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“Paws and Think focuses on improving lives through the power of the human/dog connection,” says Burton. One day a week, she stops by a small office at St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital to catch up with some of her star canines. A recent visit saw one of Paws and Think’s top dogs, the 100-pound Bella. The shaggy, 10-year-old Newfoundland specializes in encouraging children to read. For children who are shy or don’t like reading out loud during school, reading to Bella can help calm the nerves. The pages turn as Bella takes in every line. Burton says she is honored to be among the 15 ELEVATE finalists because the recognition shows her work has been meaningful to the community. “We want to bring love, happiness, and comfort to those who need it most,” Burton says, “We know dogs are amazing. They’re non-judgemental and offer unconditional love. So, what better tool than dogs to be able to do those things.” Sarah Myer ‘06, also among the award nominees, says she’s grateful she decided to stay in Indianapolis after graduating from Butler. Sarah Myer Sarah Myer '06 helped attract the 2021 Final Four to Indianapolis. “Indy is a city where you can get connected quickly and make an impact if you are willing to hustle,” says the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at Indiana Sports Corp. “Not many cities have that kind of opportunity for young people starting their careers.” In her role, Myer works to make sure those career opportunities stay in the Circle City. Since 1979, Indiana Sports Corp has helped attract major sporting events to Indianapolis in the form of NCAA basketball tournament games, U.S. Olympic team trials, and, of course, Super Bowl XLVI in 2012. Events co-produced by the nonprofit sports commission have led to more than $4 billion in direct spending in the city. “Our team helps execute events from start to finish,” Myer says. “And while these events are here, they not only elevate civic pride and have a huge economic impact on our city, but we always find ways to include our youth.” Emily Shrock ‘09 is nominated for Board Member of the Year for her work with Coburn Place, a local nonprofit that works to empower and house victims of abuse. A Marketing major when she was at Butler, Shrock credits her time at the University for helping her realize “the power of community." “While I was on campus, I had the opportunity to take a number of leadership roles through organizations that not only taught me how to lead but instilled in me an even stronger sense of compassion and desire to serve those around me,” she says. “My heart has forever been in serving others, and Butler truly enhanced that longing that has led me to a career in public service.” As Director of Public Engagement and Programs at the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, Shrock wanted to maintain that balance of servitude with her professional life. She started at Coburn Place as a student volunteer, and a decade later, she is helping lead the nonprofit into a strong 2020. Shrock says Coburn Place houses 70 people daily in its Midtown building, but its programming and services reach all over Indianapolis. Also nominated are Lisa Glavan ‘19 and Molly McDonnell ‘17, who will represent the Roche Diagnostics Young Professionals group for the Employee Resource Group of the Year award. Burton wasn’t surprised to see so many fellow Butler Bulldogs on the ELEVATE program. “We all got really good groundwork in college to learn how to make things possible in our community,” she says. “All the time, I find myself very honored to be part of that group—to say I’m a Butler alum.”Each year, United Way’s ELEVATE Awards recognize the next generation of philanthropists, volunteers, and activists in the Central Indiana community. After receiving nearly 100 nominations, the organization has selected 15 finalists for the 2020 awards. A third of them are Butler graduates. Five alumnae are among the nominees, and winners will be announced at ELEVATE on Saturday, February 29, at Crane Bay Event Center in downtown Indianapolis. Kelsey Burton ‘06 is one of three nominees for the Nonprofit Professional of the Year. As executive director of Paws and Think, she is always promoting the benefits of dogs. Since joining the local nonprofit in 2016, the Chemistry and Biology graduate has developed numerous programs for her organization’s 130 therapy dogs all over Indianapolis.

The Chevrolet Equinox receives various minor changes and updates for the 2020 model year in order to stay competitive in its tight segment. The updates come after the Equinox was completely overhauled for the 2018 model year and receiving notable changes for 2019 (see info on 2019 Equinox). Changes, Updates, New Features Exterior: Deletion of seven exterior color options Addition of three exterior color options Deletion of outside heated power-adjustable, manual-folding body-color mirrors with turn signal indicators Interior: Addition of Jet Black perforated leather-appointed seating option Deletion of Leather-wrapped shift lever Mechanical: Deletion of turbodiesel 1.6L LH7 inline four-cylinder engine option Packages: Addition of Midnight Edition / Sport Edition Deletion of LT Appearance Package Deletion of Lights and Bright Package Deletion of Sun & Navigation Package and Sun, Sound & Navigation Package Safety: Addition of new standard safety features, including: Automatic Emergency Braking (UHY) Forward Collision Alert (UEU) Following Distance Indicator (UE4) Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning (UHX) Forward Automatic Braking (UKJ) IntelliBeam headlamps (TQ5)

A 9-year-old girl died this week when three dogs attacked her in an alley behind her house. Police say the owner of the dogs was arrested. It's a reminder that dog attacks do happen, and although rare, they can be fatal. From 2005 to 2018, 471 Americans suffered death due to a dog bite injury, according to DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group. The group found that 66% of those fatalities were caused by pit bulls. But Marjie Alonso, a professional dog trainer and executive director of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABCT), says one breed isn’t more aggressive than another. She says one study found that golden retrievers were responsible for more bites on children than any other breed. “We could then easily say, ‘Well, golden retrievers are dangerous,’ and that’s not true,” she says. So what causes dogs to become aggressive? “What we can observe is that dogs that are highly aroused in terms of excitation, in terms of prey drive [or] in terms of protection will then kind of ramp up and the switch just flips and that's when dogs are really dangerous, especially in groups," Alonso says. She says dogs tend to feed off each other's excitement. “I don't know if you ever been to a concert and you see large groups of people lose their minds — that happens with dogs too,” she says. Alonso says the first safety step is making sure you take preventive measures within your neighborhood. “This is a community issue. Get to know your neighbors if you can. Talk to delivery people. See if there are places that they know that there are problematic dogs. Your animal control officer is your friend,” she says. “And then we should avoid things if we can, even if it's not fair. If you can't walk by that house because this dog is always barking and it bugs you, don't walk by that house.” If a dog is quickly approaching you, there’s two things you can do. First, Alonso suggests standing still, looking down and breaking eye contact — but only if you’re able to keep from screaming. Another method is standing your ground and walking directly toward the dog. She says this shows the canine that you’re nothing to chase and your presence is threatening to the advances If a dog is actively attacking you, then the main objective should be keeping yourself, your loved one or your pet alive. You might have to get physical or use a citronella spray against an aggressive dog in order to be safe. “Don't worry about the other dog even though that's very hard,” she says. Tips For Avoiding Dog Attacks If an off-leash dog approaches you on a walk: Call out to the owner. “Come get your dog, mine is contagious!” often works. Remove visual stimulus, get something between you (umbrella, car, garbage pail, blanket, etc.). Try firmly telling the approaching dog a familiar cue, such as “sit” or “stay.” Toss a large handful of treats on top of their head to startle them. The bigger the “treat bomb,” the more time you have to walk away. If there is a dragging leash you can grab, loop the leash around an object like a fence or pole, and pull on the handle. Do not put your face near the dog’s face while doing so. If a frightening off-leash dog approaches, do not: Scream Run Flail limbs Panic Make eye contact Jump up and down If a frightening off-leash dog approaches, do: Stay as calm as you can. Use a firm voice. This isn’t to “assert dominance,” but to maintain as much control of yourself and the situation as possible, and to make any commands or cues you give the dog as understandable as possible. Stand or stay upright. Stay quiet and don’t scream. Get on top of something. Feed something to the dog by throwing the food away from yourself. Back into a corner or against a wall so dog cannot get behind you. If you have a stroller and can’t get away, yell at the dog, throw everything you have at him, from your shoes to toys to your diaper bag to distract them so you can get some space. If a dog attacks: Keep your hands and arms in front of your body to protect them. Don’t put your hand near the fighting or attacking dogs’ mouths, or touch the dogs where they could easily turn around and bite you. Do not grab collars. If the dog bites you and isn’t letting go, move your arm or body part into the dog’s mouth, rather than trying to pull it out. This will prevent more damage to you through tearing. Keep the dog from shaking its head or your body if they do not release. Children should curl themselves into as tight a ball as possible and be as still as possible. As hard as it is, teach children to not squeal or cry if at all possible - that only increases the excitement of the attacking dog. If the very worst is happening, curl yourself over your child. If the dog attacks your dog, do not put any part of your body between the two dogs. Find objects to put in between the two dogs (chair, umbrella, garbage can lid, etc.). Picking up your small dog is likely to cause the attacking dog to jump up on you, potentially causing you harm. Not picking up your small dog is likely to increase the danger and harm to your dog. You’ll have to decide, given the situation, which is wiser in the moment. If you do pick up your dog, don’t swing them back and forth facing the attacking dog. Try to place your dog between a barrier of some kind and yourself. Lean into a wall or even toss your dog into a fenced area if need be. Be aware that the attacking dog might be able to jump that fence. Do not kick or punch the dog if at all possible (that might escalate in their arousal). Once the attack is over, immediately get yourself, your dog or your child away. Don’t turn around, try to get further control of the situation, or try to find the owner. Just go.

Turkish foreign policy has recently taken a hawkish turn in the Middle East and North Africa. From a diplomatic row with NATO ally France over a Libyan arms embargo to the deployment of special forces in northern Iraq, Ankara seems newly willing to challenge allies and enemies alike in its pursuit of a larger role on the world stage. Even by the standards of recent years, June 2020 was a very active month in Turkish foreign policy. It quickly became clear that Turkey’s military and technological support for the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya had given it the upper hand in its struggle against rebel commander Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army. Chaos had reigned in Libya since the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Haftar launched a bold offensive on the capital Tripoli in April 2019 with the backing of Russia, Egypt and the UAE. While France officially supports the internationally recognised government in Tripoli, Paris has been accused of supporting Haftar politically, having previously given him military assistance to fight Islamist militants. Ankara demonstrated its growing confidence in its Libyan strategy on June 20, when it demanded that Haftar’s forces pull out of Sirte, a pivotal city linking the east and west of Libya – before lambasting NATO ally France, accusing it of “jeopardising” the Western alliance’s security by supporting Haftar’s forces. Franco-Turkish relations soured further the following week, when French President Emmanuel Macron told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he was playing a “dangerous game” in sending arms, aerial support and allied fighters from Syria to boost the GNA – warning that France “won’t tolerate” such actions. But Turkey’s support – with the provision of drones proving particularly effective – eventually shifted the dynamic in the GNA’s favour. “Libya is part of a bunch of interlinking stories,” said Howard Eissenstat, a Turkey specialist, associate professor at St. Lawrence University and senior non-resident fellow at the Project on Middle Eastern Democracy. “Turkey clearly sees itself as being able to play a larger role on the world stage; it sees its Western allies as not necessarily supporting of that, and has been willing to play hardball to assert what it sees as its national interest.” “From a Turkish standpoint, this represents a role that it has much right to as any other state, and which it has the capacity to play,” Eissenstat continued. Turkey wants to “fortify its position as a regional power and increase its geopolitical footprint in the Middle East and North Africa region”, added Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, director of the German Marshall Fund’s Ankara bureau. “This in turn leads to geopolitical competition with some countries, as is the case with France.” Ankara’s relations with its NATO allies hit another low on June 10, when Turkish naval boats conducted radar-targeting – indicating that a missile strike may be incoming – on a French warship trying to approach a Turkish civilian ship suspected of contravening a NATO arms embargo on Libya. According to a French defence official, the Courbet frigate was “lit up” three times by Turkish radar. France called for NATO allies to discuss Turkey’s “aggressive” role in Libya a few days later. NATO subsequently launched an investigation into the incident. Animosity between Ankara and Paris intensified on July 1, when France announced that it was suspending its involvement in NATO’s Sea Guardian operation in the Mediterranean enforcing the Libyan arms embargo. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has dismissed France’s claims and demanded an apology from France for “anti-Turkish actions”, alleging that France “has not told the truth to the EU or NATO”. EU foreign ministers will meet at France’s request to discuss relations with Turkey on July 13. Adding the intrigue of espionage to the diplomatic slanging match, Ankara’s ambassador to France on Thursday confirmed reports that four Turkish nationals had been arrested for spying for the French foreign intelligence agency, the DGSE (Direction générale de la Sécurité extérieure). Turkey’s successful backing of Libya’s GNA may be Ankara’s most surprising geopolitical win recently. But Erdogan’s government also surprised many observers in June with an unprecedented deployment in northern Iraq against Kurdish forces. Since 1984, Kurdish militant group the PKK – considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey as well as the EU, UK and US – has waged a series of armed rebellions against the Turkish state. Like his Kemalist predecessors and antagonists, Erdogan sees the PKK as an existential threat to Turkey’s territorial integrity. This motivated the Turkish military’s first-ever deployment of ground forces on Iraqi soil on June 17, attacking PKK targets in the country’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Accusing the Baghdad government and Kurdish executive of failing to deal with PKK fighters – who allegedly use the area as a base for attacks on Turkey – Ankara sent in commando forces alongside warplanes, attack helicopters and drones after an intense artillery bombardment. The Turkish military has been emboldened by its improved technological capabilities, Unluhisarcikli suggested: “These campaigns have become more proactive and effective thanks to the new abilities the Turkish army has gained, particularly with the use of armed drones.” Yet Syria – where Ankara has given support to its allies since the civil war started in 2011 – remains the theatre in which Turkey is best known for striking Kurdish forces. Upon starting its direct military involvement there in 2016, Turkey launched the first in a series of attacks on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – a Kurdish group that allied with Western powers in the fight against the Islamic State group but which Ankara says is tied to the PKK. Turkey’s latest and most audacious Syrian offensive was a victorious October 2019 campaign that saw its military carve out a 20-mile-deep “safe zone” seized from the SDF along the border – much to the chagrin of European powers. Turkey said it was creating an area for some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees in the country, but critics accused Ankara of ethnic cleansing as tens of thousands of Kurdish civilians fled their homes. Erdogan responded to European indignation by holding a sword of Damocles over the continent’s head. After a chorus of protestations from the old continent decrying the offensive – including Macron’s demand that Ankara “put a stop to it as soon as possible” – the Turkish president said on October 10: “Hey EU, wake up. I say it again: If you try to frame our operation as an invasion, our task is simple – we will open the doors and send 3.6 million migrants to you.” Analysts noted at the time that Erdogan’s reaction exemplified the lack of leverage the EU has over Turkey. Macron expressed his exasperation with Erdogan the same day: When a reporter asked him for his views on the Turkish president’s menacing rhetoric, he said he had “nothing more” to add to his previous comments.

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When I set out to write about unconventional educators, the first person on my wish list was Adam Savage. Savage and his partner Jamie Hyneman make up the Discovery Channel team known as the Mythbusters. In more than 205 episodes, Savage and Hyneman have subjected nearly 1,000 cultural legends, historical myths, and internet rumors to the crucible of the scientific method. And my 11-year-old son Finn has watched each and every one. Every episode of Mythbusters begins with a question: Can eating pop rocks and soda cause your stomach to explode? Is running better than walking for keeping dry in the rain? Can you bounce a laser off the moon? Can an unamplified human voice shatter a wine glass? Sign up for The Atlantic’s daily newsletter. Each weekday evening, get an overview of the day's biggest news, along with fascinating ideas, images, and voices. Email Address (required) Enter your email Sign Up Thanks for signing up! As Savage and Hyneman explore these questions, they dive deep into the background knowledge required to understand the problem at hand. Consequently, they have taught my sons physics, geometry, chemistry, astronomy, biology, and history. While I appreciate the academic knowledge they have imparted, the most valuable lessons Savage and Hyneman have given Finn are on the nature of wonder. Savage and Hyneman kindle his sense of wonder about the cool stuff that exists out in the world and give him the impetus to wonder how it works. MORE STORIES What Teachers Can Learn From Vsauce's YouTube Show A collage illustration of children working at desks, with images of braille behind them, in the screen of an iPhone The Pandemic Is a Crisis for Students With Special Needs FAITH HILL What Teachers Need to Make Remote Schooling Work KRISTINA RIZGA The Mythbusters are based in San Francisco, but they recently toured Australia, Canada, and the U.S. for a Behind the Myths Tour, a live show dedicated to their passion for scientific inquiry, play, and bone-rattling explosions. I sat down with the 47-year-old Savage in his tour bus before a show in Worcester, Massachusetts. Despite a grueling tour schedule, Savage greeted me (and a glowing, beaming Finn) with a warm welcome. He's the affable, verbose, and hyperactive half of the Mythbusters team — but what does not translate on-screen is his quiet thoughtfulness. Savage listened carefully and paused for long stretches of time to run his fingers through his ginger hair as he answered my questions about the ingredients in the mythbusters ’special sauce: experimentation as narrative, failure as opportunity, and learning as play. I asked Savage to explain how he and Hyneman have succeeded at entertaining and educating their fans since the show launched more than a decade ago. Look, we never set out to make something that was educational. That was not on the list of things we were thinking about. But I do know that kids don’t like being talked down to; they’re just opening a door and watching something happen, and there’s nothing more thrilling than that. If we teach them something, that’s great, but I’m with Rilke; I think it’s best to remain ignorant of your best qualities. He went on to explain to me that everything that happens on Mythbusters — the direction of the filming, the narrative arc of the episode, the specifically of the cast and crew — are all subject to the unpredictability of the experiments at the heart of the show . Fidelity to that goal, he said, is what differentiates Mythbusters from other shows that have tried — and failed — to package education as entertainment. Usually, we know what the last experiment in the story is going to be, and then we build towards it. Sometimes, building towards it doesn’t go as intended, so we change direction. The experiment takes precedence over the filming. I’m equally interested in the rigor of the experiment and the overarching story it fits into, and balancing these two things is both the most tiring and most fun part of doing the show. The Mythbusters have a wide array of cool gadgets at their disposal at M5, their television studio and workshop. Savage and Hyneman have, according to the show's introduction, “30 years of special-effects experience,” and they need every bit of that experience to build the robots, remote-control cars, human-analog dummies, electrical circuits, physical sets, and other equipment they need to investigate myths. Part of the show's appeal for Finn is watching the Mythbusters use those resources to create something they need out of spare parts: a welding torch, some screws, and a two-by-four. Savage grew up making things. His parents encouraged his enthusiasm with their time, teaching, and resources — and he attributes much of his success to their early support and education. I asked Savage if he worries that fewer kids have the time and opportunity that he did to mess around with tools and learn how to make things with their hands. I’m not sure that there are fe

But there are changes, such as the inclusion of integrated driving modes (which combine the KTRC modes of traction and power control), a new color TFT instrument display, user phone connectivity and fully LED lighting, along with more emissions contained to comply with the mandatory regulations in 2020. The Kawasaki Z900 is a clear reference in the naked sector and is available in two versions by 2020, a machine with its maximum power of 125 hp and an A2 specification model with 95 hp (70kW that can be modified up to 35 KW). In the European market the Z900 was very well received, this market that, in general, has accepted very well to naked motorcycles, already becoming one of the dominant sectors in sales. And so that the Z900 continues to attract more and more users, the highly praised KTRC traction control has been added by Kawasaki owners and the ability to select between four different driving modes and two power delivery modes. The changes that are seen and those that are not seen The visible changes extend to the clocks, (although it must be said already screen) because for the first time it will have a 10.9 cm multifunction TFT screen that shows all the necessary information. In addition, using a Bluetooth connection through the exclusive Kawasaki Rideology Application for smartphones, we will receive varied information on our phone: remaining fuel, distance traveled and maintenance program and reviews. The TFT screen can also show, with an icon, whether a phone call or an email is received. Do you need power for the phone or other devices? A USB power outlet under the seat is just one of the many original Kawasaki accessories available for the Z900 this 2020. The tire chosen for the Z900 is the Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 and to turn night into day, this Kawasaki is equipped with LED light both front and rear, in addition to the turn signals and the license plate light. Both versions of the Z900 (full power and A2) will be available in the same new color options by 2020. These are metallic graphite gray / glossy metallic black plus lime green / glossy metallic black and blizzard pearl / glossy metallic black with a fourth option Black metallic sparkle / black metallic flat sparkle. Like other machines for the Kawasaki 2020 range, the core virtues of the naked Z900 remain but others are improved to create two machines with the same essential personality, but more complete and that provide more electronics and a higher level of comfort and safety.

1. Avoid sugar and sugar-sweetened drinks Foods with added sugars are bad for your health. Eating a lot of these types of food can cause weight gain. Studies show that added sugar has uniquely harmful effects on metabolic health (3Trusted Source). Numerous studies have indicated that excess sugar, mostly due to the large amounts of fructose, can lead to fat building up around your abdomen and liver (6). Sugar is half glucose and half fructose. When you eat a lot of added sugar, the liver gets overloaded with fructose and is forced to turn it into fat (4Trusted Source, 5). Some believe that this is the main process behind sugar's harmful effects on health. It increases abdominal fat and liver fat, which leads to insulin resistance and various metabolic problems (7Trusted Source). Liquid sugar is worse in this regard. The brain doesn’t seem to register liquid calories in the same way as solid calories, so when you drink sugar-sweetened beverages, you end up eating more total calories (8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source). A study observed that children were 60% more likely to develop obesity with each additional daily serving of sugar-sweetened beverages (10). Try minimizing the amount of sugar in your diet and consider completely eliminating sugary drinks. This includes sugar-sweetened beverages, sugary sodas, fruit juices, and various high sugar sports drinks. Read the labels to make sure products do not contain refined sugars. Even foods marketed as health foods can contain significant amounts of sugar. Keep in mind that none of this applies to whole fruit, which are extremely healthy and have plenty of fiber that mitigates the negative effects of fructose. 2. Eat more protein Protein may be the most important macronutrient for weight loss. Research shows it can reduce cravings by 60%, boost metabolism by 80–100 calories per day, and help you eat up to 441 fewer calories per day (11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source). If weight loss is your goal, adding protein may be the single most effective change you can make to your diet. Not only can protein help you to lose weight, but it may also help you to avoid regaining weight (15Trusted Source). Protein may be particularly effective in reducing abdominal fat. One study showed that people who ate more and better protein had much less abdominal fat (16). Another study indicated that protein was linked to a significantly reduced chance of abdominal fat gain over 5 years in women (17Trusted Source). This study also linked refined carbs and oils to more abdominal fat and linked fruit and vegetables to reduced fat. Many of the studies observing that protein helps with weight loss had people getting 25–30% of their calories from protein. Therefore, this may be a good range to try. Try increasing your intake of high protein foods such as whole eggs, fish, legumes, nuts, meat, and dairy products. These are the best protein sources for your diet. When following a vegetarian or vegan diet, check out this article on how to increase your protein intake. If you struggle with getting enough protein in your diet, a quality protein supplement – like whey protein — is a healthy and convenient way to boost your total intake. You can find plenty of protein powder options online. 3. Eat fewer carbohydrates Eating fewer carbs is a very effective way to lose fat. This is supported by numerous studies. When people cut carbs, their appetite goes down and they lose weight (18). More than 20 randomized controlled studies have now shown that low carb diets sometimes lead to 2–3 times more weight loss than low fat diets (19, 20, 21). This is true even when those in the low carb groups are allowed to eat as much as they want, while those in the low fat groups are calorie restricted. Low carb diets also lead to quick reductions in water weight, which gives people fast results. People often see a difference on the scale within 1–2 days. Studies comparing low carb and low fat diets indicate that low carb eating specifically reduces fat in the abdomen and around the organs and liver (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source). This means that some of the fat lost on a low carb diet is harmful abdominal fat. Just avoiding the refined carbs — like sugar, candy, and white bread — should be sufficient, especially if you keep your protein intake high. If the goal is to lose weight fast, some people reduce their carb intake to 50 grams per day. This puts your body into ketosis, a state in which your body starts burning fats as its main fuel and appetite is reduced. Low carb diets have many other health benefits besides just weight loss. For example, they can significantly improve health in people with type 2 diabetics (24).

An Algerian court on Thursday granted prominent opposition figure and leader of the anti-government protest movement Karim Tabbou release from jail. Tabbou’s lawyer, Abdelghani Badi, said in a Facebook post that the Algiers court granted his request for the release of his client, who is asking for the end of judicial proceedings against him. Tabbou was sentenced on March 24 to a year in prison, including six months suspended, for “weakening army morale.” Another lawyer, Abderrahmane Salhi, told the AP he was awaiting for Tabbou’s release on Thursday outside Kolea’s prison, west of Algiers, with dozens of activists of the anti-government movement. The court’s decision comes one day after President Abdelmadjid Tebboune granted an amnesty to six other anti-government activists ahead of Algeria’s Independence Day on Sunday, celebrating the country’s independence from France on July 5, 1962. Mass demonstrations brought down the long-time president of Africa’s largest country and his entourage in April 2019. The pro-democracy movement is looking for more change in a nation whose rulers have been shadowed by the army since its independence.

This really is an 825bhp Mustang that’s available in the UK. Not through Ford itself, but specialist dealer Clive Sutton. The po[CENSORED]rity of the Mustang in the UK means there’s a growing appetite for mods. At this point our US readership will be shaking their collective heads in disbelief, having enjoyed over 50 years of tuned Mustangs from a vast array of suppliers. But in the UK this is a relatively new phenomenon – at least on a decent scale. This is not a one model offer. Instead Sutton has a wide range of options and it’s up to you how deeply you plunder them. You could just add a set of window tints to your Mustang, a quick engine upgrade or you could choose to completely deck your car out. Or you could buy brand new from Sutton. There is too much lag in the engine, too much inertia, too little easy-access torque and response. But this car uses the new direct injection engine. Same power as before, a little more torque, but much enhanced usability. There’s more torque at everyday engine speeds, and less delay when you ask for it. However, as with the car we drove last time, and compared to other cars with this level of power, the McLaren 720S, Ferrari F8 Tributo and so on, this doesn’t feel mad fast. It’s heavier of course, but performance is probably more in line with a quick GT such as the Bentley Conti GT. It feels fast because it sounds fast. It makes an 825bhp noise alright. Sounds every bit the supercharged V8. Sounds like a thunderclap. Ferocious noise means it feels like you’re accelerating faster than you are – which is probably the best way to be. Although you will be attracting attention. From a long way off. You can have the Whipple supercharger by itself and that gets you up from 443bhp of the standard car, to 725bhp. This one then features a Stage 2 conversion with larger throttle bodies and high-flow injectors to liberate the extra 100bhp. Let’s just say fuel economy is disastrous and leave it at that. Messing around with engines is comparatively easy. Modifying suspension tends to have side effects. So this Mustang features the standard MagneRide adaptive dampers, but with optional shorter, stiffer springs. Unless you’re doing track days, I’d avoid them. There is an intermediate spring which might be the sweet spot, but this set-up doesn’t have the control on the steering in order to justify the harshness in the suspension. The steering fights and fidgets in your hands (the fat 285-width tyres on 20-inch rims play their part in that), and the wheel itself is mostly made up of lumps and curves. Think very hard before you spec that. The steering isn’t sharp enough and doesn’t turn-in with enough aggression to match the suspension. The best component in the cabin is the £990 Coyote manual gearlever. I know, that sounds a ridiculous sum of money, but it lends not just the transmission, but the whole drivetrain, a heavy crispness and accuracy that makes the whole car feel taut. Much better that than the £936 steering wheel.

Gym regulars face a “crowd issue” in January. A new year and a new resolution often lead to a new crowd at the gym, and new equipment greets a lot of the new sign-ups too. But less than 10 per cent convert to regular customers, according to a study. CMS India, a not-for-profit headed by surgeon Ramen Goel, commissioned a three-year-long study to evaluate the dropout rate; and why losing weight is such a challenge for so many people. The organisation spoke to over 1,400 gym dropouts in Mumbai and Delhi. At an aggregate level, only 10 per cent of new year sign-ups stay on as regular customers over a year. Of the remaining, about 16 per cent say that they thought they would have time, but realised they didn’t, while 22.4 per cent of them drop out because they cannot get up early in the morning. About 10 per cent of the people admit that they hate some exercises that their instructors make them do as part of their routine. A small number — about six per cent — feel that they want to try swimming or yoga or something else instead of the gym. However, the biggest group, a massive 35.6 per cent, say that they are not seeing any difference in their weight and, hence, are losing motivation. So is lack of willpower not the only reason for the drop-outs after February? “It’s not just the lack of willpower,” Goel told IANS. “Internationally, experts agree that 60 per cent of obesity is due to genetic causes. Those who are attending the gym with the sole objective of losing weight, soon realise that they may need other interventions too, that will take their genetic obesity into account.” Goel added: “Sometimes, obese people also feel that they are being watched constantly in the gym. We need to raise awareness that obesity is a complex condition and not just caused by simply eating too much and moving too little. “It is a metabolic, chronic and progressive disease with a significant genetic predisposition. Obesity is a disease that needs treatment, just like diabetes, and exercise is a good habit.” There are other reasons too for quitting the gym. Kevin Samuel, Head Fitness Trainer at Fitso, told IANS: “The body gets adapted to the same workouts being done at the same intensity, so the growth of muscles gets slower.” A goal also plays a role. “The goal you are working towards is achieved… Say, getting fit for marriage or event or preparing for a marathon. If no new goal is set up, there is nothing to look forward to and thus, no motivation is left to train hard.” So, what can be done to retain them? “Gamifying the training is the best way to retain interest in gymming. Create group workouts and build friendly competition among group members,” said Samuel. He also said that variety is the spice that needs to be added to the “curry of gymming”. “Create some interesting routines and workouts to break the monotony and to work on different sets of muscles for the trainee,” he added. Surender Yadav, owner-trainer, SHAPE Perfect fitness Gym, emphasised that body building is not an overnight show. “One needs to stay focused and regular in order to get the desired results. Now the only way to get them … with the machines is to get them the right amount of motivation through a gymholic partner.

Thousands of Palestinians protested in Gaza on Wednesday against Israel's plans to annex parts of the West Bank, where Palestinian authorities announced a new five-day lockdown amid a worrying resurgence of the coronavirus. Israel's centre-right coalition government had set July 1 as the date from which it could begin implementing US President Donald Trump's Middle East peace proposal. While no major announcement was expected on the kick-off date, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said talks with US officials "were continuing on the application of sovereignty". Netanyahu was also discussing annexation with his security chiefs, it added, noting that "further discussions will be held in the coming days". In Gaza City, several thousand protesters gathered, some brandishing Palestinian flags and placards condemning Trump at a rally. "The resistance must be revived," Gaza protester Rafeeq Inaiah told AFP. "Israel is afraid of force." Smaller demonstrations were held in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Jericho, attended by a handful of left-wing Israeli politicians opposed to annexation. "We want to affirm our support for peace," former Labour party official Ophir Pines-Paz told AFP. The Trump plan, unveiled in January, offered a path for Israel to annex territory and Jewish West Bank settlements, communities considered illegal under international law. Netanyahu supports the Trump plan – which has been roundly rejected by the Palestinians – but the right-wing premier has not laid out his intentions for enacting the US proposals. Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, fired some 20 rockets from the coastal Palestinian enclave into the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday, a move aimed at dissuading Israel from moving forward, Hamas sources told AFP. Hamas, which has fought three wars with Israel since 2008, says that Israeli annexations in the West Bank, which borders Jordan, would be a "declaration of war". France's foreign minister said on Wednesday that any Israeli annexation in the occupied West Bank would be in violation of international law and would have consequences. "Annexation of Palestinian territories, whatever the perimeters, would seriously throw into question the parameters to resolve the conflict," Jean-Yves Le Drian told a parliamentary hearing. "An annexation decision could not be left without consequences and we are examining different options at a national level and also in coordination with our main European partners," he added. Writing in Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper on Wednesday, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that although he was a "passionate defender of Israel", he viewed annexation as "contrary to Israel's own long-term interests." "Annexation would represent a violation of international law," he said. Australia, in a rare criticism of Israel, warned against "unilateral annexation or change in status of territory on the West Bank". Most European states and the United Nations oppose annexation, as do Gulf Arab states, with which Israel has increasingly sought warmer ties. Jordan, one of only two Arab nations that has diplomatic ties with Israel, has warned that annexation could trigger a "massive conflict" and has not ruled out reviewing its 1994 peace treaty with the Jewish state. Amnesty International's deputy Middle East chief Saleh Hijazi said: "International law is crystal clear on this matter – annexation is unlawful", adding that if Israel moves forward it "points to the 'law of the jungle.'". Israel's defence minister and alternate prime minister Benny Gantz has said annexation must wait until the coronavirus crisis has been contained, amid a sharp spike in new Israeli and Palestinian cases. The Palestinian Authority on Wednesday announced a five-day lockdown across the West Bank after total confirmed coronavirus infections in the territory more than doubled following the easing of previous restrictions. "Starting from Friday morning, all governorates of the West Bank... will be closed for a period of five days," government spokesman Ibrahim Melhem said, adding that pharmacies, bakeries and supermarkets were exempt. The latest data from the Palestinian ministry of health said that as of Wednesday morning, a total of 2,636 people had tested positive for Covid-19 since the illness was first recorded in the West Bank, compared with just 1,256 a week ago. Last week, after the easing of a previous coronavirus lockdown in late May, Palestinian health minister Mai al-Kaila said the territory had entered a second wave of infections "more dangerous than the first" Most infections were traceable to Palestinians working in Israel or Arab Israeli visitors to the West Bank, Kaila said. There have been seven deaths from the virus in the territory. Israel has also recorded a surge, with 25,547 confirmed cases on Wednesday morning, up around 15 percent from a week earlier.

n New Year’s Day in 1981, seven months before Laura Donnelly was born, her Uncle Eugene disappeared from his home in County Down, Northern Ireland, just near the border. He was 26 years old, a “bit of a tearaway” who had fallen in with the IRA. Three years later, his body was discovered by a dog-walker in a bog across the border in County Louth – laying to rest, once and for all, the stories his family had been fed after his disappearance about how he had been spotted alive and well. This is almost the most shocking aspect of the story and, says Donnelly, was a common IRA ploy at the time: “They did it to keep the wound open. It was a form of torture really, because it stops people from being able to mourn properly.” Theatregoers who have been lucky enough to bag tickets for Jez Butterworth’s hit play The Ferryman – just transferred from the Royal Court to the West End – will recognise the story. A similar disappearance has shattered the lives of the Carney family, throwing widowed Caitlin and her son on the mercy of her farmer brother-in-law, his sickly wife and their growing brood of children. In the Derry farm kitchen where the play is set in the summer of 1981, three generations fight, feast and glug down whiskey, while the formidable Aunt Patricia obsesses over radio bulletins of Margaret Thatcher condemning the IRA hunger strikers in the Maze prison. The Ferryman review – Butterworth and Mendes deliver shattering tale of passion and violence Read more Donnelly plays Caitlin, the sensuous young widow thrown into emotional and physical limbo by her husband’s disappearance. On stage for nearly all of the three-hour-plus running time, Donnelly has garnered some of the best reviews of her career, her “fiery and desolate” performance bursting with secret yearning, as she goes from kitchen-table flirtation with her brother-in-law, played by Paddy Considine, to snotty sobs as the full hopelessness of her situation sinks in. So how does it feel to get standing ovations for a story that is so raw and close to home? “It’s a really lovely thing,” she says. “So many people from back home are saying, ‘I’ve never heard anything that captures so well how it felt, our language, our spirit.’” The seed of the play was sown when she was performing in Butterworth’s 2012 chamber piece, The River, at the Royal Court. She was watching a TV programme about “the disappeared” in Northern Ireland and was shocked when her uncle was named as one of them. She mentioned this to Butterworth, then her partner, and he was shocked as well – not just by the murders but by the silence surrounding them. Advertisement “I’d sat and watched this whole documentary and it hadn’t occurred to me that he’d be there,” she says. “I knew that my uncle had been killed by the IRA and his body had turned up after a few years, but I hadn’t realised there was this category called the disappeared.” As a very small child, when she asked about her uncle’s death, she was told he had died in a car crash. When she was older, she was given a sketchy version of the truth. “But that was really it. It says a lot about how we connect, or don’t connect, in Northern Ireland that I went through my teen years and most of my 20s without knowing very much about it.” Eugene Simons was the brother of her mother, who has since gone on to work as a grief counsellor for outlets including the Wave Trauma Centre, which specialises in helping the partners of people killed in the Troubles. “It wasn’t about my mother being reticent,” says Donnelly. “We just got a sense that it wasn’t something we talked about. I think, either consciously or not, my parents made a decision to really neutralise the politics in our family.” She grew up in Belfast, where her father worked as a GP and the Troubles were a fact of life. “I didn’t realise that helicopters weren’t a constant presence in every city, that police checkpoints and burnt cars weren’t normal.” However, she adds, “I don’t want to claim that I had some sort of difficult upbringing, because I was very lucky to grow up in an area where we wouldn’t have seen a lot of trouble. But I had friends who lived in parts of the city where they would be raided in the night and forced out of their beds.” The Guide: Staying In – sign up for our home entertainment tips Read more She went to a Catholic grammar school and, although there was no theatre in her family, caught the acting bug early, appearing in amateur dramatics and in “Irish ballet” – a precursor of Riverdance – devised by a visionary dance teacher who would stage “hoppy skippy” versions of Irish myths and legends. After a childhood of holidays in Scotland, she decided to go to drama school in Glasgow and won a place at the Royal Scottish Academy. Since graduating, she has been in constant demand, making her mark in stage revivals of Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa and his Philadelphia Here I Come!, while appearing in a run of TV series, including the Scottish time travel saga Outlander, Beowulf and Britannia, set in ancient Rome. “I guess I’ve been attracted to them because the stories tend to be bigger in scale. I like things that are character driven.” Butterworth and Donnelly volunteered their own nine-month-daughter for training in how to carry a baby up steep stairs But it is her work with Butterworth that has left the most indelible mark. She was the only member of the original cast to transfer in The River from the 90-seater Royal Court Theatre Upstairs to the 690-seater Circle on the Square on Broadway, playing the skittish Other Woman opposite first Dominic West and then Hugh Jackman. “She has this glowing intensity that illuminates from within,” says director Ian Rickson. “She was so in concert with the part and words that it was like she was channelling. Every performance was alive with curiosity and specificity.” Donnelly herself defers to the writing. “From the moment I auditioned for The River, I knew the dialogue was something I knew how to speak. It’s incredibly easy to find the truth, the rhythm and the sense of what Jez writes. He knows how people communicate on an instinctive level, and that’s not as common as you’d think.” The buzz around Butterworth’s work – which had built steadily over a decade of plays such as Mojo, Parlour Song and Jerusalem, and been so knowingly ramped up by the boutique staging of The River – made the stakes extra high for The Ferryman. He built the back story from several accounts of the Disappeared, but also drew on his own Anglo-Irish family for some of the characters. A cast full of children and animals heightened the sense of jeopardy – with Butterworth and Donnelly volunteering their own nine-month-old daughter for training in how to carry a real baby up and down a vertiginously steep flight of stairs. “We’d been rehearsing the play for weeks but had no idea what we had until the first preview when the audience rose to its feet,” says Donnelly. It became the fastest-selling play in the history of the Royal Court. Big themes and characters … Jez Butterworth. Big themes and characters … Jez Butterworth. Photograph: Walter McBride/Getty She dismisses grumbles from some quarters that that The Ferryman has its share of Irish cliches. “The thing I love is how he takes very big themes and characters – almost archetypes – and uses them to say something about the shared human experience; how he combines the mythic with the modern. It makes his work more like songs than plays. They speak to the soul first and the brain second.” Her mother has seen the show several times and at first found it hard to bear. “But now she loves it and is really grateful to have the spotlight shone on something that has really never had any attention, especially over there. Silence is a dangerous and a painful thing.” • The Ferryman is at the Gielgud, London, until 6 January. Since you're here. we’re asking readers like you to make a contribution in support of our open, independent journalism. Trusted news has never mattered more. In these frightening and uncertain times, millions of readers are turning to us for expertise, scientific knowledge and careful judgment, and we need your support to continue this vital work. No matter how unpredictable the future feels, we will remain with you, delivering high quality reporting so we can all make critical decisions about our lives, health and security. Together we can find a way through this. We believe every one of us deserves equal access to accurate news and calm explanation. So, unlike many others, we made a different choice: to keep Guardian journalism open for all, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This would not be possible without the generosity of readers, who now support our work from 180 countries around the world. 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The works of Nari Ward and Robin Rhode combine themes of social injustice and unity. In ‘Power Wall’, a dual exhibition at Lehmann Maupin Hong Kong, the artists have joined forces for the first time to offer a unique perspective on the complex global socio-political landscape and the dichotomy of power. Throughout the space, installations are intertwined, creating a feeling of collectiveness: in between Robin Rhode’s narrative photographic works, Nari Ward’s Shoelaces series – in which a web of often-vibrantly coloured shoelaces appear to protrude directly from the gallery walls – reveals a web of evocative sentences and symbols. ‘I try to use the quotidian materials to stimulate an immediate dialogue with the viewer’, says the Jamaica-born, New York-based artist, emphasising the importance of creating a familiar, unified environment for his audience. Inciting a spirit of community seems to be the core of his creative mission: one piece depicts a clenched fist, a universal symbol of solidarity.

Acura has announced it is discontinuing its top-end sedan after the 2020 model year. Why? you ask. One reason could be that the RLX, which starts at $55,925, found only 179 buyers in the first quarter of this year. The sporty Honda subbrand is going to focus on crossovers and the performance-oriented TLX. We regret to inform you that Acura is discontinuing its RLX sedan. "No!" you say. "Not the RLX!" Yes, we're afraid so. No more high-revving VTEC four-cylinder and slick manual transmission for you ingrates, because—wait, hold on a moment. We've been informed that we're thinking of the old RSX. The RLX is the sorta-big sedan that's kind of like a $60,000 Accord but not really as good or fun as an Accord. In the first quarter of this year, Acura sold 179 RLXs. It's not great when your mainstream sedan is outsold by the McLaren Super Series (the 720S and 765LT; 220 sales in Q1). In a statement, Acura said: "Today, we informed Acura dealers of our plan to discontinue sales of the RLX sedan in North America at the conclusion of the 2020 model year, as we make significant investments in the core models that represent Acura's future." The company said it will focus on its "volume leaders," the RDX and MDX crossovers, as well as the upcoming performance-oriented 2021 Acura TLX. So, to paraphrase, Acura is going to concentrate on crossovers and one focused sports sedan. The RLX—available as a front-wheel-drive V-6 that's pushing $60,000, or an AWD hybrid that's $7000 more—doesn't fit into that plan. We see this as a positive development. Because the RLX isn't one of those niche performance cars that just can't manage to drum up mainstream success. It's a dull drive. So if Acura concludes that dull drives don't sell (as it appears to be proclaiming in that statement), then natural selection should lead us to more entertaining Acuras. The market has spoken, and it said it didn't want Acura to build a competitor to the Buick LaCrosse. Hell, even Buick didn't want to build a Buick LaCrosse—it's out of production, but they still sold 138 of them in Q1. We guess it's tough times for cars that appeal to your moderately affluent, recently retired uncle. Either that, or the Toyota Avalon is just mercilessly good at delivering anesthetic front-drive near-luxury to prosperous real-estate agents and indifferent suburban golf enthusiasts. One of those things. So, farewell, RLX. And here's hoping that the 2021 TLX is more of a Legend.

Doctors, nurses and other hospital staff staged protests across France on Tuesday to press for pay hikes and budget increases for a healthcare system that was pushed to the edge by the coronavirus pandemic. The rallies came as the government prepares to wrap up on Friday weeks of talks with health workers on hospital overhauls in response to the crisis. Employees have long complained about insufficient staff and low pay that prompts doctors and nurses to take jobs at private clinics instead. That issue led to a series of strikes over the past year. Health workers are now determined to turn the broad public sympathy enjoyed during the pandemic into tangible advances for hospital and nursing home employees – those President Emmanuel Macron has lauded as "heroes in white coats". Prime Minister Édouard Philippe promised "significant" pay increases when kicking off the talks last month, and officials have already put an additional €6.3 billion ($7 billion) on the table. But that amount falls far short for many employees. They say French healthcare workers are already among the lowest paid among the OECD group of developed economies, because of years of budget cuts. "They've promised six billion euros but I'm still waiting to see," said Louis Rios, a psychiatric nurse in the Essonne department south of Paris, during a march in the French capital. "We want a significant gesture, and now – not in three years," he said. The SUD-Sante union chief, Jean-Marc Devauchelle, has called on the government to boost take-home pay across the sector by €300 a month, a move that would cost some €14 billion. "We need acts that live up to the gratitude," Philippe Martinez of the CGT union said at the Paris demonstration – a reference to the nightly rounds of applause for hospital staff during the height of the coronavirus crisis. Hospital workers also want assurances that there will be no more of the hospital closures that have turned swaths of rural and suburban France into so-called “medical deserts”. Macron, who has made social justice a key theme for the final two years of his term, is expected to announce measures resulting from the talks as soon as next week.

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