The latest in the ongoing Ukraine conflict:
- US sanctions Russia's Gazprombank executives
- On WWII anniversary Zelensky says evil has returned
- US first lady Jill Biden makes unannounced visit to Ukraine
Monday, May 9, 2022
UKRAINE CONFLICT: 5/9/2022
COVID-19 SITUATION: 5/9/2022
The latest in the ongoing COVID-19 situation:
- It can’t get any better: Jab awaits unvaxxed voter
- New Zealand reports 1st Omicron BA.5 variant
- Cambodia reports zero new Covid-19 cases for 1st time in over a year: PM
Let's Do The News! (May 9, 2022)
Your daily round-up of today's news:
- A day after the deadline it set for itself, the Commission on Elections has yet to finish the “final testing and sealing” of vote-counting machines with only 79 percent of the defective units replaced.
- The COMELEC flags fake disqualification against Makabayan groups.
- Fact-checkers call pre-election fake news a "firehose of falsehoods".
- Bongbong Marcos casts his vote in Ilocos Norte.
- Ping Lacson became the first presidential bet to cast a vote on election day.
- French President Emmanuel Macron vows a new start in his second presidential term.
- The Taliban ordered Afghan women to cover their faces in public.
- The Doctor Who franchise named actor Ncuti Gatwa as The 14th Doctor.
- Actor Dennis Waterman dies at 74.
TTFN.
Volkswagen ID.5
Following the success of the first-ever ID.3 hatchback and the World Car of the Year award-winning ID.4 crossover, a coupe crossover version of the said VW electrics has arrived and it's ready to snatch some profits out of the Tesla Model Y. Welcome to the first-ever ID.5.
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| 2022 Volkswagen ID.5 |
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| 2022 Volkswagen ID.5 GTX |
With prices starting at 46,515 Euros plus additional costs, the ID.5 is basically a coupe crossover version of its relatives.
At first glance, it looks identical to the ID.4 crossover as well as its minimalist interior that is not friendly for speedo boys behind the wheel and seating for up to five people as usual, but because being the coupe crossover version of the ID.4, the ID.5 features a sloping roofline which is a very German thing to do since the first-generation BMW X6.
When it comes to boot space, the ID.5 is slightly more compared to the ID.4 with the rear seats present but with the rear seats folded down, that's 14L less than the ID.4. Fair enough for a coupe crossover with a sloping roofline but it's still more than enough to tackle everyday needs.
In its rear-wheel-drive configuration, which feels like an old Porsche 911 when you handle it precisely like a pro, making it a mild coupe crossover to drive on a daily basis, the Pro Performance variant's 204ps 77kWh battery pack allows the ID.5 to sprint from 0-100kph in 8.4 seconds and has a top speed of 160kph, which is 20kph slower than Japanese cars. Range? It's good for 516km based on WLTP standards and when plugged into a public charging outlet, it will reach 80% capacity in almost half an hour.
The high-performance GTX variant adds another electric motor to the front axles, making it a four-wheel-drive electric crossover that produces 299PS of power and 310Nm of torque, capable of hitting a 0-100kph time of 6.3 seconds and a top speed of 180kph, which makes it feel like a Japanese car as expected. The driving range is good for 491km and when plugged into a public charging outlet, it will reach 80% capacity in less than 40 minutes, which is longer than the normal rear-wheel-drive ID.5 but with the GTX, it's a capable crossover than can tackle through all kinds of conditions despite retaining its mild driving feel from its normal equivalent.
The ID.5 and the ID.5 GTX are packed with the most advanced safety features Volkswagen ever thought of ranging from Front Assist with City Emergency Braking System and Pedestrian Monitoring, multi-collision brake and Lane Assist, Side Assist lane change system, Park Assist, Park Distance Control, and so on.
With the addition of the coupe crossover derivative to Volkswagen's ID line of electric vehicles, looks like the road to electrification is still going on strong, like it or not. Although not as good as the Tesla Model Y, its pricing is worth owning it, and looks like the Germans are on the roll with this one.
Photo: Volkswagen
2022 NASCAR Cup Series - Goodyear 400
Darlington Raceway experienced its thrust back in time as the drivers are donning their throwback vibes in the retro-themed NASCAR Throwback race with the Goodyear 400 race.
As the green flag waved, the retro-themed action in Darlington has begun. Stage 1 saw some trouble in the pits and the close combat too tough to tame. As Joey Logano won Stage 1, Stage 2 delivered plenty of action with the #6 car experiencing mechanical damage as well as Kyle Busch having a bad day. As Ross Chastain won Stage 2, the final stage is on fire...literally. There's the #78 car that caught fire and then there's a multiple car crash on the backstretch.
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| Screengrab from NASCAR |
In the end, Joey Logano wins the Goodyear 400 of the NASCAR Cup Series!
The next race is at Kansas Speedway for the AdventHealth 400 this May 15th.
FIA WTCR 2022: Race of France
The 2022 FIA World Touring Car Cup kicked off in the streets of Pau, France, for the season opener, the Race of France.
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| Screengrab from WTCR |
In the first race of the season, the ALL-INKL.COM Munnich Motorsport team delivered a 1-2 finish with Nestor Girolami the winner, and Esteban Guerrieri the 2nd place finisher. The chaotic second race, meanwhile, saw Mikel Azcona the winner following the first lap crash between Norbert Michelisz and Attila Tassi.
The next race of the FIA WTCR 2022 season will be in the Nurburgring for the Race of Germany this May 26-28.
F1 2022: crypto.com Miami Grand Prix
The streets of Miami, Florida, roar to life as the F1 2022 season continues with the first-ever Miami Grand Prix. The drivers are doubling down on who will master this new racetrack based on the vivid backdrops of Miami.
As the lights went off, the first-ever Miami Grand Prix is underway with Charles Leclerc getting away cleanly and leading while Max Verstappen slips through Carlos Sainz for second place. Things are going pretty well until Zhou Guanyu is out of the race due to mechanical failures. As the trio did their pit stops, the clash in Miami resumes until Lando Norris and Pierre Gasly got involved in a collision in Lap 41, triggering a Virtual Safety Car. As the race nears its climax, Verstappen continues to defend his lead against the Ferrari duos until the very end.
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| Screengrab from Formula 1 |
In the end, Max Verstappen wins the first-ever Miami Grand Prix, defeating the two Ferrari drivers, Leclerc and Sainz, in the race toward victory lane. Other finishers include Sergio Perez, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Valterri Bottas, Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon, and Alex Albon.
After Miami, Leclerc maintains his lead with 104 points, 19 points ahead of Verstappen, while Perez is in 3rd with 66 points.
The next race of the F1 22 season will be the Pirelli Gran Premio de Espana in Catalunya this May 22nd.
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