An official website of the United States government JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. Please click here to see any active alerts Greenhouse gases trap heat and make the planet warmer. Human activities are responsible for almost all of the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the last 150 years.1 The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United States is from burning fossil fuels for electricity EPA tracks total U.S. emissions by publishing the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks This annual report estimates the total national greenhouse gas emissions and removals associated with human activities across the United States by source Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry in the United States is a net sink and offsets 13% of these greenhouse gas emissions. This net sink is not shown in the above diagrams. All emission estimates are sourced from the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990–2022 greenhouse gas emissions and sinks in each economic sector Electric Power Transportation Industry Commercial/Residential Agriculture Land Use/Forestry A million metric tons equals about 2.2 billion pounds a small car is likely to weigh a little more than 1 metric ton a million metric tons are roughly the same mass as 1 million small cars GHG Inventory uses metric units for consistency and comparability with other countries a metric ton is slightly more (approximately 10%) than a U.S Greenhouse gas emissions are often measured in carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent. To convert emissions of a gas into CO2 equivalent, its emissions are multiplied by the gas's Global Warming Potential (GWP) The GWP takes into account the fact that many gases are more effective at warming Earth than CO2 alongside community and law enforcement partners will once again be hand-delivering meals to those who are in need this Thanksgiving Deadline to register to receive a meal: November 21 Time to register your National Night Out event Registration will begin on May 28th and run through July 26 Email: PDP@DowntownPittsburgh.com Website: Downtown Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership Facebook: Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership | Facebook Twitter: Downtown Pittsburgh (@DowntownPitt) | X (twitter.com) Instagram: Downtown Pittsburgh (@downtownpitt) | Instagram Meetings: The Clean & Safe meeting occurs every second Wednesday from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP) is a non-profit community development organization that develops and implements innovative programs and initiatives to enhance the Downtown neighborhood cultivate a vibrant residential population We also promote and market this great urban center to millions of people as the region’s premier destination to do business The PDP stands as staunch advocates for all those who make Downtown part of their lives—from businesses to workers to residents and visitors Email: Zone2.publicsafetycommittee@gmail.com Facebook: Zone 2 Public Safety Council | Facebook Meetings: The Zone 2 Public Safety Council Meeting is held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 5:30 PM Meeting Location: The Hill District Community Engagement Center 1908 Wylie Ave Zone 2 Public Safety Council (PSC2) is a resident-driven public safety group whose mission is to enhance the safety and quality of life for residents and businesses within the zone Meetings are open to all who live or work in Police Zone 2 Email: Info@uptownpartners.org Website: www.uptownpartners.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/uptownpartnersofpittsburgh Linked in: www.linkedin.com/company/uptown-partners-of-pittsburgh Instagram: www.instagram.com/uptownpartners In-Person Meeting Location: 1518 Forbes Ave Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh (UP) was founded in 2007 as a non-profit organization of residents business owners and other concerned stakeholders to improve community quality of life — and to collaboratively create a vision and pathway for Uptown's much-needed revitalization We achieve our goals by pursuing an action plan that: ensures the development of a clean and equitable neighborhood; rebuilds a mixed-income population by reclaiming vacant blighted properties and encouraging new residential development; attracts new neighborhood retail and commercial business while supporting existing business owners; fosters green quality design in all development projects; and creates a healthy environment where the arts flourish and are integrated into the urban landscape Email: info@LUnited.org Website: www.lunited.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/LawrencevilleUnited Twitter: www.twitter.com/lvilleunited Meetings: The Public Safety Action Team Meeting is held bi-monthly Lawrenceville United hosts a bi-monthly meeting with agencies from various social services and safety agencies; including the Department of Public Safety Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh The Public Safety Action Team outlines reoccurring issues and strategies in the Lawrenceville community and identify steps to improve or eradicate them These issues can range from severely blighted and neglected properties to habitual law and code violations to nuisance properties Email: info@sdnpgh.org Website: www.stripdistrictneighbors.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/StripDistrict Instagram: www.instagram.com/stripdistrictneighbors Twitter: twitter.com/stripdistrict Meetings: Strip District Neighbor Town Hall occurs quarterly Strip District Neighbors is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting economic development and high quality of life while preserving and enhancing the integrity and character of the strip district neighborhood Website: www.polishhillcivicassociation.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/phca.pittsburgh Instagram: www.instagram.com/polishhillcivic Meetings: Polish Hill Civic Association Community Meeting occurs monthly In-Person/Virtual/Hybrid: Community Meetings are (typically) the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm at West Penn Rec Center In-Person Meeting Location: West Penn Rec Center 450 30th St The PHCA's mission is to respect and preserve the sense of community in Polish Hill while promoting economic and housing development opportunities and improving the quality of life for our community The Polish Hill Civic Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in September 1969 We are an all-volunteer organization and one of the oldest community-based groups in Pittsburgh Understand and manipulate data with easy to use explorers and trackers Free and paid data sets from across the energy system available for download existing or planned government policies and measures Access every chart published across all IEA reports and analysis You are connecting via IP recognition from Create a free IEA account to download our reports or subcribe to a paid service Aviation accounts for a relatively small share of global emissions but is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonise Despite reductions in flying during the Covid-19 lockdowns demand is expected to grow rapidly through 2030 New aircraft can be up to 20% more efficient than the models they replace but growth in activity has historically outpaced efficiency improvement Technology innovation is needed across the sector including in production of low-emission fuels Demand restraint solutions will also be needed to get on track with the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario – to curb growth in emissions and ultimately reduce them this decade Planned production capacity for sustainable aviation fuels will provide just a small fraction of jet fuel demand by 2030 Increasing the use of these fuels to get in line with the Net Zero Scenario will require supportive policies and a significant ramp-up of investments in production capacity aviation accounted for 2.5% of global energy-related CO2 emissions having grown faster between 2000 and 2019 than rail As international travel demand recovered following the Covid-19 pandemic aviation emissions in 2023 reached almost 950 Mt CO2 To start reducing emissions this decade in line with the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario (NZE Scenario) stakeholders must increase low-carbon fuel shares optimise operations and implement demand restraint solutions Political agreement on net zero targets for aviation has been complemented by fiscal and regulatory policies to promote sustainable aviation fuels Notable progress towards getting aviation on track includes the following:  CO2 emissions from aviation have reached 90% of their pre-Covid-19 peak Aviation emissions rose in 2023 to reach more than 90% of their 2019 pre-pandemic peak level After increasing at an average of 2.2% per year from 1990 to 2019 direct CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion plummeted from more than 1 000 Mt CO2 in 2019 to less than 600 Mt CO2 in 2020 As demand from air passengers recovered in 2022 and 2023 with the exception of Russia (due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and consequent international sanctions) CO2 emissions are expected to surpass their 2019 level in 2025 Improvements in energy intensity have not been sufficient to counterbalance energy demand growth in recent years From 2010 to 2019, average fuel efficiency per revenue passenger kilometre (RPK) improved by over 2.5% per year. On a revenue tonne kilometre (RTK) basis, which includes passengers, their luggage, and freight, fuel efficiency improved by 1.7%, nearly reaching ICAO’s aspirational goal of 2% per annum (measured per RTK) through 2050 efficiency improvements have not kept up with demand growth to date with RPK growing at an average rate of more than 6% annually between 2010 and 2019 efficiency will need to improve at a rate of 2.6% per year through 2030 on an RPK basis in line with the historical average improvements over the past two decades In addition to technical efficiency improvements in engine and airframe designs, improvements in payload and traffic efficiency (i.e the weight of cargo and number of passengers carried per aircraft) have also contributed to reducing the energy intensity of aircraft operation Payload energy efficiency deteriorated in 2020 as planes were flown with fewer passengers but recovered to about the same level as 2019 by the end of 2023 Passenger activity has nearly closed the gap with pre-Covid levels Sustainable aviation fuels are critical to decarbonising aviation Increasing SAF use in aviation to over 10% by 2030 will require a significant ramp-up of investment in capacity to produce SAFs and supportive policies such as fuel taxes and low-carbon fuels standards dedicated energy crops and municipal solid waste synthetic fuels based on hydrogen produced using electrolysers (and running on low-emissions electricity) concentrated waste streams or atmospheric sources can provide an alternative although commercialisation may be challenging are needed in order to make a leap towards significant CO2 emissions reduction Tests and prototypes showcase innovations in hydrogen-powered aircraft Airbus and ArianeGroup are working towards building the first liquid hydrogen refuelling facility for ZEROe aircraft at Blagnac airport in Toulouse Governments are increasing fiscal support for SAF production and mandating SAF use In South America, Brazil adopted the Fuel of the Future law which requires airlines to reduce domestic flight greenhouse gas emissions by 1% in 2027 and increasing to 10% in 2037 through SAFs Member states of the International Civil Aviation Organization pledge to reach net zero emissions by 2050 many of which rely on offsets outside the energy sector Airlines are moving towards offtake agreements with fuel suppliers to supply SAF We would like to thank the following external reviewers: Policies to support SAF consumption and boost growth are needed to make SAFs more widely available and economically viable Funding and financial de-risking will be needed to promote continued innovation around sustainable production processes including novel feedstocks (wastes double cropping) and to support the leap from demonstration to commercial plants This will also be needed to drive investment at all stages of research and to enable power-to-liquid jet kerosene to scale up rapidly Both supply and demand of SAFs are highly concentrated in advanced economies today. Meeting the growing demand for air travel in emerging and developing economies will require technical assistance and capacity building to accelerate the availability and use of SAFs Such support can help emerging markets and developing economies to leverage domestic natural resource endowments such as biomass and thereby scale up high value-added industries in the clean energy economy Taxing GHG emissions beyond the CORSIA scheme is critical to more equitably reflect the climate impacts of air travel As the additional costs of these taxes are passed on to passengers while revenues generated could be used to foster low-carbon innovation in SAF production or engine and airframe design as supply-side options such as SAFs will require time to scale up production and for costs to come down Actions from leading airlines and airports that serve as key international and domestic hubs can generate the market pull needed to catalyse the adoption of efficient operations Those that act early will benefit not only from asserting their leadership in corporate social responsibility but from being the first to gain experience in innovative practices and technologies that will eventually need to be adopted more widely The Advanced Motor Fuels TCP Task 63 focuses on Sustainable Aviation Fuels It assesses the current policy environment and current and future SAF production technologies and explores how to ensure sustainable SAF production aviation and shipping are responsible for more than 75% of new biofuel demand Average annual consumption in these sectors expands 30% between 2023 and 2030 to meet targets in North America The most comprehensive database of clean energy technology demonstrators Interactive database of more than 600 individual technology designs and components across the whole energy system that contribute to achieving the goal of net-zero emissions The state of play for 18 key technology milestones related to energy security sustainability and economic benefit that should be achievable by 2030 A snapshot of global energy policies tracking over 5 000 policies in 50 G20 and IEA Family countries You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of any IEA newsletter The latest update for EA SPORTS™ WRC 24 is available to download from March 25 This update introduces the Hard Chargers Content Pack Celebrate the art of pushing to the edge with the EA SPORTS™ WRC 24 Hard Chargers Content Pack* Hard Chargers is a tribute to the cars and drivers who risked it all in pursuit of victory Rally is a sport where bravery counts for everything as drivers push their machines to the limits in extreme conditions This Content Pack dares you to find your limit with new rally stages 18 official liveries for new and existing cars:* Please note that new cars from the Hard Chargers Content Pack are only available in Time Trial Please note that all fixes also affect the other stages on those locations that share the same road sections Please note that new stages from the Hard Chargers Content Pack are only available in Time Trial Thank you for providing feedback and bug reports on EA SPORTS™ WRC For further support please visit the following: * Requires EA SPORTS™ WRC (sold separately) and all game updates ^ Hard Chargers cars and stages will only be available in Time Trial OBITUARY: Remembering the life and career of the ‘tough and popular’ Jochen Mass Ocon vows Haas will 'keep at it’ as he laments bad luck during Miami Grand Prix Antonelli's 'seismic moment' and why Williams were faster than Ferrari – it’s our Miami GP review Gasly admits Alpine ‘need answers’ after difficult weekend in Miami as Doohan reflects on Lap 1 collision with Lawson Audi announce organisational restructure ahead of F1 arrival in 2026 It’s time for Round 2 of the 2025 Formula 1 season with the Shanghai International Circuit set to host the Chinese Grand Prix following the event’s return to the calendar last year Need to Know is your all-in-one guide with statistics The weekend will mark the first Sprint of the campaign meaning that the format is set to look a little different Free Practice 1 and Sprint Qualifying take place on Friday followed by the Sprint and Qualifying for the Grand Prix on Saturday March 22 and the Grand Prix itself on Sunday IT'S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we're excited about ahead of the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix former Renault F1 driver: Shanghai is a circuit with long straights and even longer corners The first corner is unique with a wickedly fast approach before you scrub off the speed through an almost 360 degree turn which feels never-ending from the cockpit That brings you into a slow left-hander where the exit is crucial for traction to the end of a short Sector 1 PALMER: Piastri was too hard on himself after his slip on Sunday – his race in Australia was one of his best yet Sector 2 is a nicer section of fast sweeping bends again gradually scrubbing speed through the high-speed sequence of Turns 7 Sector 3 again features an almost endless righ-hand turn building speed this time onto the back straight another reason this circuit is so hard on the left-front tyre The back straight is the best overtaking opportunity with DRS into a big braking zone for a really tight right-hander leaving just a quick and satisfying left-hander to round out the lap ONBOARD: Max Verstappen’s 2024 Pirelli Pole Position Award lap at the Chinese Grand Prix F1 NATION: An opening win for Norris as Red Bull recover and Ferrari disappoint – it's our Australian GP review Verstappen claimed his fourth Grand Prix victory of the season when F1 returned to China in 2024 While Pirelli will bring the same tyre selection this weekend as they did in 2024 – that being the C2 as hard C3 as medium and C4 as soft – these compounds are now different to last year with the C2 in particular softer than before and as such more like the C3 than in the past The fact that it is a Sprint weekend also means that the slick tyre allocation changes a little; each driver still receives two sets of hard tyres but they receive four medium sets rather than three and six softs instead of eight bringing the total to 12 sets rather than the standard 13 The number of wet-weather tyres remains the same READ MORE: What tyres will the teams and drivers have for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix? Pirelli’s weekend preview reads: “There were three interruptions last year – one VSC and two Safety Cars – which significantly influenced the outcome of the race both in terms of the number of stops and the sequence in which the compounds were used three of the drivers who finished in the top 10 made just one stop the majority of drivers opted to line up on the grid on the medium with the C3 also completing the most stints (46%) with four drivers choosing it for the start while Fernando Alonso drove his longest stint on this Pirelli have also highlighted the “special challenges” that this round of the championship poses starting with a completely resurfaced track and just one hour of free practice to see how much it has changed compared to past years a new surface was laid down on the track and the pit lane at the Shanghai International Circuit It has only been used a few times towards the end of 2024 and should be smoother than before and as this is the first event of the year to be held at SIC it’s logical to expect the track to evolve very quickly READ MORE: What is the weather forecast for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix? this will also be the first Sprint format event of the year with just one free practice session on Friday That means only 60 minutes to find the right car set-up and evaluate the performance of the various compounds over a long run even if Saturday’s short race is a great test bed to fully assess at least one of them.” It continues: “An important factor to consider this weekend will be the temperatures It’s the first time that Shanghai hosts the Grand Prix in March when average temperatures rarely exceed 18C the forecast for the weekend is to see them climb above 20C as from Friday “While this is therefore considerably warmer than usual at this time it is actually pretty similar to conditions seen last year for example when the race was held in the third week of April." Rain hit Shanghai during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend in 2024 McLaren were seen by many as the favourites entering into 2025 the Woking-based outfit having ended the last campaign with their first Teams’ Championship in 26 years And while the likes of Lando Norris played this down the squad certainly looked strong at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix Norris and team mate Oscar Piastri secured a front row lockout for Sunday’s race with polesitter Norris going on to master the changing weather conditions en route to victory – which also made the Briton the first driver other than Max Verstappen to lead the World Championship standings since the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix READ MORE: 5 Winners and 5 Losers from Australia – Who started their season in style? Norris will be keen to continue this form in Shanghai – while Piastri will hope to bounce back after sliding onto the grass when the rain fell in Melbourne dropping down the order from P2 before eventually salvaging P9 Verstappen, meanwhile, led Red Bull’s charge to second place in Australia, a result that he hailed as a “decent starting point” for the outfit as he looks to defend his Drivers’ title Indeed, it was perhaps not the first weekend as a Scuderia driver that Lewis Hamilton had hoped for, with the seven-time World Champion ending the day down in P10 while team mate Charles Leclerc took P8. The Italian outfit are now “on the back foot” With only one Grand Prix of a 24-round calendar complete one thing for certain is that there are plenty of twists and turns still to come in what looks set to be an exciting season ahead Race Highlights: 2025 Australian Grand Prix There are plenty of moments to choose from when looking back over the history of the Chinese Grand Prix but one of the most iconic is perhaps Michael Schumacher’s final F1 win Ferrari driver Schumacher brilliantly came out on top in a battle against Renault title rival Fernando Alonso during a wet-dry 2006 encounter having posted a no-score and DNF on his previous two visits to Shanghai to draw level with the Spaniard in the standings READ MORE: ‘Today was a little present to myself’ – The story of Michael Schumacher's 91st and final F1 win While it was ultimately not to be an eighth world title for the legendary German racer it marked the 91st and last victory of an incredible career in the top echelon Check out highlights of that memorable race in the video player below.. Michael Schumacher's 91st win at the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix Red Bull's protest into Russell over yellow flags rejected by Miami stewards Stella ‘surprised’ by McLaren advantage after 1-2 in Miami as he hails particular area of engineering 'excellence' DRIVER OF THE DAY: Piastri's imperious Miami showing gets your vote HIGHLIGHTS: Piastri leads McLaren 1-2 after thrilling race in Miami © 2003-2025 Formula One World Championship Limited Prepare for a frightful host of content as The Haunting returns in Season 6 bringing a host of horrifying content to Battle Pass Stalk your enemies as the legendary slasher Michael Myers alongside a host of monsters and survivors plus new Weapon Blueprints and more Prepare for the horrors ahead with frightening new content coming to the Season 6 Battle Pass and Store content in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III The Season 6 Battle Pass introduces over 100 rewards Purchase the premium Battle Pass to earn up to 1,400 Call of Duty Points as you progress through the Sectors or purchase BlackCell for the ultimate seasonal experience including a variety of black-and-white Operator Skins to uncover all the ghastly content arriving in Season 6 starting with BlackCell’s premium offering mutated Alone Operator headlining Season 6’s BlackCell offering alongside a variety of animated BlackCell Operator Skins Upgrade Your Battle Pass Experience: Purchase BlackCell for full access to the Season 6 Battle Pass along with 1,100 CP 20 Battle Token Tier Skips (25 on PlayStation®) and earnable BlackCell-alternate content including 6 Tracer Weapon Blueprints and 10 animated Operator Skins Purchase BlackCell to enter the Battle Pass map via an exclusive BlackCell Sector This Sector immediately rewards 1,100 COD Points Melt your enemies with the “Ghost Charmer” Assault Rifle Weapon Blueprint featuring a ghostly animated skin that pulses over the weapon’s stock black and white design Or opt for the animated “Maximum Aspect” SMG weapon blueprint with an extended magazine Both weapons feature “Chromatographic” Tracers and the “Cenotaph Slam” Death Effect Instantly access the “Throat Rip” Finishing Move to silence your targets with a devastating attack to the jugular Other BlackCell items are unlockable throughout the Season 6 Battle Pass including 10 alternate BlackCell animated Operator Skins and 6 animated Weapon Blueprints with tracers and death effects BlackCell Operator Skins confirmed: Farah (x2) Players who upgrade to BlackCell after purchasing the Battle Pass will also receive 1,100 COD Points back The ghastly Alone fuses three bodies into one in a horrific mutant Operator Skin that animates with dripping blood and a static pulse its disdain for small talk realized through the “Throat Rip” Finishing Move Alone is joined by a cast of BlackCell Operators whose very colors have seeped out of them leaving behind a black and grayscale appearance that looks fresh out of the silver screen Whether you purchase the BlackCell offering or the premium Battle Pass for 1,100 COD Points the Instant Reward Sector becomes available including a new Skin for Farah plus the legendary slasher icon Michael Myers Farah is preparing for the long haul with backpacking gear that will help her survive in harsh terrain as she travels to her next target Muted all-weather apparel provides the means to move through the mountains without giving up her position accompanied by surveillance and camping equipment for intel gathering and overnight excursions BlackCell Owners: Get the “Mountaineer BlackCell” alternate Skin depicting Farah in a black and grayscale has arrived in Call of Duty and he’s ready to decimate anyone who gets in his way The iconic monster among men and terrorizer of Haddonfield stalks the AO with a horrifying and callous pursuit of blood BlackCell Owners: Swap out the original green coveralls worn in the base Operator Skin for a darker blue The Instant Reward Sector also grants a 10% Battle Pass boost the “Silent Stalker” Weapon Blueprint for the Holger 556 Assault Rifle featuring Michael Myers’ face on the model and the “Haddonfield Takedown” Operator Finishing Move Complete the Battle Pass Sectors to unlock a variety of new Operator Skins BlackCell Alternate Skin: Each of the following Operator Skins comes paired with a BlackCell alternate Skin leaving behind a black and grayscale look that would fit perfectly into a classic horror film “Shaded Soldier” Skins (Makarov Operator Skin Battle Pass Skin: Makarov is up to something as he gears up in this full body tactical uniform complete with a face mask to deflect headshots and identification in the form of the Combat Viper patches attached to his gear and jacket sleeve “Camp is Hell” Skins (Banshee Operator Skin Battle Pass Skin: Never let anyone tell you it’s easy to be a camp counselor Splattered in blood and dirt with cracked eyeglasses this Operator Skin keeps on trucking through even the most disturbing interruptions she’ll get your attention before dispatching you Battle Pass Skin: Against even the most gruesome slashers and killers putting all that practice into a fighting form as Valeria dons red pom poms and an unsettling Burger Town High backpack made special for The Haunting Battle Pass Skin: New to the Operator lineup in Season 6 Slamfire carries the tokens of his football playing days packing in his ball and trophy alongside more practical slaying elements like a metal sledgehammer his jacket and cap still fitting as they did in his playing days “The Last Straw” Skins (Dokkaebi Operator Skin Battle Pass Skin: Don’t expect this deadly scarecrow to stay still This carefully sewn and stuffed Operator Skin will scare away more than just the birds the stitching over its face lending a menacing look Wood limbs protruding from the bunched hay gives evidence of a supernatural force at work “Bubby’s Night Out” Skins (Riptide Operator Skin Battle Pass Skin: Bubby’s taking the night off his usual shift at the Drive Thru to reign terror on his foes in the field If the sharp teeth and bloody mouth don’t get your hairs on end note the plastic arms indicating that this isn’t just some Operator wearing a helmet “This is Fine” Skins (Jabber Operator Skin Battle Pass Skin: Why not have a little fun while slaying a crazed clown appears to be holding Jabber hostage or is there a more sinister synthesis between soldier and trickster Gear up with two new functional weapons available to earn as rewards in the standard and premium Battle Pass at launch: Eliminate long-range threats with this slow-firing and hard-hitting battle rifle chambered in .30-06 Featuring high damage and a steady fire rate this Battle Rifle is the perfect weapon for downing enemies at range Use Gunsmith to further enhance its capabilities from far out or configure it for improved handling in the mid-range its strong base stats lend a solid foundation for a hard-hitting playstyle With its best-in-class fire rate and Tac Stance accuracy this LMG was crafted to tear enemies through at short to medium range Combining a high fire rate with a fast reload speed the Kastov LSW is ideal for aggressive play and is more than capable in closer ranges with its exceptional Tac Stance accuracy you won’t have to worry about running dry during a critical fight Earn up to 21 Weapon Blueprints in the premium Season 6 Battle Pass alongside new Calling Cards and Zombies Acquisitions (including Aether Tools plus a Ray Gun Weapon Case The Season 6 Battle Pass Weapon Blueprints can generally be grouped into four main themes: Sector 1: “Butcher Knife” Combat Knife Melee Completion Sector: “Split Ends” Superi 46 SMG Blueprints in this category feature basic weapon models cobbled together and altered by their encounters with horrifying enemies Sector 1: “Blasted Agony” Lockwood MK2 Shotgun Sector 14: “Death Drop” Kastov LSW LMG (New Weapon)* Sector 16: “Mortal Demise” BP50 Assault Rifle* Equip animated Weapon Blueprints featuring orange and purple ooze that drips and rotates over the body Sector 2: “Demon Raiser” Longbow Sniper Rifle* Sector 7: “Demon’s Reign” Sledgehammer Melee The face of evil scrolls across these animated Weapon Blueprints Try not to grow fearful of your weapon when the glowing eyes of demons pass by Sector 3: “Roaming Horrors” Torque 35 Launcher Sector 3: “Death’s Hands” SVA 545 Assault Rifle* Sector 12: “Bladed Whisper” Soulrender Melee Sector 17: “Illusive Phantom” Marksman Rifle Sector 20: “Dead Haunting” DTIR 30-06 Battle Rifle (New Weapon)* though these hard-hitting animated Weapon Blueprints argue that power haunts Sector 10: “Party Favor” BAL-27 Assault Rifle Sector 19: “Jack’s Lantern” Renetti Handgun Celebrate Halloween with the classic jack-o’-lantern its glowing features grinning over the bodies of these animated Weapon Blueprints [* Denotes a Weapon Blueprint with a BlackCell variant Six of Season 6’s Battle Pass Blueprints are paired with a BlackCell variant in the same tier These variants feature a static animation and a black and white design showcasing your reign as the king of death Demon Raiser — Longbow Sniper Rifle (Sector 2 BlackCell variant comes with Chromatographic Tracers and “Cenotaph Slam” Death Effect Down distant targets with this Weapon Blueprint outfitted with a long barrel for an extended damage range along with improved rechambering speed and aim down sights (ADS) speed to help you acquire targets fast with quick follow up shots to ensure they go down for the count Death’s Hands — SVA 545 Assault Rifle (Sector 3 Equipped with a precision sight and enhanced gun kick control and vertical recoil control this is the ideal weapon for aggressive Assault Rifle players who want to get into the fray and battle enemies with accurate firepower and fast movement speed This Weapon Blueprint based on the new Season 6 LMG uses a suppressor to keep your shots off the enemy radar combined with improved recoil control and ADS speed for snappy Mortal Demise — BP50 Assault Rifle (Sector 16 With enhanced bullet velocity and range paired with improved ammo reserves this Weapon Blueprint is in it for the long haul Its strong recoil control helps you stay on target and a slight boost to your movement speed keeps you light on your feet in combat Equipped with the JAK Glassless Optic Aftermarket Part this SMG Weapon Blueprint is built for ADS combat and a 32-round magazine to help you get those final This Weapon Blueprint based on the new Season 6 Battle Rifle caters to the gun’s performance against distant enemies using a long barrel to extend bullet velocity and range a suppressor to keep your shots of the enemy radar and a 40-round magazine for sustained combat Complete 100% of the map by conquering all Sectors to access the final Completion Sector including 300 COD Points plus the “Split Ends” Superi 46 SMG Weapon Blueprint and the following Operator Skin: Your opponents will be checking their corners twice when going up against the horrifying ghost of Urzikstan Be thankful that this phantom prefers to wear her hair long as what can be seen of her face is truly disturbing If the dripping blood doesn’t warn them off BlackCell Additional Skin: The color may have drained from this ghost but the terror is still on full display in this BlackCell alternate skin that will paralyze your foes with fear Hunt down your enemies as some of horror’s most iconic characters and villains including Daryl Dixon from AMC’s The Walking Dead and a litany of other monsters straight out of your nightmares Here are some of the highlights coming in Season 6: Become the ultimate hunter with the “Daryl Dixon” Operator Skin or take on special ops in the character’s “Commonwealth Operative” Operator Skin he’s backed up by three Weapon Blueprints featuring Survivor’s Streak Tracers and “Dixon’s Vengeance” Death Effect: the “Hope is not Lost” Holger 556 Assault Rifle Seek vengeance with the “Dixon’s Retribution” Finishing Move* *The “Dixon’s Retribution” Finishing Move will not be available for use in Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile Fear is only the beginning with this Bundle featuring the “Art the Clown” Operator Skin paired with two blood-soaked Weapon Blueprints: the “Terrifier” RAM-7 Assault Rifle and the “Miles County Killer” WSP-9 SMG Convince your victims to drop their guard with the “Sunny Disposition” Emblem Keep the frights rolling from match to match by equipping the “Terrifier” Loading Screen so that you’re never far from your favorite killer clown Keep the jack-o-lantern burning and take your pick of two Operator Skins: “Sam” and “Sam Unmasked.” To satiate your need for sweets equip the “Sweet Tooth” Superi 46 SMG or the “Season’s Greetings” RAAL MG LMG both featuring Trick ‘r Treat Tracers and the “Gourd Guts” Death Effect Slam your enemies with the “Sam’s Lollipop” Melee Weapon Blueprint also featuring the “Gourd Guts” Death Effect Eliminate enemies from behind using the “Lollipopped” Finishing Move and become the keeper of Halloween by equipping the “High Night Take your pick of four different Trick ‘r Treat-themed Operator Skins: the “Paper Bagger” “Happy Bunny,” “Devil,” or “Vlad,” each donning a different costume and mask win your battles with the “Candy Coated” MTZ-556 Assault Rifle and the “Bloodsucker” Haymaker Shotgun both featuring Trick ‘r Treat Tracers and “Gourd Guts” Death Effect Announce your presence with the “Knock Knock” Weapon Sticker and the “Trick ‘r Treat – Halloween Mask” Loading Screen spread fear as “Possessed Makarov” or “Possessed Valeria,” and their huge grins unnerving enemies once they realize the trouble they’re in Take the “Sinister Smirk” SOA Subverter Battle Rifle and the “Eerie Affliction” Static-HV SMG Weapon Blueprints into battle both featuring Sadistic Smile Tracers and “Fatal Blow” Death Effect Share the smile far and wide with the “It Will Never Let Go” Large Decal Toss your vows and get revenge as the “I Don’t” Ultra Operator Skin a spurned bride returning to haunt those closest to her Pick up the fight with two Weapon Blueprints “The Vow” Assault Rifle and “Veiled Threat” LMG Show them you mean business with the “Bloody Bride” Emblem The Bundle also includes a massive 2,400 COD Points for use toward your next Battle Pass or Store purchase The lord of the underworld arrives in the form of the “Dios de Los Muertos” Operator Skin for Alejandro Send the souls of your opponents on their eternal journey with three Weapon Blueprints featuring Underworld Treasure Tracers and “Shimmering Sacrifice” Death Effect: the “Ofrenda a la Victoria” Static-HV SMG the “Defensor Del Inframundo” BAL-27 Assault Rifle Present your immortal status with the “Eternal Guardian” Calling Card “Skeletal Lord of the Underworld” Large Decal and the “Journey to Eternity” Loading Screen Become one with the Aether as “The Entity” herself the galaxy in full display over the surface of the Skin Wield the power of the universe with two animated Weapon Blueprints featuring Astral Tracers and “Rift Ripper” Death Effect The “Death Dimension” BAL-27 Assault Rifle includes a 60-round magazine for major suppressive fire and the “Endless Abyss” TAQ Eradicator LMG snaps onto targets fast with improved ADS speed and sprint to fire speed Lift the veil and spread your influence with the “Ava’s Entity” Large Decal And for your next deployment into the Exclusion Zone the Ray Gun Case will ensure a powerful start Get ready to party with the well-stocked “Oktoberfest” Operator Skin for BBQ including three weapons with Spilt Tracers: the “Glass Cannon” M4 Assault Rifle and the “Last Round” DTIR 30-06 Battle Rifle Keep the good times going with the “Volksfest” Emblem and celebrate with the gang by equipping the “Cheers!” Loading Screen Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile shares much of its content with Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare III including Bundles and Battle Pass progress terrify your enemies with scare-themed Bundles featuring horrifying content based on The Walking Dead and you’ll receive a variety of pre-order benefits including the brand-new Reflect 115 Camo Pack for Modern Warfare III Pre-order the Cross-Gen Edition on Console or the Standard Edition on PC to receive the following: Pre-order the Vault Edition on Console or PC and receive the previous rewards as well as the following: Game Pass Subscribers are set to receive all Cross-Gen Edition benefits and those who upgrade for $30 (or local equivalent) to the Vault Edition will receive all Vault Edition benefits Those players who have already preordered Black Ops 6 will receive the Reflect 115 Camo Pack automatically The Reflect 115 Camo Pack consists of the Reflect 115 Mastery Camo for use in Modern Warfare III you receive three Flawless Aetherium Crystals and three Ray Gun Weapon Cases for immediate use in Modern Warfare Zombies All content does not carry forward into Black Ops 6    *Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III or Call of Duty: Warzone on the pre-order platform required to redeem Woods Operator Pack and Reflect 115 Camo Pack The Walking Dead © 2024 AMC Film Holdings LLC Art the Clown and The Little Pale Girl are trademarks owned by Art the Clown and CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS are trademarks of Activision Publishing All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com and www.youtube.com/callofduty, and follow @Activision and @CallofDuty on X, Instagram, and Facebook. For Call of Duty Updates, follow @CODUpdates on X The Haunting returns and it’s more terrifying than ever Introducing a horrific cast of Operators alongside the new "Drive Thru" Multiplayer map and six new map variants the anything-goes Purgatory Limited Time mode Blog 4: After Full Gameplay Access to Area 99 we drop all the details on this brand-new Resurgence Map confirm the important innovations – including Omnimovement Global Weapon Builds – along with plans for Perks Blog 3: With the first Zombies Gameplay of Liberty Falls we confirm all the new intel from Call of Duty: NEXT including Main Quest and Directed Mode news and the first test of the zombie-chowing Wonder Weapon: The Thrustodyne Model 23 and CALL OF DUTY VANGUARD are trademarks of Activision Publishing The Software License and Service Agreement will be updated. Please follow this link [https://www.activision.com/legal/ap-eula] in order to see these changes. All official European Union website addresses are in the europa.eu domain. Greenhouse gas emissions from energy use in buildings in EuropePlease select a resource that has a preview image available The buildings sector is a key contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the EU representing 34% of energy-related emissions in 2022 These emissions result partly from the direct use of fossil fuels in buildings (e.g oil and gas used in boilers for heating) and from the production of electricity and heat for use in buildings (e.g Between 2005 and 2022, total GHG emissions, including both direct and indirect emissions, from the EU buildings sector fell by 34%. This trend was largely driven by the EU decarbonisation strategy which is reflected in different legislations. It promotes simultaneous end-user electrification in the residential sector, decarbonisation of the electricity and heating/cooling sectors, and improvements of energy efficiency in buildings. A general trend toward warmer winter temperatures, and therefore reduced winter heating needs, has also contributed to the emission reductions from buildings. These reductions have been partly offset by an increase in number of dwellings and larger average floor area in buildings. Estimates for 2023 indicate another slight decrease in the direct emissions from fossil fuel use in buildings, compared to 2022, in a context of continuous energy efficiency and decarbonisation efforts of heating systems. In the longer term, Member States project the decreasing trend in emissions from buildings will continue. Greenhouse gas emissions from energy use in buildings by countryLoading chart.. Historical and projected emissions from the use of fossil fuels in buildings differ significantly from one Member State to another Lithuania and Malta are the only Member States where emissions increased over the period 2005-2022 Buildings' emissions decreased in all other Member States Slovenia and Finland reporting the largest reductions (from 68% to 52%) Poland and Cyprus reported the smallest reductions (between 3% and 17%) national projections of emissions from buildings foresee a further decrease in emissions by 2030 for most Member States where the increase correlates to increased electricity use for air conditioning Additional measures in four countries (Denmark Slovenia and Sweden) are expected to result in emissions reductions from buildings of 70% or more by 2030 This indicator presents past and latest year GHG emissions estimates and projected GHG emissions trends for energy used in the residential and commercial sector in the European Union Historical data include emissions from the use of fossil fuels in buildings (also called ‘direct emissions’) and emissions from the use of electricity and heat (also called ‘indirect emissions’); the latter come mainly from emissions resulting from the production of the heat and the electricity that is subsequently used in buildings renovation or demolition of buildings are not covered by this indicator Emissions from fossil fuels used in buildings (direct emissions) This indicator is based on the official GHG inventories submitted by EEA member countries to the EEA and on the GHG emissions projections submitted by EU Member States under the Governance Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2018/1999) For the preparation of their national inventories countries use the methodologies of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Commercial buildings and Residential buildings are included (corresponding respectively to sectors 1A4a and 1A4b of the IPCC classification) information submitted by EEA member countries under the Governance Regulation is used The projected GHG emissions referred to in the indicator are those reported under the ‘with existing measures’ (WEM) scenario and the ‘with additional measures’ (WAM) scenario The projected GHG emissions data include data Commercial buildings and Residential buildings (corresponding respectively to sectors 1A4a and 1A4b of the IPCC classification) This indicator also uses data and estimates from the ‘Approximated GHG inventory’ for the year (X-1) ‘Proxy’ inventories are reported by Member States to the EEA and to the Commission under the Governance Regulation by 31 July of each year and are calculated at an aggregate level on the basis of the national and international information available for the year (X-1) Proxy estimates are provided by Member States only for the entire IPCC sector 1.A.4 It includes therefore more emissions than the only ones of Commercial buildings and Residential buildings the following adjustment is made: the percentage difference in emissions for year (X-1) and (X-2) of the entire 1.A.4 sector is used to estimate the value of emissions for year X for sub-sectors 1.A.4.a and 1.A.4.b from the value of emissions from the GHG inventory for year (X-1) for these sub-sectors’ Emissions from electricity use in buildings (indirect emissions) heat and combined heat and power in residential commercial and institutional buildings include the emissions from electricity and heat production (IPCC sector 1.A.1.a) that are allocated to buildings (IPCC sectors 1.A.4.a and 1.A.4.b) according to the end-user methodology developed by the EEA https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/end-user-ghg-emissions-energy No methodology for gap filling has been specified Climate change is one of the greatest environmental social and economic threats facing the world and the warming of the climate system is unequivocal according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) To prevent the most severe impacts of climate change countries that have signed up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have agreed to cooperate with a view to limiting the increase in global average temperature and the resulting climate change by decreasing emissions of GHG The buildings sector being one of the massive emitters of GHGs in Europe the overall EU 2030 target for decreasing GHGemissions (55% below the 1990 level) and the long-term 2050 climate neutrality objective cannot be achieved if emissions from buildings are not addressed quickly and comprehensively Tackling GHG emissions from buildings is therefore a key priority of EU climate policy This sector is also a key priority in other regions of the world and therefore at a global level as well The indicator is directly responsive to changes in related human activities such as actions related to energy performance in buildings energy labelling and the eco-design of products and actions to decarbonise the electricity and the heating/cooling sectors Million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (MtCO2e); Pittsburgh police are proud to partner with One Northside proudly supports efforts of Zone 1 police officers and Northside residents to work collaboratively to build trust and prevent crime in all 18 neighborhoods of the Northside Pittsburgh is a city that many people take pride in calling ‘home,’a great placeto live anda fantastic place tovisit.Hosting the NFL Draft in 2026 will allow us toshowcasewhat makes this citysospecialandhighlight theintegral rolewe playin the story of this beloved sport.We’rethankful the NFL believes in the City’s ability to host thisevent and provide football and sports fans alike with a memorable experience.I'dalso like to thank the Steelers,VisitPittsburgh and other regional stakeholders for theircollaborative spirit andcommitment toshowcasingeverything our city has to offer Please remember to lock your vehicles when they are unattended There were 5 Theft from Vehicle reports taken in Zone 1 in the month of April. In far too many cases and the victims had left valuables in the vehicle Below are some tips to help prevent Thefts from Vehicles Zone 1 Officers take a break from Patrol to enjoy a game of basketball with local kids at the Manchester Community Day Event Pittsburgh Bureau of Police personnel will transition from traditional eight-hour work days This organizational change is designed to enhance officer wellness a key pillar in Chief Scirotto’s priorities for the Bureau “An additional day away from work each week to focus on family or outside pursuits is key to creating a healthy workforce and contributes to the Bureau’s goal of not only recruiting new officers Officers will also be afforded one hour of wellness time each week while on shift to use at their discretion the Bureau is making additional adjustments to more effectively serve Pittsburgh residents and visitors to the city “Following thorough audits of how police resources were being allocated these improvements are backed by data to ensure that the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police is serving the city in the most efficient and responsible manner placing the primary focus on areas of concern to enhance quality of life in our neighborhoods These are my key priorities for the Bureau which will only serve to strengthen public safety in the city,” said Scirotto Email: zone1psc@gmail.com Website: www.manchestercitizens.org Meetings: The general membership meeting is held on the 1st Thursday of the Month at 5:30 PM Email: info@ca-sged.org Website: www.ca-sged.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/CASGED412 Meetings: The general membership meeting is held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM In-Person Meeting Location: St Michael and All Angels Lutheran Church 1308 Spring Garden Ave The Community Alliance of Spring Garden & East Deutschtown is a grassroots community organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for its members by organizing and encouraging efforts to revitalize the residential and commercial districts; by leading and supporting greening and beautification efforts; and by providing or supporting events and programs that promote public safety Email: info@deutschtown.org Website: deutschtown.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/Deutschtown Meetings: The general membership meeting is held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7 PM The East Allegheny Community Council (EACC) works to revitalize the Deutschtown National Historic District Email: info@alleghenywest.org Website: alleghenywest.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/alleghenywest Twitter: twitter.com/allegheny_west Instagram: www.instagram.com/AlleghenyWest_pgh Meetings: The general membership meeting is held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:30 PM In-Person Meeting Location: Calvary United Methodist Church 971 Beech Ave Pgh Pa 15233 The Allegheny West Civic Council was incorporated in 1971 to: business owner or organization is eligible to become a voting member in the Civic Council More information about membership can be found on our website Facebook: www.facebook.com/summerhillcitizens Meetings: The general membership meeting is held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6 PM The Summer Hill Citizens Committee (SHCC) is the official neighborhood group representing citizens of Pittsburgh’s upper North Side neighborhood of Summer Hill Contact us through our Facebook page or via email for more information Email: BHCFpgh@gmail.com Website: www.brightonheights.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/brightonheights Twitter: twitter.com/bhcfpgh Meetings: The general membership meeting is held on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 7 PM In Person Meeting Location: John Morrow Elementary School 3547 Massachusetts Ave Pgh Since its initial inception as a non-profit organization on February 28th the Brighton Heights Citizens Federation has been involved in a multitude of activities The purpose of the Federation is to promote and encourage the advancement of neighborhood improvements and a greater sense of community This is accomplished by uniting the citizens of the community and institutions to work hand in hand to enhance the health the Federation sponsors a number of annual neighborhood events such as the annual flower plantings Email: troyhillpittsburgh@gmail.com Website: www.ourfuturehilltop.org Meetings: The general membership meeting is held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7 PM In-Person Meeting Location: 1902 Sundeman St Pgh Pa 15212 Troy Hill Citizens (THC) is a non-profit community development organization that was established in 1971 to foster programs of a civic and social nature and to improve the quality of life for all Troy Hill residents The organization strives to find creative and sustainable ways to enhance and revitalize the neighborhood To find out more about our organization and ways to get involved Email: ohipgh@gmail.com Website: www.observatoryhill.net Facebook: www.facebook.com/observatoryhillinc Twitter: twitter.com/ohipgh LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/observatory-hill-inc-660294114 Meetings: The general membership meeting is held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month is a non-profit community based organization committed to improving the quality of life for all residents through the preservation or restoration of homes and buildings and conservation of community resources Incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) organization on June 18 the group and the community have worked together to preserve and revitalize the neighborhood in a number of important activities: A primary goal of the organization is to foster home ownership and the return of multi-unit homes to their original single-family status including planting annuals in three large beds near the Riverview Avenue entrance and the support of The Friends of Riverview Park committee Email: brightwoodcivic@gmail.com Website: www.brightwoodcivic.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/BrightwoodCivicGroup Meetings: The general membership meeting is held on the 1st Tuesday of the month at 6 PM Brightwood is a residential neighborhood on the Northside of Pittsburgh consisting of affordably priced homes We host monthly membership meetings and special events throughout the year Contact us to learn how you can get involved and help us improve our community Email: contact@shcl.org Website: shcl.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Spring-Hill-Civic-League/244133979010573 Meetings: The general membership meetings are held on the 1st Monday of the month at 6 PM Spring Hill was named for its hilly topography Spring Hill is located north of downtown Pittsburgh and it is five minutes from downtown Pittsburgh and value of tradition all translate into a desirable area for families to raise their children and for elderly to live safely This community is nestled on the hilltop; it is one of the North side’s best-kept secrets Its German ethnic roots have evolved to neighbors of diverse races which make Spring Hill a truly unique community Email: fineviewpgh@gmail.com Website: fineviewpgh.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/FineviewCitizensCouncil Twitter: www.instagram.com/fineviewcitizens Instagram: www.instagram.com/fineviewcitizens/?hl=en Meetings: The general membership meeting is held on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 6:00 PM In-Person Meeting Location: 2601 Norwood Ave Fineview Citizens Council (FCC) and Perry Hilltop Citizens Council (PHCC) began collaborating in the winter of 2016 This partnership was started in large part by the redevelopment of Allegheny Dwellings FCC and PHCC realized this development project would have a large impact on our communities and that we did not have the capacity to respond to it nor did we have a comprehensive community plan to inform the development our two organizations have done quite a bit of collaborative work We even raised funding to hire two full-time staff members FCC and PHCC are currently in the process of collaborating to produce a joint comprehensive community plan that will inform future neighborhood development and put forward a shared vision for our communities Email: perryhilltop@gmail.com Website: www.perryhilltop.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/PerryHilltopCitizensCouncil Twitter: twitter.com/PerryHilltop Instagram: www.instagram.com/perryhilltopcitizenscouncil Meetings: The general membership meeting is held on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 6 PM STRATEGY GUIDE: What are the tactical options for the Miami Grand Prix Verstappen vs Norris into Turn 1 and Antonelli after redemption – What To Watch For in the Miami Grand Prix What the teams said – Sprint day and Qualifying in Miami ‘Just to get into Q3 is tough’ – Hamilton admits Ferrari ‘struggling big time’ after exiting Miami Qualifying in P12 FIA post-Qualifying press conference – Miami but you've been complaining a lot in the car So are you as surprised as we all are to see yourself on pole position here to get the best possible balance with the car But every session we just kept on making little improvements I think that's where we made the difference around here being on the limit—or maybe even a bit over in places—is incredibly rewarding you've got the new lap record around here We know that it's a track that you love so much Just talk to us about how special the circuit is In a Formula 1 car around here—Sector 1 especially—is unbelievable it just gives you even more grip around there We know you've not been 100% comfortable in the car Do you think that that will make it a challenge to keep the McLarens behind you this is a proper highlight for us to be back on pole here A lot of support from the fans out here as well but are you happy with the fine margins out there So hats off—you’ve got to credit something when it's a lap that good I'm happy because I feel like I got everything out of the car today there was nothing wrong with your first lap that we could see Did that affect you a little bit in putting together your second lap or do you think that didn't play a role at all 7 is the last place you want to make a mistake and it shows how easy it is to lose lap time at the same time I probably wouldn't go as quick as I did So I feel like we were on the limit of what we had you've got your teammate right behind you tomorrow So do you think you two will be pushing to get another McLaren victory this season but no one knows what the weather's going to do tomorrow So it could be another race like Australia But it's going to be an exciting race but he's going to put up a good fight Thank you very much and good luck tomorrow We know you're a tough competitor and you probably won't be satisfied with that result but it was looking like it was going to be you on pole up until that last run it just didn’t quite come together as I wanted I think it's still all to fight for tomorrow just a little bit more left on the table out there today Q: Up until this moment the McLarens have really looked a cut above the rest So are you confident that you and Lando tomorrow will be able to take that challenge to Max I think the others have not been as far away as people think You never quite know with engine modes and stuff like that I think Max has obviously done a great job getting up on pole we've also got a great car for tomorrow and still in the fight for the win there is a little bit of a threat of rain on the forecast at the moment during the race Are you looking forward to that or would you rather it be a dry race tomorrow I think our pace has been good in all conditions so far this year you seemed very happy as you crossed the line a lot of happiness when I crossed the line we just kept on trying to improve the situation a bit not sure if I was actually going to keep it or not Is this the best pole of your Formula 1 career I've had some really nice ones also in other places But I think if you look at how our season started And I think that makes it probably a very special one Q: And this is a real drivers' track as well Just tell us a little bit about how you've chipped away at the car how you've improved it over the weekend just throwing a lot of different things to try and make it more balanced which is a bit of a difficulty for us at the moment And even in qualifying that is still the same but I'm still not happy with the balance of the car Q: And practice yesterday was a little messy due to all of the red flags Are you confident going into the race tomorrow we also have to wait and see what weather we'll get I think it's very important to just focus on ourselves execute the race of course in the best way possible You made a big step on that second lap of Q3 It's a track where you just kind of chip away in different areas commit a bit more in those high-speed corners I tried pushing on a good amount more in Q3 Run 1 and it didn’t work out clearly so I just had to kind of peg it back a lot I was happy with the balance and happy with the car at the end The margin is so small – I think it was a hundredth in it – and you’d probably say yes are you happy with the car here at Suzuka so far the car's a lot more back to my liking I've got some front end in the car and I'm much I've been feeling confident all weekend If quali was in FP1 and it was a Sprint race but everyone's good enough that by the time you get to quali the car's been feeling good from the off as well I think between both of us we've been quickest in every session bar this one are the corners I still just don't have the front end and I don't have the grip in the car when I need it from the front It's clear what suits me and what doesn't or just what allows me to be quick and what doesn't and we come here and the car’s a lot more how I want it Q: We've got an exciting race in prospect tomorrow How confident are you going into the start of the Grand Prix LN: No one knows what the weather is going to be like tomorrow so no point trying to think of too many things It's probably going to be a bit of a race like Melbourne and that was an exciting race for everyone Now I've got to try and do some overtakes I think the unknown of the weather is going to make it exciting and nerve-racking for everyone And I've got to try to get past the guy on my left you were fastest in the middle and the final sector I think I lost a little bit of time compared to the first lap of Q3 when the gap’s four hundredths from 1st to 3rd I've been pretty comfortable through qualifying I think the first lap of Q3 was a good one the second one just a little bit off the mark in a couple of places I’ve had to dial myself in a bit more this weekend than I did last race and it’s taken a bit longer to get there But looking at the margins and how it performed Just those little margins – when it’s so tight – make all the difference Q: And the game plan tomorrow – have you had a chance to think about that yet Obviously the game plan is to try and finish two spots ahead of where I'm starting one of the bits of feedback you had yesterday was when you described the car like it was flexing you've managed to improve so much that you're now on pole How different was the feeling in the car for that Q3 lap versus when it was at its worst on Friday the through corner balance is still what we need to work on But it’s still not like I go into the lap fully confident and comfortable I'm just going to not try and feel uncomfortable – just send it in and see what we get We know that we have some issues that we want to solve but it's clearly not easy to solve them at the moment Where were some of the points around the lap that you were really pushing and maybe felt like you went a little bit too far over the limit how long did it take to realise it was a special lap before getting the message you were on pole but I was already just very happy with what I did there because I didn't even expect to be close to that Q: (Mark Mann-Bryans – Autosport) A question for the three of you We've seen five red flags because of grass fires especially maybe going into the race tomorrow MV: It will rain overnight soon – that will help wet the ground a little bit The grass has been very dry and with the sparks coming off the car I don't think it will be as big of a problem tomorrow Q: (Laurence Edmondson – ESPN) A question for Max Can you describe what it feels like at this track when you have a car that’s where you want it I think you're going to poop your pants – is that allowed to say that in the press conference but around here you need to be very committed when you say you're still not entirely happy with the car is the difference then at least getting it into a window where you can live with those limitations even if it is on the edge Because Yuki was just telling us that he felt quite decent in the car at times this weekend and in Q2 he feels he just got the tyre prep wrong and the car is out of the window and the lap is not there I don't think it has to do with the tyres – for me It’s just the through corner balance that is very difficult to manage But we clearly got it in a window where at least it was drivable to push now everything is perfect.” We still have clear issues that we need to solve and that's what we're continuing to work on This is a very tough track for the car in general so any little balance limitation you have can be multiplied in some places around the lap Some tracks might work out a bit better for us But it was clear that up until now this whole weekend we have been really experimenting a lot to find that drivable balance Q: (Mark Mann-Bryans – Autosport) Another one for Max You just said about the clear issues you've still got – what does that mean in terms of the challenge of keeping two very quick guys behind you So far this season we have not been able to fight them But it's not like we just sit there and accept it We try to do the very best and we’ll give it a good fight tomorrow if we can it's a very long championship and you need to keep on scoring points whenever you can in the best way possible At least we're starting from the front – then we’ll see where we go just a word on Yuki and how he’s performed this weekend I know qualifying didn’t go to plan for him And I think that’s it for me to comment on VideoSPRINT START: Watch the rain-soaked opening lap of the Miami Sprint as Piastri snatches lead from Antonelli Alpine boss Oakes quashes Doohan future speculation amid Colapinto Imola comments AS IT HAPPENED: Follow the action as Norris wins dramatic F1 Sprint in Miami FACTS AND STATS: Red Bull close in on Lotus record as Verstappen faces ominous Miami Grand Prix stat The latest update for EA SPORTS™ WRC 24 is available to download from January 28 This update introduces the Le Maestros Content Pack alongside a number of minor quality of life improvements and bug fixes Le Maestros is a tribute to the iconic era of French success French competitors won the World Drivers’ Championship a stunning 15 times in a row as two of the greatest rally drivers of all time rose to ascendancy This was also a highly successful time for French car manufacturers with 11 World Manufacturers’ Championships and 11 drivers’ titles being taken behind the wheel of famed marques such as Citroën and Peugeot historic vehicles and an all-new car class We have refreshed the look and functionality of the livery selection screen when players choose a car to drive This new layout showcases designs with greater detail while also making it easier to select liveries on cars with a large quantity of available designs We have refreshed the garage homespace of the game’s frontend menus with a fresh coat of paint with the walls showcasing some of the new Le Maestros cars added to the game The game’s “splash screen” (which appears when you boot up the game) has also been updated with new artwork We have added over 80 countries to the Driver Details menu allowing more players from around the world to represent their nation in-game and on leaderboards The total number of selectable nationalities in the game is now above 170 covering the vast majority of EA SPORTS™ WRC players In addition to this we have added 20 new livery editor decals as rewards and rebalanced the XP earning rates and level requirements to account for the new level cap 17 official liveries for new and existing cars: Le Maestros Content Pack is also available as part of the following bundles: Please note that new cars from Le Maestros Content Pack are only available in Time Trial Please note that all corner-cutting exploit fixes also affect the other stages on those locations that share the same road sections Please note that new stages from Le Maestros Content Pack are only available in Time Trial Thank you for providing feedback and bug reports on EA SPORTS™ WRC 24 ✉️ Get in touch: livebloguk@theathletic.com Subscribe to The Athletic using our latest discount code May 26, 2024 at 7:55 AM EDTMichael Bailey·Live ReporterSector 1 around MonacoHere's your guide to some of the famous names you'll hear today and which part of the Monaco track they refer to One of the most iconic race tracks in motorsport it is a bit of a gimmick race given how unsuitable it is for the modern F1 car that history is exactly why the track is the most special visit on the F1 calendar but this is a track that comes with its own famous corner names — so let me take you through those as we build up to the race The drivers' parade has taken place around the Monaco track as everyone says hello to the grandstands before the race faces take over A lot of football players have arrived in Monaco ahead of today's race the Liverpool star who is also an investor in Alpine as is outgoing Manchester United defender Raphael Varane Varane arrives less than 24 hours after winning the FA Cup with United in his final game for the club playing the full 90 minutes in the 2-1 victory over Manchester City As for the constructors' championship today could be a big opportunity for Ferrari and McLaren Especially with Sergio Perez' disaster of a qualifying yesterday Here's how the picture looks at the top of the drivers' championship standings heading into the eighth round of the calendar It's fair to say Max Verstappen can be relaxed enough if he struggles to improve on his P6 start here is how the grid looks ahead of today's Monaco Grand Prix: Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll has taken his journey to the track Make sure you keep in touch with us through today's action We’d love to hear your comments — we may even publish the best in here You can also ask you burning questions and I’ll see if we can source an answer for you The email address you need: livebloguk@theathletic.com It's also the same email for our little caption competition involving this snap of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri Here are Pirelli's anticipated tire strategies for the Monaco Grand Prix given the importance of track position around here which means you don't want to be coming into the pits more than you need to A flipped strategy of hard-medium or hard-soft would be a gamble for anyone looking to go long and trying to bank on a late safety car We’ve had some information through from Pirelli on the advantage that each tire compound should offer the drivers when pulling away from the grid Given the short run down to Turn 1 and the difficulty of overtaking I’d be shocked to see many drivers opt to start on anything but the mediums given the balance of a good start versus going a decent chunk into the race for the one-stop strategy to be possible given how low the levels of tire degradation are around here Haas confirmed this morning its drivers will start the Monaco Grand Prix from the back of the grid with Nico Hülkenberg P19 and Kevin Magnussen P20 Both drivers were disqualified from the qualifying results because of a "non-compliant rear wing element" The technical delegate found parts of the uppermost rear wing were too large specifically "the LHS and RHS outermost area of the of the adjustable elements were exceeding the maximum allowed 85mm on both cars" The team representative told stewards it was "the consequence of an inadvertent error on their part in setting the wing flap gap" Haas hadn't trained its mechanics yet in how to set the gap We just have to accept this as a failure of the team and then learn from it and then make sure we don’t make the same mistake again "I held a team meeting earlier this morning to explain that but again we just have to accept it as a team It’ll be a long afternoon for us but we’ve only got ourselves to blame so we have to take responsibility and move forward." The Mercedes driver and Russell's teammate looks sailing-ready to me But let's see if he can get flying today around the streets of Monte Carlo How are the track arrivals getting along this morning in Monte Carlo the Mercedes pair have already made their trip across from the yacht and George Russell has gone for this dollop of sophistication Undoubtedly one of the biggest moments of the F1 season even if the on-track spectacle itself may leave a bit to be desired with little opportunity for overtaking Can Charles Leclerc make it third time lucky from pole in Monaco Might Oscar Piastri spring a surprise from second place on the grid to snare his maiden F1 win Or even if F1 returns to its usual script of a Max Verstappen victory That’d be some effort from the Red Bull driver given all the struggles he’s faced this weekend with his car There was initially good news for Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz and the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg who received no further action after incidents of impeding other drivers during quali On Saturday evening both drivers were disqualified from the results of qualifying after stewards found the opening of the car's DRS on the rear wing was too big The team felt there was no performance advantage from the error however the rules state that is immaterial So instead of starting P12 (Hulkenberg) and P15 (Kevin Magnussen) the pair will start from the back of the grid today’s Monaco Grand Prix Charles Leclerc found his best and fastest to claim pole with room to spare The Ferrari clocked an impressive 1:10.270 to edge closer to his first appearance on a Monaco podium Equally eye-catching was the McLaren of Oscar Piastri Carlos Sainz and then Lando Norris completed the second row with George Russell (P5) outqualifying his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton (P7) and Max Verstappen having to settle for P6 (1:10.567) after clipping a barrier on his final hot lap The big surprise of Q2 was Alpine finding some impressive qualifying pace Esteban Ocon exited Q2 (1:11.887) but with a P11 finish while Pierre Gasly turned a difficult start on Friday into a shot at Q3 booking Williams' first appearance in the top-10 shootout this year both Haas drivers and the RB of Daniel Ricciardo left the show as well as the second Aston Martin of Lance Stroll Sergio Perez's issues were becoming apparent — but the Mexican still felt some way off only managing a time better than the two off-the-pace Saubers in Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu Perez's Red Bull was only worth P18 (1:12.060) and a strikingly bad Q1 exit That Friday promise also evaporated for Fernando Alonso who blamed traffic track errors and pretty much everything else on the misfortune of posting a time just below the first cut-off The Aston Martin driver having to settle for P16 (1:12.019) Williams' Logan Sargeant was the fifth driver to miss out at the first hurdle A man and two women were arrested in connection with the murder of 52-year-old a businessman from Shikohpur Investigators said the suspects sedated the victim and dumped his body about 100 kilometres away in a remote area to avoid repaying a loan he had given them was allegedly killed in IMT Manesar’s Sector 1 was recovered by Rewari police on Saturday near Rampura along the Rewari-Narnaul highway the arrested suspects were identified as Sushma (single name) of Naurangabass Rajputana in Charkhi Dadri had conspired to kill Rajender after he asked Sushma to repay a ₹10 lakh loan he had lent her for investment in her construction business Police said that Rajender and Sushma had known each other for several years Sushma invited Rajender to her residence under the pretence of discussing the repayment of the loan “Sushma had directed Seema and Anil to ask for sugarless tea Sushma allegedly promised Seema ₹50,000 in exchange for her silence and sent her home The two suspects then loaded Rajender’s body into Anil’s car and drove to Rampura Police said they planted poisonous tablets in Rajender’s mouth and pocket to make his death appear as a suicide Investigators were led to the suspects after Rajender’s son filed a missing persons report at the Manesar police station on Saturday The suspect’s locked car was found abandoned on a service lane near Shikohpur Their contradictory statements led to their confession of the murder during their interrogation “Forensic experts have found Rajender’s hair strands and oral secretion from Anil’s car which was seized after his arrest,” ACP Dahiya said upon learning of a body found by Rewari police contacted the authorities and identified it as Rajender’s reached the spot and identified the body,” said Dahiya and Seema were arrested after their involvement was established They were taken into police remand for further interrogation The murder case was filed at the Manesar police station which was amended from a missing persons report to a murder case Police said that charges under sections 103(1) (murder) and 283 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) were added to the FIR Mutuelle cover can vary substantially for certain procedures depending on whether or not a doctor has signed an agreement called an Optam (Option de Pratique Tarifaire Maîtrisée - Controlled pricing option) points this out after he was left to pay €739 for a forthcoming knee operation that will cost €1,556.  This is because his surgeon is sector 2 – able to charge dépassement amounts above the standard state rate – and has not signed an Optam contract under which such doctors agree to charge only modest dépassements.  told him that it is standard that such procedures are reimbursed less.  The ‘table of guarantees’ for his policy indicates 105% reimbursement for non-Optam hospital surgery compared to 125% for surgery by an Optam surgeon.  Read more:  When are doctor fees rising in France and will reimbursement be affected? The figure of 105% in this case relates to 105% of the basic state tariff for the procedure.  This was listed in the patient’s devis quote as being €778.06 (105% x €778.06 = €816.96).  the patient is out of pocket by €1,556.12 - €816.96 = €739.16 We consulted the rules for so-called ‘responsible’ top-up policies (the vast majority) and they state that patients should be reimbursed at least 20% more for Optam procedures com- pared to non-Optam.  Swiss Life told us “this rule has been the same for years and has not been toughened recently”.  The firm said clients should check their guarantees and contact their insurer if unsure on any points.  Mr Lea said he was unfamiliar with Optam and had not realised the implications of 105% meaning in this case his top-up will only pay out €38.90 on top of the state refund of €778.06.  The retired Royal Navy engineer said it had caused him “an unexpected financial burden” “I have lived in France for 30 years and my French is reasonable so I should have noticed this but did not “I have lived under a false comprehension of how mutuelles operate.” His “comprehension was turned upside down” when he saw the devis.  He added: “The last thing on your mind when you are in pain is asking if the doctor is ‘Optam’ or not.” The prefectural ban is set to remain in place until at least December 31 15% of cases thought to have been contracted overseas including from the UK Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information said artificial intelligence is likely to displace more jobs across the banking industry than in any other sector as the technology is poised to upend consumer finance and makes workers more productive About 54% of jobs across banking have a high potential to be automated the bank said Wednesday in a new report on AI An additional 12% of roles across the industry could be augmented with the technology The world’s biggest banks have slowly begun experimenting more with AI over the last year spurred by the promise that it will help them boost staffers’ .. workflow tools and premium legal & business news Log in to keep reading or access research tools Get the hottest Fintech Singapore News once a month in your Inbox the idea of machines predicting financial fraud faster than expert analysts seemed like a distant dream this capability has become a core feature of the banking sector Artificial Intelligence (AI) as we all know today is no longer just a buzzword or a futuristic concept and competitiveness across the financial ecosystem The KPMG Global AI in Finance Report highlights the profound changes AI is bringing to the banking sector It shows how AI is not just streamlining existing processes but reshaping them entirely Financial institutions now are leveraging AI to solve challenges that once seemed insurmountable from improving decision-making to creating better regulatory compliance systems The integration of AI into the banking sector is no longer optional. According to KPMG 71% of organisations are using AI in their financial processes with 41% reporting that its use is moderate or significant The adoption of AI is not confined to just the large corporations in North America or even Europe Countries in Asia Pacific (APAC) such as India and China are also quickly catching up showing that AI is becoming a truly global phenomenon This widespread adoption is driven by AI’s ability to deliver tangible results AI models can process vast amounts of data at speeds that humans just cannot match These capabilities have transformed areas such as financial reporting where faster and more accurate outcomes are becoming the norm Institutions that use AI also report reduced operational costs The applications also extend beyond just reporting has undergone a significant transformation once a laborious task involving complex spreadsheets and endless discussions can now be accomplished in seconds with AI-powered tools These tools have helped to simulate multiple scenarios thus offering insights that go beyond conventional methods While traditional AI has proven invaluable for automating repetitive tasks and enhancing analytical precision generative AI represents a new wave of transformation generative AI goes further by creating entirely new outputs These include modelling potential outcomes KPMG’s report reveals that more than 40% of organisations are already piloting or actively using generative AI in their financial operations The applications of this technology are as innovative as they are practical generative AI can produce comprehensive narratives and assess intricate data sets It can also provide scenario-based forecasts that inform strategic decisions One example cited in the report involves a manufacturing company in Ireland The company uses generative AI to analyse potential financial impacts of geopolitical changes enabling quicker and more informed decision-making Other organisations are deploying it to streamline tax preparation The momentum behind using generative AI in the banking sector is only expected to grow nearly all organisations surveyed plan to implement generative AI solutions particularly for high-stakes areas such as financial reporting It pretty much seems like that generative AI does not just improve existing workflows it unlocks entirely new opportunities by enhancing the depth It is delivering significant financial returns for organisations that embrace it 57% of “AI leaders” report that the returns on their investments exceed expectations These organisations set themselves apart by embedding AI into multiple aspects of their financial operations AI leaders demonstrate advanced usage of the technology They use it for tasks such as predictive analysis Generative AI is being deployed to automate content creation These organisations have also shown a remarkable ability to scale AI across departments An important factor in their success is the level of investment they commit to AI these leaders allocate 12.5% of their IT budgets to AI projects a figure expected to rise to 16.5% within the next three years these organisations gain a competitive edge and establish themselves as pioneers in the banking sector’s digital transformation Financial institutions face several barriers with data security being one of the most pressing concerns 57% of organisations cite data security vulnerabilities as a major issue Financial systems are particularly sensitive and introducing AI creates additional risks that need to be managed Another challenge lies in the integration of AI with existing systems Many organisations rely on legacy infrastructure that lacks the flexibility to support advanced AI tools Upgrading these systems is often costly and time-consuming The shortage of skilled talent also poses a significant hurdle Over half of the surveyed executives report that a lack of AI expertise limits their organisation’s ability to fully leverage the technology This shortage is exacerbated by the increasing demand for professionals who can manage offer a blueprint for overcoming these challenges piloting AI projects to validate their effectiveness before scaling them across the organisation They invest in upskilling programmes to ensure that their teams are equipped to handle AI tools effectively helping to address concerns around transparency The influence of AI extends beyond internal financial functions It is also transforming the field of auditing Companies now expect auditors to incorporate AI tools into their processes to enhance the quality AI-powered auditing tools are being used to perform advanced data analysis The report highlights that organisations are particularly interested in using AI for predictive analysis the adoption of AI in auditing is not without its complexities introduces challenges related to transparency and accuracy Auditors must navigate these issues carefully ensuring that the outputs generated by AI systems are both reliable and unbiased Collaboration between auditors and financial teams is becoming increasingly important to address these challenges effectively The future of the banking sector is being shaped by its willingness to embrace change and AI is at the heart of this transformation the journey forward requires more than technological upgrades; it demands a shift in mindset Financial institutions must balance innovation with responsibility ensuring that AI serves not only as a tool for efficiency but also as a means to enhance trust This is a pivotal moment for the financial industry organisations have an opportunity to reimagine their roles and redefine the value they deliver to stakeholders Those that take proactive steps to address challenges such as investing in skills and fostering a culture of continuous improvement will not only thrive but set new standards for the industry but it is the human choices behind its development and implementation that will determine whether it becomes a transformative force for good As we move into an era where AI capabilities are only limited by our imagination the question is no longer about what AI can do it is about how the banking sector will use it to create a more dynamic Featured image credit: Edited from Freepik Izzat Najmi is a Senior Writer for Fintech News Singapore Subscribe to the most important Fintech Singapore News A man was killed and two women were injured after a speeding Porsche ploughed into two scooters near the petrol pump in Sector 4 on Monday evening The Porsche car that claimed the life of a scooterist near the petrol pump in Sector 4 (HT Photo) According to police officials the Porsche was coming from the opposite direction when it crashed into two Honda Activa scooters Such was the impact of the high-speed collision that the man’s leg was severed and he died on the spot while the two women sustained injuries on legs Police said the car’s speed was extremely high causing it to drag for a distance before crashing into an electric pole police impounded the Porsche and arrested the driver An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the crash A case was also being registered at the Sector-3 police station at the time of filing of this report a speeding Maruti Swift Dzire claimed a 19-year-old motorcyclist’s life in Sector 52 near D-Park the accident took place around 5 pm while he was walking home after an evening stroll at D-Park Rashid stated that a white Swift Dzire taxi was speeding along the drain in Sector 52 and suddenly entered the main road without honking or slowing down a black Pulsar motorcycle was coming from the direction of the government school in Sector 52 The speeding taxi collided head-on with the motorcycle causing the rider to be thrown off and lose consciousness upon impact They stopped a private vehicle and transported both the motorcyclist and the taxi driver to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) the motorcyclist succumbed to his injuries during treatment The car driver was identified as Jasanpreet Sharma a speeding car left a motorcyclist dead in a hit-and-run accident near the railway underbridge in Sector 82 worked at an IT company in Mohali and lived here on rent He was on his way to work on Saturday morning when the speeding car collided with him and drove off Passers-by immediately rushed him to the Mohali civil hospital but he succumbed to his injuries during treatment police booked the absconding car driver under relevant sections SHO Jashanpreet Singh stated that they had kept the body in the mortuary for post-mortem and were actively investigating the case 170 combat engagements took place in the frontline The largest number of combat engagements was recorded in the Kurakhove sector according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine the missile troops and artillery of the Ukrainian Defense Forces hit a missile troop and artillery unit and 9 areas of concentration of personnel and equipment of the Russian invaders,” the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine writes Russia attacked 3 times near the settlements of Vovchansk and Vovchanski Khutory Russia attacked 15 times over the last day Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled Russian assaults near Petropavlivka 1 firefight was registered in the area of Chasiv Yar 35 Russian attacks were repelled in the areas of Promin Russians were most actively trying to advance in the areas of Antonivka and Yelyzavetivka 5 Russian attacks were repelled in the Vremivka sector Russians actively used attack and bombing aircraft Russia attacked twice in the direction of Novodanylivka Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has lost more than 696,000 personnel. Over the past day alone, Ukrainian Defense Forces eliminated another 1,460 Russian troops and destroyed 6 tanks The world of Meet Your Maker is expanding with the arrival of Sector 1: Dreadshore and since Dreadshore marks our first major content update we’re celebrating by letting you claim the Sector 1 Arsenal Pack for free beginning tomorrow until July 10 With Meet Your Maker launched and officially out in the wild it’s been a pleasure watching millions of Outposts spring up around the world It’s our job to keep fueling that creativity and Sector 1: Dreadshore with its new lore Let’s start with the obvious: What exactly is Sector 1: Dreadshore “We’re using the Sectors to deliver large gameplay updates though a narrative,” explains Ash Pannell “The Dreadshore is a place in our world and the items that you get from that Sector are all tied to its story It helps expand the lore of Meet Your Maker alongside the actual gameplay.” Each Sector in Meet Your Maker explores a new location on Earth situated on the remains of the New England coastline is the location of an abandoned Sanctuary housed beneath a lighthouse killing the out-of-control Custodian and Chimera on their way out Sector 1: Dreadshore will include a new environment and themed Deco Pack – both free and instantly accessible to all players “Environments and Deco Packs give tools to the builders to create stories out of their Outposts,” shares Ash it’s the perfect place to construct dark and scary Outposts The Deco Pack’s rusty metal and worn wooden blocks allow players to imagine a lot of old buildings and structures.” Undoubtedly the most exciting Dreadshore additions come in the form of the Sector 1 Arsenal Pack The four new gameplay elements not only deliver new ways for builders to strategize and concoct unexpected kills but also give raiders some new tricks of their own to survive them every single new item has massive gameplay repercussions,” says Ash “Just playtesting this sector has been amazing and knowing what it’s going to do to change the meta in the game is indeed exciting – and that’s before players start getting hold of it and really showing us how to use these new items.” The Nautilus represents the lone survivor of the Dreadshore Sanctuary This mysterious figure was one of the clones being held captive and experimented upon He built a suit in secret that could bolster his defensive abilities and help him escape While the two other suits currently available are geared towards ranged and melee perks Nautilus is all about defensive weapon capabilities with all three of its perks greatly buffing the Arc Barrier’s effectiveness The Sentry Beam was designed by the lighthouse Sanctuary to keep its population of prisoners in check It uses motion tracking to fire a laser beam of super-heated amplified light at raiders that can ricochet multiple times before dissipating It’s an area denial trap designed to pin unsuspecting players down,” explains Ash “As it bounces off walls it brings a nice new sense of randomness that helps break repetitive patterns of play.”  The Ravager is the unintended result of a Dreadshore experiment gone wrong The guard sees multiple targets where there’s only one “Think of this one as a different kind of pattern breaker,” points out Ash “The Ravager has a horizontal field of fire making it very tough to strafe to avoid Strafing has previously been the way to defeat these enemies so when combined with other guards and traps players will again have to adjust their playstyles.” The Demolition Cannon was developed for war it was used more as a lethal crowd control weapon Essentially a grenade launcher with recoverable ammo the lighthouse Sanctuary stocked this weapon as a last resort should the prisoners revolt Nautilus discovered and used one during his blood-soaked escape Don’t forget to visit PlayStation Store to claim the full Sector 1 Arsenal Pack for free starting tomorrow We hope you have a blast with this new content The Greater Noida authority on Tuesday said that one of three realtors facing recovery notices have come forward to clear their financial dues in order to become eligible for apartment registries the Greater Noida authority has the mandate to seize take possession and auction the assets to recover its dues from the defaulter realtor (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo) The authority last week issued recovery certificates against three realty firms -- Elegant Ville Infracon having a project in Techzone-IV Antriksh Valley with a project in Sector 1 “Fearing seizure of their assets after recovery notice realty firm Elegant Ville Infracon came forward and paid ₹8.48 crore which is 25% of their total dues against their housing project Antriksh Valley projects and MSX Alpha Homes are yet to come forward to clear their dues then we will attach their assets and take measures to recover the dues,” said Saumya Srivastava Elegant Ville Infracon builders is developing 768 apartments in sector Techzone-4 while Antriksh Valley is developing 1,194 units and MSX Alpha Homes is developing 187 units The authority issued recovery notices after the realtors failed to take the benefit of interest waivers under the state government scheme meant for ”stalled legacy housing projects” the realtor can pay 25% of the total dues after claiming waivers and pay the remaining 75% over three years They would also get permission for registries “There are a total of 98 realtors who were to use the stalled legacy policy benefits 73 made payments and got permission for registries Twenty-two realtors have filed writs in Allahabad high court to evade coercive action from the authority We have sought legal opinion from the state attorney whether we can take coercive action even if the matter is pending before the high court,” said Srivastava The Greater Noida authority has executed apartment registries of 30,477 units in 73 housing projects since December 21 And 8000 apartment registries will take place by March end The Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) said the authority must introduce co-developers to revive stuck projects “The authority should rope in co-developers for stuck projects where last-mile funding is delaying the housing project the authority should revive projects in order to deliver justice tp homebuyers,” said Dinesh Gupta president of Noida Extension flat owners welfare association said “The Greater Noida authority must take prompt action to address issues related to delivery and registry because homebuyers have already suffered for so long.” Melbourne’s fintech sector is driving advancements in banking and payments insurance and wealth management - and is opening global financial services to more than just banks Developing your fintech products in Melbourne means tapping into a world-leading tech sector and one of the world’s highest ranking global financial sectors (1) You will join some of the biggest fintech players as well as five homegrown unicorns collectively valued at over US$30 billion Fintech adoption in Australia is steadily increasing driven by greater use of money transfer and payments particularly peer-to-peer payments and non-bank money transfers Continued growth in customer digital adoption provides an opportunity for firms to create more services and improve customer engagement through mobile devices and AI Australia is home to the highest number of regulation technology companies in the Asia Pacific and the third largest RegTech sector in the world behind the US and UK.  With recent reforms in Australia's banking superannuation and financial services industry RegTech will become of paramount importance to ensure compliance  and transparency within a rapidly evolving banking and securities market in Australia The financial services sector is estimated to account for 50 per cent of the local cyber security market.  Cyber security will become of paramount importance to increase consumer awareness and confidence in digital products.  Melbourne is rapidly emerging as a market for cybersecurity solution services There is a greater focus on the superannuation sector as a source of capital to fintech start-ups Due to it being a relatively untapped market there is an opportunity for fintechs to engage with superannuation funds to create individualised experiences for their members and to provide cost effective advice There are significant opportunities in the sector that are showing considerable growth.  Australian incumbents are leveraging parterships to develop innovative insurance products and deliver services that better align with customer expectations Melbourne is home to more than 330 fintech start-ups and five homegrown fintech unicorns headquartered in Melbourne collectively valued at over US$30 billion and ranked among the world's top 100 fintech companies Airwallex was recognised across three categories, including ‘Fintech Organisation of the Year’ award, at the 2022 Asia FinTech Awards. AfterPay received the Global Market Presence award at the 2020 Finnie Awards the national fintech awards run by Fintech Australia that is sponsored by the Victorian Government On the tail of these unicorns, scaleups such as Moula ($160 million Series D in 2020), Prospa and Assembly Payments are also making their mark from Melbourne. Other noteable startups experiencing rapid growth include  Zeller, FrankieOne and Verrency In 2019 alone the A$3.8 billion Australian fintech sector1 saw 252 per cent growth in fintech investment.  With more than 40 per cent of consumers yet to become fintech adopters the market is predicted to grow further to $18 billion by 20301 Here are some of Australia’s notable attributes: The Victorian Government ‘gets’ financial services and understands the importance of building an ecosystem in which fintech businesses are nurtured and encouraged.  Melbourne’s concentrated finance sector delivers considerable margins with room for fintech to disrupt and grow Here are some of the reasons why you should consider Melbourne when setting up your fintech business Financial services is the largest industry in Victoria accounting for A$49.3 billion in Gross Value Add representing 11 per cent of Victoria’s Gross State Product (GSP) and employing approximately 130,000 people This has made the city a thriving place for cutting edge fintech start-ups to develop and grow their business Let us help you tailor your business case to enter the Australian market and set up your Melbourne operations Explore how we can help. Sanpada Sector 1 in Navi Mumbai remains burdened by an escalating waste issue much to the frustration of local residents Despite daily footfall from hundreds of commuters using the only pathway between Raj Uday CHS and Vashi Station the area alongside the sewage canal has turned into an unsightly and growing dumping ground who proactively and regularly raises the issue of uncleanliness in Sanpada “The only way from Sanpada to Vashi station for hundreds of people daily at Navi Mumbai Sanpada Sector 1 (along the sewage) had become a waste dump and food waste accumulating dangerously close to the railings overlooking the canal which serves as the primary route for pedestrians travelling to Vashi Station a health hazard due to the unhygienic conditions “We urgently need more frequent clean-up initiatives and stricter enforcement of anti-littering regulations People caught littering should be fined to discourage such behaviour.” “While it’s irresponsible of citizens to discard waste especially non-biodegradable items like plastic cups it is also the municipal authorities duty to deploy sanitation teams regularly The authorities must step up and take swift action to ensure our neighbourhood remains clean.” “The waste not only mars the appearance of the area but also attracts pests The municipal corporation needs to intervene immediately to resolve this growing problem.” Join our newsletter and get updates in your inbox We won’t spam you and we respect your privacy In a significant move to enhance the power distribution infrastructure in Greater Noida West discom Noida Power Company Limited (NPCL) has commissioned a brand-new 33/11kV substation in Sector 1 The newly commissioned 33/11kV substation in Sector 1 (HT Photo) This substation has come as a much-needed boost for power supply in the region especially benefiting residents of Techzone 4 the discom is scheduled to commission two more 33/11kV substations -- one in Sector 4 and another in the Ecotech 10 Industrial Area -- before Diwali the new substation is equipped with 12.5 MVA (mega volt amp) power transformer and operates on two 33kV feeds -- one from the 220kV Jalpura substation and another from the 400kV substation in Sector 123 ensures a strong and reliable power distribution system minimising outages and improving overall efficiency emphasised the importance of the project in reducing the load on the existing grid and enhancing service reliability for residents and businesses “The commissioning of the substation marks a significant step forward in our mission to provide uninterrupted power supply and improved load management for our consumers,” Ganguly said Greater Noida West is a rapidly growing area with an increasing demand for reliable electricity Officials said that NPCL’s new substation is expected to meet the power needs of residential and commercial hubs in the region the move marks the beginning of NPCL’s expansion plan ahead of the festive season NPCL is scheduled to commission two more 33/11kV su-stations -- one in Sector 4 and another in the Ecotech 10 Industrial Area These developments aim to further bolster the power supply in Greater Noida West catering to the region’s growing infrastructure and commercial needs there are around 170,000 power consumers under the NPCL in Greater Noida NPCL now operates 60 substations across its Greater Noida area reinforcing its commitment to powering the city’s expansion,” said Manoj Jha Residents of New Panvel's Sector 1-S have raised concerns over the growing accumulation of garbage near the railway tracks behind Millennium Hilton The area has increasingly turned into a dumping ground prompting calls for immediate municipal intervention Recent photographs of the area show significant amounts of waste scattered near the tracks The presence of the garbage has led to an increase in mosquitoes raising fears of potential health issues among the residents living nearby Local resident Almustafa Khan has brought the issue to the attention of authorities through social media platform X Khan appealed to the Panvel Municipal Corporation and other relevant bodies to address the situation citing the health implications caused by the waste build-up near the railway track in New Panvel Sector 1-S the area has turned into a dumping ground with heaps of garbage piling up daily affecting the health of residents,” Khan wrote requesting thorough cleaning and enforcement to prevent further dumping “The stagnant waste has become a concern for us with the risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria being present We have stressed the need for timely waste management to prevent such health outbreaks.” The Letter highlights several key steps taken by the Biden Administration to Counter the PRC’s “developed and implemented plan to target the EV sector for dominance through a wide and evolving range of non-market based policies and practices applied across the entire EV supply chain.”3 These steps include: The Letter states that, in addition to the IRA and Section 301 tariffs, the Administration must work with US companies and unions “to identify and deploy additional responses” to help counter the PRC’s “state-directed industrial targeting” of the EV Sector.6 The Letter also emphasizes the Administration’s efforts to work with international allies and partners to develop more resilient supply chains.7 making the country the world’s largest auto exporter in 2023 and the related overcapacity issue are catching worldwide attention The specific measures the United States would take to address the issue remain to be seen but Ambassador Thai’s letter demonstrates that the EV sector and its supply chain are viewed by the United States as strategically important where “diversification away from the PRC” needs to be addressed with concrete measures This is also an area where the United States is likely to find common ground with its allies interested parties should closely monitor relevant developments 1 https://subscriber.politicopro.com/f/?id=0000018d-1903-dc2e-a3ad-79c31af10004 [hereinafter the Letter] Discover more about Browse the latest jobs Offering an irreverent take on the intricacies of Formula 1 vernacular the F1 Playbook demystifies some of the quirkier terms that litter the McLaren garage paddock and mission control centre over a race weekend Take the challenge to define as many F1 terms as you can before clicking to expand the definitions below Gurney FlapA gurney flap is a small lip placed at the trailing edge of a wing used to dramatically sharpen the exit angle of the airflow thereby creating more downforce without the downside of drag that a car would have from a steeper wing angle It’s named after ex-Formula 1 driver and team owner Dan Gurney Wheel GunWheel guns are pneumatic tools used to screw and unscrew the nuts that attach wheels to the car The basic concept is the same as that used in any road car garage – but the guns used in F1 are technology of a higher order with a high-flow rate spinning the guns at >10,000rpm supplying torque of >3000Nm (they have a strong kick) Eight guns are laid out for a pitstop (one for each wheel plus one spare for each gunner in case of failures) They are extensively customised by the teams but a recent rule change demands they be powered only by compressed air or nitrogen Starting GridThe starting grid consists of the marked out grid slots from which cars start the race It is also the term used to describe the order in which cars line up on the grid it is highly likely that the order in which cars qualify is not the same as order they line-up on the grid The official starting grid is published one hour before the start of the race Chequered FlagThe chequered flag is shown by marshals at the start/finish line to indicate the end of a practice session it is first waved as the winning car approaches Drivers must return to the pits without stopping and then follow either post-practice post-qualifying or post-race procedures as required GrainingGraining occurs when strips of rubber are torn from a tyre and then immediately stick back onto the hot surface of that tyre irregular surface that makes braking and cornering difficult while reducing grip and traction Graining typically occurs when the tyre is sliding laterally and is more common with the softer tyres as the graining goes away once the tyre wears and becomes uniform again AerodynamicsAerodynamics is the study of the properties of moving air and the interaction between the air and the car often the defining science in modern F1 design teams have used downforce-creating wings to push cars into the track to create more grip The goal is to create more downforce without a corresponding increase in drag Every surface of the car – including the driver’s helmet – influences aerodynamic behaviour Brake BalanceDrivers can adjust the bias of how much brake pressure goes from the pedal to the front and rear brakes using the brake balance dial drivers want more brake pressure on the front of the car than the rear – usually a 60:40 or 55:45 split balance and tyre performance of the car changes during a race drivers adjust the brake balance to suit the handling the front brakes are more likely to lock up so drivers will push the brake bias further towards the rear a powered control system for the rear brakes (used with ERS) may be integrated into the setup Install LapAn installation lap is a medium-speed with the cars coming straight back to the pitlane at the end An installation lap is usually done early in a test or free practice session so the team and driver can check certain key parameters of the car – such as engine throttle and brake performance – are all working properly Start SequenceThe start sequence is the procedure by which a grand prix is started Once the grid has formed following the formation lap and the medical car is in position at the back of the grid from a control box looking out over the grid Five red lights above the start line are illuminated one by one and then after a random pause they are extinguished Drivers' OverallsDrivers’ overalls are designed to be fireproof and lightweight making them comfortable to wear and allowing the drivers’ bodies to ‘breathe’ even in the stifling 50°C in the cockpit The race suits are made from three layers of Nomex a high-tech material that can resist exposure to a direct flame for 15 seconds They add fireproof underwear for extra protection Drivers boots and gloves are also flame-resistant and their design is optimised so they offer the maximum comfort and optimum feel with the pedals and steering wheel Formula 1 tyres – even special treaded wet-weather tyres which can shift up to 65 litres of water per second – can build up a micro-thin layer of water between the tyre and track In extreme circumstances the car can effectively float on top of the water the driver is in serious risk of losing control Teams will also raise the ride height of the cars so the stepped underbody isn’t at risk of aquaplaning DownforceDownforce is a measure of how much vertical aerodynamic load is created by a Formula 1 car’s aerodynamic surfaces At high speed the downforce created by airflow around the body of an F1 car will be far in excess of its weight Theoretically this would allow it to drive along the ceiling of a tunnel Green TrackLap times generally improve as the grand prix weekend progresses because the track develops more grip as the racing line is swept clean of dirt and more rubber is laid down A permanent race circuit in regular use will see a small amount of evolution between the start of FP1 and the end of the race but a little used venue when the racing line has its lowest level of grip the track is often referred to as being in a ‘green’ state Pit-stopA pit-stop refers to the practice of bringing the car into the pitlane for mechanics to work on it A standard pit-stop (which may happen in practice qualifying or a race) sees the crew change tyres and perhaps adjust the angle of the car’s front wing They’ll also carry out tasks such as cleaning the driver’s visor and the car’s rear wing A good pit-stop has the car stationary for less than three seconds Longer pit-stops may include activities such as replacing a damaged nosecone or removing debris from radiator intakes and brake ducts refuelling is not carried out during pit-stops Hot LapA hot lap – sometimes referred to as a 'flying lap' or 'timed lap' is a lap of the circuit in which the driver does a complete circuit of the track in free practice or qualifying In general a flying lap refers to a lap on which a driver is pushing to set a fast time – different to a warm-up or cool-down lap on which the driver is attempting to get his car into the optimal condition for a subsequent flying lap drivers will want as clear a road in front of them as possible so they’re not hampered by slower traffic on a flying lap Wing MirrorThe wing mirrors on a Formula 1 car are used to check the position of a drivers’ rivals but can also be used by the driver to keep an eye on rear tyre wear Formula 1 cars must have two mirrors each with a reflective surface 150mm wide maintained over a height of 50mm high must be situated between 250mm and 500mm from the car centre line and between 550mm and 750mm from the rear edge of the cockpit entry template drivers must be able to read letters on a board positioned 10m behind the car SlipstreamAs air passes over a Formula 1 car’s aerodynamics it produces a wake of turbulent air behind the car that hampers the aerodynamic flow of cars directly behind it This wake – nicknamed ‘dirty air’ – can be of benefit to a following car on the straight as the car in front effectively punches a hole in the air and does more work The following car can use the extra speed to get past into the next corner – a technique known as slipstreaming reducing the effectiveness of the cooling system ApexThe apex of a corner – also known as the clipping point – is the mid-point of the turn when the driver comes closest to the inside kerb of the turn Its position can vary depending on the type of corner and how the driver crafts his racing line – a fast turn will have an apex early while a slow hairpin will have a ‘late’ apex such as the Turns 16-18 complex at the Circuit of the Americas – can even have several apex points Bite Point FindWhen leaving the garage a race engineer will frequently ask the driver to carry out a bite point find establish the biting point for the clutch enables a quicker getaway In a Formula 1 car this needs to be monitored and recorded periodically as the carbon fibre clutch is subject to wear and thus the bite point moves – hence the driver is required to relocate the bite point once the clutch is up to temperature Black FlagThe black flag is shown at the start/finish line to indicate that this driver has been disqualified The driver is required to come into the pits on his next lap round Jump StartA driver is deemed to have made a jump start if they move off their grid position before the five red lights on the start gantry go out Movement is detected by sensors embedded in the track and the transponders located in the cars A driver adjudged to have made a jump start will be called into the pits to serve a penalty Flying LapA flying lap – sometimes referred to as a ‘hot lap’ or 'timed lap' is a lap of the circuit in which the driver does a complete circuit of the track in free practice or qualifying Purple SectorTiming screens in Formula 1 use a colour-coding system A driver setting a sector or lap time coloured purple has set the fastest time of the session so far – hence you will hear engineers informing a driver that they “have gone purple in sector one.” Setting a sector or lap time coloured green indicates a personal best Green FlagA green flag is shown by marshals after yellow flags or a safety car period to indicate that track conditions at this point of the circuit are good HairpinA hairpin is a slow corner that doubles back on itself These are invariably among the slowest corners on the track requiring drivers to brake incredibly hard to under 100km/h and use a special line that sacrifices speed on the entry straighter line on the exit for better acceleration onto the next straight Red & Yellow FlagA red and yellow striped flag is shown by marshals to indicate a change in track conditions ahead Dirty AirAs air passes over a Formula 1 car’s surfaces it produces a wake of turbulent air that hampers the aerodynamic flow of cars directly behind it as the car in front is effectively punching a hole in the air and doing more work hamper the efficiency of the following car’s own aerodynamic surfaces and limiting the effectiveness of the cooling system Track TemperatureTrack temperature is a critical parameter in Formula 1 tyre performance Because the asphalt of grand prix circuit soaks up heat from the sun it can be considerably warmer than the ambient air temperature Hotter track surfaces cause more tyre wear meaning that soft tyres will last considerably less distance and that harder tyres may be more optimal for the conditions Track temperature may rise above 60°C at hot-weather races they throw off little curls of rubber that accumulate on the side of the track especially during the race when the track can’t be cleaned this build up of rubber off the racing line can become incredibly difficult to drive on Drivers liken it to racing on marbles – hence the name This is one of the reasons why overtaking a rival off the racing line can be incredibly difficult Blue FlagBlue flags are used by marshals to alert a driver to the presence of a faster car about to lap them The driver is required to let the lapping car by The blue flag is also shown at the end of the pit lane to warn that faster traffic is coming past on the track Modern marshalling systems include flashing blue panels in addition to flags Flow-VisFlow-vis (short for Flow Visualisation) is a paint-like substance used for aerodynamic testing during practice sessions one side of the front wing – in the garage The driver will do a short run during which airflow around the car will cause the flow-vis to run When the car returns to the garage the pattern will be carefully photographed before the car is cleaned Typically the flow-vis test will be used to corroborate data gathered in CFD or the wind tunnel It’s simple and very effective – though it does create quite a mess Red FlagThe red flag is displayed by marshals when conditions are unsafe to continue the session or race When shown during a practice or qualifying session all cars must immediately reduce speed and proceed slowly back to the pit lane drivers will proceed slowly into the pit lane and line-up in the fast lane at the pit exit  They will then be moved into race order in case of a restart which will take place behind the safety car ICEThe current F1 engine is a four-stroke turbocharged It has six cylinders arranged in a 90° V layout and a limit of 15,000rpm  The engine is designed to work in harmony with the other elements of the hybrid F1 Power Unit rigidly connected to the back of the monocoque to form the spine of the car with the rear suspension and rear wing hung from it With the power unit comprising six separate major elements the engine is now frequently referred to by the abbreviation ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) RakeRake refers to the car altitude created by raising rear ride height in relation to front ride height effectively setting the car up with an upward slope front-to-rear Rake helps the aerodynamics of the car work efficiently lowering the nose but allowing the floor of the car to interact effectively with the airflow around it A rake angle that’s too shallow limits the ability of the car’s underside and diffuser to work properly; too steep and the underbody will become less efficient aerodynamically – but also the car runs the risk of the nose and bib scraping the track surface (particularly when running light) Front WingThe front wing is a crucial part of an F1 car; it’s the first part to hit the airflow and therefore shapes the car’s aerodynamics It is steeply angled to turn the air up and over the bodywork while the endplates smooth and condition the airflow around the wheels and into the sidepods and the tip of the nose cannot be more than a maximum of 185mm above the reference place Made from carbon fibre it weighs around 10kg but can generate 100 times its own weight in downforce As it’s such a crucial element of the car’s performance the team will develop many new designs during the season White FlagThe white flag is shown by marshals to warn that a slow-moving vehicle – such as an official medical car – maybe on the track Green SectorTiming screens in Formula 1 use a colour-coding system A driver setting a sector or lap time coloured purple has set the fastest time of the session so far Setting a sector or lap time coloured green indicates a personal best 107% RuleTo be eligible to start a grand prix a driver must qualify within 107% of the time set in Q1 by the fastest car Stewards may subsequently allow a car to start if they believe a driver was prevented from setting a <107% time by special circumstances a crash or a technical issue preventing the driver to comple a lap or a dramatic weather change during the Q1 session Stewards look at times in practice sessions and previous grands prix when considering an exemption The rule is designed to keep slow – and therefore potentially dangerous – cars out of the race Clean AirWhen drivers are on an empty track or are clear of their rivals they’re racing in what they term ‘clean air’ This is the optimum state for a Formula 1 car’s aerodynamics it produces a wake of turbulent air behind that hampers the aerodynamic flow of cars directly behind it as well as making the engine cooling less effective drivers always try to avoid running behind rivals Night RaceNight racing is a new innovation to Formula 1 the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix being the first instance followed by the twilight Abu Dhabi GP a year later The Bahrain GP has now also switched to an evening start and – for the drivers – it’s not unlike being out on a circuit at day As the race timetable for night races matches European afternoon drivers and mechanics tend to stay on European time sleeping during the day (with windows blacked out to eliminate daylight) and working into the early hours of the morning on a nocturnal schedule to avoid jetlag Bottoming OutBottoming out occurs when the underbody of a Formula 1 car hits the track surface Formula 1 cars run low ride heights to keep the car’s centre of gravity low and aid the creation of aerodynamic downforce As the suspension compresses at speed and in cornering making the car even more likely to ‘bottom out’ on sudden bumps or kerbs As the underbody includes a wooden plank to measure ride height this can leave brown stains on the track where it wears Braking PointThe braking point is the part of the circuit on an entry to a corner at which a Formula 1 driver starts braking for the turn It’s usually positioned between 50m and 150m from a corner depending on the car’s entry speed and the corner type Ghana Amalgamated Trust Plc (GAT) appreciates the public interest in its activities and welcomes discussions around its role in Ghana’s financial sector the recent article on page 25 of the Monday 28 October 2024 edition with issue number 4168 of the Business & Financial Times (B&FT) titled “GAT and its Role in the Financial Sector (1)” contains several misrepresentations factual inaccuracies and unsubstantiated conclusions It is unclear the purpose of this article particularly since the writer made no effort to verify his assertions with GAT It is important to address these issues to present a correct view of GAT’s mandate and ongoing efforts to support the stability of the financial sector in Ghana acting through the Ministry of Finance (MoF) set up GAT to support selected indigenous banks to promote the stability of the banking sector GAT was established after several indigenous banks had challenges in raising funds to recapitalize by the 31 December 2018 deadline that Bank of Ghana had given all banks to increase their required capital The shareholders of the indigenous banks petitioned GoG to support them to recapitalize in order to preserve Ghanaian ownership in the banking sector as foreign-owned banks were largely able to get recapitalization support from abroad GoG established GAT in response to this request from indigenous banks GAT’s core mandate was to provide capital support to selected indigenous banks that faced significant challenges in meeting the increased minimum capital requirements (MCR) set by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and to guide their transformation into viable and competitive institutions in the banking industry GAT operates on a private equity model with GoG backing acting as a strategic investor and partner in stabilizing the banks The positive impact of GAT in the banking industry includes the preservation of about 5,400 direct jobs and 20,000 indirect jobs as well as GHS 10.2 billion in deposits when it recapitalized and supported the selected indigenous banks in 2019 It is important to correct certain key misstatements and inaccuracies presented in the recent article Article Allegation: “While GAT was initially introduced  as a mechanism to support and revitalize these institutions growing concerns suggest that it may now be serving a different purpose: enabling the government to acquire majority shares in local banks.” GAT has never deviated from its mandate since its inception and the perception of serving a different purpose of enabling the government to acquire majority shares in local banks is totally false and lacks basis GAT has to date not acquired any additional shares in three of the four investee banks it recapitalized in 2019 GAT supported further recapitalization of that bank by taking up only a portion of its rights during a legitimate rights issue that granted rights to all current shareholders As in the example of OmniBSIC Bank Ghana Limited GAT’s ordinary equity shareholding was 44.05% when it invested in the bank in 2020 When the bank needed further recapitalization afterwards GAT encouraged the local shareholders to inject additional capital into the bank After the further recapitalization in 2021 GAT’s ordinary shares stake was diluted from 44.05% to 24.75% The dilution of GAT’s equity stake in this private bank clearly contradicts the allegations of the writer This clearly contradicts the writer’s assertion that GAT is being used to acquire majority shares in its investee banks Article Allegation: “GAT’s governance structure reflects its strong ties to the government The National Trust Holding Company (NTHC) serves as the sole shareholder of GAT holding all issued shares on behalf of the Government of Ghana under a nominee shareholder agreement This structure places significant government influence over the operations of GAT.” Our governance structure ensures accountability through a largely independent board led by experienced professionals from the banking sector does not place any significant government influence over the operations of GAT as alleged in the article NTHC is only a nominee shareholder holding the shares in GAT on behalf of GoG NTHC insulates GAT from GoG by ensuring that GAT deals on an arm’s length basis with its nominee shareholder rather than directly with GoG GAT receives policy guidance from the MoF but the GAT board implements its mandate independently overall strategic and governance decisions are taken by the independent board GAT has engaged professional firms with key expertise to support it in priority areas KPMG handles GAT’s general administrative functions including sourcing while Ernst & Young (EY) is GAT’s statutory external auditor This framework ensures transparency and adherence to best practices in financial management GAT operates under the oversight of the MoF GAT submits regular reports to its sponsoring ministry and meets the necessary statutory reporting requirements The company also provides periodic updates directly to the Parliament of Ghana via its finance committee including an update that GAT provided as recently as July 2024 Article Allegation: “Despite the significant capital injected into GAT many local banks that were supposed to benefit from its support have not seen tangible improvements in their financial health GAT’s involvement has negatively impacted the balance sheets of some banks exacerbating their financial challenges rather than alleviating them Critics argue that GAT has failed to meet its primary objective of supporting local banks and guiding them toward recovery the entity has become more of an investment vehicle for the government with little concern for the actual needs of the beneficiary banks.” The assertion that GAT’s structure somehow places the banks at a disadvantage is not only misleading but completely unfounded GAT provided the selected indigenous banks equity capital instead of loans to avoid saddling them with additional debt GAT avoided taking controlling stakes in any of the investee banks GAT ensured that it did not take controlling ordinary equity stakes in any of the banks it supported To achieve this goal of avoiding controlling equity stakes in cases where an ordinary share structure risked creating a controlling majority stake the investment was structured into both preference and ordinary shares to maintain a significant minority stake Our investments were also designed to provide flexibility for the existing shareholders of the banks under the GAT programme existing shareholders of the banks have had the option (call option provisions) to buy GAT’s shares out right from the investment date if they wanted to buy out GAT and regain control of their banks GAT committed to a planned exit (put option provisions) after at least five years for the investee banks This structured exit timeline allowed GAT to fulfil its transformation mandate and operational viability within the banks before a strategic exit GAT relied on the boards of directors of the banks to implement strategies and guide operations to help improve the investee banks Management of the banks were to execute plans ensuring that resources are approved by boards of directors As part of agreements between GAT and its investee banks the banks were expected to improve through business transformation after the initial recapitalization from GAT so that GAT could later exit its equity stakes in the banks This equity-based approach empowered the banks to strengthen their capital base without the strain of immediate or near-term obligations to find funds to buy back GAT’s equity investments The flexibility GAT provided the existing shareholders while limiting its own options benefited the existing shareholders and enabled the banks to focus on core banking activities to achieve sustainable profits Article Allegation: “GAT was initially established as a vital tool for stabilizing local banks and supporting their transformation in the aftermath of the 2017 – 2018 banking crisis it has become a liability to the very institutions it was meant to help GAT now threatens the long-term viability of local banks which are crucial to Ghana’s financial ecosystem.” The article claims that GAT has failed to benefit local banks as intended This statement is false and overlooks the substantial progress these banks have made in meeting regulatory capital requirements and improving their financial health with GAT’s support These improvements have been critical in restoring public trust and stability in Ghana’s banking sector and broader financial ecosystem the four investee banks have reported that deposits increased from GHS 8 billion in 2019 to GHS 23.1 billion at the end of 2023 reflecting a 30% annual compounded growth rate (CAGR) which exceeds the 27%  estimated for the banking industry which grew deposits from GHS 83.5 billion in 2019 to GHS 214.5 billion in 2023 the GAT investee banks reported that total assets have grown from GHS 11.4 billion in 2019 to GHS 25.9 billion in 2023 reflecting a 23% CAGR compared to the industry CAGR of 21% from GHS 129.1 billion in 2019 to GHS 274.9 billion in 2023 Despite setbacks from the 2022 Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) and the 2023 Asset Quality Review by the BoG most of the GAT investee banks are recovering and regaining profitability The claim that GAT’s investment has not tangibly benefited the banks ignores the broader economic context COVID-19 coupled with the recent DDEP challenges has affected Ghana’s financial institutions as a whole GAT’s support has been essential in helping its investee banks withstand these external pressures which would have otherwise led to more severe consequences for the industry and the economy Article Allegation: “GAT’s high-interest funding combined with the management fees it imposes has placed additional financial pressure on the banks undermining their ability to recover and remain competitive in the market This approach has led to further distress among local banks many of which are now struggling with liquidity issues and are unable to participate meaningfully in Ghana’s economic growth The very institutions that were meant to be saved by GAT are now at risk of being further weakened.” The article’s claim that GAT’s investment has turned into a liability for the investee banks by burdening them with high-interest funding is baseless and false GAT negotiated equity investments on an arm’s length basis with all its investee banks The writer falsely claims that the GAT investments are liabilities The capital support GAT provided to the investee banks was equity and not liabilities the concept of interest does not even apply GAT’s investments into the investee banks are not bailouts The investments were offered and the investee banks accepted them voluntarily at concessionary negotiated equity returns if they wanted to buy back GAT’s shares The banks and GAT agreed on reasonable returns to be paid upon GAT’s exit or to allow GAT to sell its shares to other parties to enable GAT recover its investments with a reasonable return The expected returns on GAT’s equity investments are not obligatory and so do not result in accrued financial costs on the financial statements of the GAT investee banks as wrongly stipulated by the writer GAT was set up to be independent of GoG but yet to sustain its operations on its own To ensure such sustainable operations without reliance on GoG for annual funding GAT had to charge the investee banks minimal fees to support its operations some banks negotiated upfront one-time fees with GAT while other banks chose recurring annual fees the management fees charged by GAT are moderate by industry standards (and below 50% of typical industry fees) and as mentioned earlier are necessary for sustaining our operations These fees cover essential costs associated with monitoring and managing our investments This structure allows us to fulfil our mandate efficiently without compromising the stability and viability of the banks or imposing additional costs on taxpayers Article Allegation: “One of the major concerns surrounding GAT is the lack of transparency in its operations… This lack of transparency has raised major alarms among policymakers and financial experts who are calling for greater oversight of GAT’s activities.” The article’s concerns regarding transparency do not accurately reflect GAT’s commitment to accountability the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) and others on our progress and provide regular updates on our impact and financial status Our operations are guided by rigorous governance standards and our performance is measured against clearly defined benchmarks the writer does not identify the policymakers and financial experts he claims are calling for greater transparency from GAT Neither did the writer engage us to request for or clarify any information before publishing his article Article Allegation: “It is time to question whether GAT is still serving the purpose for which it was created Rather than continuing to operate in its current form GAT may need to be closed or restructured entirely the government risks further destabilizing the banking sector and eroding public confidence in its ability to manage financial sector interventions.” GAT’s long-term viability has been carefully considered and remains adaptive to the evolving needs of the financial sector GAT has contributed to a more resilient financial system and will continue to support initiatives that strengthen local banks and the financial sector without fostering dependency GAT has successfully implemented its mandate The writer indicates that “GAT was meant to ensure that these banks which were critical to Ghana’s financial infrastructure continue lending and contribute to economic growth…” The banks that GAT supported since 2019 continue to exist and operate today because GAT enabled them to do so with the injection of critically needed capital the publicly available financials published by the banks GAT invested in show that their assets and deposits have both grown faster than that for the industry The growth in business for the banks under the GAT program has benefited the economy GAT remains committed to fulfilling its mandate of strengthening the financial sector and protecting strategic Ghanaian interests Our role extends beyond short-term profits; it is about creating a stable resilient banking sector that can support Ghana’s long-term economic growth We welcome constructive feedback and are open to engaging with stakeholders to improve our processes discussions about GAT’s impact must be informed by an accurate understanding of our goals and the positive outcomes we have achieved Responsible journalism plays a vital role in informing the public about complex financial issues Analysts and journalists are encouraged to conduct thorough research and seek direct engagement with GAT to fully understand our operations the writer did not seek the views of GAT before publishing his article GAT remains open to inquiries and welcomes the opportunity to clarify its objectives creates unnecessary public concern and detracts from the significant work being done by GAT and other stakeholders to stabilize and strengthen Ghana’s financial sector The writer is the Managing Director at Ghana Amalgamated Trust PLC Log in to leave a comment Member of Parliament Manish Tewari has written to the UT administrator to annul the notification dated February 9 which prohibits share-wise sale of immovable property in heritage sectors (1-30) in Chandigarh Member of Parliament Manish Tewari has written to the Chandigarh administrator to annul the notification dated February 9 (HT Photo) Share-wise sale of property in heritage sectors was a burning topic during the Lok Sabha elections held in June this year with the candidates of both Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -- Manish Tewari and Sanjay Tandon respectively -- promising to rescind the same if voted to power In the July 2 letter addressed to UT administrator Banwari Lal Purohit who has now been replaced by Gulab Chand Kataria Tewari stated that many people impacted by the notification had met him while many have also moved the Punjab and Haryana high court challenging the Chandigarh administration’s notification the Supreme Court (SC) had banned the conversion of residential properties into floor-wise apartments in Sectors 1 to 30 while stating that they carried heritage status UT had imposed a ban on registrations for share-wise transfers outside the family and the approval of building plans for properties co-owned by strangers or non-family members on perhaps a misinterpretation and misreading of the said judgement issued a notification with far-reaching consequences on subject matters beyond the scope of the present Apex Court judgement,” the MP’s letter read “The judgement of the Hon’ble Supreme Court dated January 10 at no juncture prohibits a citizen of India from exercising his statutory and constitutional rights to purchase a share of a property,” it was further stated The judgement of the SC at no point equates the action of two unrelated individuals purchasing a share in a property as apartmentalisation “Indian law recognises the rights of multiple unrelated individuals to be co-sharers in the same piece of property The notification begins by saying that the same is on account of the judgement pronounced by the Supreme Court the matter was under consideration before the Heritage Committee it is evident that the notification was issued under the directions of the judgement and were interim in nature Once the Heritage Committee took a decision on May 10 the interim directions issued by the court itself would lapse The notification by the Chandigarh administration is thus void on this ground alone,” states the letter The actions of the Chandigarh administration have led to a scenario where the law of pre-emption has been reintroduced in Chandigarh and hard-working citizens who have invested their entire life savings in purchasing a share of a property are unable to sell the same It may be noted that UT has already suffered significant financial loss in terms of stamp duty and taxes UT’s order is also leading to multiple avoidable litigations Home » Gallery » Other » Anantnag: Rashtriya Rifles Commander Sector 1 Brigadier Prithvi Raj Chauhan with DIG South Kashmir Javed Ahmad Matoo and other officers address the media on the Kulgam encounter #Gallery 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 The Ghana Amalgamated Trust (GAT) was created by the government to address the vulnerabilities within Ghana’s financial sector especially following the 2017-2018 banking crisis As part of broader banking sector reforms initiated by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) GAT was designed to stabilize local banks that were struggling to meet new capital requirements set by the central bank While GAT was initially introduced as a mechanism to support and revitalize these institutions growing concerns suggest that it may now be serving a different purpose: enabling the government to acquire majority shares in local banks This shift has significant implications for the structure of Ghana’s banking sector and the future of indigenous ownership within the financial industry GAT was incorporated as a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) on December 17 to raise capital for local banks struggling to meet the revised minimum capital requirements set by the BoG the central bank raised the minimum capital requirement to GHS 400 million a significant increase that many local banks found difficult to meet The primary goal of GAT was to raise funds and contribute to economic growth without the risk of collapse The idea was to support local banks in meeting their new capital obligations and ensure their transformation into stronger GAT’s governance structure reflects its strong ties to the government This structure places significant government influence over the operations of GAT The five-member GAT board is chaired by Mr The board’s governance is supported by KPMG which plays an administrative role under an agreement signed in March 2018 KPMG’s involvement is critical to ensuring transparency and accountability in GAT’s operations particularly given the significant public funds involved GAT’s financial structure and capitalization GAT’s financial structure reflects a mix of government investment and capital raised through shares The initial government investment in GAT was relatively small amounting to GHS 10,000 for 1,000,000 ordinary shares the bulk of GAT’s capital came from an additional GHS 800,000,000 investment through non-cumulative redeemable preference shares also issued by the government through NTHC These preference shares do not grant dividends but they are structured to be redeemable under specific conditions giving the government significant control over the financial future of GAT and the banks it supports The government’s intention was to use a portion of this capital for equity investments in struggling banks providing them with the necessary funds to meet their regulatory requirements and stabilize their operations Concerns regarding GAT’s activities and impact One of the major concerns surrounding GAT is the lack of transparency in its operations GAT has not provided regular or detailed status reports to Parliament despite handling significant amounts of public money There is little clarity on how funds have been allocated or the financial health of the banks it was intended to support This lack of transparency has raised alarms particularly among policymakers and financial experts who are calling for greater oversight of GAT’s activities Parliament has a critical role to play in ensuring that GAT operates in a manner consistent with its original mandate There are increasing calls for Parliament to demand a comprehensive status report on GAT’s performance and the management of its GHS 800 million in capital Despite the significant capital injected into GAT the entity has become more of an investment vehicle for the government with little concern for the actual needs of the beneficiary banks The very institutions that were meant to be saved by GAT are now at risk of being further weakened Conclusion: The shift from lifeline to liability GAT was initially established as a vital tool for stabilizing local banks and supporting their transformation in the aftermath of the 2017-2018 banking crisis which are crucial to Ghana’s financial ecosystem Parliament must act swiftly to reassess the operations of GAT and hold its leadership accountable Immediate steps should be taken to demand a full status report on the management and use of GAT’s capital there must be a review of GAT’s operational model particularly its high-interest funding mechanisms which are driving local banks further into financial distress the government risks further destabilizing the banking sector and eroding public confidence in its ability to manage financial sector interventions it is critical that the government and policymakers reflect on the lessons learned from GAT’s operations Future interventions in the banking sector must be transparent rather than short-term political or financial gain Only by adopting a more responsible and accountable approach can Ghana ensure the health of its financial sector and protect the interests of local banks Jake Michaels is attending his third Japanese Grand Prix this weekend and spent first practice watching trackside in the famous sector one. SUZUKA, Japan -- For a moment, just a brief moment, it's eerily silent. The only sound you hear is the light wind rustling against your shirt and tickling the back of your ears. It's overcast with no sun in sight, but it's warm. Warm and humid. In the distance, trucks are laboring by, occasionally poking out from behind the trees as they make their way north toward the city of Nagoya. You can't hear them at all. Then the PA system springs to life. An energetic Japanese man's voice is blasted through speakers perched high on wooden poles, and the Suzuka crowd -- one that has become famous over the years for its unparalleled enthusiasm for motor racing -- comes alive. They break into applause and begin cheering and dancing in the grandstands. It's official: The glorious Formula One-Suzuka pairing is back after the annual 12-month hiatus. It's time for opening practice. I had stationed myself on the outside of Turn 3, smack bang in the middle of Suzuka's breathtaking first sector. Sure, Monaco has the charm, and Monza has the history, but this piece of racetrack might just be the most exhilarating sequence of corners Formula One has to offer both drivers and fans. Standing trackside certainly does not disappoint. Sector one in Japan is one of the greatest sections of racetrack anywhere in the world. Charles Coates/Getty ImagesOne by one, cars roll out of the pit lane, and the sound that bellows across the southern side of Suzuka can be likened to a jet plane taking off in the distance. It isn't necessarily loud, but you definitely know it's powerful and heading in your direction. You first catch a glimpse of the cars as drivers approach the 100-metre brake-marker boards on the run into Turn 1. From that moment, you can fix your eyes on a car for about 14-and-a-half seconds and watch a driver earn a ludicrous salary. Just close your eyes, and count those seconds. Now imagine watching a Formula One car, unobstructed, racing around at blistering speeds, for that amount of time. It's a one-of-a-kind experience. The Suzuka roller-coaster ride begins the moment drivers cross the start line and plunge down the main straight into Turn 1. Watching on television doesn't do it justice, but the tarmac seriously falls away into the opening corner -- the lowest point (in terms of sea level, not quality) of the track. Still, it doesn't stop drivers approaching the corner at speeds of close to 300 km/h. By getting up close to the circuit, you realise that the first two corners act almost like a skateboarding bowl. Carry speed into Turn 1, ride the curve, and enjoy the slingshot effect out of Turn 2. It might be listed as two separate corners, but it's essentially one long right-hander encased by a grandstand of photo-snapping locals who took up their place just moments after the Suzuka gates opened earlier that morning. Max Verstappen of Red Bull takes plenty of kerb on the exit of Turn 2 in Japan. Charles Coates/Getty ImagesSomething else that becomes apparent when watching trackside is that from the exit of Turn 2, a driver cannot see the stretch of track that runs between Turns 3 and 4. All that is visible on the right is a section of lush, green grass. Drivers have to rely purely on feel and experience, and any adjustments have to be made in a split second with no second-guessing. All of this is made more dramatic by the rumbling noise of the V6 turbo engines bouncing off the concrete barriers and echoing through the section, through your bones, long after the cars have disappeared. Shut your eyes again, and it's as if you're standing on the track itself. This is peak Formula One, and we haven't even reached the famed Esses. View this post on Instagram One of the greatest places in the world to watch an F1 driver at work. #Suzuka #F1 #Japan #JapaneseGP #Formula1 #Travel #Cars #Instatravel #Sport A post shared by Jake Michaels (@jake.michaels.77) on Oct 11 it takes around six seconds for a driver to round the five corners between Turn 3 and Turn 7 beautifully flowing section of racetrack aptly named the Esses in honor of its double S shape and it's difficult to get a sense of just how steep it is by watching on television After I reluctantly dragged myself away from Turn 3 and headed toward Turn 6 it didn't take long for me to start wiping sweat from my brow They really are climbing a hill -- 50.4 metres one moment you feel as though you're looking down at your toes; the next The snaking tarmac narrows upon entry into the Esses and each S curve is flanked by slippery grass and gravel It isn't a place where you can afford to make a mistake particularly as the steel barriers get closer and closer to the edge of the circuit the farther up the hill you climb But what really makes this first sector so enjoyable is how you can view a car from almost every angle: the front It's also a sector where there's no mistaking a driver who is on a flying lap You just know when a car is on the limit and working in these corners You don't miss a thing as they dance around the tarmac Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari races through Turn 7 during opening practice at Suzuka. BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty ImagesAt some points you can't even count how many cars are in front of you You can almost capture all 20 Formula One cars in one magical photograph It's easy to get lost in a trance as cars whizz by you at remarkable speeds just look at the dated power lines hanging on the northern side of the circuit They're sure to shock you out of your temporary F1 coma and back into reality roaming around the first few corners at Suzuka is a mind-blowing experience and any Formula One fan with a bucket list that doesn't feature a trip to Japan in the top three needs to rewrite that list park yourself somewhere in the first sector If you're ever hoping to see a smile flash across the face of a Formula One driver just ask them to describe the sheer pleasure of hurtling through sector one at Suzuka "It's probably the best sector we have," a giddy Valtteri Bottas proclaimed when asked Thursday what makes it so special but it's a popular answer and one that is echoed all the way down the paddock Drivers genuinely love their annual trip to Japan heart-in-mouth first sector at Suzuka is one of the reasons for that it takes approximately half a minute for a Formula One car to complete the seven corners in the opening sector "It's like you're having to do quick math," Renault's Daniel Ricciardo said you're never really looking at the corner you're in but how does that position me for the next corner And then how does that position me for the exit There is some real calculation going on because there is so many corners to put together "What's cool is that it allows different lines You'll see guys go flat-out through Turn 3 and carry a lot of speed through 4 Gaining a bit here and sacrificing a bit there." Daniel Ricciardo of Renault says driving through the Esses is like "doing quick math." Mark Thompson/Getty ImagesThe mental aspect is just one obstacle drivers must overcome in Japan The physical challenge the opening sector poses is one of the greatest on the current calendar drivers are literally thrown from one side of the cockpit to the other they must ensure they hit their braking spots and apexes with pin-point precision "There's lots of load [when driving through the Esses] and you definitely feel it in your body and in your neck," Bottas said Given how majestically free flowing the first sector in Japan is can put a driver on the back foot for the next 20 seconds It's yet another challenge of racing around Suzuka "I've always been a fan of corner combinations you've lost two corners of perfect lap time You can also be too conservative and set up the next corner too much and then you lose out in the current corner." getting it right is one of the most satisfying feelings a race driver will ever experience "particularly when you have a headwind," championship leader Lewis Hamilton said The headwind plants the car on the tarmac and allows for increased grip and This is when the roller-coaster comparison really rings true Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes drives through the famed Esses during practice in Japan. Dan Istitene/Getty Images"You generally have two different directions here," Hamilton said "If there's a headwind into [Turn 1] and a tailwind into [the Esses] it's a little less exciting because the car is not so planted But if there's a tailwind into Turn 1 with the headwind through that section Suzuka is certainly a drivers' track and one that has managed to maintain its stunning character for half a century who previously labelled Suzuka his favourite Formula One circuit of all time believes it's so special because "it's not a carpark." Other drivers want to see more Suzuka-style circuits added to the calendar as opposed to some of the less challenging tracks that have become mainstays in F1 "Many Formula One drivers miss these kinds of tracks," McLaren's Carlos Sainz said ahead of the weekend we can go towards designing these kind of tracks instead of others There's a lot of things that make it very special." "Special" might be the understatement of the year It doesn't matter whether you're a driver or a fan defies belief and will leave you breathless WTTC produces reports annually on the economic and employment impact of Travel & Tourism for 184 countries/economies and 28 geographic and economic regions across the world Travel & Tourism's contribution to global GDP totalled US$ 10.9 trillion Travel & Tourism represented 10% of the global economy Travel & Tourism is also an important source of employment the sector supported a total of 357 million jobs globally spending by international visitors increased 11.6% annually to reach US$ 1.9 trillion Below are some of our recent and popular Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research (EIR) publications. You can find many more on specific regions and economies/countries on our Research Hub Click here for links to the different economy/country and regional reports Or use the buttons below to go to our Research Hub From the inception of WTTC in 1990, our Members realised that hard economic facts were needed to help governments and policymakers truly understand the potential of Travel & Tourism. Measuring the size and growth of Travel & Tourism and its contribution to society, therefore, plays a vital part in underpinning WTTC's work Each EIR (Economic Impact Research) report reveals the importance of Travel & Tourism to a specific economy/country or economic region in granular detail across many metrics WTTC also presents thought leadership reports – often focused on a specific region or theme – that include an analysis of the economic impact of government policies affecting the sector such as investment investment and incentivising training and careers Visit our Research Hub to find all our Economic Impact Research reports as well as other reports on Travel and Tourism On top of research into the economic impact of Travel & Tourism, WTTC also carries out research into many other topics that are crucial to the sector. Another key focus is Sustainability, which includes the areas of Environmental & Social Research (ESR) specific segments – such as retail tourism - and global tourism trends Visit our Research Hub via the button below to find all our Economic Impact Reports as well as other reports on Travel and Tourism.  Tel: +44 (0) 207 481 8007 Email: [email protected] the Punjab and Haryana high court has dismissed petitions seeking quashing of Chandigarh administration’s 2023 notification which banned conversion of residential houses into floor-wise apartments across the city the Supreme Court had ruled that the first 30 sectors of Chandigarh carried the heritage status of Le Corbusier zone and conversion of residential houses into floor-wise apartments cannot be permitted in these sectors (HT) The high court bench of justice Sureshwar Thakur and justice Vikas Suri said the Chandigarh administration may reconsider the decision but in consultation with the heritage committee onto the areas other than Phase 1 But this should be done strictly in terms of the prevalent rules and the Chandigarh Master Plan (CMP)-2031 SC had said the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee will consider the issue of redensification in these sectors After that the UT administration will consider amending the CMP-2031 and the 2017 apartment rules in accordance with the committee’s recommendations Any amendments will have to be placed before the central government for approval the UT administration came out with a notification within a month rejecting building plans of residential buildings where all co-owners were not from the same family the notification was not only for these 30 sectors but all areas of the city As per UT’s senior standing counsel Amit Jhanji which was under challenge before the high court The notification was also challenged by some residents living in heritage sectors arguing that the notification was not in line with the SC order as the heritage panel did not properly consider aspect of redensification Also that SC was against apartmentalisation and not against share-wise sale of property “The decision which was taken in the meeting held on January 23 under the chairmanship of the adviser to the administrator is in alignment with the verdict pronounced by the apex court …the said decision cannot be tinkered with at all,” the high court bench observed suggested that UT may consider permitting sale of respective share(s) of a particular co-owner in a jointly owned property to single owner as the said permission of sale would reduce the already existing apartmentalisation and would further also reduce densification in Phase 1 The court said UT’s decision was in line with statutory prohibition against fragmentation of a building through apartments “When the apartmentalisation/fragmentation of the building results in builders/developers proceeding to sell such apartments to different persons...the impugned notice is in complete tandem with the verdict pronounced by the apex court there is a pronounced prohibition against both fragmentation and apartmentalisation of a specific dwelling unit or of a building...The impugned notice rather than being required to become invalidated thus requires becoming assigned legal sanctity,” the court observed the UT administration had notified the Chandigarh Apartment Rules whereby single residential units could be sub-divided into apartments The administration has since maintained that no permission is being granted to convert residential houses into apartments the Punjab and Haryana high court had ruled that residential plots in Chandigarh can have multiple shareholders This order was challenged by the Sector-15 Residents Welfare Association (RWA) before the Supreme Court seeking an order to the administration not to permit residential plots to be constructed or utilised as apartments leading to the top court’s January 2023 ruling it had come to light that between 2016 and 2019 as many as 891 sale deeds were registered by the Estate Office wherein a part of the property was sold outside the family even as it was not allowed “The high court order will be challenged in Supreme Court SC did not ban share-wise sale of property Also there has to be a window for property owners who have already made such sales,” said Salil Dev Singh Bali Chandigarh is the country’s first planned city since Independence and has received international acclaim for its architecture and urban design The city’s master plan was developed by French architect Le Corbusier UNESCO had conferred heritage status on the Capitol Complex New ITER Boutique! Purchase ITER-branded merchandise here ITER NewslineKeep in touch with ITER through our main news feed ITER Magazine - French onlyLearn more about the ITER Project by subscribing to this quarterly online magazine (in French) that is geared toward the general public ITER Open Doors Day - NotificationsStay informed about the ITER Open Doors sessions and be among the first to subscribe to the next event The nine 40-degree sectors required to form the ITER toroidal chamber are largely similar differing only in the details relevant to their position in the circular arrangement and interfacing components sector #1(7) will go through a series of operations in the Assembly Hall such as the installation of diagnostics and instrumentation before it is upended and moved to the sub-assembly tooling to form the second of the ITER Tokamak sub-assemblies * Readers will have seen this sector referred to as #7 in past articles sectors #1 and #7 (both supplied by Korea) are nearly identical It was decided to install Korea's second sector (#1) in the place of #7 in the assembly pit at ITER—hence the name "#1(7)"—in order to accelerate the assembly of the torus chamber The sectors in positions #6 and #7 in the assembly pit will be the first of nine to be welded together ITER ("The Way" in Latin) is one of the most ambitious energy projects in the world today ITER is charting new territory in fusion research ComplianceHR offers the only on-demand suite of intelligent compliance applications focused on helping companies address ever-changing federal and state employment law requirements Littler Edge is designed to help you with your employment and labor law compliance efforts by providing access to the best of Littler’s collective knowledge and experience Immediately download a selection of Littler’s self-service toolkits forms and policy templates developed by our attorneys Littler CaseSmart isn't simply a tool or product - it's a way of operating A different and smarter approach 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team we believe in making a positive impact beyond the courtroom Our commitment to social responsibility is woven into the fabric of our firm guiding our actions and decisions every day Equity and Diversity C-Suite Survey Report 2025 As businesses navigate the shifting legal and political landscape around inclusion Littler’s second IE&D survey reveals how C-suite leaders are responding and their outlook for the year ahead the primary ones summarized below.  Because the bill seeks to outright ban criminal background checks by most private sector employers employers should monitor the progress of this bill in Sacramento Section 1 would set forth legislative findings and declarations in support of SB 809.  The thrust of Section 1 is that the bill is intended to help millions of people in California that have a criminal record get a job Section 2 would amend California’s version of the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (ICRAA) to require even greater transparency and specificity by employers seeking criminal history information for hiring and personnel decisions.  Job applicants would be entitled to a disclosure that includes either: (1) all the specific job duties of the position for which a conviction may have a direct and adverse relationship that has the potential to result in an adverse employment action;2 or (2) all applicable laws and regulations that prohibit or restrict the hiring or employment on the basis of a conviction (e.g. Sections 3 and 4 would repeal the existing fair chance act and replace it with the Fair Chance Act of 2023 except as otherwise allowed by the statute it would be an unlawful employment practice for any employer to do any of the following even after extending a conditional job offer: employers would be able to conduct a conviction history background check only where existing law restricts or prohibits hiring or employing persons with a criminal history.  Even then employers must defer inquiries into and consideration of such information until after extending a conditional job offer when employers that are authorized to conduct a conviction history background check intend to deny an applicant a position or employment based solely or in part because of the applicant’s conviction history the employer would have to perform an individualized assessment3 of whether the applicant’s conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with one or more specific duties of the job that justifies denying the applicant the position.  An employer that makes the preliminary decision to disqualify an applicant from employment or promotion based solely or in part on the applicant’s conviction history would then have to notify the applicant of this preliminary decision the applicant would have at least 10 business days to respond to the notice before the employer could make its final decision.  If the applicant notifies the employer in writing that the applicant disputes the accuracy of the conviction history report that formed the basis for the preliminary decision to rescind the offer and that the applicant is taking specific steps to obtain evidence supporting that assertion then the applicant would have 5 additional business days to respond to the notice.5 If an employer were to make a final decision to deny an application for employment or promotion solely or in part because of the applicant’s conviction history the employer would have to notify the applicant of the final decision in writing.6 Section 12954.2.06 and 12954.2.07 would impose workplace posting and record retention requirements on employers Sections 12954.2.08 and 12954.2.09 would provide rules and regulations for imposing civil penalties when an employer violates provisions of this article.7  To impose civil penalties the department would have to serve a written citation on the employer.  Section 12954.2.12.  Remedies under this section would be in addition to all other rights and remedies While the sweeping bill’s future is uncertain employers should be mindful of the bill’s progress given the drastic impact even a narrower version of the bill would have if enacted into law.  These changes would more or less upend the ordinary hiring process for just about every employer in California 1 SB 809 would amend Civil Code Section 1786.16 add Government Code Article 1.1 (commencing with Section 12964.2) to Chapter 6 of Part 2.8 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code 2 The California Code of Regulations states that the standard for determining what constitutes a “direct and adverse relationship that justifies denying the applicant the position” must take into account at least the following factors: (a) the nature and gravity of the offense or conduct; (b) the time that has passed since the offense or conduct and/or completion of the sentence; and (c) the nature of the job held or sought.”  Cal 3 The individualized assessment would have to consider: (1) the nature and gravity of the offense or conduct; (2) the time that has passed since the offense or conduct; and (3) the nature of the job sought.  If the applicant is not currently incarcerated or has completed a sentence for the conviction of a crime a rebuttable presumption would be established that there is no direct and adverse relationship between the applicant’s conviction and the position 5 If the applicant were to submit additional information the employer would be required to conduct a second individualized assessment considering whether the conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with specific duties of the job before making a final decision.  The employer would be required to assume the truth and accuracy of the information submitted unless it were substantially inconsistent with other information obtained 6 The final notice would have to contain: (1) the final denial or disqualification including the employer’s reasoning; (2) any existing procedure the employer has for the applicant to challenge the decision or request consideration; and (3) the right to file a complaint with the department 7 Civil penalties would be collected by the department and deposited into the newly created Fair Chance Act Enforcement Fund whereby 46% of the penalties would be used by the department to enforce this article 4% of the penalties would be used to ensure the employer pays the civil penalties to the department and 50% of the penalties would be used for purposes of making awards to the complainant(s).  The amount of civil penalties imposed would vary depending on the number of employees and whether the violation is an initial violation Let us know how we can help you navigate your particular workplace legal issues Sign up to receive the latest Littler materials and information on labor and employment law Littler Mendelson is part of the international legal practice which operates worldwide through a number of separate legal entities The number of countries announcing pledges to achieve net zero emissions over the coming decades continues to grow But the pledges by governments to date – even if fully achieved – fall well short of what is required to bring global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050 and give the world an even chance of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 °C This special report is the world’s first comprehensive study of how to transition to a net zero energy system by 2050 while ensuring stable and affordable energy supplies It sets out a cost-effective and economically productive pathway dynamic and resilient energy economy dominated by renewables like solar and wind instead of fossil fuels The report also examines key uncertainties carbon capture and behavioural changes in reaching net zero The energy sector is the source of around three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions today and holds the key to averting the worst effects of climate change perhaps the greatest challenge humankind has faced Reducing global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to net zero by 2050 is consistent with efforts to limit the long-term increase in average global temperatures to 1.5˚C This calls for nothing less than a complete transformation of how we produce The growing political consensus on reaching net zero is cause for considerable optimism about the progress the world can make but the changes required to reach net zero emissions globally by 2050 are poorly understood A huge amount of work is needed to turn today’s impressive ambitions into reality especially given the range of different situations among countries and their differing capacities to make the necessary changes This special IEA report sets out a pathway for achieving this goal resulting in a clean and resilient energy system that would bring major benefits for human prosperity and well-being The global pathway to net zero emissions by 2050 detailed in this report requires all governments to significantly strengthen and then successfully implement their energy and climate policies Commitments made to date fall far short of what is required by that pathway The number of countries that have pledged to achieve net zero emissions has grown rapidly over the last year and now covers around 70% of global emissions of CO2 most pledges are not yet underpinned by near-term policies and measures the pledges to date would still leave around 22 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions worldwide in 2050 The continuation of that trend would be consistent with a temperature rise in 2100 of around 2.1 °C Global emissions fell in 2020 because of the Covid-19 crisis but are already rebounding strongly as economies recover Further delay in acting to reverse that trend will put net zero by 2050 out of reach we outline the essential conditions for the global energy sector to reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 The pathway described in depth in this report achieves this objective with no offsets from outside the energy sector and with low reliance on negative emissions technologies It is designed to maximise technical feasibility cost-effectiveness and social acceptance while ensuring continued economic growth and secure energy supplies We highlight the priority actions that are needed today to ensure the opportunity of net zero by 2050 – narrow but still achievable – is not lost but countries do not start in the same place or finish at the same time: advanced economies have to reach net zero before emerging markets and developing economies We also recognise that the route mapped out here is a path notably concerning the roles played by bioenergy Getting to net zero will involve countless decisions by people across the world but our primary aim is to inform the decisions made by policy makers who have the greatest scope to move the world closer to its climate goals The path to net zero emissions is narrow: staying on it requires immediate and massive deployment of all available clean and efficient energy technologies In the net zero emissions pathway presented in this report the world economy in 2030 is some 40% larger than today but uses 7% less energy A major worldwide push to increase energy efficiency is an essential part of these efforts resulting in the annual rate of energy intensity improvements averaging 4% to 2030 – about three-times the average rate achieved over the last two decades Emissions reductions from the energy sector are not limited to CO2: in our pathway methane emissions from fossil fuel supply fall by 75% over the next ten years as a result of a global concerted effort to deploy all available abatement measures and technologies Ever-cheaper renewable energy technologies give electricity the edge in the race to zero Our pathway calls for scaling up solar and wind rapidly this decade reaching annual additions of 630 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaics (PV) and 390 GW of wind by 2030 this is equivalent to installing the world’s current largest solar park roughly every day the two largest sources of low-carbon electricity today provide an essential foundation for transitions electrification emerges as a crucial economy-wide tool for reducing emissions Electric vehicles (EVs) go from around 5% of global car sales to more than 60% by 2030.   All the technologies needed to achieve the necessary deep cuts in global emissions by 2030 already exist and the policies that can drive their deployment are already proven As the world continues to grapple with the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic it is essential that the resulting wave of investment and spending to support economic recovery is aligned with the net zero pathway Policies should be strengthened to speed the deployment of clean and efficient energy technologies Mandates and standards are vital to drive consumer spending and industry investment into the most efficient technologies Targets and competitive auctions can enable wind and solar to accelerate the electricity sector transition carbon pricing and other market reforms can ensure appropriate price signals Policies should limit or provide disincentives for the use of certain fuels and technologies such as unabated coal-fired power stations gas boilers and conventional internal combustion engine vehicles Governments must lead the planning and incentivising of the massive infrastructure investment including in smart transmission and distribution grids Reaching net zero by 2050 requires further rapid deployment of available technologies as well as widespread use of technologies that are not on the market yet Major innovation efforts must occur over this decade in order to bring these new technologies to market in time Most of the global reductions in CO2 emissions through 2030 in our pathway come from technologies readily available today almost half the reductions come from technologies that are currently at the demonstration or prototype phase In heavy industry and long-distance transport the share of emissions reductions from technologies that are still under development today is even higher The biggest innovation opportunities concern advanced batteries these three technology areas make vital contributions the reductions in CO2 emissions between 2030 and 2050 in our pathway Innovation over the next ten years – not only through research and development (R&D) and demonstration but also through deployment – needs to be accompanied by the large-scale construction of the infrastructure the technologies will need This includes new pipelines to transport captured CO2 emissions and systems to move hydrogen around and between ports and industrial zones Clean energy innovation must accelerate rapidly demonstration and deployment at the core of energy and climate policy Government R&D spending needs to be increased and reprioritised utilisation and storage (CCUS) today receive only around one-third of the level of public R&D funding of the more established low-carbon electricity generation and energy efficiency technologies Support is also needed to accelerate the roll-out of demonstration projects and to boost overall deployment levels to help reduce costs Around USD 90 billion of public money needs to be mobilised globally as soon as possible to complete a portfolio of demonstration projects before 2030 only roughly USD 25 billion is budgeted for that period Developing and deploying these technologies would create major new industries as well as commercial and employment opportunities A transition of the scale and speed described by the net zero pathway cannot be achieved without sustained support and participation from citizens The changes will affect multiple aspects of people’s lives – from transport heating and cooking to urban planning and jobs We estimate that around 55% of the cumulative emissions reductions in the pathway are linked to consumer choices such as purchasing an EV retrofitting a house with energy-efficient technologies or installing a heat pump particularly in advanced economies – such as replacing car trips with walking or foregoing a long-haul flight – also provide around 4% of the cumulative emissions reductions Providing electricity to around 785 million people that have no access and clean cooking solutions to 2.6 billion people that lack those options is an integral part of our pathway Emissions reductions have to go hand-in-hand with efforts to ensure energy access for all by 2030 equal to around 1% of average annual energy sector investment while also bringing major co-benefits from reduced indoor air pollution Some of the changes brought by the clean energy transformation may be challenging to implement Governments need to ensure that clean energy transitions are people-centred and inclusive Household energy expenditure as a share of disposable income – including purchases of efficient appliances and fuel bills – rises modestly in emerging market and developing economies in our net zero pathway as more people gain access to energy and demand for modern energy services increases rapidly Ensuring the affordability of energy for households demands close attention: policy tools that can direct support to the poorest include tax credits Energy transitions have to take account of the social and economic impacts on individuals and communities The transition to net zero brings substantial new opportunities for employment with 14 million jobs created by 2030 in our pathway thanks to new activities and investment in clean energy and building retrofits and energy-efficient construction would require a further 16 million workers But these opportunities are often in different locations skill sets and sectors than the jobs that will be lost as fossil fuels decline Most of those jobs are located close to fossil fuel resources meaning structural changes can cause shocks for communities with impacts that persist over time This requires careful policy attention to address the employment losses It will be vital to minimise hardships associated with these disruptions locating new clean energy facilities in heavily affected areas wherever possible global energy demand in 2050 is around 8% smaller than today but it serves an economy more than twice as big and a population with 2 billion more people resource efficiency and behavioural changes combine to offset increases in demand for energy services as the world economy grows and access to energy is extended to all the energy sector is based largely on renewable energy Two-thirds of total energy supply in 2050 is from wind accounting for one-fifth of energy supplies Solar PV capacity increases 20-fold between now and 2050 Net zero means a huge decline in the use of fossil fuels They fall from almost four-fifths of total energy supply today to slightly over one-fifth by 2050 Fossil fuels that remain in 2050 are used in goods where the carbon is embodied in the product such as plastics and in sectors where low-emissions technology options are scarce Electricity accounts for almost 50% of total energy consumption in 2050 It plays a key role across all sectors – from transport and buildings to industry – and is essential to produce low-emissions fuels such as hydrogen total electricity generation increases over two-and-a-half-times between today and 2050 no additional new final investment decisions should be taken for new unabated coal plants the least efficient coal plants are phased out by 2030 and the remaining coal plants still in use by 2040 are retrofitted almost 90% of electricity generation comes from renewable sources with wind and solar PV together accounting for nearly 70% Most of the remainder comes from nuclear.     Governments need to provide credible step-by-step plans to reach their net zero goals Governments must put in place long-term policy frameworks to allow all branches of government and stakeholders to plan for change and facilitate an orderly transition Long-term national low-emissions strategies can set out a vision for national transitions These long-term objectives need to be linked to measurable short-term targets and policies Our pathway details more than 400 sectoral and technology milestones to guide the global journey to net zero by 2050.   Beyond projects already committed as of 2021 there are no new oil and gas fields approved for development in our pathway and no new coal mines or mine extensions are required The unwavering policy focus on climate change in the net zero pathway results in a sharp decline in fossil fuel demand meaning that the focus for oil and gas producers switches entirely to output – and emissions reductions – from the operation of existing assets Unabated coal demand declines by 98% to just less than 1% of total energy use in 2050 Gas demand declines by 55% to 1 750 billion cubic metres and oil declines by 75% to 24 million barrels per day (mb/d) And the required roll-out of hydrogen and CCUS after 2030 means laying the groundwork now: annual investment in CO2 pipelines and hydrogen-enabling infrastructure increases from USD 1 billion today to around USD 40 billion in 2030 Policies need to be designed to send market signals that unlock new business models and mobilise private spending Accelerated delivery of international public finance will be critical to energy transitions but ultimately the private sector will need to finance most of the extra investment required Mobilising the capital for large-scale infrastructure calls for closer co operation between developers public financial institutions and governments Reducing risks for investors will be essential to ensure successful and affordable clean energy transitions Many emerging market and developing economies which rely mainly on public funding for new energy projects and industrial facilities will need to reform their policy and regulatory frameworks to attract more private finance International flows of long-term capital to these economies will be needed to support the development of both existing and emerging clean energy technologies Total annual energy investment surges to USD 5 trillion by 2030 adding an extra 0.4 percentage point a year to annual global GDP growth based on our joint analysis with the International Monetary Fund This unparalleled increase – with investment in clean energy and energy infrastructure more than tripling already by 2030 – brings significant economic benefits as the world emerges from the Covid-19 crisis The jump in private and government spending creates millions of jobs in clean energy All of this puts global GDP 4% higher in 2030 than it would be based on current trends Governments have a key role in enabling investment-led growth and ensuring that the benefits are shared by all There are large differences in macroeconomic impacts between regions But government investment and public policies are essential to attract large amounts of private capital and to help offset the declines in fossil fuel income that many countries will experience The major innovation efforts needed to bring new clean energy technologies to market could boost productivity and create entirely new industries providing opportunities to locate them in areas that see job losses in incumbent industries Improvements in air quality provide major health benefits with 2 million fewer premature deaths globally from air pollution in 2030 than today in our net zero pathway Achieving universal energy access by 2030 would provide a major boost to well-being and productivity in developing economies The contraction of oil and natural gas production will have far-reaching implications for all the countries and companies that produce these fuels No new oil and natural gas fields are needed in our pathway and oil and natural gas supplies become increasingly concentrated in a small number of low-cost producers the OPEC share of a much-reduced global oil supply increases from around 37% in recent years to 52% in 2050 a level higher than at any point in the history of oil markets Yet annual per capita income from oil and natural gas in producer economies falls by about 75% from USD 1 800 in recent years to USD 450 by the 2030s which could have knock-on societal effects Structural reforms and new sources of revenue are needed even though these are unlikely to compensate fully for the drop in oil and gas income While traditional supply activities decline the expertise of the oil and natural gas industry fits well with technologies such as hydrogen CCUS and offshore wind that are needed to tackle emissions in sectors where reductions are likely to be most challenging The energy transition requires substantial quantities of critical minerals and their supply emerges as a significant growth area The total market size of critical minerals like copper manganese and various rare earth metals grows almost sevenfold between 2020 and 2030 in the net zero pathway Revenues from those minerals are larger than revenues from coal well before 2030 This creates substantial new opportunities for mining companies It also creates new energy security concerns including price volatility and additional costs for transitions if supply cannot keep up with burgeoning demand The rapid electrification of all sectors makes electricity even more central to energy security around the world than it is today Electricity system flexibility – needed to balance wind and solar with evolving demand patterns – quadruples by 2050 even as retirements of fossil fuel capacity reduce conventional sources of flexibility The transition calls for major increases in all sources of flexibility: batteries demand response and low-carbon flexible power plants supported by smarter and more digital electricity networks The resilience of electricity systems to cyberattacks and other emerging threats needs to be enhanced Ensuring uninterrupted and reliable supplies of energy and critical energy-related commodities at affordable prices will only rise in importance on the way to net zero The focus of energy security will evolve as reliance on renewable electricity grows and the role of oil and gas diminishes Potential vulnerabilities from the increasing importance of electricity include the variability of supply and cybersecurity risks Governments need to create markets for investment in batteries digital solutions and electricity grids that reward flexibility and enable adequate and reliable supplies of electricity The growing dependence on critical minerals required for key clean energy technologies calls for new international mechanisms to ensure both the timely availability of supplies and sustainable production traditional energy security concerns will not disappear as oil production will become more concentrated Making net zero emissions a reality hinges on a singular unwavering focus from all governments – working together with one another The wide-ranging measures adopted by governments at all levels in the net zero pathway help to frame influence and incentivise the purchase by consumers and investment by businesses This includes how energy companies invest in new ways of producing and supplying energy services and how consumers cool and heat their homes Underpinning all these changes are policy decisions made by governments Devising cost-effective national and regional net zero roadmaps demands co-operation among all parts of government that breaks down silos and integrates energy into every country’s policy making on finance Energy or environment ministries alone cannot carry out the policy actions needed to reach net zero by 2050 Changes in energy consumption result in a significant decline in fossil fuel tax revenues gasoline and other fossil fuel consumption are an important source of public revenues tax revenue from oil and gas retail sales falls by about 40% between 2020 and 2030 Managing this decline will require long-term fiscal planning and budget reforms The net zero pathway relies on unprecedented international co-operation among governments The IEA stands ready to support governments in preparing national and regional net zero roadmaps to provide guidance and assistance in implementing them and to promote international co-operation to accelerate the energy transition worldwide.  This is not simply a matter of all governments seeking to bring their national emissions to net zero – it means tackling global challenges through co-ordinated actions Governments must work together in an effective and mutually beneficial manner to implement coherent measures that cross borders This includes carefully managing domestic job creation and local commercial advantages with the collective global need for clean energy technology deployment developing international standards and co-ordinating to scale up clean technologies needs to be done in a way that links national markets Co-operation must recognise differences in the stages of development of different countries and the varying situations of different parts of society achieving net zero emissions will be more difficult and costly without international co-operation the pathway to net zero without international assistance is not clear Technical and financial support is needed to ensure deployment of key technologies and infrastructure Without greater international co-operation global CO2 emissions will not fall to net zero by 2050.  A zero-carbon-ready building is highly energy efficient and either uses renewable energy directly or uses an energy supply that will be fully decarbonised by 2050 Battery gigafactory capacity assumption = 35 gigawatt-hours per year Historical and projected data from the 2021 Net Zero by 2050 report Paris https://www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-by-2050 You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of any IEA newsletter.