Everyone knows the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the speech he gave 60

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 7, 2023--

By Rajesh Kumar Singh CHICAGO Shifting travel patterns by consumers in a post-pandemic world are forcing airlines to

What do these events have in common? Twenty (and counting) straight days of temperatures exceeding

Six months ago, it was all so rosy for Red Bull. Four races into the 2023 season and it was two apiece for Max Verstappen and Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez, with the Mexican seemingly signalling his intent to be a genuine contender for the championship with a sprint and race victory in Azerbaijan. After all, no car could come close to the speed generated by Red Bull design-guru Adrian Newey and his team of top-tier engineers this season. Even in Miami a week later, Perez looked set to take the lead in the standings after claiming pole position, with Verstappen down in ninth. But since the Dutchman stormed to victory, propelling past his team-mate with relative ease, it has been one-way traffic. And while Verstappen has won every race bar one since then, amid an unprecedented winning streak, Perez’s form has fallen off a cliff. Since Miami, Perez has recorded just four podiums in 13 races in the fastest car on the grid – and none in his last four meets. On the contrary to challenging Verstappen for the title, he is now looking over his shoulder as he tries to seal second place. “I think there was a decisive moment this year which was probably in Miami where Checo had, if you like, an open goal,” said his boss Christian Horner. “He’d won two races in Azerbaijan and Saudi and you could see his confidence was high. “I think that Max, winning that race… I think mentally that was quite a brutal one for Checo to deal with.” Nothing, in fact, symbolised Perez’s struggles more than when he handed Verstappen the title by crashing out of the sprint race in Qatar, tangling with back-of-the-pack cars down the order. The Dutchman did not even need to finish to wrap up championship No 3. And so, quite inevitably and despite holding a contract until the end of 2024, speculation has swirled about Perez’s future. Some of the criticism has been justified, but some has been over-the-top for a man who has dedicated the last 13 years of his life to Formula 1. Last month, the 33-year-old revealed he’d hired a mental coach to “become the best version of myself at home, but also as a driver.” But while no one can question his dedication to the sport, Red Bull can ill-afford to carry a passenger next season amid their current period of domination. A lack of obvious contenders to replace him – with the likes of Lando Norris and Alex Albon all held under long-term contracts – helps his cause and Perez does indeed have his short-term future in his own hands. Yet Albon’s own demise at Red Bull at the end of 2020 shows Horner and Helmut Marko aren’t afraid to ruffle feathers if needs be. Watching across at the sister team as well is nine-time grand prix winner Daniel Ricciardo, desperate for another shot at the big time. So, what can Perez do? By the end of the season-finale in Abu Dhabi next month, he needs to have secured second in the championship. That is the minimum. Such is Red Bull’s ridiculous pace this year, being caught by the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton would represent something of a downbeat conclusion at the end of a peerless year for Red Bull, who’ve never registered a one-two season-end finish. But what Perez will want most of all is a statement performance; a weekend display of driving which proves he still deserves his spot at the top-table. At least for now. In practice on Friday, Perez was three-tenths of a second off his team-mate Verstappen, who unsurprisingly recorded the quickest time amidst the altitude of Mexico City, with Williams’ Albon sandwiched in-between. There would be no place better than his home race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez to silence the naysayers. A third podium in Mexico City would be satisfactory; a shock victory would be a dream. But the truth is it doesn’t have to come this weekend. Either one of the three races thereafter – in Brazil, Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi – gives Perez an opportunity. It doesn’t even need to be a podium; a drive from towards the back of the grid to near the front, with some exquisite racing, would prove he still has what it takes. If not, three years on from saving his F1 skin with a shock call-up at Red Bull for the unfortunate Albon, Perez himself could be the recipient of the ruthlessness of the Red Bull merry-go-round. Time to deliver, Checo. Read More F1 Mexican Grand Prix LIVE: Practice updates and lap times in Mexico City What time is F1 qualifying at the Mexico City Grand Prix? Red Bull hire bodyguards for Max Verstappen over safety concerns at Mexico GP Willy T Ribbs: ‘There were death threats – but I was never going to play the victim’ Mercedes chief admits ‘embarrassment’ after Lewis Hamilton disqualification Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc post amusing joint Instagram after DSQ

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Christian Horner admits Red Bull are “keeping an eye” on Lando Norris with regards to their second seat for 2025. The constructors’ champions tied down Max Verstappen – who could secure his third-straight F1 drivers’ title in Qatar next week – to a lucrative contract until 2028, but the team’s second seat is sooner up for grabs. Sergio Perez has a deal until the end of 2024 but has struggled for consistency this season and is now only 33 points clear of Lewis Hamilton in the battle for second place in the world championship. Perez will be up against the likes of AlphaTauri pair Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, as well as Red Bull reserve Liam Lawson, for a spot alongside Verstappen and the Dutchman’s close friend Norris has also been linked with a switch. “Lando’s a great driver – he’s a big talent, big personality and of course he’s one of those drivers that you keep an eye on,” Horner told Sky Sports News. “But there’s many drivers that you keep an eye on as well. There’s a huge generation of drivers out there at the moment that have got a huge amount of talent. “Now, being Max’s team-mate is never going to be easy and some drivers may be up for that challenge, some may not be. But of course as well as the drivers we have in-house, we keep an eye on all the driver market. “As you can imagine, there’s quite a bit of interest from certain sectors about driving a Red Bull car.” Despite the links, McLaren insisted that conversations are ongoing about extending Norris’ deal beyond 2025. His team-mate, Oscar Piastri, penned an extension last week until the end of 2026. “We are optimistic that this pair of drivers will be the pair of drivers at McLaren for a long time,” said McLaren team principal Andrea Stella last week. “We’re certainly having conversations with Lando. They are good conversations, we are happy with how these conversations are going.” Norris added: “I’ve always said I want to win with McLaren and I think we’re getting closer and closer to achieving that. And not just win races but win championships, both driver and constructors. “I’m very much just concentrating on this year, next year and 2025. There are still two-and-a-half years to try and progress and we’ll see then.” Read More The rise of Oscar Piastri: A genuine rival for Lando Norris at last Lando Norris claims McLaren on ‘an upward trend’ after double podium Christian Horner reveals Max Verstappen ambition ahead of Japan victory George Russell ‘can’t argue’ with Lewis Hamilton’s status at Mercedes Nyck de Vries makes racing return after F1 exit Aston Martin’s Jessica Hawkins becomes first woman to test F1 car since 2018

Lawmakers in South Carolina will reconvene Wednesday morning after debating for more than 12 hours on a bill that would ban most abortions as early as six weeks into pregnancy.

Who'd have thought America's first serial killer would become part of MCU canon? Incredibly, in

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Some of the world’s most celebrated wines – and the historic cultures of the communities which produce them – are under threat, scientists have warned. The harvesting of grapes on steep slopes is known as “heroic” viticulture – named so for the difficulty in producing fruitful harvests on such challenging terrain, typically without the use of mechanised tools, and many such vineyards across Europe have been designated Unesco world heritage sites. But researchers have warned that farmers and scientists must work together to protect this centuries-old tradition in the likes of Italy, Spain and Portugal, where climate change is threatening to disrupt the delicate equilibrium cultivated and maintained for generations. Scientists set out their concerns in a paper last month published in the journal iScience, warning that soil degradation and drought – such as those which devastated swathes of Europe last year – are the most worrying risks posed by climate change. Furthermore, the researchers from the University of Padova warned of a simultaneous threat posed by the “rural exodus and a gradual abandonment of mountain landscapes” which have “characterised” the past 50 years. “The new generation is not attracted to continue working under extreme conditions if economic benefits are insignificant,” they wrote, and warned that the technological modernisation of society is “degrading” the rural cultural background of previous generations. “The risk is not only losing an agricultural product or seeing a landscape change, negatively impacting the local economy,” said lead author Dr Paolo Tarolli and his co-writers. “The risk is losing entire communities’ history and their cultural roots.” Vineyards are considered “heroic viticulture” sites if they have a slope steeper than 30 percent, are located on small islands or at an altitude higher than 500 metres above sea level, or if they incorporate vines grown on terraces – conditions key to developing the wines’ prized flavours. Some of the most famous examples include the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, Portugal’s Alto Douro region, and the Spanish Canary Islands. The increased frequency of weather extremes driven by climate change accelerates soil degradation, the researchers warned, pointing to the ability of intense rainfall to “quickly trigger slope failures” without optimum water conservation processes. Meanwhile, prolonged droughts can threaten already difficult and costly irrigation processes on such slopes. “The key to success lies in combining the traditional knowledge of winemakers with innovation and scientific rigor,” the researchers said. “In this way, farms can work closely with scientists to optimise investments for a more functional, sustainable, and safe agricultural landscape – a winning alliance to face these diverse natural and anthropogenic challenges.” The warning came just days after researchers at the University of East Anglia and London School of Economics suggested that climate change is likely to increase the potential for UK wine production over the next two decades. Wine growing conditions in parts of the UK could grow to resemble those in famous growing regions of France and Germany, they suggested, with new areas in England and Wales finding they are able to grow varieties rarely found at present, including still pinot noir, sauvignon blanc and riesling. But, the study published in the journal OENO One also warned that British weather will remain unpredictable, and that producers will therefore need to remain “agile”. Read More Why climate change could be good news for UK wine ‘A new way of looking at whisky’: The rise of English distilleries Independent Wine Club fair weather friends: Wines for summer sipping Follow your tastebuds to find the hidden Algarve, a foodie’s paradise far from the madding crowd

Packaging companies WestRock Co. and Smurfit Kappa Group Plc agreed to combine in an $11.2 billion deal that