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At least 22 people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured in a powerful earthquake in eastern Turkey. The magnitude-6.8 quake, centred on the town of Sivrice in Elazig province, caused buildings to collapse and sent residents rushing into the street. Thirty-nine people have been pulled from the wreckage, with more than 20 feared to remain trapped, rescuers say. Earthquakes are common in Turkey - about 17,000 people died in a quake in the western city of Izmit in 1999. Friday's quake struck at about 20:55 local time (17:55 GMT). Tremors were also felt in neighbouring Syria, Lebanon and Iran. More than 200 aftershocks were recorded in the immediate aftermath. Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (Afad) said more than 400 rescue teams were heading towards the region, along with beds and tents for those displaced. It warned people not to return to damaged buildings in case of aftershocks. Afad said that 18 people had died in Elazig province, while the official count in Malatya is four. The governor or Malatya, however, earlier said that six people had died there. - History of deadly earthquakes - TV pictures showed emergency services frantically searching for survivors. One woman was pulled from under the rubble about 13 hours after the quake, officials say. She was saved after calling her relatives from her mobile phone and telling them where she was trapped. But a 12-year-old boy rescued from the wreckage later died in hospital. "It was very scary - furniture fell on top of us. We rushed outside," AFP news agency quoted 47-year-old Melahat Can, who lives in the city of Elazig, as saying. The region struck by the quake, some 550km (340 miles) east of the capital Ankara, is remote and sparsely po[CENSORED]ted, so details of damage and fatalities could be slow to emerge. Officials have sent beds, tents and blankets to the area, where overnight temperatures regularly fall below zero. In its advisory on Saturday morning, the emergency authority said the temperature had fallen to -8C. The Turkish Red Crescent has also dispatched hundreds of personnel with emergency supplies, it said. Sivrice, a town of about 4,000 people, is a po[CENSORED]r tourist spot on the shore of Hazar lake, the source of the river Tigris.

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Toyota Motor Europe (TME) and Business school ISDI, through ISDI Accelerator, have created the Toyota Startup Awards. This competition targets inclusive mobility companies that offer innovative solutions empowering people with a physical impairment to move around more freely and facilitating their daily life. Eight startups will be invited to attend 4YFN in Barcelona from 24 to 26 February 2020 to exhibit their products or services in the Toyota stand and participate in a pitch competition in front of a specialised panel of jurors selected by TME. The winners will be awarded a fast track to the Toyota Accelerator Program. Interested startups can apply between December 20 and January 26. One of the main criteria is that applicants must focus on the following three fields: Socially inclusive mobility: Mobility solutions that are created to meet the unfulfilled mobility needs of people with a physical impairment, elderly and children, as well as people living in suburban areas. Accessibility: Provide innovative approaches that increase the accessibility to mobility solutions and thereby enable a “Mobility for All” future. Disruptive Mobility: Development of new products, services, tools, technologies and / or disruptive business models that can contribute to a “Mobility for All” future. An exclusive time slot on the Toyota stage at 4YFN to pitch their solution. Exposure to event visitors, investors and Toyota executives. Access to MWC Barcelona on Thursday 27 February 2020 for their startup team. Accommodation during the 4YFN event for two members of the startup team. The opportunity to win a fast track to the Toyota Accelerator Program that will offer training, mentoring, brokerage with private investors as well as potential future collaboration with TME. The winners of the Toyota Startup Awards will be announced by Toyota on the main stage of 4YFN on 25 February 2020. Toyota’s “Start Your Impossible” global corporate story conveys the message that when people are free to move, anything is possible. Toyota believes that mobility goes beyond cars; it is about overcoming limitations. In this spirit our mission is to provide freedom of movement for everyone. Our vision is to offer integrated mobility solutions to everyone, including those with physical impairments, ensuring a more open and inclusive society that allows people to challenge their potential.

KALIBO, Aklan — Siksikan sa mga kalsada sa bayan na ito ngayong Linggo ang mga turista at deboto ng Sto. Niño para sa taunang Ati-Atihan festival. Umaapaw ng mga imahen ng Sto. Niño o batang Hesus ang labas ng simbahan para pabasbasan ito. Pagkatapos ng misa ay dumagundong na ang tunog ng drums sa mga lansangan na tila ba street party. Ang ilang banyaga, sumali sa mga tribo at nakiindak. Agaw-pansin din ang mga makukulay na costume ng mga tribo kaya patok ito sa mga dayo, lalo na sa mga mahihilig sa selfie. Naging maayos naman ang daloy ng parada ng mga tribu at wala pang naiulat na insidente, maliban sa ilang mga bata na nahiwalay sa kanilang mga magulang sa kalagitnaan ng pagdiriwang. Ipinagbabawal sa festival area ang mga bote at matutulis na bagay. Nagpatupad din ng signal shutdown sa lugar mula alas- 4 ng umaga na tatagal hanggang alas-9 ng gabi. Ang Ati-Atihan festival ay kinikilalang "Mother of Festivals" ng Pilipinas.

Libya's warring rival factions are joining major powers in Germany in a renewed push to secure a ceasefire to halt the civil war. The talks follow the collapse of an earlier truce amid recriminations. The conflict pits powerful General Khalifa Haftar against the UN-backed government in the capital, Tripoli. Sunday's summit also aims to extract a pledge from foreign powers to honour a UN arms embargo and to halt any further interference in the conflict. On Saturday, forces loyal to Gen Haftar blocked oil exports from major ports - a blow to the main source of income. Who is Gen Khalifa Haftar? A migrant's tale: Jailed and ransomed in Libya The meeting in the German capital, Berlin, will bring the two sides together, along with their foreign backers, the UN and other global powers, including Russia's President Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Mr Erdogan, who has recently sent troops in support of the Tripoli government, said the talks would be "an important step" towards securing a ceasefire. What is happening in Libya? Libya has been wracked by conflict since the 2011 uprising which ousted long-time strongman Muammar Gaddafi. Gen Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) controls much of eastern Libya, and last April he launched an offensive against the country's rival Government of National Accord (GNA) in the capital, Tripoli. His forces have so far been unable to take the city, but earlier this month the LNA captured Libya's country's third-biggest city, Sirte. According to the UN, the fighting has killed hundreds of people and displaced thousands more from their homes. A truce was announced earlier this month between Gen Haftar and the GNA, led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj. But both sides blame each other for reported breaches of the agreement, and attempts to broker a lasting ceasefire broke down last week at a summit in Moscow. What about the role of foreign powers? The role of foreign states in the conflict has come into focus in recent months, with Turkey passing a controversial law to deploy troops to help GNA forces in Tripoli. Gen Haftar's LNA has the backing of Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Jordan. On Saturday, UN Special Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salamé called on international powers to stop supporting local proxy groups with mercenaries, arms, financing, and direct military support. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that such actions created "a vicious circle where their proxies call for intervention in their fight, and their own ambitions bring more divisions." Mr Salamé told the BBC that a political solution to the conflict was best for all parties involved because Libya - with its vast geography, strong local identities, heavily-armed po[CENSORED]tion and weakened government infrastructure - was a difficult country for one group to control.

V1 good wffect,blur,text and it looks more clearly.

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Why we’re running it: To find out if the reborn, revamped Corolla can cut it with the best in the hugely competitive family car class Life with a Toyota Corolla: Month 3 Petrol, not battery power, when the temperature drops - 8th January 2019 Winter weather is not a Corolla’s friend. Cold morning starts are now commonly met with the gentle grumble of the petrol engine, rather than silent electric gliding – and the reversing camera can be rendered largely useless by even a bit of grime. Still, a gunked-up camera persuaded me to head to the car wash. The results (above) are worth it. Mileage: 5074 Familiarity breeds content in the easy-going Corolla – apart from a few niggles - 2nd January 2019 The Corolla has become an understated star of the Autocar fleet. It’s far from the grandest or flashiest machine in our car park, but its relaxing and efficient demeanour makes it an easy car to spend time in and it has become a po[CENSORED]r choice for long motorway journeys. Interestingly, it seems we’re not alone. Since running the Corolla, I’ve heard from two readers who picked one to replace diesel-powered BMWs (a 520d and 320d Touring). Both admitted that going from a BMW to a Toyota might seem a strange move, but they were high-mileage drivers drawn in by reduced company car tax (due to lower emissions) and lower potential running costs. Winning over owners of premium-badged cars demonstrates the success of the Corolla – but it also shows the sort of machines that it might be judged against. And while our overwhelming impression is one of quiet contentment with the car, it did make me think about some of the minor irritations and foibles that have emerged as the miles have racked up. So, in the spirit of clearing the air for the new year, this seems like a good time to run through them. One of the best bits of our Corolla is the latest version of Toyota’s hybrid powertrain, which uses a 2.0-litre petrol engine. It’s great, a step forward from the 1.8 version used in the Prius (and also available in the Corolla) and a really refined, economical powertrain… but there’s a catch: having that bigger engine means there’s less room in the boot. In the 1.8, the battery used to store energy for the hybrid unit sits with the engine under the bonnet. But because the 2.0 engine is physically bigger, the battery simply doesn’t fit. So Toyota has put it in a space usually used for the boot. That means the boot has a raised floor and reduced space, with 313 litres of storage to the 361 litres of the smaller hybrid. There’s still a decent amount of storage space but it does mean the Corolla is lacking compared with class rivals and those who often lug large loads might struggle a bit. The raised floor also makes it frustratingly shallow, as I discovered recently when attempting to stack several boxes of academic journals and paperwork (long story). Although smaller boots are common on some plug-in hybrid variants, the trade-off with those is the electric-only running and extra economy. There’s no such reward for the compromise with the Corolla. The other source of our frustration is the Corolla’s infotainment system. It’s not terrible, but it features a number of minor interface niggles that add up. One example: you can store only six radio presets. If you then opt to scroll through the available DAB stations, they appear in a random and often changing order. Another frustrating design flaw is found when typing postcodes into the navigation system. For some reason, numbers are on a separate ‘keyboard’, which can be found only by going through a sub-menu. Thankfully, I spend more time listening to podcasts than the radio, although the Bluetooth interface is also somewhat frustrating. I’ve experienced similar irritations with other firms’ infotainment systems, but with those, I’ve been able to plug in my phone and use Apple CarPlay, which offers an improved and more intuitive experience. Except CarPlay doesn’t work on my Corolla’s infotainment, so I’m stuck with Toyota’s system. The good news is that new Corolla models are now being sold with an updated infotainment that is compatible with Apple CarPlay. Hopefully, the update will be offered to current Corolla owners. Still, the fact that Toyota has upgraded its infotainment system should be welcomed, a positive sign it is refining the edges of the Corolla where it can. That will be key to ensuring it can keep new buyers used to cars with more upmarket badges on board – and in a state of quiet, understated contentment. Love it: Easy steering Handling isn’t the sportiest but it’s consistent and pleasingly effortless to position the car on the road. Loathe it: Reversing camera Useful but prone to getting dirty very quickly in winter weather. Mileage: 4843 Life with a Toyota Corolla: Month 2 Comfort trumps fancy features - 4th December 2019 There’s seemingly nothing particularly special about the Corolla’s seats. They’re not performance-honed buckets, or swathed in leather. They do offer a heating function but, mostly, appear to be really quite ordinary. So why do I mention the Corolla’s seats? Simple: they’re exceptionally comfy, without being overly fancy. Bit like the Corolla as a whole, really. Mileage: 3892 Back to the top UK Corolla versus Texan one: Houston, do we have a problem? - 20th November 2019 My hire car booking contained that familiar clause: Toyota Corolla or similar. To hire car firms, the term ‘similar’ is often applied in only the loosest of contexts – so it was a surprise when I arrived at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s rental car centre and was given the keys to a new Toyota Corolla. Clearly, a locally produced Toyota Tundra (sold in state bearing a sticker reading ‘built in Texas, built by Texans’) would have been more regionally appropriate, but my rental did turn a weekend stopover to visit family in Texas into an impromptu comparison between a purely combustion-engined Corolla and the hybrid version I’ve been running. Besides the powertrain, there were obvious differences between the two Toyotas. ‘My’ Corolla is a hatch in well-equipped Excel trim, arriving on our fleet fresh from the factory. The Texas Corolla was a US-market ‘sedan’ with just under 10,000 miles racked up by likely not very careful non-owners. It also came in classic minimal-option hire-car spec, with the most basic upholstery and several functions disabled. (For example, pressing the ‘map’ button was simply rewarded by a message saying ‘map app not installed’.) As with many global cars, the Corolla is tuned for the different demands of each region, which meant the power steering was much lighter on the US version and the suspension far softer. Even so, the quality of Toyota’s latest TNGA architecture shone through: the US Corolla remained a light, nimble, easy drive and placing it on the road was a cinch. Undoubtedly, my European Corolla definitely rides and handles a bit better but the difference wasn’t the gulf you might expect – and much of it was likely down to the higher quality of British roads compared with Texas’s cracked and bumpy sun-baked concrete highways. But the most fascinating comparison was the powertrain. The US Corolla’s 1.8-litre petrol engine wasn’t bad by hire car standards, but compared with the smooth 2.0-litre petrol-electric hybrid I’ve been living with, it was annoyingly gruff and asthmatic, especially under low-speed acceleration. Asking for a sudden burst of speed was often met with more noise than response and I didn’t realise how accustomed I’ve become to silent, electric-only coasting when lifting off the accelerator. It also makes a huge difference to fuel economy, which was particularly obvious because the driver display screen in both versions features the same ‘eco driving’ graphic, showing current and long-term fuel economy. I’m used to extracting around 50mpg from my hybrid Corolla, with the ability to obtain close to 500 miles from a tank of petrol. But in the Texan Corolla, I could manage only 39.2mpg (imperial, not US). Of course, petrol is substantially cheaper in Texas than in the UK – how does 61 pence per litre sound to you? – which offsets that reduced economy. But just imagine how cost-effective a hybrid Corolla (which has now been launched in the US) would be to run in Texas. It would leave a lot of spending cash for BBQs. Cost aside, the Corolla’s hybrid engine is just substantially nicer to run and greatly adds to the pleasure of driving it: the difference was big enough that it didn’t really feel like the same car – but merely something similar to it. Perhaps when the hire car firm wrote ‘Toyota Corolla or similar’, they were onto something… Love it: Heated seats Not needed on Texan hire car, very useful for cold British mornings. Loathe it: Infotainment Lack of Apple CarPlay compatibility is irritating on both sides of the Atlantic. Mileage: 3628 Back to the top A lesson in a light left foot - 6th November 2019 I was feeling pleased to have edged the Corolla’s average fuel economy to an indicated 50.9mpg. Then Steve Cropley racked up more than 500 miles on a long weekend – and returned it with the car showing 56.6mpg. Having thought I was using the hybrid powertrain efficiently, I’ve been left seeking tips from Autocar’s resident hypermiler-in-chief. Mileage: 2487 Life with a Toyota Corolla: Month 1 It offers an intoxicating hit of hybrid power, without the challenges of EV addiction - 16th October 2019 Self-charging hybrid. It is, at face value, an innocuous phrase. Yet in the electrified car world, the concept of a ‘self-charging hybrid’ seemingly has the ability to cause as much social media controversy as whatever random brain fart Elon Musk has dumped onto Twitter today. The self-charging hybrid terminology has been introduced as a subtle rebranding of what have long been known simply as hybrid systems: an internal combustion engine aided by an electric motor powered by a battery charged using purely recaptured energy. The new phrase seems a way to differentiate such ‘classic’ hybrids from more recent variants such as mild and plug-in systems. But the self-charging hybrid moniker has raised the hackles of some EV fans, who feel it’s a way of making hybrids sound ‘greener’ and more electrified than they are. They also note the systems don’t really self-charge because, ultimately, the only power source is that petrol engine. I mention this debate not from any wish to wade in (please don’t @ me, etc) but because it highlights how classic hybrid systems, po[CENSORED]rised by Toyota for the past two decades in the long-running Prius, can be seen as both a fundamental step on the road to electric motoring and a technological cul-de-sac the world is quickly moving on from. I’ve been pondering that while pottering around in our Toyota Corolla, which features the latest version of the firm’s hybrid system, using a 2.0-litre petrol engine. It’s been on my mind in part because hybrid sales have been on the up recently, aided by car firms massively expanding such offerings to help meet ever-tougher EU emissions regulations. But mostly I’ve been pondering it because the Corolla serves as an excellent advert for hybrid-based electrification. At slow speeds, the EV mode allows the Corolla to run exclusively using the electric motor, offering the sort of peaceful progress you’d expect from an EV. The transition to the engine is, for the most part, serene – so much so that at low revs it can be hard to tell you’ve started burning petrol. Even at higher speeds, the hybrid plays a useful role. It can draw on the instant torque of the electric motor to sooth acceleration and allows for electric-only running at speeds of up to 70mph. I’ve found a quick lift of the throttle pedal during motorway cruising will prompt the switch to electric mode, and you can then reapply power without the engine coming back to life. It’s not all positive: with the 2.0-litre engine, there isn’t room under the Corolla for the motor’s battery (not a problem with the 1.8 unit). It’s been shoved under the boot, restricting luggage space – a notable drawback you’d usually only expect from a more expansive plug-in hybrid. Still, the payoff comes in the form of fuel consumption. So far, I’ve been averaging just over 50mpg, compared with under 40mpg for the similarly priced 1.5-litre pure-petrol Ford Focus I was running previously. Of course, you’d expect even better fuel economy from a plug-in hybrid, while a full EV would clearly use no petrol at all. But such cars cost more to buy, and come with the travails of charging. These issues will be resolved in the coming years but, for now, there are people unwilling or unable to choose one. For now, a hybrid such as the Corolla is an ideal solution for many. It costs around the same as a similar car powered purely by petrol, is no more complicated to run and comes with at least some of the benefits of electrified power. There’s another aspect. Having experienced the smooth, silent running of an EV, I feel a pang of annoyance whenever the Corolla’s petrol unit does cut in. It showcases the potential of electric power. So while others might call hybrids like the Corolla self-charging, I’ve come up with another title: an EV gateway drug. It’s a step towards electrification – and will leave you wanting more. Love it: Cruising comfort Smooth power deliver and easy steering make long motorway journeys a breeze. Loathe it: Sat-nav keyboard Why do I have to go through a ‘change type’ sub-menu to enter numbers for postcodes? Annoying. Mileage: 2029 Back to the top Comfortable in the least enjoyable setting - 9th October 2019 A long slog round the M25 during a rainy rush hour is never pleasant, but does at least showcase the Corolla’s strengths. It’s an exceptionally easy car to drive in heavy traffic, thanks to the light steering and smooth hybrid powertrain – especially since the usual frustrations of stop/start motoring are tempered by being able to glide quietly on battery power. Mileage: 1472 Back to the top Welcoming the Corolla to the fleet - 2nd October 2019 I have a confession to make. I have just been given the keys to a new Toyota Corolla and I am… excited. Genuinely. Is that normal? That doesn’t feel like it’s normal. Excitement has rarely been an emotion you’d relate to a Corolla, despite – or perhaps because – it’s the world’s best-selling car. The Corolla has always been seen as safe, dependable, a little bit average. It’s arguably an unfair tag: previous versions of the Corolla have featured numerous innovations and some impressive performance versions – including huge motorsport success in touring cars and the World Rally Championship. It’s a car with a proud automotive history: earlier this year, I made the case for it to be named our automotive ‘icon of icons’ at the Autocar Awards. It didn’t win our public vote, predictably. And that’s because, despite those notable highs, the standard road-going versions didn’t exactly set pulses racing. The Corolla has always just been sort of… there. As a result, when the Corolla disappeared from the UK in 2006 – replaced by the Auris hatchback – it didn’t attract the attention you’d expect from the loss of such a long-running nameplate. People shrugged, and moved on. And now it’s back. But people aren’t shrugging nonchalantly any more. Because the new Corolla looks really very nice. It’s stylish and dramatic, and underpinned with on-trend tech and plenty of nice flourishes. It’s actually quite interesting. It really is, I think, a little bit exciting. But is that excitement genuine and merited, or is it merely the result of the intrigue of Toyota attaching a previously moribund nameplate to a moderately dramatic family hatch? That’s what I’m aiming to find out in the coming months. Certainly, first impressions are good: the Corolla’s styling reflects Toyota’s recent trends, with a mix of sharp edges and rounded elements. It’s slightly less dramatic in execution than the Prius or C-HR, but the result is probably a better balance: it would stand out in a line-up of family hatches, but it’s not so extreme that it’s going to scare anyone off. Still, it undeniably has presence and character – not something you could say about some previous versions of the Corolla. That this Corolla – representing the 12th generation of the model – is different from its titular predecessor is of little surprise. The world has changed since 2006 (the iPhone didn’t exist back then, for one thing…). But it’s also a substantial step forward from the Auris it directly succeeds in the UK (this car was first unveiled as the new Auris before a late name change). It’s built on Toyota’s new TNGA platform, and is being offered in the UK with a choice of two versions of the firm’s long-established hybrid powertrain (or self-charging hybrid, as Toyota’s marketing department would have it – a controversial turn of phrase we’ll discuss further in a future report). Having sampled the 1.8-litre unit several times in the past – it’s taken from the Prius, and also featured in a C-HR we had on our fleet last year – we’ve opted for the new system featuring a 2.0-litre petrol engine, with an output of 178bhp. It’s the powertrain our road testers have favoured, and from initial impressions I can see why: it’s quiet and impressively refined, with near-seamless switching between electric and combustion power. Plus, from our early runs, we’ve been getting pleasingly close to the official 54.3mpg WLTP-rated fuel economy. As well as that powertrain, we’ve opted for the top-spec Excel trim, which comes with plenty of kit as standard, including a reversing camera and sensors, LED lights, park assist and Toyota’s Safety Sense suite of driver assistance systems. The only real option available to us was the paint colour: we plumped for Sterling Silver, a £795 extra over the base white. That raised the price of our car to £29,870, which puts it close to the 1.5-litre Ford Focus ST-Line I ran prior to this – and which, as our favourite family hatch, represents the benchmark the Corolla must beat. The stylish design doesn’t carry over quite so well to the interior. It’s a bit more ordinary, and controls such as the touchscreen – complete with welcome but slightly infirm physical buttons around the edges to select key features – feel a little on the budget side. It’s not an unpleasant place to be, by any means, but it’s not as pleasant as the Focus – which, in turn, isn’t on a par with offerings from the likes of Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz. From early impressions, the Corolla also isn’t as sharp in terms of handling as the Focus, a feeling emphasised by the very light steering. But it makes up for that in refinement: it feels remarkably easy to drive for long motorway runs, with a sense of quiet contentment helped by the hushed, efficient powertrain and single CVT gear. The hybrid system can run purely on the battery and, were it not for the little ‘EV’ symbol on the display, at times it’s hard to notice whether the engine has kicked in or not. It feels like a car that has something different to offer in the crowded family hatch market, and I’m looking forward – and yes, excited – to find out how that is reflected in the coming months. That the new Corolla can create such emotions is already one big tick for it. It’s no longer a car that’s just there – and it might just be an ideal family car for right now. Second Opinion My wife crinkled her nose when I told her what I’d just brought home (we used to own an Auris). Keep an open mind, I said. Sure enough, once she set eyes on the Corolla, she made the sort of approving noises I’d expected. First impressions were of a sharp, attractive hatchback that has plenty of room for the kids and is very easy to live with. There might even be a hint of character in there. Let’s see if the dep ed can find it. Damien Smith Back to the top Toyota Corolla Excel 2.0 Hybrid specification Specs: Price New £29,075 Price as tested £29,870 Options Sterling Silver paint £795 Test Data: Engine 4-cyls, 1987cc, petrol plus electric motors Power 178bhp @6000rpm Torque 140lb ft @ 6000rpm Kerb weight 1340kg Top speed 112mph 0-62mph 7.9sec Fuel economy 50.4-60.6mpg CO2 89g/km Faults None Expenses None

Night wrangles with dawn when you wake up. Birds still slumber in their nests outside your room. By 5am you join other residents for pooja in the central prayer room of the colonial-era house that dates back 370 years. The chanting and clanging cymbals in the light of the oil lamps make for an ethereal experience. Suddenly, you feel more alive than you have ever been before. By 6am, with the birds now chirping in the trees outside the expansive windows of the yoga room, you carefully contort your body under the watchful eye of your instructor. After a flavourful Kerala breakfast, your masseuse leads you to one of the massage rooms. Moments later, you are slathered in warm oil and milk, that soothes your tired body. A robust and fruity aroma engulfs the room. Then, firm, but gentle hands knead the medicinal oils deep into your stiff muscles, at once invigorating and soothing. Welcome to the rejuvenating Ayurvedic massage that for millennia has been used to detoxify the body, heal ailments, and refresh the senses. In a world where hectic work-life combines with un-mindful living, Ayurveda with its herbal massages, complemented with yoga, meditation and pure vegetarian meals, allows you to restore the inner balance of your body, mind and soul. The Ayurveda Mana in Guruvayoor, a temple town two kilometres from the capital city of Kochi, is run in the Perumbayil family’s ancestral home. The family is one of the oldest aristocratic families in the area. The colonial-era home, set amid coconut, pepper and mango plantations, was converted into the Ayurveda centre. Guests with serious medical conditions as well as those seeking a detox routine are offered authentic and traditional treatments with none of the frills of luxury resorts. Kerala, a state in southern India, is the home of Ayurveda with a 5000-year continuous unbroken tradition of this healthcare system. Ayurveda, a Sanskrit word that literally translates to the Science of Life, is based on the five elements – Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Ether (space) and three constitutions or doshas - Vata, Pitta and Kapha. When these three constitutions are in balance the body is healthy. An imbalance in the doshas results in disease. The rich biodiversity of Kerala and its year-round pleasant climate has enabled the nature-based medical system of Ayurveda to flourish. Bordered by the Indian Ocean on the west and south and the lush green, sweeping mountains of the Nilgiris on the east, Ayurveda has been practised as a way of life, long before the system travelled the world as a holiday experience. Kerala’s tropical forests hold in their bosoms over 900 Ayurvedic herbs and medicinal plants. The western ghats that border Kerala on the east are bio-diversity hotspots. Walk down the forest trails, and you will arrive at one of many sacred groves that dot the land. These groves hold the secrets of ancient medicines. Athreya Ayurvedic Center’s Dr Sreejit is a seeker of such secrets. He underwent an ancient Ayurvedic treatment called Kutee Praveshika Rasayana, practised by yogis in the high Himalayas. This treatment supposedly halts the ageing process. That’s right. Forget those anti-ageing creams. The Athreya Ayurvedic Center on the outskirts of the Kerala backwaters near Kottayam has one of only three kutee huts in India, where Kutee Praveshika Rasayana can be experienced. In a kutee – a specially designed three-walled house with almost no light inside, you could, if the doctor deems you ready, undergo the treatment that goes back centuries. But 35 days in near darkness with no solid food and minimal contact with any life form, is rigorous on body, mind and soul and certainly not for everyone. For the rest of us mortals, Kerala offers numerous options where you could experience the rejuvenating power of Ayurvedic therapies while also enjoying the comforts and luxuries of a modern resort. The government helps in your decision-making through a strict accreditation system to ensure quality. Ayurvedic centres are classified into Ayur Silver (those with minimum facilities), Ayur Gold and Ayur Diamond – the highest rated facilities. At any of these centres, you can be confident the treatments are offered under the supervision of qualified doctors and masseurs. Kerala offers a strong Ayurveda healthcare infrastructure and the state boasts of the largest pool of qualified, trained manpower. The Somatheeram Ayurveda is the world’s first Ayurvedic hospital in a beach resort environment. Launched in 1985, the resort is situated on a hillock overlooking the pristine Chowara Beach in Kovalam. “We started Somatheeram to promote Ayurveda all over the world,” said Baby Matthew, founder of Somatheeram. “Those days there were only Ayurveda hospitals for locals, with limited amenities. We created this hospital with more than 20 doctors in an ambience where you don’t feel you’re in a hospital.” Today, Ayurvedic resorts dot the landscape of Kerala, from the hills of Wayanad to the beaches of Kovalam and the backwaters of Allepey. There are options for those on a budget and mid-range resorts. Or you could go all out and choose a place like the Carnoustie Ayurveda & Wellness Resort where you can opt for Ayurveda in opulence. Here you choose your own villa with a private pool, fusing traditional with modern. At any of these resorts, you can choose a day’s course or a full one. Full programmes, lasting seven to twenty-one days or more are like pressing your body’s reset button. Every individual will come away with a different experience of Ayurvedic treatments. So, take some time off from your busy schedule, and spend it on caring for your body, mind and soul at an Ayurvedic centre in Kerala. You will not regret it.

"The moment of crisis has come" in efforts to tackle climate change, Sir David Attenborough has warned. According to the renowned naturalist and broadcaster, "we have been putting things off for year after year". "As I speak, south east Australia is on fire. Why? Because the temperatures of the Earth are increasing," he said. Sir David's comments came in a BBC News interview to launch a year of special coverage on the subject of climate change. He told me it was "palpable nonsense" for some politicians and commentators to suggest that the Australian fires were nothing to do with the world becoming warmer. "We know perfectly well," he said, that human activity is behind the heating of the planet. What does Sir David mean by 'the moment of crisis'? He's highlighting the fact that while climate scientists are becoming clearer about the need for a rapid response, the pace of international negotiations is grindingly slow. The most recent talks - in Madrid last month - were branded a disappointment by the UN Secretary-General, the British government and others. Decisions on key issues were put off and several countries including Australia and Brazil were accused of trying to dodge their commitments. The World Has been getting warmer "We have to realise that this is not playing games," Sir David said. "This is not just having a nice little debate, arguments and then coming away with a compromise. "This is an urgent problem that has to be solved and, what's more, we know how to do it - that's the paradoxical thing, that we're refusing to take steps that we know have to be taken." Whar are those steps ? Back in 2018, the UN climate science panel spelled out how the world could have a reasonable chance of avoiding the most dangerous temperature rises in future. It said that emissions of the gases heating the planet - from power stations and factories, vehicles and agriculture - should be almost halved by 2030. Instead the opposite is happening. The release of those gases is still increasing rather than falling and the key gas, carbon dioxide, is now in the atmosphere at a level far above anything experienced in human history. As Sir David put it: "Every year that passes makes those steps more and more difficult to achieve." Why does this matter right now ? This year is seen as a vital opportunity to turn the tide on climate change. The UK is hosting what's billed as a crucial UN summit, known as COP26, in Glasgow in November. Ahead of that gathering, governments worldwide are coming under pressure to toughen their targets for cutting emissions. That's because their current pledges do not go nearly far enough. How much worse will problem get ? Assuming they are delivered as promised (and there's no guarantee of that), there could still be a rise in the global average temperature of more than 3C by the end of the century, compared to pre-industrial levels. The latest assessment by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) lays bare the dangers of that. It suggests that a rise of anything above 1.5C would mean that coastal flooding, heatwaves and damage to coral reefs would become more severe. And the latest figures show that the world has already warmed by just over 1C.