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Dale Earnhardt Jr. lives 'dream come true' in third-place finish for IndyCar iRacing debut

He's unsure when he might return to the virtual IndyCar grid, but it's sure not from Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s lack of enjoyment in Saturday's event.

       




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NASCAR, Chip Ganassi suspend Kyle Larson after driver uses racial slur in iRacing event

Kyle Larson's derogatory comments, which appeared meant for a private channel, went public Sunday night, and he's been suspended by his team and the series.

       




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IndyCar iRacing Challenge audience grows 25% in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s open-wheel debut

Broadcast on NBC Sports for the second consecutive week, IndyCar's iRacing audience grew 25% from the previous week.

       




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For NBC Sports crew, calling IndyCar's iRacing broadacasts 'awfully close' to real thing

Despite working in three different states, Leigh Diffey, Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy have IndyCar's iRacing events looking and sounding close to normal.

       




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For IndyCar's recent champions, iRacing adjustment has been emotional roller coaster

They've piled up more on-track success than any other drivers over the past three years. But adjusting to sim-racing has been another task entirely.

       




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Will Power on iRacing: 'If you're driving like an idiot, you'll be called out. It's a great tool'

Oliver Askew: 'Wish I could have handled the situation differently, but I am thankful I am able to learn from this in sim rather than real life.'

       




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Has interest in IndyCar's iRacing Challenge peaked? Latest broadcast takes ratings dive

After four races in its six-race iRacing Challenge, IndyCar fans may be starting to lose interest in the esports version of the sport.

       




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McLaren Formula 1 driver Lando Norris joining IndyCar's iRacing Challenge Saturday

McLaren Formula 1 driver Lando Norris becomes the latest special guest driver in IndyCar's iRacing Challenge.

       




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Simon Pagenaud goes back-to-back with his IndyCar iRacing Challenge win at Twin Ring Motegi

Once again, Simon Pagenaud's patient in-race strategy paid dividends during the late chaos for a second consecutive victory in IndyCar's iRacing Challenge.

       




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Lando Norris, Colton Herta reunited in this weekend's IndyCar iRacing Challenge

The two young drivers rose to stardom driving for Carlin Racing in Europe's several lower Formula series from 2015-16.

       




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McLaren Formula 1 driver Lando Norris wins IndyCar iRacing Challenge at COTA

In his first dip into the IndyCar world, McLaren Formula 1 driver Lando Norris beat series regulars at Circuit of the Americas.

       




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IndyCar iRacing Challenge: Scott McLaughlin conquers wild First Responder 175 at IMS

Multiple late wrecks allow McLaughlin to capitalize

       




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O sul-coreano que dá abrigo e aula em casa para 10 meninos que fugiram da Coreia do Norte

Kim Tae- hoon, de 45 anos, cuida de 10 meninos norte-coreanos que desertaram do regime repressivo de Pyongyang sem seus pais; o mais novo tem apenas 10 anos e o mais velho, 22.




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Primeira capital do Brasil em lockdown tem ruas lotadas e trânsito intenso

Epidemiologista diz que um dos maiores obstáculos para a cidade ter índices de isolamento maiores é a vulnerabilidade social da população do Maranhão.




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Doyel #senior class: Miranda Stickel ran on legs she knew might break

Chatard's Miranda Stickel was so determined to return to state, she ran on legs she knew might break. Then the coronavirus pandemic ended her career.

       




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'Irak'ta güvenlik iyileşiyor'

ABD Savunma Bakanı Robert Gates, sürpriz Irak ziyareti sırasında ABD birliklerinin muharip görevi geçen ay Irak güçlerine bırakması sonrası ülkede güvenlik koşullarındaki düzelmeyi övdü.




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Guardian: Atatürk'ün mirasına darbe

Guardian yazarı Simon Tisdall, Türkiye'deki Kürt açılımı tartışmalarını ele aldığı yazısında, Atatürk'ün mirasına Başbakan Erdoğan'ın en büyük darbeyi vurmak üzere olabileceğini öne sürüyor.




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Cummins is using Wisconsin facility to aid respirator production during COVID-19 outbreak

Cummins is partnering with Minnesota-based 3M to make filters for use in respirators used during the COVID-19 outbreak.

       




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Reliving Butler's 2010 run to Final Four: Not a miracle, but magical

Butler basketball's 2010 run to the final four was magical

       




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'Just for the camera?': Jimmy Kimmel deletes viral video that shows Pence delivering empty PPE boxes

Jimmy Kimmel tweeted and deleted a video clip that purportedly showed Vice President Mike Pence delivering empty PPE boxes to a health care center

       




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Does pandemic offer US and Iran chance for partial reset?

Jonathan Marcus looks at whether the crisis might lead to some rapprochement between the arch-foes.




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Coronavirus: Iran and the US trade blame over sanctions

Iran has blamed US sanctions for impeding its fight against Covid-19 - but the US says that's not true.




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Afghanistan investigates reports Iran guards forced migrants into river

Afghanistan is investigating the alleged torture and drowning of migrants at the Iranian border.




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IS militants step up attacks on Iraqi security forces

Analysts say IS is exploiting the coronavirus pandemic, which is occupying authorities' attention.




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New Iraq prime minister after five months of deadlock

Former intelligence chief Mustafa al-Kadhimi has been sworn in as the new prime minister.




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Coronavirus: US authorises use of anti-viral drug Remdesivir

The Food and Drug Administration authorises emergency use of the experimental anti-viral drug.




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'Operation Inspiration' grounded Saturday because of snow and hail

The famed Snowbirds were scheduled to fly over parts of Southern Ontario Saturday as part of "Operation Inspiration," but actual snow has grounded those plans for 24 hours.





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Gadgets taking inspiration from science fiction

Though the watch was invented centuries ago and cars 100 years ago, it has not stopped innovators trying to improve existing gadgets.




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News24.com | Pirates kidnap 6 crewmen from 2 fishing boats off Gabon: source

Pirates have attacked two fishing vessels near the Gabonese capital Libreville, abducting six crewmen, a source close to the Gabonese government told AFP.




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Michelle Obama, Lin-Manuel Miranda, James Corden and more expected at National Portrait Gallery’s gala

Like the Kennedy Center Honors, the gallery’s gala has turned into a red-carpet affair.




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Move over, Illuminati. The conspiracy against Trump’s economy is massive.

The credibility of statistics apparently depends on whether they’re beneficial.




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The Saudi-Iran crisis could end Trump’s lucky streak on the economy

The attack on Saudi oil facilities comes as the U.S. economy has been showing signs of fragility.




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States and cities should brace themselves for a downward spiral

Some states still haven’t recovered from the last recession. They could face worse now.




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12 Yoga Website Designs for Inspiration

Staying fit these days is now more important than ever with the global pandemic having no cure or vaccine yet other than a healthy body. It just so happens that being active is also more difficult because gyms are closed in affected areas. Home workouts like yoga, in that regard, are golden and yoga website […]

The post 12 Yoga Website Designs for Inspiration appeared first on SpyreStudios.




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Fin24.com | WATCH: Documents show Huawei role in shipping prohibited US gear to Iran

China’s Huawei, which for years has denied violating American trade sanctions on Iran, produced internal company records in 2010 that show it was directly involved in sending prohibited US computer equipment to Iran’s largest mobile-phone operator.




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News24.com | Qassem Soleimani: Arya should stick to facts on Iran

In the wake of Soleimani's death, a group of 60 American ethicists, including some notable Catholic theologians, released a statement stating that "the drone killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on January 3rd by the United States was not morally justified…"




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AT#134 - Traveling Iran by Bike

Iran by Bike




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AT#293 - Travel to Northern Iraq

The Amateur Traveler talks to Anil Polat who blogs under the name foxnomad about a recent trip to Northern Iraq. Anil is out to visit every country in the world which might lead him to visit a country before some others would deem it safe. Anil did not travel to the green zone but traveled in the Northern or Kurdish region of Iraq. Anil’s trip was made all the more interesting as he is ethnically Turkish. Says Anil:


Honestly that was one of my concerns before going. I did not know how people would respond to me, if people would not like me being there. The whole idea of a Kurdistan in Northern Iraq is a very controversial topic in Turkey to say the least.And also I had some security and safety concerns just because of the location. However, people were very friendly to me and it was a much more normal experience than I was expecting.




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AT#435 - Travel to Iran

Hear about travel to Iran as the Amateur Traveler talks to Shara Johnson from sjktravel.net about her recent trip to that country. George W. Bush called it part of the Axis of Evil but Shara found a warm and inviting country.




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AT#447 - Travel to the Island of Madeira

Hear about travel to the island of Madeira as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jörgen Abrahamsson who is a tour guide from Tue Nordic in this small Portuguese possession.

 




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AT#513 - Travel to the United Arab Emirates

Hear about travel to United Arab Emirates as the Amateur Traveler talks to travel writer Zora O'Neill about her recent trip to these small states on the Persian / Arabian Gulf.




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AT#646 - Travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Hear about travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the Amateur Traveler talks to Keri Hedrick from ourglobetrotters.com and familytravel-middleeast.com about her adopted country.




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America, Iraq and the Legacy of Ahmad Chalabi

Ahmad Chalabi helped lead the U.S. into war in Iraq, but if he ever had regrets about his role in the invasion, and the years of violence it unleashed, "he never voiced them to me," writes FRONTLINE correspondent Martin Smith.




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Photos Of Kim Jong Un Spark Conspiracy Theories About A Body Double…You Be The Judge

The following article, Photos Of Kim Jong Un Spark Conspiracy Theories About A Body Double…You Be The Judge, was first published on 100PercentFedUp.com.

For several weeks rumors of the North Korean dictator’s sickness and ultimately, his death, have been making their rounds in the media. North Korea’s state-run media released photos of  Kim Jong Un that were allegedly taken on May 1, at the opening of a fertilizer factory in Sunchon, N. Korea. Twitter users who’ve studied the images are […]

Continue reading: Photos Of Kim Jong Un Spark Conspiracy Theories About A Body Double…You Be The Judge ...




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Mother of the Year, Michelle Obama Explains How Having Kids Was A “Concession”… Had To Give Up Her “Aspirations and Dreams” [VIDEO]

The following article, Mother of the Year, Michelle Obama Explains How Having Kids Was A “Concession”… Had To Give Up Her “Aspirations and Dreams” [VIDEO], was first published on 100PercentFedUp.com.

While campaigning for her community organizer turned presidential candidate husband, Barack, Michelle Obama told a crowd of his supporters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that for the first time in her life, she was proud to be an American. Four years later, Michelle Obama was a keynote speaker at the DNC convention, where she told Democrats how […]

Continue reading: Mother of the Year, Michelle Obama Explains How Having Kids Was A “Concession”… Had To Give Up Her “Aspirations and Dreams” [VIDEO] ...




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The Struggle for Reform in Iraq and Lebanon

Research Event

3 December 2019 - 9:30am to 10:45am

Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE

Event participants

Renad Mansour, Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House
Alia Moubayed, Managing Director, Jefferies
Chair: Lina Khatib, Head, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House

Over recent weeks, widespread popular protests have engulfed Iraq and Lebanon. What began as calls for reform in the context of high unemployment and endemic corruption have evolved into direct challenges to the existing political order in both countries.

In response, ruling elites have moved to protect the systems from which they draw power. In Iraq, the state has responded to protests with violence, killing more than 300 people and injuring over 15,000. In Lebanon, protesters are facing attempts at co-optation and intransigence by their leaders. These developments have served to underline the widening gap between elites and ordinary citizens and to highlight geopolitical tensions in the region that have contributed to both countries' woes.

This event will delve into what is at stake for those mobilizing in Iraq and Lebanon. Speakers will discuss the obstacles to meaningful reform and possible routes out of the current crises.

To attend this event, please e-mail Reni Zhelyazkova.

Reni Zhelyazkova

Programme Coordinator, Middle East and North Africa Programme
+44 (0)20 7314 3624




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Webinar – Analysis: Protests in Iraq and Lebanon

Invitation Only Research Event

3 December 2019 - 2:30pm to 3:00pm

Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE

Event participants

Dr Lina Khatib, Head, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House
Dr Renad Mansour, Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House

Over recent weeks, widespread popular protests have engulfed Iraq and Lebanon. What began as calls for reform in the context of high unemployment and endemic corruption have evolved into direct challenges to the existing political order in both countries. How have the ruling elites responded to the popular uprisings? What do these developments mean for the future of the two countries and the region more broadly?

Dr Lina Khatib and Dr Renad Mansour will discuss what is at stake for protesters and what are the obstacles to meaningful and sustainable reform in Iraq and Lebanon.

Please note this webinar is for Middle East and North Africa Programme supporters only and will be taking place online.

Reni Zhelyazkova

Programme Coordinator, Middle East and North Africa Programme
+44 (0)20 7314 3624




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As Parliamentary Elections Loom, the Legitimacy of Iran’s Regime Has Been Shaken

5 December 2019

Dr Sanam Vakil

Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme
The latest wave of protests highlights a fracturing social contract in the Islamic Republic.

2019-12-05-Iran.jpg

Iranian protesters block a road during a demonstration against an increase in gasoline prices in Isfahan on 16 November. Photo: Getty Images.

For four decades, the rule of Iran’s Islamic Republic has rested on the pillars of redistributive social justice, foreign policy independence, Islam and a managed form of electoral legitimacy.  These pillars, each of equal importance, have served as guiding principles bolstering Iran’s domestic and foreign policy decisions.  Amid the latest round of protests to have gripped Iran, it is clear that these pillars are fracturing. 

On 15 November at midnight, the Iranian government, in a move supported by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani, Speaker of the Parliament Ali Larijani and Head of the Judiciary Ebrahim Raisi, announced a 200 per cent increase in fuel prices – a redistributive measure designed to provide cash transfers to the population.

In immediate reaction, Iranian citizens took to the streets to express their discontent with this policy move alongside mounting economic and political grievances.

What ensued over the subsequent days was an outbreak of protests through 100 Iranian cities, including at universities and bazaars, that was followed by a weeklong internet blackout and a brutal crackdown that has left at least 200 people dead and 7,000 arrested. Initially, public anger focused on the price increases but quickly targeted the political leadership, lack of government accountability, effective governance and corruption.

This wave of protests is the fourth in a two-decade period – 1999, 2009, 2017 and 2019 – for the Islamic Republic and comes at time when the Iranian government is under severe economic strain from Washington’s maximum pressure campaign. It is equally burdened by endemic factional politicking.

These protests are one of many reminders of the shattered social contract between state and society in Iran, which without repair will continue to resurface.

With internet connectivity resumed and news of the regime’s brutality spreading, conservatives and reformists are both trying to distance themselves from this internal crisis and reposition themselves in advance of the 2020 parliamentary elections.

Parliamentary elections for Iran’s 290-person legislature are expected to be held on 21 February. Amid concerns over public apathy and lower political participation, both reformists and conservatives are trying to develop strategies to maximize gains at their ballot box.

Even before these protests, voter turnout was anticipated to be lower than normal. Participation in the July 2019 Tehran municipality election was at a nadir of 9 per cent.  To prepare for this challenge, Iran’s parliament has lowered the vote threshold for a valid result from 25 to 20 per cent.

Elections in Iran, while by no means completely free and fair due to the vetting of candidates by the Guardian Council, have repeatedly been an important barometer of public support and participation. Electoral participation, which is traditionally higher than in most Western democracies, and compared to the lack of electoral opportunities in the Middle East, is heralded as a sign of public legitimacy. 

Voter participation is generally higher in presidential elections than in legislative ones.

For example, 73% voted in the 2017 presidential elections, 72% in 2013, 80% in the contested 2009 elections, and 59% in 2005 elections that brought Mahmood Ahmadinejad to office. Comparatively, in the 2016 parliamentary elections 62% voted, in 2012, 66%, in 2008, 47%, and in 2004, 51% participated.

Voter turnout in the 2008 parliamentary elections, reflective of public apathy, mounting international tensions over the nuclear programme, and Guardian Council vetting of reformist candidates, could be emblematic of what to expect next year. 

In the run up to the election, conservative groups are trying to capitalize on popular economic frustrations, disappointment with reformists, wider regional security concerns and tensions with the United States to rally voters. 

Reformists associated with the Rouhani government, who also supported the Iran nuclear agreement, have been severely weakened by the US maximum pressure campaign and the return of US sanctions.  They are also blamed for the current economic downturn and remain frustrated by their ability to affect change in a political system that affords more power to unelected figures.

Amidst this stalemate, Rouhani has continued to call for a national referendum to no avail, while reformist groups are debating how to position themselves – some even calling for greater accountability – so as not be tainted by the government crackdown. Leading reformist politicians such as Mohammad Khatami have called on reformists to stay united and avoid boycotting the elections. It remains to be seen how their strategy will develop after the protests.

Should the Guardian Council bar too many reformists from running, calls for a boycott could snowball and even incite new protests. Together with low turnout at the ballot box, the outcome of this election could further damage the regime’s already fragile electoral pillar and weaken its claims to legitimacy.




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Iraq's Reconstruction: In Conversation with Governor of Anbar Ali Farhan Hamid

Invitation Only Research Event

18 December 2019 - 9:00am to 10:30am

Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE

Event participants

Ali Farhan Hamid, Governor of Anbar Province
Chair: Dr Renad Mansour, Senior Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House

In the aftermath of the liberation from ISIS, the government of Iraq was left to count the cost of three years of brutal conflict, only the most recent phase in the ongoing cycle of conflict and stabilization that has plagued Iraq for 16 years. While reconstruction has been a focus of both the Iraqi government and international policymakers since 2003, billions of dollars in pledged funds have continually failed to reach the places they are most needed. 

At this roundtable, Ali Farhan Hamid will discuss the efforts of his provincial government to rebuild the cities and towns worst-hit by the conflict. He will provide insights into the practical and structural impediments to reconstruction efforts in both Anbar and neighbouring provinces such as Ninewah where the worst damage was sustained under ISIS but where little in the way of reconstruction has been achieved thereby leaving the door open to the potential resurgence of conflict.

The roundtable is part of the Chatham House Iraq Initiative.

Event attributes

Chatham House Rule

Reni Zhelyazkova

Programme Coordinator, Middle East and North Africa Programme
+44 (0)20 7314 3624