Jeddah Dates: 18-20 April Start time for the race: 18:00 BST on Sunday
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly set the pace ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris in first practice at the Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia.
Gasly edged past Norris by 0.007 seconds to finish his performance run on soft tyres later than the usual front-runners.
After four races, Norris and team-mate Oscar Piastri were three points clear of each other.
Ferrari’s Alex Albon and Mercedes’ George Russell were ahead of Piastri, who was 0. 995 seconds off Norris.
Verstappen continued to struggle to get a good balance out of the Red Bull, complaining of understeer in the first few sessions before declaring the car was “very loose, especially in the high speed” in the final stages.
Engineer Giampiero Lambiase suggested that he try backing off on entry to the long, banked Turn 13 left-hander for a quicker exit, but he said, “I can’t.” Basically, imagine having no balance.
Although Piastri was one of the few drivers to lightly brush the track at the start or finish of the high-speed, high-risk Jeddah street circuit and Norris one of the many to lock up at either the first or last corner as they adapted to the dusty track in the early stages of the weekend, there were no major incidents.
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Enzo Maresca, the club’s owner, said he still has the backing of the club despite the growing unease among the Blues’ fans.
The players’ boos that came after Legia Warsaw’s 2-1 quarter-final and second-leg defeat overshadowed their bid for qualification for the Conference League semifinals on Thursday.
Following a five-game winning streak, Chelsea have also fallen to sixth place in the Premier League.
When asked if he felt backed the club’s hierarchy, who have fired three managers at Chelsea in less than three years, Maresca responded, “Absolutely yes, no doubt.”
Havertz Could Make A Champions League Remark:
We have been playing in the Champions League almost the entire season. A semifinal of the European competition is underway. So why do we need to make changes right away? I have no doubts about our actions or our approach.
We faced setbacks like Legia, but for different reasons, I believe this strengthens our position in the future. ”
Reece James, the team’s captain, claimed that Legia’s performance at home to Chelsea had “disrespected” the Conference League following last week’s first leg, winning 3-0 in Poland.
Because of the first result, we tried to play the game the wrong way, I believe he was correct, Maresca said.
He probably is correct in what he said. He sort of introduces us to the changing area. ”
James was earlier criticized for his lack of leadership abilities, and Maresca claimed the England right-back was now acting as a role model.
In an effort to get more from him, I simply targeted this one. And now, the Italian claims, he is also succeeding in leadership.
At least you have to try to build some leaders when you don’t have a leader, he says. Reece is currently performing well. There are two or three players who are putting forth efforts to assist the others. ”
Can the BRICS nations challenge the US? Interview with Vijay Prashad, a historian, and Redi Tlhabi.
Nation-states in the Global South are revising their geopolitical alignments and economic strategies in the wake of growing global instability and abrogynous Western alliances. Russia, Brazil, India, China, South Africa, and other emerging economies have joined the BRICS bloc as a counterweight to the US-dominated financial system.
Can the BRICS countries fulfill their potential as significant allies in a multipolar world?
After being linked with Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso says it’s “not a good time” to talk about his future.
Should Carlo Ancelotti leave Real at the end of the season, the 43-year-old is reportedly a contender.
Alonso is well-known for leading Leverkusen to the German Cup and the Double of a Bundesliga title in his first full season as senior club manager last year.
“I don’t want to discuss rumors and speculation.” What’s happening right now is more important to me than anything else, as I understand that this is happening.
Alonso was “comfortable” at Leverkusen, according to Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro, who stated last week that the pair were already making plans for the coming season.
Alonso stated at a press conference in March that he wanted to stay at Leverkusen despite previous contacts with Real, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich.
The former Liverpool and Spain midfielder won La Liga and the Champions League between 2009 and 2014.
Alonso left after three years with Bayern Munich in 2017 and withdrew as a player.
Prior to spending three years in charge of Real Sociedad’s B team, he began coaching Real Madrid’s Under-14 team the following year.
Leverkusen took over the club in October 2022, taking over from them as second-bottom in the Bundesliga, and leading them to a sixth-place finish.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the definition of a woman and sex in the Equality Act, pop star Sam Smith has issued a powerful message on social media.
Sam Smith has voiced their thoughts on the Supreme Court ruling (Image: Variety via Getty Images)
Sam Smith has issued a powerful message following the Supreme Court ruling the definition of a woman and sex in the Equality Act relates to “a biological woman and biological sex”. The controversial decision has been branded as “erasure” of transgender people by critics.
Five senior judges made the choice to define the terms “women” and “sex” as biological woman and biological sex. It has raised questions over access to single-sex spaces and protections based on sex, especially for trans rights.
Singer Sam, who uses the pronouns they/them and doesn’t identify as a woman, responded to the decision with a powerful message of solidarity. Sam wrote in a social media post, “Trans people exist.
“A world without trans people has never existed and never will. Trans rights are human rights. I am heartbroken for our community. But we cannot and will not be erased. We are real.”
Sam shared a strong message on social media(Image: Instagram)
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Sam’s words were echoed by Celebrity Big Brother star Kellie Maloney, who said life will become “very dangerous” for trans people. “This ruling has put a lot of fear in a lot of people,” said Kellie.
The campaign group For Women Scotland (FWS), which mandates 50% female representation on public boards, brought the decision after a lengthy legal battle over the definition of a woman in Scottish legislation.
Its effects are anticipated to be felt throughout Northern Ireland, Wales, and England. GRC-certified transgender people are entitled to sex-based protections, according to the Scottish government, while GRC-certified individuals are only limited to those who were born female.
The issue was whether or not a GRC-certified person who recognized their gender as a woman should be treated as a woman under the 2010 Equality Act.
The decision was made by UK Supreme Court Judge Lord Hodge, who defended the law’s protection against discrimination.
He said, “The Equality Act 2010 unanimously recognizes a biological woman and biological sex. However, we advise against viewing this judgment as a victory for one or more social groups over another.
The government responded, saying that the decision provided clarity in areas like sports clubs, hospitals, and refuges. The decision raises the possibility of additional laws regulating access to facilities, including changing rooms. However, judges emphasized that transgender people’s discrimination protections were not being violated.
A Government spokesman said: “We have always supported the protection of single sex spaces based on biological sex. This ruling brings clarity and confidence, for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges, and sports clubs. Single sex spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by this government.”
Harry Potter author JK Rowling was among those praising the verdict and in recent years has been very vocal about trans people and their rights. She said on X: “It took three extraordinary, tenacious Scottish women with an army behind them to get this case heard by the Supreme Court and, in winning, they’ve protected the rights of women and girls across the UK. @ForWomenScot I’m so proud to know you.”
Continue reading the article.
The writer continued, “Trans people have lost no rights today, although I doubt some (not all) will be angry that the Supreme Court upheld women’s sex-based rights.”
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Liam Cameron claims to have been paid “absolute fortune” for the decision to skip the next ten rounds of Saturday’s rematch with Ben Whittaker.
After Boxxer’s promoters made a mistake on the contract that Cameron received, the light-heavyweight initially agreed to hold a 12-round contest in Birmingham.
Boxxer insisted that the rematch should have been in doubt, so Cameron was paid an undisclosed fee to agree to the new terms because the fight should have been 10 rounds instead.
At Friday’s news conference, Cameron claimed, “They paid me an absolute fortune to get it down] from a 12 round.”
“If I were Ben, I would say I was fighting 12 and have that psychological edge. He might have acted upon my bluff. I could have fought 10 times in a row.
The first fight ended in a bizarre way last October, when both men fell over the ropes and injured Whittaker was unable to continue.
Has Whittaker’s stock dropped since Cameron’s “lotto” win?
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Whittaker, 27, won seven fights and won the Olympic silver medal, but some purists thought his flashy demeanor was disrespectful toward his rivals. He quickly became a hit for his showboating and highlight-reel victories.
When many onlookers predicted Cameron would win their first meeting comfortably before it was stopped, the West Bromwich fighter’s stock dropped.
Whittaker, who has won eight professional fights with the one draw, said, “I think that was the best chance to get me and he didn’t.”
He claims to have “got structure” in his training and has since joined coach Andy Lee.
After winning a contract with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions against Whittaker in Saudi Arabia, Cameron feels like he “has won the lottery.”
The 34-year-old Sheffield boxer was depressed and had alcohol issues while receiving a four-year ban for his part due to a 2019 anti-doping violation.
Cameron, who has won 23 fights, lost six, and drawn one, said, “I have grabbed every opportunity I can get.”
Heavyweight Clarke is “fit and firing” and ready to return.
Ebenezer Tetteh and Olympic bronze medalist Frazer Clarke square off against Ebenezer Clarke at BP Pulse Live Arena on the undercard.
After having surgery on his jaw and cheekbone following a first-round stoppage loss to Fabio Wardley in October, Clarke insisted he is “healthy” and that “there is a lot more to come” in his career.
The 33-year-old claimed that she has been hit and injured before.
