#Dakar 2017

[coimbrabertone]

MotoGP and the KTM Situation

So...KTM's parent company, Pierer Mobility Group, is in a bit of a mess.

A $3 billion in the red kind of mess.

How did this happen? Well, the short answer is that Pierer Mobility Group and KTM expanded too fast, too quickly, and now their debt is catching up with them. As for the long story, well...

Stefan Pierer, an Austrian businessman, founded an investment company called Cross Industries (what is now Pierer Mobility Group) in 1987, and in 1992, he took over KTM Motorrad in his native Austria. In 1994, KTM launched the Duke line, which took the traditionally dirt-bike focused KTM brand into the road bike business for the first time.

Dirt bikes remained a key element of KTM's business - and racing dirt bikes in things like Motocross and the Dakar Rally is a huge part of KTM's identity - but the allure of road bikes is what we'll be focusing on for this story.

A series of adventure and supermoto bikes followed, before in 2003, KTM entered Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing for the first time. While Ducati entered into the 4-stroke 990cc top class that same year, KTM instead focused their efforts on the 2-stroke 125cc class, as well as the 250cc class from 2005 onwards.

They took their first win at the 2004 Malaysian Grand Prix when Casey Stoner won the 125cc during his only season on KTM machinery, followed by a championship challenge the very next year. Mika Kallio won at Estoril, the Sachsenring, Motegi, and Valencia, whilst teammate Gabor Talmacsi won at Mugello, Assen, and Qatar. Qatar and Valencia were 1-2 finishes for KTM, and ultimately, Kallio finished second in the 125cc standings while Talmacsi finished third. Julian Simon on a third bike would win in the wet at Donington Park and finish eighth, putting three KTMs in the top ten in 125s in 2005 - a very respectable showing in just their third season competing.

Kallio would again finish second in 125 in 2006, with three wins to his name, whilst in 250cc, Hiroshi Aoyama won at Turkey and Japan, finishing third in those standings.

Aoyama and Kallio would both compete in 250cc in 2007, with Aoyama winning at the Sachsenring and Malaysia, while Kallio won in the wet at Motegi and then again at the season finale in Valencia. Aoyama would finish sixth while Kallio was seventh.

2008 would mark a full barreled 250 effort with Aoyama and Kallio joined by returning third bike man Julian Simon. Kallio would perform well, winning at Jerez, a wet Shanghai, and at a dry Donington Park, but Aoyama and Simon would go winless. The 125cc effort had also atrophied by now, with the most notable result being some rookie called Marc Marquez taking a third place at Donington.

KTM's attention was fading by this point, and their road bike efforts turned from Grand Prix racing and towards their new RC 1190 superbike. Additionally, the X-Bow track car gave KTM an exciting new toy to play with.

Their Grand Prix efforts were winding down.

KTM only competed in the 125cc class in 2009, and with Marc Marquez only managing a single podium at Jerez, they decided not to continue for 2010.

Marc Marquez in 2010 would move to the Red Bull Ajo team riding a Derbi/Aprilia RSA-125 and would win 10 races to dominate the championship.

So yeah...it wasn't a rider problem, their bike just kinda sucked by that point.

Meanwhile, KTM continued to expand their company. In 1995, they acquired Husaberg AB, a manufacturer established to keep dirt bike production in Sweden after Husqvarna's parent company Cagiva moved their production to Varese, Italy. KTM would in 2003 move Husaberg production to Mattighofen, Austria, making the whole thing rather pointless. Next, in 2007, came ventures with Indian giant Bajaj, who began distributing KTMs in India in exchange for a 14.5% stake.

In 2011 a similar collaboration would begin with CFMoto in China, which in 2017, became a downright joint venture between them and KTM.

Then in 2013, Husqvarna - now in BMW's hands - was sold to the Pierer Mobility Group, who promptly merged it and Husaberg, so instead of being produced in Sweden or Italy, it was all now in Austria.

In 2012, KTM would reenter GP racing with the introduction of the 4-stroke 250cc Moto3 class. They'd win the championship with Sandro Cortese, while in 2013...they won everything. Maverick Vinales in first, Alex Rins in second, Luis Salom in third, and Alex Marquez in fourth were all on KTM RC250GPs.

Fifth place was Jonas Folger on a KTM-engined Kalex.

Complete and utter domination.

On the back of this, KTM planned to enter the top class for the first time. With a V4 engine, a steel trellis frame, and Red Bull sponsorship, KTM entered the RC16 in the 2016 Valencian GP ahead of a full debut in 2017.

Who rode the RC16 at Valencia? None other than Mika Kallio, the Finn returning to KTM as their test and development rider after stints with Ducati in MotoGP and Marc VDS in Moto2.

Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith would be their full-time riders for 2017 and 2018, with Pol scoring KTM's first podium at the 2018 Valencian GP - KTM sure does have a weird affinity with Valencia, eh?

2019 would mark two big changes: first is that Johann Zarco replaced Bradley Smith, second is that KTM gained a satellite team for the first time. Yup, after competing as Monster Energy Yamaha for ten years, Tech3 became Red Bull KTM Tech3, with Hafizh Syahrin and Miguel Oliveira riding for them.

Zarco would force his way out of KTM before the year was even over, forcing Kallio to fill in for him at the final six races, but other than that...KTM's 2019 was more of a building year. They collected some points while, in the background, KTM began to move away from the steel trellis, aluminum swingarm, and old school screamer engine.

The frame became a more typical steel/aluminum hybrid, the swingarm a radical carbon fiber, and the engine conformed to the now ubiquitous big bang firing order.

The results? Rookie Brad Binder wins the 2020 Czech Grand Prix in just his third start, while on the Tech3 bike, Miguel Oliveira wins at Styria and Portimao.

KTM also took the opportunity to buy out the struggling GasGas brand in 2019, giving Pierer Mobility Group its third brand.

KTM was winning in MotoGP, it was expanding its business, but it was also already signing its own death warrant.

With the purchase of GasGas, Pierer Mobility Group now had three different brands that were predominantly in the dirt bike business. They tried to position GasGas as the entry level brand, KTM in the middle, and the Husqvarna as a premium brand, sort of trying to be the General Motors of motorcycles, there's just two problems with that:

One: Bikes are so much more niche compared to cars.

Two: even in cars the multi-brand thing doesn't work so well, with GM killing off storied brands like Oldsmobile and Pontiac in recent memory, along with more recent ventures like Saturn and Hummer failing to carve out a niche.

Nevertheless, with COVID giving a lot of people a lot of time on their hands, KTM initially had very strong sales. Lots of people were trying out their motorcycles for the first time, and with KTM giving variety between dirt bikes, road bikes, and even teasing a return to the superbike market with the RC 990, maybe things would work out.

They did not.

KTM banked on the COVID bubble.

They spent money acquiring the likes of GasGas, Husqvarna, and now a 50.1% stake in MV Agusta as well, they banked on joint ventures with Bajaj and CFMoto giving them access to the eastern markets only to develop a reputation in India for being overpriced and having bad build quality. On top of this, KTM began the scummy business practice of hiding riding software behind a paywall, most notably with their cruise control.

(For no reason at all, I'm also going to point out that Stefan Pierer has a seat on the Mercedes-Benz supervisory board.)

The end result of all this? KTM sits on 265,000 unsold bikes. Unsold bikes which only meet Euro 5 emissions standards, meaning that when the Euro 5+ standards come into effect in March, KTM will not be able to sell those bikes in Europe, where, with 11.8% market share, KTM is the largest motorcycle manufacturer.

Furthermore, KTM was not able to pay its workers their December salaries until last Friday, the 27th. November salaries remain unpaid, and Christmas bonuses have been cut entirely.

300 jobs at KTM are expected to be cut in January.

So...with all this going on, there are some big, big question marks about whether KTM will be able to continue racing in MotoGP.

They have released a statement confirming they will race in 2025 and with KTM having already sending two of their three factory rally raid riders to Dakar - the third is out with a leg injury - that seems reasonably secure.

Beyond that? It's unclear.

It's unclear how much development KTM will be doing to stay competitive as well. Initial reports suggested that KTM has already paused development, but KTM disputes this.

Now, a recent Austrian report says that KTM plans to withdraw in 2026, citing contracts and not wanting the PR disaster of early termination. What does that mean.

Well, KTM is contracted with Dorna through 2026, the end of the current regulation cycle.

Brad Binder has two years left on his contract, while Acosta, Vinales, and Bastianini are all on multiyear deals - traditional wisdom in racing says that multiyear deals typically translate to 2 years + a 1 year optional extension.

Furthermore, an engine freeze is coming into MotoGP in 2026, which will reduce development costs.

So...I believe that this means that KTM will see out their contracts, racing through 2025 and 2026 with their current set of riders. 2025 is already budgeted and we know that's secure, while seeing out the 2026 season and leaving at the end of 2026 seems to match up with these Austrian reports.

This is still a developing story, so I may well be wrong here.

It's also important to remember that this is about more than racing, it's about the people. Many, many, many people work at KTM, both on the production bike side and on the race team. These people are going through a tough time right now with this KTM bankruptcy drama, and you have to hope things turn out well for them.

I'm not much of a KTM fan - I don't oppose them either, I suppose I'm more of a neutral then - but I'd hate to lose them in MotoGP. I'd hate even more to see people lose their jobs because the ownership chased unsustainable growth.

That COVID bubble has been vicious to the business world.

[xtruss]

Happy Eid-ul-Fitr To All Muslim Ummah Around The Globe!

See How Muslims Celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr Around The World

From Beachside Prayers In Senegal To Colorful Festivals In Pakistan, These Pictures Show The Many Ways That Muslims Observe The End of The Holy Month of Ramadan.

— By Gulnaz Khan | March 26, 2025

Muslims gather to offer Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Jama Masjid in New Delhi, India. Eid al-Fitr marks a joyful end to Ramadan, a sacred month of fasting and prayer. The three-day festival is celebrated in many different ways across the world. Photograph By Jave Dar, Xinhua/Getty Images

As the Islamic holy month of Ramadan comes to a close, Muslims around the world are preparing for a celebration filled with prayer, feasts, and community. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and is expected to be observed on March 30 or March 31 this year, depending on the sighting of the moon.

Beginning and ending with the new moon, Ramadan falls on the ninth month of the Arabic lunar calendar. It is believed by Muslims to be when the first verses of the Koran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad more than a millennium ago. From sunrise to sunset, Muslims abstain from food, drink, and vices like gossip and lying. Not only is it meant to be a period of self-reflection, but to serve as a reminder to be charitable to the less fortunate.

Dakar, Senegal 🇸🇳! Senegalese Muslims are seen before they perform Eid al-Fitr prayer in the backyard and adjacent beach of the Mausoleum Seydina Limamou in Dakar, Senegal, on July 18, 2015. Prayer is an important part of Eid celebrations, and is typically performed in the morning along with other community members in an open space such as this one. Photograph By Cemil Oksuz, Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Eid al-Fitr, Arabic for “festival of breaking fast," is celebrated over three days at the end of Ramadan through prayer, feasts, parades, gifts, and charitable giving. Here's a look at how it is celebrated around the world.

Beijing, China 🇨🇳! Chinese Hui Muslim men light incense after Eid al-Fitr prayers marking the end of Ramadan at the historic Niujie Mosque on July 6, 2016, in Beijing. Of an estimated 23 million Muslims in China, nearly half are Hui, who are ethnically Chinese and speak Mandarin. China's constitution provides for Islam as one of five "approved" religions in the officially atheist country, although the government enforces severe limits. Worship is permitted only at state-sanctioned mosques and proselytizing in public is illegal. During Ramadan, Hui Muslims fast from dawn until dusk. Photograph By Kevin Frayer, Getty Images

West Java, Indonesia 🇮🇩! Indonesian Muslims attend Eid al-Fitr prayers along the banks of the river Cisadane in Bogor, West Java, on May 2, 2022. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population of any country in the world with an estimated 205 million adherents—or roughly 88 percent of its population. Photograph By Adriana Adie, Nurphoto/Getty Images

Karachi, Pakistan ���🇰! People enjoy camel riding during an Eid al-Fitr festival in Karachi, Pakistan, on May 5, 2022. In Pakistan, Eid is an important time for families and friends to get together to celebrate the end of the fast—and greet each other with a traditional, "Eid Mubarak." Photograph By STR, Xinhua/Getty Images

London, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿! Two ladies, both named Fatima, take a walk through Regent's Park in London to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. The number of Muslims in England and Wales has gone up from 2.7 million in 2011 to 3.9 million in 2021​. ​London hosts an annual festival ​in Trafalgar Square to ​mark the end of Ramadan. Photograph By Elliott Franks, Eyevine/Redux

Top: Beirut, Lebanon 🇱🇧! Lebanese whirling dervishes perform during the holy month of Ramadan in the capital Beirut's Verdun Street on June 8, 2017. The ritual of whirling dervishes is observed by Sufi Muslims in honor of the 13th century poet Rumi. Though commonly associated with Turkey, NPR notes that there "are now many Sufi dervish orders around the world." Photograph By Anwar Amro, AFP/Getty Images

Bottom: Los Angeles, United States 🇺🇸! Children in south Los Angeles celebrate Eid al-Fitr. An estimated three to four million American Muslims from a diverse swath of races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds represent a growing minority in the U.S. Photograph By Lynsey Addario, National Geographic Image Collection

Jalalabad, Afghanistan 🇦🇫! An Afghan circus performer rides a motorcycle on the so-called "Wall of Death" at a fair on the second day of Eid al-Fitr in Jalalabad on August 9, 2013. ​Photograph By Nootullah Shirzada, AFP/Getty Images

Gaza City, Palestinian Territories 🇵🇸! Palestinian performer amuses onlookers with a wire which ignites sparks on the top of debris in front of Gaza City's Italian Tower, on June 22, 2015. Photograph By Ali Hassan, Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

[afrotumble]

Senegal: Third drinking water treatment plant at Keur Momar Sarr, built with African Development Bank backing, substantially enhances water service in Dakar and surrounding area | African Development Bank Group

[madamlaydebug]

On this day in 2021...

R.I.P.

Go well … you have fulfilled your purpose 💕https://www.patreon.com/RunokoRashidi

RUNOKO RASHIDI

Runoko Rashidi is an anthropologist and historian with a major focus on what he calls the Global African Presence--that is, Africans outside of Africa before and after enslavement. He is the author or editor of twenty-two books, the most recent of which are My Global Journeys in Search of the African Presence, Assata-Garvey and Me: A Global African Journey for Children in 2017 and The Black Image in Antiquityin 2019. His other works include Black Star: The African Presence in Early Europe, published by Books of Africa in London in November 2011 and African Star over Asia: The Black Presence in the East, published by Books of Africa in London in November 2012 and revised and reprinted in April 2013, Uncovering the African Past: The Ivan Van Sertima Papers, published by Books of Africa in 2015. His other works include the African Presence in Early Asia, co-edited by Dr. Ivan Van Sertima. Four of Runoko's works have been published in French.

As a traveler and researcher Dr. Rashidi has visited 124countries. As a lecturer and presenter, he has spoken insixty-sevencountries.

Runoko has worked with and under some of the most distinguished scholars of the past half-century, including Ivan Van Sertima, John Henrik Clarke, Asa G. Hilliard, Edward Scobie, John G. Jackson, Jan Carew and Yosef ben-Jochannan.

In October 1987 Rashidi inaugurated the First All-India Dalit Writer's Conference in Hyderabad, India.

In 1999 he was the major keynote speaker at the International Reunion of the African Family in Latin America in Barlovento, Venezuela.

In 2005 Rashidi was awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree, his first, by the Amen-Ra Theological Seminary in Los Angeles.

In August 2010 he was first keynote speaker at the First Global Black Nationalities Conference in Osogbo, Nigeria.

In December 2010 he was President and first speaker at the Diaspora Forum at the FESMAN Conference in Dakar, Senegal.

In 2018 he was named Traveling Ambassador to the Universal Negro Improvement Association & African Communities League RC 2020.

In 2020 he was named to the Curatorial and Academic boards of the Pan-African Heritage Museum.

He is currently doing major research on the African presence in the museums of the world.

As a tour leader he has taken groups to India, Australia, Fiji, Turkey, Jordan, Brazil, Egypt, Ghana, Togo, Benin, France, Belgium, England, Cote d'Ivoire, Namibia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Peru, Cuba, Luxembourg, Germany, Cameroon, the Netherlands, Spain, Morocco, Senegal, the Gambia,Guinea-Bissau,Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.

Runoko Rashidi's major mission in life is the uplift of African people, those at home and those abroad.

For more information write to Runoko@hotmail.com or call (323) 803-8663.

His website is www.drrunoko.com

[ifreakingloveroyals]

12 December 2017 | Queen Letizia of Spain meets First Lady of Senegal Marieme Faye Sall prior to an official lunch in Dakar, Senegal. Queen Letizia of Spain is on a four day visit to the west African country to support the Spanish cooperation projects. (c) Xaume Olleros/Getty Images

[lboogie1906]

Estelle Fanta Swaray (January 18, 1980) is a British singer and actress. She is known for her eclectic mix of various musical genres including R&B, soul, reggae, grime, hip-hop, and dance. She has collaborated with artists including John Legend, Robin Thicke, Rick Ross, Chris Brown, will. i.am, Kanye West, Pete Rock, David Guetta, and Tyler, The Creator.

After signing with V2 Records, she released her debut album The 18th Day (2004), which reached number 35 on the UK Albums Chart. Her next album, Shine (2008), which was released through the Atlantic Record Label, charted internationally and helped her significant mainstream success. The album included the single “American Boy” featuring West, which reached #1 in the UK and earned her several accolades, including a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Her last album released with the Atlantic label would be All of Me (2012); the single “Thank You” received a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Performance.

She has provided both the speaking and singing voice for the fictional character Garnet in the animated series Steven Universe (2013–19), a role which she reprised in Steven Universe: The Movie (2019) and Steven Universe Future (2019–20). She made cameo appearances in the films Beyond the Lights (2014) and Girls Trip (2017) and appeared as Linda in Fatal Affair (2020). She hosts and presents her show called The Estelle Show on Apple Music and has done over 500 episodes.

She was born and raised in Hammersmith, London, England. Her mother’s family came from Dakar, Senegal, and her father is West Indian. She was the second born of nine children.

She spent her childhood listening to her parents’ reggae records and her aunt’s soul collection before discovering hip hop. “I got into hip hop from my uncle; he was always playing us Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane; he was a bad boy and my mum wasn’t really happy that I was hanging out with him”. By the time she was in her early 20s, she had decided on a music career. She used to be a nanny before she began her music career. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[whipplefilter]

I'm in a mood where all I wanna do is list meaningless things:

First Racetrack: Dodge City Raceway Park (2016)

First NASCAR Track: Kentucky Speedway (2017)

First Favorite Driver: Denny Hamlin (2017)

First Favorite Driver Slate: Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson (2017)

First Nemesis: Ryan Newman (2017)

Most Recent Racetrack: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2024)

Most Recent NASCAR Track: Phoenix Raceway (2024)

Current Favorite Driver: Kyle Larson

Current Favorite Driver Slate: Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson (lol I am nothing if not consistent; the other two are just retired!

Current Nemesis: Ross Chastain

In Person Events: NASCAR, ARCA, IndyCar, BC39, AllStar Circuit of Champions, Great Lakes Super Sprints, M1 Concourse Speed Ring, High Limit, Sprint Cars on Ice, various local dirt/pavement/dragstrip events

TV/Streaming Events: NASCAR, ARCA, World of Outlaws, ARX Rallycross, F1, IndyCar, Chili Bowl, Dakar Rally, Rolex 24, IMSA

[craigpestone]

An Overview of 75 Years of Racing Triumphs for Porsche

Porsche and racing have had a strong link for 75 years. The German automaker has been a dominant force on the track, racking up victories and pushing the boundaries of automotive technology. Several iconic moments and drivers define Porsche's rich racing history.

Porsche's early strides in car racing began in the late 1940s. The legend began in 1948 with the birth of the Porsche 356. The car established the Porsche brand and laid the foundation for future racing success. Three years later, Porsche secured its first major win with a class victory at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. The victory showcased the car's endurance and performance.

Then, the 1950s saw Porsche continue its ascent in motorsports. Drivers like Gilberte Thirion carved their names in racing history. Victories at legendary races like the Carrera Panamericana and Targa Florio cemented Porsche's reputation as a builder of competitive sports cars.

Next, the 1960s marked a golden age for Porsche racing. The arrival of the iconic 911 brought a street legend and a dominant force on the track. Porsche's first Formula One win in 1962 with the 804 further solidified its engineering prowess. Le Mans remained a particular focus, with Hans Herrmann's near-miss in 1969 followed by a dream come true in 1970 - Porsche's first overall victory at the grueling 24-hour race.

Over the following forty years, Porsche continued its constant innovation and success. In the 1980s, the 956, featuring a revolutionary monocoque chassis, dominated Le Mans for an unprecedented six years straight. The partnership with McLaren to develop the TAG Turbo engine further demonstrated Porsche's ability to push boundaries. Victories in unexpected arenas like the Paris-Dakar Rally with the 953 and 959 showcased the versatility of Porsche engineering.

The 1990s saw the birth of the Porsche Carrera Cup, a one-make series that continues to nurture aspiring drivers today. Le Mans victories continued with the 911 GT1 in 1998, a testament to the enduring legacy of the 911 platform.

In the new millennium, the car manufacturer saw new challenges and triumphs. The American Le Mans Series saw the rise of the RS Spyder prototype, piloted by drivers like Timo Bernhard. In 2017, another incredible feat at Le Mans took place. After falling behind early, the 919 Hybrid staged a remarkable comeback to secure a third consecutive victory. Porsche's racing journey has gone beyond endurance racing. The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E team's historic one-two finish in Mexico City in 2022 marked a significant achievement in electric racing.

Porsche's racing legacy extends beyond the sheer number of trophies. With its ever-evolving regulations, Le Mans has been a testing ground for groundbreaking technologies. From lightweight materials to turbocharging and advanced aerodynamics, Porsche has consistently used the field of motorsport to develop innovations that trickle down to its production cars. Efficiency has also been a cornerstone of Porsche's racing philosophy.

From early victories in fuel consumption categories to the recent success of the 911 GT3, Porsche has proven that speed and efficiency can coexist, winning awards for fuel consumption in their race cars.

[papounemhakim]

Salut , je suis nouveau ici

El hadj Mamadou Malick Dienna, called Papoune M Hakim ( papoune Beatz ), was born March 18th 1999, and grew up in Dakar, Senegal. Papoune M Hakim is a young beatmaker, sound engineer and artist.

In 2017, El hadj decided to leave his job as a baker after having to stop his studies to help his family financially. That choice pushes him to explore the world of beatmaking which quickly becomes a passion for him. He practices a lot just to make his first beat in the hopes of impressing his mentor.

Papouné realizes that he has a gift with sounds and creating different melodies. With the help of his father, who is also an artist, and his rapper friends, he puts together a recording studio where he perfects his kraft, records his friends, and makes it a business by starting to make money. This experience makes him gain a lot of knowledge in the engineering field.

The story behind the becoming of the artist Papoune originated from being around his dad at the young age of 10 years old. This passion he shares with his father, sparks his interest into music, so he starts writing complete songs at the age of 13. His background explains an obvious career as a solo artist today.

Today, Papoune got to work with many local artists from Senegal such as his father Alaye, Amiral Lyon, Zbest Prodution, Bambali Seck, Defa, Bass thioung, Samba peuzzi and many others. He continues to learn to achieve a high level of quality in his work, and be known internationally for his talent, creativity, hard work and professionalism.

[felipeandletizia]

Felipe and Letizia retrospective: December 14th

2003: Weekend in London.

2004: Audience to the Junta Directiva del Club de Encuentros “Manuel Broseta” (the alicantin lawyer who was killed by ETA in 1992); Inauguration of the newspaper office of “Las Provincias Multimedia” in Valencia & 16th King Jaime I awards

2005: Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Institute of International and Strategic Studies

2007: Attended the musical “Beauty and the Beast” in benefit the Children’s Oncology Residence of the Spanish Association against Cancer

2009: Lunch offered to the president of Vietnam Nguyen Minh Triet; Meeting with Presidents of Communities and Autonomous Cities attending the 4th Conference of Presidents & Gala dinner offered to the president of Vietnam Nguyen Minh Triet

2011: Prince of Girona Foundation presentation in Barcelona

2012: Audiences at la Zarzuela

2014: Lunch with her team at a restaurant near la Zarzuela

2015: 13th meeting of the patronages of the Princess of Girona Foundation

2016: Meeting of Princess of Girona Foundation at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

2017: Visited Village Pilote initiative for kids of the streets in Dakar, Senegal as part of her four-day cooperation trip to the west African country; Visited Ala 46 (Group 82) of the air force in Las Palmas & Lunch for the 5th International Forum of Tourism, Maspalomas Costa Canaria

2020: Visited military facilities of the Spanish Air Force & Arrived in Honduras for a cooperation trip

2021: Lunch celebrating the 15th anniversary of the newspaper “elEconomista”

2022: Inaugurated the exhibition “De Territorios 5x50”, one of the events in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the UNED & Delivered the 19th edition of the Annual Awards of the Victims of Terrorism Foundation

F&L Through the Years: 1099/??

[motorsportverso]

Sebastien Loeb um piloto fenomeno do rally e do automobilismo

9x WRC CHAMPÍON

4x RALLY DE MONTE CARLO WINNER

2012  X-GAMES RALLYCROSS CHAMPION

2013 PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB CHAMPION

2022 Extreme E CHAMPION

2006 2ND 24H DE LE MANS

WTCC 6 wins

2023 RALLY AZORES WINNER

4X ROC RACE OF CHAMPIONS WINNER

O Inicio Da trejtória No WRC anos  2000

Fez uma etapa do WRC com um Toyota Corola WRC com entrada da federação francesa(FFSA),Tendo como resultado um 10º lugar WRC em Sanremo, começando a chamar a atenção para a Citroen que iria entrar com a equipe de fabrica em 2001.

JWRC (S1600  NA ÉPOCA)Sendo campeão em dúpla com Daniel Elena em um Citroen Saxo S1600.

Daniel  Elena seu fiel navegador em toda trajetória no WRC 

Ele foi um dos que mais contribuiu com os títulos do WRC de Loeb , Mais os 9 titulos com a Citroen também são dele, alêm disso eles correrem 5 RALLY DAKAR juntos mas no fim de 2021,essa dupla foi desfeita porcausa que os chefes do Prodrive\Bahrein Raid Extreme não estavam muito contentes, nesse mesmo ano Daniel “pendura o capacete” e se aposenta como navegador em provas profissionais.

Em 2006 , participou das 24h De Le Mans com a Pescarolo, terminou na 2º posição ,inclusive treinou usando o simulador do Gran-turismo 4 no PS4

Em 2012 além da temporada do WRC participou do X-Games no rallycross e ganhou com o Citroen DS3

Em 2013 a participação com a Peugeot 208 T16 em Pikes Peak com vitória com recorde que só foi batido em 2018.

2014-2015-WTCC com a equipe de fabrica da Citroen com o C-Elyseé WTCC

2016-2018-Participação no mundial de rallycross com Peugeot 208 T16

Com duas vitórias

2016-2018-Participação no Dakar com a Peugeot

Como melhor resultado 2º em 2017

Em 2018 anuncia saída do grupo PSA ( o que hoje e a Stellantis junção do Grupo Fiat e PSA) e que iria correr algumas etapas do WRC com a Hyundai em 2019

Melhor resultado 3º

2021-Retorno ao Dakar com a Prodrive  com o Hunter

 Melhores resultados 2º em 2022 e 2023

Com vitórias na Inglaterra em 2021 e no Chile em 2022

Campeão em 2022

Vitória no retorno ao WRC no rally de Monte Carlo em dupla Isabella Galmiche  em 2022

2023-Retorno ao mundial de rallycross com Lancia da Special One Racing

2023-Vitória no Rally de Azores-com o Skoda Fabia RS Rally 2 em dupla com Lauren Godey

2023-Retorno ao Extreme E nas rodadas duplas da Sardenha com a ABT Cupra em dupla com Klara Andersson , melhor resultado 2º Lugar

Roc-race of champions-participações na corrida dos campeões

Ganhou em 2003 em duelo com Marcus Grolhom , ganhou em 2005 em duelo com Tom Kristenssen, ganhou em 2008 em duelo com David Coulthard, ganhou em 2022 em um duelo dos "Sebastiam" com Vettel.

Curiosidades o Loeb tem sua própria equipe a "Sebastien Loeb Racing" que já correu em varias categorias :mundial de rallycross, JWRC, WTCC,WTCR,TCR EUROPE e em 2021-2022 foi a equipe técnica da Hyundai no Fia ETCR.

[kestarren]

'Light Rain, central Dakar, Senegal', July 2017. Photo by Jake Michaels. Photographer's words: “I had just finished photographing two new friends in central Dakar when the skies opened up; the fresh rain saturated the ground as we packed ourselves back into the car. The windshield of the car became a canvas of watercolour brush strokes. I reached for my phone to take a photo before Francine (our friend) started the car to wipe away the ephemeral composition. The two women in the photograph emerged into the scene with their brightly coloured garments that just enhanced the special quality of that moment in time. A moment later the women and water droplets on the car were gone.” And in photographer's instagram ~ Senegal 'Last summer', 20 March 2018:

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[knick-nudiex]

Gold reserve

A gold reserve is the gold held by a national central bank, intended mainly as a guarantee to redeem promises to pay depositors, note holders (e.g. paper money), or trading peers, during the eras of the gold standard, and also as a store of value, or to support the value of the national currency.

The World Gold Council estimates that all the gold ever mined, and that is accounted for, totalled 190,040 metric tons in 2019[1] but other independent estimates vary by as much as 20%.[2] At a price of US$1,250 per troy ounce ($40 per gram) reached on 16 August 2017, one metric ton of gold has a value of approximately $40.2 million. The total value of all gold ever mined, and that is accounted for, would exceed $7.5 trillion at that valuation and using WGC 2017 estimates.[note 1]

Wartime relevance

During most of history, a nation's gold reserves were considered its key financial asset and a major prize of war.

A typical view was expressed in a secret memorandum by the British Chief of the Imperial General Staff from October 1939, at the beginning of World War II. The British Military and the British Secret Service laid out "measures to be taken in the event of an invasion of Holland and Belgium by Germany" and presented them to the War Cabinet:

It will be for the Treasury in collaboration with the Bank of England, and the Foreign Office, to examine the possible means of getting the bullion and negotiable securities into the same place of safety. The transport of many hundreds of tons of bullion presents a difficult problem and the loading would take a long time. The ideal would of course be to have the gold transferred to this country or to the United States of America. [...] The gold reserves of Belgium and Holland amount to about £70 million and £110 million respectively. [Foot]Note: H. M. Treasury has particularly requested that this information, which is highly confidential should in no circumstances be divulged. The total weight of this bullion amounts to about 1800 tons and its evacuation would be a matter of the utmost importance would present a considerable problem if it had to be undertaken in a hurry when transport facilities were disorganized. At present this gold is believed to be stored at Brussels and The Hague respectively, neither of which is very well placed for its rapid evacuation in an emergency.

The Belgian government transferred remainder to southern France. Following the outbreak of war, the gold held in France was sent to Dakar, the capital of Senegal, then part of the French colonial empire. This was against the Belgian Government's wishes, with the Belgians having directed the French to transfer it to the United States. After the Germans occupied Belgium and France in 1940, they demanded the Belgian gold reserve held in Senegal. In 1941, Vichy French officials arranged the transport of 4,944 boxes with 198 tonnes of gold to officials of the German Reichsbank and the German Government used it to purchase commodities and munitions from neutral countries. The Banque de France fully compensated the Belgian National Bank for the loss of its gold after the war.

IMF holdings

Since early 2011, the gold holdings of the IMF have been constant at 2,814.1 tonnes (90.5 million troy ounces).

Officially reported holdings

The IMF regularly maintains statistics of national assets as reported by various countries. This data is used by the World Gold Council to periodically rank and report the gold holdings of countries and official organizations.

On 17 July 2015, China announced that it increased its gold reserves by about 57 percent from 1,054 to 1,658 tonnes, while disclosing its official gold reserves for the first time in six years.

In July 2015, the State Bank of Vietnam stated that gold reserves totalled 10 tonnes. However, it was not ranked below due to the current absence of any published data.

In 2019, the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) extended the gold allocation limit from 5% to 10%, in accordance with the amendments made to the Investment Policy of the Fund for diversification purposes. However, the Central Bank of Azerbaijan does not hold any gold.

The gold listed for each of the countries in the table may not be physically stored in the country listed, as central banks generally have not allowed independent audits of their reserves. Gold leasing by central banks could place into doubt the reported gold holdings in the table below.

[ifreakingloveroyals]

12 December 2017 | Queen Letizia of Spain meets First Lady of Senegal Marieme Faye Sall prior to an official lunch in Dakar, Senegal. Queen Letizia of Spain is on a four day visit to the west African country to support the Spanish cooperation projects. (c) Xaume Olleros/Getty Images

[uniquetyphoonmiracle]

Lo tenía Ganado CARLOS SAINZ..solo tenía PARA GANAR EL MUNDIAL DE RALLYS que ir de PASEO y acabar el RALLY pero a 200 mts de la META en un sitio ENCHARCADO se les para el TOYOTA COROLLA [pequeña corona en LATIN] el coche más vendido de la historia..: "TRATA DE ARRANCARLO CARLO, POR DIOS..ME CAGO EN SU PUTA MADRE"

En cambio creo que TUVO SUERTE cuando se cayó por un PRECIPICIO abandonando el RALLY DAKAR [aunque disputado en SUDAMERICA en 2017] entre SAN SALVADOR de JUJUY [desde donde fui a TILCARA donde en su PUCARA grabó SODA STEREO el video de CUANDO PASE EL TEMBLOR ..te besare , será un buen momento..del CD NADA PERSONAL coincidiendo con el Gran TERREMOTO DE MEXICO del 85] a TUPIZA [BOLIVIA] donde me subí a SU SAGRADO CORAZON en una parada DE UNA HORA que hizo el TREN desde EL SALAR DE UYUNI hasta la FRONTERA con ARGENTINA [VILLAZON_LA QUIACA] y el cual casi PIERDO con TODAS MIS COSAS DENTRO pues tuve que SALIR CORRIENDO CUANDO COMIA al escuchar su SILBATO y menos mal que solo iba a 20 KM/HR por lo que tardo como 12 HR en hacer 250 KM..y lo atrape ya en MARCHA

[csajokamotoron]

Esztétikai frissítést kap a 2025-ös Africa Twin

A Honda zászlóshajójának számító CRF1100L Africa Twin jövőre frissített grafikával, valamint új színekben is elérhetővé válik, ami még vonzóbbá teszi az oly rég óta népszerű kalandmotort. - Új színkombinációban érkezik a 2025-ös modellévű Africa Twin Adventure Sports - Jövőre frissített grafikával róhatja már az utakat a modell-család A 2025-ös frissítés technikailag nem érinti a CRF1100L Africa Twin párosát, hiszen a modell megtartja alapvető terepes képességeit, miközben megjelenésében és vezetési élményben egy karcsú, kompakt raligépre emlékeztet. Az 1084 cm3-es, soros kéthengeres motor legnagyobb forgató nyomatéka 112 Nm, csúcsteljesítménye 102 LE (75 kW), így mind közúton, mind terepen felemelő teljesítményt nyújt. A CRF1100L Africa Twin továbbra is két változatban érhető el: az egyik hagyományos Showa felfüggesztéssel, a másik pedig szabályozású Showa EERA™ (Showa Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment) futóművel felszerelt, amely menet közben is állítható, így mindig az aktuális útviszonyokhoz igazodhat a csillapítás feszessége és a rugó-előfeszítés. A 2025-ös CRF1100L Africa Twin esetén háromféle fényezés közül választhatnak a vásárlók, melyeket egytől egyig merész grafika díszít. - Grand Prix Red - Matt Ballistic Black Metallic - Pearl Glare White **ÚJ** Pearl Hawkseye Blue Metallic Tricolour fényezéssel, amely kizárólag a CRF1100L Africa Twin ES kivitelnél érhető el. A CRF1100L Africa Twin Adventure Sports változat 24,8 literes üzemanyagtartályának köszönhetően nagyobb túrának vághatunk neki, mint testvérével, és a tavaly bevezetett 19”-os első kerekek esetében sem történt változás, hiszen a visszajelzések alapján ezáltal még jobb lett a motor kezelhetősége országúton. A 2025-ös CRF1100L Africa Twin Adventure Sports-ot az alábbi, kétféle színösszeállításban rendelhetik meg a vásárlók, melyeket nagy és merész logó tesz még látványosabbá. A trikolór fényezés nem mellesleg az ikonikus XRV750 színei előtt tiszteleg. - **ÚJ** Matt Iridium Gray Metallic - Pearl Glare White (gyöngyházfehér, trikolór) Tudtad? - 2016-os újbóli bevezetése óta több mint 104 000 db Africa Twint adtak el Európa-szerte. - Visszatérése óta mindig ott volt a Honda három legkelendőbb motorkerékpárja között, de 2016-2023 közötti nyolcból 6 évben az elsőséget tudhatta magáénak. - Az Africa Twin 2017-ben megdöntötte a kéthengeres motorkerékpár által elért legnagyobb magassági rekordot (5965 m tengerszint feletti magasság) az Argentína és Chile között található Nevado Ojos del Salado vulkánon járt. - 2023-ban az Africa Twin Adventure Sports vásárlóinak 63%-a DCT változatot választotta. - Az Africa Twin volt a főszereplője négy rendkívül sikeres, „egyszer az életben ki kell próbálnom” Honda Adventure Roads expedíciónak, ahol amatőr motoros próbálhatták ki mind a CRF1100, mind a saját állóképességét több ezer kilométeren keresztül, Dél-Afrikában, Norvégiában, Izlandon és Marokkóban. - Az Africa Twin névtábla 1988-ban debütált a Honda XRV650 Africa Twinen, egy olyan országúti motorkerékpáron, amely közvetlen hatást gyakorolt az NXR750-re; a Dakar-rali négyszeres, egymást követő győztesére (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989). - Franciaországban, Olaszországban és az Egyesült Királyságban külön erre a célra kialakított off-road kalandközpontok találhatók, amelyek ideális helyszínt biztosítanak a vásárlók számára, hogy az Africa Twint természetes környezetében próbálhassák ki. Read the full article