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BMW has launched an electric 3-series called the i3 eDrive35L, which is being built exclusively for the Chinese market. The i3 has 282 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and a 66.1-kWh battery providing 327 miles of range on China’s test cycle. The i3 eDrive35L has a 4.3-inch longer wheelbase than the standard 3-series, and will launch in China in May 2022. The BMW i3 is back, but not as we once knew it. Instead of a tiny hatchback with concept-car styling and a carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic structure, the new BMW i3 is an electric version of the venerable 3-series sedan. But BMW’s latest EV will not be available stateside, with the i3 eDrive35L being built exclusively for the Chinese market. The i3 utilizes a similar powertrain as BMW’s latest electric offerings such as the i4, iX, and the iX3 that's also not sold in America. BMW didn’t provide specifics on the i3’s electric motors, but given that the i4 eDrive40 is rear-wheel-drive and BMW is promising “sporty driving dynamics,” we would expect the i3 to feature a single motor on the rear axle, which the cutaway image provided seems to confirm. BMW did say that the i3 makes 282 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. This allows the i3 to scoot to 62 mph in a claimed 6.2 seconds. A 66.1-kWh battery provides 327 miles on China’s CLTC testing cycle, and BMW says the i3 will charge from 10 to 80 percent in 35 minutes. You may have noticed the L tacked on at the end of the name—this denotes a lengthier wheelbase, with an extra 4.3 inches between the i3’s wheels compared to a standard 3-series sedan. Long-wheelbase versions of luxury sedans are po[CENSORED]r in China, where having a chauffeur is more commonplace than it is here. The i3 will launch in China in May of this year and will be built in Shenyang by BMW Brilliance, a joint venture with Chinese automaker Brilliance Auto. Perhaps BMW will eventually bring an electric 3-series to the U.S., but for now, the electric sedan space is occupied by the i4. Source : https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a39600112/bmw-i3-china-sedan/

In the aftermath of the asteroid impact 66 million years ago that doomed the dinosaurs, it appears that brawn was more important than brains for the mammals that managed to survive the calamity and conquer a changed world. Researchers said on Thursday an analysis of fossils of mammals from the Paleocene Epoch - spanning the 10 million years after the asteroid wiped out three-fourths of Earth's species - found that while their bodies got much bigger, their brain size relative to body mass actually declined. The findings contradict the notion that it was intelligence that drove mammals - bit players during the age of dinosaurs - to become the planet's new rulers following the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period. "The process to get large brains to emerge in mammals after the extinction was much slower than we previously thought," said Ornella Bertrand, a postdoctoral researcher in mammal paleontology at the University of Edinburgh and lead author of the study published in the journal Science. The researchers performed CT scans on fossils of 28 Paleocene mammal specimens and 96 from the subsequent Eocene Epoch, spanning 56-34 million years ago. They assessed brain size and the development of specific cerebral components. Brain growth, they found, kicked in during the Eocene, along with a change in the importance of various functions. "Contrary to our expectations, the mammals that survived the asteroid and outlasted the dinosaurs were fairly dim-witted. They didn't have near the brainpower of modern-day mammals - and keen intelligence came only many millions of years later," University of Edinburgh paleontologist and study co-author Steve Brusatte said. Mammals began to evolve greater body size almost immediately after the mass extinction that eliminated the dinosaurs, aside from their bird descendants. Before it, mammals typically were about the size of a shrew. During the Paleocene, some got as big as bears. "When the non-avian dinosaurs went extinct, an unprecedented opportunity became available for mammals, and they started invading the ecological niches left emptied by becoming bigger," Bertrand said. The researchers learned that the sense of smell - gauged by the development of the brain's olfactory bulbs - was crucial for Paleocene mammals as they seized new ecological roles. During the Eocene, other capabilities such as the greater integration of vision, hearing, memory and motor control - tied to neocortex development - became more critical for survival. "There is a cost associated in having a large brain. The energy allocated to the brain represents 20% of the entire energy allocated to the body. So, the evolution of large brains might only occur when the benefit of having a large brain outweighs the cost of maintaining it," Bertrand said. Mammals now boast the animal kingdom's largest brains relative to body size. Their Eocene brain growth occurred as competition for resources intensified and complex behavior became vital for species survival, Bertrand said. Some archaic Paleocene lineages disappeared, supplanted by mammals more like those living today. With dinosaur predators and plant-eaters gone, mammals began to fill these roles in the Paleocene, a time of evolutionary experimentation. Panther-sized Arctocyon, one of the mammals studied, bore large canine teeth and ate meat and possibly plants, too. Llama-sized herbivore Ectoconus, also studied, was heavily built with strong limbs and feet. The study focused on placentals, by far the most common mammals. Fossils unearthed in recent years in New Mexico, Colorado and France provided insight into Paleocene mammals. "Within 100,000 years after the extinction, species richness increased, and mammals rapidly became morphologically diverse," Bertrand said. "Some Paleocene species were chunky overall, and quite different from the modern groups, while others lived in trees and may have been possible ancestors to primates - the group that much later includes humans. In the Paleocene, the mammals are doing their own thing." https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/after-killer-asteroid-mammals-got-bigger-before-they-got-smarter-2022-03-31/

DUBAI : Binance, the largest crypto exchange by trading volume, is recruiting over 100 positions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is helping to shape Dubai's new virtual assets' regulations, its regional head said. Binance's links with the Gulf state have deepened in recent months as the UAE tries to style itself as the world's new digital assets hub and develops regulation. "It is a very progressive framework and we are very happy to be part of that process, working very closely with the Dubai government," said Richard Teng, Binance's MENA head. "I wish more regulators globally adopt this approach that Dubai has - a public-private sector partnership." The UAE's crypto push comes as international authorities voice growing concerns about the use of cryptocurrencies in money laundering and other crimes. The UAE in March was put on a 'grey list' of jurisdictions under increased monitoring by financial crime watchdog the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Binance, since its founding in 2017, has faced scrutiny from governments and financial watchdogs assessing the wider cryptocurrency industry which had thrived in a mostly unregulated environment. "Binance upholds global standards on anti-money laundering, in terms of global sanctions, in terms of KYC (Know Your Customer)," said Teng. The firm is currently recruiting for more than 100 UAE positions, Teng said and LinkedIn vacancies show, after being licensed by Dubai's new virtual assets regulator this month. CEO Changpeng Zhao is a regular visitor to the UAE and has said he bought a home last year. The firm is also helping Dubai's financial free-zone develop a virtual asset ecosystem. But Teng would not say whether Dubai was to be a headquarters. Binance says it does not have a headquarters and does not identify which entity controls its main exchange, although Zhao has said he wants to establish a number of regional centres. "Definitely Dubai is a very important hub that we are looking at to consider different options going forward," he said, adding "internal deliberations" continued about where Binance's base would be. Dubai, one of the UAE's seven emirates and the region's trade hub, in March issued its first digital assets law and formed the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA). It recently licensed Binance and fellow global heavyweight FTX Europe and companies such as crypto.com are setting up offices. Teng took the MENA role in December, moving from a short stint in Singapore where Binance late last year withdrew its application to be licensed under a new regulatory regime. Authorities had previously warned Binance could be in breach of local laws and should stop providing payment services to Singapore residents. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/binance-steps-hiring-activity-crypto-hub-dubai-2599141

Researchers in Utah made a "once-in-a-lifetime" find last week, trapping a live wolverine that was suspected in 18 sheep deaths in the area. The reclusive carnivore was first spotted by U.S. Agriculture Department workers who were flying over Rich County on Thursday. They were conducting livestock protection surveillance when they saw the fearsome mammal eating a dead sheep. Traps with sheep meat were immediately put out in collaboration with biologists, wildlife personnel and local sheepherders. The elusive animal was found in a trap midmorning Friday, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said. Biologists sedated the wolverine, a male about 3 or 4 years old, and performed a general exam. He was affixed with a GPS collar to allow wildlife personnel to monitor his movements and whereabouts. Officials had released him on public lands in the Uinta Mountains by Friday evening. Jim Christensen , the northern region wildlife manager for the Division of Wildlife Resources, called it a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience. "Having a collar on this wolverine will teach us things about wolverines in Utah that would be impossible to learn any other way," Christensen said. "Four different wolverine sightings were confirmed in Utah in 2021. Were we seeing the same animal or different animals last year? Having a collar on this animal will help us solve that riddle." While wolverines look like small bears and share a seemingly similar name with a certain canine, they are actually a subspecies of the Mustelidae family, which includes weasels and otters. Wolverine po[CENSORED]tions in North America have been in relative decline in recent years, and they have been sighted only eight times in Utah since 1979. Typically, wolverines were seen in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California and the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico, according to the National Wildlife Federation. The federation, which estimates that 30 percent of the wolverines' habitat will be eradicated in the next 30 years because of climate change, says the species is under consideration for protection through the Endangered Species Act. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/animal-news/rare-wolverine-capture-utah-lifetime-find-researchers-rcna20163

Bruce Willis, the star of the "Die Hard" franchise and dozens of other action movies, will retire from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a disease that has hampered his "cognitive abilities," his family said on Wednesday. Willis, 67, who rose to fame in the 1980s comedy-drama TV series "Moonlighting," has appeared in about 100 films across his four-decade career, winning acclaim for such roles in "Pulp Fiction" and "The Sixth Sense," and winning a Golden Globe Award and two Emmys. But Willis is perhaps best known for playing the tough-as-nails New York cop who shouted "Yippee Ki Yay" while pursuing bad guys in the five "Die Hard" movies, released from 1988 to 2013. "This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support," his family said in a statement. Willis, together with actress Demi Moore, were one of Hollywood's most high-profile celebrity couples in the 1990s until their divorce in 2000, but they remained close after the break-up. He is currently married to model and actress Emma Heming and is father to a total of five children with both women. "We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him," said the statement, which was signed by the actor's family and shared on Instagram by Demi Moore and their daughter Rumer. Aphasia is a condition affecting an individual's ability to speak and effectively communicate with others. It usually occurs after strokes or head injuries, but can also arise over time due to brain tumors or degenerative diseases, according to the Mayo Clinic. Willis had been especially active in recent years. He appeared in eight movies released in 2021 alone. None of them were critically acclaimed. The satirical Razzie film awards gave Willis his own special category this year, nominating him eight times for "Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie." The one called "Cosmic Sin" was awarded the Razzie on Saturday. Larry Gordon, producer of the first "Die Hard" movie and its 1990 sequel, said he was saddened by the news of Willis' condition, telling the Hollywood Reporter that the actor was "the consummate pro and a gutsy guy." On social media, his fans shared their feelings of sadness and shock after news of his diagnosis broke, and many of them paid tribute to Willis. "His work has meant more to me than I could ever put into words," wrote a fan with the Twitter handle Cody Leach. "If this is in fact the end of your acting career, all I can say is thank you." Over the course of his career, the Hollywood veteran has appeared in films grossing more than $2.5 billion, according to online database IMDB. In 2006, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Los Angeles landmark honoring the legends of film, television and music. Born on a U.S. military base in Germany in 1955, Willis was raised in New Jersey. After moving to New York to pursue an acting career, he appeared in off-Broadway productions and landed a few minor roles before getting his big break playing the wise-cracking private detective David Addison in the TV show "Moonlighting." Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/cna-lifestyle/bruce-willis-retire-acting-due-cognitive-disease-2597276

MALA ROHAN, Ukraine: Russian forces bombarded the outskirts of Kyiv and a besieged city in northern Ukraine on Wednesday (Mar 30), a day after promising to scale down operations there in what the West dismissed as a ploy to regroup by invaders suffering heavy losses. Nearly five weeks into an invasion in which it has failed to capture any major cities, Russia had said on Tuesday it would curtail operations near Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv "to increase mutual trust" for peace talks. "It's not true," Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a video address to EU regional officials. "The whole night we listened to sirens, to rocket attacks and we listened to huge explosions east of Kyiv and north of Kyiv. There are immense battles there, people died, still die." Intensified bombardment could be heard in Kyiv on Wednesday morning from suburbs where Ukrainian forces have regained territory in recent days. The capital itself was not hit, but windows rattled from the relentless artillery on its outskirts. Reuters journalists southeast of Irpin, a Kyiv suburb which has seen intense fighting for weeks, heard frequent shelling and ordnance exploding on the ground and in the air. Ukrainians evacuating spoke of heavy shelling north of Irpin, shells landing in Irpin itself and dead bodies in the streets. Ukraine and Western leaders had cautioned that Moscow's apparent peace gesture at Tuesday's talks in Istanbul was a cover for reorganising forces that had failed to take Kyiv. Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday its forces were regrouping near Kyiv and Chernihiv to focus on the "liberation" of the breakaway eastern Donbas region. 'RUSSIA ALWAYS LIES' Chernihiv's Mayor Vladyslav Astroshenko said Russian bombardment of that city had intensified over the past 24 hours, with more than 100,000 people trapped inside with just enough food and medical supplies to last about another week. "This is yet another confirmation that Russia always lies," he told CNN, adding that 25 civilians had been injured in a "colossal mortar attack" in the city centre. Reuters could not verify the situation in Chernihiv. Russia's defence ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Irpin itself was recaptured by Ukrainian forces this week. Reuters journalists who entered on Tuesday saw Ukrainian troops patrolling an abandoned ghost town of ruined buildings, with the body of an old man and a woman lying on the streets. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made clear he took nothing Moscow said at face value. "Ukrainians are not naive people," he said in an overnight address. "The only thing they can trust is a concrete result." Ukrainian Defence Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said Ukraine's armed forces had observed some movements of Russian forces away from the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions but did not consider this to be a mass withdrawal by Moscow. "It is preparing to resume offensive operations," he said. Around a quarter of Ukrainians have been driven from their homes by the biggest attack on a European country since World War II. The United Nations said on Wednesday that the number who have fled the country had risen above 4 million. More than half of those refugees are children and the rest mostly women. Over the past week, Ukrainian forces have recaptured towns and villages on the outskirts of Kyiv, broken the siege of the eastern city of Sumy and pushed back Russian forces in the southwest. In the village of Mala Rohan in the eastern Kharkiv region, two burned-out tanks with their turrets ripped off stood near damaged houses. Maksym, a Ukrainian soldier, said the Russians were being pushed back "slowly but steadily". "I think their morale dropped. Most of them already understood that they made a huge mistake when they came here. Therefore, I think they have no chance here, we will win." ROUBLES ONLY Russia says it is carrying out a "special operation" to disarm and "denazify" its neighbour. Western countries say Moscow's invasion was entirely unprovoked. The Donbas region, where Russia says it will now focus its efforts, includes Mariupol, where heavy fighting was again reported on Wednesday. The port city, which had a pre-war po[CENSORED]tion of 400,000 people, has been laid waste after a month of Russian siege and the United Nations says thousands of people may have died. Russian forces were shelling nearly all cities along the region's frontline on Wednesday, said the governor of Donetsk, which is part of the Donbas. Britain's defence ministry said Moscow's announcement about focusing on the Donbas was likely "a tacit admission that it is struggling to sustain more than one significant axis of advance". At Tuesday's talks in Istanbul, Ukraine signalled it would accept neutral status, along with international guarantees to protect it from future attack. Its proposal also called for a ceasefire and would postpone discussion of Russia's territorial demands. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday it was good to have the Ukrainian proposal in writing but there was no indication of a breakthrough. Western sanctions have largely isolated Russia from world trade but Moscow is still the biggest supplier of oil and gas to Europe. Facing a sharp decline in its currency, Moscow has told Western buyers they will have to pay with roubles, something Western countries say breaks their contracts. Germany, Russia's biggest gas customer, declared an "early warning" on Wednesday of a possible emergency if Russia were to cut off supplies. Economy Minister Robert Habeck urged consumers and companies to reduce consumption, saying "every kilowatt-hour counts". Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/russia-bombards-kyiv-outskirts-chernihiv-despite-promise-scale-back-2597211

The Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are rumored to get Stellantis' new inline-six engine, dubbed Hurricane. The high-output version of the twin-turbo 3.0-liter is slated to produce 500 hp and 475 pound-feet of torque. Owner's manuals and a screenshot from Jeep's configurator purport to reveal towing and pricing specs for this new engine option. Stellantis recently revealed a new inline-six engine called Hurricane, and it appears that the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will be among the first models to use this new powertrain. TFLTruck.com found an amended owner's manual for the 2022 Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer that lists towing specs for the new twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine, while journalist Gary Gastelu tweeted a screenshot of Jeep's online configurator that briefly showed the inline-six as a $2000 option (it's since been removed from Jeep's website). If we put all this evidence together with Stellantis' claims for the Hurricane engine, we can surmise that the Jeep Grand Wagoneer will soon offer the high-output version of the inline-six in addition to the standard 6.4-liter V-8. The Hurricane engine's claimed 500 hp and 475 pound-feet of torque beat out the big V-8's 471 hp and 455 pound-feet. The less expensive Wagoneer might use the lower-output version of the new inline-six, which claims 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. The Wagoneer currently offers a 392-hp 5.7-liter V-8 engine with an eTorque hybrid system. The owner's manual shows that the 3.0L models offer maximum towing capacity of 10,000 pounds when equipped with rear-wheel drive and a towing package. This matches the 5.7L Wagoneer's max rating. Stellantis previously said that the Hurricane could make its way into any of its products with longitudinal engines, so this is likely just the start of this new powertrain's prevalance across the lineup. We think it will eventually replace the Hemi V-8s currently found in Ram trucks, Jeep SUVs, and many other products. source : https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a39585006/jeep-wagoneer-inline-six-rumor/

The Land Rover Defender dons a black-and-gold livery to celebrate the 60th anniversary of James Bond films. Along with the commemorative design, this Defender 90 features a modified suspension and a fully integrated roll cage. This one-off Defender was driven by Mark Higgins–a stunt driver in four Bond films­–in the 2022 Bowler Defender Challenge rally race. The automaker most often associated with James Bond is Aston Martin. However, Land Rovers have appeared in Bond films for almost 40 years, starting with Octopussy in 1983 and leading up to the most recent release of No Time to Die. To celebrate the film franchise's 60th birthday, Land Rover built a one-off Defender 90 with a black and gold livery. Land Rover didn't only build a special version of the Defender so it could don 007 graphics overlaid with a giant 60 on its doors and roof; the company also modified it for rally racing. Enhancements include a unique suspension setup with different springs and modified subframes. The body was fitted with a new rear spoiler, and the 18-inch wheels were wrapped with all-terrain tires. Inside, the Defender was equipped with a fully integrated roll cage for added safety. Under the hood, its standard 296-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four was paired with a sport exhaust system. Its engine and transmission also benefited from upgraded cooling components. We’ve tested an unmodified Defender with the more powerful powertrain, the 395-hp turbo- and supercharged 3.0-liter inline-six, and the longer 110 wheelbase. It sprinted to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and cleared the quarter-mile in 14.8 seconds at 94 mph. Behind the wheel of this custom-built Land Rover Defender is Mark Higgins, who has also doubled as a stunt driver on the last four Bond films, including Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre. Higgins and his co-driver, Claire Williams, competed in the 2022 Bowler Defender Challenge rally race, which was held on March 26. Source : https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a39572189/land-rover-defender-james-bond-60th-anniversary/

LONDON :Blockchain project Ronin said on Tuesday that hackers stole cryptocurrency now worth almost $615 million from its systems, in what would be one of the largest cryptocurrency heists on record. The project said that unidentified hackers on March 23 stole some 173,600 ether tokens and 25.5 million USD Coin tokens. At current exchange rates, the stolen funds are worth $615 million, but they were worth some $540 million at the time of the attack. This makes it the second-largest crypto theft on record, according to blockchain analysis firm Elliptic. Ronin is used to power the po[CENSORED]r online game Axie Infinity, which uses non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and is the biggest NFT collection by all-time sales volume, according to NFT market tracker CryptoSlam. Ronin said in a blog post that the hacker had used stolen private keys - the passwords needed to access crypto funds - to make off with the funds. Ronin said it had discovered the hack on Tuesday. "We are working directly with various government agencies to ensure the criminals get brought to justice," it said, adding that it was discussing with Axie Infinity how to ensure no users' funds were lost. Ronin's users are unable to withdraw or deposit funds on the network, it said. Ronin did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent via Twitter. It said it was working with major blockchain tracker Chainalysis to trace the stolen funds. Most of the funds are still in the hacker's digital wallet, Ronin said. Hacks have long plagued crypto platforms. The cryptocurrency arm of Jump Trading said last month it had restored more than $320 million to crypto platform Wormhole after the decentralised finance site was hit with one of the largest crypto heists on record. Last August, hackers behind likely the biggest ever digital coin heist returned nearly all of the $610 million-plus they stole from the DeFi site Poly Network. In 2018, digital tokens worth some $530 million were stolen from Tokyo-based platform Coincheck. Mt. Gox, another Japanese exchange, collapsed in 2014 after hackers stole half a billion dollars of crypto. Ronin is developed by Singapore-based game studio Sky Mavis, which owns Axie Infinity. Sky Mavis does not give contact details on its website. It did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent via LinkedIn. Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/blockchain-project-ronin-hit-615-million-crypto-heist-2594381

Russia will "radically" reduce its military activity in northern Ukraine, including near the capital Kyiv, after "meaningful" talks in Istanbul, Moscow's negotiators said Tuesday (Mar 29). "Given that the talks on the preparation of an agreement on the neutrality and non-nuclear status of Ukraine have moved into a practical field ... a decision has been made to radically ... reduce the military activity in the areas of Kyiv and Chernihiv," Russia's deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin said. Chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said there had been a "meaningful discussion" at the talks and that Ukrainian proposals would be put to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also said that Putin could meet Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "After today's meaningful discussion we have agreed on and propose a solution, according to which the meeting of the heads of state is possible simultaneously with the foreign ministers initialling the treaty," Medinsky added. "On the condition of quick work on the agreement and finding the required compromise, the possibility to make peace will become much closer," he said. Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/ukraine-offers-neutrality-nato-style-security-guarantees-russia-talks-2593871

Flossing is an important habit one should have to get rid of plaque, that sticky, whitish biofilm of bacteria that forms on teeth. When plaque is allowed to accumulate along the gum line, the bacteria can trigger inflammation in the gums and lead to gingivitis or gum inflammation, said Dr Haw Sue Yi, a dental surgeon with SingHealth Polyclinics. Those red and bleeding gums you might have? Those are signs of gingivitis. “If left untreated, gingivitis can progress into periodontitis, where there is loss of supporting bone, which can result in shaky teeth,” said Dr Haw. And it doesn’t take long for plaque to form, mature and harden into tartar – just 24 to 72 hours – after which gingivitis starts to develop, she said. Tartar is much harder to remove than plaque and can only be done at the dentist. Got other questions on flossing? Here are the answers. DO I FLOSS OR BRUSH FIRST? It might be a better idea to floss first, then brush your teeth, said Dr Haw. Doing so “allows the debris to be removed from the interdental spaces and subsequently, brushed off”, she said. “Flossing first also means that a larger clean tooth surface area will be exposed to the fluoride content in the toothpaste.” HOW SHOULD I BE FLOSSING? Don’t hold your piece of floss straight and just go up and down with it. And never snap the floss onto the gums as it can hurt them, said Dr Haw. Instead, curve the floss around the base of the tooth in a C-shape, and gently use an up-and-down motion to clean the surface of the tooth, she said. “Make sure you reach slightly below the gum line.” WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO FLOSS? At night – and the good news is, you only need to floss once daily. Right before bedtime is best because “our salivary flow is reduced when we sleep”, said Dr Haw. This means that the acid produced by plaque bacteria isn’t washed away by saliva and the overnight exposure to the acid bath can result in more decay. WHY DO MY GUMS BLEED WHEN I FLOSS? It is normal as long as the bleeding stops by the time you’ve finished flossing and brushing. The bleeding could be caused by a rough or improper flossing technique. Or your gums just aren’t used to the stimulation created by flossing. However, don’t let the bleeding deter you from flossing the area (if you’ve ascertained it isn’t caused by dental or health issues). Avoiding flossing can “ultimately become a vicious cycle and result in the further buildup of plaque or tartar”, said Dr Haw. Keep at it and you should be able to floss without seeing blood after seven to 10 days. But “if you find that your gums bleed frequently, make an appointment to visit a dentist”, said Dr Haw. It may be due to gum disease such as gingivitis or periodontitis. I DON’T THINK I’M DOING IT RIGHT There are alternatives to the dental floss such as interdental brushes, said Dr Haw. These are small, narrow brushes that come in different widths to suit the size of the gaps between your teeth. In fact, if you have “black triangles” (large interdental spaces between your teeth that look like, well, black triangles), interdental brushes may be more effective for you, she said. Source : https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/wellness/how-floss-plaque-bleeding-307726

Grizzly bears are a type of brown bear that live in North America. The name "grizzly bear" is typically given to members of the subspecies Ursus arctos horribilis, but the scientific classification of American brown bears is not settled, and some people use "grizzly bear" and "brown bear" interchangeably. Grizzly bears are named after their grizzled hair, which can be streaked with strands of gray or silver. However, people commonly believe the word "grizzly" comes from "grisly," which means to cause horror, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Despite their imposing size and appearance, grizzly bears rarely attack humans. ARE GRIZZLY BEARS AND BROWN BEARS THE SAME? Brown bears (Ursus arctos) are the most widely distributed bears in the world and can be found in North America, Europe and northern Asia, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). North America's brown bears are split into two main groups; grizzly bears and Kodiak bears (Ursus arctos middendorffi). While Kodiak bears are only found on the Kodiak Archipelago in Alaska, grizzly bears live across the rest of their North American range, according to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). This includes mainland Alaska, three other U.S. states and Canada. Grizzly bears can be grouped together under the subspecies Ursus arctos horribilis, but some sources recognize multiple subspecies. For example, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) recognizes eight brown bear subspecies in North America, including extinct California grizzly bears (Ursus arctos californicus). These grizzlies inhabited California until humans wiped them out in the 1920s, according to the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History in California. "Grizzly bear" is a common (rather than a scientific) name, so it doesn’t necessarily correspond to a specific subspecies. According to the NWF, many North Americans use "grizzly bear" to describe smaller and lighter-colored bears that live in interior areas, and "brown bear" for larger and darker bears in coastal areas. Regardless of how the name is used, all grizzly bears are members of the only brown bear species. WHAT DO GRIZZLY BEARS LOOK LIKE? Grizzly bears are typically 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 meters) tall at the shoulder when standing on all fours and can reach almost 9 feet (2.7 m) tall when standing on their hind legs. Males are heavier than females and weigh up to 860 pounds (390 kilograms), while females weigh up to 455 pounds (205 kg). Grizzlies are smaller than Kodiak bears and polar bears, which can both stand more than 10 feet (3m) tall. Grizzly bears’ coat color can be anything from blond to black, according to the National Park Service. This wide variation in size and coat color means that these two features alone aren't surefire ways to tell grizzly bears apart from American black bears (Ursus americanus), which are typically smaller and darker — but not always. A more reliable method to distinguish grizzly bears from black bears is to look at a bear's body shape and tracks. All brown bears, including grizzly bears, have a pronounced shoulder hump that is higher than their rump. Black bears lack a hump, and their rumps are higher than their shoulders. Furthermore, grizzly bears have dish-shaped faces and short, round ears, while black bears have straight faces and taller, more oval-shaped ears, according to the NPS. Brown bears also have longer and straighter claws that leave marks in tracks more often than black bear claws do. ARE GRIZZLY BEARS DANGEROUS? Grizzly bears typically avoid people unless they perceive them as a threat to their cubs, food or territory. However, bears do sometimes attack and kill humans. Brown bears have killed 84 people in the U.S. and Canada since 1900, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. The same records show that black bears have killed 78 people and polar bears have killed 11 people during the same period. The NPS recommends that people keep their distance from bears, make an effort to be noticeable when in a bear's environment and avoid surprising them. Bear behavior can be unpredictable, and there isn't a strategy to deal with bear attacks that will work in every situation. According to the NPS, if attacked by a grizzly or brown bear, you should leave your backpack on (if you have one) and play dead by lying flat on your stomach with your hands clasped on the back of your neck and legs spread — this makes it harder for the bear to turn you over. Grizzlies usually attack with greater intensity if you fight back, so it's best to stay still until the bear leaves you alone. However, you should fight back vigorously if the attack persists by striking the bear in the face with anything available to you, according to the NPS. The NPS advice differs for black bear attacks: During a black bear attack, it is never advisable to play dead. Victims of black bear attacks should try to escape or fight back if no escape is possible. People who are in a tent when attacked by any bear, or stalked and then attacked, should not play dead and should instead immediately fight back. In this scenario, the bear sees humans as prey, the NPS says. WHERE DO GRIZZLY BEARS LIVE? he vast majority of North American brown bears, which includes most grizzly bears, live in Alaska. The state is home to an estimated 30,000 brown bears, or about 95% of the total po[CENSORED]tion, according to the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. Grizzly bears also live in Canada and the U.S. states of Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, according to the International Association for Bear Research and Management. Grizzly bears are adaptable and occupy different habitats across their range, including coastal areas, mixed-conifer forests, grasslands, mountainous forests and Arctic tundra, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Individual bears live within home ranges that cover 50 to 150 square miles (130 to 390 square kilometers) for females and up to 600 square miles (1,555 square km) for males, and their ranges can overlap with other bears’ territories, according to the University of Montana's Grizzly Bear Recovery Program. Advertisement Grizzlies are solitary but do sometimes interact with other bears. When grizzly bears rub trees with their backs, they're not trying to scratch an unbearable itch. Rather, they are communicating with one another by leaving their scent. They also use urine to mark their territory, and they communicate with other bears using sounds and movement, according to the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. Grizzlies can be diurnal (active during the day) or nocturnal (active during the night), and they may switch their activity patterns if disturbed by humans. A 2013 study of bears in Yellowstone National Park, published in the Journal of Mammalogy, found that grizzly bears' peak period of activity varied from midday to evening depending on the season, suggesting that they also change their activity patterns based on food availability. WHAT DO GRIZZLY BEARS EAT? Grizzlies are omnivores, which means they eat a mixed diet of vegetation and meat. A grizzly bear's diet can consist of fruit, nuts, leaves, roots or animals, which can be as small as insects or as large as ungulates, such as moose. The 2013 study of Yellowstone bears found that 70% of the bears’ elk calf kills took place at dusk or night, when the calves were likely easier to catch; the bears were therefore nocturnal during the calving season in late spring and early summer and became diurnal during the summer and early fall, when their diet shifted to roots, berries and nuts. A 2006 study into grizzly bear diet published in the Canadian Journal of Zoology found that grizzly bears eat more meat in areas where ungulates and spawning salmon are more abundant. Advertisement Grizzly bears eat as much food as they can in the summer and fall to build up fat reserves before they enter dens and hibernate over winter. Grizzlies are excellent diggers and use their front claws to dig dens into hillsides, or they make their dens in rock caves, tree hollows or brush piles, according to San Diego Zoo. During hibernation, a grizzly's heart rate slows from 70 beats per minute to only 10 beats per minute; metabolic activity also decreases, and the bear stops defecating. Hibernation time varies with the length of winter across the grizzlies' range, but they can stay in their dens for up to seven months living off their fat reserves. Captive grizzly bears that have access to food all year round, such as the bears in San Diego Zoo, may not hibernate at all. HOW DO GRIZZLY BEARS REPRODUCE? Grizzly bear mating season takes place from May to July, according to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web (ADW). During that time, fertilized eggs start to develop in females, but implantation in the uterus is usually delayed until November when the female is hibernating. After a gestation period of six to eight weeks, a mother gives birth to between one and four grizzly bear cubs. Newborn cubs weigh between 12 and 24 ounces (340 and 680 grams) and are cared for by their mother in the den. Mothers stay with their cubs for at least two years before separating. Most grizzly bears live for up to 25 years in the wild, according to the NWF. However, some bears may live beyond 30 years. In 2020, a 34-year-old male grizzly bear monitored by scientists was caught in the Yellowstone region — although it was subsequently euthanized as it was in extremely poor physical condition and had begun attacking cattle, the Jackson Hole News & Guide, a newspaper in Wyoming, reported. ARE GRIZZLY BEARS ENDANGERED? The IUCN doesn’t consider brown bears to be an endangered species, and they are listed as Least Concern. However, this assessment covers all brown bears around the world and not grizzly bears in North America specifically. There were an estimated 50,000 grizzly bears spread across what is now the western U.S. until they were annihilated en masse in the 1800s by settlers, who tried to eradicate the bears. Thousands of grizzlies were shot, poisoned and trapped, and by the 1930s they were restricted to about 2% of their former range, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Grizzly bears became protected as a threatened species in the Lower 48 states in 1975, and it is illegal to kill them unless a person is defending themselves or another person. Grizzly bear hunting is legal but regulated in Alaska, where licensed hunters are permitted to kill bears with certain restrictions, such as not being allowed to target bears with cubs, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Today, there are about 31,000 grizzly bears in Alaska and less than 1,500 in the contiguous U.S. and Canada, according to the NWF. Source : https://www.livescience.com/54453-grizzly-bear.html

SDE BOKER, Israel: The top diplomats of the United States and four Arab countries convened in Israel on Monday (Mar 28) in a display of unity against Iran but also used the rare summit to press their host to revive long-stalled peacemaking with the Palestinians. Concluding the two days of discussions at a desert retreat where its founding father David Ben-Gurion is buried, Israel said the event would be repeated and expanded as it builds up commercial and security ties with like-minded Sunni Arab states. "This new architecture - the shared capabilities we are building - intimidates and deters our common enemies, first and foremost Iran and its proxies," Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said alongside his US, Emirati, Bahrani, Moroccan and Egyptian counterparts. UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called the gathering "historic". "What we are trying to achieve here is changing the narrative, creating a different future," he told reporters after the talks. Israel and some Arab countries worry than an emerging nuclear deal with Iran will leave the Persian power with the means to build a bomb and bolster Tehran-backed guerrillas. The United States and other world powers see restoring a 2015 Iranian nuclear deal as their best option. But US Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered Washington's regional allies reassurances in the event that diplomacy failed. "As neighbours and, in the case of the United States, as friends, we will also work together to confront common security challenges and threats, including those from Iran and its proxies," he said. The UAE, Bahrain and Morocco normalised ties with Israel under a 2020 US initiative known as the Abraham Accords. Egypt in 1979 became the first Arab state to make peace with Israel. While hailing the accords, Blinken added: "We have to be clear that these regional peace agreements are not a substitute for progress between Palestinians and Israelis". Like the Arab countries present, the United States wants a two-state solution whereby Palestinians would gain statehood alongside Israel. Talks to that end stalled in 2014. Israel has settled much of the occupied West Bank while the Gaza Strip, another Palestinian territory, is ruled by hardline Islamists. The cross-partisan coalition government of nationalist Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has said conditions are not right for any renewal of diplomacy with the Palestinians - who, for their part, have placed the onus on Israel. "Unless the occupation ends, Arab normalisation meetings are nothing but an illusion and free reward for Israel," Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh told his Cabinet on Monday. Jordan's King Abdullah arrived in Ramallah to hold talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a first such visit in years that was expected to focus on efforts to reduce regional tensions ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Israel was jarred on Sunday by a shooting spree by two Islamic State-aligned Arab citizens that killed two police officers. Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said his presence alongside the other Arab delegates at the Israeli-hosted summit was "the best response to such attacks". Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani described the discussions as helpful to fend off Iranian-backed groups like Hezbollah. "Of course, part of this process will be renewed efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict," he added. In another sign the allies were closing ranks against Iran, the Israeli ambassador to Manama, Eitan Naeh, said on Monday that Israel will appoint a military attache to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain soon. Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/israel-says-historic-meet-us-arab-envoys-will-deter-iran-2590901

Patent images of the Lotus Type 132, the company’s first SUV and second EV, were submitted to IP Australia, revealing the car’s design, as first reported by Motor1. The Type 132 will feature active aerodynamics and prominent lidar sensors affixed to the front and rear of the roof. The Lotus Type 132 will be revealed in full on March 29. Lotus has confirmed that its upcoming electric SUV will bear the name Eletre. The name confirmation comes after a teaser campaign where Lotus exclusively referred to the crossover as the Type 132. While Lotus is best known for lithe, lightweight sports cars, the British automaker is approaching a major inflection point. The Emira is the final gas-powered Lotus and a lineup of electric vehicles is now on the way. New patent images submitted by Lotus to IP Australia have given us our first glimpse of Lotus’ electric future, showing the Type 132 SUV that's due to be revealed on March 29. The Type 132 will be Lotus’ first SUV and it appears to be fairly compact. It will likely sit somewhere between the Porsche Macan and Cayenne in size. It takes advantage of its electric architecture with a short, sloping hood and stretched cabin and appears to have a surprisingly long rear overhang for an EV. The crossover appears to have eschewed traditional sideview mirrors for cameras—although this setup still isn’t legal in the United States—and a lidar sensor is prominently mounted above the windshield. We can also pick out details that Lotus has teased over the last couple of months. The Type 132 will feature advanced aerodynamics—the snazzy triangular pattern in the lower front bumper is actually a bank of active grille shutters which work in conjunction with air ducts in the hood. Lotus is following current design trends with flush, pop-out door handles and a full-width taillight bar. More unconventionally, the rear wing is split in two, with another lidar sensor emerging from the roof in between. The Type 132 will ride on a platform that can house batteries ranging from 92.0 to 120.0 kWh and promises rapid charging thanks to an 800-volt electrical system. We also expect the new SUV to become the heaviest Lotus ever, superseding Lotus’ first electric vehicle, the 3,700-pound, 1972-hp Evija supercar. More details will come when the Lotus Type 132 is revealed later this month. Source : https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a39374767/lotus-type-132-suv-patent-images/

Technology tends to take a “more is more” approach. And in the case of smartwatches, it’s all about piling on more functions, more portability and more design options. When the first Apple Watch hit the market in 2015, it came with app support and a heart rate sensor. These days, wearables are probably smart enough to get into college. Even luxury watchmakers who have built their legacies around maintaining the electronics-shunning, mechanical master race ideologies have dragged themselves onto the bandwagon with fully digital faces dressed in precious metals and stones. This has meant that, for the most part, investing in a watch is now a matter of having to choose between an analog experience and a digital one. Which is what makes Tissot’s first entrant into this race for our wrist space such an intriguing one. The Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar combines the old-school charm, beauty and pedigree of Swiss watchmaking with just enough smarts to keep it a convenient and modern wearable. Long-time fans of Tissot will be familiar with its T-Touch technology. First unveiled in 1999, its T-Touch watches allowed wearers to access a number of functions – such as compass, chronograph, alarm and many more – through a tactile watch face, essentially introducing the concept of tapping and swiping surfaces to the world at least a decade before it became mainstream practice in smartphones. In 2004, it launched the High T, a completely digital offering made in partnership with Microsoft that worked with the tech giant’s FM radio-based MSN Direct to receive information such as news, messages and more. This may make Tissot look uncharacteristically late to the connected watch space, but we think it entered at just the right time, because now it can appeal to those who want the experience of wearing a Swiss-made watch without the full suite of attention-enslaving apps and features of the current generation of wearables. First of all, it looks and feels more like a timepiece than a trendy piece of tech. Its 47.5mm by 15.3mm case is crafted from titanium, a material even high-end brands have come to favour for its lightness and hypoallergenic properties. Ceramic – another favourite in the premium watch category – was used to make the bezel because its hardness renders them nearly impervious to scratches, and its colour and shine won’t fade over time. Secondly, connecting the watch to a smartphone is entirely optional. The interface can be controlled via two pushers, an electronic crown and a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal touch screen. A long press on the pusher at 2 o’clock will activate the tactile crystal, while holding down the pusher at 4 o’clock acts like a back button that will take you to the home screen. When the watch is in “Connected” mode, notifications (such as calls, weather, texts, emails and apps like WhatsApp and Instagram) can be read at the bottom of the dial, and while the small space means you likely won’t be able to read entire messages, it’s enough to provide a glimpse of what’s incoming. In “Watch” mode, the T-Touch Connect Solar will still have access to a perpetual calendar, countdown timer, second timezone, alarms, chronograph, compass and altimeter. But both modes will still run its accelerometer for step-counting, distance travelled, and energy expended. It runs on the Sw-ALPS operating system developed by Swatch Group, and is compatible with iOS, Android and Harmony. The watch offers two kinds of locks: The first will deactivate screen buttons to prevent accidental presses, and the second will turn off screen displays for added privacy. And speaking of privacy, Tissot promises that neither the watch nor the companion app will send any of your data to a third party. But arguably the most interesting feature of the T-Touch Connect Solar is the fact that it’s solar-powered, as its name suggests. Tiny solar sensors placed within the dial capture light – both natural and artificial – and stores it in an accumulator, which means that the watch can run in Connected mode for several months without needing a recharge, and almost indefinitely when in Watch mode. This is also made possible because of the watch’s MIP (Memory in Pixel) screen that refreshes only when necessary, an adaptive brightness setting, and a Bluetooth Low Energy chip – all of which help save energy. For those who lament the need smartwatches have for frequent (sometimes even daily) recharging, this feature is a godsend. There are six references available, offering a choice of rubber straps or titanium bracelets, as well as different case finishes and colours. The Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar may not be the smartest watch out there, nor did it ever strive to be, but that’s exactly why we love it. It is first and foremost a watch – and a handsomely built one at that – that manages to balance tradition and modern technology for the wearer who is active, stylish and pragmatic. Source : https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/style-beauty/tissot-t-touch-connect-solar-smart-watch-307581

President Joe Biden’s trip to a war-rattled Europe rallied allies and delivered a threatening, if unscripted, message to Russia’s Vladimir Putin. But he returned home with few, if any, concrete answers as to how the brutal invasion of Ukraine actually would end. Biden closed the trip with an up-close look at the ravages of war, a stop in Poland that followed a trio of extraordinary diplomatic summits in which the West unveiled more sanctions on Russia and pledged more support for the resistance fighters in Ukraine. But as Russian shells continued to bombard Ukrainian cities, the united front the president projected gave way to a more sobering reality. The fundamentals of the war had not changed. The conflict will likely only end when Putin decides it does. Putin’s ability to withstand, at least for now, the international pressure and vise-like economic sanctions placed on his country has left Biden and his allies with limited leverage. The president has repeatedly stressed his unwillingness to risk a confrontation with Russia that would escalate into World War III, though he capped off his four days in Europe with the most defiant and aggressive speech by an American president about Russia since Ronald Reagan at the height of the Cold War. “Don’t even think about moving on one single inch of NATO territory,” said Biden, standing in front of a castle in Warsaw. But then, days of carefully choreographed messaging came undone, with Biden veering off script to finish his speech with an unplanned and dramatic escalation of rhetoric. “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power,” Biden said of Putin. Even though the president had, in recent days, called the Russian leader “a butcher” and a war criminal, the seeming embrace of regime change stunned seasoned foreign policy observers. White House aides quickly rushed to say that Biden was not making new American policy after this team had spent weeks carefully avoiding such a declaration. But the moment — those nine little words — upended the trip and threatened to undo the careful balance Biden had tried to strike of condemning Putin without provoking him. A former KGB officer, Putin has long held fears that the United States would try to depose him and hearing those words from the mouth of an American president could, officials fear, prompt him to expand the conflict or lash out in an effort to preserve his power. The initial Kremlin response was predictably brusque, with spokesperson Dimitry Peskov telling reporters, “That’s not for Biden to decide. The president of Russia is elected by Russians.” Even before Biden delivered those remarks, the war seemed poised to enter a new phrase as it began its second month—one in which an ending appeared increasingly difficult to imagine. A top Russian commander on Friday signaled that Moscow was narrowing its goals, declaring that the military would concentrate on “the complete liberation of the Donbas”—the southeastern region that is home to a Kremlin-backed separatist insurgency—and that the assault on major Ukrainian cities, including the capital of Kyiv, was just a distraction to weaken the opposition forces so they would no longer be able to defend the contested separatist territory. That assertion, on its face, was nonsense. Russian forces had attempted to seize Kyiv within the first hours of the war only to be stalled by a combination of their own tactical blunders, equipment failures and surprisingly bold resistance by Ukraine’s military. A war that many in the Kremlin thought could take mere days had settled into a terrible slog, with Russian forces taking extraordinary losses. But the notion that the Kremlin was narrowing its war aim was met with skepticism by Biden officials who suggested it could be a distraction while Russia continued its assault elsewhere. Some military analysts believe Putin may soon pull out some ground forces — avoiding taking more casualties that could hurt him politically at home — and instead settle in to conduct a lengthy long-range bombing campaign to shatter Ukrainian cities. Indeed, the day after the Kremlin’s declaration of a possible narrowing of its mission, Russian missiles fell on the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, far from the center of the conflict, and just 45 miles from Poland, where Biden spent Saturday. A senior White House official likened it to a “warning shot across the bow.” Were Moscow’s stated new plan to become reality, it would still leave Biden in a bind. If the Kremlin were to settle for only claiming the separatist territory, it would be a humiliating end to a large-scale invasion meant to restore all of Ukraine to what Putin believes is its rightful home: part of Russia. But the West would almost assuredly refuse to recognize that as a legitimate resolution to the conflict. Moreover, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has flatly declared that he would not be willing to give up any territory in a negotiated end to the war. Biden himself must weigh domestic political considerations as the crisis in Ukraine drags on. His poll numbers have not improved since the conflict began. But he has largely received praise back home — even from some Republicans — for his handling of the crisis. On the first leg of his trip, Biden announced that the U.S. would accept more than 100,000 Ukrainian refugees as the humanitarian crisis grows. He then put a face on the pledge by visiting a camp of exiles who had fled to Poland. At one moment, he picked up and smiled at a little girl. The president also pushed NATO to deploy more troops to the nations on Russia’s borders and paid a visit to thank — and eat pizza with — a division of American troops. He has secured more than $2 billion in military and security aid to Ukraine. He has also, along with the rest of the West, unleashed a crippling array of sanctions that left Russia’s economy in tatters while also warning Moscow’s friends — namely China — of the consequences that could be incurred if they were to help Putin’s war. But a much ballyhooed effort announced in Brussels this week to help Europe reduce its dependence on Russian energy — a trade that helps fuel Moscow’s war machine — was seen as having little immediate impact on the crisis. The war has posed an unexpected test on one of the central premises of Biden’s presidencies: that the globe’s democracies had to prove they could not just effectively govern but also serve as a bulwark to rising autocracies. Biden has steadied allies rocked by four tumultuous years of Donald Trump, even as many European capitals quietly wonder if his foreign policy is simply an aberration before Trump or someone like him reclaims power. Though Biden had reinvigorated alliances and delivered a stern warning to Putin, the war’s end seemed no closer as Air Force One lifted off Saturday evening from Warsaw back to Washington. A short time later, the air raid sirens went off again in Lviv. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/27/joe-biden-russia-policy-success-elusive-00020688

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the West to give Ukraine tanks, planes and missiles to fend off Russian forces as his government said Moscow's forces were targeting the country's fuel and food depots. US President Joe Biden's three-day tour of Europe ended with comments suggesting Washington was taking a much sharper line on Russia, when he said on Saturday (Mar 26) Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power". Biden's improvised remarks during a speech in Warsaw were not a call for regime change in Russia, but meant Putin should not be allowed to exercise power over his neighbours or the region, a White House official said afterward. Moscow dismissed Biden's comments, saying it was not up to the US president to decide who governed Russia. The Russian invasion has devastated several Ukrainian cities, caused a humanitarian crisis and forced millions to flee their homes. In a late-night television address on Saturday, Zelenskyy demanded that Western nations hand over military hardware that was "gathering dust" in stockpiles, saying his nation needed just 1 per cent of NATO's aircraft and 1 per cent of its tanks. Western nations have so far given Ukraine anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles as well as small arms and protective equipment, but have not offered any heavy armour or planes. "We've already been waiting 31 days. Who is in charge of the Euro-Atlantic community? Is it really still Moscow, because of intimidation?" Zelenskyy said, suggesting Western leaders were holding back on supplies because they were frightened of Russia. Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Vadym Denysenko said on Sunday that Russia had started destroying Ukrainian fuel and food storage centres, meaning the government would have to disperse stocks of both in the near future. Appearing to confirm that, the Russian defence ministry said its missiles had wrecked on Saturday a fuel deposit as well as a military repair plant near the western city of Lviv, just 60km from the Polish border. Local officials said four missiles had hit the city, sending plumes of black smoke into the sky, in a rare strike on the west of Ukraine with much of the fighting since the Feb 24 Russian invasion so far focused on southern and eastern regions and near the capital Kyiv in the north. HISTORIC STRUGGLE Biden drew criticism for his remarks at the end of a speech that sought to frame the war as part of a historic struggle for democratic freedoms. "For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power," said Biden, who earlier in the day called Putin a "butcher". Veteran US diplomat Richard Haass, president of American think-tank the Council on Foreign Relations, said on Twitter the comments made "a dangerous situation more dangerous". "I suggest his chief aides reach their counterparts & make clear US (is) prepared to deal with this Russian (government)," he wrote. Moscow says the goals for what Putin calls a "special military operation" include demilitarising and "denazifying" its neighbour. Ukraine and its Western allies calls this a pretext for an unprovoked invasion. Russia has failed to seize any major Ukrainian city since its troops started pouring into the country on Feb 24. In its latest military assessment, the British Ministry of Defence said Russian forces appeared to be concentrating their efforts to attempt the encirclement of Ukrainian forces directly facing separatist regions in the east of the country. "The battlefield across northern Ukraine remains largely static with local Ukrainian counterattacks hampering Russian attempts to reorganise their forces," the ministry said. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said on Sunday that Russia continued with its "full-scale armed aggression", while Ukrainian forces had repulsed seven attacks in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. The Interior Ministry adviser Denysenko said Russia was bringing forces to the border on rotation and could make fresh attempts to advance in its invasion. Moscow has repeatedly said its operations are going to plan, but Western leaders say the assault has largely stalled in the face of fierce resistance. Reuters could not independently verify the accounts of fighting throughout Ukraine. Ukraine and Russia have agreed two "humanitarian corridors" to evacuate civilians from frontline areas on Sunday, including allowing people to leave by private car from the southern city of Mariupol, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said. The encircled port, which lies between Russian-annexed Crimea and eastern areas held by Russian-backed separatists, has been devastated by weeks of heavy bombardment, forcing thousands of residents to take shelter in basements with scarse water, food, medicine or power. The UN has confirmed 1,104 civilian deaths and 1,754 injuries across Ukraine but says the real toll is likely to be higher. Ukraine said on Sunday that 139 children have been killed and more than 205 wounded. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/ukraine-invasion-biden-poland-decries-putin-grip-power-2588881

At the "Home for Rescued Animals" in the city of Lviv, exotic creatures are now sheltered alongside everyday pets - those left behind in the rush of refugees fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A milky-eyed wolf prowls in its enclosure. Boris the goat bathes his bedraggled face in the spring sunshine. A parliament of owls peers out from the perches of their shaded roost. In a side building, around a dozen cats from Kyiv are lodged. Dogs yowl from an industrial barn, courting volunteers arriving to walk them round nearby parkland. "Migrants who come from Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mykolaiv and go abroad via Lviv leave animals en masse," said 24-year-old shelter manager Orest Zalypskyy. His hilltop sanctuary in the 13th century city of Lviv was once a "haven" reserved for exotic animals, he says. "This war has made us more engaged." Left Behind The United Nations estimates more than 3.7 million Ukrainians have fled the country since the war began a month ago. More than two million of those crossed the border to Poland, where AFP has witnessed droves of animal lovers ferrying dogs, cats, parrots and turtles to safety. Lviv - just 70km (45 miles) from the border - has been the final stopover on Ukrainian soil for many making the journey out of the war zone. Some soon-to-be refugees felt unable to take their pets further. Zalypskyy estimates his shelter has taken in 1,500 animals since the war began, from migrants and shelters in "hot spots" to the east. Between 10 and 20 were collected from Lviv's train station - the locus of chaos in the first days of the war, where carriages and platforms heaved with desperate passengers. "There's been no system," says Zalypskyy. "We just have many volunteers who head out and fetch them." One dog from a war-torn region in the east did not leave its pen for two weeks. A cat abandoned by its owner of seven years is distraught. "We are all bitten and scratched," said Zalypskyy of his volunteer teams. "The animals are very stressed." ONWARD TRAVEL However, the animals left here do not languish. Around 200 have been adopted by the locals of Lviv, while most of the rest are taken onwards by volunteers to Germany, Latvia and Lithuania. There are currently no cats available for adoption - they are all bound for Poland. By noon, Zalypskyy has already signed his third set of dog adoption paperwork for the day. Meanwhile, the shelter is inundated with couples, friends and families arriving to borrow dogs for a weekend stroll. "Ukrainians really adore animals," says 36-year-old Kateryna Chernikova. "It's just in the DNA." With her husband Ihor, 36, and four-year-old daughter Solomiia, Chernikova fled Kyiv a week before war broke out. The young family plus their two guinea pigs Apelsynka and Lymonadka (Orange and Lemonade) - now live in the relative safety of Lviv, which has been largely untouched by violence. On Saturday morning, they leashed a pair of boisterous hunting dogs and set out through the shelter gates, under a fluttering Ukrainian flag. "We're not in the war conditions itself, but it's psychologically very hard," said Chernikova. "When you have a walk with a dog, it just feels as if you're living a normal life." https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/abandoned-animals-ukraine-war-exodus-2589356

The 2022 Maserati MC20 is not related to any Ferrari. Or, for that matter, to any Alfa Romeo, or Fiat, or Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep. It is its own machine, with its own purpose-built engine and carbon-fiber monocoque, and it heralds a new era of independence for Maserati. Not from the Stellantis empire, mind you, but from its own recent muddled past, when a Maserati's exhaust note might remind you of a Ferrari, but its instrument cluster would say Dodge Dart. The MC20 is a pair of dihedral doors pointing skyward, toward Maserati's newfound ambition. The MC20 is what you might call an entry-level exotic, with a base price of $215,995 and a list of options that can push the price beyond $300K. It's powered by a 621-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 that Maserati boasts is the highest-output production six-cylinder on earth, conveniently forgetting the Porsche 911 Turbo S (640 horsepower), Ferrari 296 GTB (654 horsepower), and Ford GT (660 horsepower). The upcoming McLaren Artura hybrid also has a V-6, so it appears we're entering a golden era for six-pot performance, provided you have at least a couple hundred grand to spend. HIGHS: Makes 207.6 horsepower per liter, model-specific engine and interior, looks absolutely righteous. Great engines should have their own names, and Maserati obliged by dubbing its 3.0-liter "Nettuno," which is Italian for Neptune. It uses a patented precombustion design that gives each cylinder two combustion chambers, each with its own spark plug. It's a turbocharged, dry-sump design, oversquare and built to rev. The horsepower peak arrives at 7500 rpm and its 538 pound-feet of torque is available by 3000 rpm. This ferocious little engine is connected to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that drives the rear wheels. While the McLaren and Ferrari V-6s are hybridized, Maserati plans to skip that step and offer the MC20 as a full electric—its carbon tub is designed to accommodate coupe, convertible, and electric variants. For now, though, the MC20 is pure internal combustion. And it's not shy about it. From the driver's seat, this engine plays a singular soundtrack. There's the heavy breathing from the turbos commingled with an angry blat from the exhaust and the distinctive sound of combustion. There's no Alfa-style howl here. At steady throttle, the Nettuno issues a sort of pissed-off gurgle that almost sounds like detonation, which is presumably those clever—and patented—dual combustion chambers at work. Just when you thought you'd heard all the sounds an engine could make, here comes Maserati with a new one. Crack the throttle wide open and that gurgle is subsumed by lots of other noises, like the blood pooling in your ears as your body is crushed into the Sabelt seat. The MC20 dispatches 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, a time that reflects those initial moments when launch control is fighting to keep the rear 305/30ZR-20 Bridgestone Potenza Sport tires from going up in smoke. Once fully hooked up, those 621 horses fully assert themselves, with the quarter-mile passing in 11.0 seconds at 131 mph. It's cliché to say that a car's passing power feels like getting rear-ended by a dump truck, but that's really what it feels like when you abruptly mat the accelerator on the move in the MC20. The transmission downshifts instantly and violently, and then you're on your way to license-losing speeds. In our 50-to-70-mph acceleration test, the MC20 required only 2.4 seconds. The sensation is that there's no slack in the system—until you hit the brakes and find that the pedal goes most of the way to the floor before the pads really bite into the optional $10,000 carbon-ceramic rotors. Since this is a brake-by-wire system, we'd suggest Maserati sacrifices some of that easy modulation in the name of increased immediacy. LOWS: Weighs far more than it should, brake-by-wire system needs a retune, it's a V-6—why? As with its drag-strip performance, the MC20's grip also befits a car that looks like it just rolled off the grid at Circuit de la Sarthe, posting 1.08 g's on the skidpad. But that number, as well as those for acceleration and braking, would've likely been better if the car weighed anywhere near Maserati's claimed weight of "less than 3307" pounds. Our scales put the MC20 at 3757 pounds, a full 450 pounds beyond Maserati's figure. Granted, the MC20 is a deceptively large machine—at 183.8 inches long, it's an inch and a half longer than a Chevrolet Corvette—but that's still a lot of weight for a rear-wheel-drive car with a carbon-fiber tub and a tiny V-6. Perhaps Dallara, which supplies the tub, needs to squeeze out a few more gallons of resin before hitting the ol' autoclave. We'll try to weigh another MC20 at some point to see if this one might've been an early production anomaly. Whatever the scales say, the MC20 certainly doesn't feel heavy. It offers four drive modes—GT, Sport, and Corsa, plus a Wet mode—and the first three run the gamut from aggressive to fully antisocial. A button in the middle of the rotary mode-selection dial allows the driver to soften the suspension independently, so the powertrain can be in Sport mode while the suspension stays relaxed, which is perfect for attacking real roads. Corsa mode is probably best left to actual tracks (among other things, it opens the active exhaust at all times) unless you need to access launch control, which can be toggled from the steering wheel. While the MC20 has its practical side, with a rear trunk fit for a couple duffle bags and a front one about large enough for the owner's manual and some light contraband, this is not a GT car. The interior is elegant but austere, committed to the race-car vibe that's established the moment you open the dihedral door. The roofline is low, with a single wiper sweeping the windshield—probably not as effectively as a pair of them might be, but it looks extremely cool doing it. The view rearward is also compromised by the low rake of the roof, with the tiny rear window casting reflections that cause the rearview mirror to show the view ahead of you rather than behind. Fortunately, the mirror also has a Video mode, for when you need to know whether there are any police-spec Explorers on your bumper before you leap to hyperspace. The standard six-way power sport seats are comfortable for multi-hour stints, and the 10.3-inch touchscreen is a fine conduit for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Our test car was treated to minimal interior finery other than a $4000 Sonus Faber sound system and upgraded leather and Alcantara ($1000), but it still looked high quality—and, importantly, like nothing else in the Stellantis portfolio. No climbing in here and saying, "Oh yeah, just like that Jeep Compass I rented last year." Which is as it should be for a car that costs an as-tested $260,045. Yet Maserati promises that the MC20 isn't an abstract halo car but a portent for the more attainable models as well. We certainly hope so. It remains to be seen whether Fiat-Chrysler's sale of Ferrari in 2016 will ultimately be good for Maranello, but it's certainly looking good for Maserati, which is now free to build cars like this. If Ferrari doesn't like it—and they probably don't—well, too bad for them. But the MC20 is great for the rest of us.

Every few months when Jesstoni Garcia takes electric clippers to his head, he's not just giving himself a haircut, he's also harvesting art materials. Using a thin brush and clear, sticky resin, the co-owner of a Manila hair salon sprinkles these collected strands and clippings on a blank white canvas, taking two to five hours to arrange them into striking images of musicians and actors. The 32-year-old's main job as a seaman involves spending up to eight months a year on cruise ships, and lacking adequate art supplies like paint and sketchpads at sea, Garcia in 2021 turned to using his own hair to create images. He started with self-portraits and eventually moved on to depicting celebrities. Away at sea much of the time, rather than in his salon, he uses only his own hair, sometimes shaving his sideburns when he needs extra material. Garcia said making this art helps ease his stress as long voyages take a toll on his physical and mental health. "We need to have an outlet to deal with depression. For me, my outlet was making art," he said, adding that he eventually wants to sell his work. Source : https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/oddly-enough/hair-today-art-tomorrow-filipino-salon-owner-uses-own-hair-create-portraits-2022-03-23/

TOKYO: Japan's prime minister and its US ambassador warned Russia against the use of nuclear weapons during a visit Saturday (Mar 26) to Hiroshima, the site of an atomic bomb attack in World War II. Their warning comes after Moscow on Tuesday refused to rule out deploying its nuclear arsenal, saying it could be used in the Ukraine war if Russia faced an "existential threat". Japanese leader Fumio Kishida and ambassador Rahm Emanuel visited a peace memorial park and museum, where the US diplomat called Russia's position "unconscionable". Around 140,000 people died when Hiroshima was bombed in 1945, a toll that includes those who survived the explosion but died afterwards from radiation exposure. Three days later Washington dropped a plutonium bomb on the Japanese port city of Nagasaki, killing about 74,000 people and leading to the end of World War II. The United States remains the only country ever to have used nuclear weapons in conflict. Emanuel issued a statement condemning Moscow's position. "The history of Hiroshima teaches us that it is unconscionable for any nation to make such a threat," he said. "We live in unprecedented times as Russia threatens the use of nuclear weapons, something that was once unthinkable, even unspeakable." Kishida said that "the horrors of nuclear weapons must never be repeated". Days after Russian troops invaded Ukraine last month, President Vladimir Putin announced he had placed Moscow's strategic nuclear forces on high alert, in a move that sparked global alarm. "We have a concept of domestic security, and it's public. You can read all the reasons for nuclear arms to be used," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN Tuesday. "So if it is an existential threat for our country, then it can be used in accordance with our concept." Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/russia-nuclear-threat-ukraine-invasion-japan-us-envoy-warning-hiroshima-2588376

Volkswagen is recalling 3404 2022 model year GTIs and 865 Golf Rs for a loose engine cover that could potentially melt and cause a fire. The cover can come loose during “specific driving maneuvers with extreme high accelerating forces,” according to the NHTSA. Volkswagen will remove the engine covers from the affected cars until a redesigned part is ready. Sales of the eighth-generation Volkswagen GTI and Golf R just began late last year, but the hot hatchbacks are already experiencing their first recall. In a notice first filed March 16, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a recall for more than 4000 examples of the 2022 GTI and Golf R for an engine cover than could potentially come loose and melt if it touches certain parts of the powertrain, heightening the risk for a fire in the engine bay. An updated report from March 21 shows 4269 affected vehicles: 3404 GTIs and 865 Golf Rs. The engine cover can potentially become unfixed during "specific driving maneuvers with extreme high accelerating forces," likely a common behavior when driving the sporty Volkswagen hatchbacks. If the loose cover comes in contact with hot surfaces under the hood like the turbocharger, the cover can melt and possibly cause a fire, the NHTSA warns. The organization says that if the cover breaks free from its fixation points, owners may smell a burning odor from the engine bay. Volkswagen said it plans to remove the engine cover from the affected vehicles while it works on a redesigned part. Once the improved cover is ready, owners will be able to bring their cars back to the dealership and have it installed for free. In the meantime, the missing engine cover shouldn’t have a huge affect on the ownership experience, although the car may sound noisier without the sound deadening most engine covers include. Starting in February 2022, Volkswagen has begun building GTIs and Golf Rs without engine covers, according to the report. Owners of affected vehicles will start receiving recall notices from Volkswagen on May 13. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io Source : https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a39542455/2022-volkswagen-gti-golf-r-recall/

President Joe Biden on Saturday is taking part in his final stop on a last-minute trip to Europe aimed at synchronizing how Western allies will address Russia's war with Ukraine and reassure nations that they have the support of the United States. In Warsaw, Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda to discuss how the US and its allies are responding to the refugee crisis that has ensued as a result of the war and he will meet with Ukrainian refugees. Before returning to Washington, the President will also deliver a speech billed by the White House as a "major address." The speech, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a preview on Friday, "will speak to the stakes of this moment, the urgency of the challenge that lies ahead, what the conflict in Ukraine means for the world, and why it is so important that the free world sustain unity and resolve in the face of Russian aggression." Biden's multi-day swing through Europe began in Brussels, where he conferred with major US allies on the global response to the war. The trip is set to end in a nation bordering Ukraine -- where the regional security issues and the humanitarian crisis underway will be front and center. During snap summits in Brussels, Biden announced new sanctions against Russian parliament members, revealed the US' intent to take in 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine and conferred with leaders on how the world will respond if Russia deploys a chemical, biological or nuclear weapon during the war. On Friday, Biden also announced a new initiative intended to deprive Russian President Vladimir Putin of European energy profits that Biden says are used to fuel Russia's war in Ukraine. And later that day, following his arrival some 65 miles from Poland's border with Ukraine, the President met with aid workers to hear their accounts of helping alleviate the humanitarian crisis and members of the 82nd Airborne Division, who have been deployed along NATO's eastern edge to deter potential Russian aggression. Biden told the service members on Friday, "What you're engaged in is much more than whether or not we can alleviate the suffering of Ukraine." "We're in a new phase, your generation. We're at an inflection point," he said. And he told the troops that their mission was more than simply sending a message to Russia. Instead, he said, they were acting as a signal to all the world's autocrats. While Biden will meet with refugees in Warsaw, he said on Friday that he would have preferred to see the crisis from an even closer perspective. "They will not let me -- understandably, I guess -- cross the border and take a look at what's going on in Ukraine," he said. The White House has said it did not explore a visit to Ukraine. The visit to Ukraine's western neighbor comes as Poland has, on several fronts, urged the US to do more in the war. For example, Duda has asked the US to speed up and simplify the procedures allowing Ukrainians with family in the US to come to the country. More than 3.5 million refugees have now fled Ukraine, according to data from the United Nations refugee agency released on Tuesday. A vast majority of those refugees have fled to Ukraine's western neighbors across Europe. Poland, which borders Ukraine to the west, has registered more than 2 million Ukrainian refugees crossing into the country, though not all refugees who have entered Poland remain there. Additionally, the US has continued to reject Poland's proposal to facilitate the transfer of its MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. And the Polish President has called for a more permanent NATO defense posture in the country along with an international peacekeeping force in Ukraine. US officials have not warmed to the peacekeeping proposition, suggesting it could violate Biden's red line of keeping US troops out of the conflict. During Friday's meeting with humanitarian workers, Duda said Biden's "presence here sends a great signal and evidence of unity -- unity within NATO." The Polish President added that Biden's visit "demonstrates a huge support and also a big significance attached by the United States to the stability and world peace, to reinstating the peace where difficult situations are happening in places where somebody resorts to acts of aggression against other democratic and free nations -- as it is happening today against Ukraine where the Russian aggression, unfortunately, happening for a month now is effect." Source : https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/26/politics/biden-warsaw-saturday/index.html

March 24(Reuters) - Bed nets treated with a new kind of insecticide cut malaria cases in children by almost half in a large trial in Tanzania, according to a study in The Lancet, raising hopes of a new weapon in the fight against the age-old killer. Bed nets have been instrumental to the vast progress the world has made in recent decades against malaria, with millions of lives saved. But progress has stalled in the last few years, in part because the mosquitoes which spread the infection have increasingly developed resistance to the insecticide used in existing nets. In 2020, 627,000 people died of malaria, mainly children in sub-Saharan Africa . Now, researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK (LSHTM), the National Institute for Medical Research and Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College in Tanzania, and the University of Ottawa in Canada have shown that a new insecticide -- the first in 40 years -- is both safe and effective in a real-world randomized trial. The nets, treated with chlorfenapyr as well as pyrethroid, the usual chemical used, reduced malaria prevalence when compared with the existing nets by 43% in the first year and 37% in the second year of the trial. The study involved more than 39,000 households and followed over 4,500 children aged 6 months to 14 years old. The nets, developed by BASF (BASFn.DE) in Germany and LSHTM, are marginally more expensive than the current nets, at around $3 per item, but the researchers said the savings in preventing cases outweighed the initial increased outlay. Chlorfenapyr works differently than pyrethroid, effectively grounding the mosquitoes by causing wing cramps and making them unable to fly, and therefore bite, spreading the infection. The chemical was first proposed for use against malaria 20 years ago, and has been used for pest control since the 1990s. The World Health Organization has already pre-qualified the use of the new nets, but the trial, funded by the British government and the Wellcome Trust, could lead to more widespread recommendations for their use. "This is the first evidence in real-life conditions," Dr Jacklin Mosha, the study's lead author from the National Institute for Medical Research, Tanzania, told Reuters. Alongside progress on a malaria vaccine, which was approved by the World Health Organization last year, the team said the net could be another tool in the malaria toolbox. However, they warned that it is important to ensure that mosquitoes do not also quickly develop resistance to chlorfenapyr, if used widely. Source : https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/new-bed-nets-that-ground-mosquitoes-could-boost-malaria-fight-2022-03-24/