Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application to Sherry Salemi and the late Joseph Salemi Eric had a passion for fitness and was a regular participant in bodybuilding competitions He loved his job at Frito-Lay and was also a co-owner and health consultant at HBM Consulting particularly when it came to doing yardwork at his home he shared with Jennifer He was also a member of Southside Baptist Church – Kathleen Campus and an enthusiastic fan of the University of Georgia Bulldogs His memory will forever be treasured by his beloved wife of five years “Bloom” and “Sebastian”; as well as a host of several other beloved family members and friends A memorial gathering will be held on Monday A memorial service celebrating Eric’s life will immediately follow at 5:00 p.m Eric Paul Salemi will be laid to rest privately the service will be streamed live at https://www.youtube.com/@McCulloughFuneralHome via the McCullough Funeral Home’s YouTube page The family will accept flowers or donations may be given in memory of Eric Paul Salemi to https://fibrofighters.org/ or to Southside Baptist Church Building Fund Go to www.mcculloughfh.com to sign the Online Registry for the family McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements Add to Calendar Add to Calendar This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrives to vote for the parliamentary runoff elections President Donald Trump called for a "verified nuclear peace agreement" with Iran on Wednesday, even as his administration moved to tighten sanctions against Tehran Trump dismissed reports that the US and Israel were preparing military action against Iran as misleading in a post on Truth Social "I would much prefer a Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement which will let Iran peacefully grow and prosper and have a big Middle East Celebration when it is signed and completed God Bless the Middle East!" Trump wrote on the platform "I want Iran to be a great and successful Country is going to blow Iran into smithereens," ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED," Trump wrote The statement came as Trump issued an executive order Tuesday signaling a return to "maximum pressure" sanctions aimed at compelling Tehran to address nuclear concerns The order directs US agencies to conduct a "robust and continual campaign" to eliminate Iran's oil exports Iran maintains its nuclear program serves peaceful civilian purposes though it has enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels A fire broke out at an underground ammunition depot belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps near the city of.. Iranian sources claim the missile is equipped with an “advanced thermal guidance system,” which enhances its accuracy and provides it.. Footage posted on social media shows a black smoke cloud over an industrial zone in Iran's second-largest city Analysis  Archaeology Blogpost Business & Finance Culture Exclusive Explainer Environment Features Health In Brief Jewish World Judea and Samaria Lifestyle Cyber & Internet Sports Diplomacy  Iran & The Gulf Gaza Strip Politics Shopping Terms of use Privacy Policy Submissions Contact Us The first issue of Israel Hayom appeared on July 30 Israel Hayom was founded on the belief that the Israeli public deserves better more balanced and more accurate journalism [contact-form-7 id=”508379″ html_id=”isrh_form_Newsletter_en” title=”newsletter_subscribe”] University of South Florida Return to article listing Awards and Honors Our marketing and communications team is entrusted with storytelling video and social media we highlight alumni staff and students who are committed to passionately solving problems and creating conditions that allow every person the universal right to health and well-being Copyright © 2025, University of South Florida. All rights reserved This website is maintained by USF Health News In a rematch of the Pro Boost final from the 2023 East Coast Nationals Melanie Salemi faced off against Johnny Camp for the 2025 title recording a .001 reaction time in her Eddie Whelan-tuned Al-Lee Installations “Purple Reign” ’68 Firebird and posting a time of 3.622 seconds at 206.29 mph while Camp followed closely with a .018 reaction time and a 3.628 at 205.13 Salemi became a three-time East Coast Nationals winner boasting a .015 reaction time average on race day “We’ve struggled with this car a lot and we came here and tested late last week,” Salemi said Now starting the season as the points leader Salemi is focused on winning her first world championship in the class “We’ve been in this situation before and you have to win the first one to win them all,” she said “It’s a very tall task to win them all I hope this is my year because we’ve been really close in the past We’re going to keep grinding and put everything we have into this race car this year Salemi began her race day by defeating Lyle Barnett with a 3.639 at 205.41 defeating young gun Preston Tanner in the second round with a time of 3.625 at 206.29 against Tanner’s 3.651 eliminating newly crowned World Series of Pro Mod winner Steve King driving his Brandon Stroud-tuned ProCharged “Hells Bells” ’69 Camaro won his first-round matchup against Randy Weatherford A .001 red light by Weatherford negated his 3.655 run while Camp advanced with a 3.653 at 204.51 He continued to advance in the second round defeating Scott Lang with a 3.644 at 205.04 beating second-generation driver Ty Tutterow with a 3.631 at 205.04 to Tutterow’s 3.683 we have been passionately dedicated to delivering the most accurate and compelling content in the world of drag racing Our readers depend on us for the latest news and exclusive interviews that connect you to the sport’s pulse Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit dolor Explore more action packed posts on Competition Plus where we dive into the latest in Drag Racing News Competition Plus © 2025 | All rights reserved | Privacy Policy an Iranian security person walks at a part of the Uranium Conversion Facility 2005 (Photo: AP /Vahid Salemi) | Photo: AP /Vahid Salemi the Israeli Mossad discovered suspicious activity being conducted by the Iranian Defense Ministry Intelligence information indicated that ministry personnel were diligently collecting documents from various sites throughout the country and secretly transporting them to a civilian warehouse in an industrial area in southern Tehran When Mossad tried to understand what these documents had in common they concluded they were all related to the Iranian nuclear program "Prepare to bring these materials home," ordered the then-Mossad director which initially seemed impossible to execute Mossad operatives broke into that warehouse in the heart of Iran and returned home with what became known as the "Iranian nuclear archive" – "half a ton of incriminating documentation about Iran's nuclear program," as described by a source who was exposed to the materials in their entirety Among the vast material stolen from the nuclear archive were documents that revealed intelligence previously unknown to Israel they revealed names and locations of several sites where Iran had previously conducted secret military nuclear activities "These sites only came to our attention following the theft of the archive," the source says the international body supposed to monitor civilian nuclear programs worldwide and prevent the development of nuclear weapons what Israel had claimed for years – Iran repeatedly mocks IAEA inspectors and the entire world destroys and cleanses nuclear sites to impair the ability to find incriminating evidence in them and diverts nuclear equipment and materials from suspicious sites to hide their connection to its military nuclear program More than seven years after the Mossad's hair-raising operation and with negotiations currently underway between Washington and Tehran regarding a new nuclear agreement it's worth revisiting the Iranian nuclear archive The information emerging from it leaves no room for doubt – for years Iran has done everything in its power to deceive the monitoring mechanisms imposed on its nuclear program while advancing toward a nuclear bomb There is no reason to think it will act differently this time One of the nuclear sites whose existence was revealed in the Iranian nuclear archive is located south of Tehran The stolen documents revealed that in the early 2000s Iran operated a research and development center at the site for the production of "yellowcake" and its conversion to uranium compounds needed to produce fissile material for nuclear weapons some of the equipment and materials from the Varamin site were evacuated to an unidentified building in the Turquzabad neighborhood in southern Tehran not far from the warehouse from which the nuclear archive was stolen The documents revealed that the Turquzabad warehouse which was presented as a carpet factory and was unknown to the intelligence community in Israel served from 2009 as the secret storage of undeclared nuclear materials and equipment for processing them Additional information found in the nuclear archive concerned a site called Lavizan which had already been identified by the Mossad as a nuclear site and had previously been investigated by the IAEA Israel concluded that the site served as headquarters for the Iranian program to develop nuclear weapons in the late 1990s and laboratories were established there to produce yellowcake the site was completely destroyed by the Iranians the land it stood on was scrubbed and flattened and a city park was established in its place The nuclear archive contained pictures of the Lavizan site before and after its destruction about two years after the site's destruction IAEA inspectors requested to conduct tests at Lavizan to detect traces of enriched uranium the agency's inspectors demanded to sample two WBC devices for radiation safety checks for workers at nuclear sites which were placed at the location before it was destroyed Iran claimed then that the two devices were loaded onto containers and removed from the site but when it asked to sample the second container the Iranians claimed it was sold and "no trace of it remained." In a document from the Iranian Defense Ministry found in the nuclear archive analyzing the ministry's involvement in issues investigated by the IAEA concern is expressed about the agency's insistence on sampling the second device was because the Iranians knew they would be implicated in undeclared nuclear activity if the container was examined Another document found in the nuclear archive revealed correspondence from 2005 in which parties involved in relations with the IAEA write that "if we are able to conclude this issue (of the IAEA investigation) through additional explanations as happened with the destruction of Lavizan.. the IAEA's excuses regarding the military center (the body in the Defense Ministry that dealt with nuclear weapons development) will end." in another document related to the uranium mine operated by the Iranians in Gchine and their yellowcake facility in Bandar Abbas unequivocal evidence was discovered that Iran forged a document from the Iranian Ministry of Justice to support a false version given to the IAEA regarding these two sites "This (the sites in Gchine and Bandar Abbas) is one of the important issues that sooner or later they (IAEA personnel) will ask us about we need to have a comprehensive scenario for it." In other words Iran's concealment efforts vis-à-vis the IAEA primarily relate to activities it conducted in the 1990s and early 2000s particularly those related to its military program for developing nuclear weapons which was named the "Amad Program." The program Mohsen Fakhrizadeh (who was assassinated near Tehran in 2020) operated between 1999-2003 and was intended to produce a small number of atomic bombs that could be mounted on a ballistic missile documents from the Iranian nuclear archive revealed that a uranium enrichment facility in Natanz which Iran delayed reporting as a nuclear site until it was exposed as such in 2002 and which was dug for some reason at a depth of 66 feet underground served as a model for Amad program experts who visited Natanz and consulted with its managers regarding the establishment and operation of an additional secret enrichment site Amad personnel also examined centrifuges operating in Natanz The additional enrichment site is apparently the one exposed in Fordow in 2009 It was then discovered that for several years the Iranians had been digging tunnels deep in the mountain and equipping them with infrastructure for uranium enrichment with the aim of establishing a site that would not be reported to the IAEA The Iranian intention was to continue enriching uranium to a low level in Natanz which was placed under IAEA supervision starting in 2003 and to secretly enrich uranium to a high level in Fordow Documents found in the nuclear archive indicate that the Fordow site was supposed to be used for enriching uranium to a level of more than 90% and in a quantity of 99 pounds per year for the core of the nuclear weapon that the Iranians were developing as part of the Amad Program Iran continued preparing the site for its original purpose under the cover of the Atomic Energy Organization Diagrams of the enrichment tunnels in Fordow were found in the nuclear archive including the centrifuges planned to be installed there When Israel considered what to do with the wealth of information that fell into its hands after stealing the Iranian nuclear archive "The archive was significant because it allowed us to tear the mask off the Iranian nuclear program," says a security source who was involved in the matter "It contained a lot of previously unknown information and therefore we transferred it to the IAEA." Israel also helped the IAEA locate within the archive materials the documents pointing to sites where secret enrichment of nuclear materials had previously been carried out "The IAEA only investigates fissile material activity for example," explains the same security source we had to sift through the materials to find violations related to fissile material within them There are documents and signatures and leads there which can be used to open investigations on this matter." equipped with the archive documents and intelligence pointing to Iran's violations in the nuclear field demanded that Iran allow it to conduct tests at several undeclared sites in the country but these requests were repeatedly rejected with various strange excuses Israel decided to apply diplomatic pressure – in April 2018 during his speech at the UN General Assembly Netanyahu exposed the Turquzabad site to the entire world and criticized the IAEA which he said refused to conduct tests at the site even after secretly receiving the Iranian nuclear archive materials and the IAEA increased its demands from Iran In sampling conducted by the IAEA in Varamin in early 2019 traces of nuclear materials were indeed found including processed natural uranium particles low-enriched uranium containing the isotope uranium-236 indicating its irradiation in a nuclear reactor This was conclusive proof that the nuclear archive documents were authentic The tests in Turquzabad were also conducted only after a lengthy period traces of natural uranium were eventually detected confirming the assessment that prohibited nuclear activity had taken place at the site stating that the site was used to produce chemical compounds for civilian industry were rejected by the IAEA because they did not match the findings on the ground The explanations provided by Iran regarding the site in Varamin were also rejected by the IAEA designed to postpone again and again the visit of IAEA inspectors to the sites in Varamin and Turquzabad In accordance with their known methodology and as they did with the Lavizan site that became a city park the Iranians used the time to completely destroy the suspicious sites was flattened and currently serves as an agricultural farm did not prevent the IAEA from finding traces of enriched uranium at both these sites "The Iranians destroyed and turned over the soil and poured water on it but it didn't help," explains a former intelligence community source "It's very difficult to eliminate evidence of enriched uranium which sticks to the smallest level of the molecule The intelligence from the Iranian nuclear archive and the findings of the tests conducted by IAEA inspectors as a result became a breakthrough in Israel's diplomatic struggle against the Iranian nuclear program – in 2019 opened four investigations against Iran for undeclared nuclear material based on the archive materials and given the name "the open files." Israel could then mark a checkmark on the decision to transfer the archive materials to the IAEA it would not have been possible to obtain the information that the IAEA discovered in Iran," says a defense establishment source with satisfaction the IAEA's activity around "the open files" ultimately ended in almost nothing Israel did claim a diplomatic achievement when it exposed Iran's nakedness to the world two of the files were closed by the IAEA relatively quickly and the other two remain open and do not seem likely to lead to definitive conclusions let alone substantial actions against Iran Iran continued to sabotage the IAEA's monitoring capabilities did not allow the agency to bring inspectors into its territory and repeatedly rejected the agency's inspections with various claims away from a nuclear bomb," and that "the fact that we are not getting the level of access needed to nuclear sites in the country only makes the situation worse." Grossi's words should echo in the ears of the Americans who are currently negotiating with Iran about its nuclear program The starting point in Washington must be that Iran will do everything in its power to violate the terms of the agreement and continue to advance toward a bomb Jewish Agency Chairman Major General (Res.) Doron Almog met with new Olim soldiers.. "I know there's a lot of responsibility on me the scale and nature of the tragedy in the Lapu Lapu festival that killed 11 feel alien... Pro Nitrous rookie Tim Paap is ready for Pro Nitrous the Paap completed his mission of running roughshod of the field beat seasoned veteran and three-time series champion Tommy Franklin in a battle that went down to the wire 1 qualifying position were veterans Melanie Salemi (Pro Boost) and Chris Powers (Pro Stock) who is led by past NHRA Top Sportsman world champion Jeffrey Barker and past PDRA Elite Top Sportsman world champion Donny “Hollywood” Urban scored decisive victories over Pro Modified pioneer Edward Wilson and Tony Wilson before beating Franklin in the final round who thanked his team and supporters like Killin’ Time Racing We’ll be up all night until our flight in the morning You can’t even script this – qualifying No then it’s unbelievable to come out and do this.” Salemi scored her third PDRA East Coast Nationals title in a rematch of the 2023 event beating Johnny Camp with a 3.622 at 206.29 Camp battled her to the wire with a 3.628 at 205.13 run  “We’ve struggled with this car a lot and we came here and tested late last week,” Salemi said thanking Al-Lee Installations and a long list of marketing partners and it feels so good because when I have a good race car under me  Salemi’s road to victory included wins over Lyle Barnett Preston Tanner and Steve King in the semi-finals scored his fourth victory at the season-opening Galot event He scored the final-round win over 2023 world champion Alan Drinkwater  “This is a great start to get the season going,” said Powers who thanked his Chuck Samuel-led team and partners like Sonny’s Racing Engines and ATI Performance fastest car every single run – we couldn’t ask for a better start to this season than what we’ve just shown They have good prep and I feel real comfortable here This is the track I won at the first time in a Mountain Motor car with no seat time  Powers reached the final by stopping Jordan Ensslin in the first round and Elijah Morton in the semi-finals to reach the money run Other heads-up winners included Blake Denton (Pro Street) Sportsman class victories went to Jeremy Creasman (Elite Top Sportsman) Dragster program graduate Nicole Zuccarelli picked up the win in Bracket Bash She ran a 4.365 on a 4.36 dial-in to defeat Brandon Lane and his 4.797 on a 4.79 dial-in for a .006 margin of victory  Makenzie Alexander and Knox Schween were victorious in Pro Jr Virginia-based ’17 Halfscale ran an 8.04 on the 7.90 index in the final round while Brylan Biondo broke out with a 7.892 Schween left second behind final-round opponent Acelynn Christian but a 9.234 on a 9.20 dial-in in the “Schween Machine” ’04 Halfscale was enough to win over Christian’s 12.042 on an 11.97 dial-in This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page listens to the army's air force commander Gen Hamid Vahedi at an army parade outside Tehran The Trump administration is deploying an unprecedented amount of US military might to bases in the Middle East The military buildup is backed by "maximum sanctions" against Iran and an explicit US deadline of two months for a "deal" to end Iran's nuclear bomb and ballistic missile programs "There will be bombing." US National Security Advisor Mike Walz has specified that Iran must "hand over and give up" all elements of its nuclear program Iran is clearly nervous, which is a good thing, but also defiant, which was to be expected. "Supreme Leader" Ayatollah Khamenei said last month that Tehran would not be bullied into talks with the US by "excessive demands and threats," and he rejected direct negotiations He threatened a "harsh blow" if the US attacked Iran The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard air force this week made the Iranian threat more explicit: "The US has 10 bases and 50,000 troops in the region… If you live in a glass house Khamenei's adviser and former parliament speaker Ali Larijani emphasized that if the US bombs Iran's nuclear facilities Iranian "public opinion" will pressure the government to "change its policy" and pursue nuclear weapons Iran is already rapidly approaching full nuclear military status with uranium enrichment and bomb-assembly facilities buried in underground bunkers – irrespective of Trump's threats According to the International Atomic Energy Agency Iran has enriched uranium to almost-bomb-ready levels (60% and 84% which are very close to the 90% level necessary for a nuclear weapon) with its stock of refined uranium hexafluoride growing by 92.5 kilograms in the past quarter alone this is sufficient for an estimated six nuclear weapons with the final sprint achievable within months No country in the world has enriched uranium to 60% without building nuclear weapons – so Iran's intentions are clear Getting Iran to abandon this path (as well as its massive ballistic missile array) will be difficult I am doubtful that even the emerging credible threat of US (and Israeli) military action will do the trick To this end, the US has deployed fighter squadrons, stealth bombers, munitions, and Patriot and THAAD air defense batteries to the region along with two aircraft carrier strike groups US military cargo flights into the region rose by 50% last month with at least 140 heavy transport aircraft landing in Qatar An A-10 ground-attack squadron was deployed to Jordan; stealth F-35s were sent to Saudi Arabia and at least six B-2 stealth bombers have been stationed on the Indian Ocean island base of Diego Garcia – which is roughly a third of the US Air Force's B-2 fleet (Diego Garcia was previously used as a launch point for bombing missions in Afghanistan and Iraq The island lies about 4,000 kilometers from Iran and Yemen – close enough to support a large-scale strike on either while remaining beyond the reach of their drones and ballistic missiles.) Michael Kurilla was in Israel this week once again for meetings with senior Israeli military officials Richard Goldberg of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington has published a manifesto for "maximum pressure" on Iran that goes far beyond "maximum sanctions." This includes an end to all sorts of waivers and licenses that facilitate Iranian world trade rigorous sanctions enforcement (mainly targeting Iran's oil trade with China) multilateral sanctions on third-party countries (including European countries) that facilitate Iranian banking and Iranian-backed radical Islamist NGOs Gregg Roman of the Middle East Forum has published a comprehensive strategy for democratic transition in Iran which needs to be put in place even before a strike on Iran This involves an aggressive information campaign amplifying internal pressures backing opposition ethnic groups dismantling Iran's regional proxy network (something that Israel already is tackling) and transition planning with post-regime scenarios These efforts should include exposing the regime's repression and human rights abuses and carrying out political warfare against the regime: Constant criticism of its economic failings and brutality support for Iran's neighbors if Iran threatens them and aid (overt and covert) for efforts by Iranians to protest a regime most of them clearly loathe Elliott Abrams reminds us of the overall purpose of all this over Trump's four-year second presidency: To create a Middle East where Washington's friends are far stronger and its enemies far weaker than ever before Israel's recent successful actions against Hamas and Hezbollah (Iran's proxies) and its crushing blows on Iran's air defenses create an opportunity for Washington in this regard "The United States now has a chance to keep Iran and its allies off balance Because the only true solution to the problem of the Islamic Republic is its demise the United States and allies should mount a pressure campaign on behalf of the Iranian people –who wish for the regime's end more fervently than any foreigner," Elliott Abrams wrote Even if Trump decides to negotiate a bit with Iran before moving to military action Abrams asserts that it is possible to engage in practical negotiations with an enemy state without losing the sharp edge of ideological combat Recall US President Ronald Reagan's relations with the Soviet Union "An American president can talk to an authoritarian adversary without sacrificing moral clarity and without dropping support for people yearning to be free of a repressive regime and often demonstrating in the streets Abrams continues: "The United States should always view such negotiations as a tactic in the long struggle for a peaceful Middle East – a goal that cannot be reached until the Islamic Republic is replaced by a government that is legitimate in the eyes of the Iranian people and that abandons its terrorist proxies its hatred of the United States and of Israel and its desire to dominate other countries in the region the military presence of the United States must not diminish..." To which I add that Trump's plans for "winning" in the global struggle against China and his hopes for a reset in relations with Russia depend to a great extent on proving his mettle in confrontation with Iran If Trump's bluster against Iran ends up in another Obama-style soft deal that just kicks the Iranian nuclear can down the road – then Trump's presidency is finished He will never be the "transformational" president with "historic" achievements that he so explicitly wants to be Airport interception failure exposes the price of containment policy while the test of Israel's strategy awaits in its response to.. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed frustration with President Donald Trump’s actions in the Middle East... Three military fronts and a domestic crisis are pushing Israel toward fateful decisions Between the hostages and the nuclear threat,.. An Iranian cleric looks at domestically built surface-to-surface missiles at a military show marking the 40th anniversary of Iran's Islamic Revolution that toppled the US-backed shah Iran has developed a self-sufficient military weapons program producing mortars to missiles | Photo: Vahid Salemi/AP The report further noted that Tehran is increasing its presence in the region by supplying new types of weapons to militias in Iraq This contradicts expectations that support would cease during preparations for negotiations with the US regarding Iran's nuclear and missile programs Based on intelligence sources monitoring the long border between Iran and Iraq marking the first time surface-to-surface missiles were transferred to an Iranian ally numerous militias loyal to Iran operate under the umbrella organization Hashd al-Shaabi Among the central militias are "Hezbollah Brigades" in Iraq The publication contradicts a previous report by Reuters that the militias were "considering disarming." Show Breaking News BarCloseWorldNasser Karimi And Jon Gambrell Full Screen1 / 15Previous photoNext photoIranian protesters chant slogans as they wave Palestinian and their country's flags during an anti-Israeli demonstration at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)Iranian protesters chant slogans as they hold Palestinian flags while some of them wear white shrouds a symbolic gesture that shows they are prepared to die for their cause during an anti-Israeli demonstration at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)Iranian protesters attend an anti-Israeli demonstration at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)A member of the Iranian Basij paramilitary force tramples on a burnt representation of the U.S flag during an anti-Israeli demonstration at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)An Iranian protester waves the Palestinian flag in front of the portraits of Lebanon's Hezbollah former leader Hassan Nasrallah who was killed by Israel and the late Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)Iranian protesters chant slogans as one of them holds up a poster of Lebanon's Hezbollah former leader Hassan Nasrallah (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)Iranian protesters burn representations of the Israeli flag during a demonstration at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)An Iranian protester waves her country's flag during an anti-Israeli demonstration at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)Iranian protesters chant slogans as they wave their country's flags during an anti-Israel demonstration at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)Iranian protesters chant slogans as they wave Iranian and Palestinian flags during an anti-Israel demonstration at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)A huge Palestinian flag hangs on a mosque during an anti-Israel protest at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)The symbolic shrouded bodies of Palestinian children are displayed during an anti-Israel demonstration at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)Replicas of some missiles are carried on a truck during an anti-Israel demonstration at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)Copyright 2025 The Associated Press Iranian protesters chant slogans as they wave Palestinian and their country's flags during an anti-Israeli demonstration at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq TEHRAN – Iran's president again pledged Wednesday that his nation is “not after a nuclear bomb” ahead of talks between Tehran and the United States going as far as dangling the prospect of direct American investment in the Islamic Republic if the countries can reach a deal The comments by reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian represent a departure from Iran's stance after its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, in which Tehran sought to buy American airplanes but in effect barred U.S “His excellency has no opposition to investment by American investors in Iran," Pezeshkian said in a speech in Tehran, referring to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Such a business proposal could draw the interest of U.S. President Donald Trump who withdrew America from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers in his first term and now seeks a new agreement with the country Pezeshkian, who campaigned on a platform of outreach to the West during his election last year, also added that Saturday's talks in Oman between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff would be conducted “indirectly.” Trump has said the talks would be direct negotiations — something Tehran hasn't ruled out after the first round of discussions “We are not after a nuclear bomb," Pezeshkian added “You (in the West) have verified it 100 times Iran long suspicious of business links to US Khamenei opposed importing American consumer goods into Iran nor political influence and presence as well as cultural influence by Americans in our country,” he said then But after Trump’s comments on the talks went public, Iran’s ailing economy showed new signs of life. Its rial currency, which hit a record low of over 1 million rials to the dollar Iran’s economy has been severely affected by international sanctions particularly after Trump unilaterally withdrew America from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018 which saw Iran drastically limit its enrichment and stockpiling of uranium in exchange for lifting of international sanctions There also appeared to be a direct influence from the top on how hard-line media reported the upcoming talks Wednesday as there was no criticism of the negotiations whatsoever — something highly unusual in Iran's fractious internal politics Iran may unilaterally accept a decrease in enrichment This should not be considered a withdrawal," the hard-line newspaper Javan believed to be close to the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard "Keeping the nuclear industry and enrichment that meets our needs is what we have been saying and seeking for years In return for a decrease of the level of enrichment and an increase of monitoring Iran should gain concessions on lifting all sanctions and stopping open hostility through the support to the opposition” by the U.S Pezeshkian himself spoke at an event marking Iran's National Nuclear Technology Day which in the past had seen Tehran show off advances in centrifuge technology that worried the West This year it focused on medical applications and other projects A protest in Tehran on Wednesday drew some hundreds people and saw demonstrators burn an effigy of the U.S chanting both “Death to America!" and “Death to Israel!” Fake coffins for Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat to one side as protesters also carried signs decrying the death of civilians in the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip With an occupier?" asked one woman holding a “Death to Israel” placard who declined to give her name at the protest for fear of reprisal rewritten or redistributed without permission TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Closed Captioning / Audio Description Contact Us Careers at WPLG Terms of Use Privacy Policy Public File FCC Applications EEO Report Do Not Sell My Info 1.0 Host Exhibit Copyright © 2025 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC. When Vicki Salemi's father got sick, she cut back on her work as a freelance writer to spend time with him "He was my best friend," Salemi told Business Insider she faced another problem: There was a hole in her résumé that made clear she hadn't been working for a while added a line to her CV to show that the monthslong gap existed for good reason She didn't want anyone to wonder what she'd been up to — or question it and risk derailing her momentum in an interview she might otherwise be crushing "I didn't want to get asked about it because I was knee-deep in grief," she said The trick to dealing with résumé gaps is to have an explanation it's best to put the reason on the résumé itself One bright spot for her after her father died was that she ultimately got the job "I remember when I had that phone interview with my future boss Julia Toothacre, chief career strategist at ResumeTemplates.com told BI that her advice on résumé gaps is far different from what she would have said a decade ago Breaks in work experience are often just a thing now and don't necessarily have to be papered over That's because the pandemic threw so many people out of work and disrupted so much about the labor force that everything got a bit messy most people doing the hiring are more sympathetic to the vagaries of the job market now "Any recruiter or hiring manager worth anything understands what's been going on in the world of work It does not matter what sector you're in," she said it's generally not as detrimental to be up front about a work drought on a résumé That doesn't mean some people in charge of hiring won't ding applicants for it But she said that itself can be a useful red flag for job seekers you don't want to work for that person anyway," Toothacre said you could add a section that talks about being off work for personal reasons like having to care for someone If you were off because of a protracted illness it might be smart not to go too deep into it Even though employers shouldn't discriminate against people for said in her experience more job seekers have gaps than don't And many people tend to overthink how to address them Her advice is to be prepared to talk about the breaks — and use that explanation to move the conversation forward One example she offered: "But the past three months really gave me clarity for this job I'm pursuing because my strengths are in sales," she said Salemi said the key is to address the hiatus so an interviewer doesn't get stuck on it For those who might have done something like get additional education it can be OK or even beneficial to talk about it There are other ways job seekers can downplay fallow spots in their formal work history One is to perhaps not list start dates and end dates using months Another technique is to position the skills up top instead of first listing work history in reverse chronological order That can help a busy recruiter focus on what's most important owner and principal consultant at Bigger Fish Executive Branding Salemi said it's no surprise that having too many gaps can be a problem and the second is why you're the best person for the job it's not necessarily a liability for you," Salemi said Do you have something to share about what you're seeing in your job search or in the workplace? Business Insider would like to hear from you. Email our workplace team from a nonwork device at thegrind@businessinsider.com with your story or ask for one of our reporter's Signal numbers Iranian demonstrators burn a representation of the Israeli flag in an anti-Israeli gathering at Felestin (Palestine) Square in Tehran In a coordinated counterintelligence effort Israel's Security Agency (Shin Bet) has uncovered a network of Iranian intelligence operatives working to recruit and activate Israeli citizens the Israeli authorities revealed on Monday Viktorson had been in contact via social media with an individual using the name "Mari Hossi." Their communications were conducted in Hebrew Under the direction of an Iranian operative Viktorson allegedly carried out various tasks and even torching vehicles in Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park area He was later instructed to sabotage communication infrastructure and ATMs and Viktorson received over $5,000 for their execution The investigation revealed that Viktorson even agreed to assassinate a prominent figure in Israel and to throw a grenade at a house where police apprehended them in broad daylight Their Iranian handler assigned them various missions Initial tasks included spray-painting "Bibi Hitler" and burning cars "They carried out not only test missions but also operations that caused actual damage." The final mission was to assassinate an individual whose identity remains unknown Viktorson reportedly agreed but was arrested two days before the planned hit Prosecutors recently filed indictments against those involved on security-related charges Such activity by Iranian intelligence entities through social media is a known tactic for recruiting Israelis through deception to carry out various missions While these tasks may initially seem harmless they have the potential to significantly compromise state security The recruiters communicated in various languages Citizens responded to these approaches for financial gain It's worth noting that a significant number of Israeli citizens who received suspicious approaches did not respond and alerted the relevant authorities A senior Shin Bet official stated: "In recent months we've exposed several networks of Iranian intelligence operatives working to recruit Israeli citizens for various missions including plans to harm individuals in Israel We identified and monitored numerous fictitious Iranian profiles on social networks and gathered information about the entities behind their operation Exposing this activity led to the arrest and interrogation of Israeli citizens who were tempted to carry out these missions." Salemi counsels clients on the full range of issues related to retirement plans and deferred and equity-based compensation arrangements helping them design and maintain state-of-the-art benefit plans and compensation arrangements to achieve each client’s unique operational goals practical counseling on initial plan design day-to-day plan administration and compliance Dan’s broad background in the employee benefits area includes the representation of clients who are dealing with employee benefits and executive compensation issues in mergers Dan represents clients across the United States in various industries Dan also serves as co-chair of the firm’s multiemployer plan practice In addition to serving as counsel to several large multiemployer pension and health plans Dan advises employers on pension withdrawal liability and other issues related to participation in multiemployer pension and health/welfare plans Dan has substantial experience assisting clients with pension withdrawal liability issues in a variety of contexts and representing clients in any resulting litigation Dan serves on Institutional Investor’s Defined Contribution Institute Advisory Board The Best Lawyers in America, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation US News/Best Lawyers – Best Law Firms (2019) Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Transactional Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Design Labor & Employment: Employee Benefits & Compensation Fiduciary Responsibility and Plan Investments Subcommittee American Bar Association (2011–2018) +1.312.324.1704 +1.312.324.1001 Download VCard "Shahed-136 B" drones are displayed by Iranian Revolutionary Guard during an annual armed forces parade just outside Tehran While Hezbollah has suffered significant losses to many of its weapons systems which have largely failed to make substantial impacts during the ongoing conflict the terror organization's UAV arsenal has become a real thorn in Israel's side What makes these Iranian-made drones a genuine threat including long-range missiles and precision munitions have struggled to inflict significant damage on Israel the drone array the organization received from Iran has evolved into a real threat and a major challenge for Israel since before the Second Lebanon War in 2006 With the advancement of Iran's unmanned vehicle program over the past two decades has been equipped with a large number of cutting-edge Iranian-made tools for reconnaissance The UAV that struck the military base was likely a "Mirsad" drone manufactured by the Iranians It's a small aircraft with an explosive warhead of about 44 pounds that can reach speeds of about 124 mph This is a tool that Hezbollah possesses and has recently deployed more than once Within Hezbollah's drone arsenal are several key players for attack and "suicide" missions each with distinct advantages and disadvantages Hezbollah holds an unknown quantity of heavy and large cruise missiles of the DR3 model originating from Russian-made Tupolev drones converted into "suicide" vehicles that can reach ranges of over 124 miles with a heavy warhead of 661 pounds These come with significant advantages but also clear drawbacks The heavy drone requires a massive launcher that must be placed in a building or on a truck and can be detected relatively easily the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has successfully documented the destruction of several such drones hidden in civilian homes in southern Lebanon there is no known successful launch of this weapon The Karrar is an Iranian-made drone based on the American jet-powered Striker drone The Karrar is a kind of "poor man's fighter jet" because it combines suicide attack capabilities and even air-to-air missile launches against aircraft and Hezbollah apparently attempted to use it during the Syrian civil war the Karrar's jet engine and relatively high radar signature make it less effective for deep missions in Israeli territory and much more vulnerable to Israel's anti-aircraft array named after a type of bird from Islamic folklore is the workhorse of the Iranian drone fleet The early models of the series served Hezbollah back in the early 2000s and some even reached the Hamas terror organization The Ababil-T is an advanced series model with an improved navigation system and an efficient and quiet internal combustion engine that is very difficult to detect by radar The Ababil-T is agile enough to make optimal use of the Lebanese terrain and thus evade interception as it makes its way to Israel's borders It doesn't need a large launcher and can be deployed from almost any terrain limits it to operation in areas relatively close to the border and IDF advancement into Lebanese territory could further reduce the effective use of these drones in Israeli territory The Shahed-136 has so far proven to be one of the most significant assets in Hezbollah's drone arsenal It has a quiet electric motor and an extremely low radar signature It has a range of almost 500 miles and an armor-piercing warhead of about 18 pounds it is relatively slow and flies at a speed of only about 75 mph a fraction of that of other suicide drones in Hezbollah's possession its relatively simple systems give it another advantage – it's very cheap which means it can be held in large quantities It's very easy to launch and needs only minimal ground space for deployment All these qualities make it a perfect drone for attacking in a swarm tactic It's crucial to understand that drone and UAV warfare is an evolving form of combat that has changed almost beyond recognition in recent years and has left many armies worldwide grappling with significant problems and challenges there are several central problems in dealing with the threat drones with a low radar signature flying very close to the ground are inherently difficult to intercept and the mountainous terrain of southern Lebanon and the Galilee makes it even more challenging to detect and intercept these vehicles The second problem is that even when early detection of the vehicle occurs the interception window is very small and sometimes simply missed entirely Another problem is the tactic of using a drone swarm a large and coordinated quantity of vehicles that can arrive from several places simultaneously and ensure that at least some of the vehicles will hit the target with deadly precision Israel's air defense array is replete with some of the world's best detection and interception means but even it struggles to deal with the threat a senior research fellow at the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance explains that the defense establishment is not surprised by this: "The problem starts with topography It's carved with mountains and valleys and makes it very difficult to detect aircraft flying low and using the terrain to hide in it." In conclusion Inbar says: "We don't yet have a system that's a game-changer Our success will come from the systems and a precise concept of operation." A possible partial solution to the threat is a return to using Vulcan cannons which fire small shells at a tremendous rate and can be placed at many key points throughout the north as a complementary part of the interception array the entry of a laser system into operational service can at least partially assist in closing gaps during drone swarms and improving interception capabilities small units of "drone hunters" on armed pickups equipped with cannons managed to inflict heavy losses on the Russian drone array and defense systems with cannons like the German "Gepard" have also been successful against Russia's Shaheds it's important to note that even the solutions found by Ukraine represent only partial success and that only experience and learning over the years will tip the scales in favor of the defender in the battle against the drones of the Iranian axis A judge ruled that Netanyahu aides Jonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein will remain in custody until Thursday Foreign media have reported that Israel could have between 80 and 400 nuclear warheads "Europe is called to take responsibility for its own defense Iranian Shiite Muslim women pray during Ashoura mourning ritual backed by a coalition of conservative Shia Muslim parties would overturn the country's "personal status law," also known as Law 188 which has been considered among the most progressive women's rights in the Middle East since its introduction in 1959 "The amendment would not just undermine these rights," said Sarah Sanbar Iraq is legalizing child marriage and lowering the age of consent to just 9 Iraqi women's rights activist risks her life and confronts an iman who sponsored the bill "You're following Muhamad who married 9-year-old Aisha 1400 years ago. That is not normal in today's world!" pic.twitter.com/JnpUT3RUF5 — Dr. Maalouf ‏ (@realMaalouf) November 9, 2024 Previous attempts to change the law failed in 2014 and 2017 due to backlash from Iraqi women according to experts interviewed by The Telegraph the coalition now holds a large parliamentary majority and appears poised to succeed The Iraqi parliament will formally debate the latest amendments before putting them to a vote primarily because of the Shia parties," Dr The proposed amendment is part of a wider political move by Shia Islamist groups to "consolidate their power" and regain legitimacy "Stressing the religious side is a way for them to try and regain some of the ideological legitimacy that has been waning over the last few years," he explained According to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) approximately 28% of women in Iraq are already married by age 18 A current loophole allows religious leaders to officiate marriages including those involving girls as young as 15 These unregistered marriages are particularly widespread in economically poor The amendment would legitimize these religious marriages putting young girls at increased risk of sexual and physical violence these women "will have to stay in harmful situations because they fear losing custody of their children," Sanbar said The proposed amendment would also give Muslim citizens the option to choose between the current secular personal status law or religious law based on their sect "It's explicitly written in the draft that when there's a dispute between the couple the sect of the husband takes priority," Sanbar said "This is going to remove a lot of protections for women.. it will undermine the principle of equality before the law." international human rights legal adviser and director of Model Iraqi Woman expressed fear that Iraq's system of governance could be replaced with the Guardianship of the Jurist – a Shia system placing religious rule above the state The system is similar to Afghanistan and Iran where a Guardian Jurist is the supreme leader "What they aspire to in parliament is not in the interest of society but their personal interest," Al-Hassan told The Telegraph "Iraq is a civilized civil state that cannot be otherwise The first female minister in the Arab countries was Iraqi and the first female judge was Iraqi," said Al-Hassan The action has sparked protests in Baghdad and other cities an Iraqi group of female activists opposed to amending the personal status law The action has sparked an outcry on social media with women's rights activists accusing the government of trying to "legalize child rape." According to Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen the Yemeni terrorist organization is continuing to develop new types of missiles and UAVs despite.. WDHN - wdhn.com TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Tens of thousands of Iranians marked the anniversary of the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, the first such rally since President Donald Trump returned to the White House and restarted his “maximum pressure” campaign targeting Tehran. The annual commemoration of the end of the rule of the American-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the creation of Iran’s Shiite theocracy comes this year as deep uncertainty lingers across the country. Iran faces crushing sanctions wrecking its economy and the threat of more coming from Trump, even as the American president suggests he wants to reach a deal with Tehran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program. Iran’s currency, the rial, fell to record low of 928,500 rials to $1 in aftermarket trading on Monday, a drop of more than 6% from Friday. Also on Friday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had criticized proposed talks with the United States and described negotiations with America as “not intelligent, wise or honorable.” Khamenei also suggested that “there should be no negotiations with such a government,” though stopped short of issuing a direct order not to engage with Washington. Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, who long has struck a conciliatory tone toward the West, similarly took a harder line in a speech at Azadi, or Freedom, Square in Tehran. He declared Iran to be in a “full-fledged economy war.” “Trump comes and announces let’s talk but at the same place he announces and signs all plots,” Pezeshkian said. “They spread propaganda that the country has been weak. We are strong.” “We never bow to the foreigners,” he added. People carried flags, balloons and banners as they marched toward Azadi Square in the Iranian capital despite sub-zero temperatures. Alongside anti-American and anti-Israeli banners with slogans like “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” demonstrators also carried images of Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters. A demonstrator held up a poster reading, “We are going to wipe out Israel.” Iran’s military displayed replicas of some of its missiles at the square. People also took selfie photographers in front of a pickup truck carrying men wearing masks of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu behind bars. “I know there are a lot of economic problems in the country, but I am here to say we will support our country regardless of threats by Trump and Israelis,” said Mohsen Amini, a 48-year-old teacher. Hamideh Zamani, a 31-year-old homemaker wearing a flowing black Islamic chador, attended the rally with her two children. “We will resist any threat by the West without any fear,” she said. “We learned this from our fathers to devote ourselves for the cause of the Islamic Republic.” Iranian state television aired commemorations at sites across the country, urging more people to turn out. The day, an official holiday, takes on a festival feel, with schools and government offices closed, and workers out in the streets. The Islamic Revolution began with widespread unrest in Iran over the rule of the shah who, terminally and secretly ill with cancer, fled Iran in January 1979. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini then returned from exile and the government fell on Feb. 11, 1979, after days of mass demonstrations and confrontations between protesters and security forces. Later in April, Iranians voted to become an Islamic Republic, a Shiite theocracy with Khomeini as the country’s first supreme leader. Months later, when the United States allowed the shah into the country for cancer treatment in New York, anger boiled over in Tehran leading to the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in November 1979 by militant students. The subsequent 444-day hostage crisis at the embassy in Tehran kindled decades of enmity. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. This Page Has Washed AwayLooks like this page has disappeared with the tide — perhaps it’s buried in the sand at Vazon or drifting off Petit Port Everything is ready: in the large room on the ground floor stands the altar dedicated to the saint covered in myrtle and laurel and adorned with bread which remember the last supper of Jesus with the apostles according to a still alive rite Salemi women skillfully shape the panuzzi with combs and signatures They often use sesame for the flower corollas and cocoa to darken the composition which is a small work of art the loaves are baked and then arranged in order on the steps In the next room the enormous table is set which offers a splendid sight to those who enter to admire the variety and quantity of the dishes On the white tablecloth are stacked the plates with sardines flavored in vinegar and then fried in beccaficu wild fennel and desserts such as mpignulata relatives and neighbors makes the atmosphere cheerful and convivial The effort of the ritual is undertaken not for pride but for the pleasure of mmitari pours the last portion of freshly cooked spaghetti onto the sideboard and seasons it: it is the St Joseph's pasta which is brought while still steaming even to those who were unable to participate in the ritual Throughout the afternoon and until late in the evening we witness a coming and going of people who come to visit the dinners and receive gifts of the bread that decorate the altars The day ends with the arrival of those who will play the parts of Saint Joseph The celebrations in honor of the saint begin the previous week. The book of events is well assorted 12 from March to 19: tastings, exhibitions, concerts and workshops on bread culture. To find out more, visit the site www.prolocosalemi.net It is worth getting lost in the tangle of streets of the historic center to admire the Jesuit churchi with the valuable baroque portal embellished with four twisted columns and a perfectly functioning eighteenth-century organ When you get in Alicia Square the view extends over what remains of theformer Mother Church built on an ancient Arab mosque of which the churchyard the transept and part of the presbytery with the bell tower remain stands the adjacent castle which first the Arabs then the Normans and finally the Aragonese rebuilt and put to different uses It is one of the best preserved castles in Sicily despite its thousand years of life and the earthquakes it has suffered Entering the street that descends from the castle you come across the Rabato district which has maintained its Islamic taste as demonstrated by the numerous signs in two languages Inside the Jesuit College the city's museum center is located: in addition to the religious works of art from the churches destroyed by the 1968 earthquake it houses the Museum of the Risorgimento – which brings together canvases portraits and weapons collections of the time – and the singular Mafia Museum born from an idea of ​​former mayor Vittorio Sgarbi reminds us that Italy had its first capital in Sicily with a proclamation written by Francesco Crispi Giuseppe Garibaldi solemnly and publicly announced that he was taking possession of the island in the name of king Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy qualifying him as king of Italy: which effectively made Did you like the itinerary? Thu you will find all the rest areas in the province of Trapani You can read all PleinAir itineraries on Sicily in the digital magazine on your PC, tablet or smartphone. With a year of subscription to PLEINAIR (11 paper issues) you have the available special inserts, digital magazine e the digital archive since 2015 (with attachments) With your PleinAir subscription you receive the next issues comfortably at home and savings ________________________________________________________ weekends and travel diaries on the digital magazine from smartphone For the registered with the PLEINAIRCLUB Access to the digital magazine is included With thesubscription to PleinAir (11 print issues) receive the magazine and special inserts comfortably at home and save Search other results... Search More results... This has been a summer of getting a feel for the track for Kyle Salemi a 2020 Nashua High School South grad and former Panthers football player who is competing in the Super Late Model Divison at Oxford (Me.) Plains Speedway Kyle Salemi was playing football for Nashua High School South getting his motor going as a wide receiver on the turf at Stellos Stadium Now his motor is one that takes him around the track at places like Oxford (ME) Plains Speedway depending on what happens this weekend and perhaps beyond to be named Rookie of the Year in the Super Late Model Division Salemi has been around a track since he was a toddler had been a racer on NASCAR’s Busch North series “Now he’s doing the same thing I’m doing Salemi began driving a couple of years ago and it felt great but totally different than what he thought Nashua's Kyle Salemi is keeping up a family traditon as a race car driver spending his summer competing at Oxford (Me.) Plains Speedway where he has a shot to be Rookie of the Year in the Super Late Model Division the first time I ever got onto the track and started taking laps with other cars,” Salemi said “It’s an experience you can’t really think about until you actually do it It was a pretty cool experience when I first started and I don’t want to stop doing it now The series I’m doing is pretty crazy now; these people I’m racing with they’re like the best drivers in the country (at that level).” I’d like to take it up to that NASCAR level Salemi races in a car meant for the short tracks in northern New England He’d eventually like to take the next step and travel to more tracks around New England including right in his own backyard at Hudson Speedway But the experience of doing something he grew up around is incredible and I’ve been in the pits the whole time getting a feel for what it’s like being in that surrounding And now I’m actually continuing with it “There’s more to it than I used to think I’d ask (his father) ‘why can’t you just hold it to the floor and turn it left’ But there’s so much involved in how the car’s handling “The car’s never always perfect So you’ve got to work with the car a lot of the times It’s a lot more difficult than it looks from up above.” Salemi’s experience racing before he became old enough to be a driver was with go carts And he did some online racing – a simulation of the real thing – at iracing.com so he could virtually get a feel for the sport how it feels to drive all the different tracks,” he said “And then I kind of took that to the real car when I’d get out And I picked up new things once I got on the track It’s kind of a continuous learning experience right now.” Salemi has learned that you have to have great and quick instincts on the track “You have to keep your eyes open,” he said “And really kind of think about what’s going on A couple of weeks ago he made it into the field for one of the biggest Super Late Model races in the country He started 40th out of 43 and finished in 31st place He had to survive several heats to make the field “You pretty much have to race your way into it,” Salemi said “It was definitely one of the coolest things,” he said “We’ve been trying for the last four years to get into it We’ve never had really good luck getting into it who is the crew chief when Kyle is racing “and guides me through everything that’s going on.” His brother Ryan who currently is a senior on the Panthers football team And there’s his uncle Ralph Abruzzese and his grandfather “She has to keep watching racing,” Kyle said with a chuckle “because now there’s more and more years of it.” But following in his father’s footsteps is a big deal John Salemi Racing and Ralph Abruzzese Racing are among the sponsors for Kyle “That’s definitely one thing I like about it,” Salemi said “is that I get to continue what he’s doing and try to pretty much build off of what he did.” He’s on his way to making a name for himself Salemi is ninth in points in the weekly series at Oxford so he’s hoping to hold on to win the Rookie of the Year award Salemi isn’t a full time race car driver a sophomore at Franklin Pierce University in Rindge he was so exhausted he wondered how he made it through the start of classes Salemi and his father will work on the car “and see what we can do to make it better for next year.” In the future the family has its eye on racing down south Salemi would love to compete in one of the biggest winter races “I’ve watched it online a lot,” he said Maybe we can think about heading down there and think about racing in it a couple of times.” Salemi would love to take in the experience of watching the Daytona 500 in person as that’s where John Salemi would race in the Busch North event that would be held as part of the big annual NASCAR weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway which culminates in the Foxwood Resorts Casino 101 race Salemi will always remember the summer of 2021 It’s when his motor was not only running Copyright © 2025 Ogden Newspapers of New Hampshire LLC | https://www.nashuatelegraph.com | 110 Main St Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text