manufacturers, cutting a deal to use a car for a short time before returning it.Both setups favored car rental companies, but the recent shortages mean manufacturers now have the upper hand and no longer have to sell vehicles at a loss. Paired with fuel price inflation, that means car prices will stay high and renting will remain expensive.Whether that gives peer-to-peer car-sharing firms a chance to disrupt the market remains to be seen. But, if they do, they likely won’t just hit revenues at Avis-Budget and Hertz—they could change the whole business of owning a car. While there aren’t enough new cars being made, there isn’t actually a car shortage—we have more than we need parked, underused. In the UK, there are 40 million vehicles on the road; in the US there are 276 million. Rental company fleets are down by hundreds of thousands of vehicles—a difference that could be made up from cars sitting idle on roadsides and in driveways.
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Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - May 7, 2022 Chelsea new owner Todd Boehly reacts REUTERS/Tony Obrien Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 17 (Reuters) - UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules are starting to get some teeth and clubs will no longer be able to sign players "at any price" due to the risks of sanctions, said Chelsea's new owner Todd Boehly.An investment group led by Boehly and Clearlake Capital acquired Chelsea in May after former owner Roman Abramovich put the club up for sale following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation". read more Chelsea have been the most successful team in England in the period since Abramovich bought the club in 2003, thanks in large part to the Russian's investment.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"Financial Fair Play is starting to get some teeth and that will limit ability to acquire players at any price," Boehly said at the SuperReturn International conference in Berlin."UEFA takes it seriously and will continue to take it seriously. (More teeth) means financial penalties and disqualification from sporting competitions."Boehly, who is part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers MLB team, said he was hoping to use an American model to develop football's financial potential and help Chelsea players build a better personal brand."We think the global footprint of this sport is really undeveloped," Boehly said. "There are four billion fans of European football. There are 170 million fans of NFL. Global club football is a fraction of the NFL media money."We are also going to be thinking about, how do we get more revenues for the players?"If you look at (the NBA's) LeBron James, for example, he has a whole business and a whole team dedicated to what's not on the court."So I think there is opportunity to capture some of that American mentality into English sports and really develop them."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Visitors wearing face masks check a China-made Tesla Model Y sport utility vehicle (SUV) at the electric vehicle maker's showroom in Beijing, China January 5, 2021. REUTERS/Tingshu WangRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSHANGHAI, June 17 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) has raised the price for some Model Y cars for the Chinese market, its website showed on Friday.The price for the Long Range version of the Model Y increased by 5% to 394,900 yuan, while prices for other versions and for the Model 3 are unchanged, showed the U.S. carmaker's Chinese website.Tesla raised prices for all its car models in the United States on Thursday, in response to persistent global supply chain problems and soaring raw material costs. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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This week’s puzzle is the opening round of a national contest where Guardian readers traditionally perform strongly and in numbers.You have to work out how White, playing as usual up the board, can force checkmate in two moves, however Black defends.The puzzle is the first stage of the annual Winton British Solving Championship, organised by the British Chess Problem Society. The competition is open only to British residents, and entry is free. Its prize fund is expected to be at least £1,200, plus awards to juniors.To take part, simply send White’s first move to Nigel Dennis, Boundary House, 230 Greys Road, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon RG9 1QY. The email route is [email protected]. Please include your name, home address and postcode, and mark your entry “Guardian”. If you were under 18 on 31 August 2021, please give your date of birth.The closing date is 31 July. After that, all solvers will receive the answer. Those who get it right will also be sent a postal round of eight problems, with plenty of time for solving. The best 20-25 entries from the postal round, plus the best juniors, will be invited to the final in February 2023 (subject to any Covid‑19 restrictions).The champion will qualify for the Great Britain team in the 2023 world solving championship, an event where GB is often a medal contender.The starter problem is tricky, though less so than two years ago when a hidden variation which involved queen’s side castling even defeated some computers. Obvious moves rarely work. It is easy to make an error, so review your answer before sending it. Good luck to all Guardian entrants.China’s world No 2, Ding Liren, is the general favourite for the most eagerly awaited elite tournament of 2022, the world championship Candidates which has its opening round in Madrid on Friday afternoon.Play at the Palacio de Santona in the centre of the city starts at 2pm BST, when first round pairings are Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland) v Richard Rapport (Hungary), Ding v Ian Nepomniachtchi (Fide), Fabiano Caruana (US) v Hikaru Nakamura (US), and Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan) v Alireza Firouzja (France). Russia’s Nepomniachtchi plays under the neutral Fide flag, while Rapport is still in the process of transferring from Hungary to Romania.Ding is the only competitor rated above 2800, but the Hangzhou 29-year-old has played little in the past two years due to China’s Covid problems, and was never a contender at the 2020-21 Candidates. There are also question marks about Caruana, who in his best form can go very close but who has been lacklustre recently, and about Firouzja because of his inexperience and recent failure in Bucharest. This pair are still potential winners and could produce a worthy climax when they meet in the final round on 4 July.Almost all the other five players are capable of springing a surprise, although it is nearly impossible to make a case for Radjabov, who at 35 is the oldest and who was a poor last in a Candidates nine years ago. Garry Kasparov has forecast Ding to win, with Caruana and Duda as the dangers. Carlsen v Nakamura, Sauron v Frodo, would be the ideal world championship match to spark public interest, but the streamer with 1.4 million followers is 34 and has played little classical chess in recent years.As usual the games will be free and live to watch online, with move by move grandmaster commentaries and a handy sidebar which enables non-players to see at a glance who is winning, Your favourite major chess site is likely to screen the games live. Chess24 will have the all-time No 1 woman, Judit Polgar, with occasional appearances by England’s David Howell and by Carlsen himself.There is no English competitor to follow at Madrid but on Monday England teams will be the top seeds in both the World Senior over-50 and over-65 championships at Acqui Terme, Italy.England over-50s field GMs Michael Adams, Nigel Short, John Emms, Mark Hebden and Keith Arkell. It is the first time that Adams, now 51, has been eligible. Much depends on whether he and Short can recapture some of their golden form of 1993 and 2004 when they were world championship finalists, and whether the squad can avoid any mishaps which could give a rival an advantage in match points.The United States team are second seeds with a team consisting mainly of ex-Russians who learnt their skills in the former Soviet Union. Georgia, the No 3 seeds, will include the legendary former world women’s champion Nona Gaprindashvili, now aged 81. GM John Nunn leads England over-65s, supported by Paul Littlewood, Nigel Povah, Tony Stebbings and Ian Snape.
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Tesla Model Y and Model 3 electric vehicles built at the company's Shanghai plant are loaded up to be shipped to Belgium. Shen Chunchen/VCG via Getty Images Tesla’s Model Y, the electric-car maker’s top seller, and versions of its other cars and crossovers are getting pricier in the wake of CEO Elon Musk’s warning of a “tough quarter,” a period that includes slumping production in China due to strict Covid rules, job cuts and a sharp drop in the value of its shares. The base version of the Model Y jumped by $3,000, or 4.8% this week, to $65,990 from $62,990. Add a color other than Pearl White or Silver Metallic, Tesla’s controversial “Full Self Driving” option and taxes and customers will be spending more than $80,000. While the cheapest Model 3 sedan was unchanged at $46,990, the Long Range version of the car went up by $2,500 to $57,990. The Model X SUV jumped $6,000 to $120,990 and the Model S sedan now costs $104,990, up $5,000 from $99,000. Tesla routinely changes its vehicle pricing, seldom explaining why. In this case, the costs of raw materials for batteries, aluminum, steel, as well as supplies of semiconductors, have created headaches for all automakers. The brand’s strong appeal to higher-income consumers suggests the price increases won’t likely repel too many buyers. Tesla “The brand does attract a well-heeled audience, evidenced by the fact that Model Y, which had a base MSRP of just under $63,000 until this week, sold nearly 200,000 units last year,” says Ed Kim, president of industry researcher AutoPacific. “That’s remarkable as no other SUV at similar price points comes remotely close to selling at those volumes. Tesla so far has had little trouble continuing to dominate the EV space and finding huge numbers of customers willing to spend significant money for their products.” The pricing moves come as the Austin, Texas-based company winds down a rocky second quarter in which Musk simultaneously moved to acquire Twitter, became openly politically partisan and announced plans to eliminate about 10% of salaried jobs at Tesla and require staff to stop working remotely. The company also lost considerably more production at its Shanghai plant than Musk anticipated two months ago and saw auto sales in China temporarily tank. Draconian public health rules intended to stop the spread of the coronavirus that began in late March continued to temporarily idle Tesla’s factory at the beginning of April and held production well below its capacity through May. Output may return to about normal this month, though the plant will likely produce just 115,300 units in the quarter, down from 178,887 in the year’s first three months, according to Reuters, citing data from the China Passenger Car Association. It’s unclear whether the slowdown in China will result in a significant drop in revenue from the year’s first quarter as the company is also ramping up production at new plants in Berlin and Austin. If it does, however, it would be Tesla’s first sequential decline since 2019’s third quarter. “Given the extraordinarily high dependence of Tesla on China production (>40% of global production) and profitability (we estimate well over 50% of Tesla profit from China), the disruption from local Covid lockdowns is understandable, if not fully in consensus forecasts at this time,” Morgan Stanely analyst Adam Jonas said in a research note this week. “But as Tesla has shown throughout its history, it can make up substantial lost ground with accelerated deliveries into the close of a quarter where disproportionate amounts of a full quarter’s production can occur in the final week or two. Additionally, what may be lost in 2Q could just provide pent-up sequential tailwinds for 3Q results.”
Separately, Tesla also stood out in new data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this week showing the company’s vehicles with Autopilot accounted for 70% of 392 crashes in the past 11 months involving cars and trucks equipped with partially automated driving features.
Recession concerns, recently fanned by Musk in leaked memos, have also hit the company this quarter, contributing to a 41% drop in the value of its shares since March 31. Tesla fell 8.5% to close at $639.30 in Nasdaq trading Thursday, cutting the fortune of Technoking Musk, the world’s richest person, by $14.2 billion. Yahoo Finances Currently, the average electric vehicle sells for $64,388 in the U.S. compared with an average transaction price of $47,148 for all new cars and trucks, according to Kelley Blue Book. That higher EV price already reflects Tesla’s dominance of that market, says Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Cox Automotive.
“The No. 1 obstacle on the path to EV adoption is vehicle price, according to our surveys,” says Krebs. “However, I’m not sure that applies to Tesla buyers. They are a unique bunch. They generally don’t shop around. They simply want a Tesla.”
Tesla’s price increases, particularly for Model Y, could lead some potential buyers to consider electric rivals including Ford’s Mach-E crossover, starting at $43,895, Hyundai Motor’s Ioniq 5, priced from $39,990 and Kia’s EV6 with a base price of $40,900. The three models also qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit that Tesla buyers no longer get as the company long ago surpassed the maximum of qualified vehicles. Additionally, California customers can receive a $2,000 rebate for versions of those models priced below $45,000–a perk Tesla customers also don’t receive as the company doesn’t currently have a product that meets that requirement.
Given the lower EV production capacity and sales of Tesla’s competitors, its higher pricing isn’t likely to impact U.S. business in the near term though the company will need to address this eventually, says Jessica Caldwell, executive analyst for Edmunds.
“Tesla's market share in the EV space will only diminish over time as this market swells with new products from a variety of brands, so it would be advantageous for Musk's team to start catering to the lower end of the market to position Tesla as a brand that's attainable as well as aspirational,” she said. “This will be important when EVs become more mainstream."
Tesla’s price hikes this week were reported first by Electrek, an electric vehicle enthusiast site.
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There are just eight services running from London to Castle Cary - the station closest to the Glastonbury Festival site - on Thursday, suggesting the trains will be completely packedGetting to Glastonbury Festival might be quite difficult this yearThe full train timetable for services running to Glastonbury Festival has been released this morning - and it's not looking great for revellers. Next week the RMT and other rail unions are planning "the largest rail strike in modern history" in a dispute over pay and conditions. You can find out more about what they're asking for here. While the London to Castle Cary (the station closest to the festival) and Bristol to Castle Cary routes are among those running, the outlook is is bad for ticket holders travelling via train. A usually busy line has been reduced to just a handful of services on key travel days, suggesting they will be packed full of passengers unable to go via road. Here are the trains GWR plans to run across the festival days along main routes to Castle Cary. Network Rail has released a map of lines which are still running (
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Network Rail) Lines across the country are being shut down by striking workers (
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Getty Images) Tuesday Although the festival has not begun yet, thousands of volunteers and workers head to the site on Tuesday. London Paddington to Castle Cary: Departing 09.32am, 10.48am, 11.32am, 1.02pm, 1.32pm, 4.45pm Bristol Parkway to Castle Cary: 10.05am, 1.06pm, 2.06pm Wednesday Wednesday is not a strike day, but services may be running at a reduced level to normal. This may have an impact on what is usually the biggest travel day for those heading to the festival. London Paddington to Castle Cary: 7.48am, 8.04am, 8.32am, 9.37am, 10.35am, 12.33pm, 1.32pm, 2.36pm, 4.04pm, 4.36pm, 5.36pm, 6.36pm, 8.03pm, 9.04pm Bristol Parkway to Castle Cary: 8.23am, 9.18am, 10.16am, 11.15am, 12.17pm, 2.16pm, 4.16pm, 4.41pm, 5.16pm, 6.17pm, 8.24pm, 8.30pm, 9.25pm Thursday This is not looking great for all those people who couldn't get the annual leave to head to the festival on Wednesday. The trains are usually packed on the Thursday when the trains are running smoothly, so who knows quite how miserable things could get this year. London Paddington to Castle Cary: 7.44am, 9am, 10.07am, 11.02am, 11.32am, 1.02pm, 1.32pm, 2.45pm Bristol Parkway to Castle Cary: 8.03am, 9.07am, 10.05am, 11.05am, 1.06pm Services to Glastonbury are severely reduced (
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Andy Rain/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock) Friday Friday is another non-strike day, but again the service is reduced compared to usual. London Paddington to Castle Cary: 7.04am, 7.32am, 9.37am, 10.35am, 12.33pm, 1.32pm, 2.36pm, 4.04pm, 4.36pm, 5.36pm, 6.36pm, 8.03pm, 9.04pm Bristol Parkway to Castle Cary: 7.22am, 8.23am, 9.04am, 9.18am, 10.16am, 11.15am, 12.17pm, 2.16pm, 4.15pm, 4.41pm, 5.16pm, 6.17pm, 8.24pm, 8.30pm, 9.25pm GWR says it has written to customers who are booked onto services which have now changed time due to the strikes. "Any customer booked onto any train service outside of the times we are able to operate will be able to travel on an earlier service/to help customers, GWR is allowing people with tickets for travel on strike days to be able to travel on the day before and up to two days after," a spokesperson for the company said. To view all the trains running next week, including services from your home town or city to the Glastonbury line, click here. It very much looks like the strikes will go ahead last week, despite a plea from Transport Secretary Grant Shapps for it to be called off. The Cabinet minister issued a direct plea to those embarking on three days of walkouts next week, stating that they "risk striking yourselves out of a job". He also said that the Government plans to introduce legislation to enable the use of agency workers on the railways during industrial action "if the strike drags on". Transport for London (TfL) also "strongly encouraged" people not to travel on London Underground on June 21 because of a 24-hour walkout by the RMT and Unite. In a speech at a train depot in north London, Mr Shapps said the strikes would be "damaging" for railway workers and their families. Read More Read More
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Royal Procession (2pm)1st CarriageThe Duke of CambridgeThe Duchess of CambridgeThe Hon. Arthur VesteyThe Hon. Mrs. Vestey2nd CarriageMr. Peter PhillipsMs Lindsay WallaceThe Duke of BedfordThe Duchess of Bedford3rd CarriageThe Visount BrookeboroughThe Viscountess BrookeboroughMr. Darby DennisMrs. Darby Dennis4th CarriageMr. Richard OsgoodMrs. Richard OsgoodMr. Nico de BoinvilleMrs. Nico de BoinvilleThey’re on their way. Photograph: Tim Rooke/Rex/ShutterstockNon-runnersDon’t put these on your betting slips. They are not turning up.2.30pm Albany Stakes (Group 3)15 Powderdress (Self Cert – Tied Up)3.40pm Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap1 Ever Present (Self Cert – Bruised Foot)5.00pm Sandringham HandicapMidheaven (Vet’s Cert – Coughing)6.10pm Palace Of Holyroodhouse HandicapVertiginous (Self Cert – Temperature)All smiles at Royal Ascot. Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty ImagesAscot clerk of the course Chris Stickels has just tolds Sky Sports Racing: “I think now we are not going to get the thunderstorms until after racing [on Saturday].” It must be odds-on that Trueshan, who missed the Gold Cup on Thursday owing to the fast ground, will not line up in the Queen Alexandra Stakes, the final race of the meeting tomorrow at 6.10pm. Pro punter Matt Williams put Wordsworth up as his best bet of the meeting earlier in the week and Aidan O’Brien’s runner looks well worth backing at the 100-3o on offer currently with William Hill.A sign reminding Ascot racegoers to drink water due to the hot weather. Photograph: John Sibley/ReutersThe blazing temperatures have resulted in Ascot adjusting their dress code and gentlemen can remove their hats and jackets ... but not until the Royal Procession has floated past at 2pm!Update: The Dress Code for your Enclosure still applies for entry to Royal Ascot today. Following the Royal Procession, hats and jackets will be permitted to be removed due to the high temperatures expected— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 17, 2022
Queen to miss Ascot againThe Queen has three runners today - her trainers were put on Platinum Jubilee year alert for this meeting well in advance - but she is again not going to be here, according to reports. The Daily Mail’s royal correspondent must have had a sneak look at the Royal Procession list as she is “expecting some glamour in the carriage procession”. The betting with olbg.com was 2-1 for the Queen to attend on Friday. Presumably the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have now gone odds-on.The Queen won’t be attending #RoyalAscot again today - but I’m expecting some glamour in the carriage procession 🐎 @Ascot— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) June 17, 2022
Going news... er, there isn’t any. It’s hot, hot, hot everywhere, as the front-page of the Racing Post reflects, and it’s Groundhog Day where the ground is concerned. The going at Royal Ascot is Good to Firm (again).GoingStick readings at 8am:Stands side: 8.7Centre: 8.5Far side: 8.8Round: 7.8The far side (the higher the number the quicker the ground) is slightly quicker but there’s not much in it. Clerk of the course Chris Stickels has had a quiet week (so far).PreambleGreg WoodGood morning from Ascot, ahead of what promises to be one of the hottest days at the Royal meeting for many years – so much so, in fact, that the famous dress code has been relaxed, and racegoers will be allowed to remove jackets, ties and hats in all enclosures this afternoon (once the Royal procession has made its way down the course, at any rate). The first – and only other – time that Ascot felt the need to resort to such extreme measures was 2017, when the rule on jackets was relaxed on the hottest day at the meeting for 20 years. This year’s relaxation goes further still, with temperatures at the track forecast to peak at around 31C in mid-afternoon. The British Horseracing Authority’s precautionary measures to ensure the welfare of both human and equine competitors will be in place, with extra cooled water and ice available, areas of shade available before and after horses race and earlier access to stables to allow trainers to travel horses early and avoid the worst of the heat. There are several big fields on today’s card, with 28 runners in the handicaps at 5.00 and 6.10 and 20 declared for the Group One Commonwealth Cup at 3.05. That could well be one of the best races all week, with runners from four countries – Britain, Ireland, France and the USA – and most of the field going to post with at least one piece of form that gives them a chance. Elsewhere on the card, the field for the Coronation Stakes includes the 1,000 Guineas winners from Britain (Cachet) and France (Mangoustine) but neither is likely to start favourite as Inspiral, last year’s best juvenile filly, is finally ready to make her three-year-old debut. The Queen, meanwhile, has three more chances to land her 25th Royal winner in her Platinum Jubilee year, with Just Fine, in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at 3.40, by far the best of them according to the bookies. Sir Michael Stoute’s gelding is vying for favouritism at around 5-1, while Discretion, in the Sandringham Stakes at 5.00 and Spring Is Sprung, in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap at 6.10, are priced up in double figures at 16-1 and 22-1 respectively. Victory for any of her three runners would be a “hats off” moment – or it would, if they hadn’t all been removed already. The action will be under way with the Albany Stakes at 2.30, and you can follow it all here on the blog as the mercury rises and another thrilling day at the Royal meeting unfolds.
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2003 Ferrari Enzo. Artist Unknown. (Photo by National Motor Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images) Getty Images Ferrari is the supercar of choice for those who want to flaunt their wealth with a bit of growling and occasionally snarling V-12 bravado. Wannabe brands like Lamborghini or Aston Martin and high-end Porsches and Mercedes simply can’t compete with the Ferrari brand, which is valued on stock markets as a rare and fashionable brand rather than a mere car maker. But this sector of the market might well be turned upside down by electrification and this presents a big chance for the also-rans to finally compete with the leader. Tesla TSLA too might decide it can compete in this electric stratosphere, where performance is silent but at least the equal of traditional internal combustion engines (ICE). Investors must be wondering if all supercars waft silently by, perhaps some of their magic might disappear. Ferrari has now outlined its plans to go electric, and analysts reckon there are big challenges on the way if it is to electrify and increase its already fat profit margins. “First impressions of Ferrari’s long-awaited (electrification plan) are positive. There was neither “reinvention” nor much surprise,” said Philippe Houchois, analyst at investment researcher Jefferies. Houchois said Ferrari’s aims were ambitious and challenging. The Ferrari stock price has been on the slide since the end of March when it reached just under €210. Just before the meeting on June 14 it had slid to about €160 but jumped after the news to close the week at just under €168, according to Reuters. Ferrari shares are priced as being comparable to luxury goods makers like Hermes, LVMH, Prada, Ferragamo, Moncler or Richemont with their massive profit margins, rather than more humdrum metal bashers like Volkswagen and or Stellantis. Ferrari confirmed at a meeting at its Maranello, Italy headquarters it would launch its first all-electric car in 2025. Ferrari expects full-electric cars will make up 5% of sales in 2025 and 40% in 2030. Gasoline/electric hybrids will account for 40% in 2030 with the rest ICE. Ferrari will spend €4.4 billion ($4.63 billion) to develop all-electric and plug-in hybrid electric cars to make up 60% of its sales by 2026. At the same time, Ferrari’s annual profits as measured by EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax depreciation and amortization) will accelerate to as much as €2.7 billion ($2.84 billion) in 2026 from €1.5 billion ($1.58 billion) last year. A Ferrari flag at Formula One Grand Prix of Hungary. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) Getty Images “Everything we do will always focus on being distinctly Ferrari,” Chairman John Elkann said at the meeting. “The opportunity set of electrification and electronics will allow us to make even more unique cars,” Elkann said. Reuter’s Breaking Views column said Ferrari needed to catch up in the electric car world but even in this rarefied segment, the wealthy have limits to their ability to pay.
“Success will likely rest on convincing Ferrari’s exclusive clientele of millionaires to pay even higher prices than they currently are,” said Breaking Views columnist Lisa Jucca.
“Ferrari made on average €320,000 ($336,600) of revenue per car in 2021, when it sold just over 11,000 vehicles, according to Breakingviews calculations. Vigna’s (Ferrari CEO Benedetto) new plan implies that sales from vehicles will rise by €2 billion to about €5.4 billion in 2026, with the rest coming from sponsorship and engine sales. If Vigna boosts annual production to 13,500 cars, he would need to charge on average €400,000 per car, a 25% increase,” Jucca said.
“Such a hike looks hard to swallow, especially in an era of higher interest rates and plummeting stock markets,” Jucca said. But Ferrari sales of very high-priced limited edition ICE cars can help plug the gap.
As long as “wealthy punters” are happy to keep paying for these ICE cars, “Vigna’s green swerve looks manageable,” Jucca said. Ferrari Monza SP1 Special Edition (Photo by Martyn Lucy/Getty Images) Getty Images Ferrari sells limited-edition supercars like the Monza SP1 and SP2 for around $1.85 million each. Ferrari is due to launch a hybrid Purosangue SUV in September, which will compete with the Lamborghini Urus, Bentley Bentayga and Aston Martin DBX.
Some analysts have looked forward to Ferrari embracing the electric car age. Morgan Stanley MS analyst Adam Jonas reckoned electric cars would be a plus not a minus and said this last year.
“We see Ferrari as an emerging EV play that is being very much overlooked by the market. The window of opportunity to own Ferrari while the market holds its “EVs are bad for Ferrari” narrative won’t last long. Why do we think EVs are a positive for Ferrari?” Jonas said this would increase the total addressable market, improve growth, lower costs, improve margins, and improve the relevance of the stock to investors outside of luxury goods and traditional auto companies.
But last year Goldman Sachs switched its investment recommendation to “sell” from “buy”, citing among other things the huge expense of embracing electric power, and difficulties replicating its big profit margins.
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What's happening Honda unveiled its new turnkey Civic Si race car. Why it matters It's one of the most accessible factory race cars. The latest Honda Civic Si is already one of the best performance bargains on the market, and now Honda's Performance Development arm has come up with a track-ready version that might just be the most accessible race car you can buy. Called the HPD Civic Si FE1, the new race car starts at just $55,000 before taxes, making it about $30,000 more than a roadgoing Civic Si.It all starts with a unique body-in-white that does without the normal Si's insulation, seam sealer, sound proofing, sunroof and underbody coating. It has all the important safety features you need like a full FIA-spec roll cage and fuel cell, a racing seat with a 6-point harness, a quick-release steering wheel, an onboard fire suppression system and a window net, plus it has a Motec data logger and electronics system. The only major design changes are a large rear wing and new brake ducts in the front bumper; otherwise, the FE1 just looks like a regular ol' Si.The FE1 gets all the FIA-spec safety systems you need. Honda The FE1 uses the same turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 and 6-speed manual transmission as the road car, but with a whole bunch of upgrades. It has a tuned ECU and adjustable power levels for Balance of Power, a stronger fourth gear, a Cusco limited-slip differential and a rad-looking Borla catback exhaust. Other performance parts include 17-inch Enkei RPF1 wheels, adjustable Bilstein dampers, Wilwood slotted rotors and 6-piston calipers, stainless steel braided brake hoses, new front camber plates, an adjustable rear toe arm, a camber-adjustable rear upper arm and a ballast kit.HPD says the FE1 is available to pre-order now with a $25,000 deposit; the rest is due after the car has been completed. The FE1 will be assembled at the brand's Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio, the same factory that builds the Acura NSX and PMC special edition models.The new exhaust looks sweet. Honda Now playing: Watch this: 2022 Honda Civic Si debuts: A slightly sharper sleeper 3:57
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GMC Hummer EV Edition 1Michael Wayland | CNBCGM said Friday that it is increasing the price of its electric Hummer by $6,250, effective Saturday. The company blamed higher prices for parts, technology and logistics.All reservations placed before Saturday are exempt from the increase, the company said. The Hummer EV pickup truck currently goes for about $80,000 to $100,000.The announcement comes after several automakers hiked the cost of their electric vehicles in recent weeks. The war in Ukraine and ongoing supply chain challenges have jacked up the the prices of the raw materials necessary for EV batteries, causing Tesla, Rivian and Cadillac to raise the prices of their electric vehicles.Reservations for GM's EV Hummer have topped 77,500, according to GM, a number that has exceeded the company's initial expectations.GM said in March that it would ramp up production of the Hummer EV. The Hummer EV pickup truck is for sale, but new orders are unlikely to be fulfilled until 2024 due to the number of current reservations, a company executive previously told CNBC. The Hummer EV SUV, which GM unveiled last year, isn't expected to arrive until next year.CNBC's Michael Wayland contributed to this article.
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With equal participation fees to the men, prize money for the first time and a mainstream platform, this year’s Rugby League World Cup represents a seminal moment for the women’s game. And if it is Emily Rudge and her England teammates lifting the trophy this autumn, there will be one group of women watching on with particular pride at how far the game has come since they took a leap into the unknown 26 years ago.Rudge, the captain, and the leading female players will go into camp and be treated like professionals this autumn, just as they have been in the run-up to Saturday’s friendly against France. Warrington-born Rudge will helm an England side that kickstart a double-header at her hometown’s Halliwell Jones Stadium, followed by the men’s team taking on a combined nations all-star squad. The preparations for a groundbreaking tour in 1996 could hardly have been more different.“We were lucky if we could get a professional team to let us in back then,” says Lisa McIntosh, one of the stars of the British Lionesses’ trip to Australia in 1996. “Halifax hosted us for 10 minutes at half-time once, we played a game on the pitch while the punters were having a pie and a pint.”Brenda Dobek, who later coached Rudge with England, adds: “We couldn’t really worry about training because we had to self-fund the Australia trip ourselves. We needed to raise money just to get there, and the girls nowadays can thankfully just worry about playing. There was no help back then. You name it, we did it. Car-boot sales, sponsored walks, bucket collections – even bag-packing in supermarkets.”Women’s rugby league has made incredible strides in recent years. The introduction of the Women’s Super League in 2017 resulted in a surge of interest but the pandemic put paid to that, with the competition cancelled in 2020. It was able to restart in 2021 thanks to funding from the lottery, which remains instrumental as the World Cup approaches.“There were a few months when we were sat around worrying if all that momentum was going to be lost,” Rudge says. “We weren’t allowed to train, teams couldn’t get together and it has a massive impact on the development of the game. The fact we could get up and running quicker with that funding was incredible. I think we’d have lost so much momentum without it. It could have completely derailed us.”British Lionesses had to self-fund their historic 1996 tour of Australia, which they won 2-1 after losing the first match. Photograph: Courtesy of National LotteryNone of this would be possible without McIntosh, Dobek and the Lionesses’ historic tour. It was the first time a women’s side from Britain had toured overseas and, while the significance of the trip was overlooked at the time, those involved can now look back and understand what a breakthrough moment it was, not least because the Lionesses won the three-match series against Australia 2-1.“It was all unknown to us really,” McIntosh says. “We just wanted to play. We weren’t really aware nobody had gone out there and beaten Australia on their own turf. Australia and New Zealand played each other all the time and we just wanted to muscle in and be part of it really.”Dobek recalls: “We were only out there for 12 days and played every other day, basically. We had no recovery time, minimal players because of the funding and the accommodation wasn’t exactly first-class. But it was the start of something and it’s really grown into something special, not least because of the lottery funding that’s provided the stage for the girls to shine on this year.”‘We were only out there for 12 days and played every other day,’ said Brenda Dobek of the 1996 tour. Photograph: Courtesy of National LotteryRudge, who remembers the time before the WSL when crowds barely reaching 100 watched women’s rugby league, will not have to head to her local supermarket to pack bags raising funds for England’s World Cup campaign. But before the first match, against Brazil in Leeds on 1 November, she will remind her players of the sacrifices and commitment those before them have made in order to give them this opportunity.“It’s so easy for younger players to forget what those before us have had to do,” she says. “They didn’t have the same opportunities or the funding we’ve got. I think some of the girls don’t know how lucky they are. It’s so important that girls realise the tough times previous players have had just to pull on a shirt. Now, girls are given huge support to help them get to this point.”Sign up to The Recap, our weekly email of editors’ picks.McIntosh, Dobek and co already have their place assured as trailblazers for women’s sport. Now, the opportunity is looming for Rudge and her teammates to take a similar position and potentially take the game to even greater heights with World Cup success. “The thought of winning a World Cup on home soil is incredible,” Rudge says. “We’d see a whole new generation of players in years to come and there’s only going to be more funding put into the sport when there’s success. So that will help grow the sport even more and get more people watching the sport. The potential is huge, it adds to the pressure, but that’s why we’re here.”
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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The NASCAR Cup Series is on hiatus this weekend, taking its only break of the season.Falling on Father's Day this year, the drivers and teams are getting the opportunity to spend particularly meaningful time with their families."Just to be able to spend the day with Samantha, Brexton, and now Lennix is a good way to spend the day," Kyle Busch told Fox News Autos, naming his wife and children. "We only have one off week the entire year, and with having a new baby in the house and with how much we travel, it will be nice to just enjoy the day at home and not anywhere to be like we usually do."But fear not racing fans, as there are a few options available this Saturday and Sunday:NASCAR TRUCK SERIES The NASCAR Truck Series is the only NASCAR series to visit the Knoxville dirt track. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)The Cup Series may be off, but NASCAR's trucks will be hitting the dirt at Knoxville Speedway on Saturday night. The Truck Series has fewer races and more off weeks during the season and is carrying te NASCAR banner this weekend. The action from the Iowa dirt oval track starts at 9 p.m. ET on FS1.NHRANASCAR may be mostly about left turns, but if you like you're racing with no turns, the NHRA has you covered. The drag racing series visits Bristol Dragway in Tennesse this weekend for the Thunder Valley Nationals. There's action at the track all weekend long, but the final rounds start at 3 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FOX.SUPERSTAR RACING EXPERIENCE SRX pits drivers from different disciplines against each other in identical cars. (Logan Riely/SRX via Getty Images)The Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) summer series was a huge hit in its inaugural season last year and the six-race 2022 season kicks off at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. Each SRX race features a field of identical stock cars on short oval tracks and an all-star lineup of drivers from various disciplines, including NASCAR's Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman and IndyCar's Paul Tracy and Ryan Hunter-Reay. Each event also features a local hero, with Bubba Pollard filling that seat at Five Flags Speedway. (CBS)FORMULA ONE Formula one hasn't been to Montreal since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Dan Istitene/Getty Images)Formula One returns to Montreal for the first time since 2019 with the past two races having been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The series has never been more popular thanks to Netflix's "Drive to Survive" and features all-new cars that have made it more competitive than it has been in years. Lewis Hamilton won the last race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, but has been having a rough season in his Mercedes-AMG, which suffers dramatically from a "porpoising" effect many of the new cars have.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe high speed bouncing caused by aerodynamic ground effects is so bad that the series has had to put new regulations into effect mid-season in an effort to address the issue after several drivers including Hamilton complained it is causing them physical pain. The Canadian Grand Prix is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET. (ESPN) Gary Gastelu is FoxNews.com's Automotive Editor covering the car industry and racing @foxnewsautos
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Last weekend’s Premiership semi-finals put a full stop on the story of the underdog. Over the last few weeks we’ve seen La Rochelle, Lyon and the Bulls all upset the odds but with Saracens and Leicester reaching Saturday’s Premiership final we have a showdown between the two most consistent sides in the league this season.Neutrals may have preferred a final between Harlequins and Northampton but the fact that Saracens and Leicester prevailed signals a shift away from last season, when playing to space and evasion were key, and back to the key fundamentals of physicality, control and territory. Both finalists have those qualities in abundance and though the weather forecast keeps changing, I really don’t think heavy rain would suit one team more than the other. They are that similar in outlook – even if it may mean even more kicking from hand than already anticipated.What sets these two sides apart from the rest is they have an acute awareness of the importance of maintaining tactical discipline throughout matches. It is such a difficult craft to master and it is so undervalued. Whether it’s the coaches or the players driving that, or a mixture of both, it is a key reason why Leicester and Saracens have got as far as they have.For both sides it has been a two-year journey to get here and it is important to recognise the speed with which Steve Borthwick has turned things around at Leicester. Clearly, he began his coaching journey while still a player at Saracens and so it is no surprise that his Leicester side is built in that mould. The core principles of Leicester under Borthwick are a strong set piece, strong defence and strong kicking game. They are all things that people admire about Saracens. That’s no coincidence. It’s plain to see and has been Leicester’s intended design. They have recruited for that game and added on that layer of coaching.Borthwick is a coach who demands a lot of respect. We know the detail of analysis he brings to any side. He’s famous for it. I look at Richard Wigglesworth and the value he’s been able to add. You’ve got George Ford and Ben Youngs, experienced heads among the playing staff, and then you’ve got Kevin Sinfield, another who commands utmost respect. I know he’s been picking the brains of Shaun Edwards about making the adjustment from rugby league and it has evidently been paying dividends.If Leicester are to deny Saracens the title that the bookmakers have them favourites for, first and foremost they have to front up physically. With players such as Ellis Genge, Jasper Wiese, Hanro Liebenberg and Tommy Reffell they can do that. If they can achieve parity in the physical battle then their kicking game is the platform on which they can win the match.Nick Isiekwe of Saracens celebrates a turnover in their semi-final win against Harlequins. Photograph: Micah Crook/PPAUK/ShutterstockAgainst Northampton last weekend they kicked 75% of their possession and that’s a hell of a lot of boot to ball. The difference this week is they have to stay patient because whereas Northampton are a side more likely to become unstructured and leave space for the opposition to exploit, Saracens will be happy to send the ball back and force Leicester into making decisions.For Leicester the challenge is kicking on their terms and then being smart enough to recognise where there is space and mismatches and the variation of their kicking will be key to that. I think they have a super-strength in that they have the best person in the league at kicking to compete in Ford and they’re able to use Freddie Steward to go and get the ball back.In the other corner, given everything that Saracens have gone through in the past two years, I think victory would rank as the sweetest Premiership title they’ve ever won. At the very least on a par with their first. They’ve served their time, kept pretty quiet upon their return to the Premiership and when people write you off, call you everything under the sun and a feeling of “everyone hates us” is fostered, it can be a good feeling in sport to prove them wrong.The spine of their side really isn’t that different to that of a few years ago. The biggest difference is they are no longer able to unleash eight world-class replacements from the bench, but, that said, Nick Isiekwe – a homegrown member of the squad – made a huge impact late on against Harlequins. I also think they are forever evolving as a side and there needs to be some myth-busting around Saracens.The Breakdown: sign up and get our weekly rugby union email.Because their DNA and their key attributes are so obvious, they are the things that attract the attention but what gets lost is that they scored more points than anyone this season. Harlequins may be billed as the entertainers but Saracens have been the most effective – and the most efficient – team.Against Harlequins they showed how hard they are to stop once they’ve built a lead, how comfortable they are in executing their gameplan once they are ahead, so keeping the scoreboard ticking over is going to be pivotal to both sides. They may not come in the way they would have done if it were Harlequins versus Northampton but I expect plenty of points at Twickenham. Whichever side can force their opponents into having to turn to their Plan B will go a long way towards winning the match.
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The New York Times called it Dallas.So did NPR.Ditto, CNN.Even FIFA itself said it selected Dallas as one of 16 host cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico for the 2026 World Cup.There’s just one problem. AT&T Stadium, the chosen host site, is most definitely not in Dallas. It’s in Arlington, as many on social media were quick to point out after’s FIFA’s announcement Thursday afternoon.“LOL. Arlington isn’t Dallas,” one person wrote on Facebook.“It’s Arlington getting the actual game. Not Dallas,” another complained. “So disrespectful.”“Glad to get it, but we’re not Dallas,” one commenter said. “And glad we’re not (for the record).”The bid to host World Cup matches, organized by North Texas civic and business leaders, was presented as Dallas 2026.Still, Arlington is long accustomed to being overlooked — or at least not getting its due credit. After all, it’s the Dallas Cowboys, not the Arlington Cowboys, despite the fact that they, too, play at AT&T Stadium.So does it really matter where the game is technically played?Well, yes, say plenty of Arlington residents.Smack dab in the middle of Dallas-Fort Worth, Arlington’s population is closing in on 400,000, far less than Dallas’ 1.3 million and Fort Worth’s 900,000, but hardly a suburb.Arlington taxpayers even footed the bill to build AT&T Stadium.But Arlington Mayor Jim Ross offered a diplomatic approach.“We love our city, and we would certainly love to have our name attached,” Ross told The Dallas Morning News. “But as mayor, I’m just happy this event will be in Arlington. This has been a regional effort, and the entire region is going to benefit from this.“And when people get here, they’ll know they’re in Arlington.”Related:How to celebrate Juneteenth in Fort Worth, Arlington: Opal Lee walk, live music, serviceSarah Bahari, Special Contributor. Sarah Bahari is a freelance writer covering Arlington, Irving and Grand Prairie. She previously worked as a features writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where she covered a little of everything. Email her tips at [email protected]@gmail.com
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Transgender cyclist Emily Bridges' mother accuses cycling's world governing body of 'moving the goalposts' after they announced new rules over maximum testosterone levels in the female categoryThe UCI announced they were halving the maximum testosterone level permitted for trans women to compete in the female categoryThey have also doubled the period they must remain below that threshold from one to two yearsIt means Emily Bridges could be barred from women's events until 2024 Her mother has accused the UCI of 'moving the goalposts' for her duaghter Published: 17:30 EDT, 17 June 2022 | Updated: 17:45 EDT, 17 June 2022 Transgender cyclist Emily Bridges’ mother has accused cycling’s world governing body of ‘moving the goalposts’ after they toughened up their inclusion policy.The UCI announced on Thursday they were halving the maximum testosterone level permitted for trans women to compete in the female category.They have also doubled the period they must remain below that threshold from one to two years. Emily Bridges could be blocked from major women's events for the next two yearsThat means Bridges, 21, could be barred from racing in major women’s events until 2024. In a statement on Twitter, the Welsh rider’s mother Sandy said: ‘We’ve received no communication from the UCI on their plans and how it impacts Em’s application, which started in March 2022.On May 11, the UCI requested Em provide additional blood tests over a period of three months, along with some personal information. The UCI announced they would halve the maximum testosterone levels for trans women‘We are seeking clarity on why they asked for this information when they were already planning on a policy change. 'This uncertainty and moving of goalposts has created a significant amount of distress to Em, to us as a family and the wider trans community.’Swimming’s world governing body, Fina, will announce their own new transgender policy tomorrow. Advertisement
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Top business news Now playing A look back at Vince McMahon, who steps down as WWE CEO amid misconduct claims Now playing This crypto collapse has a human cost Now playing What crypto skeptics dunking on the crypto faithful are missing Now playing Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO: 'I took pay cuts' to advance career CNN Now playing What the interest rate hike means for you Now playing 94% of women executives have this in common Now playing 94% of women executives have this is common Now playing Realtor.com chief economist shares her advice for homebuyers and sellers Janos Kummer/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images Now playing Three reasons gas prices are expected to stay high CNN Now playing He predicted US inflation would rise. Hear what he thinks about a recession Getty Images Now playing Fact-checking Biden's claim that Putin shares blame for inflation Now playing Suze Orman's tips for navigating inflation: Don't panic and continue to invest Now playing 'Tough number to swallow': Romans breaks down inflation data KTVK/KPHO Now playing Hear why this gas station owner is selling gas at a loss KTVK/KPHO Now playing Retirees becoming homeless at higher rate than other age groups amidst inflation New York CNN Business — WWE boss Vince McMahon has agreed to step back from his responsibilities as chairman and CEO while the wrestling company’s board investigates him for alleged misconduct. In the meantime, his daughter Stephanie McMahon, will serve as interim CEO and interim chairwoman, WWE (WWE) said in a statement Friday. McMahon won’t completely disappear from the company. He will retain his role related to WWE’s creative content while the investigation is ongoing, and will appear as a character during wrestling matches. The company tweeted Friday that McMahon would appear on the company’s Friday night wrestling showcase, “Smackdown,” which airs on Fox. A special committee of the company’s board has started to investigate McMahon. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that McMahon paid a secret $3 million settlement to a former employee he allegedly had an affair with. The separation agreement, which was reportedly made in January, prevents the former, unnamed employee “from discussing her relationship with Mr. McMahon or disparaging him,” according to the Journal. “I have pledged my complete cooperation to the investigation by the special committee, and I will do everything possible to support the investigation,” McMahon said in the statement. “I have also pledged to accept the findings and outcome of the investigation, whatever they are.” The investigation reportedly began in April and has “unearthed other, older nondisclosure agreements involving claims by former female WWE employees of misconduct by Mr. McMahon,” the Journal reported. Other misconduct claims were reportedly found against John Laurinaitis, the company’s head of talent relations. WWE said Friday that it takes “all allegations of misconduct very seriously” and it has engaged independent legal services to assist with the review. A third party will also “conduct a comprehensive review of the company’s compliance program, HR function and overall culture.” The company’s board is made of up executives who report to McMahon and even members of McMahon’s own family. That includes Stephanie McMahon as well as Paul Levesque, her husband and former wrestler who goes by the stage name, Triple H. Vince McMahon controls the majority of the voting power. McMahon has been an integral part of WWE for decades, both behind the scenes and in the ring. The CEO helped turn the company into a media powerhouse, which currently has deals with Fox and NBCUniversal. McMahon has also helped to create many famous wrestlers, like The Rock, John Cena and Stone Cold Steve Austin, who have become bigger than WWE itself. WWE’s shares have risen more than 30% year to date, an outlier in the current bear market. — CNN Business’ Frank Pallotta contributed to this report.
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A $700,000 Volvo? Yeah, you definitely want one. 1 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET This is the altogether beautiful and wonderful Cyan Racing Volvo P1800. 2 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET It's the prototype for a small series of exclusive high-performance coupes based on Volvo's classic P1800 coupe. 3 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET How exclusive? Try $700,000. Cyan Racing officials say they can build about one of these a month. 4 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET $700,000 may seem like an absurd price, but the global market for these sorts of fully reimagined, thoughtfully modernized high-dollar icons is surprisingly robust. Just ask Singer, Icon or Eagle, all of whom have long wait lists. 5 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET Cyan is the Swedish motorsports outfit formerly known as Polestar. After working closely with Volvo on the automaker's touring-car-series racers and a series of high-performance production Volvos, Cyan Racing sold its name to the automaker for its new electric car brand. The two still maintain friendly relations. 6 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET At first glance, this looks like a standard 1964 Volvo P1800 body, but there are actually a ton of differences, from new bumpers to flared fenders that lend the whole design a cleaner appearance. 7 of 40 Cyan Racing Just look at this beautiful, driver-focused interior. With the exception of the handbrake handle and the HVAC controls, it's all new but looks timeless. 8 of 40 Cyan Racing This P1800 is powered by a breathed-on version of Cyan Racing's 2.0-liter I4 turbo engine as used in its World Touring Car Championship-winning Volvo S60 TC1. 9 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET It's tuned to deliver 420 horsepower and 336 pound-feet of torque, with both peaks high in the rev range for proper old-school feel. 10 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET It features a race-spec five-speed dogleg gearbox from Holinger as well as manual brakes. 11 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET Keep clicking or scrolling for dozens more images of the Cyan Racing Volvo P1800. 12 of 40 Cyan Racing 13 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 14 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 15 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 16 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 17 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 18 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 19 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 20 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 21 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 22 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 23 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 24 of 40 Cyan Racing 25 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 26 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 27 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 28 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 29 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 30 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 31 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 32 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 33 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 34 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET 35 of 40 Cyan Racing 36 of 40 Cyan Racing 37 of 40 Cyan Racing 38 of 40 Cyan Racing 39 of 40 Cyan Racing 40 of 40 Chris Paukert/CNET
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Automotive and Transportation
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The recent Chapter 7 failure of EV startup ELMS probably encouraged some electric vehicle haters to gloat, but electric last-mile delivery trucks remain the strongest immediate bet, to my mind, in electric vehicles.The four biggest home delivery fleets in the US -- Amazon, UPS, FedEx and DHL -- know what the North American Council on Freight Efficiency predicts: An electric last mile van uses about $2,000 of energy a year compared to $10,000 a year in fuel, calculated at $2.98 a gallon. That wasn't enough to save ELMS from its financial ambiguities, alleged stock shenanigans and executive departures. ELMS The company offered a Class 1 urban delivery van with 110 miles of range at a base price of $28,000 and a larger Class 3 chassis that would normally be fitted with a cargo box offering 125 miles of range. Those range numbers would underwhelm any electric car buyer but are actually evidence of why electric delivery vans make sense: They can nail a major work role with easily attained range, dovetailing with many other traits of electrification beyond that.Rewarding gruntDelivery trucks need ample torque and put it to better use than reaching 60 mph in 2 seconds. Electric motors deliver almost all of their prodigious torque from 1 rpm while gas and even relatively torquey diesel engines have to be coaxed and revved into delivering peak torque.UPS tapped electric delivery van maker Arrival to start building its fleet of electric last mile trucks at local "microfactories" in the US, UK and Europe. UPS Good at going slowThere are few things less efficient than combustion engines, which use most of their fuel to generate waste heat rather than move the vehicle they're installed in, and slow, stop-and-go driving is combustion inefficiency at its worst. But electric powertrains are hardly phased by that driving pattern and remain efficient poking around town. To paraphrase Eric Schmidt, the fact that delivery vehicles have been powered by combustion engines is a bug in the course of automotive history. Routes kill anxietyThere's not much cause for range anxiety if you know exactly where you're going, down to the distance, number of turns, stops, traffic conditions and terrain; That kind of knowledge makes it clear if you'll have enough charge and is the kind of planning and analysis that's been part of local trucking for a long time. It's the opposite of the unpredictable driving we do (and imagine we'll do) with our personal cars. And while the charge analysis display on the dash of electric personal cars is just data art to most owners, it's highly significant to fleet operators. Electric delivery vans will make it home on a charge or not be sent out in the first place.Frequent use is keyThe high marginal cost of electrification or autonomy are best amortized by using the product as much as possible. Delivery vans work 8 to 12 hours a day rather than sitting parked 95% of their lives, their advanced features seldom used. Electric work trucks should return their investment faster than a Tesla Model S Plaid gets out of its own way. ELMS Low floors rate high Remember the last time you moved and how fatiguing it was loading things in and out of that truck? A low, flat load floor is a big deal on delivery trucks, served well by the flat, low-mounted batteries used by most electric vehicles. Dispensing with an engine and its drivetrain also eliminates the "doghouse" that often occupies the middle of the cab and can demand a design with an additional step up. Even one step saved getting in and out of the cab when a driver makes a stop can create a more pleasant, less fatiguing day and a little more appealing job. Even when gas was $2.98 a gallon the energy cost difference between electric and gas-engined last mile trucks was stark. NACFE Delivery fleets get itAmazon recently announced it would buy up to 100,000 electric vans from Rivian though the company will also source them from Ram after Jeff Bezos ribbed Rivian about delivering the vehicles. FedEx will only buy electric delivery vehicles by 2030. UPS has placed an order for 10,000 electric delivery vans deploying across the US, UK and Europe through 2024. And you might not have even known that a fifth of DHL's delivery van fleet is electric because it uses familiar-looking Ford Transits that are converted by Lightning eMotors.It's not clear how much Americans will drive as we emerge from the pandemic but local delivery miles have a long way to grow. Doing that work with clean, quiet, economical last mile vehicles seems like the most obvious priority in the immediate future of electric vehicles.
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Automotive and Transportation
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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Citizen Outbreak, a new trivia card game, captures the frustrations, curiosities and shared human experiences of the COVID-19 years — everything from the divisive pronouncements of Dr. Anthony Fauci to the madness of murder hornets. The card game is the brainchild of two boyhood friends, now in their 40s.They reconnected during the dark months of pandemic shutdowns in group chats, Zoom calls and text threads with their lives otherwise put on hold. "We were just all living through this together virtually, realizing we were going through some crazy times, not just us but people around the world," said Matthew Toboroff, 41, a New York City entrepreneur who created the game with buddy Rudy Gofman, 45, a N.J. real estate investor. COVID BOARD GAME CREATED BY GERMAN SISTERS SELLS OUTAdded Toboroff, "I stepped back at one point and thought, ‘How is anybody going to remember all this stuff?’ Each moment was crazier than the next. ‘This is a game,’ I said to everyone."Citizen Outbreak quickly grew out of these conversations. The co-creators are currently taking orders for the game through the Citizen Outbreak homepage. Two boyhood pals who reunited during the COVID lockdowns, Matthew Toboroff of New York City and Rudy Gofman of Alpine, N.J., created Citizen Outbreak to capture the madness and humor of the pandemic. (Boychik Gaming LLC)Trivia questions come in two categories: "Follow the Science" and "All Things Viral." The "Follow the Science" queries tackle the issues of biology and medical research that consumed the public for about two years. MEET THE AMERICAN WHO INVENTED THE MOTOR HOME"We were all suddenly experts in everything," Toboroff said.One of the "Follow the Science" questions reads, "According to studies, about 40% of COVID-19 patients reported losing which of their human senses?" It then lists four multiple-choice options."We were all suddenly experts in everything." "All Things Viral" cards are devoted to the constant stream of news trends and often hysteria that flashed across our TV screens during the pandemic — the hottest topics in the world one minute all but forgotten the next. The question rekindle memories of everything from murder hornets to the gaudy "tax the rich" dress worn by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., to the 2021 Met Gala. AOC's "tax the rich" dress is now captured in a new trivia card game called Citizen Outbreak. "It continues to blow my mind how literally we just moved so fast from one crisis to the next," said Toboroff. "COVID was something that really did captivate us, even imprisoned some people. The entire world was in the same situation."Toboroff and Gofman cite their rekindled friendship and new game as positive developments to come out of the pandemic. Players who pull a "Lockdown" card lose two turns; those who get a "Booster" card add two turns.Toboroff and Gofman hope the game acts as a "good messenger" that transcends the divisiveness of the times. Citizen Outbreak creators Matthew Toboroff, 41, left, and Rudy Gofman, 45, were boyhood pals who reconnected amid the COVID lockdowns. (Boychik Gaming LLC)"People dug in on everything," said Toboroff. "It was hard to have a conversation. We hope you put this game in the middle of the table and find that it's provocative, stimulating and maybe even makes you laugh."Toboroff and Gofman cite their rekindled friendship and new game as positive developments to come out of the dark days of the pandemic. Citizen Outbreak, says its creators, is a trivia game that tests our knowledge about all the moments, big and small, serious and absurd, that shaped our lives during the COVID pandemic. (Boychik Gaming LLC)The business partners were friends as teenagers, then grew apart as their careers and families took them on their own paths. They reconnected just before COVID, but their relationship was cemented anew by long conversations at night in various social channels. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER "We got super close again during the pandemic," said Gofman. He even enlisted his daughter, Arianna, 14, to create the game’s breezy, colorful artwork."This box is our time capsule," Toboroff said in a video promo for Citizen Outbreak, pointing to the box containing the game. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"You may have even forgotten some of the crazy stuff that happened the past few years," he said. "It’s all in here." Kerry J. Byrne is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.
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Video Games
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Tesla Model 3 electric vehicles at a Hertz airport location.Photo by E.R. DavidsonNot long after Hertz Global Holdings emerged from bankruptcy last summer, reorganized after the Covid-19 pandemic stalled the entire car rental industry, the Estero, Florida-based company boldly announced a $4.2 billion deal to purchase 100,000 Tesla fully electric vehicles (EVs) by the end of 2022. Just like that, the race was on within the industry to transition to EVs from internal combustion engine (ICE) models.While Hertz was first off the starting blocks, its two biggest rivals, Enterprise Holdings and Avis Budget Group, have since joined in. But just like the full-scale adoption of EVs among American drivers is going to take years, the rental car shift also will be a marathon, not a sprint. "Companies that operate fleets at our size cannot just turn on a dime and next year go all EV," said Sharky Laguana, president of the American Car Rental Association. "Our industry wants to move as fast as it can, but there are some serious and challenging constraints."The initial one, Laguana said, "is just getting your hands on the damn things."The $56-billion U.S. rental industry typically buys about one-tenth of auto manufacturers' new cars every year, but with persistent supply-chain disruptions, especially the shortage of essential computer chips, the numbers are way down. The industry bought 2.1 million vehicles from OEMs in 2019, Laguana said, compared with only about 750,000 in 2021. U.S. sales of EVs doubled in 2021, but still only comprise about 4% of the nation's total market for cars and trucks.Another major speed bump for rental car companies is the paucity of EV charging stations, at airports and other rental locations, hotels, resorts and office buildings, as well as along local roads and interstate highways. And then there's the challenge of educating and training companies' agents and mechanics on EVs, not to mention familiarizing drivers on the differences from operating ICE vehicles.Hertz does not state the overall number of vehicles in its fleet, said Jeff Nieman, senior vice president, operations initiatives, so it's unknown how many Teslas are available in the more than 30 markets currently offering EVs, which now also include the first of the 65,000 Polestar 2s — an EV brand jointly owned by Volvo and its Chinese parent Gheely which has planned to go public through a SPAC deal — Hertz began purchasing in a five-year deal announced in April. Nieman did say, however, he is confident that EVs will represent "more than 30% of our fleet by the end of 2024."In the meantime, Hertz has several hundred thousand ICE models in the U.S. that will be rented for years to come, said Chris Woronka, an analyst at Deutsche Bank. Even so, "they've decided they're going to carry the EV torch for the industry and be very outspoken about their plans and goals," he said.Look no further than the spate of Hertz TV spots, starring NFL superstar Tom Brady touting Tesla rentals, that aired during this year's Super Bowl. Hertz also has created a dedicated area on its website to help educate drivers about EVs.Renting EVs to corporates focused on ESG, carbon neutralityA primary target for Hertz, according to Woronka, is the corporate market. "The leisure customer might think it's cool to drive an electric car, but the longer game is on the corporate side," he said.Beyond comparing costs of employees driving EVs versus ICE cars — currently skewed by the national average of around $5 for a gallon of regular gas — companies view EVs as a quantifiable way to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, meet net-zero goals and burnish their environmental, social and governance (ESG) bona fides among sustainability investors and advocacy groups."The initial research has shown that corporate accounts are going to be willing to pay a premium for EVs," Woronka said, "because it helps them achieve some of their ESG objectives."Not surprisingly, rental companies themselves are embracing this concept, said Sara Forni, director of clean vehicles for the nonprofit Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance (CEVA). While they certainly "want to get more butts in EV seats," she said, "they also want to meet their sustainability goals and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets."Siemens US, an affiliate of the German-based conglomerate, is a flagship member of CEVA and was part of the Hertz EV program launch last fall. "We fully support our global decarbonization and ESG goals," said Randall Achterberg, North America travel commodity manager, "and our fleet makes the largest Scope 1 emissions footprint and we're already making progress with an aggressive EV transition strategy," referring to GHGs produced by Siemens' U.S. fleet of nearly 10,000 vehicles. "On the corporate travel side, we want to expand our employees' usage of EVs."To date, Siemens has booked more than 100 EV rentals with Hertz. "We're not pushing as heavily as we'd like to, because they're not ready," Achterberg said, acknowledging the inherent obstacles in its EV rollout. Siemens is alleviating one stumbling block: it builds EV charging stations and has committed to manufacture a million of them in the U.S. over the next three years.Enterprise's early Orlando EV rental car experimentEnterprise may not be as out-front as Hertz with its EV rental program, but the privately held company, headquartered in St. Louis, has been in the exploratory stage since 2014. That's the year it began participating in the Drive Electric Orlando Rental Pilot, a multi-year study sponsored by the Electrification Coalition, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit advocating for EV adoption, particularly among fleet owners.The pilot, partly funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, was centered at Orlando International Airport and as well comprised resorts and theme parks in the area. "We also had close partnerships with local regulators and policymakers, which was critical in making sure we did this the right way," said Chris Haffenreffer, assistant vice president of innovation at Enterprise. The company rented all-electric cars, including Chevy Volts and Nissan Leafs to travelers, who were incentivized with perks such as free charging, parking and valet service."Even though EVs were [then] an afterthought in our business, the lessons learned are consistent with what we see today," Haffenreffer said. Namely, getting employees behind the wheel of EVs is crucial, "so they can communicate actively with customers," as is partnering with other entities to invest in the charging infrastructure.Although the rental companies have said they are building their own charging stations, another critical partner is the U.S. government, which in last year's bipartisan infrastructure bill earmarked $7.5 billion to states to create a network of EV charging stations. Earlier this month, the Biden administration proposed regulations that would require stations built on interstates with federal dollars to be no more than 50 miles apart.Enterprise, like Hertz, is focusing on its commercial-rental fleets and fleet-management division, where business customers will value the lower maintenance and operating costs. "It's about being a trusted advisor to those customers, helping them understand how to operate an EV and the benefits," Haffenreffer said. But as with leisure travel renters, figuring out how to get from point A to Point B and how to charge the car is increasingly challenging, Haffenreffer said.Parsippany, New Jersey-based Avis saw its stock rocket in early November after it said it was getting into the EV rental business a week after the Hertz-Tesla deal broke, and though its come back down along with the entire market, CEO Joe Ferraro told analysts during a conference call at the time, "You'll see us going forward be much more active in electric scenarios as the situation develops."Avis has been tight-lipped since then and declined to be comment for this article. But Woronka said, "I take them at their word." He cited the rental car company's sizable corporate fleet exposure as a reason. "They're just not ready to pull back the curtain yet on what they're doing," he said.U.S. automakers are spending billions to ramp up their EV production. General Motors aims to deliver 400,000 EVs in North America by the end of 2023, and Ford has committed to 600,000 by that same time. Considering that renting an EV is essentially an extended test drive, the rental market is seen as an important driver in President Joe Biden's plan for half of all new cars and trucks sold in 2030 to be zero-emissions vehicles."From our point of view, the rental car market makes a ton of sense, especially as OEMs get into longer-range electric vehicles," said Electrification Coalition executive director Ben Prochazka. "What a great way to get consumers exposure to new technology in a low-risk setting."
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Automotive and Transportation
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The bumper start to the Australian snow season has continued, with perfect conditions and “bluebird days” at resorts this weekend and more snow forecast for the alps in the coming week.Early snowfall has already seen decades-long records broken across Victoria and New South Wales, where resorts at Mt Buller, Thredbo and Perisher were able to open well before the official start to the snow season on the June long weekend.The early dumps were followed by clear and cloudless skies this weekend, resulting in “bluebird days” – the ideal combination of sunny conditions and fresh snow – across the alps.The weather continues to provide welcome relief to ski resorts, which were battered by pandemic restrictions across the past two snow seasons, severely limiting attendance and forcing some closures.At Perisher and Thredbo, more snow is forecast for Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Mt Buller and Mt Hotham are forecast for snowfall every day from Tuesday to Sunday.Allow Instagram content?This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'.The only resort not to open is Mt Selwyn, which was destroyed in the Black Summer bushfires. Selwyn was expected to reopen this season, but this has been delayed due to the heavy snowfall, which affected electrical systems.The Selwyn Snow Resort general manager, Lucy Blyton, told News Corp the delay was a “cruel irony”.“Our resort was wiped out by bushfire, and now we can’t open because of too much snow,” she said.“The cruel irony of it all.”Allow Instagram content?This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'.Last weekend, Mt Buller recorded a snow depth of 76cm, a 44-year record for Queen’s birthday weekends. Falls Creek recorded a snow depth of 92cm and Mt Hotham recorded 82cm on the same weekend.Speaking last weekend after a 125cm dumping of early season snowfall, the Thredbo marketing manager, Caroline Brauer, said the “snow cover was as good as it gets”.“After the challenges of the past two years, this is exactly the way we wanted to welcome everyone back to the resort,” she said.“The strong start to the season is just what the resort, community and snow industry needed. The smiles on all the faces of our guests and staff are a testament to just how overdue a season like this has been.”
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End of the line: Plans for ALL rail ticket offices are to close as sales go online despite fears 3million over-65s who don't have internet accessAll ticket offices on Britain's railways will close as paper tickets are phased outBut there are fears the older generations will find it hard to travel by trainUp to 3million elderly people do not have internet access according to Age UKAnd many more do not have a smartphone on which to book and store tickets Published: 20:58 EDT, 18 June 2022 | Updated: 04:58 EDT, 19 June 2022 All ticket offices on Britain's railways are set to close as the rail industry looks to move its ticketing operations exclusively online.The industry has drawn up plans to phase out paper tickets and either shut down or 'repurpose' hundreds of ticket offices across England in a move expected to save up to £500million a year.But the planned shift to online ticketing has raised concerns that Britain's elderly population, who may not have access to smartphones or be technologically savvy enough to use them, would struggle to travel via the trains.Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said earlier this week that one in eight train tickets are still bought over the counter. And the UK's largest charity for older people, Age UK, says up to 3 million elderly folk in Britain do not have access to the internet, while many more are thought to live without a mobile device. All ticket offices on Britain's railways are set to close as the rail industry looks to move its ticketing operations exclusively online Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said earlier this week that one in eight train tickets are still bought over the counterCaroline Abrahams of Age UK told The Times: 'Many more [older people] lack an up-to-date smartphone or tablet, or live in a place with unreliable broadband. These people have relied on buying tickets face-to-face or over the phone and then collecting them from a station machine. What are they expected to do if everything goes online?' It comes as union leaders confirmed that next week's rail and Tube strikes will go ahead after talks to resolve a bitter row over pay, jobs and conditions.The action by tens of thousands of rail workers will cripple services for most of the week. The RMT Union has demanded inflation-tied pay rises for workers and a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies as part of a national drive to save more than £2bn across Britain's railway network.Underpinning the calls for industrial action are also claims that train operators have endured years of pay freezes and changes to their terms and conditions.The union also claims Network Rail plans to cut jobs and reduce spending –with an impact on safety. But Network Rail and the Government have accused the union of an unwillingness to modernise work practices.General secretary Mick Lynch said: 'Despite the best efforts of our negotiators no viable settlements to the disputes have been created.'He confirmed that strikes at Network Rail and 13 train operators will go ahead on Tuesday, Thursday and next Saturday, and on London Underground on Tuesday. A commuter touches a touch screen ticket machine at an underground station on March 10, 2020 in London, England Mick Lynch, Secretary-General of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers speaks at a trades union organised protest march opposed to British government policies at Parliament Square in London, Britain, June 18, 2022'It has to be restated that the source of these disputes is the decision by the Tory Government to cut £4bn of funding from our transport systems - £2bn from national rail and £2bn from Transport for London,' he said.'As a result of this transport austerity imposed by the Government, the employing companies have taken decisions to savage the Railway Pension Scheme and the Transport for London scheme, cutting benefits, making staff work longer, and poorer in retirement, while paying increased contributions.'In the face of this massive attack on our people the RMT cannot be passive.'So today, having heard the reports on the discussions that have been taking place we are confirming that the strike action scheduled to take place on 21st, 23rd and 25th June will go ahead.'We want a transport system that operates for the benefit of the people, for the needs of society and our environment - not for private profit.'We call on the entire labour movement and the working people to rally to the support of the RMT and our members in this struggle.' Transport Secretary Shapps accused the RMT union of 'punishing' millions of innocent people after it confirmed it will go ahead with the strikes.Shapps said the travelling public faced a week of 'misery' because the RMT union had refused repeated appeals to call off their action due to start on Tuesday. Advertisement
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Automotive and Transportation
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The most popular vehicle in the U.S. is going electric, and it’s coming to dealers across the country.The first demo models of the Ford F-150 Lightning, an electric version of the best-selling pickup truck, have begun trickling out to dealerships, and a few vehicles have been delivered to the first customers on a very long waiting list.Starting at $40,000, the F-150 Lightning may steal some thunder from Rivian, the EV truck manufacturer that stumbled out of the gate with a slow production ramp-up. More broadly, the Lightning is being heralded as a potential game-changer for electric vehicles, incorporating the nascent technology into a utilitarian truck that can haul cargo and rival the speed of a Porsche.“It’s just as capable as our current trucks, and it’s the fastest F-150 we’ve ever made,” said Jasen Turnbull, F-150 Lightning marketing manager at Ford. “This is huge for us.”The Lightning launched production in April at the Rouge EV center in Dearborn, Michigan, and job one for Ford is fulfilling preorders for the truck. Ford cut off online reservations in December after receiving nearly 200,000 preorders. The automaker plans to increase annual production to 150,000 vehicles by next year.Ford's Rouge Electric Vehicle Center uses autonomous guided vehicles to move F-150 Lightning trucks from station to station in the plant. (Steve Koss)The Lightning’s $40,000 starting price is the same as the comparable commercial gas-powered F-150, with premium versions costing upward of $90,000. The price is offset by a $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles, and many states provide their own incentives.Production laggingEV sales, which made up 2.6% of the U.S. auto market in 2021, are projected to nearly double this year to a 5% market share, according to Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for car shopping website Edmunds. Demand has been boosted by spiking gas prices, but lagging production makes it hard to gauge how fast EV adoption will progress, she said.“We definitely see people shopping more electric vehicles,” Caldwell said. “The thing with EVs is that you really can’t get your hands on a lot of them.”Caldwell said supply chain issues, including the global semiconductor shortage, may continue to roil auto production into next year. But as automakers prioritize the transition to electric vehicles, production may accelerate at EV plants, she said.Rivian, the startup EV truck manufacturer that launched production of its R1T pickup truck in September, has struggled with a slower than expected ramp-up from a converted Mitsubishi plant in Normal, Illinois.The company, which is also building an R1S SUV and two electric delivery vans for Amazon, has produced about 5,000 vehicles as of May 9. The plant has the capacity to produce 150,000 vehicles annually, but is projected to build 25,000 EVs this year, hampered by supply chain issues.California-based Rivian, which went public in November, is sitting on $17 billion in cash and had 90,000 orders for its R1 consumer EVs as of May 9. Rivian is also building 100,000 electric delivery vans for Amazon, an early investor in the company.While Rivian has a head start on EV truck competitors, its first mover advantage may be evaporating as both Ford and General Motors accelerate production of rival pickups, Caldwell said.In addition to the F-150 Lightning, truck fans got their first in-person look at the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup truck at the Chicago Auto Show in February. The truck, which starts at $40,000, is expected to launch in fall 2023.“It’s been such a long ramp-up for Rivian, and now you have these mainstream automakers that have more brand recognition and way bigger marketing budgets coming out with these vehicles,” Caldwell said. “The F-150 is definitely going to have more mass appeal.”The Ford F-150 Lightning, revealed last year in Dearborn, Mich., is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles.(Ford)Taking a test driveThe 200,000 customers who reserved a Lightning are being asked to convert to a firm order, which can be placed online but will be delivered through a local dealer. Turnbull said it will take until mid-2023 to build and deliver those vehicles, so new customers are relegated to a waiting list to even begin the ordering process.Those potential customers can, however, get behind the wheel of a Lightning this summer at many Ford dealers. Ford is delivering 2,400 demo versions of the EV truck to dealers across the U.S. by July, Turnbull said. The demo vehicles will be on the lot for six months before the dealers can sell them, giving Ford time to ramp up production.“We really thought it was important to get test drives,” Turnbull said. “So anyone can walk in and talk to a local dealer for a test drive.”The Lightning goes from zero to 60 mph in four-plus seconds, has 10,000 pounds of towing capacity, a maximum payload of 2,000 pounds and a range of up to 320 miles fully charged. But its true test may have been how it performed navigating potholes, construction work and the rugged urban terrain of Chicago’s North Side on a 100-degree morning test drive.At first glance, the F-150 Lightning looks similar to the ubiquitous combustion engine F-150 trucks. But in the front, where the engine would be, is a large, easy-access storage trunk, commonly referred to as a frunk. The dual inboard electric motors are located at the front and rear axles.The cabin likewise feels familiar, but a large touch screen in the middle of the dash includes features such as propulsion sound, which replicates engine noise for those unaccustomed to the quiet power of an EV, and 1-pedal drive, which makes the brake pedal a seldom-used appendage — depressing and releasing the accelerator is enough to handle most stop-and-go city driving.After getting behind the wheel of a $93,000, top-of-the-line Platinum Lightning, we set off, air conditioner blasting movie-theater cold. The Lightning maneuvered through orange cones and heavy construction equipment, excelling on a de facto city obstacle course.Next, we headed to the Kennedy Expressway, looking for some open road to unleash the 580 horsepower Lightning. Heavy midmorning traffic kept a lid on the zero to 60 mph acceleration test. A few momentary bursts, however, generated sudden G-forces and curious stares from other drivers, who apparently didn’t expect a Ford pickup to pass like a Ferrari.Exiting the interstate, we turned onto Central Park Avenue, a narrow, quintessentially Chicago residential street lined with three-flats and badly parked vehicles. Switching into off-road mode from the touch screen, we plied the rugged path with inches to spare, traversing speed humps, buckled pavement and gaping potholes like a rock crawler.After an hour on the road, we returned the Lightning to the Fox Ford dealership in the Bucktown neighborhood, with nearly 300 miles of range left and nary a scratch on its Atlas Blue finish.The Lightning's arrival was so anticipated that Ford had to cut off online reservations in December after receiving nearly 200,000 preorders.(Ford)Trading upFord is looking to reach 2 million EV sales by 2026, and is counting on the Lightning to propel the automaker to that target, Turnbull said. Customer deliveries began last month, with the first Lightning in Illinois going to Ken Stepps, a landscape designer and handyman who lives in suburban Wheaton.An EV enthusiast, Stepps traded in his 2017 Tesla Model 3 to buy the $80,000 Lightning Lariat at Hopkins Ford of Elgin, Illinois. He and his husband got to the top of the 200,000 preorder list through careful planning and execution.“We knew Ford was going to be announcing the F-150 Lightning, and so we had our laptops open and ready on the reservation page,” said Stepps, 42. “And we were able to place our reservation before (Ford CEO) Jim Farley even announced the truck.”Stepps said he kept his place at the front of the line by watching the production process “like a hawk.” As soon as he received an email from Ford inviting him to customize and place the order, he did. Stepps then reached out to the dealer to make sure the order was processed promptly.The couple had previously reserved a Rivian R1T pickup truck, but shifted to the F-150 Lightning when it became available. Stepps, who recently sold his gas-powered F-150, thought the Ford EV would be more practical in his line of work, questioning whether he wanted to be “hauling mulch” in the back of a Rivian.“What I love about the Lightning is that it’s a no-compromise vehicle,” Stepps said. “It comes with all the power that I was used to in the Tesla and all the capacity I was used to in our former F-150.”Stepps also cited the large frunk, electrical outlets to plug in his tools and a soon-to-be-installed home charging system to enable the Lightning to provide home backup power during extended outages as advantages to the electric version of the F-150 over the gas version.In an April interview at his Normal production facility, Rivian CEO and founder R.J. Scaringe said the evolving EV truck segment was not a winner-take-all competition. But the arrival of the F-150 Lightning on dealer lots may certainly heat things up this summer.“I really deeply believe that the perspective that there’s a single winner just isn’t an accurate representation of the space,” Scaringe said. “I think that Lightning … can be wildly successful, and so can we.”Buyers, meanwhile, “have no choice but to wait” for EV truck production to catch up to demand, Caldwell said.Stepps, who switched his Rivian truck order to the R1S SUV as a “family hauler,” received an email from the automaker in early June pushing the delivery window back, once again, from April-May to August-September.Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune (TNS)
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Test drive: 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor The 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor is the best version yet of Ford's high performance pickup, but Fox News Autos Editor Gary Gastelu says it may soon be even better.NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The Ford F-150 Raptor R is ready to make some noise on the high performance truck scene.The off-road pickup made a surprise appearance this week at a launch event for the Ford Bronco R in Johnson Valley, California.An F-150 Raptor R came storming through the desert past the assembled journalists, but not closely enough for them to get a good look.What could not be missed was the sound of its engine, which will be a V8 rather than the 450 hp turbocharged V6 in the normal F-150 Raptor or the electric powertrain used in the F-150 Lightning. The Ford F-150 Raptor R made an appearance at a media event in the California desert. (Ford)Ford had previously announced the truck was getting a V8, but now Ford CEO Jim Farley has revealed part of the reason why."We listened, Twitter helps us sharpen our focus since we can listen to individual feedback," Farley tweeted in response to a fan thanking him for putting the V8 in it. The standard Ford F-150 Raptor uses a 450 hp turbocharged 3.5-liter V6. (Ford)What's still to be confirmed is exactly what V8 it is or how much power it will deliver.FOX NEWS CAR REVIEWS: FORD F-150 RAPTORVarious bits of information that have leaked out -- including a possible window sticker and data in Ford's dealer information tool -- point to it being a version of the 760 hp supercharged 5.2-liter "Predator" V8 featured in the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.That would make it a worthy competitor to the Ram 1500 TRX, which is powered by a 702 hp supercharged V8 borrowed from the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat muscle car that makes it the most powerful pickup with an internal combustion engine.Unfortunately, unlike Ram's motor that makes a pronounced supercharger whine, the Predator's supercharger is pretty quiet, so it's hard to tell for sure from the video if that's what's in the F-150 Raptor R. The Mustang Shelby GT500 is equipped with a 760 hp supercharged 5.2-liter V8. (Ford)If it is indeed the Predator, the F-150 Raptor R may not end up being only the most powerful pickup, but also the thirstiest. The TRX currently holds that title at 12 mpg combined and the much smaller and lighter Mustang Shelby GT500 gets just 14 mpg.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFord has yet to announce the official date for the F-150 Raptor R's full reveal, but it will happen sometime in 2022. Gary Gastelu is FoxNews.com's Automotive Editor covering the car industry and racing @foxnewsautos
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Formula One F1 - Canadian Grand Prix - Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, Canada - June 19, 2022 Red Bull's Max Verstappen during the drivers parade before the race REUTERS/Christinne MuschiRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSummaryCompaniesVerstappen wins in Canada on his 150th startSainz a close second, Hamilton thirdChampion's sixth win of 2022Red Bull's sixth in a rowVerstappen leads Perez by 46 points after Mexican retiresMONTREAL, June 19 (Reuters) - Red Bull's Max Verstappen held off Ferrari's Carlos Sainz to win the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday and celebrate his 150th Formula One race by surging 46 points clear in the world championship.The 24-year-old Dutch driver took his 26th career win just 0.9 of a second ahead of frustrated Spaniard Sainz,who was able to close the gap thanks to a safety car deployment but whose long wait for a first win continues.Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton completed the podium for Mercedes in a remarkable turnaround for the Briton who had described his bouncing car as undriveable only days before.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSainz collected the bonus point for fastest lap as the Italian team at least managed to trim the gap to runaway leaders Red Bull in the constructors' championship to a hefty 76 points from a previous 80."It was really exciting at the end. I was giving it everything I had and, of course, Carlos was doing the same," said Verstappen after his sixth win of the season and Red Bull's sixth in succession."I could see he was pushing and charging, but when you're on the DRS (drag reduction system) it's a lot easier to charge. The last few laps were a lot of fun."Sainz said he had tried everything he could to win at a circuit named after Canada's late Ferrari great Gilles Villeneuve."We were very, very close to winning today. I will take the positives and keep trying in the next one," he added.Verstappen's Mexican team mate Sergio Perez, who remains second overall, retired after just eight of the 70 scheduled laps when his car's engine failed and was stuck in gear.Ferrari's Charles Leclerc started 19th after engine penalties and ended the day fifth, but now 49 points behind Verstappen.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Max Verstappen's win was his 26th in F1 - one more than legendary former world champions Jim Clark and Niki LaudaRed Bull's Max Verstappen held off a late challenge from Ferrari's Carlos Sainz to win the Canadian Grand Prix.The two started the final 15 laps nose to tail after a late safety car but, despite heavy pressure from Sainz, Verstappen held on with older tyres.Lewis Hamilton and George Russell took third and fourth for Mercedes as Ferrari's Charles Leclerc recovered to fifth from the back of the grid.Verstappen extended his championship lead over Leclerc to 49 points.Red Bull's Sergio Perez remains in second place despite retiring from the race with an engine problem but is only three points ahead of Leclerc.Fernando Alonso, who starred in wet qualifying to start on the front row for the first time in 10 years, suffered from a questionable strategy from Alpine and some technical issues to finish seventh, behind team-mate Esteban Ocon.Verstappen holds off Sainz to win Canadian GP - as it happenedChequered Flag podcast: Canadian Grand Prix reviewFull race resultCharging Sainz just comes up shortVerstappen and Sainz played a cat-and-mouse game throughout a race punctuated by two virtual safety cars in addition to the final full safety car.Red Bull pitted Verstappen under the first VSC on lap nine, caused when Perez pulled off, while Sainz stayed out, before the Spaniard stopped under the second 11 laps later, caused by Mick Schumacher's Haas stopping out on track.That set up a race defined by tyre offsets, with Sainz closing slowly on Verstappen through their second stints before the Dutchman stopped for a second time on lap 43.Carlos Sainz secured a podium finish for the fifth time in 2022Sainz then benefited from the final safety car, caused by Yuki Tsunoda crashing his Alpha Tauri on his way out of the pits.The Ferrari driver had a six-lap tyre advantage over Verstappen for the final shootout but he was unable to get close enough to the Red Bull to mount an attack, despite following within a second for the entire final 15 laps.Verstappen held on for his fifth win in six races, Red Bull's sixth in a row, and his own sixth victory in nine races this season to further consolidate an ever-more convincing championship advantage.Wolff brands rivals 'pitiful' in bouncing rowListen to the latest Chequered Flag podcastAlonso's strong weekend fades to P7 finishAlonso had talked after qualifying about challenging Verstappen for the lead on the first lap, but the Red Bull made too strong a start and the veteran Spaniard had to settle into second place.Sainz soon passed the Alpine, who then seemed to fall foul of mistaken thinking during the two virtual safety cars.Alonso did not stop under either, while both Mercedes drivers did - Hamilton under the first and Russell under the second.This leapfrogged both ahead of Alonso, and the 40-year-old also lost out to team-mate Ocon as the Frenchman stopped with Russell under the second VSC.Fernando Alonso has finished seventh in his past three racesAlonso's race was ruined by the timing of that VSC. It was called just after he had passed the pit entry at the end of lap 19, and it ended about two seconds before he reached it again on the following lap.So Alpine opted to stay out, and that left Alonso in no-man's land as his tyres soon began to drop off and he had to stop a few laps later under racing conditions, falling behind Leclerc as well.That meant Alonso was running sixth behind Ocon and ahead of Leclerc for the final run to the flag. Leclerc was stuck behind Ocon for a long time early in the race. But after the safety he passed both Alpines to take fifth and do a decent job of damage limitation in the championship, although there are questions as to whether Ferrari made strategy errors - which a slow pit stop did not help - as simulations suggested he should have been able to beat the Mercedes as well.Although Alonso had stronger pace than Ocon, he was unable to pass.Alonso was battling an engine problem that was costing him 0.5-1secs on the straights and asked the team whether they would swap positions, claiming he had been "100 times faster" than Ocon during the weekend.He did indeed maintain his significant pace advantage throughout but the team chose not to accede to his request and Ocon finished ahead.To make matters worse for Alonso, he was later given a five-second penalty for weaving on the straight, demoting him to ninth.Valtteri Bottas - the driver impeded by Alonso - and Zhou Guanyu therefore finished seventh and eighth for Alfa Romeo, with Aston Martin's Lance Stroll taking the final point in 10th at his home race.What's next?A two-week break before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where Ferrari really need to halt Red Bull's momentum and the track should suit Mercedes better.Lewis Hamilton (left) made the podium for the second time in 2022Max Verstappen has won the last two races, and five of the last sixThis Is MY House...! Or is it?: Can the celebrity sleuths figure out the real owner?Our Falklands War: A Frontline Story: Unflinching personal experiences of a short but brutal war
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Eddie Jones has insisted he can still reverse England’s fortunes in Australia after enduring a humiliating record defeat by the 14-man Barbarians, which heaps the pressure on the head coach before the series against the Wallabies next month.Compounding matters, Jones faces a number of injury headaches and a potential crisis at No 8 before naming his touring squad on Monday morning after the heaviest defeat of his tenure. England went down 52-21 against the invitational side and the home team had to endure the embarrassment of watching George Kruis backheel a conversion through the posts.Jones lost Alex Dombrandt to a knee injury on Friday and though the No 8 will see a specialist on Monday he has to be considered unlikely to tour. In addition, Sam Simmonds has already been ruled out and Jones revealed that Billy Vunipola was in contention for a call-up, only to sustain a concussion in the Premiership final on Saturday. George Ford is another player likely to be ruled out after sustaining a knee injury in Leicester’s triumph.It means Jones is set to name a squad with a raft of senior players missing – Henry Slade, Manu Tuilagi and Kyle Sinckler are already sidelined for the three-Test tour which begins in Perth on 2 July. The head coach also has calls to make on Ben Youngs and Joe Marler, but should they both be omitted Jones will be without a wealth of experience.In addition, England’s travel plans have been hit with the squad having to travel in four groups because of a lack of available flights, meaning the whole touring party will not be together until Thursday. Jones, however, sought to play down the significance of the defeat against the Barbarians, which follows disappointing Six Nations reverses to Ireland and France.Max Spring, under pressure from Jack Nowell, scores one of Barbarians’ eight tries. Photograph: Nigel French/PA“We’re not going to Australia and get beaten by 50 and run the ball from our own 22 but we have a style of play that we want to keep developing now and we’ll pick and choose when we use it,” Jones said.“We’ve got a number of good young players coming through, there’s potential for the team to get better. But I can’t sway fans, all I can do is coach the team. We used today for a particular purpose and if we play really well it would have been a great result but not necessarily great for us in the future because we wouldn’t have found out things that we need to find out about.“No one is happy about it but again we look at it in the light of what we’re trying to do. There’s a contextual situation here, we’re trying to build a new team, play a different way, a style that suits the players and there are going to be some ups and downs.“It’s a good reminder of how much work we have to do before Australia. From that point of view I’m really pleased with what we did. I’m not pleased with how we performed. I’m pleased with the intent of what we tried to do and it’s great preparation for Australia. But obviously not happy with the result.”The Barbarians fielded a side brimming with impressive French youngsters while Damian Penaud, a more established member of Les Bleus squad, starred with two of his side’s eight tries. Shortly before half-time Will Skelton became the first player in Barbarians history to be sent off but, while they were three points ahead at that stage, Fabien Galthié’s side romped away from England in the second half – so much so that Kruis, on his swan‑song appearance before retiring – was able to take, and score, three conversions.The Breakdown: sign up and get our weekly rugby union email.“It’s been a good week,” Kruis said. “I hadn’t been practising my kicking, I’d been practising something else. It’s been an epic week.”The Barbarians assistant coach Shaun Edwards revealed Phil Bennett – the legendary fly-half and the man who started the most memorable try in Barbarians history, who died recently – was prominent in the squad’s thoughts. “We’ve been watching clips all week of him, obviously the famous try has been played numerous times,” Edwards said. “I was lucky enough to meet him on numerous occasions in Wales and one thing that always shone out was his humility, for such a great player.”
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There is a moment in the Hunger Games – before a group of tributes are sent into the arena to fight to the death – where they all stand united before the crowd, holding hands in an unusual show of solidarity. But when they enter the arena and the games commence, they dutifully begin to fight to the death. What else could they do?The Suncorp Super Netball finals were the culmination of weeks of animosity building up between the playing group and administrators. After the decision to sell the hosting rights to the grand final to Perth the players united to put together a strongly worded statement to Netball Australia. Tensions remained high as more details began to arise of the governing body’s financial difficulties, with some former players calling for a strike to send a strong message that they cannot be taken for granted.But when the first whistle blew for the semi-finals and Netball Australia board members sat watching on high in their corporate boxes, the players threw themselves into battle. What else could they do?After the frenzied final round of competition, the major semi-final between the Melbourne Vixens and West Coast Fever was surprisingly anti-climactic. The Vixens appeared to feel the pressure of having been the focus of the grand final discussions for the previous few weeks and played well below their best. The Fever took advantage and made light work of the minor premiers. Their nine-goal win does not reflect their dominance with the Vixens managing to close the final margin through the two-point super shot efforts of young bench player Rahni Samason.The Fever are now through to the grand final after winning the match that would have given them hosting rights had Netball Australia not already sold them to their state government. It would not have been an easy lead-in for the team from the west either, with the pressure to ‘earn’ hosting rights building over the past few weeks, but they were able to withstand it and block out the hostile away crowd to cruise to victory.It was in the minor semi-final where the emotions of the build-up came to a head. With the winner to head to Melbourne to take on the vulnerable-looking Vixens and the loser to be eliminated, there was much to play for.Despite quiet, friendly chats between the Magpies’ Ash Brazill and the Giants’ Maddie Hay on the transverse line and smiles shared between Magpie Kelsey Browne and Giant Amy Parmenter – once the first whistle blew any signs of solidarity and unity melted away.There was animosity between English teammates Jo Harten, the Giants’ captain, and Geva Mentor, co-captain of the Magpies, as the two grappled for ascendancy. Harten’s emotions are part of her game, she is able to wear her heart on her sleeve and continue to play at her peak. In contrast, Mentor is usually shrouded in the armour of her cool and calm demeanour, but this battle was too heated and she was forced to cast it aside and play a more emotional game in an effort to rattle the Giants’ captain and frequent barometer of their performance.For a time it worked – the Magpies slowly gained control of the game and their second quarter was dominant. Harten’s final super shot attempt of the first half hit the ring, rolled around to the back, bounced on top of the post and for second seemed like it might just come to rest there. The crowd held its collective breath before the ball eventually rolled off, away from the ring. It seemed almost like a sign that things were falling the Magpies’ way.However Harten’s experience in playing the emotional game came to the fore in the second half and despite her obvious frustration with Mentor and the constant niggle between the two of them she kept on turning to the post and sinking her shots. Her 40 goals at 90% accuracy were also able to compensate for her goal attack Sophie Dwyer, who was kept uncharacteristically quiet by the Magpies’ Jodi-Ann Ward and Jacqui Newton, shooting just nine goals at 64%.Harten’s ascendancy in this match up swung the momentum of the game and her teammates rose with her, taking the win and the opportunity to pounce on a bruised and under-pressure Vixens to gain a place in the grand final.The two England players characterised the mood of the game and the overall feeling of the finals. Friends away from the court, joined in solidarity as leaders of their clubs against the might and power of those in charge. But in this moment, caught up in emotion and desperate battle, they put their bodies and fellowship on the line in an emotion-charged fight. What else could they do?
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Airline passengers are being left hundreds of pounds out of pocket after weeks of travel chaos. Some travellers whose flights were cancelled or diverted arranged their own alternative transport. Although airlines should step in to cover the costs, they are reportedly refusing to refund some of those who have had to make their own way home.If a flight to or from a UK or EU airport is delayed, cancelled or diverted, you should make a claim for relevant expenses and, if applicable, compensation. The key piece of legislation is EU regulation 261, which, for now, continues to be valid in the UK after Brexit. Here’s how to go about it.Know your rightsWhen a flight is cancelled, you have the right to be refunded or rerouted. The airline is required to get you to your destination as soon as possible, even if it involves you travelling with a different carrier. If the flight is cancelled within 14 days of the departure date, or if it is delayed by more than three hours, you are also entitled to a set amount of compensation starting at £220 a passenger, depending on how many days’ notice you were given and how far the destination. The exception is if the cancellation was down to an “extraordinary circumstance”. The definition of what is and isn’t extraordinary is vague, and airlines tend to use it as a catch-all to avoid payouts, but successive court rulings have shrunk the list to things such as abnormal weather conditions, manufacturing defects and industrial action by non-airline staff. Staff sickness or shortages don’t count. Once a delay exceeds two hours for short-haul flights or four for long-haul, the airline has to provide you with food and phone calls and, if you are delayed overnight, accommodation expenses. A potentially expensive grey area is if a delay gets you to your destination in the middle of the night when public transport has shut. Costs you incur to get yourself to where you should be count as “consequential loss” and airlines are not obliged to pay them.If your flight is cancelled you have the right to be refunded or rerouted. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPAHow to claimYou should go direct to the airline and ignore the ads for third-party claims firms that appear at the top of a Google search. These will take a large cut from any payout just for filling a form you can submit yourself. Most airlines provide an online claims form that will specify the required information. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) website offers guidance on what to include if you make a claim by post, and the consumer group Which? provides an online form that will generate a claims letter. However you claim, you will need to attach receipts and explanations for any expenditure.What if my claim is rejected?You can appeal to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme once you receive the rejection letter, or if eight weeks pass without a response. Different airlines are signed up to different schemes – the complaints page on the airline’s website should direct you to the correct one and the CAA publishes a list. Airline membership is voluntary and one of them, CEDR, which British Airways passengers have to use, charges a £25 fee if a claim is unsuccessful. ADRs have been criticised for being ineffectual. When an ADR scheme ordered Ryanair to pay £2.6m to passengers delayed by strikes in 2018, the airline revoked its membership to avoid stumping up. Ryanair passengers now have to take their complaint to the CAA.What if an ADR rejects my claim?The small claims track is the obvious option but you need to be very sure of your argument because you have to pay court fees of at least £100, which are only refunded if you win. If the flight was due to depart from or arrive in the UK, you would be taking your case to a county court in England, Wales or Northern Ireland or a sheriff court in Scotland, which has a different fee structure.To avoid upfront fees you could engage a no-win, no-fee solicitor who specialises in aviation. The downside is, if the claim is successful they will deduct a probably substantial portion from the payout.To avoid fees altogether, you could try making a claim via your credit card issuer under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act provided the sum involved is £100 or more. However, although the law holds credit card issuers jointly liable if a trader breaches a contract, it is not clear whether a flight cancellation is such a breach since airlines make allowances for disruption in their terms and conditions.What about travel insurance?Insurers tend to reject claims if the airline is shirking its legal responsibility. Some policies may offer compensation for very severe delays but it is usually a pittance.
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Charging port for a Ford Motor Co. Mustang during the Washington Auto Show in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022.Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesMore people than ever are buying electric vehicles. There are about 2 million EVs on the road in the U.S., up six-fold since 2016, but the number of EVs is still a very small slice of the more than 280 million vehicles in operation. Some factors, such as upfront cost and battery range, are largely manufacturing and innovation challenges being handled inside companies. But another source of consumer resistance opens up a complex set of questions that will need to be addressed on a macro level – the availability of charging stations and a power grid that can handle them.Currently, cars and trucks combine to produce about one-fifth of green-house gas emissions. In order to meet net-zero emissions targets in the decades ahead, consumers are going to have to buy a lot of electric vehicles, and they are going to need a lot of places to charge them. The Department of Energy actively tracks the total number of public charging stations (the total number of charging ports is higher) in the country, a number that now stands at 55,000. If that sounds like a lot, consider that there are close to three times as many gas stations. Also, bear in mind that although EV charge times vary widely, they are significantly slower than gassing up, so congestion is a significant issue at charging stations. According to a recent McKinsey & Company Report, about 20-times more charging stations will be needed than are now available, up to 1.2 million public chargers.Where competition has been an important part of EV innovation, public and private cooperation will help to drive development of EV-charging infrastructure. The Biden administration recently announced new standards for EV charging in line with its goal of installing 500,000 additional charging stations by 2030, and the $7.5 billion set aside by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law represents the government's first investment in EV chargers. The minimum standards will help establish the groundwork for states to build charging station projects that are accessible to all drivers regardless of the location, EV brand or charging company."Public funding is especially important for highway corridor charging given the challenging business case as the EV market continues grow," said a GM spokesman.Infrastructure doesn't have the appeal of splashy new vehicle rollouts like the Chevy Silverado EV or Ford's electric F-150 Lightning pickup, and as the GM spokesman explained, there is an ongoing need for cross-sector collaboration and policy support to streamline permitting, proactively engage electric utilities, accelerate siting and grid interconnection timelines, and eliminate other outstanding infrastructure deployment barriers."This really requires an 'all hands on deck' approach," he said.Part of the shortfall of charging infrastructure has to do with the nature of EV purchases thus far. Tesla represents 80% of the EV market in the U.S. With an entry-level Tesla costing around $50,000 and 80% of Tesla owners charging at home, the development of public charging stations has not kept pace with future needs. But there are signs this is changing. Tesla, which had used its own proprietary technology for its Supercharger network, has been moving away from that model. Last July, Tesla CEO Elon Musk noted in a tweet that Tesla created its own network because none existed. "We created our own connector, as there was no standard back then & Tesla was only maker of long range electric cars. That said, we're making our Supercharger network open to all other EVs." As GM sees it, the sheer number of chargers, while important, is only part of the story."We believe the focus needs to be on building an overall charging ecosystem that enables convenient, reliable, affordable charging access for all, and this is what we're trying to do with Ultium Charge 360," the GM spokesman said. This includes expanding access at home (including multi-family housing), at work, and in strategic public locations, as well as for additional use cases like fleets. "It also means getting the right chargers in the right locations to meet customer needs and build confidence both now and in the future," he said.At the Future of the Car conference in May, Musk said that Tesla will add CCS connectors to its Supercharger network: "It's a little trickier in the U.S. because we have a different connector than the rest of the industry, but we will be adding the rest of the industry connector as an option to Superchargers in the U.S.," Musk said. The combined-charger system (CCS) is standard across Europe, and adding the Tesla adapter gives Tesla-owners access to more charging options, combined with allowing non-Tesla owners access to the Supercharger network. In April, Musk — whose relationship with the Biden administration, and Democratic Party, has been tense — sat down with Biden officials and GM CEO Mary Barra to discuss EV-charging infrastructure. The Department of Transportation described the event in cooperative terms: "Broad consensus that charging stations and vehicles need to be interoperable and provide a seamless user experience, no matter what car you drive or where you charge your EV," said a DoT statement.Over the next ten years, Ford plans to increase spending on EVs by as much as $20 billion. Its BlueOval Charging Network is the largest public charging network in North America, with close to 20,000 charging stations featuring 60,000-plus plugs. Speaking about the rapid acceleration of its EV plans, Ford CEO Jim Farley said at a recent EV launch event, "That's something that no one would have believed just two years ago from us."The culture surrounding EV-charging stations differs significantly from that of gas stations, with the prevalence of at-home charging raising questions about equity and access, and a divide between urban and rural areas, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. There are significant parts of rural America where one could drive for some time without seeing an EV-charging station, while filling stations punctuate the landscape at regular intervals. GM and Ford will have to be a big part of this essential effort to combat "charging deserts."GM, through its Dealer Community Charging Program, will distribute up to 10 charging stations to its EV dealers. This will add some 40,000 stations, evenly distributed across the country, particularly in underserved areas. This will help place many consumers in range of charging: nearly 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a GM dealership. As part of a $750 million initiative, these stations can be distributed at the discretion of the GM dealerships throughout their communities."We want to give customers the right tools and access to charging where and when they need it," GM President Mark Reuss said in a statement last October about its goals, "while working with our dealer network to accelerate the expansion of accessible charging in underserved, rural and urban areas."GM expects most charging will occur at home, which is convenient for most customers. McKinsey estimates that the U.S. will need 28 million private chargers by 2030. GM's Ultium smart chargers, which will be available later this year, will give customers and businesses the opportunity to roll the cost into lease payments and vehicle loans.It is also placing charging in public locations where customers are already spending time intervals of 30 minutes to a few hours — such as grocery stores and gyms – to enable more convenient public charging. An example of this is GM's collaboration with EVgo to install 3,250 DC fast chargers in major metropolitan areas by the end of 2025.As challenging as the issue of charging deserts is the question of urban infrastructure, where even willing buyers – many of whom are also apartment dwellers – may have significant challenges in locating convenient and reliable charging stations. In an urban setting or in the case of urban fleets, a big issue is lack of garages or other facilities where individual charging stalls could be deployed. According to Yury Dvorkin, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and member of the C2SMART Tier 1 Transport Center at NYU Tandon, a key solution is public charging infrastructure, which needs to be high-wattage (to ensure high charging power and thus charging speed) and multi-stall (to ensure that many EVs can charge at the same time)."If you can buy a relatively cheap EV (if you collect all incentives and tax benefits), the purchasing price is affordable to a vast number of people living in U.S. urban areas and the real limit for adoption is in fact access to public charging infrastructure," Dvorkin said. The major automakers are calling for an extension of those government incentives for EV purchases. Meanwhile, the recent infrastructure funding is an "important step forward" for EV infrastructure, Dvorkin said, but more as an opening to further R&D than a cure all.There are numerous "techno-economic challenges," Dvorkin said, to be solved beyond the direct control of the auto companies. Primary ones are permitting restrictions and, more essentially, power grid limitations. "Permitting is still a challenge and it may take months until an EV charging station is approved," he said. "And there is a need to ensure that the grid is capable of delivering electric power to the EV charging stations; this requires the development of tools for deciding where EV charging infrastructure should be deployed in order to satisfy consumer demand and power grid limits."Actions from legacy automakers like GM and Ford underscore the cultural shift built into the move toward EVs and can spur a change in the national automotive culture. Although later to the game than Tesla, the big automakers represent core notions of the automobile long woven into the American imagination: freedom, possibility, escape — none of which play out very well if you can't keep your battery charged. As GM and Ford pick up the pace of their EV manufacturing, and Tesla expands access to its EV-charging infrastructure, the larger imagination can move with them, with more readily available charging along the way."It's Ford Motor Company … the Model-T. This is what we do. We aren't some new start-up," Farley recently told CNBC. –By Trevor Laurence Jockims, special to CNBC.com
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Ask a question or make a comment London mayor urged to scrap ULEZ charge during strikes Business minister Paul Scully has written to Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, asking him to waive the capital's ultra-low emission zone charge during the strike days so people forced to turn to their cars don't lose out.The standard daily charge for vehicles not meeting the required emission standards is £12.50. It applies within - though not on - London's north and south circulars.Mr Scully also wants all non-essential roadworks paused.Have a read... 'Beyond point of no return' for tomorrow's travel, says Network Rail Even though talks are ongoing between Network Rail and the RMT union, it is now clear that the disruption will go ahead for tomorrow at least. Network Rail's head of media relations Kevin Groves told Sky News that "even if there was a breakthrough this afternoon, the timetable has been set in stone now". He said we are now "beyond the point of no return for what passengers can expect from the railway in terms of services for tomorrow". Travellers should therefore "only use the train if they must", Mr Groves said. Trains will only start from 7.30am tomorrow and will stop running by 6.30pm, Mr Groves added. However, he expressed a small amount of hope for a resolution for the rest of the week. "There's still a sliver of hope we can find a way through and find a solution that works for everyone but I have to say that sliver of hope as the day progresses is getting ever
smaller," he said.Still, he said there is currently "no indication" of any breakthrough in talks and trains tomorrow will be "severely affected". Train drivers already get 'reasonable salary' - transport secretary Grant Shapps has told Sky News this week's strikes are going to cause "total misery" for people - and claimed rail workers are already getting a "reasonable salary" compared with other professions.Mr Shapps also pointed out that public money was used to ensure railway workers kept their jobs during the pandemic"It's totally unfair - the average train driver earns £59,000, the average rail worker earns £44,000, the average nurse £31,000," he said."They do not get a bad deal. We want to pay them more, but that has to be done through modernisation of the railways."The average base pay for a train driver in the UK is £54,001 per year, according to Glassdoor."In return [for pay rises] we need to get rid of some of these Spanish practices," Mr Shapps added, giving the example of running a full railway on a Sunday. Mr Shapps blamed unions for jumping the gun when it comes to strikes, accusing the head of the RMT union of refusing to negotiate with the government.Mr Shapps was asked what he thinks is a reasonable pay, but he said pay guidance is set by the Treasury and refused to be drawn on a number.When asked about claims the government will change the law to use agency workers during strikes, Mr Shapps clarified it would be amended to allow staff already working for the likes of Network Rail to be brought in to help - and accused the unions of "muddying the waters" when it came to communicating this change. Which lines are affected tomorrow? Most national rail operators, as well as almost the entirety of the London Tube network, will close down tomorrow, as the strikes take hold.The following lines and operators are running a significantly reduced service from tomorrow:Avanti West Coast (between London and Glasgow)c2c (between Southend and London)Chiltern Railways (between Kidderminster and London)CrossCountry (between the likes of Cardiff, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Cambridge)East Midlands Railway (between the likes of Nottingham, Derby and Lincoln)Grand Central (between the North East and London)Great Northern (between Norfolk and Cambridge and London)Great Western Railway (between Cornwall, Somerset and London)Greater Anglia (between Norfolk and London)Hull Trains (between Hull and London)London North East (between Edinburgh and London)London Northwestern (between Birmingham and London)Lumo (between Edinburgh and London)Merseyrail (in Merseyside)Northern (in the north of England)ScotRail (across Scotland)South Western Railway (between Dorset, Hampshire and London)Southeastern (between London, Kent and Sussex)Southern (between Brighton and London)Thameslink (between Bedfordshire, Sussex and Brighton)TransPennine Express (Between Manchester, Middlesbrough and Grimsby)West Midlands Railway (throughout the West Midlands)Most services across Wales will also be severely impacted Has Number 10 changed position after slapping down Bank of England governor's 'pay restraint' plea? Earlier we reported on comments made by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke, who said it was important any public sector pay increases did not worsen inflation.When a similar call for pay rise "restraint" was made by the Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey in February, Number 10 appeared to slap down the comments - with the prime minister's official spokesman saying: "It's not something that the prime minister is calling for."But in today's daily lobby briefing the same spokesman appeared to change position, saying Mr Clarke had conveyed the government's view."I think Simon Clark was very careful to make the point that there's an independent pay review process ongoing, and I'm certainly not trying to get ahead of that."He also rightly made the point about not seeking to try and match pay rises to growing inflation, which we do believe would be the wrong approach and would be counterproductive," the spokesman said.He went on: "The government wants a high wage, high growth economy and it's not down to governments to dictate to private companies what wages they set. Everyone has different circumstances, so a top-down approach is not our position."But, clearly, the government is taking heed of the economic situation in which we find ourselves and we expect private-sector companies will do so as well."There is a global challenge we are seeing, particularly around inflation at the moment, and we need as a country to avoid doing anything that would stoke inflationary pressures further."I'm not necessarily saying it would be around pay but there are a number of factors that could stoke inflation that people need to be mindful of." Barristers become latest group to vote for strike action Criminal barristers have become the latest group to vote for strike action as the government comes under intensifying pressure over pay demands.The Criminal Bar Association, which represents lawyers prosecuting and defending those accused of crimes in England and Wales, said members had backed a plan for 14 days of action between 27 June and 22 July.They join rail staff, teachers and civil servants in backing or considering industrial action over the coming months at a time when pay awards are lagging behind the four-decade high rate of inflation.Read more on the planned action below... Downing Street issues commuter warning - and says rail workers have been offered 'fair' pay rise Ahead of this week's strikes, Downing Street has warned those who rely on the rail network of the difficulties ahead.The prime minister's official spokesman said earlier today: "For those that have no choice but to come in it will be extremely difficult tomorrow and I think the public will understandably want to know why they are being put in this position."We believe we are seeking to offer a fair and reasonable pay rise and modernise the railway services for the long term, and we need to get rid of some of these outdated rules and procedures, some of which have not been updated for decades and which don't serve the public."Talks remain ongoing to avert the industrial action, but it seems unlikely a breakthrough will be made.It has been reported that rail unions have asked for a 7% pay rise - and employers have offered 2-3%. Inflation could hit 11% this year. More to come? British Airways staff could strike this summer Given the disruption at airports in England, Amsterdam and Belgium today, it's worth noting there could be more to come over the summer.Last week, British Airways staff voted to support potential strike action over COVID layoffs. The Unite union, which represents 16,000 BA staff, said 97% of its members had voted for the strike in a consultative ballot. However, this ballot does not authorise a legally binding strike and a formal vote would still need to be carried out. A Unite spokesperson said: "Despite BA claiming hundreds of millions of pounds of furlough pay from the government, thousands of experienced staff were dismissed, and have simply not been replaced. A self-inflicted shortage of check-in staff, loaders, baggage handlers and cabin crew now means that rather than soaring post COVID, BA's return to the skies faces a bumpy landing." Government will not take part in rail strike talks, Downing Street says Today's talks aimed at averting the rail strikes will not be joined by anyone in government, Downing Street has said. In the last hour, we reported the talks between Network Rail and RMT union are at a "critical stage". The prime minister's official spokesman said: "Talks are continuing today but the government won't be taking part in them."You've heard from train operators themselves who have said that it isn't the government's place to be at the table and it wouldn't be helpful to the ongoing discussions to insert the government into the negotiating process at this stage."Although if you want to hear what the government has to say on the matter, we'll be listening live to a statement from Transport Secretary Grant Shapps this afternoon.He is expected to be speaking sometime after 4pm. Rail strike talks at 'critical stage' Discussions between Network Rail and the RMT union are now at a "critical stage", according to our business correspondent Paul Kelso. There is no indication the planned strikes will be cancelled, but there are reports that those in the negotiating room have pulled their planned media updates, giving the impression officials believe it is important to stick around.Treasury chief secretary Simon Clarke earlier offered a gloomy assessment that the strikes would "likely" still go ahead despite last-ditch talks going on today. Millions are set to be affected by the strikes, which are taking place on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.Members of the RMT union and 13 train operators are striking, and there will also be a 24-hour walkout on the London Underground tomorrow.
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By Peter ShuttleworthBBC NewsPublished8 minutes agocommentsCommentsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, GWR's south Wales mainline service to London will only run to and from Cardiff on strike days rather than SwanseaCommuters considering using trains this week during the rail strikes have been advised... just don't. And in Wales, you probably won't get a train anyway.Passengers in Wales will be severely affected when thousands of frontline rail staff strike on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, but journeys on the days between walkouts will be affected too.There are no trains west of Cardiff or north of Merthyr Tydfil on strike days.Just five Welsh services remain and they will operate a limited service.Trains will start and finish earlier from 07:30 BST to 18:30 across most of the rail network on days of industrial action, which were called by the RMT union after talks over pay and redundancies fell through.A special timetable for 20 to 26 June has been published, and Network Rail has said passengers should travel by train only if necessary.Disruption is also expected on non-strike days, because of too few staff working overnight and morning shifts not clocking on until the morning commute has begun. What trains are running on strike days in Wales?Not many. Five services in total, with three on Transport for Wales' reduced valley line network.Image source, PicasaImage caption, There will no train services in Wales on strike days west of Cardiff and north of MerthyrOn the south Wales to London mainline, there will be just nine trains running in each direction, but trains will only operate from Cardiff Central. Stations between the Welsh capital and Swansea will have no services.Those direct GWR services between London Paddington and Cardiff will be one an hour, and not the usual two, with the first service leaving each terminus halfway through the usual morning rush hour.The first service out of Cardiff Central to London is 07:49, arriving at Paddington at 09:40 while the first service to Cardiff from London is 08:13, arriving in the Welsh capital at 10:11.There will also be limited direct GWR services from Cardiff Central to Bristol and Westbury.The only other services operating in Wales are valley line trains from Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil, but they will be reduced to an hourly service and will terminate at Radyr with a bus service connection to Cardiff Central.That means the usual approximately hour-long trip between the end of line and Cardiff Central on strike days could be up to 45 minutes longer, and that's in each direction.First & last commuter trains (Tuesday & Thursday)First TfW train between Merthyr and Cardiff is 06:08 First TfW train between Cardiff Central and Merthyr is 06:23First TfW train between Aberdare and Cardiff is 06:21First TfW train between Cardiff Central and Aberdare is 06:38First TfW train between Treherbert and Cardiff is 05:34First TfW train between Cardiff Central and Treherbert is 06:02First GWR train between Cardiff Central and London Paddington is 07:49 First GWR train between London Paddington and Cardiff Central is 08:13Last GWR train between Cardiff Central and London Paddington is 15:54Last GWR train between London Paddington and Cardiff Central 16:27South Wales to Bristol/Bath:First GWR train between Cardiff Central and Westbury is 08:25 First GWR train between Westbury and Cardiff Central is 07:55 Last GWR train between Cardiff Central and Westbury is 17:20Last GWR train between Westbury and Cardiff Central is 16:02 The reason why some valley line services can't just run, but start earlier in the morning and later in the evening on strike days, is because TfW doesn't just run the trains but owns the track and signal operations above Radyr after it was handed over by Network Rail two years ago.Valley line routes to Rhymney, Coryton and Cardiff Bay and Cardiff's City Line will be suspended as signalling for those lines is operated by Network Rail.Trains between north Wales and London will be suspended on strike-days as Avanti West Coast will only run reduced services between Euston and Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Preston and Glasgow.CrossCountry trains between south Wales and Birmingham, and Nottingham and Bristol have also been suspended on strike days.TfW has warned passengers to expect the services that are operating "to be very busy" while GWR says people face "severe disruption" and asked commuters "to only travel by rail if absolutely necessary."Reduced timetables for 21 and 23 June are now live. We strongly advise you to only travel on strike days if absolutely necessary. We're continuing to work on our revised timetables for 21 to 26 June and will share further updates soon. https://t.co/QVyp2arbMx— Avanti West Coast (@AvantiWestCoast) June 15, 2022
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on TwitterAcross the UK, four out of five trains won't run during the strikes, with 4,500 services operating compared to the usual 20,000. Rail workers like maintenance staff, signallers and operations teams are in dispute.Image caption, Restricted GWR services are expected to run to London from Cardiff CentralWhat trains are running on non-strike days in Wales?GWR said while it would operate 30% of its usual timetable on strike days, it would only be 50% on no strike days.With nightshift workers on strike, on the morning of non-strike days many staff, such as signallers, won't clock on in time to get the rail network back up and running for the morning rush hour so commuters are asked to work from home on those days too.Roads expected to be busyDrivers in Wales and Scotland have been warned to face long queues as most railway lines in both nations are shut during the biggest rail walkout for more than 30 years.The AA has predicted a surge in traffic this week as train passengers switch to road transport with the worst affected roads likely to be main motorway arteries, as well as rural and suburban areas.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Motorists are warned to expect Wales' busiest routes to be congested on rail strike daysThe M4 corridor across south Wales and the A55 north Wales expressway are expected to be congested on Tuesday and Thursday, traffic analysts have forecast, especially during rush hour.The AA has also said the A483 and A470 through the middle of Wales and the A5 in the north will be busier than normal, and drivers should leave more time to travel."Even though the strike is for three days, many travellers will give up on the trains for the whole week," said an AA spokesman."Generally we predict a big increase in traffic in Scotland, Wales and major routes across the UK.Why is the strike happening?The Rail Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union has said members working for train companies have been subjected to "pay freezes, threats to jobs and attacks on their terms and conditions".Network Rail plans to cut 2,500 maintenance jobs as it tries to make £2bn of savings over the next two years.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The only train services in Wales on strike days will be running out of Cardiff Central, Wales' busiest stationThe RMT said the jobs are safety critical, and cutting them will make accidents more likely, so 40,000 rail workers will walk out for three days, starting on Tuesday.Network Rail said it would not consider any changes that would make the railways less safe and that modernisation is needed.Are Welsh rail workers striking?RMT members are striking and they include people working for Network Rail, which maintains the railways throughout Britain, in Wales as well as those employed by train operating companies.However, TfW - now owned by the Welsh government - is not in dispute with the unions although it has warned of disruption because its trains use railways run by Network Rail.Welsh Education Minister Jeremy Miles said the Labour Welsh government is "obviously pleased" staff at TfW aren't striking.Image source, TfWImage caption, Transport for Wales is owned by the Labour-run Welsh Government, which is more union friendly"Clearly the strikes elsewhere will have a significant disruptive impact in Wales and we are asking the UK government to do everything to avoid that disruption," Mr Miles told the BBC Politics Wales programme."When people are put in the position that the UK government have, people don't have many options. Nobody wants to see strikes, not even the unions, but the UK government needs to now step up."But Tory Member of the Senedd (MS) Tom Giffard said the "unions are just stuck in the past" so it was "really unfortunate these strikes are going ahead.""Network Rail and the [UK government's] Department for Transport had said that negotiations had barely started before the unions started balloting to strike... and the timing of this strike was just to maximise disruption as best it could," added the South Wales West MS.Will I be able to get a refund?The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said: "If we cannot provide a service for customers due to strike action then we will refund customers."It has not decided whether customers worried about disruption could cancel trips in advance and get refunds.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Rail operators have said passengers will be able to apply for a refund for the days affected by the strikeThe National Rail website suggests there may be options such as switching to a different operator or travelling on another date. But it says customers will not be compensated for things like hotel stays.Season ticket holders will be able to apply for a refund for the days affected.Related TopicsCommutingTravelNetwork RailAberdareCardiffTransportRail travelLondonRMTTreherbertTransport for WalesWales economyStrike actionCoronavirus pandemic
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Transgender athletes could be banned from track and field next, as World Athletics president Sebastian Coe backs FINA’s ruling as being ‘in the best interests of sport’ because ‘biology trumps gender’FINA voted that trans women who 'experienced any part of male puberty' can no longer enter female eventsWorld Athletics will re-examine transgender guidelines at the end of the yearThe governing body could follow FINA's decision as President Seb Coe spoke in support of the hardline approachCoe insisted fairness for females in athletics will always come ahead of inclusionHe backed FINA, insisting swimming's governing body is working in the interest of its sport Published: 12:01 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 12:01 EDT, 20 June 2022 World Athletics will re-examine their transgender guidelines at the end of the year after Sebastian Coe spoke in support of the hardline approach adopted by swimming’s governing body.In the past week, FINA has voted that trans women who 'experienced any part of male puberty' can no longer enter female events - a marked departure from the prevailing stances of Olympic sports.While World Athletics rules say a transgender athlete can compete if she has a testosterone level below 5 nmol/L continuously for a period of at least 12 months – six months longer than stipulated by their regulations around athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) - Coe has been emphatic in his belief that ‘biology trumps gender’. His point of view is bolstered by testosterone research around the DSD issue in track and field, which was challenged in the lengthy case with Caster Semenya. In giving his opinion on FINA’s position, Coe said: ‘We see an international federation asserting its primacy in setting rules, regulations and policies that are in the best interest of its sport. This is as it should be. 'We have always believed, and repeated constantly, that biology trumps gender and we will continue to review our regulations in line with this.’ Seb Coe has been emphatic in his belief that ‘biology trumps gender’and World Athletics will re-examine their transgender guidelines at the end of the year Testosterone research around the DSD issue was challenged in the lengthy case with Caster SemenyaWhen asked if WA would adopt a similar stance, Coe added: ‘We have always said our regulations in this area are a living document, specific to our sport and we will follow the science. FINA (pictured president Husain Al Musallam) voted that trans women who 'experienced any part of male puberty' can no longer enter female events'We continue to study, research and contribute to the growing body of evidence that testosterone is a key determinator in performance and have scheduled a discussion on our DSD and Transgender regulations with our council at the end of the year.’Coe insisted that on his watch fairness for females in athletics will always come ahead of inclusion.He said: ‘My responsibility is to protect the integrity of women’s sport and we take that very seriously, and if it means that we have to make adjustments to protocols going forward, we will. 'And I’ve always made it clear: if we ever get pushed into a corner to that point where we’re making a judgement about fairness or inclusion, I will always fall down on the side of fairness.‘You have to and that’s my responsibility. Of course, it’s a societal issue. If one of my colleagues here in my team suddenly becomes transgender, it doesn’t make a difference to me. They will continue to do the same job with skill and aplomb in exactly the way they were before they made that transition. This is not possible in sport. It is fundamental to performance and integrity and that, for me, is the big, big difference.’Coe indicated some organisations could fear taking a hardline stance against inclusivity for fear of crippling legal challenges. Coe said some organisations could fear taking a hardline stance for fear of legal challenges University of Pennsylvania trans athlete Lia Thomas prepares for the 500m freestyle at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in MarchHe said: ‘We’ve spent $1,000,000 (on legal fees related to DSD). We’re not Fifa but we’re not bereft. But there are other sports that are genuinely fearful that, if they go down that road, they’ll bankrupt themselves defending this. So it’s not that easy for us to just sit there and say, “Well, some sports are sort of tiptoeing around it”.‘The reality of it is it’s quite an outlay and they’ve also got limited data and research.‘The International Olympic Committee created the framework, which said that nobody should be making these decisions unless you’ve got 10 years of longitudinal study.‘Well we have. I doubt whether, on transgender, anybody in sport has got 10 years of longitudinal study – they just haven’t.’ Advertisement
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The confluence of two holidays, Father’s Day and Juneteenth, and a season of “revenge travel” continued to heap pressure on the already stretched airline industry as 4,200 additional US flights were delayed and 900 canceled on Sunday, pushing the total number of flights interrupted since Thursday to 19,000.Delta was hit hardest, with 6% of its total flights on Sunday cancelled. A further 200 flights were cancelled early Monday.The travel conditions have been blamed on pilot and staff shortages, packed planes and the logistical effects of bad weather. Airports with the most interruptions include Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta and JFK and LaGuardia in New York.According to the TSA, Friday was the busiest day for air travel this year, with more than 2.4 million people passing through security. Saturday was slightly lower with 2.1 million travelers.On Saturday, the US transport secretary, Pete Buttigieg, said he has called on the airlines to “stress-test” their summer schedules and add more customer-service workers to handle the added demand. Some airlines, including Delta, have already cut back on flights.Buttigieg added enforcement actions could be applied against airlines that do not live up to consumer-protection standards.“That is happening to a lot of people, and that is exactly why we are paying close attention here to what can be done and how to make sure that the airlines are delivering,” he said.After two years of pandemic-related travel cancellations and delays, the US Travel Association said 85% of Americans are expecting to travel this summer.Earlier this year, the CEO of Expedia, Peter Kern, told Bloomberg that the travel industry had “been talking about pent-up demand for a long time, but until now there have been too many restrictions in place for people to do too much with it”.Compounding the issues facing travelers is a shortage of pilots. The US is set to lose about half of its pilots to retirement in the next 15 years, according to ABC News. Replacing them is not simple, as airlines are also contending with a shortage of instructors.On Sunday, before a meeting of International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Doha, Qatar, the director, Willie Walsh, said that although most carriers are enjoying bumper sales, there are doubts about how long the surge will continue.High fuel prices are likely to push fares up further, even as travelers’ budgets are constrained.“It may be the case that some people can no longer afford to travel,” Walsh said. “Airlines don’t have the ability to absorb this additional cost, particularly given the financial damage that has been done by two years of shutdown.”
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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The Hyundai Veloster is one of the oddest cars on sale today.But it might not be available much longer.The compact hatchback features an asymmetrical passenger door design, with one large door for the driver and two smaller ones on the passenger side that provide easier access to the rear seat.Hyundai is so committed to the idea that in markets where vehicles have the steering wheel on the right-hand side, the doors are switched to go with it. The Hyundai Veloster has three passenger doors. (Hyundai)Nearly 40,000 Velosters were sold in the U.S. during its first full year on the market in 2012, but when the second-generation version launched in 2019, that figure dropped to around 12,000 and has been going down ever since. The Veloster uses two doors on the passenger side to create easier access to the back seat. (Hyundai)Only 2,112 Velosters found new American homes last year. Hyundai has trimmed the most mainstream models from the range and currently sells only the high performance Veloster N, which has a 275 hp turbocharged engine and starts at $33,595. The high-performance Veloster N is the only model currently available. (Hyundai)Hyundai delivered a scant 510 Velosters in its home market of South Korea in 2021. Sources now tell The Korea Economic Daily that it will discontinue production completely at the end of July.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe automaker has not officially announced the decision, but the outlet reports that the factory that builds the Veloster will be used to increase production of the more popular Kona subcompact SUV, which is also available in an N trim alongside standard versions that start at $22,595 Gary Gastelu is FoxNews.com's Automotive Editor covering the car industry and racing @foxnewsautos
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By Becky MortonBusiness reporter, BBC NewsImage source, Getty ImagesMillions of people ranging from commuters to people heading to Glastonbury Festival will be affected by this week's rail strikes. Businesses will also be hit, with customers unable to travel or choosing to work from home. "Since the announcement [of the strikes] we've had cancellations worth more than £500,000," says Tony Matharu, who owns the Blue Orchid Hotels Group.The chain, which has several hotels in London, serves a mixture of business and leisure travellers, as well as hosting events - with all being hit by cancellations. The strikes on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday will see only one in five services running across England, Scotland and Wales, and there will also be knock-on disruption for the rest of the week. On Tuesday, most London Underground services will also not be running due to strike action. 'Fatal' Mr Matharu says the uncertainty caused by the strikes has led customers to cancel - even if their train is still running - with many worried they may not be able to get home again. While some may rebook, others who had been travelling for specific events that are not being rescheduled will not, he adds. Mr Matharu says the hospitality industry can "ill afford" such losses after the impact of Covid. "It could prove fatal for some of those trying to recover after two ruinous years," he tells the BBC. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Tony Matharu says his hotels have been hit by a wave of cancellations since the strikes were announcedThe strikes will cost the hospitality sector an estimated £540m across the week, with businesses expected to see a 20% drop in sales, according to UKHospitality, which represents the industry.Its chief executive Kate Nicholls says this is a "huge blow" to businesses, which are already facing challenges including soaring energy prices and staff shortages as they recover from Covid restrictions. "Our customers and staff rely heavily on public transport to visit our venues, especially in towns and cities, where recovery is proving most difficult," she says. Lynsey Harley, who runs Modern Standard Coffee, has already seen her orders take a hit because of the strikes. The company, which is based in Fife, roasts speciality coffee for customers including restaurants and hotels and also has its own cafe in Edinburgh. Ms Harley says customers in London and other city centres are planning for a 50% drop in trade and had cut their orders as a result. "We've had customers tell us, we're not going to order next week because we just don't think we're going to need the product," she tells the BBC. Fortunately some of her losses have been offset by a spike in home orders for coffee this week, with many people now able to work from home as they did during Covid lockdowns. Image source, Zsuzsa ZichoImage caption, Lynsey Harley is worried about the impact of strikes on wholesale customersMs Harley thinks her cafe, which is based in a semi-residential area of Edinburgh, could also benefit from increased sales if customers choose to stay at home because of disruption to commuter trains.It's not just businesses and commuters that will be affected by the strikes. Thousands of school pupils are due to sit exams this week, including 18-year-old Seryn, who normally travels by train from Tonbridge to her school in London. But with no services running she's had to book a hotel for three nights - costing around £500 - so she can take her A-levels. "If I went to a friend's house that would be the only other option and I didn't want to do that because me and my parents decided that I wouldn't be able to have a good night's sleep before my exam," she tells the BBC. Image caption, Seryn has two A-level exams this weekOthers will also miss out on long-awaited holidays, after two years of travel and events being disrupted by the pandemic. 'Gutting'Gavin Greaves, from Edinburgh, had booked to go on holiday with his mum for the first time in six years. "My mum is a cancer survivor and because of the pandemic she couldn't leave her home to go anywhere," he says. The plan had been to get a train to Preston to hire a car before heading to Poulton in Lancashire to pick up his mum and drive to a cottage in north Wales. But his plans are now up in the air after his train was cancelled. "I'm thinking about getting a bus down to Preston but it is not likely," he says. "I have paid for car hire for 10 days that I can't change now but I hope they can hold on to the car for me until I can come down to collect it."Gavin is still hoping he may be able to make a last minute arrangement to get there and is planning to book a train on Monday so they can at least have a few days on holiday, if not the full week they had planned. If they have to cancel the trip completely they will lose around £800. "For my mum, it's a huge thing she's been looking forward to for ages," he says. "It's just gutting."The BBC has contacted the RMT union, whose members are striking, for comment.
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Automotive and Transportation
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Another day, another Bugatti with details to obsess over. This is the Bugatti Chiron L'Ébé, a special edition created for the end of the standard Chiron's production run as a tribute to company founder Ettore Bugatti's daughter. L'Ébé was Ettore's eldest child, and he wanted her first name to contain his 'EB' initials so Bugatti would stay part of her name even after marriage; she went on to write a biography about her father.The L'Ébé's design is inspired by its namesake's love of the Art Deco era. The entire body is covered in blue-tinted exposed carbon fiber, with even the engine covers getting that finish. Accenting the blue carbon are gold pinstripes on the Chiron's center ridge and fender character lines, which is a lovely effect that I haven't seen done on a Chiron before. The grille surround and EB emblems are also finished in polished gold, with the wheels and rear diffuser getting gold accents as well. For a final gold touch, L'Ébé's name is written in gold script on the underside of the active rear wing.Who says cars can't be art? Bugatti Lake Blue and Silk (cream) leather covers nearly the whole interior, with the L'Ébé also featuring blue carbon but with a stain finish to contrast the exterior. The L'Ébé name is also found on the sill plates and headrests, and a silhouette of the Chiron is displayed in the Silk color on the center console's knee pads. But the coolest part about the L'Ébé are the door panels. The driver's side door is mostly Silk while the passenger side is the reverse, and both have artwork stitched into the door panel itself. These pieces show the front end of the Chiron, Veyron Super Sport, EB110, Type 57 Atlantic and Type 35 race car. Bugatti has done similar artwork panels before, like on the Veyron Legends Editions.Only three of the L'Ébé will be built, all of which will go to Europe. The car in these photos is a standard Chiron, while the other two will be based on the Chiron Sport. Bugatti says these mark the end of regular Chiron production for Europe, while there are still a few Pur Sport and Super Sport models left to create.
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Transgender athletes could be banned from track and field next, as World Athletics president Sebastian Coe backs FINA’s ruling as being ‘in the best interests of sport’ because ‘biology trumps gender’FINA voted that trans women who 'experienced any part of male puberty' can no longer enter female eventsWorld Athletics will re-examine transgender guidelines at the end of the yearThe governing body could follow FINA's decision as President Seb Coe spoke in support of the hardline approachCoe insisted fairness for females in athletics will always come ahead of inclusionHe backed FINA, insisting swimming's governing body is working in the interest of its sport Published: 12:01 EDT, 20 June 2022 | Updated: 17:24 EDT, 20 June 2022 World Athletics will re-examine their transgender guidelines at the end of the year after Sebastian Coe spoke in support of the hardline approach adopted by swimming’s governing body.In the past week, FINA has voted that trans women who 'experienced any part of male puberty' can no longer enter female events - a marked departure from the prevailing stances of Olympic sports.While World Athletics rules say a transgender athlete can compete if she has a testosterone level below 5 nmol/L continuously for a period of at least 12 months – six months longer than stipulated by their regulations around athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) - Coe has been emphatic in his belief that ‘biology trumps gender’. His point of view is bolstered by testosterone research around the DSD issue in track and field, which was challenged in the lengthy case with Caster Semenya. In giving his opinion on FINA’s position, Coe said: ‘We see an international federation asserting its primacy in setting rules, regulations and policies that are in the best interest of its sport. This is as it should be. 'We have always believed, and repeated constantly, that biology trumps gender and we will continue to review our regulations in line with this.’ Seb Coe has been emphatic in his belief that ‘biology trumps gender’ and World Athletics will re-examine their transgender guidelines at the end of the year Testosterone research around the DSD issue was challenged in the lengthy case with Caster SemenyaWhen asked if WA would adopt a similar stance, Coe added: ‘We have always said our regulations in this area are a living document, specific to our sport and we will follow the science. FINA (pictured president Husain Al Musallam) voted that trans women who 'experienced any part of male puberty' can no longer enter female events'We continue to study, research and contribute to the growing body of evidence that testosterone is a key determinator in performance and have scheduled a discussion on our DSD and Transgender regulations with our council at the end of the year.’Coe insisted that on his watch fairness for females in athletics will always come ahead of inclusion.He said: ‘My responsibility is to protect the integrity of women’s sport and we take that very seriously, and if it means that we have to make adjustments to protocols going forward, we will. 'And I’ve always made it clear: if we ever get pushed into a corner to that point where we’re making a judgement about fairness or inclusion, I will always fall down on the side of fairness.‘You have to and that’s my responsibility. Of course, it’s a societal issue. If one of my colleagues here in my team suddenly becomes transgender, it doesn’t make a difference to me. They will continue to do the same job with skill and aplomb in exactly the way they were before they made that transition. This is not possible in sport. It is fundamental to performance and integrity and that, for me, is the big, big difference.’Coe indicated some organisations could fear taking a hardline stance against inclusivity for fear of crippling legal challenges. Coe said some organisations could oppose taking a hardline stance for fear of legal challenges University of Pennsylvania trans athlete Lia Thomas prepares for the 500m freestyle at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in MarchHe said: ‘We’ve spent $1,000,000 (on legal fees related to DSD). We’re not Fifa but we’re not bereft. But there are other sports that are genuinely fearful that, if they go down that road, they’ll bankrupt themselves defending this. So it’s not that easy for us to just sit there and say, “Well, some sports are sort of tiptoeing around it”.‘The reality of it is it’s quite an outlay and they’ve also got limited data and research.‘The International Olympic Committee created the framework, which said that nobody should be making these decisions unless you’ve got 10 years of longitudinal study.‘Well we have. I doubt whether, on transgender, anybody in sport has got 10 years of longitudinal study – they just haven’t.’ Advertisement
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International Rugby League has decided to ban transgender athletes from competing in sanctioned matches as FIFA and World Athletics also look set to follow FINA's landmark decision to restrict trans competitors.Transgender athletes have been banned from competing in international rugby league competitions as the sport follows the landmark decision made by FINA.International Rugby League (IRL) announced on Tuesday that female transgender players will not be allowed to compete in sanctioned international matches until further research has been undertaken.The decision comes one day after swimming's governing body FINA announced trans-athletes would be restricted from racing in female competitions.Stream more sports news live & on demand with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022The IRL’s decision means transgender athletes have been ruled out from competing at the Rugby League World Cup in England later this year.“Until further research is completed to enable the IRL to implement a formal transgender inclusion policy, male-to-female (transwomen) players are unable to play in sanctioned women’s international rugby league matches,” it said.The governing body also said the decision was made following several recent developments and to ensure player welfare, legal and reputational risks are avoided until further research has been completed.“The IOC concluded that it is the remit of each sport and its governing body to determine how an athlete may be at a disproportionate advantage compared with their peers - taking into consideration the differing nature of each sport,” the IRL said.“It is the IRL’s responsibility to balance the individual’s right to participate - a longstanding principle of rugby league and at its heart from the day it was established - against perceived risk to other participants, and to ensure all are given a fair hearing.“The IRL will continue to work towards developing a set of criteria, based on best possible evidence, which fairly balance the individual’s right to play with the safety of all participants.”IRL will work with the eight nations that qualified for the Rugby League World Cup to obtain data to inform future transgender athletes on an inclusion policy in 2023.Following FINA’s decision to create an "open" category for trans-athletes to compete, football’s governing body and World Athletics have also moved to enact similar restrictions on transgender competitors.A FIFA spokesperson told Reuters it was “currently reviewing” its gender eligibility regulations in consultation with expert stakeholders."Due to the ongoing nature of the process, FIFA is not in a position to comment on specifics of proposed amendments to the existing regulations," they added.World Athletics President Lord Coe also hinted the sport could follow FINA’s decision to ban transgender women saying that “fairness is non-negotiable”."We see an international federation asserting its primacy in setting rules, regulations and policies that are in the best interest of its sport," he told BBC Sport."This is as it should be. We have always believed that biology trumps gender and we will continue to review our regulations in line with this. We will follow the science."We continue to study, research and contribute to the growing body of evidence that testosterone is a key determinant in performance, and have scheduled a discussion on our regulations with our council at the end of the year."FINA's decision has divided opinions with four-time Olympic swimmer Emily Seebohm welcoming the move saying she was "happy to finally see a reaction".The topic has marred the sport after transgender American swimmer Lia Thomas made worldwide headlines after she broke records four years after transitioning.Seebohm is supportive of FINA's proposed "open category" for transgender athletes saying it will promote inclusivity while ensuring fairness."I think it’s nice to include everyone and make sure that even for them it’s fair as well," she told Sky News Australia."To keep them in a category that is going to see them racing people that are very much on the same level playing field."I think that’s what we want in sport, we want to see those close, those tough races where it’s like neck and neck and you don’t know who’s going to win."However Olympic swimming medallist Madeline Groves slammed FINA's decision saying it was "deeply shameful".“The decision is unscientific and goes against the IOC’s framework of fairness, inclusion and non-discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sex variations,” she told News Corp via text message on Monday.
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Brittney Griner Wife Says U.S. Botched Scheduled Call With WNBA Star ... 'Very Pissed' Over Snafu 6/20/2022 3:31 PM PT Brittney Griner's wife, Cherelle, is absolutely livid she didn't get to talk to the WNBA superstar on their 4-year anniversary this past weekend ... claiming the U.S. government botched a long-awaited, scheduled call between the two. Cherelle says Griner -- who recently had her detention in Russia extended yet again by a court in the foreign country -- tried calling nearly 12 times on Saturday, but did not get through to her, according to the Associated Press. Cherelle says she's "very pissed" over it ... because the call had been scheduled for close to two weeks, and she had been told it would go through. And, it obviously meant the world to her -- as she's still yet to hear Griner's voice since the basketball player was taken into custody back in February. But Cherelle says the U.S. government dropped the ball ... and didn't staff someone to work the phone on Saturday -- leaving all 11 of Griner's calls to go unanswered. "I was distraught. I was hurt. I was done, fed up," said Cherelle, who told the AP that she later learned that the phone line is generally only staffed on weekdays, not weekends. Cherelle said a contact from the State Department apologized to her for the mishap. The AP, meanwhile, reported the State Dept. said in a statement it's "aware of the issue and was looking into it." However, despite the apology, Griner's wife said she's now very skeptical of the government moving forward ... saying she has "zero trust" in U.S. officials at this moment. "If I can’t trust you to catch a Saturday call outside of business hours, how can I trust you to actually be negotiating on my wife’s behalf to come home?" Cherelle asked. "Because that’s a much bigger ask than to catch a Saturday call." ABC Cherelle -- who previously said she was hoping to personally meet with Joe Biden over Griner's status -- said she's losing faith that that meeting will actually go down now. "At this point," she said, "it's starting to feel like a no." No word yet if Cherelle and Griner have set up a makeup date for the call.
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Rail strikes are 'unnecessary', claims minister Transport secretary Grant Shapps is now speaking on Sky News.He begins be claiming the strike action is "unnecessary". Can't get to work? Stuck somewhere? We want to hear from you If you've got a story to tell amid the rail strikes we are keen to hear from you.Tell us what's going on where you are, and upload pictures if you have them, by clicking here. In pictures: Picket lines in operation in Midlands and North Workers engaged in today's industrial action have been seen forming picket lines outside stations in Midlands and North of England.Sky's Gerard Tubb pictured union members outside a locked Leeds station this morning.And rail workers were also seen on a picket line in front of Birmingham's New Street Station shortly after dawn, with union members also out in Barrow and Furness to "defend their jobs, pay and conditions". Shapps and Union boss to face questions on Sky News shortly Transport secretary Grant Shapps will be restating the government's case when he faces questions on Sky News just after 7am.He will be followed by RMT general secretary Mick Lynch. Boris Johnson trying to save job by picking fight and planning agency move 'even Thatcher didn't go near' - unions Government plans to allow agency workers to replace strikers have been condemned by the recruitment industry and trade unions.The TUC and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) issued a strongly worded joint statement demanding the government abandon its "unworkable" plan.They opposed it in the "strongest possible terms", adding: "Using agency staff to cover strikes will only prolong the conflict between employers and their staff. Strikes are industrial disputes within a single industry or firm."Government needs to step up and do the work around resolving industrial disputes rather than inserting a third party in the form of agency workers into a dispute. That does nothing to solve the underlying issues between the company and their staff."Neil Carberry, chief executive of the REC, said: "The government's proposal will not work. Agency staff have a choice of roles and are highly unlikely to choose to cross picket lines."Agencies want the ban to stay to avoid them being pressured by clients into supplying staff in hostile and potentially dangerous situations."In all disputes, our aim should be to resolve conflict, not to prolong it. Inserting a different firm's workers into the middle of a dispute can only ever inflame tensions.Paul Nowak, TUC deputy general secretary, said: "Laws against bringing in agency workers have been in place since this was outlawed in 1973. Even Margaret Thatcher didn’t go near it. But Boris Johnson has pulled out the playbook."And he suggested the PM was attempting to unite his own side around a conflict with trade unions as "part of Operation Save Big Dog" – the nickname for Downing Street's effort rescue his trouble-hit premiership.He added: "This government has the power to play an active role in helping to end disputes but it would rather escalate tensions and pick a fight with unions."Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said: "When P&O broke the law this government gave them a slap on the wrist - when trade unions defend pay and jobs they change the law and stoke division."It's clear this Government are on the side of bad bosses."Many agency workers will be alarmed at the prospect of being forced to try and break lawful picket lines."No official announcement has been made by the government on changing the law. Warnings over surge in traffic due to strikes Drivers are being warned to expect a surge in traffic as train passengers switch to road transport.The AA predicted that the worst affected roads were likely to be main motorway arteries, along with rural and suburban areas.Among those affected will be revellers travelling to Glastonbury Festival.About half of Great Western Railway's trains due to serve Castle Cary in Somerset, carrying festival goers between Wednesday and Friday, are cancelled.Those familiar with the event will be aware of the long queues of cars that build up on the roads around the site on normal years - which will only be worsened by the impact of the industrial action. Anger as Labour 'bans frontbenchers from picket lines' Unions have reacted angrily after it was reported Labour had banned its frontbenchers from picket lines.A memo to shadow cabinet members leaked to Politics Home said there would be "severe disruption this week as the result of industrial action by the RMT"."We have robust lines. We do not want to see these strikes to go ahead with the resulting disruption to the public. The government have failed to engage in any negotiations," the memo from the leader's office reportedly read.But it added: "However, we also must show leadership and to that end, please be reminded that frontbenchers including [parliamentary private secretaries] should not be on picket lines."Please speak to all the members of your team to remind them of this and confirm with me that you have done so."Responding to the report, Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said: "The Labour Party was founded by the trade unions and we expect Labour MPs to defend workers, by words and by actions." Government accused of 'actively preventing settlement' and 'escalating' dispute with formal notice of redundancies RMT general secretary Mick Lynch says Network Rail has offered a 2% pay rise with the possibility of a further 1% later dependent on efficiency savings.Inflation is currently around 9% and expected to hit 11% by the end of the year.Mr Lynch said Network Rail had "escalated" the dispute during Monday's talks, saying: "They have issued me a letter saying that there are going to be redundancies starting from July 1."So rather than trying to come to an agreement in this dispute, they've escalated it by giving us formal notice of redundancy amongst our Network Rail members."He told BBC's Newsnight the dispute could continue for months, adding: "It is clear that the Tory government, after slashing £4bn of funding from National Rail and Transport for London, has now actively prevented a settlement to this dispute."The rail companies have now proposed pay rates that are massively under the relevant rates of inflation, coming on top of the pay freezes of the past few years."At the behest of the government, companies are also seeking to implement thousands of job cuts and have failed to give any guarantee against compulsory redundancies."The Department for Transport disputed Mr Lynch's clams. Passengers to face delays as rail strikes begin Train passengers will face significant delays today, with only a fifth of services running and half of lines closed, due to the biggest strike by rail workers for a generation.Last-ditch talks failed to resolve the dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.Much of the UK will have no passenger trains for the entire day, including most of Scotland and Wales, the whole of Cornwall and Dorset, and places such as Chester, Hull, Lincoln and Worcester.Services will be largely restricted to main lines, but even those will only be open between 7.30am and 6.30pm.Thousands of members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Network Rail and 13 train operators will walk out today, Thursday and Saturday.And those operators not involved in the industrial action will still suffer from disruption due to Network Rail signallers going on strike.London Underground workers are also walking out today. 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Commuters' fury as Uber hike fares 'by up to 50%' as it reports 'significant' surge in demand during biggest rail strike in 30 yearsUber were criticised this morning after prices increased due more demandThe app automatically surges costs if there are more orders than cars availableThe strikes by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union will last three daysMilitant RMT union is accused of 'punishing millions of innocent people'Walkouts will hinder millions getting to work and patients from appointments Published: 04:20 EDT, 21 June 2022 | Updated: 04:22 EDT, 21 June 2022 Passengers hit by the biggest rail strike in Britain for 30 years have hit out at taxi app Uber - over price hikes over the days of industrial action.Costs for journeys surged as the Rail, Maritime and Transport union strikes kicked off properly today, grinding the country to a halt. Taxi operators have admitted they were expecting a 'significant' surge in demand during the action.Uber's app automatically increases prices when demand outstrips the number of cars available.Twitter uses aired their grievances on the social media platform and said some Uber drivers seemed pleased they could help, albeit at a higher price.One customer said: 'Great Uber driver tells me he 'saved me this morning'.'Fair enough pal - but you did charge £30 with nearly a 50% surge.' Another said they had been billed £1.50 a minute as the RMT action had started.They added: 'Fuming why Uber wanted to charge me £15 for a less than ten minute ride but then I remembered that the rail strike starts today so of course they're increasing their prices.'A further Twitter user agreed: 'Uber will be surge pricing all through this rail strike.' Crowded buses at 5.30am on the first day of three planned days of national rail strikes over pay, conditions and job security Commuters at London Victoria Station that is running a very limited service due to the strike Twitter uses aired their grievances on the social media platform this morning in rush hour One reported that they had been charged the equivalent of £1.50 a minute to get a taxi home Another warned Uber's prices would be surging throughout the RMT action due to demand But one passenger simply said they were displeased, announcing they 'f****** hate' the costsThousands of members of the RMT union at Network Rail and 13 train operators will walk out on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in the biggest outbreak of industrial action on the railways for a generation.Services across the UK were affected from Monday evening, with just one in five trains running on strike days, primarily on main lines and only for around 11 hours.London Underground workers are also on strike today.Uber said it was experiencing 'significant' demand and has informed drivers in order to ensure enough cars are on the road.Travellers are seeing surge pricing with Uber, because the fare increases automatically in response to real-time demand when there are not enough available cars - although the company caps surge prices during periods of significant disruption.A spokesperson said: 'We are expecting significant increases in demand as a result of strike action across the rail network next week. A picket line is seen outside Birmingham New Street station, as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union begin their nationwide strike A shuttered station on the Northern Line today as London Underground workers also walked out 'We are informing drivers of the expected increase in demand to help ensure there are enough cars out on the road.'Elsewhere, in London Addison Lee taxis had limited availability on Tuesday morning during the main commuting hours.Social media users have been complaining about trying to book taxis to airports but being faced with huge fares.Lisa Grimm tweeted: 'Attempting to pre-book a bus from Gatwick for Tuesday, since it looks like the rail strike is going ahead, and they are all gone; taxi quote is £133, so that's fun.'Alexis Rodney wrote on Twitter: 'They want £200 for a taxi from Heathrow to London to cover them for the train strike. I will walk like Chaucer and the Pilgrims before I pay that.'A London cabby with the Twitter handle @GreenBadgeE1 wrote: 'We London Taxi drivers will be out to support you during strikes.'[Please] note the traffic may be more than usual and fares might be higher plz don't take out your frustrations on us.'Downing Street warned on Monday that it will be 'extremely difficult' commuting during the rail strikes.The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'For those that have no choice but to come in it will be extremely difficult tomorrow and I think the public will understandably want to know why they are being put in this position.' Advertisement
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Commuters' fury as Uber 'TRIPLES' fares as it reports 'significant' surge in demand during biggest rail strike in 30 yearsUber were criticised this morning after prices increased due more demandThe app automatically surges costs if there are more orders than cars availableThe strikes by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union will last three daysMilitant RMT union is accused of 'punishing millions of innocent people'Walkouts will hinder millions getting to work and patients from appointmentsTrain strike live: Follow the latest TfL Tube and UK rail updates here as traffic chaos builds throughout country Published: 04:20 EDT, 21 June 2022 | Updated: 06:42 EDT, 21 June 2022 Passengers hit by the biggest rail strike in Britain for 30 years have hit out at taxi app Uber - over price hikes over the days of industrial action.Costs for journeys surged as the Rail, Maritime and Transport union strikes kicked off properly today, grinding the country to a halt. Taxi operators have admitted they were expecting a 'significant' surge in demand during the action.Uber's app automatically increases prices when demand outstrips the number of cars available.One user was quoted £60 for a journey today that cost only £20 yesterday Twitter uses aired their grievances on the social media platform and said some Uber drivers seemed pleased they could help, albeit at a higher price.One customer said: 'Great Uber driver tells me he 'saved me this morning'.'Fair enough pal - but you did charge £30 with nearly a 50% surge.' Another said they had been billed £1.50 a minute as the RMT action had started.They added: 'Fuming why Uber wanted to charge me £15 for a less than ten minute ride but then I remembered that the rail strike starts today so of course they're increasing their prices.'A further Twitter user agreed: 'Uber will be surge pricing all through this rail strike.' Crowded buses at 5.30am on the first day of three planned days of national rail strikes over pay, conditions and job security Commuters at London Victoria Station that is running a very limited service due to the strike Twitter uses aired their grievances on the social media platform this morning in rush hour One reported that they had been charged the equivalent of £1.50 a minute to get a taxi home Another warned Uber's prices would be surging throughout the RMT action due to demand But one passenger simply said they were displeased, announcing they 'f****** hate' the costsThousands of members of the RMT union at Network Rail and 13 train operators will walk out on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in the biggest outbreak of industrial action on the railways for a generation.Services across the UK were affected from Monday evening, with just one in five trains running on strike days, primarily on main lines and only for around 11 hours.London Underground workers are also on strike today.Uber said it was experiencing 'significant' demand and has informed drivers in order to ensure enough cars are on the road.Travellers are seeing surge pricing with Uber, because the fare increases automatically in response to real-time demand when there are not enough available cars - although the company caps surge prices during periods of significant disruption.A spokesperson said: 'We are expecting significant increases in demand as a result of strike action across the rail network next week. A picket line is seen outside Birmingham New Street station, as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union begin their nationwide strike A shuttered station on the Northern Line today as London Underground workers also walked out 'We are informing drivers of the expected increase in demand to help ensure there are enough cars out on the road.'Elsewhere, in London Addison Lee taxis had limited availability on Tuesday morning during the main commuting hours.Social media users have been complaining about trying to book taxis to airports but being faced with huge fares.Lisa Grimm tweeted: 'Attempting to pre-book a bus from Gatwick for Tuesday, since it looks like the rail strike is going ahead, and they are all gone; taxi quote is £133, so that's fun.'Alexis Rodney wrote on Twitter: 'They want £200 for a taxi from Heathrow to London to cover them for the train strike. I will walk like Chaucer and the Pilgrims before I pay that.'A London cabby with the Twitter handle @GreenBadgeE1 wrote: 'We London Taxi drivers will be out to support you during strikes.'[Please] note the traffic may be more than usual and fares might be higher plz don't take out your frustrations on us.'An Uber spokesperson said today: 'As a result of the strike action currently taking place on the National Rail and London Underground network, we have capped the level that prices can surge, and all users are shown the price of their trip before they book. We are also working hard to ensure that there are enough drivers out on the road to match demand.' Downing Street warned on Monday that it will be 'extremely difficult' commuting during the rail strikes.The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'For those that have no choice but to come in it will be extremely difficult tomorrow and I think the public will understandably want to know why they are being put in this position.' 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