Angel of Death

The drive home with my daughters at the end of the school day is not just a chance for me to hear all about their day: it’s also when I find out just how happy the pupils at my school really are.This is because I’m not just a mother to my twins, Aisha and Samira, who are both 10. I am also their principal. Which means my girls often act as unofficial student ambassadors.It’s not unusual, during these journeys, for my girls to pass on requests for school improvements or messages from other children in the school.I’m sure some headteachers or senior leaders will have dismissed the idea of working at the schools that their children attend, thinking that it would be unworkable or a stress they could do without.But this isn't just a scenario that I’m happy with – it's one I engineered to turn into a reality many years ago.When my twins were three months old, I created a five-year action plan to get to headship.I set myself milestones, which included tasks such as completing a local Aspiring Leaders course, upskilling myself in FFT and Ofsted, and obtaining my National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH).I returned to work as a deputy head at Oak Hill full-time after four months of maternity leave, and I have never regretted it. I was determined to make my plan work.My action plan finally came to fruition and I became principal six years after having my twins.Within five months in my new role, Ofsted visited and our school shifted from a "requires improvement" rating to "good" with outstanding features, which was a great day for us all.As Oak Hill is a junior school, the girls did not join until 2017 for the start of Year 3 in key stage 2.Shortly before they did, I had to explain to them what it means when I become their "work mummy".I had to make it clear that there would be no favouritism and I would remain neutral so that it’s fair to all the children at the school, and they understood that.This also means I consciously keep out of any issues that involve my children and delegate to other senior and middle leader staff to manage.For example, during Year 4 a group of girls had a minor friendship issue, which included one of my daughters. The year team leader dealt with it and I was informed of the outcome.I always try and make it clear to staff whether I am wearing my mum hat or my principal hat, and this reassures staff that I am approachable, even when tricky conversations may involve my own children.On another occasion, one daughter was not taking her maths lesson seriously and her teacher spoke to me about it. I fully supported her in managing her behaviour choice effectively using our school behaviour policy.Of course, despite treating them the same as all the other pupils, I can't deny that I feel much more emotionally fulfilled because they are near me: I can watch them from afar and keep an eye on them and I know the quality of education that they are receiving is outstanding, because I’m in control of that.This also translates into ensuring that the quality of education I want for my own children applies to all children at the school.The other benefit, as my post-school car rides attest to, is that my children are honest, helpful and insightful ambassadors for their fellow pupils' thoughts on school life.They pass on improvement suggestions, such as adding soup and a roll to the lunch menu. We trialled it initially and it has proven po[CENSORED]r, especially in the colder months.One of my daughters loves technology and creates the PowerPoint for my weekly assemblies. We discuss the theme for the next week in the car on the way home every Friday night and she sets to making the presentations, which her friends are also now having input into.The girls were also the reason for reopening a new and improved extended daycare provision at Oak Hill called Acorns to Oaks (fondly referred to as A2O).There was a huge need for a quality breakfast and after-school club for working parents, vulnerable pupils and staff children. It is a massive success and we now have about 55 children per night sitting down to a hot cooked meal at 5pm.All in all, having my daughters in school is something I love and I feel it only adds to my ability to be an effective leader for the benefit of everyone.I feel very lucky to be the principal here.Rachael Saim is the principal of Oak Hill Academy, a junior school in Feltham, West London

SINGAPORE - Nanyang Polytechnic student Nigel Cheong, a keen badminton enthusiast, often needs to book a weekend slot for a public court at least two to three weeks in advance.And even then, he is successful only about 70 per cent of the time.So the 20-year-old was thrilled to learn that Singapore will have 20 additional public courts at the Punggol Regional Sports Centre (RSC), which is scheduled to be ready by 2023.Cheong, who used to play at Jurong East, Bukit Gombak and Clementi sports halls three to four times a week before the circuit breaker to stem the spread of Covid-19 kicked in on April 7, said: "It's definitely better because others wouldn't have to fight for the courts and we would not have to book early just to get the courts that we want."It is also good that there will be a regional sports centre because it will help to cultivate the sporting scene here in Singapore as well."Singapore Badminton Association president Lawrence Leow also applauded the initiative, saying: "The 20 new courts will certainly be welcomed by both badminton enthusiasts and recreational players and offer individuals and families an additional venue to play and enjoy the game."Currently, the indoor sports hall at Our Tampines Hub is the only one with 20 badminton courts. Having another facility of a similar scale would help to ease the demand for badminton courts, which were ActiveSG's most po[CENSORED]r sports facilities last year.There were over 810,000 badminton court bookings in 2019, the highest in comparison to all other sports and facilities. The second most po[CENSORED]r public sports facilities were tennis courts and table tennis tables, which had over 100,000 bookings each last year.Public badminton courts were also in high demand as sports facilities reopened last Friday (June 19), with over 90 per cent of about 3,000 slots taken up. All available courts were booked on Sunday.Former national shuttler Derek Wong, who conducts private badminton classes now, believes that having such a facility will aid youth development at the grassroots level.He said: "It will help to promote the sport in Punggol where the surrounding schools are not very strong in badminton. With these 20 courts, young families will be able to expose their kids to badminton much more easily."Apart from the indoor sports hall, the new facility will have a 5,000-seater football stadium, a swimming complex with five pools, and a team sports hall with three convertible courts. Each court is able to support netball, basketball or volleyball. The hall can also hold up to 3,000 seats.The facility will also include a gym, fitness studio, sheltered tennis and futsal courts, a water activity centre and an archery training centre.In terms of the size of sports facilities, the Punggol RSC will be the largest ActiveSG Sport Centre to date. Its infinity lap pool, at 50m, is the biggest among ActiveSG's swimming complexes and the team sport hall, at 5,000 sq m, is also ActiveSG's biggest yet.The development of Punggol RSC is part of the Sports Facilities Master Plan, a key initiative of the national sports blueprint Vision 2030 and is covered by the $400 million that is pumped into developing the sports sector annually.The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth said that work on the facility would begin as soon as possible.When asked about the possibility of a delay because of the Covid-19 situation, MCCY Minister Grace Fu, who revealed details about the plans for the Punggol RSC in a virtual media interview on Monday, replied: "I think given the current situation, when manpower as well as logistical change (is) subjected to big uncertainty, it's very difficult to hold anyone to a deadline on construction."We have the plans to move ahead as planned but even that - a lot depends on whether the contractors are able to find the workers and whether the materials can come from the suppliers. I must put in a lot of caveat on deadlines, but we have every intention to move as normally as we can if there's a way to do so."Residents in Bishan and Toa Payoh can look forward to the Toa Payoh Integrated Development, which will be developed over the next 10 years and will have a sport centre, polyclinic, library and town park.

Kia has expanded the UK line-up of the e-Niro electric SUV with two new models, including a sub-£30,000 entry-level variant with a smaller battery that offers a range of up to 180 miles and a sub-£30,000 price tag.The Korean firm’s po[CENSORED]r EV has previously been offered in a single spec in the UK, featuring a 64kWh battery and 201bhp electric motor. The expanded three-model line-up comprises variants branded 2, 3 and 4+. The new top-spec 4+ model features a new three-page 11kW AC charger, allowing for faster home charging.The new entry-level e-Niro 2 is fitted with a 39kWh battery, which is used to power a 134bhp, 291lb ft electric motor. Kia claims a 0-60mph time of 9.5sec, a top speed of 96mph and an official range of 180 miles. This rises to 251 miles on the lower-speed WLTP City cycle.The 7.2kW AC charger can recharge the e-Niro 2’s 39kWh battery from empty in 6hrs 10mins, with a 0-80% charge taking 57 minutes on a 100kW DC rapid-charger. The e-Niro 2 is offered with 17in alloy wheels, a 7.0in digital instrument cluster and an 8.0in infotainment touchscreen featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Driver assistance systems including automatic lights, adaptive cruise control and forward collision avoidance are also included. The e-Niro 2 costs £29,595 after the UK government’s £3000 plug-in car grant.The e-Niro 3 and e-Niro 4+ both use the 64kWh battery pack and 201bhp, 291lb ft electric motor, which offers an official range of 282 miles.The e-Niro 3, which effectively matches the spec of existing e-Niro, features a 10.25in touchscreen and adds heated front seats and a wireless smartphone charger, among other kit. It continues with the 7.2kW AC charger, which can complete a full battery charge in 9hrs 35mins. It costs £33,850 after the plug-in car grant, which marks a £1000 increase on the 2019 model.The e-Niro 4+ is described by Kia as the flagship version of the EV. It features the upgraded 11kW three-phase AC charger, which cuts a full battery charge to exactly seven hours.Back to topAs well as the upgraded charger, the 4+ also adds kit including an electric sunroof, bi-function LED headlights, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and an eight-speaker JBL stereo. It's priced from £36,145 after the government grant.

Almost one in 10 teachers have expressed concerns for their own safety when visiting vulnerable pupils at their homes or offering them support under lockdown, according to new research.Research by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) highlights Department for Education data that states that only 15 per cent of vulnerable pupils have been attending school during lockdown despite being eligible for a place.And its research in state schools among 1,233 senior leaders and 1,821 teachers found that 46 per cent of senior leaders in the most deprived schools said their staff were undertaking visits to the homes of vulnerable pupils compared with 26 per cent of senior leaders in the most affluent schools.The report states: “Some senior leaders are concerned that school staff may be putting themselves at risk by supporting their pupils through visits and contact.It adds: “Home visits typically entail investing a large amount of time for each pupil and, as schools open their gates to more children, they may not continue to be sustainable. Visits may also be diverting valuable teaching resource away from in-school and remote learning.”The research found that 17 per cent of senior leaders in the most deprived schools had concerns about the safety of staff visiting or offering support to vulnerable pupils, compared with 7 per cent of leaders in the least deprived schools.Nine per cent of teachers had concerns, including 6 per cent in schools with the lowest levels of deprivation and 11 per cent in schools with the highest levels of deprivation.Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Reaching out to vulnerable children and supporting their learning and wellbeing has been one of the biggest challenges of the coronavirus lockdown, because these children already face the greatest degree of challenge in their lives.“Schools have very quickly put in place a variety of systems to check on how they are doing and support them in completing school work. It has been a phenomenal effort in very difficult circumstances.”A total of 30 per cent of primary teachers said they visited pupils during lockdown, and almost half said they were doing this once a week. This compares with 18 per cent of secondary school teachers, with 38 per cent doing it at least once a week.The research also found that teachers in the East of England were least likely to report visiting vulnerable pupils (17 per cent), while the teachers who visited most were in the West Midlands (39 per cent), followed by those in Yorkshire and the Humber (37 per cent) and the South East (35 per cent).Carole Willis, chief executive at NFER, said: “Today’s report shows how schools and their staff have taken the initiative in increasing the welfare support provided to vulnerable pupils. Given that impacts from the pandemic are likely to persist for some time, there is a need for schools to have increased levels of external support to ensure they can focus their resources on teaching and learning.”The research took place between 7-17 May.The DfE has been contacted for comment.

India on Friday reported 17,296 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, biggest single-day spike ever, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare while adding that 407 deaths were reported during the same period. According to the Union Health Ministry, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India has increased to 4,90,401 while the death toll has reached 15,301.The active number of coronavirus cases in India currently stands at 1,89,463 while the recovery rate has improved to 58.24 per cent 2,85,637 people have been cured and dishcharged from hospitals.Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state in India with over 1.47 coronavirus cases and nearly 7,000 deaths while Delhi has reported more than 73,000 COVID cases and over 2,400 fatalities. Nearly 71,000 coronavirus cases have been reported in Tamil Nadu, which is the third worst-hit. Gujarat, meanwhile, is the fourth worst-hit state in India with nearly 30,000 coronavirus cases and over 1,700 fatalities.

ShareJaguar Land Rover Solihull factoryAutocarby Autocar26 June 2020UK car manufacturing output fell 95.4% year-on-year in May, with just 5,321 vehicles rolling off production lines.The figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show a slight improvement over April, which saw production drop by 99.7% year-on-year and only 197 cars made.Two-thirds of UK factories are up and running, albeit at a limited capacity, but significantly, Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port and Jaguar Land Rover’s Castle Bromwich facilities both remain closed.However, those which are open are limited by social distancing requirements and reduced demand, given key global markets are only just now re-opening and the UK is still in relative lockdown.Bentley’s Crewe plant was one of the first to re-open in early May, but remains at half its capacity. Talking earlier this week, Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark said: “We closed down early and we restarted early - the safety of our colleagues has been of paramount importance. Within three to four weeks we should be up to 100% production capacity, but today ,we’re just 50% of normal capacity.”In May, 4260 cars were exported, and with English showrooms not reopening until 1 June, only 1054 models were built for domestic buyers.Year-to-date, UK factories have made 324,763 cars, down 41.7% on 2019. That translates to 230,000 fewer vehicles made and revises the SMMT’s production outlook for 2020 as a whole to fewer than one million cars.Earlier this week, the SMMT warned that up to one in six UK car industry jobs could be under threat and called for Government support to kickstart the sector.Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, “May’s figures are yet more evidence of why the UK industry, like its global rivals, needs dedicated support to drive a successful restart. Government assistance so far has been vital in keeping many businesses afloat, but the job isn’t done. Measures to boost cashflow, including additional and tailored finance schemes, tax relief and business rates deferral would deliver immediate results when liquidity is most acute.“We have to retain the highly skilled jobs the sector provides but also ensure the business conditions are competitive so we can unlock the investment that will drive long-term recovery - a green recovery - which is inextricably linked the sector’s success.”

Dead Cells: The Bad Seed (Nintendo Switch, PC [reviewed], PS4, Xbox One) Developer: Motion Twin, Evil Empire Publisher: Motion Twin Released: February 11, 2020 MSRP: $4.99 I don't know when I put down Dead Cells, but I did, and I've been meaning to get back into it ever since.The roguelike action-platformer has seen continuous support for years now, to the point where it's easy to lose track of what's coming and what's going, but there's been one constant: it still has best-in-class flow. The Bad Seed – the first paid DLC level pack for Dead Cells – is an ideal point of re-entry.You don't have to be at the top of your game to enjoy these two new levels and gnarly-looking boss. The Bad Seed slots nicely into the core progression of Dead Cells, so if you're looking for a change of pace long before the Throne Room (or you're just sick of running through the Toxic Sewers), this is it.The first new biome, The Dilapidated Arboretum, can be considered a warmup. It's accessible straight away from the Prisoners' Quarters, so we're talking early-game content. That said, the mushroom men and the boys they hurl can pack a wallop, especially if you're bounced into a spike wall or knocked onto a carnivorous floor plant (which you can also use to your advantage as a trap and a trampoline).The best bit? Using fungi tricks against them. One of the new Powers in The Bad Seed, the Mushroom Boi, is perfect for Survival build fans. You can spawn your own little follower who will charge headfirst into danger – and if you have the stomach for it, you can even strategically detonate your buddy. The other biome, a swamp called The Morass of Banished, could've been torn from Dark Souls. It's not a navigational slog like Blighttown or the Valley of Defilement, but its agile dart-firing denizens would feel right at home in From Software's toxic wastelands. I don't think I'll ever get tired of leaping, rolling, and smashing in Dead Cells, and this zone encourages you to move and move quick. Ambushes await.You can pick up a dart gun of your own (guaranteed critical hits on enemies' backs is extremely my jam), as well as fans that can reflect projectiles, an instrument that rewards well-timed hits, and a ridiculous two-handed/two-slot scythe that just screams power with each heavily wound-up swing.The swamp zone does a great job of prepping your reflexes for the boss – a multi-eyed monstrosity – with surprisingly beefy mini-bosses who follow a similar combat rhythm. One of my earliest complaints with Dead Cells was a lack of bosses, and I particularly appreciate how this fight isn't outlandishly fierce for the sake of it. Mama Tick is like a less-mobile, easier-to-handle Conjunctivius – a confidence boost.After clearing out The Nest and cashing in your hard-earned Cells, you'll be able to venture into familiar areas like The Stilt Village or The Graveyard and continue the rest of your run like normal. (Good luck!) I think it's crucial for the developers to continue giving players of all skill levels something to sink their teeth into – a task The Bad Seed accomplishes, particularly coming off of Rise of the Giant.The Bad Seed is a natural extension of everything that made Dead Cells so tireless and long-lasting. The new levels don't feel arbitrarily tacked-on (even though they essentially are), and you don't need to be a masterful player to conquer them. I could go for a few more DLC packs with this exact structure, easily.I'm hooked again. That's all I really wanted.[This review is based on a retail build of the DLC provided by the publisher.] CPU: Info CPU SPEED: Dual Core CPU RAM: 4 GB OS: Microsoft Windows 7.1/8/8.1/10 VIDEO CARD: Graphics card with DX10 (shader model 4.0) capabilities PIXEL SHADER: 4.0 VERTEX SHADER: 4.0 FREE DISK SPACE: 3 GB

The majority of the government’s £1 billion “catch-up” fund will not be targeted towards disadvantaged pupils, it has emerged.Unlike the separate £350 million pot to be spent on a tutoring scheme for the most disadvantaged pupils, the government has not specified how the remaining £650 million will be distributed, for example, whether schools in affluent areas will be handed the same amount as those in areas of high deprivation.There had been calls, including from Education Policy Institute executive chairman David Laws, for the money to be weighted towards pupils facing the biggest disadvantage, in light of serious concerns about the attainment gap growing under coronavirus.But Tes has learned that that the money is a per-pupil amount to be spread evenly across schools, regardless of the levels of disadvantage among their pupils.Finding out how the money, announced last week, was being allocated had been the Association of School and College Leaders's (ASCL) “number one question” for the Department for Education.The association's general secretary Geoff Barton said this afternoon: “We would have preferred to see it targeted at disadvantaged pupils, as these are the children who are most likely to have fallen behind, and funding would then have more closely matched need."However, headteachers and staff will, of course, be identifying where learning gaps have arisen within their own context, and will target the allocation they receive accordingly. They are experts at doing this, and pupils and parents can be confident that everything possible will be done to support catch-up.“We continue to be dismayed by the lack of catch-up funding for post-16 and early years education. There is no rhyme or reason for this omission, and these vital phases must receive support.”The £650 million works out at around £80 per pupil if spread out evenly, according to estimates by Luke Sibieta of the Institute for Fiscal Studies.Schools will have discretion over how to spend the money.Mary Bousted, joint general secretary at the NEU teaching union, said the money was “inadequate” and “should be targeted on the most vulnerable”. She added: “It makes sense to give it to pupils who may not have had access to learning at home.”And there needed to be realistic expectations around what schools working through the pandemic could achieve with the funds, she said.Not all headteachers want the money to go to the disadvantaged. Jules White, head teacher Tanbridge House School and founder of the Worth Less? School funding campaign said: “Targeting some of this funding for disadvantaged children is fine but all children have lost valuable learning time and the government must look after every children rather than a minority.”The DfE has been contacted for comment.

Hannah Gjerde starts her day at her hot-mat yoga class on the front lawn of her parent’s home, right before settling onto the couch for the rest of the day.“Being home makes it hard because my dad will be in the kitchen working, or it’s too crowded in my room to do it,” says Gjerde.Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many gyms have been deemed non-essential businesses and are not allowed to open. Closing fitness centers has created a sedentary lifestyle for many people.So more people are moving their fitness routines online.Gjerde, a Californian, also uses the backyard for her workout space, completing workouts online with an instructor at her usual yoga studio. Gyms and gym-goers alike are finding innovative ways to keep moving while practicing social distancing to thwart the spread of the coronavirus. In a pre-pandemic world, Yo Dinh, who works in investments in Australia, found that the most effective way to get himself to work out was to invest in a personal trainer.YouTube videos just weren’t enough, he says.“I didn't really push myself. You know, it's that barrier,” he says.That’s when the idea behind his website Avatar PT was born. It started as a private project where he and his personal trainers had a platform to connect and virtually work out together.“I actually started with one person from the Philippines, and then now I've actually gotten a guy from Bulgaria and another guy from Serbia as well,” Dinh says.From all over the world, they could still connect.After the coronavirus outbreak, Australia restricted public gatherings of more than two people. The thought occurred that “maybe other people might be interested in working at home as well. And then that's when I shared it to other people,” he says.“And now I've got my brother and my brother's friends, my housemates, other people doing it with me as well.”For Dinh, it's not about the profit.“It's free at the moment. I just said it's free until the end of April to see if anyone's interested,” says Dinh.On the other side of the globe, Mark Harrington, the president of the four Healthwork Fitness centers in the Greater Boston area, is taking advantage rather than lamenting COVID closures in the U.S.He says Healthworks corporate team is “launching stuff and iterating hourly,” he says, to help customers adapt to exercising remotely. The fitness centers offer free and paid programs through their Instagram Live.“I think a lot of people want to try it before they buy it,” he says.To stay motivated, he said, “the best thing to do is get one of your friends to do it, too. Even though you're not together, you’re both holding each other accountable to doing it.”Jeanette Thong, also a private trainer based in Singapore, first got into fitness when she started experiencing back pain and weight gain from sitting at a desk all day at her office job.But since the outbreak, her standards for her workout achievements have decreased.“Right now, it's more of maintenance of what I have,” she says.Singapore was one of the first countries to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak and maintains a lockdown lite compared to other countries.Although restrictions have been easing up in the city-state, she says that Singapore has experienced a “mini lockdown” for a while. “It has been more mentally draining than anything else,” says Thong.She acknowledges that working out from home can be a challenge now, but a sedentary lifestyle should be far from acceptable.“It’s really important for people to remember to move and try to keep active the best they can. It will also help mentally. It is okay to also not want to do anything, but it's important to at least try.”In California, Gjerde continues to do yoga on her front lawn. A high school English teacher in Rancho Cucamonga who has played soccer since she was 4, she says she keeps up with her yoga.“That's all I do. I teach and I work out,” she says.Since the quarantine, Gjerde, too, has found it difficult to find the motivation to work out.“I'm not doing as much as I was, but I'm trying. [...] I'm way less likely to stick it out. Usually I'm competing with the girl next to me, in my head,” she says. Now, “there's no one to hold me accountable.”One of the biggest ways Gjerde manages to complete her workout is to keep in mind her goals.“When this is over, I do want to look super good when I go to the beach [...]. Set your intention, and when you hit the hard spot in class, go back to that intention.”

Kia has revealed a new manual gearbox, using an electronic rather than mechanical linkage, for its forthcoming mild-hybrid models, which the firm claims offers improved fuel economy and greater driver engagement.The new Intelligent Manual Transmission (IMT) system will be introduced on the 1.6-litre 48V mild-hybrid diesel powertrain for the Ceed and Xceed, and will also be used on the 1.0-litre mild-hybrid petrol version of the forthcoming refreshed Rio. It will then be introduced to other 48V electrified powertrains in the future.The system replaces the traditional mechanical linkage for the clutch with an electronic wired connection, with the system then integrated into the 48V MHEV powertrain system. It works with the mild-hybrid’s starter-generator to switch off the engine when coasting – while keeping the chosen gear engaged – which Kia claims boosts fuel efficiency and reduces CO2 emissions by up to 3% in real-world conditions.The IMT system has been developed at the Hyundai Motor Group’s European technical centre in Germany, with a specific focus on the European market due to the continued po[CENSORED]rity of manual gearboxes. Michael Winkler, Kia’s powertrain boss, said that manuals still accounted for more than half of the Korean firm’s sales in Europe.“Manual gearboxes are a real driver for Europe, so we wanted to look at how to electrify a manual transmission,” said Winkler. “When we look at the global picture we still see real demand for manual gearboxes, and we saw a real benefit to being able to offer a manual transmission on a 48V electrified system.“While the system does boost real-world economy, it’s not all about efficiency but comfort for drivers: the 48V system offers a smoother stop-start system, for example. The benefit for customers is they don’t have to do anything different: the system does it automatically.”

The government recognises that colleges need support to help students catch up following the disruption caused by the coronavirus, apprenticeships and skills minister Gillian Keegan has said.Speaking to Tes after a virtual visit to Exeter College with education secretary Gavin Williamson, Ms Keegan said she understood the sector's frustrations at the fact that the £1 billion catch-up fund, announced last week, will only benefit primary and secondary institutions. She also stressed that this was "the age of FE", where policies were coming together for the benefit of the sector.Coronavirus: MPs call for catch-up funds to be extended to collegesDavid Hughes: 'We'll carry on pointing out the injustice'Colleges: £1bn catch-up plan shows FE is an afterthought, says LabourMs Keegan said: “The initial focus has been on a school catch-up, and we have had a great response from the FE sector. They were quick to move online, they provided a wide range of brilliant classes, virtually and engaging and in real time. They have done a brilliant job. But, of course, we recognise that they do need to catch up. Of course we recognise that."Ms Keegan added: "We mention a lot about the challenges of maths and English for some of the cohort as they come into FE colleges. Clearly, those who are starting college from school are going to face those challenges, and they are going to face them more probably than they have in previous years. So we are working to see what we can give to make up for that disruption.”Schools are “where the focus has been, but that doesn’t mean that that is where we end”, said the minister.However, she stressed that colleges had got “a lot on which to build on”. “There is a lot of investment going into the sector that is much better than it has been before. This is the age of further education,” Ms Keegan said.On their virtual visit to the FE college, Mr Williamson and Ms Keegan talked to college managers, as well as a group of students. They were also updated on Exeter College's involvement in the region's new Institute of Technology, and its recruitment for the first intake of T-level students starting this September.Ms Keegan said the college visit had highlighted how “all these policies are coming together – the Institute of Technology, the T-level investment, the apprenticeship investment"."They have got capital equipment investment, they have got buildings investment, they have got the Institute of Technology – all those policies are coming together to create something that you can see is the future. This is not the time to despair – I think this is actually the time where we will see a lot more from our further education sector,” she added.

Ninety-five days after partial and total lockdowns were imposed in Saudi Arabia and after most activities were halted, people returned to a new normal on Sunday as most coronavirus restrictions were removed.In place, however, were numerous precautions aimed at stemming the spread of the disease, which still remains a threat in the Kingdom and world.At 6 am on Sunday, Saudi Arabia implemented the third phase of its plan to return to normal. It lifted curfew throughout the country and allowed the resumption of all economic, commercial and sports activities, while 75 percent of public employees returned to their offices.The expected morning traffic, however, never came, for a number of reasons, including the solar eclipse.People returning to normal life must adhere to social distancing rules and wear a face mask or cover their nose and mouth when around others. Gatherings of over 50 people have been banned. This applies to all public and private places, mosques, stores and others.Asharq Al-Awsat toured a number of markets and stores in the capital Riyadh. A restaurant owner said he was looking forward to life returning to normal and for the economy to be revived.Mohammed, who works at a barbershop, said it was forced to shut its doors in order to respect social distancing measures. He hopes that losses during the three months of closure will be made up in the coming days seeing as barbershops were among the most affected establishments during lockdown.Public sector employees returned to their offices according to new schedules, in line with a government plan. A first batch of employees was expected to show up to work at 7:30 am, a second batch at 8:30 and a third at 9:30.Saudi Arabia continues to register new coronavirus cases. The Health Ministry recorded 3,3379 infections on Sunday, raising the Kingdom’s tally to 157,612. Thirty-seven more people succumbed to the disease, with the death toll reaching 1,267. Recoveries have climbed to 10,1130.

Apple has launched a new CarKey function that allows drivers to unlock and start their car using their iPhone - and BMW will be the first manufacturer to adopt the system.The function will be introduced on the latest versions of Apple’s iOS smartphone operating system. While several cars makers offer digital keys through their own smartphone apps, this is the first time Apple has introduced such a system as a standard part of its operating system.The driver will have to pair their iPhone or Apple Watch with a vehicle that supports the feature. They can then choose from a range of security levels, from requiring a face or fingerprint scan to unlock the vehicle to using near-field communication technology to automatically unlock the vehicle whenever the phone is close.Vehicle owners will also be able to use iPhone messages to share digital car keys with friends or family members.BMW is the first manufacturer to announce that it will integrate the new Apple function into its vehicles. Owners will be able to unlock their vehicle by using the BMW Digital Key function in their iPhone's Apple Wallet. They will then be able to automatically start it by placing your iPhone in a special smartphone tray and pressing the engine start button.BMW owners will be able to share access with up to five people and to restrict top speed, horsepower, radio volume and other features for guest drivers.The BMW Digital Key function will work on any 1 Series, 2 Series, 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, 8 Series, X5, X6, X7 or Z4 built after 1 July this year. Owners will need an iPhone XR, XS or newer.Apple has also added a news function to the navigation software in Apple Maps and paired with BMW to develop a feature that plots optimum recharging points for EV owners on longer journeys. The latter will be available in the BMW i4 that's due to launch next year.

Goosebumps Dead of Night (PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One [reviewed]) Developer: Cosmic Forces Publisher: Cosmic Forces Released: June 19, 2020 (PC, Xbox One) / TBA (PS4, Switch) MSRP: $39.99 Like Brett, I was obsessed with the Goosebumps books as a kid. Growing up, that obsession pretty much never died.I've caught most of the TV shows (even Haunting Hour), the two recent Jack Black feature films and pretty much everything in-between. But even as a Goosebumps diehard, you'll want to skip the hastily adapted Dead of Night. Described as an expanded version of the mostly well-received (and VR-enabled) Night of Scares, Dead of Night is actually a devolution in just about every sense.In theory, I love the premise, which is (at first) borrowed from Scares. Playing as silent protagonist "Twist," you enter Goosebumps author R. L. Stine's seemingly abandoned house, only to uncover that the evil Slappy dummy has unleashed hell on Earth; freeing Stine's horror creations from the confines of his books. It's your job to find hidden pages all across Stine's home and capture Slappy.From there, the game plays like a first-person free roaming Five Nights at Freddy's. Pages are tucked away behind objects and in cabinets, but the hunt is only half the battle, as you'll need to stave off (and hide from) a bunch of enemies with different mechanics. That includes a killer clown that only hunts you when the lights are off, a zombie that roams the upstairs, a werewolf that patrols the downstairs and mischievous lawn gnomes. In theory, I actually dig the multi-faceted enemy puzzle approach. Having to keep the lights on (while the gnomes are running around and flicking them off) is kind of fun, as is the scavenger hunt gimmick. The house should have been the entire game which has a certain cheeseball feel to it (accompanied by less forgiving faded visuals). Amazingly, Jack Black (who plays Stine in the films) is a credited voice: so this is legit JB we're getting here, not Mick Wingert (who occasionally moonlights for the actor for projects like the Kung Fu Panda TV show).Unfortunately, the literal and figurative house of cards completely topples after about 20 minutes. Instead of sticking with that formula, Dead of Night is three micro-games in one, spread across a triple-act layout. The house segment quickly ends in about half an hour (abruptly and with no payoff mind you), then you're off to Dr. Brewer's garden and a giant Tesla Tower (the finale of the second movie). Each of these locations lasts around 20-30 minutes apiece and then you're done.If the house portion was Five Nights, the garden is a run of the mill point-A-to-point-B walking sim and the tower is a janky first-person shooter with light puzzle elements. It's just a crying shame as these two bits of the game feel like complete wastes of time, yet somehow overstay their welcome simultaneously. By the time I was running around a factory setting gunning down evil gummy bears (also from the second film) with a Tesla gun, I started to question my reality. My wife, another big fan of the books, was casually watching me play and decided to bake cookies near the end of the second act. When she returned and saw me moving Tesla lasers to try and solve a Resident Evil style light puzzle, she asked "what does this have to do with Goosebumps?" My reply: "I...don't know." That final act lasts around half an hour like the others and then you're done: Slappy's head pops off (not really a spoiler!) and then the credits abruptly roll. If you spent $40 bucks on it, it'll feel more chilling than most of Stine's actual tales. It's such a disappointment.I can just imagine some kid saving up their allowance to buy this pricey meatball and crying afterward: if you're reading this, don't do it, Timmy! If you want your Goosebumps game fix, stick with the slick, lovingly-crafted 2015 adventure game that's $10 or less on more platforms.[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.] CPU: Info CPU SPEED: Dual Core CPU RAM: 4 GB OS: Microsoft Windows 7.1/8/8.1/10 VIDEO CARD: Graphics card with DX10 (shader model 4.0) capabilities PIXEL SHADER: 4.0 VERTEX SHADER: 4.0 FREE DISK SPACE: 3 GB

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Switch [Reviewed], 3DS, Wii U) Developer: Nintendo EAD Tokyo Publisher: Nintendo Released: July 13, 2018 (Switch, 3DS) December 5, 2014 (Wii U) MSRP: $39.99 Personally, I never ended up buying a Wii U. My original plan was to wait for Breath of the Wild to release on the system before nabbing one. But by the time that was drawing near, the Switch was announced and right around the corner. However, one of the games that immediately caught my eye during the Wii U's life-cycle (and nearly pushed me over the edge into purchasing the system) was Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.As a toad enthusiast who is still baffled that after The Year of Luigi we've yet to experience or even hear plans for The Year of Toad, I was stoked toads everywhere were finally getting the spotlight in the form of Captain Toad. Still, I couldn't help but feel distraught at the time knowing Captain Toad was released on a sinking ship of a platform. Thankfully, Captain Toad has now made its way to the Switch and 3DS and if you missed out on the Wii U like me, there's no time like the present to enjoy some fantastic puzzling on the go! Captain Toad is pretty light on story, with only a handful of story beats and cutscenes happening throughout the course of the game. The adventure begins with Captain Toad and Toadette out exploring in search of stars when suddenly Wingo (a giant bird) comes along and steals the star and Toadette along with it. Of course, Captain Toad is a toad of action. He isn't about to go beg some plumber in a red cap for help and sets off to save the day. That said, Toadette isn't any slouch though waiting to be saved, as you'll even get to play as her in the following episode in what is basically a role-reversal.This adventure takes place across three episodes, each with a number of different levels and bonus challenges to complete. The levels themselves, although small in size, allow you to mani[CENSORED]te the camera around them to uncover various hidden areas or objects. It's in this foundation of a mechanic where the bulk of the puzzle-solving is built upon, with the simple rule of Toad or Toadette not being able to jump (due to their heavy backpacks). Alongside moving the camera around the stage, you'll also be tapping or using the gyroscope-controlled cursor (when docked on Switch) to stun enemies or activate or move objects in the environment to reach the star and complete the level. Notably, though, you can't seem to use gyroscope aiming during on-rail levels while the Switch is docked. I can only assume this was due to the gyroscope controls being assigned to the mock-up cursor when playing while docked. Co-op was also added to the Switch version (if you can even call it that), which allows the second person to take control of the on-screen cursor... Exciting! As for the 3DS version, you move the camera with either the right analog nub or by dragging the touch screen on the bottom screen. It's not as intuitive as the Switch controls, obviously, but it still works. However, what you will find on both versions of the game is some absolutely solid perception-based puzzling and plenty of charm.Each level is beautifully crafted and meticulously planned out, with a number of them throwing in their own unique mechanics. The first episode acts as sort of an introduction to many of the puzzle mechanics and is fairly simple overall. For those of you aiming for 100% completion, though, Captain Toad offers up a good challenge in the form of hidden collectibles around the environment and bonus challenges to complete. Episode 2 and onward thankfully picks up the slack as well, with a slightly higher difficulty in some levels -- which was much appreciated. My favorite level was easily 3-10 (Multi Vator Mayhem), simply because it let me drop four toads off a high ledge and it sounded wonderful. Quality toad sounds from Samantha Kelly aside, not all the levels are wonderful. A good number of them re-use a lot of the same puzzle concepts with a slight twist, which definitely felt like padding at times. Then you have some trash-tier levels as well, such as Drop-Road Dash and Clear Pipe Puzzleplex. These levels, in particular, throw the perception-based puzzle solving out the window in favor of dumb gimmicks. Drop-Road Dash is an entire stage dedicated to a collapsible pathway floating in the sky filled with enemies that you simply run through. Clear Pipe Puzzleplex is an entire stage dedicated to going through clear pipes filled with enemies, all while moving non-stop.Playing Clear Pipe Puzzleplex for the first time, I didn't realize you had to hold the analog stick in the direction you wanted to turn next while going through the pipes. Instead, I was trying to flick the analog stick in the direction once I was near or at the turns themselves, resulting in me missing nearly every turn and a fair amount of lost lives. Captain Toad and Toadette are like the crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation. They're great at thinking on their feet, problem-solving, and having diplomatic discussions. But once you put them in an action film, it's obvious they aren't action stars. Basically, these two levels are the equivalent of Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: Nemesis. They don't match the overall puzzle-solving theme of Captain Toad and simply aren't necessary.Thankfully, the Switch and 3DS versions of Captain Toad include some additional Super Mario Odyssey-themed levels and they're wonderful. These capture and highlight the notable Kingdoms from Super Mario Odyssey, as well as offer up some slightly unique puzzle-solving mechanics from Odyssey itself. You'll gain access to the levels once you've completed the three episodes and they act as a perfect end-game incentive. Oddly enough, however, the Super Mario 3D World-themed levels from the original Wii U release are nowhere to be found on the Switch and 3DS versions of the game. CPU: Info CPU SPEED: Dual Core CPU RAM: 4 GB OS: Microsoft Windows 7.1/8/8.1/10 VIDEO CARD: Graphics card with DX10 (shader model 4.0) capabilities PIXEL SHADER: 4.0 VERTEX SHADER: 4.0 FREE DISK SPACE: 3 GB

Margaret Robinson is the director of the Indigenous Studies program at Dalhousie. She's an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology with a cross-appointment in the Department of English.National Indigenous History Month has me thinking about roots — mine are Mi’kmaq and Scottish. Gardening in my yard, I notice that root systems grow together. Our cultural roots also do this, I think.In her essay, “Who is your mother? The red roots of white feminism,” Indigenous poet and activist Paula Gunn Allen details how “the American dream” of freedom and equality is derived from Indigenous political systems, particularly the “White Roots of Peace, also called the Great Law of the Iroquois,” which codified women’s “decision-making and economic power.” Gunn Allen argues that democracy and feminism have their source in Indigenous life, along with North American’s wealth, values, food and much of its medicine.I think Allen has a good point. And I propose that our much-beloved Maritime tradition of hospitality is rooted in Mi’kmaw hospitality, which is embedded in the land from which it springs. Maritime hospitality is legendary, especially to Maritimers ourselves. It’s an industry, for sure, but it’s not just a marketing campaign.Hospitality is vital in times of trouble. On September 11, 2001, I entered a student lounge at the University of Toronto to find friends huddled around the television. In New York, car alarms blared and people ran screaming as the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre collapsed into an enormous grey dust cloud. As events unfolded, stories emerged of flights being re-routed and passengers stranded at airports outside of Halifax and in Gander, Newfoundland. Even as the reporters revealed the scope of the problem — thousands of passengers trapped in planes for hours, in need of food, shelter and support — I sighed my relief. They were on Canada’s East Coast, home of hospitality.“They’ll be fine,” I assured my friends. “Gander’s got ‘em,” And they did. With a po[CENSORED]tion under 10,000, Gander hosted passengers and airline crew members totaling 6,600. Halifax took in 40 flights carrying 8,800 passengers. I was proud of Atlantic Canada that day, and as I learn more about my Mi’kmaw culture, I ponder the role our own habits played in creating that culture of welcome and generosity.Gestures of friendship and generosityThe roots of hospitality grow deep in Mi’kmaw tradition. French Franciscan Missionary, Father Chrestien Le Clercq, arrived in Mi’kmaw territory in Gaspé in 1673. In addition to observing our written language (birchbark for the win!), Le Clerq noted our hospitality and a translation of his work paints a picture familiar to many:“Hospitality is in such great esteem among our Gaspesians [the Mi’kmaq in what is currently Quebec] that they make almost no distinction between the home-born and the stranger. They give lodging equally to the French and to the Indians who come from a distance, and to both they distribute generously whatever they have obtained in hunting and in the fishery, giving themselves little concern if the strangers remain among them weeks, months and even entire years” (p. 245).I suspect this nurturing instinct may be the reason I once let an acquaintance sleep in the office of our one-bedroom apartment for a month while my partner and I camped in the living room.Traditionally, Mi’kmaq who travelled might stop at any wenji'guom [house] to which they felt drawn, share in whatever food and drink was to be had. If the family wasn’t home, guests helped themselves. I heard an echo of this in my childhood growing up in the 1970s in Eskikewakik — Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore — when settler and Mi’kmaw friends dropped by unexpectedly, and entered unlocked homes to deliver extra blueberries or lobsters.Of course, an open-door policy comes with risk. In his book about the expulsion of the Acadians, Settler historian John Mack Faragher recounts how “Shipwrecked English sailors, rescued by a Mikmaw family, murdered and mutilated their hosts (including a mother and her two children).” Faragher reports that sailors were hoping to collect a scalp bounty, unaware that Governor Peregrine Thomas Hopson had cancelled the bounty.A tradition of hospitality makes sense in a culture by the sea. Have you been in the ocean? It’s freaking cold! Humans can develop hypothermia in less than 15 minutes. So it makes sense for survival to pull together and be helpful. I keep my office well-stocked with tea for people needing shelter from the cold waters of academia.Sharing culture and comfortAs Janice Esther Tulk reports in her thesis on Mi’kmaq powwow culture, “There is important cultural value placed on hospitality, taking care of visitors, providing for their need, and sharing meal with them.” Tulk wasn’t kidding. A copy of The Micmac News from June of 1971 features a letter to the editor from John Herney of Eskasoni, then living in Calgary, inviting readers to visit him. “if anyone comes down to Stampede, or is coming out our way” he writes, “I have not forgotten Micmac hospitality or my language, and they are welcome here at any time.”I spoke with Cathy Martin, director of Indigenous community engagement at Dalhousie, and asked her about hospitality. She recalled a discussion with Helen Martin of Membertou, co-founder and first president of Nova Scotia Native Women's Association:“I remember asking her, ‘if you could tell the young people anything, what would it be?’ And she said, ‘I just want everyone to know that the basis of our governance is the concept of sharing. That’s the most important thing.’”As a university community I think sharing knowledge is a key piece of how we do hospitality, so it makes sense to see signs that read Bienvenue/Pjila'si/Welcome in the library. In a TEDx talk from 2016, Rebecca Thomas speaks about the Mi’kmaw word:“This is Mi’kmaw territory, and many of you might have heard the word pjila'si to mean ‘welcome.’ That’s what it’s used for, but the literal translation of the concept equates to ‘I’ll do my best.’ That’s a much more nuanced and meaningful interaction. In this moment, a person-to-person contract is being agreed upon.”As I garden between teleconferences and prepare to teach online in the fall, I think of how important sharing and hospitality is in a community where we’ll be seeing one another again and again.I’m a newbie to Mi’kmaq, but I notice that our word for goodbye is borrowed from French, while the more common farewell, “Ne'multes,” means ‘see you later.’

The new Chevrolet C8 Corvette may be the first in the model’s history to officially be sold in the UK, but it certainly won’t be the first to touch our Tarmac. Imported examples of the C3 generation (1968- 1982) are easy to come by here so you could own one of the most radically styled and iconic American cars of all time from as little as £12,000.Available in coupé and convertible guises, the C3 ’Vette took its power from a variety of small- and big-block Chevy V8 motors during its 14-year lifespan, packing up to 460bhp from a whopping 7.4-litre unit in its most potent form. Later models, however, suffered at the hands of tightening emissions legislation throughout the 1970s, with unleaded fuel and catalytic converters reducing their output to as little as 165bhp – despite the 5.7-litre V8 under the bonnet.Go for an early model if you want big power and properly lairy styling. Late 1960s and early 1970s cars packed mostly 7.0- or 7.4-litre big-block motors and could crack the 0-60mph sprint in as little as 5.5sec. Take heed, though: American roads are straighter, wider and better paved than our humble byways, and such earth-shattering potency is not for the faint-hearted. They’ll also be more expensive to run than their quieter (it’s all relative) counterparts. Whatever your poison, you’ll find the C3 is about as easy to own and maintain as any other sports car of its era. Reproduction parts are readily available through suppliers such as Claremont Corvette, Eckler’s Corvette and Corvette Kingdom, and the Classic Corvette Club UK forum is a fount of knowledge for prospective buyers and owners alike. These resources are invaluable given the C3’s propensity for glassfibre panel problems and electrical gremlins and mean most jobs can be carried out at home if you’re handy with the spanners.Despite the C3’s age and collector car status, there’s a wide variety of models available on the UK marketplace, ranging from tatty, run-out T-tops to showroom-condition chrome-bumper cars with the all-important Stingray emblems, which were discontinued in 1976. You might have to venture to the other side of the Channel to find the car you like – there are plenty of C3s for sale at specialist dealerships in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands – but trailering a car, even if it’s right across Europe, is much more cost-effective and less risky than importing from the US.When viewing a car, try not to be seduced by its radical styling on first sight. C3 frames rust for fun and you have to dig deep to determine the extent of any corrosion, so take a leaf out of Prince’s guide to Corvette ownership: “You got to slow down, ’cause if you don’t, you gonna run your little red Corvette right in the ground.” They’re very docile – apart from the manual big-block cars. The standard small-block automatic is a very easy car to drive, with its power steering and power brakes. But they can be challenging to work on because there are a lot of systems people won’t be familiar with. For example, the headlights are vacuum operated, so you’ve got vacuum tanks, actuators and lots of pipework. The little flap that the wipers are hidden in is vacuum operated, as well.”Undue levels of smoke or rough running shouldn’t scare you off: the Chevy V8 is a simple motor and a full rebuild is quite feasible. Failing that, brand-new crate motors are readily available in the UK from around £2500. Big blocks suffer with cooling woes, so make sure the radiator, fan shroud and pipework are sound. A C3 Corvette can pack acres of rust underneath a shining glassfibre bodyshell. Check around the rear trailing arms but pay particular attention to the ‘birdcage’, which forms the shell for the cabin. It’s largely out of sight and access is tricky but it forms an integral part of the car so problems here can be fatal. Wonky door gaps are a telltale sign that the chassis is sagging.The cabin is known for poor durability. Leather and vinyl seats can stand the test of time, but dashboard tops and centre consoles are prone to cracking. Door cards – an especially fragile item – are surprisingly expensive, costing upwards of £200 apiece.Most Corvettes of this age will have had significant work carried out so check that all wiring has been run neatly through the car and is properly earthed – a common bugbear of glassfibre-bodied cars. Switches can be expensive but most parts are available through online suppliers.■ Steering, suspension: Noisy, heavy steering can sometimes be traced to low fluid in the power steering box. If the steering gets lighter at higher revs, the pump could be on its way out. Check the bracket holding the power steering cylinder to the chassis, as it’s known to wear. Aligning the rear suspension is not for the faint-hearted and may require specialist attention. Initially planned as a low-volume limited edition to mark the C3’s role in the 1978 Indianapolis 500, the Indy Pace Car replica ended up accounting for 15% of all C3s produced. This one, being sold by a dealer, has done less than 1500 miles and still wears its original alloy wheels.

Omega Labyrinth Life (Nintendo Switch) Developer: Matrix Software Publisher: D3 Publisher Released: August 1, 2019 MSRP: $59.99 From developer Matrix Software, Omega Labyrinth Life is a breast touching simulator with some light gardening and dungeon crawling thrown into the mix. You play as Hinata Akatsuki, the first-ever transfer student at Belles Fleurs Academy, a prestigious school of legacy students and faculty members with breasts of all size. At the center of the academy is its world-famous Grand Garden, a colorful and diverse flowerbed that's always in bloom. The plot, much like the pants of many people playing this game, thickens right out the gate when the flower field suddenly dies and the beautiful girls and women of Belles Fleurs think Hinata is to blame.Clearing her name and finding the real culprit behind this plant plight will send Hinata and friends deep into the various roguelike dungeons scattered across the garden. If you've played Pokemon Mystery Dungeon or any of the Shiren games, you should have a good understanding of what is going on here. Dungeon maps are generated procedurally, enemies only move when characters move, and players have to deal with a host of traps as they venture down, down, down into the unknown.As I have stated with every Mystery Dungeon game I've reviewed on this site, I'm a huge fan of the genre and am appreciative of the strides it has made to genuinely improve on what is often seen as unrefined and boring. Unfortunately, none of those improvements made it into Omega Labyrinth Life. Dungeon crawling here is very much "roguelike 1.0" with long hallways connecting to mostly square rooms. The lack of diversity in whatever piece of programming creates these dungeon floors is actually more evident the further you get into the game. Perhaps this would have been a negligible complaint if the developers bothered to add any sort of the challenge to the experience. This is, by far, the easiest roguelike I have ever played. The main story dungeons pose no real threat to players outside of a particularly stringent inventory limit. Enemies are incredibly sparse on each floor and the game introduces a few mechanics that do away with much of what can make the genre so punishing. There are monster rooms here -- rooms filled to the brim with monsters and traps that you sometimes stumble into -- but those don't pose a problem when you unlock one of Hinata's special moves that allow her to do damage to every monster in a room. Just activate it and watch the bodies disappear. Another playable character has an ability that will randomly reveal the entire floor map, removing much of the mystery in these Mystery Dungeons. Those abilities aren't exactly new to the genre, but they're unlocked far too early in the game, with Hinata's room-wrecker breaking what little challenge players will encounter.There are optional dungeons that provide a bit more pushback, but even they pale in comparison to what the genre has previously produced. I've heard the original Omega Labyrinth was punishingly difficult and I can't help but wonder if the developers decided to go in the opposite direction for their first international release.But of course, the point of Omega Labyrinth Life was never to challenge players with increasingly difficult dungeons as they learn to master the genre. Nor was Life meant to be a satisfying gardening sim as caring for the Grand Garden is lackluster and undercooked. No, the point of this game is fanservice and goddamit that's something it has in spades. At any time during your adventure, be it when you're walking around the garden, diving into the dungeon, relaxing naked in a spa, or watching a cutscene, you can make the girls' boobs jiggle like Jell-O with the poke of your finger. As you explore dungeons and defeat enemies, you'll collect Omega Points that will occasionally increase the size of your lead character's chest until it's literally bursting out of their shirt. Seeing their girls go from grapes to gonzagas actually takes a great while because chest size, as well as character level, will reset each time you exit a dungeon; so if that's something you're interested in checking out, you better be prepared to tackle the 99-floor dungeons. Early on, I thought that would be the most scandalous aspect of this game, that you could grow a high school student's breasts so big that they put Dolly Parton to shame.Then I titty-[CENSORED]ed Hinata.As you explore the various dungeons, there will be items you collect that are unidentified. This is a tradition of the genre, but how you identify them is completely unique to this game. Firstly, these items are described as soft and useless. In order to harden them up and reveal what the item is, you have to place it in between your lead girl's breasts, then squish and rub it with her tits until it grows hard and red before shooting a great, white mist over her face. And no, that is not an exaggeration.My jaw dropped when I saw first that and I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Anime booby games have been pushing the envelope on salacious content for some time, with even relatively tame activities drawing the ire of objectors. But while other franchises have been restrained by decency standards or a fear of going too far into straight-up porn game territory, Omega Labyrinth Life pushes the boundaries of what's allowed in console gaming from the cheesecake sexy fun of its contemporaries into something that is actually pretty smutty. Because that mini-game above isn't even the most shocking sight in the game.As you grow flowers in the Grand Garden, you'll collect nectar. Nectar is used to unlock new abilities for all of the girls. When you buy a new ability with the Omega Points you collect in the dungeons, you can take your girl of choice to the campus greenhouse for a little heavy petting action. As you touch spots on the screen with your finger in handheld mode (or with the cursor using the Joy Con controllers), she'll start to get excited, riling herself up if you press the perfect points on her body. After you've touched enough of her special spots, you'll have to start touching her as fast as you can to rack up points. Time slows allowing you to get some last-second rubbing, and once she can't take it anymore, the girl cums sprays her juice all over the screen. And then you use that cum juice to water the garden and help the plants grow. There is another mini-game called Tit-for-Tat, which is Rock, Paper, Scissors with breasts, but compared to making these girls gush, that might as well be a game of Pat-a-Cake. I sat there in disbelief the first time I made Hinata shoot. I couldn't believe I had just witnessed that on the same device I use to play Happy Birthdays. I've played other titles before that include petting mini-games, but this is the first time one ever made me feel as though I needed to Lysol the hell out of my console. I would eventually pick my jaw up off the floor and press on into the next dungeon, but not before I started asking myself if this game had simply gone too far.It would be easy for me to gloss over these thoughts lest I invoke the wrath of Reddit, but in the early hours of Omega Labyrinth Life, I couldn't help but think Matrix Software created something even I would get up in arms over. Whatever lingering sense of subtlety remaining in these anime booby games was clearly gone as I watched a z-cupped teacher spray the screen in satisfaction due to my devious digits. But each time I made a girl wet herself or boob-[CENSORED]ed a sword into existence, the impact of these activities diminished. Not that I became numb to them, but rather, they quickly failed to rile up any reaction at all. And that's when my thoughts changed from the game going too far to maybe not going far enough; that perhaps it plateaued too early. After I made Hinata squirt like a lemon wedge being squeezed into ice tea, nothing else in Omega Labyrinth Life pushed against the acceptable limits of abjection, eventually turning the outlandish into something almost ordinary.Whether or not the fanservice is too much for players or just a natural evolution of the boundary-pushing booby game genre, one thing that is certain about Omega Labyrinth Life is that it is not that good. The dungeon crawling, which is how you'll spend about 75% of your time with the game, simply isn't up to snuff with its contemporaries and tending to the Grand Garden lacks the depth an activity like that should have. It's just a top-to-bottom boring experience, and no amount of lady spray on my Switch screen can change that.[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.] CPU: Info CPU SPEED: Dual Core CPU RAM: 4 GB OS: Microsoft Windows 7.1/8/8.1/10 VIDEO CARD: Graphics card with DX10 (shader model 4.0) capabilities PIXEL SHADER: 4.0 VERTEX SHADER: 4.0 FREE DISK SPACE: 3 GB

Whether it’s to mark an occasion or not, a carrot cake can make any moment special. If you are craving a dessert and in the mood to bake ahere is a recipe you definitely would want to try. The simple cake puts the available ingredients to best use. It also makes for a sumptuous teatime snack that you should definitely try.Wondering how to make it? Suvidha Gupta, Addilicious Bakery from Homefoodi, a food aggregator start-up, gives us the detailed recipe.The chef says, while carrot is the most overpowering ingredient, brown sugar, ginger and nutmeg add zing to this magical cake. The cake is dense but still soft and lush. The flavour intensifies with the cheese frosting seeping into the layers to make it more tender. It’s a classic cake and loved by all.

JEDDAH: Despite po[CENSORED]r perceptions, yoga is not only a regimen for physical well-being but also a positive lifestyle, according to the Indian consul general in Jeddah.“This year, on June 21, we are celebrating the sixth International Yoga Day,” Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh told Arab News.He said that he was very happy that Saudi Arabia had recognized Yoga as a sports activity.“I have been practicing yoga for the last 28 years. It all started with my father, who worked in the police department. One day in 1992, he brought home a wall poster illustrating 32 yoga asanas (postures). The next morning, I tried to do all of them, except for one asana ‘Shirshasana’ (headstand),” he said.He added that he was able to do all the others postures as he played football, and also learned Taekwondo from his uncle, who was a black belt holder.He mastered “Shirshasana” after intense practice, and was finally able to stand on his head. This exercise has since become his favorite, he said, adding that most of his siblings and his children are also fans of yoga.The consul general said that he had many Muslims asking him why he practices yoga as a Muslim. “They are surprised when I tell them one can choose the asanas in which one finds comfort, and that one may simply take it as a sports activity. There is no compulsion in yoga and practicing yoga has immense benefits.”Yoga, Sheikh said, had given him a great deal of stamina, perseverance, and self-confidence.“I have been instrumental in supporting International Yoga Day from the first year right up to the present in Jeddah,” he said.He added that he was proud of Nouf Al-Marwaai, the president and founder of the Arab Yoga Foundation and Saudi Arabia’s first female yoga master, who he described as “a genuine enthusiast for the propagation of yoga in Jeddah and all over the Kingdom.”Al-Marwaai and her foundation have been participating in the Indian Consulate’s celebrations of International Yoga Day for some time.In 2018, she was awarded India’s Padma Shri — the country’s fourth-highest civilian award — for her role in promoting yoga in the Kingdom.Sheikh said that besides wearing a mask, washing hands and social distancing during these testing times, people should not neglect their physical and mental well-being and practice yoga. “One should also maintain calm and patience and avoid panic. Yoga can be a great regimen for this.”The UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted India’s proposal and proclaimed June 21 as International Yoga Day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested it in 2014.“Yoga embodies the unity of mind and body, thought and action, restraint and fulfillment, harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being,” Modi told the UNGA.

Basil Brush and Martin Roberts from Homes Under the Hammer team up to provide a video and resources to help schools engage with children on emotional issues Heroes are emerging from the unlikeliest of places in the pandemic – Captain Sir Tom Moore, Marcus Rashford, numerous local fundraisers…and now Basil Brush and Martin Roberts from Homes Under the Hammer.They’ve teamed up to produce a video of Basil Brush recording a video of Martin’s children’s book Sadsville alongside specifically created resources for both teachers and families, to help engage with children on emotions around sadness and how to understand our own mental health.Helping children access their emotionsThe book is aimed at children from ages 6-10, and a link to the video of Basil reading the story and the resources will be emailed to all primary schools to access in the coming weeks from the Martin Roberts Foundation.All the resources and the video are already live on Martin Roberts' own website as well.Sadsville is part of Martin's The Villes series, which he wrote around two years ago.It was written to help support the work of the NSPCC and Childline by raising awareness to children of their work and how they can contact them if they need help.So far physical copies have already been sent to around 35,000 schools over the last 12 months or so, chiefly to schools in Somerset and Hampshire.However, Martin explained that because of the coronavirus pandemic and the upheavals children will undoubtedly have felt, he thought it was important the book and its message had a chance to reach every child in the country as soon as possible.“We’re seeing a lot of research saying that young children are the ones who will be worst affected by this time…We wanted to get this out there to help teachers and parents have that discussion around why sometimes it’s OK to feel sad and down, but that also there are other emotions that they may feel that are more concerning, and that sometimes you need to talk about them with someone.”As such, he is hoping that parents, teachers and pupils will be able to use the reading of the book by Basil Brush as a fun, engaging way into a discussion on these issues and that the resources – from assembly guides and worksheets to posters and feedback forms – can develop this further.Peter Wanless, the CEO of the NSPCC said the organisation was confident it would have a hugely positive impact.“Currently, we are hearing from children in their thousands who have been cut off from vital support networks such as school and friends, and that has increased their feelings of loneliness and vulnerability. However, there are many more out there who are suffering in silence, which is why we are doing all we can to let children know we are still here for them.”“Using Basil Brush to narrate Sadsville is a unique and entertaining approach to letting even more children know how they can contact Childline if things are tough, and I am confident it will be very successful.”Glastonbury connectionsOf course, one of the key questions everyone will want to know is: how on earth did Martin convince the funny furry fox to take part?Celebrity connections are formed in the strangest of places, as it turns out.“I’ve been an admirer of Basil Brush for years – he’s always had a warm place in most people’s hearts, the cheeky chappie little fox,” Martin told Tes.“I actually first met him at a Children in Need event and it turned out he loved Homes Under the Hammer, so we had a bit of a mutual appreciation thing. Then I met him again at Glastonbury a few years ago where he was doing a set at the kids' stage, which was really funny.“I told him about the book and he said he’d be happy to read some of it, and I asked him how much [he would read] and he said, ‘Well, all of it’.”From here, there was only one person to contact when a lockdown recording was needed.For his part, Basil Brush said: “It was a booming pleasure to be part of Mr Martin’s wonderful book, to read his lovely story and help the NSPCC and their Childline service at the same time.“The illustrations are perfect, but for some reason I felt peckish at the end – you’ll know why when you read it. It might even bring a tear to your eye.”You can watch the story below.

Until pretty recently, an SUV from Alfa Romeo would have seemed as likely as Raymond Blanc donning the head chef apron at McDonald’s. But here we are.And the truth is that the Stelvio offers the same characteristics of engaging handling and charismatic styling that made so many of Alfa Romeo’s cars po[CENSORED]r in its long, romantic (and chequered) history.Built on the same platform as the Giulia saloon, its remarkably light aluminium body fat-shames all of its rivals. And while one of its main drawbacks from new was its poor residual values, that in turn makes it worthy of focus in these used pages.For power, you have the choice of a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 197bhp or 276bhp or a 2.2-litre turbodiesel with 188bhp or 207bhp.As for trim levels, the most basic gets no name but plenty of standard kit, including a 6.5in infotainment screen, automatic emergency braking, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and a powered tailgate, but it’s uncommon on the used market.Instead, you’ll find more range-topping Speciale models with 19in 10-spoke alloy wheels, red-painted brake calipers, xenon headlights, power-folding door mirrors and leather seats (heated in the front).Used Stelvios cost from around £25,000. Incredibly, at this entry point, there are a lot of examples of the punchy 2.0 Turbo 280 petrol in Speciale trim – our pick of the lot. From here up to £30,000 is where the best value lies in the used Stelvio pickings. There’s a strong choice of all engines in varying trims and with low mileages, while £31,000 to £35,000 gives you the choice of 2019 and 2020 cars with very low mileage.The elephant in the room here is the Stelvio Quadrifoglio. With a 503bhp 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6 that was created with help from Ferrari and a four-wheel-drive system borrowed from Maserati, it’s a truly exceptional hot SUV – and it can be yours for just £50,000.AdvertisementFind an Autocar car reviewDriven this weekMercedes-Benz GLA 220d 2020 UK first drive review - hero front18 June 2020First DriveMercedes-Benz GLA 220d 2020 UK reviewThe second coming of Mercedes' po[CENSORED]r compact crossover, now turned...Bentley Continental GT Convertible V8 2020 UK first drive review - hero front18 June 2020First DriveBentley Continental GT Convertible V8 2020 UK reviewJuggles its luxury and sporting credentials very well. Not quite as well as...Skoda Octavia estate 2020 UK first drive review - cornering front17 June 2020First DriveSkoda Octavia Estate 2.0 TDI 2020 UK reviewIs the Octavia still a supreme box-ticker in its new generation? We find out...Read our reviewCar reviewAlfa Romeo StelvioAlfa Romeo StelvioAlfa Romeo’s first SUV aims to hoist the handling panache of the Giulia saloonRead our reviewBack to topHowever, while the Quadrifoglio undoubtedly the most impressive, you’ll enjoy crisp handling from any Stelvio. It steers remarkably well with a typically quick and accurate rack and handles with a fluidity that’s rare for an SUV.The downside is a fairly firm ride, which some may genuinely find too firm, along with poor refinement.Another reason the Stelvio has never quite stood beside the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 is its interior. The dashboard and its surroundings are attractively finished, but the materials that you’ll regularly touch feel particularly low-rent. An upside shared with those rivals, mind, is infotainment controlled by a dial on the centre console, not your fingers.Rear space is slightly limited and that attractive roofline eats into head room, but the boot is reasonably big. Alfa Romeo and dependability historically went together like chocolate and a summer’s day, but its newer cars seem to fare better. Even so, Alfa finished 25th out of 31 brands in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey. A three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty from new is standard for the Stelvio.All models are four-wheel-drive apart from the entry-level diesel, which is rear-wheel drive. But if you want a diesel, go for the more impressive 207bhp model, which is also the most efficient Stelvio.A facelift this year changed the trim levels to Super, Sprint, Lusso Ti and Veloce, but won’t find many of these on the used market yet.Our pick2.0 Turbo 280 Speciale: This has crisp handling, zingy performance and loads of kit. The truth is that all of the Stelvio’s engines are impressive, but the miracle of used prices starting at this punchy petrol makes it a no-brainer.Wild cardQuadrifoglio: If the 2.0 Turbo 280 is a jalfrezi, this is a nameless, special-order-only dish that only locals are allowed: 0-62mph in 3.8sec, a 176mph top speed and a formerly record-setting Nürburgring time.

Golem (PlayStation VR [reviewed on a PS4 Pro]) Developer: Highwire Games Publisher: Perp Games Released: November 15, 2019 MSRP: $39.99 It's taken Golem longer than expected to make it onto PlayStation VR, and I worry that for some people, the game missed its window of opportunity – that it's going to seem like too little, too late. VR is a fast-moving field, after all. What worked in 2017 or even 2018 doesn't necessarily shine as bright in 2019.That's where my headspace was at coming into reviewing Golem. I heard about the game years ago, knew the basic premise – that you play as a housebound young "dreamer" who controls hulking golems in a cordoned-off city – and was just reminded of its existence last week when it launched on PS4.In the end, I can't say I was blown away, but I am impressed with what Highwire was able to pull off. For those of us who still use our PSVR headsets, Golem is a sword-clashing adventure worth exploring. After a slow-burning intro in which we get to know protagonist Twine, her teenage sister, and their stern but caring father, Golem offers a morsel of what's to come over the next six to seven hours.While you technically play as Twine for the duration, the majority of your time will be spent looking – and dueling – through the eyes of a giant stone golem that's able to go where humans cannot: an ancient city full of valuable relics (and other golems who aren't so friendly). There's more backstory to uncover further into Golem, both in a micro and macro sense, but that's the gist. When you aren't trudging along, looking for the next shortcut to open up or artifact to pilfer, you're probably fighting.There's a satisfying action-adventure wrapper in here, especially for people who love just-hidden-enough collectibles that serve a storytelling purpose, but the core of Golem is its one-on-one sword-fighting. You'll twist and turn your arm and wrist at high speeds to deflect swings and counter-attack when the time's right. The combat is thrilling; it gets my blood pumping. Even with a hardier health item to back me up and a far-reaching halberd, I still feel tension when facing the lowliest golems.That's the idea. Death is meant to be consequential. When you bite the dust in Golem, you'll lose your currently-equipped gear and start back at a central point in the city, so it pays to play cautiously and keep an eye out for shortcuts at all times. I never once "ran out" of crucial items, but I worried about it! A word of caution: this is going to be one of those VR games where everyone's results will vary depending on their setup and their comfort level. For me, the hand tracking worked wonderfully – at least most of the time. I definitely lost a few skirmishes that felt unfair, and that can sting pretty badly when it's a long walk back. There's also the game's novel movement system – to walk, you lean your head forward while holding down the trigger on your PlayStation Move – and the whole game-within-a-game conceit. For added immersion, Twine's room is visible in your periphery when you're a golem.With or without VR experience, it's a lot to take in. I needed a good hour-and-a-half before I was truly comfortable. But once everything clicked, I was seamlessly walking around and fighting using a single PlayStation Move controller. (Alternatively, you can hold a DualShock 4 in your other hand, but that control scheme isn't ideal.) Best-case scenario, your golem will feel like an extension of your body, and that's ultimately where I landed once I learned the quirks and how to work with them, not against them.Beyond all the hectic duels, the quieter moments spent exploring the city are fun in their own right thanks to well-layered world design and a brilliant, serene soundtrack from Halo composer Martin O'Donnell. I don't really care to track down every last relic, but I've gone out of my way to try and find all the collectible echoes – short audio messages from Twine's mother that help fill in the story gaps. Golem's scope is just about right – no VR qualifiers needed. It feels like a full experience. Another enemy type or two could've gone a long way (the pesky spear guys aren't enough), but I'm mostly happy.I want to duck back in for a couple more hours at some point, and hopefully the tracking oddities will have been smoothed over by then. It sounds like Highwire is looking to add more control options, too. If you're in any way unsure about the current controls or possible discomfort, I'd advise caution.When everything comes together, Golem has some of the best PlayStation VR combat I've played, and a story worth hearing. When it's off, even a little, frustration follows. If you can tolerate backtracking and don't mind dealing with occasional VR tech idiosyncrasies, you're gonna have a grand time.[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.] CPU: Info CPU SPEED: Dual Core CPU RAM: 4 GB OS: Microsoft Windows 7.1/8/8.1/10 VIDEO CARD: Graphics card with DX10 (shader model 4.0) capabilities PIXEL SHADER: 4.0 VERTEX SHADER: 4.0 FREE DISK SPACE: 3 GB

When SuperSport United left-back Onismor Bhasera returned to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to join Bidvest Wits in 2013, having left the country in 2010, many wrote him off, feeling he was past his prime.Before leaving Kaizer Chiefs for English league two side Plymouth in 2010, Bhasera, 34, had a fruitful quarter dozens of years at Naturena, helping Amakhosi win the 2007 Telkom Knockout.After three years of regular football with Plymouth, where he registered more than 100 appearances, Bhasera didn't show any signs of slowing down as he made the left-back position at Wits his own until, he joined SuperSport in 2016.During his three-year stint at Wits, Bhasera amassed 64 games across all competitions, while at Matsatsantsa he's played 101 to date.The Zimbabwean-born defender has chalked up his longevity and consistency to living a principled life, where nutrition and exercising take precedence."I have always made sure I stay away from dirty lifestyle. Things like alcohol, nightclubs and smoking are dangerous and I have always avoided them," Bhasera told Sowetan."I have always taken care of my body. I am mindful of what I eat. I always eat healthy. My body is the one that puts food on the table for me, so it's important that I respect it in return, by staying fit."The veteran full-back is also kept going by his desire to be an astute role model to upcoming players."There's a lot of youngsters coming through the system. Some of them look up to us as seniors, so you don't just want to be a senior player, but you must be one who leads by example," said Bhasera.Bhasera hasn't thought about the day he'll hang up his boots.The Matsatsantsa man still harbours a dream of winning the league.

We’ve all read about downforce, but photographer Max Edleston and I are now experiencing the phenomenon.It becomes noticeable at 180mph, when our Lamborghini’s gobsmacking Rosso Bia body begins to squeeze high-frequency suspension vibrations into submission, smoothing the flow. At 195mph, the force exerted on the front apron means effort is required to make tentative steering corrections. At 210mph, 10 screeching cylinders are all but drowned out by torrential oncoming air, which isn’t surprising because the Huracán Performante is now making almost eight times the downforce of a basic Huracán.Less than 1400kg of aluminium, plastic, ‘forged’ carbon-composite, Alcantara and ego has bolted itself to the road with a resolve that messes with your head. Only a moment ago, this thing seemed one of the most agile, flickable supercars out there. Now it’s an anvil on wheels. Far from feeling loose or frightening, by the time we nudge the wall (not for want of power but of a taller seventh gear), our Performante is travelling with trance-like calm amid a maelstrom of physics. According to the dials, the wall sits at a faintly absurd and totally exhilarating 216mph. Lift off, coast for a moment, tickle the other pedal… and breathe. Much as the sustained discharge of 631bhp leaves you speechless, it’s not the only reason we’re on an autobahn. Lamborghini needed this car chaperoned back home to Sant’Agata Bolognese from the Goodwood Festival of Speed and, when asked to go long and hard in arguably the greatest driver’s Lambo to date, the only answer is ‘sì’. On arrival, we’ll visit the factory to assess how much of an upheaval the company’s entry into the world of SUVs has created, but for now it’s all about having one last blast with what, in the future, we’ll undoubtedly refer to as a proper Lamborghini.It’s an enviable trip, but also one that raises some interesting questions. For one, how polished is too polished? Modern engineering means even trackday specials like the £215,000 Performante could, by the coating of their titanium con-rods, now have the breadth for grand touring. The ridiculous (deliberate?) absence of a solitary cupholder, doorbin or even a glovebox suggests otherwise, but so far the car’s ride quality has been exemplary given its role as a Nürburgring blade. To our surprise, the leather buckets – stitched with proud, vivid tricolore stripes to match the ones exploding along the outer sills – are also decently comfy. Close the exhaust valves that transformed our Eurotunnel carriage into the longest, wildest didgeridoo in existence and the car has manners, too. The violence can be suppressed and then electronically drip-fed in via three driving modes – Strada, Sport and histrionic Corsa – along with your right ankle’s angle of attack, but you do have a choice. Question is, should there ever be a choice with cars as beautifully unhinged as the Huracán Performante? Everywhere we go, the reaction to its sinful LED headlights, prehistoric silhouette and rear plumage is the same. People turn, their mouths fall open and the hand then points. In Italy, that’s your cue to pull both paddles, dropping the transmission in neutral, and depress the accelerator. The visible enjoyment of everyone else tells you two things. First, unlike aristocratic Ferrari and po-faced Porsche, the cars that mad Lamborghini builds are strangely classless, like Hawaiian shirts. They’re the good guys: everybody loves them. Second, supercars will always capture the imagination and reveal something about the person who sees one go by.Returning to the question, I think most people would rather cars like this left us tired and aching but wired and desperate for another hit, rather than frustrated by a perceived lack of grit. But if a sweet spot between does exist, our route to Italy gives ample opportunity to see whether the Performante nails it.There is the autobahn, which we pick up at Kradenbach in the Rhineland. It’s a theatre in which the Performante actually does pretty well, with its speed, soft mid-engined-style spring rates and reasonable 25mpg cruising economy; this from a 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 that will go down as one of the greatest-ever road-car engines. Later on we’ll reach Baden-Baden, from where the evocatively named Black Forest High Road flows southeast, wide and smooth over low, densely wooded mountains. Day two sees us over the much more technical Silvretta Pass in Austria before heading to Innsbruck, then down into the wealthy, industrialist plains of northern Italy and Lamborghini’s hometown. It’s about 1200 miles all-in, further than many owners will drive these cars annually. More fool them. Back to topTwo-hundred miles evaporate and we reach the Black Forest at sunset, where the Performante performs its party piece, which is to rip into the road surface with Pirelli tyres that feel more like crampons and allow you to get the digital tacho whirring like a Catherine wheel. The chassis won’t freely adopt little slip angles like a Ferrari 488 Pista and doesn’t do the same gratifying rear-flavoured poise as a Porsche GT2 RS, but the grip and millimetric accuracy with which you can aim the cartoonishly fanged nose is astounding.It feels intuitive, too; not like an Aventador, which adds to the general air of excitement by making you guess just how much grip is left. The younger brother is a more condensed machine that will let you coax it close to the white lines – closer than perhaps any other supercar. And when you also have an 8750rpm engine of this calibre at your disposal, having confidence in your ability to place the car so precisely makes it easy not only to like, but to love, almost unconditionally. These are the first genuinely good roads on this trip and it takes the Lamborghini all of three third-gear corners to remind us that it is the definitive get-in-and-go-wild supercar. The Silvretta proves a tougher challenge, its corners tighter and slower. Though four-wheel drive and the V10’s lake of torque make short work of the switchbacks, what you really want here is an M2 Competition or Alpine A110. More slithery, even if a rain shower does lower the limits of adhesion enough for the Performante to show that its margin of initial understeer is impressively narrow before the tail starts to arc. Most Lamborghinis don’t handle like this, instead doggedly washing wide, but if the firm is to challenge Ferrari and Porsche on a level beyond superficial personality, future models will need to be more like the Performante.After two days, we arrive at Via Modena, 12, 40019 Sant’Agata Bolognese with fly-pocked front radiators and having funnelled 300 litres of superunleaded into the Huracán’s 83-litre tank. I’m tired but not aching. In fact, I’d turn the car around and do it all again, because I’m desperate for another hit.This article was originally published on 6 October 2019. We're revisiting some of Autocar's most po[CENSORED]r features to provide engaging content in these challenging times.