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A total of 48 Continental GT and GTCs will be made to honor the Bentley Speed 8's win 20 years ago, and they come as the 24 Hours of Le Mans celebrates its centennial. Bentley is making an extremely limited run of the Continental GT coupe and GTC convertible called the Le Mans Collection. The special-edition cars, limited to a total of 48, mark the 20th anniversary of Bentley's sixth win at Le Mans as well as 100 years since the first running of the event. The cars are powered by Bentley's 650-hp 6.0-liter W-12 engine. Sometimes resting on your laurels and embracing warm memories is enough. Other times you build an extremely limited run of special-edition vehicles commemorating your success. Bentley went for the latter. The manufacturer has revealed limited-edition versions of the Continental GT and GTC, which mark the 20th anniversary of Bentley's sixth win at Le Mans and 100 years since the event began. The limited-edition cars are referred to as the Le Mans Collection and were built by Bentley's Mulliner coachbuilding division in honor of the race-winning Speed 8 of 2003. Each Le Mans Collection Bentley is powered by the 650-hp 6.0-liter W-12 engine from the Speed models. According to Bentley, that power will urge the Le Mans collection to a top speed of 208 mph, and a sprint to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. The compliant three-chamber air springs with active damping from the standard GT are back for the Le Mans Collection. Newly developed optional carbon-ceramic brakes offer stopping power, while all-wheel steering and an electronic limited-slip differential help with agility. The three-way rotating central display from the standard Continental GT is back with a twist. Since the Le Mans Collection honors the Speed 8's victory 20 years ago, Bentley saw it fitting to include a piece of that car in each special edition. The Speed 8's engine was removed after the winning Le Mans in 2003, and 24 of the 32 valves from the engine were taken and cut in half. Each Le Mans Collection car houses a valve in the central display where the the central dial on the three-gauge analog cluster normally lives. The display also shows the car's specific production number, identifying it as a Le Mans Collection vehicle. The standard 12-hour analog clock found on the dash is replaced with a digital clock, showing only 24-hour time. The cars come in two versions. The Blackline specification pays homage to the black and green livery of the Speed 8, while the Styling model makes more extensive use of exposed carbon fiber and a pinstripe in a color called Moonbeam. The front grille shows a painted "7" to honor the winning number of the 2003 Speed 8 car. There's no mention of price or even availability for the Le Mans Collection, but we expect these to sell quickly, if they haven't already. Even if they carry a premium over the $291,225 starting price of the normal Continental GT Speed Coupe. link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a43592986/bentley-continental-gt-gtc-le-mans-special-edition/

Social media is bad. And awkward. And one of the easiest places to make an idiot of yourself. We all know it, and we all know why, but it exists and most people are on it one way or another because there’s something deeply and irreparably wrong with us. So, given that millions of us are in this position, how can we avoid some of the endless pitfalls that come with presenting ourselves on social media? And how do we avoid embarrassment or falling out with friends, partners or employers? With the caveat that each generation uses social media differently (here’s to you over-50s, and your love of ending a message with an ellipsis, and to Gen Z’s obsession with the term “low-key”), here are some general dos and don’ts for online behaviour, corroborated by social media and etiquette experts. Friendships Gossip with caution If you must, truly spicy gossip should be sent via voice note directly to one recipient, but is much better related in person. The same rule applies if you’re going to be rude about somebody. Everyone likes to be a little rude about somebody, just don’t make it easy for that somebody to catch you doing it. “It’s never a good idea to gossip about someone on social media or even by text,” says Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert. “Anything you say can be shared and most probably will.” A screenshot is a powerful thing. Never unfollow If you don’t want to get annoyed by somebody online, mute them; don’t unfollow. It may seem obvious, but I know someone who unfollowed his sister’s wife because he found her annoying and didn’t realise she’d be able to see that he’d done that. Needlessly awkward. Let things slide No doubt you have friends who you love in person but whose social media presences you find cringey or annoying. I do, and I’m certain people who would drive me to hospital in labour are sick to the back teeth of the asinine crap I put on Instagram. This is all fine and normal: just don’t tell them. Let people be. Don’t post other people’s dating profiles anywhere public, even if they’ve said something stupid Be kind with big announcement posts It’s easy to make a joke comment under someone’s engagement or pregnancy announcement. But even if you think it’s obviously tongue in cheek or they’ll get it, people are often anxious about these kind of breezy and celebratory posts, and you don’t want to be the doofus who writes “the kid’s got your massive forehead Callum mate” under a picture of an ultrasound. Ask before you post If you have pictures or videos of your friend evidently wasted or doing something embarrassing, ask before posting. Specifically, ask the day after, not while they’re still spread-eagled on the floor cry-singing Nothing Compares 2 U. “There is probably a culture in your friend community about how this is handled but, when in doubt, either ask or err on the side of caution,” advises Catherine Newman, an etiquette columnist for online magazine Real Simple. link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/apr/14/how-to-behave-online-expert-guide-avoid-making-an-ass-of-yourself-on-social-media

A 21-year-old US airman will appear in court on Friday in connection with a leak of highly classified military documents about the Ukraine war and other national security issues. Jack Teixeira was arrested by the FBI at his family home in Dighton, rural Massachusetts, on Thursday. Dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, he was led away by heavily armed agents. Mr Teixeira has been identified as the leader of an online chat group where the documents first emerged. He is charged with the unauthorised removal and transmission of classified information. He will appear in court in Boston, Massachusetts later on Friday. Dozens of leaked documents revealed US assessments of the war in Ukraine as well as sensitive secrets about American allies, embarrassing Washington and raising fresh questions over the security of classified information. Mr Teixeira worked as an IT specialist in the intelligence wing of the Massachusetts National Guard, based at Otis Air National Guard Base in western Cape Cod. The National Guard is a reservist wing of the US Air Force. They are not employed full time in the military, but can be deployed when necessary. Mr Texeira's official title is Cyber Transport Systems journeyman and he holds the rank of Airman 1st Class - a relatively junior position. It is not clear what level of security clearance Mr Texeira had, but according to the Air Force website, employment in the role requires a single scope background investigation (SSBI). That clearance is reportedly required for access to top secret information. It was not until intelligence material was posted outside the chat room group that Pentagon officials became aware of the leak, prompting a massive search for the culprit. Aside from the age of the suspect, the motive is also thought to be unusual. While Mr Teixeira is said to have harboured a scepticism of government, friends said he was neither a whistleblower nor a foreign agent. The Pentagon says it will re-examine how classified information is distributed, but a spokesman said it was "the nature" of the US military to entrust young service members with high levels of responsibility. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65271302

The quality of cattle head imports from Brazil has caused concern among Moroccans after rumors of disease. Rabat - The Moroccan government has turned to Brazil for cattle imports following a lack of production, rising prices, and climate stressors within the kingdom. In 2022, Moroccan imports from Brazil increased by 88.82% as the countries sought to forge relations regarding import-export deals. This time, Morocco resorted to Brazil for cattle exports instead of the European Union to stabilize the price of meat for financially stressed Moroccan households. Additionally, Brazil is set to become the largest beef exporter in 2023 due to the country’s tropical climate, which is a factor in the good quality of its cattle. Concerns Over Quality On March 26, Morocco received its first shipment of 2,800 heads of cattle from Brazil. However, consumers quickly became concerned after videos and images of the cattle surfaced online, with many claiming the discernibly poor health of the cattle was indication enough that the quality of their meat did not meet the standards of the National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA).. “First, [Head of Government Aziz] Akhannouch must be held accountable for the exorbitant money allocated to him, which in the end left no self-sufficiency in grains, vegetables, and meat…. Secondly, Moroccans must boycott red meat to preserve their health from any possible diseases, especially Brazilian cows, and for the beef price to decrease to the limits of 50 dirhams,” said a comment. Another comment reads, “Our country possesses world-class quality calves and vegetables, which are exported to the European markets, and you, Akhnnouch come with cattle with unknown identity and genes.” Parliament and government spokesman Mustapha Baitas has warned against these claims, insisting that ONSA only issues certificates following rigorous control and that several laboratory studies have been carried out to ensure the quality of the imported cattle. The import process underwent meticulous health checks, including one by ONSSA, to guarantee that the market is supplied with quality products, Baitas argued, further explaining that measures would be implemented to facilitate meat import and ensure adequate supply for Aid Al Adha. Brazilian Local Cattle Brazilian cattle are less expensive to import than that of other South American countries, leading to “quality versus quantity” concerns. Ireland is also a leader in quality, but importing Irish cattle is more costly than Brazil. During a 2022 interview with Farmers Journal, Brazilian beef exporter, Dyego Pedott, acknowledged that “the only thing Brazilian beef can compete with Irish beef on is the price.” Pettot added: “Brazilian beef is ‘still not that great’ compared to other beef produced in other countries.” According to research from the Wilson Center, an American think-tank, “beef production in Brazil, as in most of the world, is distributed across a long supply chain where the animals are transferred between properties several times to complete the breeding, fattening, and processing cycle, which includes cow-calf production, stocker production, and finishing operations.” Morocco’s Inspection Process Moroccan citizens have been wary of the quality of imported cattle, but Mohamed Sadiki, Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests, has reassured Moroccans that the cattle undergo a “strict control process” upon arrival in Morocco. First, veterinarians take blood samples from the cattle and send them to laboratories to test for potential diseases, he has said. Once confirmed disease-free, the cows receive vaccinations and are given identity numbers. If the cows are unfit for consumption after diagnosis, they are slaughtered immediately. Otherwise, they are quarantined for twenty days, enter the breeding phase, and finally wait for slaughter. Inflation Concerns Increase Because of the decision to import beef from Brazil rather than the European Union to stabilize costs nationwide, butchers are expected to set their profit margin in hopes of selling the meat at a reasonable price. The pressure from citizens to bring the price of red meat to its usual rate has increased, especially after the Moroccan government promised to lower prices during Ramadan. One kilogram of red meat currently exceeds MAD 120 ($11) across Morocco; in October 2022, the price was MAD 70 ($7). However, the prices of beef imported from Brazil will now range between MAD 65 ($6.4) and 67 ($6.6) per kilogram. But it remains to be seen whether the recent controversy over the quality of Brazilian cattle will impact Morocco’s imports from the South American country in the near future. link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/04/354980/anxiety-looms-over-brazilian-cattle-imports-in-morocco

Nick Movie: The Last Voyage of the Demeter Time: August 11, 2023 Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: ? Duration of the movie: = Trailer:

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US President Joe Biden has praised Northern Ireland's young people, saying they are at the "cutting edge" of its future during his visit to Belfast. Earlier he met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before briefly speaking to some of Stormont's political party leaders. He is on a four-day visit to Ireland to mark 25 years since the Good Friday peace agreement, which ended decades of violent conflict in Northern Ireland. He hailed the "tremendous progress" since the deal was signed in 1998. "This place is transformed by peace; made technicolour by peace; made whole by peace," he said. He hailed Northern Ireland as a "churn of creativity", having produced some of the world's most po[CENSORED]r films and TV series over the past decade, and said that major economic opportunities for the region were "just beginning". President Biden was speaking as he opened the new Ulster University campus in Belfast, his only official engagement in Northern Ireland. His visit comes at a time when Northern Ireland's power-sharing government at Stormont is not functioning. It collapsed last year when the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - one of the biggest parties - pulled out as part of a protest against post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland. Mr Biden urged politicians to make a return to governing but praised them for their unity after the attempted murder of one of Northern Ireland's top detectives in February. John Caldwell was shot several times by two gunmen in Omagh, County Tyrone. During his speech, the president said: "Northern Ireland will not go back [to violence]." Mr Sunak visited Mr Caldwell and his family at a hospital on Wednesday afternoon. line Read more about Biden's visit Biden's blink and you'll miss it visit to NI Is this a missed opportunity for Stormont? Why Ireland is so important to Joe Biden line Before briefly meeting the political leaders, Mr Biden was asked what he would say to them. "I'm going to listen," he answered. After leaving Belfast early on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Biden flew on Air Force One the Republic of Ireland where he is continuing his tour of the island. He is to due to meet the Irish President Michael D Higgins and speak to politicians at the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) on Thursday and will meet some of his Irish relatives in County Mayo on Friday. His sister Valerie and his son Hunter have joined him for the Ireland trip. President Biden managed to deliver a speech that hit all the right notes with the invited audience. As he left the stage he was swamped by people armed with their phones for a selfie. His speech was pitched at reminding people what is at stake - peace, said Mr Biden, cannot be taken for granted. He reminded those in the room about the risks taken 25 years ago by the architects of the Good Friday Agreement. Democracy in Northern Ireland needs champions now to do the same, he added. While he didn't namecheck the DUP it was clear to whom he was directing those comments about getting Stormont back up and running. line Before Mr Biden's address in Belfast, US Special Envoy Joe Kennedy spoke about the significance of American investment in Northern Ireland. "Some of the biggest companies in the world have set up shop here and now entrepreneurs with dreams to outcompete them are following," he said. "I look forward to drawing on your energy and your ideas and to making sure that we bring prosperity to all corners of Northern Ireland." After listening to Mr Biden's speech at the university, Michelle O'Neill, vice-president of Sinn Féin, the largest party at Stormont, said the message was "one of hope and opportunity". link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-65208880

Researchers have determined the cause of an unusual behavior in funnel weaving spiders that involves the females curling up as if they're dead before having sex. Female funnel weaving spiders engage a bizarre behavior to mate: They play dead during sex so males are less worried that they might be eaten when the deed is done, a new study shows. That, in turn, makes it easier for females to choose the best mates, by playing dead for appealing partners and fighting off the scrubs. Some funnel weaving spiders (also called funnel weavers and funnel web spiders) — a family of fast-moving, slender spiders that build their webs in a distinctive funnel shape — are known to engage in sexual cannibalism, when females kill and eat the males after the pair has finished mating. Naturally, this makes sex a much less appealing for the males, which are literally risking their lives every time they want to hook up. To get around this, some species have developed an unusual behavior known as sexual catalepsy, in which the female curls up its legs and stays immobilized as if it had died. This allows males to go about their business without having to worry about becoming a post-sex snack for the female. Researchers have known about sexual catalepsy in spiders for some time, but until now, it has not been clear if the females are voluntarily immobilizing themselves for the benefit of the males or if the males have some control over the behavior, either through some behavioral trigger or via a chemical cue. To understand what was going on, researchers conducted experiments on funnel weaving spiders from the species Aterigena aculeata to compare sexual catalepsy with similar behaviors to see if it was controlled by males or females. Results were published March 21 in the journal Current Zoology(opens in new tab). Related: Male spiders drum out mesmerizing syncopated beats to woo mates During the experiments, the team observed A. aculeata females during one of three scenarios: engaging in sexual catalepsy naturally during mating; playing dead, also known as thanatosis, after being shaken in a test tube; and being put to sleep by anesthesia, to mimic a potential male-produced chemical cue. Afterward, the spiders were frozen to death and their bodies were ground up so the researchers could analyze the chemicals being used to coordinate the spiders' actions. This allowed the researchers to look for physical and chemical similarities among the behaviors. If sexual catalepsy closely mimicked thanatosis, it was probably being controlled by the female. But if it was more similar to anesthesia, then it suggested that it was not in the female's control and could have been influenced by the male, study co-author Mark Elgar(opens in new tab), an evolutionary biologist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, told Live Science in an email. The results showed that sexual catalepsy appeared almost identical to thanatosis. Individuals that had experienced both behaviors had chemical profiles much more similar than those that had been anesthetized. This finding strongly suggests that sexual catalepsy is controlled by females and acts as a way for them to choose their mates, Elgar said. "Mating occurs only when the female enters sexual catalepsy, so if she doesn't behave that way, then mating doesn't proceed," he added. Although the females may appear to be dead during the mating process, the males are fully aware that they are faking. Shortly after mating has finished and the male has backed away, the female will get up and scurry away. Sexual catalepsy also occurs in several other species of funnel weaving spiders, but it is too soon to tell if the technique works the same way across the rest of the group, Elgar said. "It isn't clear yet whether it has consistently evolved as a female mechanism of mate choice or a male mechanism of protection against sexual cannibalism," he added. Playing dead is not the only behavior spiders use to escape sexual cannibalism. In April 2022, researchers revealed that males from Philoponella prominens, a type of orb weaving spider, use a catapult-like mechanism in their legs to immediately launch themselves away from females after they finished mating. link: https://www.livescience.com/female-spiders-play-dead-during-sex-so-males-dont-have-to-worry-about-being-eaten

This drop-top Bimmer is peak yuppie. This 1991 BMW 325i convertible includes the rare Sport Appearance package. It's currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer with no reserve. Bidding ends early on Friday, April 14. If you were a yuppie attempting to survive in the decade of M.C. Hammer time, then you likely yearned for an E30 BMW 3-series convertible like this 1991 example currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer, which like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. It’s a 325i, which means its original owner shelled out the extra coin to skip over the entry-level 318i’s wheezy four-cylinder in order to enjoy the smooth operation of BMW’s legendary inline-six engine. It’s also equipped with the Special Appearance package that combined the racy M3-inspired looks of the M-Technic package with the tamer suspension and smaller wheel and tire package of the standard 325i convertible. In other words, Special Appearance package-equipped 325i convertibles were for those who favored form over function. It’s why we actually dig the fact this example is not one of the rarer five-speed models. BMW's four-speed automatic may neuter the 168-hp 2.5-liter six-cylinder’s straight-line acceleration, but it also completely jives with this car’s ethos of strictly looking sportier than the average 325i ’vert. Yes, the run-of-the-mill 325i convertible was also available with a five-speed manual, but if you’re a yuppie trying to make it in the ’90s, then you need your right hand free to hold your built-in car phone or blocky cell phone. Manually swapping cogs just isn’t in the cards. These 325i convertibles with the Special Appearance package are a rare breed. BMW reportedly produced fewer than 1000 examples of its compact convertible with this option. All wore either white or black paint. Although this E30 droptop’s relative rarity adds value, it’s still no E30 M3. Whereas solid examples of E30 M3s typically sell for north of $50,000, the last 325i convertible with the Special Appearance package to cross Bring a Trailer’s virtual auction block sold for $23,100 in October of last year. That prior car also showed nearly 30,000 fewer miles on its odometer and didn’t appear to suffer from any notable rust, unlike this 325i, which reportedly has rust in its left door jamb. A number of repainted areas, a top that’s slow to close, and wear on the seats are other issues that affect this 3-series. Still, this car seems to be in good shape for its age, even if it’s not exactly in concours condition. Plus, the seller includes plenty of service documentation, indicating this 3-series was mechanically well-cared for. Admittedly, 325i convertibles with the Special Appearance package may not be the most sought-after variants of the E30 3-series. However, if you’re looking to cosplay as a yuppie in a low-mileage, ready-to-drive late-1980s or early-1990s BMW 3-series, then this rare example is a likely affordable and interesting way to do so. link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a43540931/1991-bmw-325i-convertible-special-appearance-package-bat-auction/

Gabor Maté was arriving at Vancouver airport one day when his phone lit up with a text from his wife, Rae. She asked if he still wanted a lift home, and mentioned she hadn’t yet left their house. The physician, mental health expert and bestselling author, who was 71 at the time, replied brusquely: “Never mind.” So enraged was he, as Maté writes in his new book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture, that, when he got home, he “growled a hello” and then “barely made eye contact” for the next day. “Is this the response of a mature adult in his eighth decade?” he asks. This kind of candour about his failings has won him fans for his work on trauma, addiction, attention deficit disorder (ADD), stress and childhood development, but it is the wisdom he squeezes from it that has made him a self-help guru for some. With more than 1.4 million followers on Instagram, he has an impact on people akin to that of a rock star, but a cerebral one – more Leonard Cohen or Joni Mitchell than Justin Bieber (his husky drawl would sound almost as good narrating the lyrics to I’m Your Man). Back to the airport. “At times like this, there is very little grown-up Gabor in the mix,” he writes. “Most of me is in the grips of the distant past. This kind of physio-emotional time warp, preventing me from inhabiting the present moment, is one of the imprints of trauma, an underlying theme for many people in this culture.” The template for his hostility, he says over a video call from his home in Vancouver, against a backdrop of Indigenous art from British Columbia, is to be found in the messages he received as a Jew in Nazi-occupied Hungary. Maté was born in January 1944; in May of that year, the deportation of Hungary’s Jews to Auschwitz began. By the end of the Holocaust, 565,000 Hungarian Jews had been murdered, Maté’s maternal grandparents among them. Trauma is not what happens to you; it is what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you When he was 11 months old, his mother sent him with a stranger to be cared for by his aunt. In the book, he quotes her diary from the time: “My dear little man,” she starts, explaining that she was forced to part with him because “your little organism could not possibly endure the living conditions [in the] fenced-in Budapest ghetto”. Maté says trauma, from the Greek for “wound”, “is not what happens to you; it is what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you … It is not the blow on the head, but the concussion I get.” That, he says, is the good news. “If my trauma was that my mother gave me to a stranger … that will never not have happened. But if the wound was that I decided as a result that I wasn’t worthwhile as a human being, I wasn’t lovable, that’s a wound that can heal at any time.” There can be two types of wound, he says. “There’s the capital-T traumatic events,” which include things like being abused as a child and the loss of a parent. Then there are “small-T traumas”. “You can wound a kid not only by doing bad things to them, but by also not meeting their needs,” he says. Even doting parents can easily, unknowingly, inflict small-T traumas on their children. He would know, because, as he admits, he inflicted them on his own kids. Prince Harry during the livestreamed conversation on Saturday. Prince Harry says some British soldiers did not ‘necessarily agree’ with war in Afghanistan Read more All trauma must be treated with compassion, but he is adamant that it isn’t an excuse for not taking personal responsibility. As he writes about the airport incident, there comes a point when “‘Hitler made me do it’ won’t fly”. Trauma exists on a personal level, but also in the collective sphere – he cites the persecution of Canada’s Indigenous people and the ensuing addiction, illness and suicide, as well as the legacy of racism and slavery in the US. In most cases, he writes, trauma is multigenerational: “We pass on to our offspring what we haven’t resolved in ourselves.” Left unhealed, trauma “has an impact on your life … about how you feel about yourself, how you see the world, how you get triggered, what you believe about yourself, the kind of relationships you get into. And it shows up in the form of chronic illness.” Even now, at 79, Maté is still discovering ways that the imprints of trauma can bubble up. Take the past few weeks. At the beginning of March, he engaged in a livestreamed conversation with Prince Harry about loss, trauma and healing. It was rapidly subjected to the same scrutiny as all things the prince touches. Maté was derided in the press as a “so-called ‘trauma expert’”; headlines pitched him as a “Holocaust survivor who hails Hamas as ‘heroes’”; and there was criticism of his diagnosis of Harry as having ADD. Also, his – stylish, it should be said – collarless shirt was belittled. His own reaction surprised him: “I thought by this age I was past that stuff.” But the encounter with the press, and on social media, left him “roiling inside with upset and even some degree of shame”. He reached out to a psychiatrist friend who asked him: ”What is it about this whole thing that upset you so much?” I wasn’t diagnosing Prince Harry with a disease … I said: ‘You’ve got a normal response to abnormal circumstances’ For Maté, it was not being seen. “That’s my trigger. If somebody disagrees with me, that’s great, I don’t care. But let them see me and let them disagree with what I actually say and who I actually am and not their distortion.” His friend made a link about how not feeling seen as a child seemed like a life-threatening situation to him, after he was separated from his mother. “As soon as he said that, I just released inside. I got it,” he says, exhaling visibly. In terms of diagnosing Harry with ADD – something Maté was diagnosed with in his mid-50s – the point that was missed, he says, is that “I wasn’t diagnosing him with a disease. I said: ‘You’ve got no disease.’ I said: ‘You’ve got a normal response to abnormal circumstances. Because if a child is stressed like he was, or I was, what do you do with that stress? You can’t escape it, so what do you do? The brain tunes out … But this is happening when the brain is developing and that affects its circuitry.” While many scientists would disagree, Maté believes this is a “reversible response”. I wonder if it must be particularly galling to see his views on Israel and Palestine represented with such clumsiness, given they have cost him so dear. When, in the immediate aftermath of the six-day war in 1967, he first made clear his opinions, his father kicked him out of the house. “I basically dared say that Israel had launched this war to occupy territory and they’ll never give it back. Now, I’m going to ask you: how wrong was it?” His early Zionism was, he says, “wonderful for me, because it made me proud to be a Jew for the first time”. But finding out “the actual history” punctured it: “The slogan about a land without a people for a people without a land. There was never a land without a people; there was a people there.” For his parents, “who had suffered so much for being Jewish, for a Jewish young man to criticise Israel, to call its policies into question, was so painful”. While his father did, eventually, come to agree with him, it was a subject that he could never discuss with his mother. His maternal grandfather had been a Zionist leader and “to have actually looked at the reality that I was looking at would have meant a betrayal of her father who died in Auschwitz. So I understood that.” Maté has a heightened level of compassion. Perhaps part of it is because, for him, the real villain is our culture. In The Myth of Normal, he gives the analogy of a toxic culture in a laboratory, meaning one that is “unsuitable for the creatures it is meant to support. Or worse: dangerous to their existence. It is the same with human societies.” He catalogues toxicities as: “illness born of stress, ignorance, inequality, environmental degradation, climate change, poverty and social isolation.” Don’t ask why the addiction, ask why the pain … addiction is a normal response to trauma We have, he says, become so “acculturated” that it has become normal, but that doesn’t mean it is healthy. The central argument of the book is: “Those features of our daily life that appear to us now as normal are the ones crying out for the greatest scrutiny.” Like crustacea placed in cold water, we haven’t noticed the heat being turned up to boiling point. Many of the plights of modern society are, he says, natural responses to an unhealthy culture. Take addiction, something that he doesn’t just relate to drink and drugs, but also to “sex, gambling, pornography, extreme sports, cell phones”. His view is that there is no such thing as an “addictive personality”. Nor is addiction a disease. His mantra is: “Don’t ask why the addiction, ask why the pain. To understand people’s pain, you have to understand their lives. In other words, addiction is a normal response to trauma.” Maté spent 12 years working in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside – North America’s most concentrated area of drug use. “Every one of my female patients – many of whom were Indigenous, many caught up in the sex trade – had been sexually abused in childhood or adolescence, one marker of the multigenerational legacy born of Canada’s brutal colonial past,” he writes. I ask why he thinks there can be such an empathy gap for people with addiction. He says that, when he was working with people addicted to hard drugs, he had his own severely addictive behaviours – “work and shopping”. He would lie to his wife about the money he had spent. “At one point, I even left a woman in labour in hospital to go and get a compact disc. I had to have it right then and there.” He told his patients about his own behaviours. “They said: ‘Doc, you’re just like the rest of us.’ The point is, we are all just like the rest of us.” So, when it comes to addiction, he says, “people find it much easier to project that part of themselves that they don’t like on to a certain despised po[CENSORED]tion than to look at themselves. What they’re actually disdaining is a part of themselves that they dare not look at.” If your average person is, to a lesser or greater extent, acclimatised to the toxicity of our culture, like a lobster in a pot, how has Maté come to be so cognisant of it? One factor, he says, is that through his work as a family doctor he “knew people before they got sick” and could locate their illnesses in the broader context of their family, their communities and their lives. To say that the mind is connected to the body is incorrect … They are not connected; they are the same system He takes umbrage with the way medical teaching is done: “Physicians are trained in this narrow biological view, but, if your eyes are open, you can’t help but notice it.” He started reading the “vast body of literature that has demonstrated the links between emotional dynamics and physical pathology”. He points to stress as one of many examples; he wrote about it in his 2003 book, When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress: “[It] causes inflammation, erodes the healthy functioning of chromosomes, turns genes on that can trigger cancer.” He mentions a study that showed “women with severe post-traumatic stress disorder had double the risk for ovarian cancer. Despite the fact that this study came out four years ago, from Harvard, the average oncologist doesn’t have a clue.” Maté is passionate about the connection between mind and body. “To say that the mind is connected to the body is incorrect,” he says. “To say that the nervous system is connected to the immune system, and the immune system is connected to the emotional apparatus, all of which is connected to the hormone system, is incorrect. They are not connected; they are the same system.” I wonder what Maté hopes to achieve with everything he is putting out there. He thinks back to a workshop he attended five years ago, when he was asked to identify his calling and what footprint he wished to leave. “My calling is that people are free in every realm – so in the political realm, hence my stance on the Israel/Palestine conflict, but also in the personal realm, so that we’re not pulled like puppets on a string by our own personal dynamics, by trauma. You may agree with me or not agree with me, but that is my intention in everything I do.” If he talks a bit like a thought leader, that is because, these days, he is one. He has been well known in Canada for some time, but now, in any airport anywhere in the world, someone will run up to him, crying, shaking and thanking him for his work. That must be a strange experience, I suggest. “You know, it isn’t, because I believe in my work and the truth that I am saying,” he replies. He is well aware, he says with gentle humour, of “what a flawed little creature I am”. It is a good job that he has his head screwed on, I say, because otherwise his ego would be huge. “To correct you, my ego is huge. I just don’t believe it.” The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate & Daniel Mate (Ebury, £25). To support The Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply. link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/apr/12/the-trauma-doctor-gabor-mate-on-happiness-hope-and-how-to-heal-our-deepest-wounds

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on world leaders to respond after a video emerged apparently showing a Ukrainian soldier being beheaded by a Russian serviceman. "Everyone must react. Every leader. Do not wait for this to be forgotten," he said in a video address. Ukraine's SBU security service said it was investigating the "war crime". The Kremlin said the video was "awful" but its authenticity had to be checked as well as who was behind it. The grainy and extremely graphic video appears to have been filmed on a mobile phone, and possibly during the summer months. It shows a man in military uniform wearing a yellow armband - frequently worn as identifying symbols by Ukrainian soldiers. The perpetrator and other men visible in the clip have white bands on their legs, which Russian soldiers are known to wear as a means of identification. They can also be heard to speak Russian, although that is not conclusive as many Ukrainians speak Russian too. During the short video, the victim with the yellow armband is beheaded by a man with a large knife who is wearing a white band around his leg. At one point, one of the men holds up body armour with a trident mark - the state symbol of Ukraine. The colours and shape of the trident badge are similar to the insignia of the Ukrainian ground forces. The body armour also features what looks like the Punisher skull symbol (a comic-book character), which in the current conflict has been spotted being worn by fighters on both sides. A green passport-like booklet is also visible on the ground. It's upside down in the video (highlighted below) but its appearance matches that of the standard-issue Ukrainian military ID in its colour, the presence of a Ukrainian trident symbol and the layout of the writing. There has been speculation online that the video was filmed near the city of Kreminna in eastern Ukraine. The BBC has been unable to verify these claims as the video's surrounding features offer too few visual clues to identify its location, such as buildings or specific landscape points. It also remains unclear when the footage was filmed. It looks as if it's from the current conflict, where white and yellow armbands have been used by opposing sides as identification. The leaves in the video are bright green which suggests that it may have been from late spring or summer last year. Some social media users have suggested it may have been filmed in July but we cannot verify this. The footage began circulating on Telegram late on Tuesday, after a po[CENSORED]r pro-Kremlin blogger shared it with his nearly 300,000 followers. He later claimed he was not the original source of the video and that the footage had been on Telegram before he posted it. We have been unable to find any earlier versions. The video has since spread to Twitter. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that "in the world of fakes that we inhabit, we need to check the veracity of this footage". Another video purporting to show the bodies of two beheaded soldiers has also been circulating on social media in recent days. The video shows what appears to be a destroyed M113 armoured personnel carrier, mainly used by Ukrainian forces. A man filming the scene says in Russian that it had driven over a mine. At least two bodies without heads and hands can be seen lying on the ground nearby. A yellow armband is visible on the right arm of one of the bodies, suggesting the victims had been fighting on the Ukrainian side. At least three other soldiers can be seen standing over the two bodies. Social media comments have suggested the video was filmed near Bakhmut, where Russian forces - including the Wagner private military company - have been battling Ukrainian troops for control of the city. However, the BBC has been unable to verify the location of the video. Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin has put out a statement saying that he has "not found" any evidence that the events in the video had happened near Bakhmut or involved Wagner fighters. Many gruesome videos have been posted online since the war began. Bucha satellite image contradicts Russian claims Does video show Russian prisoners being shot? Last month President Zelensky promised to find the Russian soldiers who apparently shot dead an unarmed Ukrainian prisoner of war named Oleksandr Matsiyevskiy. EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Nabila Massrali reminded Russia it had to abide by humanitarian law and added that the EU was committed to holding to account all perpetrators of war crimes committed during the war. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65251204

Leeds United, West Ham, AC Milan, and Roma have all shown interest in securing a deal with Bounou in the next transfer window. Rabat - The English Premier League club Leeds United has joined international football clubs that have shown interest in Morocco’s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. Bounou, also known as Bono, is under Leeds United’s Radar as the Premier League team’s current goalkeeper appears to be eying an exit in the coming transfer window. When asked about his future and whether he wants to leave his current club, Leeds United’s goalkeeper Illian Meslier recently told the news website Ouest France: “It would be a mistake to project oneself so far. There are many steps before that: a continuation to be sought with Leeds, the Euro Espoirs [U21 championship] in June.” In particular, Meslier stressed his determination to continue to “be good” to attract interest and offers from elite European clubs “Because no one will come looking for me if I am not. And if I am asked, I will take the time to think about my future with a clear head,” he said. Many observers of the Premier League have long suspected that Meslier might leave Leeds in the coming transfer window, and the French goalkeeper’s latest comments might be behind the club’s decision to start searching for a potential replacement. Meanwhile, recent reports in the Spanish media have indicated that several clubs, including Leeds United, West Ham, AC Milan, and Roma have shown interest in securing a deal with Bounou in the next transfer window. While Bounou has until recently rejected numerous offers, including from Bayern Munich, one report from Tuesday, April 11 noted that his benching by Jose Luis Mendilibar, the new Sevilla head coach, might lead the Moroccan shot-stopper to leave his Spanish club for one of the elite teams that have been courting him since his heroics at the 2022 World Cup. Bounou’s contract with Sevilla will expire in June 2024. The Atlas Lion has made over 130 appearances with the Spanish club, contributing to several of its triumphs and wins in recent years. Bounou was also dubbed as a “superhero” and the “smiling hero ” at the Qatar World Cup, where his impressive saves helped Morocco make history by becoming the first Arab and African nation to reach the competition’s semi-finals. link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/04/354958/leeds-united-eyes-yassine-bounou-amid-sevilla-uncertainty

Nick Movie: THE MOTHER Time: 2023-05-12 Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: ? Duration of the movie: 115 min Trailer:

Live Performance Title: David Guetta | Miami Ultra Music Festival 2023 Signer Name: David Guetta Live Performance Location: = Official YouTube Link: Your Opinion About the Track (Music Video): 10/8

Music Title: Music Mix 2023 🎧 EDM Remixes of Po[CENSORED]r Songs 🎧 EDM Gaming Music Mix Signer: - Release Date: 12/04/2023 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer: - Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video): 10/10

US President Joe Biden intends to emphasise his country's commitment to preserving peace in Northern Ireland when he visits Belfast this evening. He will arrive in the city to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday peace agreement. The 1998 deal brought an end to the Troubles - the decades-long violent conflict in Northern Ireland in which thousands of people were killed. A huge security operation is already in place in Belfast for the visit. While Mr Biden has praised what politicians did to secure peace in 1998, his visit is overshadowed by the fact that Northern Ireland's power-sharing government is not functioning. It collapsed last year when the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - one of the biggest parties at Stormont - pulled out as part of a protest against post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland. Ahead of his arrival, Mr Biden said: "I look forward to marking the anniversary in Belfast, underscoring the US commitment to preserving peace and encouraging prosperity." His visit to Belfast will be the first leg of a four-day stay in Ireland, during which he will discuss his Irish roots and meet Irish relatives. line Read more about Biden's visit Is this a missed opportunity for Stormont? Why Ireland is so important to Joe Biden Is the Good Friday Agreement working? line Mr Biden's trip comes two weeks after MI5 said the terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland had increased due to a rise in activity by dissident republicans. During an illegal parade by dissident republicans in Londonderry on Monday petrol bombs were thrown at a police vehicle but the violence was confined to one area and ended a short time later. The president's spokesman said Mr Biden was "more than comfortable making this trip" in spite of the terrorism threat. On Monday the 80-year-old dropped another hint that he would seek re-election in 2024, saying he planned to run again but was "not prepared to announce it yet". Where can I see Joe Biden in Northern Ireland? The US president will travel from Washington DC on Air Force One and will arrive at Belfast International Airport some time on Tuesday evening. Upon his arrival he will be greeted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. No other details have been revealed about his plans for Tuesday evening but he is expected to stay at a Belfast city centre hotel. His visit to Northern Ireland is much shorter than was originally expected when it was announced last month. But Downing Street has disagreed with suggestions that President Biden's time in Northern Ireland will be "low-key" Mr Sunak's press secretary said: "I wouldn't characterise it as that. The prime minister will see him tonight, he will see him again tomorrow." Mr Biden will leave Belfast on Wednesday afternoon to travel to the Republic of Ireland for events in counties Louth and Mayo, where he has relatives, and in Dublin before leaving on Friday. What will Joe Biden do in Belfast? The main event will be a speech at the new Ulster University campus in Belfast. It is understood that he will use that to underscore the willingness of the US to help to preserve what he sees as the peace and prosperity gained since the Good Friday Agreement. The president is also expected to talk about how the US administration can support Northern Ireland's economy. link? https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-65234789

Heavy rain in Australia has led to an influx in venomous spiders being washed into people's swimming pools. Species found include funnel-web spiders, the venom of which is so toxic it can kill a child in just 15 minutes. Deadly spiders that can survive underwater for over 24 hours are turning up in people's swimming pools in Australia after parts of the country were hit by heavy rain and floods over the past week. These swimming pool interlopers include funnel-web spiders, which are members of the Araneida family, with around 40 known species. The Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus) is one of the most deadly spider species, with males being responsible for most fatalities, likely because it evolved more potent venom to protect itself while wandering around looking for females to mate with. While no deaths have been recorded since antivenom became available(opens in new tab) in the 1980s, if untreated a bite can kill a child(opens in new tab) in as little as 15 minutes. Heavy rain and thunderstorms have hit parts of New South Wales since March 23, with a severe weather warning still in place for northern parts of the state. Sam Herrmann, a reptile keeper from Australian Reptile Park, told 9news(opens in new tab) that the rain has set funnel-web spiders "on the move." "They're often seeking shelter, so the lip under the pool creates a great environment for them to hide and stay dry," he said. "However, sometimes they can accidentally fall into the pool." Related: 11 deadliest spiders Dan Smith, from the southern Sydney suburb Engadine, spotted one of these deadly spiders in his pool in the same spot he had found a trapdoor spider just a few days earlier. Meanwhile Lynda Smith, who lives on the northern New South Wales coast, found four eastern mouse spiders(opens in new tab) (Missulena bradleyi) in her pool. This species is similar in appearance to funnel-web spiders, with bulbous heads, powerful jaws and a venom of similar potency to their better-known counterparts. According to 7NEWS(opens in new tab), she posted a warning about the presence of spiders to Facebook. "Please always check your pools before jumping in especially after rain," she wrote, adding they are "not to be messed with." Funnel-web and mouse spiders are able to survive underwater by trapping an air bubble to the hairs on their underside, Helen Smith(opens in new tab), the arachnology collection manager at the Australian Museum, told 7NEWS. She said spiders breathe differently than humans do, so it takes them much longer to drown. Most spiders have a dual respiratory system made up of a trachea and an organ called a book lung, which consist of a series of plates stacked up that allow for the diffusion of oxygen. The trachea carries oxygen to the tissues, while book lungs oxygenate hemolymph — the spider equivalent of blood. "They can survive for several hours and sometimes a thoroughly dead-looking spider can suddenly twitch or come back to life slowly," she said, adding they can also bite underwater. "But to bite they need to grip onto something — so don't poke them." Smith captured the funnel-web spider in his pool and contacted expert Scott Johnson, who offered to take it to the Australian Reptile Park, which has the facilities to milk it to make antivenom. Herrmann told 9news that if people find spiders in their pools, they should scoop them out with a net. "If you so happen to get bitten, seek medical attention immediately," he said. link: https://www.livescience.com/deadly-spiders-that-can-kill-in-minutes-and-survive-underwater-are-hiding-out-in-swimming-pools

The 320-hp, manual-only performance version of the Integra is better equipped and looks more sophisticated than its Honda hot-hatch sibling. Acura has revealed the 2024 Integra Type S in its final production form. It has similar specs as the Honda Civic Type R, but with slightly more horsepower from its turbo 2.0-liter engine. The Type S will go on sale in the U.S. in June, and we're eager to find out how much it will cost compared to the base Integra and the Civic Type R. The Acura Integra you've been waiting for has finally arrived. While the base model didn't necessarily meet everyone's expectations for the revived nameplate, this new 320-hp 2024 Type S performance model ensures that the Integra remains part of the sport-compact conversation. Like the standard Integra, the Type S borrows many ingredients from the Honda Civic—but in this case, those components come from the red-hot Civic Type R hatchback. That includes its turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine, which in the Acura pumps out 320 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. That's an extra 5 horsepower compared with the Civic, which Acura says is thanks to the Integra's unique exhaust system. The power differential could also be for bragging rights, but we think the two cars' acceleration performance will be similar given that the Acura's claimed curb weight is around 30 pounds higher than the Civic Type R's. A six-speed manual transmission with a rev-matching function is the only gearbox on offer in the Type S, and a limited-slip differential is standard equipment. All the expected chassis upgrades are in store too. The front and rear tracks are wider, and the Integra has the same dual-axis front suspension setup as the Civic Type R that's meant to quell torque steer. Adaptive dampers, also available in the Integra A-Spec, adjust based on the drive-mode selection, which in the Type S comprises Comfort, Sport, and Sport+. The brakes are upgraded with larger rotors front and rear, and the lightweight 19-inch wheels are wrapped in 265-series Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires. The Integra will attempt to appeal to a different fanbase than the Civic, with looks that are slightly toned-down compared with the street-racer Type R. The Type S still has widened fenders and an appropriately aggressive stance, but it does without the Civic's giant rear wing, and its air intakes, front splitter, and rear diffuser look more subtle. The Integra's active exhaust, however, promises to sound even more special than the Civic's, with plenty of pops and bangs in Sport+ mode. Seven colors will be offered, including blue, white, and the striking gold Tiger Eye Pearl hue available on the TLX and MDX Type S models. link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a43555847/2024-acura-integra-type-s-revealed/

At the age of 17, Tom Turcich had enjoyed a good life so far. He had wonderful parents, great friends, did well at school and was a gifted sportsman. But two things gnawed away at him: he thought he was too timid, and he was terrified of death. As a little boy, he would run down the stairs at night to check that his parents were still alive. At the age of 11, he’d lie in bed trying to simulate death so he could prepare for it. “I’d lose the sensation of my body,” he says, “and I would cover my ears and close my eyes so I couldn’t see and couldn’t hear, and I’d try to imagine what death was like. But then you can’t because you’re thinking. And there’s no thinking in death.” Then, in 2006, his life was turned on its head. Turcich remembers every detail. He was in a car with three friends – Nick, Kevin and Fitz. Kevin was driving his father’s convertible. Back then, the boys used to hang out with a group of girls who were in the year below at school in Haddon Township, New Jersey. There was Shannon who was going out with Kevin, Ann Marie, Amanda and Jess. They’d grown up together, been friends since they were seven or eight, and they were as close as close can be. The radio was blasting and the boys were having a good time when Kevin got a call from Shannon. He was distraught. “Kevin yelled for the music to be turned down and said, ‘Ann Marie has died.’” Sixteen-year-old Ann Marie had been killed in a jetski accident. They drove to Shannon’s house. “We sat in the front yard. There were maybe 10 of us, we were in a circle and everybody’s crying, unsure what to do. That night I lay in bed and I remember feeling this fog. It lasted about six months.” Not only was Turcich petrified of death, he now knew he could die at any moment. Hardest of all was reconciling that it had happened to somebody like Ann Marie. “She was super-clever and exceptionally kind,” says Turcich. “Ann Marie was nice to the point it drove me crazy when I was younger because you could never get her to say anything mean. When we were hanging out I would prod her, trying to get her to say anything not generous.” I thought: if Ann Marie can die, who is a better person than I am, then for sure I can go at the same time He never succeeded. Not only did Turcich lose an amazing friend, but the accident left him questioning the meaning of life, and reinforced his fear of death. In short, he had the ultimate teenage existential crisis. “I thought: if Ann Marie can die, who is definitely a better student and better person than I am, then for sure I can go at the same time. That’s why it really hit home.” Turcich went into a decline. “It brought all those unresolved questions flooding back. I thought: OK, you’ve got to solve this problem just to go about your life.” What was the problem? “That death can come at any time – arbitrarily and instantly. It was like, with this knowledge, how do you live? What do you do? How do you integrate that fact into your life?” He was stuck for an answer. Then one day at college, the students watched Dead Poets Society, the film about a teacher called John Keating, played by Robin Williams, who inspires his students through his love of literature. Just as the movie’s seminal speech about seizing the day – carpe diem – and living an extraordinary life had a huge impact on the students in the movie, so it also did on Turcich. He watched the film again and again, asking himself how best he could seize the day and make his life extraordinary. It struck him for the first time that he could shape his future rather than simply let it happen to him. From then on, he did just that. He won a place in the school swimming team, performed in a one-act play, returned to playing tennis and became school champion, all the time wearing the blue “AML” bracelet his school had designed as a tribute to Ann Marie Lynch. He finally conquered his passivity when he braved his first kiss, after three (nervous) dates with a girl called Britney. That kiss proved to be an epiphany. “It was like the birth of the universe in my head,” he says. “All of a sudden I could see all the possibilities expanding out. It finally clicked: the actions you take really can affect your life.” Turcich decided he was going to seize the day by getting out of safe, friendly Haddon Township, with its po[CENSORED]tion of roughly 15,000, and seeing the world. link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/apr/11/the-man-who-walked-around-the-world-tom-turcich-seven-year-search-meaning-of-life

Across Ukraine's vast expanse, there are thought to be 174,000 square kilometres which are contaminated by landmines. It is an area of land larger than England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined. In the war-scarred Kharkiv region, warning signs occasionally appear next to brown, barren fields which were once front lines. Even more infrequent is the sight of demining teams sweeping their metal detectors across small, taped-off areas. A literal scratching of the surface. More landmines have been found in the Kharkiv region than anywhere else in Ukraine. This part of north-eastern Ukraine close to the Russian border has been both occupied and liberated over the past year. On 24 February 2022, Russia launched its full scale invasion and seized swathes of territory in the Kharkiv region, while also trying to capture Kharkiv city itself. By May they would lose the battle for Ukraine's second biggest city. By September, they'd be blindsided by a Ukrainian counteroffensive. The Russians deployed landmines to both defend their positions and slow the Ukrainians. After leaving in a rush, a lethal footprint was left behind. In the small town of Balakliya, on a patch of land next to an apartment block, Oleksandr Romanents' team have already found six anti-personnel mines. They'd earlier uncovered around 200 nearby. "My family calls me every morning to tell me to watch where I tread," he says. "One of our guys lost his foot last year." The day after we spoke, another member of his team was wounded by a mine. Since September, 121 civilians have been injured in the Kharkiv region alone, according to the State Emergency Service. 29 were killed. More than 55,000 explosives have been found in the area. Deminers like Oleksandr are called "heroes" by the regional authorities, yet there's a deep frustration with their efforts being dwarfed by the scale of the problem. Their desired catch are so-called butterfly mines, the most common in the area. They're only three to four inches wide, propeller shaped, and are scattered from a rocket. They're banned by international law because of the indiscriminate way they can injure and kill civilians. That hasn't stopped them from being used in this war. When Serhiy helped a friend load his car with a small crane, he didn't pay much attention to a nearby apricot tree. When he stepped towards it, he found himself falling backwards from an explosion. "I thought maybe a tire had blown up," he recalls from his hospital bed in nearby Izyum. "Then I looked at my foot and saw I was missing toes, the sole was shattered, there was bleeding." link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65204053