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IntroductionWhat Car? says ... The new Polestar 2 could be the answer to a very difficult question: how do you beat the brand that transformed electric cars? Tesla showed the world that going electric didn’t have to mean sacrificing comfort, performance and style, or putting up with a tiny range between charges. And its best car of all, the Model 3, currently dominates the large electric car class. But it now has a red hot, like-for-like rival from the cold north. Polestar, you see, is the standalone, performance-focused, electric car brand born from Swedish firm Volvo. And the Polestar 2 is the fledgling company’s second car (if the name didn’t give that away) and represents its real shot at stardom. Based on the same underpinnings as the brilliant Volvo XC40 (Volvo's family SUV), the Polestar 2 is a 402bhp executive car with a claimed 292-mile range that's aimed squarely at the sparsely po[CENSORED]ted, cheaper end of the premium electric market - the area between the Kia e-Niro and the Tesla Model S, for example. So, what do you get for your cash? Well, along with the Polestar 2’s suave Scandinavian aesthetic, there’s an upmarket interior and performance figures that can embarrass most sports cars. A lot of promise on paper, then, especially given that it’s significantly cheaper than many other electric cars with those qualities, including the Audi E-tron and Jaguar I-Pace. But does this all add up to a winner? In short, has the Polestar 2 overtaken the Model 3 to become the must-have electric car of the moment? Read on to find out everything you need to know. And don’t forget, when you’ve decided which car you want to buy, you could potentially save thousands by heading to Performance & driveWhat it's like to drive, and how quiet it is The Polestar 2 has a 78kWh battery that powers two electric motors - one on the front axle and one on the rear - to make it four-wheel drive. Together, those motors produce 402bhp and 487lb ft of torque, which is more than you get in the Long Range version of the Tesla Model 3. The Model 3 Performance, though, has even more welly. When we tested that car, it hit 0-60mph in a frankly ridiculous time of 3.3sec, but, while the Polestar's official 0-62mph time of 4.7sec is a way off that it's still mightily quick by any conventional standards. Thrillingly so, in fact. As with all electric cars, when you depress the accelerator you take off with an immediacy that no petrol or diesel car can match. And this is all the more impressive in the Polestar 2, given that it tips the scales at 2123kg - some 300kg more than the Model 3 weighs, and almost as much as a Range Rover. What’s more, it’s not just off the line that the Polestar 2 feels rapid. Even at motorway speeds - where the performance of some cheaper electric cars really tails off - there’s plenty of gusto left to make quick work of overtaking. Unfortunately, while the Polestar 2's weight is disguised well in a straight line, it's more noticeable in corners. When you turn in, you really feel the body lean over onto the outside wheels, and it doesn’t help that the steering is numb, no matter which of the three weight settings you select. The Model 3's steering is far more alert and the car feels more agile and grippy. That said, if you're a keen driver looking for more than just grip and grunt, the balance and poise of the BMW 3 Series should not be ignored. Ride comfort is a mixed bag in the Polestar 2. With the Performance Pack fitted you get fancy suspension that rides potholes without crashing and settles quickly after undulations or speed bumps. However, it's not exactly soft, so it tends to follow the ups and downs of the road - even the smallest of imperfections - especially at town speeds. The suspension is manually adjustable, which means you can change the settings to suit your needs, but you'll have to ask your dealer to make the changes unless you're handy with a wrench. If you want the best comfort, ask them to adjust it to 18 clicks at the front and 20 at the rear (they'll know what that means), but even then the Model 3 is more controlled and comfortable overall, though. The Tesla is more refined, too. You can hear the Polestar 2’s suspension clanging away and there’s quite a bit of road roar at motorway speeds. Wind noise is pretty hushed, though, and the motor is quiet and largely free of any whine. That makes town driving seriously relaxing, aided by the inclusion of a one-pedal driving mode. Essentially, the Polestar 2’s regenerative brakes, which feed energy back into the battery whenever you lift off the accelerator, slow the car to such an extent that you don’t often need to touch the brake pedal at all, unless for an emergency stop. You can switch this mode off if you prefer and use the brakes as normal, but the pedal is really wooden. It's effective at stopping you from high speed, but its dead-weight feel makes it quite difficult to gauge the correct pressure to apply to do so smoothly. As for the crucial matter of range, the 292 miles that the Polestar 2 managed in the official WLTP test matches what the more expensive Jaguar I-Pace achieved. The Model 3’s official range is 329 miles, though, and from our experience so far we very much doubt the Polestar 2 will beat its Real Range figure of 239 miles. We'll let you know for definite once we've tested it.

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Health experts recommend wearing masks in order to curb the outbreak of the new Corona virus, but the degree of prevention varies from one mask to another, and according to the material from which it is made. The British newspaper "The Guardian" quoted a Japanese study, that non-woven masks achieve greater protection against the virus that leads to "Covid-19". And what is meant by non-woven masks is the masks that can be worn only once, which are familiar to surgeons, and they take a light blue color. These masks are made of “polypropylene” and are the cheapest in the market compared to other masks. The source added that these masks are more able to stop the spread of small spray particles emitted from the breathing process. The comparison between the masks was based on the fastest computer in the world, which is in Japan and is known as “Fugako”. One of the great capacity of this device is that it can complete 415 "quadrillion" calculations per second, and in recent experience, it compared three types of masks. The study found that non-woven masks, known as "non-woven", were better than their cotton and polyester counterparts. And she revealed that these non-woven masks can more than stop what is emitted from the mouth when the person who wears them coughs. As for the reusable cotton and polyester masks, the World Health Organization recommends that they be washed and cleaned at least once with soap and water at a temperature not lower than 60 degrees Celsius. The researchers explained that the non-woven masks blocked the entire flow of spray, while the other masks were less effective, but they managed to suppress 80 percent of the drops. Makoto Tsubukura, an official at the "Rickens" Center for Computing Sciences, advised wearing masks during the Corona pandemic because they really help prevent the virus. He stressed that masks do not guarantee a single level of prevention, but the worst of all is not wearing a muzzle in light of the spread of the Corona virus, which has turned into a global pandemic.

I Have a friend who is so anxious about coronavirus that I’m starting to worry about their mental health. There seems to be no end in sight for the restrictions they’re applying. As the seasons change, the ability to socialise outside is going to disappear, and they’ll be even more isolated. I told them I was worried, but they were resistant to the idea that anything was off. How do you accommodate other people’s boundaries, but also step in if you’re worried about someone? • When leaving a message on this page, please be sensitive to the fact that you are responding to a real person in the grip of a real-life dilemma, who wrote to Private Lives asking for help and may well view your comments here. Please consider especially how your words or the tone of your message could be perceived by someone in this situation, and be aware that comments that appear to be disrespectful to the individual concerned will be removed. • Comments on this piece are premoderated to ensure discussion remains on topics raised by the writer. Please be aware there may be a short delay in comments appearing on the site. • If you would like fellow readers to respond to a dilemma of yours, send us an outline of the situation of about 150 words. For advice from Pamela Stephenson Connolly on sexual matters, send us a brief description of your concerns. • All correspondence should reach us by Wednesday morning. Email private.lives@theguardian.com (please don’t send attachments). Submissions are subject to our terms and conditions: see gu.com/letters-terms.

IntroductionWhat Car? says ... The Volvo XC60 is one of a number of models that has changed the public’s perception of the brand in recent years. Not all that long ago, Volvo was viewed as the fuddy-duddy, affordable estate-focused alternative to the premium German triumvirate of Audi, BMW and Mercedes. Well, these days, with its revamped range, Volvo isn't simply knocking on the door of that exclusive premium club - it's partying hard inside. Of course, when your price tag is reflecting your premium ambitions, your product needs to match up. That's the challenge faced by the Volvo XC60, which sits above the excellent Volvo XC40 in its SUV lineup. The XC60, though, is based on the same underpinnings as Volvo's flagship SUV, the luxurious XC90. However, it's shorter, several thousand pounds cheaper, and comes with only five seats instead of the XC90's seven. It’s aimed squarely at stealing customers from its other large premium SUV rivals, which include the Audi Q5, Land Rover Discovery Sport and BMW X3. Performance & driveWhat it's like to drive, and how quiet it isEngine, 0-60mph and gearbox The XC60's engine lineup can seem a little confusing. So let’s explain. Engine badges with a 'D' at the front are diesels; a 'T' signifies a petrol or in the case of the T8, a plug-in hybrid; and a 'B' is for a mild hybrid. The 2.0-liter 188bhp diesel, badged D4 is our pick. It's front-wheel drive only and won’t squash you back in your seat with its acceleration, but it has more than enough mid-range oomph for easygoing, everyday pace. True, the Audi Q5 2.0 TDI 190 is slightly brisker, but the D4 is decidedly quicker than the Land Rover Discovery Sport 2.0 TD4 180. Mild hybrid technology is available on petrol and diesel engines, and is labelled in a way that doesn’t identify which fuel each engine actually uses. Having tried the B4 diesel, we don’t think it's worth the extra money over the conventional D4. The B5 diesel, meanwhile, is noticeably quicker. We have yet to try the B4 and B5 petrols. As far as conventional petrol power is concerned, the entry point is the front-wheel drive 2.0-liter T4 with 187bhp. We'd suggest the more powerful 247bhp T5 (available with front or four-wheel drive) to get the XC60 moving with a decent degree of urgency, though. The T6 is both supercharged and turbocharged to produce 306bhp; enough to feel grin-inducingly quick when you’re overtaking on the motorway or tackling a country road. None of the petrol engines can match the mid-range grunt of the diesels, though. There’s also a plug-in hybrid T8 which is faster still, thanks to its near-400bhp combination of petrol and electric power. But although it's fast in a straight line, the front wheels receive far more power than the rears so it can struggle for traction at times. A Polestar Engineered version gains another 15bhp from its engine, but you'd be hard pushed to notice the extra poke while the electric motor at the back is inconsistent in its responses. Suspension and ride comfort The standard-fit steel suspension is still a pretty good choice for UK roads. Speed bumps and large lumps are absorbed smoothly, although expansion joints and ragged potholes can be felt with a thump. The larger alloy wheel options exacerbate the problem, but this is still the set-up we recommend. R-Design trim has lowered suspension that is slightly firmer, but still fine. The XC60 gets the option of air suspension. This gives a generally composed and well controlled ride, although the Audi Q5 with air suspension is still by far the best-riding car in the large-SUV class. Set the XC60's system to Comfort mode and it wafts over soft-edged peaks and troughs at speed, making it particularly adept for long stints on motorways. Hit a sharp-edged ridge or pothole around town, though, and the thud is more likely to resonate through the body than in a Q5, but the XC60 still remains more composed than the Discovery Sport or DS 7 Crossback. Bear in mind, though, that the ride deteriorates badly when you fit 19in or bigger alloy wheels, so stick to 18in ones if you want the car to stay supple. We'd also point out that the additional weight of T8 models make them pitch and heave more than non-plug-in hybrid models over undulating roads. The Polestar Engineered variant gets fancy Ohlins dampers with stiffer springs to help deal with the mass of the batteries, but on the vast 22in wheels of our test car, the ride was far too firm and fidgety, even on smoothly surfaced motorways. Handling If what you want is a secure-handling SUV that's light and easy to steer in town, you'll find the XC60 is perfectly capable. And, if you live up a slippery lane, the four-wheel drive models can provide you with the traction needed. However, for better off-roading ability, choose the Land Rover Discovery Sport instead. You’ll only need to drive the XC60 round a couple of corners to realize that it's no driver's car. It pitches and wallows in a manner not unlike the Discovery Sport when pushed hard and its steering doesn't key you into the road like some of the sportier SUVs in the class. These include the driver-focused BMW X3 and Jaguar F-Pace, and even the Audi Q5, all of which offer tighter body control and more direct steering. The T8 plug-in hybrid is even more sluggish to change direction (due to the added weight of its battery), and going for the sportier R-Design trim doesn't turn the XC60 (no matter which engine you opt for) into anything noticeably more focused, either. The rock-hard suspension of Polestar Engineered versions certainly reduces body lean and helps it grip the road well, but the steering still frustrates and you still won't be having any fun. Noise and vibration The D4 diesel has a background rumble at idle that seems most out of place in a premium SUV and a buzz during acceleration that, while not harsh, would raise an eyebrow or two from the owners of super-smooth Audi Q5s. The B4 and B5 diesels are harsher still, but no more so than those of the equivalent Land Rover Discovery Sport or Mercedes-Benz GLC. Naturally, the petrol engines are smoother, but they still emit a noticeable roar if you prod the accelerator and demand full power. They settle to a barely perceptible thrum when you’re cruising, though. Of course, the T8 can play its trump card of running near-silently on electricity alone for about 20 miles, provided its battery is fully charged. You’ll also notice some slight boom from the suspension when you encounter a pothole. There's also a bit of road noise on the motorway, when you can also hear a flurry of wind noise from around the door mirrors - its not bad, but the Audi Q5 is a more peaceful long-distance machine. InteriorThe interior layout, fit and finishDriving position and dashboard Sat inside an XC60 you look down on most other road users in traffic. For many, that’s key to the appeal of high-riding SUVs. In other respects the XC60's driving position is superb, thanks to plenty of adjustment in the steering wheel and the extremely comfortable and supportive driver's seat. Seat height and lumbar adjustment are electric on all trim levels, but you have to slide the seat back and forth and recline it manually on Momentum and R-Design models; Full electric adjustment, with memory recall, is standard if you opt for the Pro Pack or go for upper trims. It's worth mentioning that both central and door armrests are positioned near-perfectly for you to rest your elbows.

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Our baby was on the way when Thailand banned commercial surrogacy. Clinics were raided. Calls and emails went unanswered My husband and I were on holiday in Greece when the email arrived to tell us we were having a baby. Our surrogate was pregnant after the first embryo transfer. This was the news Bill and I had dreamed of; it was our final attempt at parenthood, whatever the outcome. We had been trying to have a baby for nine years, and I had five miscarriages experienced. We were emotionally and physically drained. A couple of weeks before the news came, we had flown from our home in Australia to Bangkok. My eggs were collected and Bill made his contribution. Later, an embryo was transferred into the Thai surrogate’s womb. I was 37 by then, and surrogacy was not a decision we had taken lightly. I had done a lot of research to find the right country with the right laws and an ethical clinic; surrogates there had completed their own families and were not financially pressured. But days after we found out about the pregnancy, we saw news reports about another Australian couple who’d had twins by a surrogate in Thailand and reportedly left one baby behind when he was born with Down's syndrome. This sparked an international outcry. The Thai government banned commercial surrogacy with immediate effect. Our stomachs sank. Clinics across Thailand were raided as the authorities clamped down on the industry. We had no idea what this meant for couples like us. We tried to phone the clinic but there was no answer. We emailed the doctors frantically but heard nothing back. We had no direct contact details for the surrogate mother, as the clinic had managed communication between us. We wanted to reach out and assure her we would never abandon our baby. Our worst fears were that we might never hear from her again, or that she might feel the need to have an abortion. Or she might go through with the birth but put our child up for adoption, afraid of getting into trouble. Even if she wanted to give us the child, we had no idea if we would be allowed to take our baby back to Australia. These thoughts sent us spinning. Our dreams were being ripped away again. We contacted the Australian embassy in Bangkok and tried to find our surrogate’s village, intending to go there to reassure her - but we got nowhere. Eventually, the Thai government announced a decision would be made about existing surrogate pregnancies in four days’ time. The wait was excruciating. Daily, our fear intensified. I was prepared to be arrested, to go into hiding or to fight it out in the Thai courts for years if necessary. Bill said he’d be prepared to go to jail in Thailand if it meant I could take our baby back to Australia. Of course, it put pressure on our relationship. A week later, we finally got the news: in future, foreigners caught organizing surrogacies in Thailand would face 10 years in prison, but any current arrangements could go ahead; Those involved would not face charges. And with that, it was over. The clinic emailed the next day to assure us our surrogate was fine and healthy. Later, we found out that she had been worried but felt sure everything would work out. She was always so calm. Seven weeks before our due date, there was a call from Bangkok to say our baby had been born. I didn’t even know our surrogate had gone into labor. I called my husband, tears in my eyes and said, “We’re parents.” We booked a flight right away. As I held my son, Evander, in my arms for the first time, it felt as if I was in another world. Years of emotion swam up. I wanted to take everything in, from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. Evander is now five, and such a happy little boy. We’ve processed what we went through and when he started to ask questions, we told him the truth in a way he could understand: my tummy wasn’t working and a friend helped us out; thanks to her, we were able to have him. We’ve kept in touch with our surrogate. Our families met each other, and we still exchange photographs. I see her children growing and she sees pictures of Evander. Bill and I want her to know that this is something we’ll never forget. by: Despina Meris

In a surprising step in the course of US diplomacy related to the Renaissance Dam, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo approved a plan to stop aid provided by his country to Ethiopia, at a time when US President Donald Trump's administration is trying to mediate a dispute with Egypt and Sudan over the thorny file. According to the American "Foreign Policy" magazine, the decision taken this week relates to $ 130 million in US foreign aid to Ethiopia, while officials revealed that the details of the aid cuts have not been determined yet. The magazine quoted US officials and members of Congress as saying that the American support that will stop will include security assistance and aid to combat terrorism and human trafficking, and the development of military education and training, while it will not include humanitarian relief, food and health assistance. According to the source, the American move aims to put pressure on Addis Ababa to address the crisis with Egypt and Sudan regarding the Renaissance Dam, noting that the United States entered a few months ago on the mediation line between the three countries. Last July, Ethiopia unilaterally and suddenly announced that it had completed the first phase of filling the dam's reservoir with water, in a move that had raised great reservations on the part of Cairo and Khartoum. "There is still progress, and we still see a viable way forward," a US official told Foreign Policy about the negotiations. But the decision to cut aid to Ethiopia is likely to face sharp opposition in the US Congress, according to sources who told the magazine that State Department officials briefed Congressional staff about the decision on Thursday, and insisted during the briefing that the relationship between the United States and Ethiopia would remain strong despite the aid cuts. However, a source within Congress said in response: "This is a really illogical way to show a friend (Ethiopia) that you really care." It is noteworthy that the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abi Ahmed visited Khartoum on Tuesday to discuss the issue of the dam with the Sudanese side, and Pompeo was in the same city and on the same day to meet with Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok, but the two did not meet. In a statement issued after Pompeo's visit to the Sudanese capital, the US State Department said: “Secretary (Pompeo) and Prime Minister (Hamdok) agreed that achieving a beneficial agreement between Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt regarding the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is crucial to regional stability.” After the visit of my father, the Ethiopian and Sudanese governments issued a joint statement saying that the two sides "will make every effort to reach a successful outcome of the current tripartite negotiations."

Our guide to Nissan's smallest SUV covers which options to choose, which to avoid, and how much to pay for it all... The Nissan Juke is a funky small SUV with standout looks, but there's more to its appeal than just style. First off, it comes loaded with safety equipment, with automatic emergency braking and lane-departure warning systems both coming as standard. Secondly, it's much, much better to drive than the old car, offering reasonable grip through corners and managing to take the sting out of most lumps and bumps in the road. There are more well-rounded small SUVs - including our current Car of the Year, the Ford Puma - but if you're looking for a small SUV with lots of kit and a reasonable price tag, then the Juke is a decent choice. Our full 16-point review can tell you more about what the Juke is like to live with, but here we're concentrating on what you should pick from the options list. If you've followed our recommendation and chosen N-Connecta trim, then you'll already have the essentials including climate control and keyless entry and start, but here's how to add more luxury without breaking the bank. 1. Paintwork upgrade (£ 575) Flame Red paintwork is standard on the Juke, but there's a plethora of other options to choose from. We'd recommend going for one of these upgraded options, since they're likely to add value to your car as well as helping you to stand out on the school run. The cheapest costs just £ 250, but we'd go for one of the mid-range £ 575 options. Be wary, too, because you can end up spending up to £ 1145 on a two-tone option if you're not careful. 2. Spare wheel (£ 100) Although N-Connecta versions of the Juke come with a puncture repair kit as standard, these only really work if the damage to your tire is small. For larger punctures, and for general peace of mind, we'd recommend opting for the full spare wheel, which will ensure you can continue your journey if the worst happens. 3. Heat Pack (£ 295) It might be summer right now, but when autumn and winter roll around you'll be grateful for Nissan's Heat Pack, which brings heated seats and a heated windscreen. The latter will clear your vision faster than conventional blowers will, while the former will keep your buttocks toasty while you wait. 4. Advanced Safety Shield Pack (£ 1000) Key safety tech such as automatic emergency braking is already included on the Juke, but this pack takes it up a notch with a 360-degree camera to help you park in tight urban streets, plus lane-keeping assistance and automatic cruise control to help make long journeys less arduous. You also get a blind-spot monitoring system and rear cross traffic alert to keep a watchful eye out for other vehicles. It's an expensive choice, but one we think it worth going for. 5. Reversible Trunkliner (£ 82) The modern small SUV has a lot asked of it - and if you'll be asking yours to transport kids, pets and muddy boots then this boot liner is a good idea. One side is velor, the other is hard-wearing rubber, plus it can all be removed so you can scrub it down between washes.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said during talks with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg today, Thursday, that "the alliance should not continue to tolerate Turkish aggressive actions in the eastern Mediterranean." Dendias called on NATO to take a tougher stance with Turkey, stressing that Ankara's actions violate NATO principles and undermine the cohesion and effectiveness of the alliance. Greek media quoted diplomatic sources as saying that Stoltenberg pledged to take steps to help calm the situation. In this context, Greek media confirmed today that Turkey had failed to intercept Greek fighters that participated in maneuvers in the Mediterranean. The Greek newspaper "Ekathimerini" reported that six Greek F-16 fighters took part today in joint military exercises with Cyprus, France and Italy in the eastern Mediterranean. The newspaper quoted reliable sources as saying that Turkey spotted the six fighters on their way to Cyprus, adding: "The Turkish side tried to intercept the planes during their return, but the attempt was unsuccessful." In another context, the Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides called today on the European Union countries "to defend the values and principles of the Union in the face of Turkey's illegal and provocative moves in the Eastern Mediterranean." For its part, Germany called, Thursday, to stop naval maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean to allow the start of talks between Greece and Turkey, which are in conflict over gas resources and the demarcation of maritime borders. And discuss the European Union foreign ministers in Berlin, tension in the eastern Mediterranean, where observers fear that the conflict between the two members of NATO will turn into an accidental military confrontation. On Thursday, Turkey announced military exercises at the edges of its territorial waters in the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean, after Greece conducted exercises in which France, Cyprus and Italy participated. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who tried to mediate between the two parties, told reporters: "We need a diplomatic solution to this conflict. The preconditions for these talks are for these maneuvers to stop in the eastern Mediterranean." He added, "Certainly, the parties will not sit at the table when warships are facing each other in the eastern Mediterranean." The European Union is angered by Turkey sending ships to drill for gas in waters claimed by Greece. Earlier this year, the bloc imposed sanctions on two Turkish citizens for their links to the activities. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell will present to the ministers a "set of options" to deal with Turkey, according to officials, noting that he is keen to stress the importance of continuing the dialogue with Ankara. "The credibility of Europe is at stake," Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said upon his arrival in Berlin on Thursday. The European Union, a union of 27 member states, must defend universal values, for an international global order based on the values and principles of the European Union. "The solidarity of the European Union must be real and tangible," he added. His Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg, said that the eastern Mediterranean "is constantly growing a powder keg," adding that the number of naval vessels makes accidents "almost inevitable." He added that "Turkey ignores all the charters .. international law cannot be negotiated." For its part, Turkey extended, on Thursday, the controversial mission to explore for gas in the eastern Mediterranean. The Turkish Navy announced the extension of the mission of the seismic survey vessel “Aruj Reis” and the accompanying warships for an additional five days ending Tuesday.

Early in the pandemic, I called a much-loved local restaurant - a kitschy, hipster joint that had been open just a few years - to see if they were still doing takeaway. One of the owners answered the landline phone and told me no, sorry, they weren’t. “No worries,” I told him, and immediately moved to end the call, but the guy just kept talking. It wasn't economical to do takeaway, he explained, he wished they could, but they'd had to stand down all their staff, and were just hoping they'd be back when this was all over, because they'd worked so hard on the place - you know? But who knew how long it would even take or what “over” was going to mean? His voice was almost cracking in that totally quiet restaurant, and I pictured him sitting alone at the bar, with the fairy lights flashing around him. "And how about you?" he asked me, a total stranger. “Are you and your family doing OK? Are you still working? ” When we think about the way the virus transformed the way we communicate it’s often the technological shifts that come to mind - working, talking and dating through flat two-dimensional screens. But from early on, Covid-19 also changed the emotional tenor of everyday interactions, bringing an unexpected vulnerability to exchanges with strangers or acquaintances we wouldn’t usually open up to. For me it wasn’t just the impromptu heart-to-heart that Saturday night. On social media, casual friendships plunged into new levels of intimacy, as people willingly shared their isolation experiences - the loneliness, the weirdness, the difficulty of it all. People I’d only ever spoken to breezily at pubs or parties were in my DMs, having D & Ms about insomnia and strange dreams. The man at the corner shop I had visited anonymously almost every day for years, quickly became Arthur, someone I would commiserate with about the state of the world as I bought milk and toilet paper. In parks and public spaces during lockdown, strangers would occasionally be suspicious and evasive, holding their breath as you passed. But more often I found the opposite - people smiling and nodding more than usual, saying hello, maybe their only in-person hello for the day. Sequestered away from most people in our lives, I found people were seeking intimacies and connection wherever they could. Small talk was once governed by unspoken rules - keep it short and simple, don’t really give much away. But amid a binfire of a year, once-rote pleasantries took on a whole new meaning. “One very small consequence of Covid-19 is that it is turning‘ How are you? ’Into a question again,” Megan Garber wrote in the Atlantic back in March. Maybe it was the fact we were all too tired, too exposed to keep up the pretence any more, that allowed many of us to really answer that question, even in an abridged way, when asked over a shop counter. Maybe we had more time on our hands, and could idle where we would once scurry away. Or maybe knowing that everyone is going through something this year made us feel safer about admitting, to anyone who asked, that we were too. All this heightened sensitivity has placed brands in an uncomfortable spot. Marketing firms have clearly tried to tap into this vulnerable moment, often with spectacularly irritating results. I’ve received more than a few whiplash-inducing emails riffing on our “unprecedented times” and offering heartfelt well-wishes, before segueing into a hard sell of products like a new flavored vodka. As the pandemic enters its 86th month (it's been about that long, right?), I sometimes feel like there’s a weariness setting in towards this new expectation to be more open. We can’t always reflect thoughtfully on the ambient shittiness of the year with everyone we speak to. A new small talk - bleaker, world-weary, but nonetheless just as deflecting as the old one - is taking over. "How are you doing, Jo?" Arthur still asks me almost every day. Some days I stick around to chat about the interminableness of working from home, or to listen as he talks about how the business is struggling. Others I give one of the new rote responses: “Oh you know,” I might say, unthinking, with a reflexive roll of my eyes. "2020." : Josephine Tovey

What Car? says ... Looking at the distinctive design of the Volvo XC40, you begin to wonder if the German premium brands have it wrong; their 'Russian doll’ designs lead to a very strong resemblance between models, and that often leaves you struggling to tell one from another. At the very least, Volvo's creativity is jolly refreshing. Of course, the XC40 does retain some distinctive Volvo design cues. Its Thor’s Hammer headlight design and equally striking LED rear lights, for instance, ape the company’s other models, keeping the bloodline recognizedisable. The rest of the car's detailing and its overall proportions are quite different, though. It certainly doesn't look as if Volvo has popped the blueprints for the XC60 or XC90 into a photocopier, selected ‘reduce size’ and pushed‘ print’. Trim levels range from relatively basic (Momentum Core) to properly sumptuous (Inscription Pro) and, as long as you aren't after a diesel, there's plenty of choice when it comes to engines. The most affordable ones come with front-wheel drive and a manual gearbox as standard, with punchier engines getting an automatic’ box and four-wheel drive. There are also two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models called the Recharge T4 and T5, which can travel on pure battery power for short distances, plus a fully electric version called the Recharge P8. Performance & drive What it’s like to drive, and how quiet it is Engine, 0-60mph and gearbox Our pick of the engines is the 1.5-liter T3 petrol. This has a respectable 161bhp and, particularly when combined with the optional automatic gearbox, delivers enough performance to suit most SUV buyers' desires. The B4 and B5 are usefully quicker but are much more expensive to run (as we’ll come on to explain later). The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Recharge T5 is actually faster than all of the regular petrols bar the B5; in our tests, it managed the 0-60mph sprint in a very respectable 7.1sec. However, with a full battery charge, it managed just 21 miles of pure electric driving, whereas the cheaper Ford Kuga PHEV can keep going for 31 miles. When running solely on electric power, the XC40 is powerful enough to keep up with traffic, although acceleration does tail off noticeably as you approach motorway speeds. We haven't yet tried the fully electric Recharge P8 but, on paper, this should be the quickest version of the XC40, capable of hitting 60mph from a standstill in just 4.7sec .. Suspension and ride comfort The regular petrol versions of the XC40 are more comfortable than any of their chief rivals, including the firm-riding BMW X1 and the unsettled Jaguar E-Pace. The XC40 even betters relatively comfortable alternatives, such as the Range Rover Evoque and Volkswagen Tiguan. What’s so good about it? Well, on faster roads, all but the plug-in hybrid versions of the XC40 breeze over ripples and expansion joints and also manage to take the sting out of razor-edged potholes around town - even on the whopping 20in alloy wheels that come as standard with the more expensive trim levels. Curiously, the XC40 rides most adeptly on 'sports' suspension, which is fitted as standard to R-Design versions. The softer 'dynamic' suspension on other trims is still comfy but doesn't keep the car's body as well controlled over speed humps and crests. Unfortunately, the plug-in hybrid Recharge models are far less forgiving along pockmarked roads due to the extra stress placed on the suspension by that heavy battery. Handling While the XC40's body does lean a fair bit through corners and its steering isn’t particularly feelsome, drive it in a relaxed manner - as most people will - and it handles perfectly adequately. R-Design models are slightly more composed than the other versions, thanks to that sports suspension we mentioned above, although the difference isn't huge. The plug-in hybrid versions feel the most wallowy through bends, but since no XC40 is exactly a riot on a country road, you don't feel like you’re missing out. In short, the XC40 is easy to drive but not much fun. If that's a deal-breaker for you, consider the BMW X2 or a Seat Ateca, or a Ford Kuga if you want a plug-in SUV with a bit of cornering verve. Noise and vibration Our favorite engine, the T3, is relatively hushed at low revs, apart from a few whooshes and whistles from the turbocharger. It starts to sound quite thrummy when you rev it harder, but you don't feel much vibration through the controls. The more powerful B4 and B5 engines are even smoother and quieter. The plug-in hybrid Recharge T5 is relatively quiet in pure electric mode, although you do hear more whine from the electric motor than in some rivals, such as the Ford Kuga PHEV. You certainly notice when the petrol engine fires up to help out, but it's never uncouth. Whichever engine you choose, there's only some mild wind buffeting around the windscreen at motorway speeds. Sadly, there is quite a lot of road noise, particularly when big 20in alloy wheels are fitted - the Evoque is notably more subdued in this respect. Still, the XC40 is nowhere near as raucous as the X1 along a typical stretch of motorway.

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The World Health Organization announced, on Tuesday, that the African continent is "polio-free", four years after the last cases appeared in northeast Nigeria, in an area targeted by the attacks of the extremist group Boko Haram. "Thanks to the efforts of governments, health care workers and societies, more than 1.8 million children have been saved" from this disease, the organization said in a statement issued before the historic meeting, which is a crucial step to eradicate the disease from the entire world. The official announcement was gathered by a video conference by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, its Regional Director for Africa Machidisu Moeti, Nigerian billionaires and Nigerian donors Aliko Dangote and American Bill Gates. "It's a colossal victory, it's salvation," said the Nigerian doctor who devoted his life to this cause, Dr Tunji Fanshaw of the Nigerian Polio Commission of the Rotary International Society. It has been more than 30 years since this Challenge was launched. If I said I am happy, it is not enough. ” The disease is caused by "wild poliovirus" which is contagious and mainly affects children and attacks the spinal cord and can lead to paralysis of the limbs that is difficult to treat. The disease was spread all over the world until a vaccine was developed in the fifties of the last century, and the richest countries got it, while Asia and Africa remained for a long time a home of infection. In 1988, for example, the World Health Organization counted 350,000 cases worldwide, but in 1996, more than 70,000 cases were counted in Africa alone. But thanks to a rare collective action and great financial efforts, (19 billion dollars over 30 years), two countries in the world are still suffering from the transmission of “wild poliovirus”: Afghanistan (29 cases in 2020) and Pakistan (58 cases). Nigeria, which has a po[CENSORED]tion of 200 million, was the epicenter of the disease in the world at the beginning of the first decade of the twenty-first century, especially in the north, where the pressure of militant circles affected the vaccination campaigns against polio between 2003 and 2004 after it was rumored that it was a tool of a wide international conspiracy to infect the po[CENSORED]tion with sterility. .. But thanks to working with traditional notables and notables, people were able to convince them to vaccinate their children. Conditions worsened in 2009 with the start of confrontations with Boko Haram. In 2016, four new cases of polio were recorded in Borno State, in the northeast of the country, the disease's home. “At that time, there were about 400,000 children out of reach of any medical campaign because of the violence,” Dr. Fanshawe recalls. However, the vaccination campaigns continued under the protection of the army when necessary, and it is estimated today that the number of children who cannot be reached is about 30,000.

It is claimed that 'breathwork’ can help improve our sleep, digestion, immune and respiratory functions, while reducing our blood pressure and anxiety. All of which, in the midst of a pandemic, sounds more appealing than ever Aimee Hartley, like most people, thought she knew how to breathe - she had, after all, been doing it all her life. She had also given it plenty of thought, having trained as a yoga teacher. But then she took a lesson with a breathing coach, who told her where she was going wrong. He pointed out she wasn’t taking the air into her lower lungs but was, she says, an “upper chest breather. He then taught me this conscious breathing and I felt my lower belly open, and I felt myself breathing a lot better after just one session. So I then became fascinated by how we breathe. ” Watching her students in her yoga class, and observing people in everyday life, she started noticing that almost nobody breathes that well, by which she means in a way that makes your belly expand and your upper chest and back lift slightly, in a fluid motion . The exception, she says, is “babies, until they’re about three”. Then we forget how to breathe. There has been a huge rise in interest in “breathwork” in the last few years, in the western wellness world at least (spiritual practices such as Buddhism and Hinduism have long known about the benefits of breathing well). Hartley is a Transformational Breath coach, the method created by Judith Kravitz in the 70s. There are other methods, including Buteyko and Holotropic, as well as the ancient pranayama, or breath control practice in yoga. One of the stars of the breathwork world is Wim Hof, who advocates breathing exercises alongside cold therapy and meditation. Hartley offers group and private breathwork sessions, and published a book earlier this year, Breathe Well. Hers is just one of a number of books on breathing out this year, including Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by the journalist James Nestor and Exhale by Richie Bostock, an Instagram-friendly coach who describes breathwork as “the next revolution in health and wellness ”. These are exercises that promise to help us become better breathers, which, it is claimed by practitioners, can transform our physical and mental health by improving immune function, sleep, digestion and respiratory conditions, and reducing blood pressure and (or transporting you to) a higher realm of consciousness, if that is your thing). There is little high-quality research to back up many of these claims, although it has become widely accepted that diaphragmatic breathing (engaging the large muscle between the chest and abdomen to take bigger, deeper lungfuls of air) can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety - and the NHS recommends this for stress relief. “If we are breathing into the diaphragm well, we can send messages to the body that we are safe,” says Hartley. Consciously slow and deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system - the “rest and digest” response that is opposite to the “fight or flight” sympathetic nervous system. Studies have shown that controlled breathing can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol in saliva, and another study shows that controlled breathing can alter the chemistry in the brain, affecting levels of another stress hormone, noradrenaline, which could enhance focus and keep brains healthier for longer. There has also been a rise in the use of breathing exercises to help people with asthma. The coronavirus pandemic may have accelerated the breath-training trend. Faced with a virus that affects the respiratory system, attacking the lungs of those severely affected and often leaving even those with mild symptoms with a breathlessness lasting months, there has been a renewed focus on breath. Should you be worried about someone standing close enough to breathe on you? Are you used to breathing through a face mask yet? Is suddenly being aware that it's harder to take a deep breath a Covid symptom, or a sign of the anxiety many of us are experiencing at the moment? “I think people are becoming more aware of how they breathe and how that affects them,” says Hartley, who has been teaching clients over Zoom since lockdown began. "I’ve had clients that are now in recovery from Covid and they’ve said they have never become so aware of their breathing." Breathwork has become fashionable, she thinks, “because it works”. The increased profile of mindfulness, with its focus on breathing, has been another reason, but even while we sit, eyes closed, following the guidance of an app, few of us know how to breathe well, she says. About 80% of the people Hartley sees in her sessions are “upper chest breathers, so that when they breathe in, their intercostal muscles [between the ribs] and their shoulder muscles are overused. Their chests puff out and hardly anyone is breathing really well into their belly, which should be the foundation of the healthy breath. ” Others breathe through their mouth rather than nose. "So there's all these intricacies in the way we breathe and there's always room for improvement." Watch a toddler breathe, she says, and they do it instinctively - their tummies swelling with each in-breath. Hartley believes it is when children begin school that bad habits start setting in that last a lifetime - they sit for long periods, move less, and start to experience emotional stressors that affect breathing (we are designed to take shallow breaths while under threat; it is just that now we feel as if we are under threat all the time). “We go into this fight-or-flight mode and the muscles contract. We start holding our breath a lot more than we should do. It can be anything from feeling nervous in a classroom or something can be happening at home, and you start doing these micro-breath-holds, which morph into an adult dysfunctional breath pattern. It happens without us realizing it. ” She has created a program for schools, School Breathe, which launches next week, after being piloted in three schools in east London, teaching children breathing exercises to improve concentration and reduce stress and anxiety. We are all surviving, Hartley points out - we take in 23,000 breaths in a day - but she says there is room for a better breath. "These micro-happenings throughout our lives sadly make this wonderful toddler breath turn into this crotchety teenage breath and on into adulthood." It is hardly surprising, she says: “Modern life stops us breathing well.” Stress is associated with small, quick breaths which, in turn, makes us feel even more frazzled. Hartley has observed that people who live in cities, with the added problem of pollution, unconsciously take in shallower breaths. And even tight-fitting clothes, or snug bras, can affect your breathing, while “this mad desire to be skinny”, she says, has meant people holding their stomachs in - she says she has seen people reluctant to take a full breath because it gives a rounded-tummy shape. Spending time online, too, has affected our breath. “When we’re engaged in technology we’re doing these subconscious breath-holds a lot,” she says. It can happen when concentrating on writing an email, but also when mindlessly scrolling through social media. “And the things we see online can make us feel inadequate or anxious, so there’s an emotional factor that can affect breathing. I don’t know if anyone comes off social media feeling better. ” There are also postural issues that can hamper our respiratory system, whether you are hunched over a laptop or, head down and neck bent, looking at your phone. The first step to improving your breathing is to become aware of it, says Hartley. You may notice you are holding your breath more than you realise, or taking shallow breaths. “Breathing is subconscious, as in it goes on 24 hours a day and most of those we don’t notice, but it's the only system of the body that we have some alertness over and have some ability to change,” says Hartley. "Find out how you breathe first - place one hand on the lower belly, one hand on the upper chest, take a few breaths and notice which part of the body rises more." There are dozens of exercises in Hartley's book, as well as numerous tutorials online from breathwork coaches, books and apps, but as an easy one to try, she recommends extending the exhalation as a way to feel more relaxed. "Breathe in through the nose for four, hold the breath for two, and then breathe out for six, and then repeat that for a few rounds." You can also practice on the move, ideal on your daily walk or commute, if you are back at work. "Breathe in for five steps while you’re walking, and out for five steps, always in and out through the nose." To start getting familiar with breathing into the diaphragm, meanwhile, Hartley recommends sitting on the edge of a chair with legs hip-width apart, then leaning forward with your elbows on your knees and your chin resting in the palms of your hands. Take a deep “sniff-like” breath in through the nose. “You should feel your belly and lower back expand,” she says. And then breathe out slowly again through the nose, then repeat for a minute. And what if you want to lull yourself back to sleep? Try tensing all the muscles in your body as you breathe in through the nose, then releasing them as you exhale through the mouth, which you repeat a few times. Then create space between your teeth and, with your tongue placed on the hard palate, breathe in through the nose for a count of three, hold it for a count of four, then breathe out through the mouth, relaxing the tongue, while counting to five. Hartley advises repeating this for at least 10 rounds. Of all the wellness trends, one benefit appears to be that breathing - for all the coaches, books and apps out there - cannot be commercialized in quite the same way as sleep and eating. It is free, it can be done anywhere and the effects are instant. “Breathwork is brilliant for bringing us into the present moment,” Hartley says. “We spend a lot of time mentally elsewhere, and the breath can never be in the past or future. If we focus on our breath, we’re pulled back to the present moment so there’s no overworrying or overthinking. We can just be in the here and now. ”

The Kia e-Niro hasn’t been around for that long but it already has one heck of a reputation. Why? Well, when it was launched it gave the electric car market a right old shake up, offering a Tesla-style long range for a far more affordable price. Indeed, it was so impressive it went on to become the first ever electric car to win our overall What Car? Car of the Year award - the biggest accolade we hand out - and buyers have been joining the queue to bag one ever since. Still, this is the fastest moving market in motoring. New electric models are appearing all the time, although not always ones that can top the Kia e-Niro's official range of up to 282 miles between charges. Still, this is the fastest moving market in motoring. New electric models are appearing all the time, although not always ones that can top the Kia e-Niro's official range of up to 282 miles between charges. What are its competitors, then? That depends if you're set on an electric SUV or just an electric car in general. Rival SUVs include in-house competition from the Kia Soul EV and Hyundai Kona Electric (Hyundai owns Kia, by the way), as well as the MG ZS EV. Then there are the conventional hatchback rivals, some of which have been around far longer, like the Nissan Leaf, plus fresher arrivals, including the Peugeot e-208. So how does the e-Niro compare? Should it be your next car, and perhaps your first ever electric car? In this review, you'll find all the information you could possibly want - just click through to the next page to start reading. And if you decide you want to buy a Kia e-Niro, or any other new car for that matter, head over to our deals pages to find out how much you could save. Engine, 0-60mph and gearbox Go for entry-level '2' trim and your e-Niro will have a 134bhp electric motor coupled to a 39kWh battery pack. We haven’t tried this yet, but the same motor and battery combo is used in the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, where it delivers respectable performance, and in the e-Niro, 0-62mph takes 9.5sec. Opt for '3' or '4+' trim and you'll get a much larger 64kWh battery with a 201bhp electric motor. In our tests, this version managed 0-60mph in 6.9sec. Okay, that’s not Tesla Model 3 quick, but the e-Niro feels faster than its numbers suggest, such is the eagerness of its acceleration, which is on tap the moment you put your foot down. There’s no waiting for the performance to build; It's all there right from the off. In fact, if the road is wet, the e-Niro relies quite heavily on its traction control system to prevent its front wheels from spinning up. When it comes to electric cars, though, performance isn’t just about how quickly you can get up to speed - it's about how far you can travel between charges. Officially, the 39kWh e-Niro can manage 180 miles and the 64kWh 282 miles, and our Real Range test showed that 253 miles of driving is easily possible in the latter. That's hugely impressive because it matches what the much pricier Jaguar I-Pace will do on a single charge, betters a Model 3 and is beaten only by the Hyundai Kona Electric. For context, a Renault Zoe managed 196 miles. Suspension and ride comfort Don't expect to feel as if you're floating along on a magic carpet, but the e-Niro's ride is up there with the 40kWh Nissan Leaf and Peugeot e-208's, and about as comfortable as it gets for an electric car in this price bracket. Yes, you’re made aware of harsher bumps, such as potholes or nasty broken patches of asphalt, as they pass beneath the car, but even these don't cause a serious upset like they do in a BMW i3. And the e-Niro doesn’t jostle you about as much as the Hyundai Kona Electric or the more fidget-prone Kia Soul EV, either. Handling Electric cars don’t usually corner as sweetly as their petrol and diesel counterparts because of all those heavy batteries. This holds true with the e-Niro - a Seat Ateca is a more agile family SUV, for example - but it still changes direction keenly enough and its body remains fairly upright in the process. The steering doesn’t give you a particularly great connection with the front wheels, although it's pleasantly weighted and precise, making it easy to place the car where you want it - both around town and on faster roads. When you accelerate hard, particularly along an uneven road, the e-Niro's steering wheel can feel like it's connected to the front wheels via an angry snake, pulling one way then the other in your hands. However, this phenomenon is less pronounced than it is in the rival Kona Electric. Noise and vibration Electric cars have a big advantage over petrol and diesel models in this area because there’s no noisy, rattly combustion engine under the bonnet. There’s just a muted electric motor whine as you accelerate up to speed and, at very low speeds, a curious synthesised hum to warn pedestrians of the e-Niro's presence. Even at 70mph it's still impressively quiet inside the e-Niro, with less road and wind noise than in the Kona Electric or MG ZS EV. And the e-Niro's brakes respond fairlyently when you press the middle pedal, making it easier to shed speed smoothly. This isn't the case in a Renault. You can even change the strength of the car’s regenerative braking using paddles behind the steering wheel. The higher the level, the more quickly you slow down when you lift your foot off the accelerator pedal.