#wing pit pedro

[something-tofightfor]

Birthday Smooches 2024 Masterlist

9 Pedro characters. 9 different smooches. Around 1000 words each. VERY lightly edited.

A birthday gift from me to you.

Jack 'Whiskey' Daniels - A Kiss in the Open

Marcus Pike - A Late-Night Kiss

Daniel Harper (Wing Pit Pedro) - A Kiss at the Dog Park

Frankie 'Catfish' Morales - A Surprise Kiss

Ezra - A Kiss in the Dark

Tim Rockford - An Apologetic Kiss

Joel Miller - A Comforting Kiss

Din Djarin - A Kiss in Private

Oberyn Martell - A Kiss on the Beach

[schumigrace]

My life will, quite literally, never be the same.

I moved to the motorsport county for a multitude of reasons, but having Silverstone on my doorstep was at the top of the list.

The mileage counter in my beaten-up racing green Vauxhall has racked up most of it's digits on the A43 through Towcester, I can tell you the exact position of every road sign painted with a brown rectangle, a chequered flag next to the word "Silverstone". I could tell you which direction the track is in from anywhere in the world, as if it's Wing shaped roof hangs like a petrol-laden North Star. All roads lead to Silverstone, you may say (no-one has ever said this)

So, Grace, I hear you asking, how often do you go?

Never.

That is, of course, until I received an email from God herself (the Aston Martin F1 Team Marketing Analyst) informing me of my invitation to their AMR24 Launch. An invitation I very obviously accepted, after 24 hours worth of crying, screaming, and stalking said marketing analyst on LinkedIn to make sure this was not in fact some messed up kind of joke

So it's 7 in the morning, I'm doing my usual commute through the god-awful traffic hell that is Northamptonshire, only this time I'm not going straight ahead on the Silverstone Bypass, I am taking the ever elusive right turn into the brand new Aston Martin Technology Centre and being handed a visitor's pass

The first thing I notice is that they've only gone and put a bloody AMR23 (with the new livery) right in the middle of the lobby, it's covered up at this point, and I'm staring daggers through the cover just daring it to be riddled with carbon fibre underneath. AMR team members are floating around like green angels everywhere I look, shelves are adorned with this past year's trophies (I make a comment to a passing team member - "you'll need more shelves after this year", she chuckles and moves on - I try not to take this is a bad sign)

8 o'clock hits, the official launch video plays, and the cover is removed. jesus fucking christ she's green. thank fuck. I can go home now.

Oh, hang on, is that Mike Krack?

Shit it is.

Mike has a shakedown to run of course, so he doesn't hang around for too long. He's confident in this car though, they've been working on it for years, and he's sure we'll be quick out of the gate. Off he goes across the road to the garage. "Don't worry," they say, "you'll be going over to watch the cars on track too."

Sorry, can you repeat that please, I believe you just said we are going to go over to the track to watch the cars.

"Yes of course, but not before we ply you with cake and coffee, naturally, oh and also Pedro De La Rosa is here along with Jessica Hawkins. Do you want to chat to them?"

I ask Pedro where he and Fernando went to dinner last night. Somewhere in Oxford I think, I stopped listening, I was thinking about how much I would be willing to be a thir-

Anyway.

At this point no photos are allowed for the rest of the day, they are literally building the car right in front of you no you cannot put that on social media.

We're heading across the road now, along the Hamilton straight and up around Stowe, we head past the Porsche Experian Centre and I make some vague comment about Webbonso that nobody picks up on. Nevermind. We turn left just before Maggots and Becketts to head towards the pit lane, and into the Aston Martin garage.

The smell of petrol is so overwhelmingly strong and I make sure every single cell of my lungs is scarred from it. A batak machine is being set up and I joke "wouldn't it be funny if someone beat Jenson Button's world record today". Someone did, not even 5 minutes later. A wave of "get Jenson on the phone!" fills the garage.

I turn around, Stoffel Vandoorne and Felipe Drugovich are on a stage talking about how exciting it is to see the car, or at least they're trying to look excited. I'm not sure Drugo knows what that even means.

Lawrence Stroll is talking to a mechanic and I can literally hear the thousands of dollars dropping into his bank account with every heartbeat. Surely his son is nearby? Oh yes, right infront of us. Imagine that. (Lance did of course look gorgeous, his racesuit tied around his waist, laughing with his engineers like the whore he is)

We're heading over to the PU station now and the wonderful AM team member is talking us through the specifics of it, but I haven't heard a single word she has said, because unfortunately for her Fernando has decided to enter the garage at that exact moment. I am stood near a space heater, and he locks eyes on me (nope, the space heater) immediately. He makes his way over and sticks his backside directly towards the heater and my face is about as red as the radiator.

"Good morning! How are you?"

I have so many words to say to you right now, and not a single one of them is in a language that either of us can understand. I think I eventually vomitted up some form of acceptable response, however, because he smiled at me.

"Are you cold?"

"Only a little" I respond. Not anymore, I'm picturing myself under you, I think.

I totally lost a good hour after this because there's not a single memory here for me to put into words, damn you Alonso

The blur fades with the freezing air outside, and we're stood on the pitwall. Sky Sports are here now and have us doing media stuff, I run as far away from them as possible and climb onto the pitwall. FIA, if you're reading this, I promise I kept both feet on the ground at all times.

They tell us the shakedown isn't going to plan, suprise surprise, and you actually cannot see the car on track today. I mentally curl into a ball and sob the whole way back to the AMRTC but all of a sudden we are being led to mission control and the composite engineering stations and they are, literally, building a car infront of us whatthefuckishappening

By this point I have recovered from my minor sulk - Grace this is literally the best day of your life get over yourself - and then we're being told that as an apology they have hired a room in the Hilton Hotel opposite the pitlane, free food and drinks for as long as we want, oh and... cars on track. all. day. long.

Whilst writing this i received another email from biblically-accurate marketing analyst god asking for feedback. I think a string of letters indicating incessant shrieking will probably do the trick

[something-tofightfor]

I just noticed you can see the tattoo behind his ear and the one on his wrist and now I need a moment or 50 to recover.

[littlemisspascal]

New Writers added to The Pedro Library 🐼

@milla-frenchy @aurorawritestoescape

New Works Added ✨

Many fics aren’t appearing in the tags when searching. If I miss yours, please let me know 💗 Or add me to your taglist cuz I love being tagged 😊

As always, if you would like me to remove your work from the rec list, please let know and I’ll remove them asap 😊

@burntheedges Joel Hearts / Frankie Is This a Date?

@beskarandblasters Joel As Long As I Have You + The Warmth of Your Gaze, The Lingering of Your Touch / Frankie Watch the World From the Sidelines

@wardenparker @absurdthirst Joel For Valentine’s Day / Dieter “I'm not getting you coffee, your order is ridiculous".

@flightlessangelwings Joel Could I Have This Kiss Forever? / Din What Was Unspoken, And What We Finally Said

@eupheme Joel Are You Mine?

@missredherring Joel A Flower in February

@whatsnewalycat Joel Ruthless

@firstofficerwiggles Din A Beskar Valentine

@lowlights Din Recalibration

@dindjarindiaries Din Your Needs, My Needs

@saradika Din Beneath the Mask

@haylzcyon Din Fell in Love With the Fire

@undercoverpena Frankie Wet n’ Wild / Din Cold, Lips Blue

@absurdthirst @storiesofthefandomlovers Frankie The Cupid Shuffle

@toomanystoriessolittletime Frankie Fucked Royalty

@tieronecrush Frankie BNBG (brand new baby girl)

@musings-of-a-rose Clint A New Life

@ezrasbirdie Dieter Bright Lights

@tightjeansjavi Dieter Tea Party + Chamomile

@psychedelic-ink Dieter + Javi G Amour Amour Amour / Joel A Happy Man / Marcus P The Louvre

@secretelephanttattoo Marcus P Confetti

@movievillainess721 Whiskey Watermelon Moonshine

@morallyinept Marcus M Heyday Hero – A Valentine’s Story  / Dieter A Cup of Love

@sirowsky Marcus M An Unexpected Valentine

@something-tofightfor SNL Wing Pit Second and Goal 

[something-tofightfor]

Birthday Kiss #3: Daniel Harper (Wing Pit Guy)

Pairing: Daniel Harper x Female Reader (First and 10 pairing)

Word Count: 892

Rating: M?

Summary: A Kiss at the Dog Park

Author’s note: 9 Pedro Characters. 9 Birthday Smooches. These are very lightly edited because they're supposed to be quick. Wanted to give all of you a gift to celebrate my birthday - Daniel had to make an appearance (especaially after Pedro lost the SNL Emmy).

This is the First and 10 pairing.

“Which one’s yours?” You looked over to the right, watching as a woman took a seat on the bench next to you, stuffing a leash into the front pocket of her small backpack. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before.” 

“That one.” Pointing, you gestured toward the open part of the dog park where Raider and a German Shepherd were chasing each other around, tails wagging. “Black Lab. Raider. You?” 

The woman didn’t respond right away, but she leaned forward, watching the dogs with interest. You heard him bark, and when you looked back at the dog you’d brought to the park, you grinned, keeping your eyes on him as he flopped to the ground and began rolling around in the grass. “Isn’t Raider Daniel’s dog?” 

You heard the tone of her voice and made every attempt not to roll your eyes at the accusation in it. “It is. He’s going to be here in a little while. I brought Raider early to tire him out.” It took her a few seconds to respond, but when she did, you turned to look at her, watching as she leaned back against the edge of the picnic table, resting her elbow on the scarred wood. 

“You’re the girlfriend.” 

“I am.” You looked over, giving her a half smile and shrugging. “I take it he’s talked about me?” Normally, you wouldn’t have been so presumptuous, or made such a self-centered statement, but the way she’d spoken to you had made you feel more than a little defensive. 

“He has.” She narrowed her eyes, looking you up and down and then grinned, the woman sitting straight up and holding up a hand. “We all didn’t think you existed.” “You all?” Confused, you shook your head. “What do you mean?”

“Daniel’s been bringing Raider here for like … eight months?” She rolled her eyes, but the smile didn’t fade. “But he always comes alone, which is like a magnet for the single women here, especially with a dog like that.” She held up her hand wiggling her fingers and showing off a diamond on one of them. “I’m not one of those women, by the way. But every time someone asked him out, or tried to get to know him, or asked to have a playdate with their dog and Raider, he said no, until he started talking about already having a girlfriend.” 

He hadn’t told you that, only that he hadn’t dated much recently. “So why did you think I wasn’t… real?”

“Because we thought he made up a girlfriend to get people to stop bothering him.” It was you that laughed first - your irritation gone and replaced with amusement. She joined you a few seconds later, and then cleared her throat after it tapered off. “But you’re very real. And if you’re here with Raider, then…” 

A joyful bark interrupted her, and when you looked over to find the source of the sound, you watched as the black dog tore away from the others and toward the entrance gate, continuing to yap away, tail wagging back and forth furiously. 

Daniel headed toward where you sat, the fingers of one hand curled around ribbon that was attached to a small bunch of balloons. Biting your lower lip, you closed your eyes and shook your head, fighting the urge to stand up. “You making friends?”

He spoke when he was close enough to you, Raider circling his legs and attempting to sniff the balloons, but Daniel kept them just out of reach. “Maybe.” You looked over at the woman, who grinned again and then stood up, saying hello to him before she walked away. “I thought I was meeting you at your place.” 

“Wanted to surprise you.” He held the balloons out, staring you down. “Brought you a present.” You took them from him, eyes on the colorful inflatables, one larger one at the center of the arrangement with the words HAPPY BIRTHDAY! displayed on the surface. 

After making sure that they were weighted, you leaned over and set the bunch down on the table and then reached for Daniel, urging him closer. “I can see that.” You whispered the words, wrinkling your nose. “Thank you. They’re great.” 

When he exhaled, you felt it against your lips, followed moments later by his as they pressed to yours, the kiss short - but telling, one of Daniel’s hands resting on your upper arm, the other curved around the back of your head. “You’re welcome.” He spoke between kisses, the second one a little longer than the first, the pressure of his fingers increasing, too. 

Before he could kiss you again, Raider barked, both of you looking down at where he sat, head tilted back to look up at the two of you. 

“That’s a hint, I think.” Daniel laughed at your words, but instead of letting go of you, he said your name under his breath and leaned back in, humming before he kissed you for a third time, his lips parted enough that your lower one fit neatly between them. 

Even though you kept your fingers curled into his belt loops, you pushed him away, groaning. “We should go.” He wet his lips, eyes locked on yours. “The sooner we have dinner and get home, the sooner I can give you the rest of your present.” 

— 

[galaxyedging]

UK YouTube links to Pedro's SNL sketches.

Opening monologue

Waking Up

Protective Mom

Fancam Assembly

Italian Waiters

The Big Hollywood Quiz

Lisa From Temecula

HBO Mario Kart Trailer

Wing Pit

[ross1fum1]

the anon that wished you a great day says my bad for jinxing it lmao the sec i saw morbido and pedro touch i thought fuck not in front of acostas pr manager. i hope at least martin making a fool of himself was amusing to watch live xx.

Thank you for your words in these difficult times🙏🏻💔 Jokes aside, I had a feeling that it would end badly for Pedro because looking at the screens I saw his wing fly and it was visible to the naked eye that his bike was going everywhere. I think that was exactly what caused him to go wide and then he tried to save it and take the next turn anyway but he couldn't hold up. On a positive note, however, it was a positive weekend overall and I think that at Misano 2 he can do better with more experience. Regarding Martin, it was funny to see the moment when he entered the pits while everyone went straight and he turned his head and he definitely regretted it lol. Even more funny how his mechanics weren’t expecting him to come back in the pits again and he just had to stand here. I understand that maybe he wasn't lucid at that moment and thought he was playing a joker, but I wonder why no one in his team, seeing the possibility of rain, didn't tell him to copy Bagnaia's strategy. Like how do you fuck that bad😭

[oonajaeadira]

@something-tofightfor

Come get your Daniel.

And Benny (the 'Wing Pit Victim') joins the Pocket Team! 🍗🍗🍗

🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗 . . .

I think people collectively decided to call him Benny? Please correct me if it was another name. :'D

[tomwambscunts]

ben marshall totally earned my respect (if he didn’t before) by not sharing that lisa sketch. and he actually wrote the best sketch of the night 🤧 don’t know how pedro pascal as a mom has became something underrated I swear only snltwt can pull off such a thing

This and wing pit sketch deserved better.. As a society I think we have to talk more about “van gogh, picasso, britney with the vegan sliders” line.

[something-tofightfor]

My stupid little sports loving heart very much likes the idea of him in a football jersey - even if it was a KC jersey. (a baseball one would have been a million times better as long as it wasn’t Yankees, Cubs or Astros)

But I would definitely sit on a couch and eat five million chicken wings with this man 🥰

Bro Pedro is very underrated

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

More enslaved Africans came to the Americas through this port than anywhere else. Why have so few heard of it?

[Image description: two tourists walk along the Valongo Wharf in Rio de Janeiro.]

When tour guide Pedro Andres arrived at the site historians call the most important physical evidence of the arrival of enslaved Africans to the Americas, the scene he found was familiar. The Valongo Wharf was empty.

Addressing a family of Paraguayan tourists, Andres described its historic significance. At the height of the transatlantic slave trade, nearly 1 million enslaved Africans arrived on its cobbled stones, likely more than anywhere else in the world, and twice as many as were trafficked to all of the United States. UNESCO has called the wharf, discovered in 2011 during an urban renovation project, a “unique and exceptional” place that “carries enormous historical as well as spiritual importance to African Americans.”

But Andres, who brings tourists to the wharf out of his own volition and not because it’s recommended by his tour agency, saw little indication of that remarkable history. There are no memorials. Only a single sign above a large puddle far removed from the street. The wharf has been unearthed but is still ignored. Even people who live nearby, whose ancestry leads back to this point, don’t know of its existence.

“Sad,” said Andres, 26. “Sad that slavery ever happened, but also sad that its history is being neglected.”

How that history is honored at the site, and who gets to make those decisions, are questions at the core of another struggle over race and memory in the country that brought the most enslaved Africans into the Americas. The dispute, which pits federal prosecutors and historians against the right-wing presidency of Jair Bolsonaro, echoes an ongoing racial reckoning in Brazil that in recent years has taken on some of the country’s darkest moments and most enduring contradictions.

Brazil historically has demurred on questions of race, preferring instead to understand itself through the lens of class. Its intellectual elite have long described the country as a “racial democracy” forged by intermarriage and unencumbered by the racism plaguing other countries. But it also imported nearly 5 million enslaved Africans — an estimated 40 percent of the transatlantic slave trade — and in 1888 was the last country in the hemisphere to abolish slavery.

Historians, federal prosecutors and advocates for racial justice say the Valongo Wharf presents a unique opportunity for Brazil to fully address that original sin and the racial inequality it imparted. But they say the government under Bolsonaro has failed to meet the historic moment, perhaps intentionally, and Brazil is once more choosing to ignore the injustices of its past.

Continue reading.

[littlemisspascal]

New Writers added to The Pedro Library 🐼

@dark-scape @beefrobeefcal

New Works Added ✨

Many fics aren’t appearing in the tags when searching. If I miss yours, please let me know 💗 Or add me to your taglist cuz I love being tagged 😊

As always, if you would like me to remove your work from the rec list, please let know and I’ll remove them asap 😊

@toomanystoriessolittletime Javier More

@alwaysbethewest Javier Old Acquaintance

@frenchiereading Javier Landslide

@musings-of-a-rose Javier Prepping for Parents

@chloeangelic Javier The Unintelligible Truth

@undercoverpena Javier Pickles, Peppers and Photos + Hope They Caught Us

@djarinvibe Javier Oblivion

@djarinmuse Javier Happy New Year

@mellowswriting Javier His Girl

@absurdthirst @storiesofthefandomlovers Javier New Year’s Second Chance / Joel Unexpectedly Reunited / @pedropascalsx Dave Services Paid For

@beskarandblasters Din Immortal By Design + Din’’scord Kitten

@nobedofroses Din December 27

@psychedelic-ink Joel Say Yes to Heaven

@morallyinept Tim Boxed In

@thosewickedlovelies Tim + Marcus M Private Eye

@missredherring Marcus P “I Can’t Believe You’re This Innocent” / Javier “I’ve Been Wondering What It Feels Like...” / Joel “Tell Me What You Like”

@writer-darling Ezra Observation 3

@foli-vora Whiskey Errands

@something-tofightfor Whiskey Birthday Kiss / Marcus P Birthday Kiss / Frankie Birthday Kiss / Wing Pit SNL Birthday Kiss / Ezra Birthday Kiss / Joel Birthday Kiss / Tim Birthday Kiss

@bluestar22x Pero The Outcast

@tightjeansjavi Frankie Catfish

@thatredheadwriter Frankie New Suit

[something-tofightfor]

Finally home from my weekend away and it’s time to get settled in for a hot date with Google docs and some guys.

[pedrocharacterlove]

Directory of Love

Yup, that’s me! Just a lady who’s terminally in love with Pedro Pascal and the characters he plays. Here’s where to find more love for:

Pedro Pascal

Agent Whiskey ~ Din Djarin ~ Ezra ~ Frankie Morales ~ Javi Gutierrez ~ Javier Pena ~ Joel Miller ~ Marcus Moreno ~ Marcus Pike ~ Oberyn Martell ~ Pero Tovar

...and on this blog:  multi  <3

billy from iris

clint from freaky tales

comandante veracruz from burn notice: the fall of sam axe 

eddie from buffy the vampire slayer

dave york from the equalizer 2 

dieter bravo from the bubble 

jay castillo from red widow 

juan badillo from graceland

kevin 'kip' green from law & order: criminal intent

kyle hartly from csi

kyle wilson from without a trace 

liam from nikita 

lucien flores from the uninvited

marcus acacius from gladiator ii

max phillips from bloodsucking bastards 

maxwell lord from wonder woman 1984 

nathan landry from the good wife

nico from house comes with a bird

noah from i am that girl

omar assarian from lights out

oscar from exposed

paulino from sweet little lies 

pietro alvarez from if beale street could talk

omar assarian from lights out

reggie luckman from law & order: criminal intent 

ricky hauk from touched by an angel 

santos from drive away dolls

shane 'dio' morrissey from nypd blue 

silva from strange way of life

special agent greer from law & order: special victims unit 

special agent ortega from the sixth gun

steve from hermanas

the thief from casillero del diablo 

tim rockford from merge mansion

tito cabassa from law & order

zach wellison from brothers and sisters

zack goffman from body of proof .

pedro in amend: the fight for america

pedro in fire meets gasoline 

pedro in happy socks 'happy holidays'

pedro in polaroid joycam commercial

pedro on saturday night live: - charlie from that one snl sketch - mama flores from saturday night live - mario from snl - mr ben from snl - wing pit guy from snl

.

live theater - horatio from hamlet - edmund from king lear - mark from let me ascertain you: lgbtq all out! - don john from much ado about nothing - dionysus from old comedy after aristophanes frogs - sand - some men - pedro directing underneath my bed .

zoom theater - inigo montoya from home movie: the princess bride - for all the mad sad lovesick geniuses

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Global defense spending (Foreign Policy) Global defense spending increased in 2020, despite a sharp downturn in the global economy, according to an annual report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Overall spending reached nearly $2 trillion, a 2.6 percent increase from the 2019 figure. Defense budgets in the Middle East fell by 6.5 percent, helped by a 10 percent cut by Saudi Arabia. The five biggest spenders—the United States, China, India, Russia, and the United Kingdom—all increased their defense spending in 2020.

Canadians avoiding hotel quarantines for air travellers fuel taxi boom on U.S. border (Reuters) U.S. taxi and limousine services are seeing a boom in business from customers seeking to enter Canada by land to avoid a restriction on international travel that applies only to air traffic. While both Canadian land and air travellers are required to take a test within three days of departure, and again on arrival, only those flying to Canada must spend up to three days of the country’s 14-day required quarantine period in a hotel. That has led to a surge of calls for taxi and limousine services from Canadians who fly through U.S. airports in states like New York and then cross over the land border. A taxi trip across the border can cost around $200 or $250 compared with a three-day hotel stay of more than C$1,200 ($961), Canadian travel insurance broker Martin Firestone said. With the Canada-U.S. land border mostly closed for more than a year due to the pandemic, and overall tourism down, the recent surge in business has come as a relief to some struggling taxi operators. Some Canadians ask to be driven home, while others take rides to the border, cross on foot and get another ride in Canada, drivers said.

Armed Groups Step Into Venezuela as Lawlessness Grows (NYT) They bring drinking water to residents in the arid scrublands, teach farming workshops and offer medical checkups. They mediate land disputes, fine cattle rustlers, settle divorces, investigate crimes and punish thieves. They’re not police officers, civil servants or members of the Venezuela government, which has all but disappeared from this impoverished part of the country. Quite the opposite: They belong to one of Latin America’s most notorious rebel groups, considered terrorists by the United States and the European Union for carrying out bombings and kidnappings over decades of violence. Venezuela’s economic collapse has so thoroughly gutted the country that insurgents have embedded themselves across large stretches of its territory, seizing upon the nation’s undoing to establish mini-states of their own. And far from fleeing in fear or demanding to be rescued by the authorities, many residents here in Venezuela’s borderlands—hungry, hunted by local drug gangs and long complaining of being abandoned by their government—have welcomed the terrorist group for the kind of protection and basic services the state is failing to provide. The insurgents “are the ones who brought stability here,” said Ober Hernández, an Indigenous leader on the Guajira peninsula next to Colombia. “They brought peace.”

Peru’s election (Foreign Policy) Left-wing candidate Pedro Castillo is heavily favored by Peru’s electorate ahead of the country’s June 6 presidential runoff, according to a recent poll; 41.5 percent of respondents backed Castillo in the Instituto de Estudios Peruanos survey, with his challenger Keiko Fujimori receiving only 21.5 percent support. Decisions surrounding the economy seemed to drive support for Castillo, with more than half of those expressing support for him saying they would support a total change to the country’s economic system. There is still a chance that the vote could be competitive: 34.7 percent of those surveyed wanted neither candidate or were undecided.

E.U. Set to Let Vaccinated U.S. Tourists Visit This Summer (NYT) American tourists who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to visit the European Union over the summer, the head of the bloc’s executive body said in an interview with The New York Times on Sunday, more than a year after shutting down nonessential travel from most countries to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The fast pace of vaccination in the United States, and advanced talks between authorities there and the European Union over how to make vaccine certificates acceptable as proof of immunity for visitors, will enable the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, to recommend a switch in policy that could see trans-Atlantic leisure travel restored. “The Americans, as far as I can see, use European Medicines Agency-approved vaccines,” Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said Sunday in an interview with The Times in Brussels. “This will enable free movement and the travel to the European Union. She added that resumption of travel would depend “on the epidemiological situation, but the situation is improving in the United States, as it is, hopefully, also improving in the European Union.”

Italy’s Problem With School Dropouts Goes From Bad to Worse in Pandemic (NYT) Even before the pandemic, Italy had among the worst dropout rates in the European Union, and the southern city of Naples was particularly troubled by high numbers. When the coronavirus hit, Italy shuttered its schools more than just about all the other European Union member states, with especially long closures in the Naples region, pushing students out in even higher numbers. While it is too early for reliable statistics, principals, advocates and social workers say they have seen a sharp increase in the number of students falling out of the system. The impact on an entire generation may be one of the pandemic’s lasting tolls. Italy closed its schools—fully or in part—for 35 weeks in the first year of the pandemic—three times longer than France, and more than Spain or Germany. And experts say that by doing so, the country, which has Europe’s oldest population and was already lagging behind in critical educational indicators, has risked leaving behind its youth, its greatest and rarest resource for a strong post-pandemic recovery.

Virus ‘swallowing’ people in India; crematoriums overwhelmed (AP) With life-saving oxygen in short supply, families are left on their own to ferry people sick with COVID-19 from hospital to hospital in search of treatment as India is engulfed in a devastating surge of infections. Too often, their efforts end in mourning. On social media and in television footage, desperate relatives plead for oxygen outside hospitals or weep in the street for loved ones who died waiting for treatment. For the fourth straight day, India on Sunday set a global daily record of new coronavirus infections, spurred by an insidious new variant that emerged here. The surge has undermined the government’s premature claims of victory over the pandemic. The unfolding crisis is most visceral in India’s overwhelmed graveyards and crematoriums, and in heartbreaking images of gasping patients dying on their way to hospitals due to lack of oxygen. Burial grounds in the capital New Delhi are running out of space. Bright, glowing funeral pyres light up the night sky in other badly hit cities.

In leaked audio, Iran’s foreign minister laments interference by Revolutionary Guards (Washington Post) In leaked audio recordings made public Sunday, Iran’s foreign minister complained about interference by the Revolutionary Guard Corps in Tehran’s diplomatic affairs, including efforts to undermine the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. The audio, which was released by the London-based Iran International news channel, came from a three-hour interview with the foreign minister, Mohammed Javad Zarif, that the channel said was conducted in March. Taken together, Zarif’s unvarnished comments and the fact the audio had leaked, highlighted the sharpening public rivalries within Iran’s political circles, as Tehran engages with global powers in a fresh attempt to revive the nuclear deal, and as Iranian elections approach. The leaked conversation was the latest salvo in what has become an increasingly caustic domestic Iranian debate over the nuclear deal, pitting “pragmatists” represented by Rouhani against a conservative camp wary of any engagement with the West. The factional fights are not a secret in Iran, which hosts political debates that are more expansive and vigorous than most countries in the Middle East.