-Artisan ツ

Russia says it has detained eight people in connection with Saturday's explosion on a key bridge linking Russia to Crimea. Its FSB security service said five of those held were Russians, while the others were Ukrainian and Armenian. It says Kyiv was behind the attack but a Ukrainian official described Russia's investigation as "nonsense". The news came as at least seven people were reported killed in an attack on a market in the eastern town of Avdiivka. Donetsk regional military head Pavlo Kyrylenko said the strike in the Ukrainian-controlled town took place at a busy time, adding that at least eight others were injured. He advised all residents of the region, which is partly Russian-occupied, to evacuate. Elsewhere, three people, including a six-year-old girl, were seriously injured by shelling in Nikopol, in Dnipropetrovsk region, a Ukrainian presidential spokesman said. Ukraine's emergency ministry reported several S-300 missiles had fallen in and around Zaporizhzhia, with one destroying a residential building in a suburb. It said a family were pulled from the wreckage. Meanwhile the BBC's Hugo Bachega in Kyiv said five explosions had been heard in Kherson, one of the largest cities under Russian occupation, while there were unconfirmed reports that the air defence system in the southern city had been activated. He said it was not clear what had triggered the explosions. Ukraine's military said its troops were continuing their advance in the region, capturing another five settlements. 'Fake structures' The blast on the Crimean Bridge was a powerful symbolic blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who opened the bridge in 2018, four years after Russia's annexation of Crimea. President Vladimir Putin called it an "act of terrorism" aimed at destroying a critically important piece of Russia's civil infrastructure. FSB officials said the blast was organised by "the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, its head Kyrylo Budanov, its staff and agents". They alleged the explosives had been hidden in rolls of plastic film and taken on a roundabout route from the Ukrainian port of Odesa - first by sea to Bulgaria, then Georgia, and then driven by lorry overland into Russia via Armenia. But a spokesman for the directorate, Andriy Yusov, rubbished the Russian accusations. "All the activities of the FSB and [Russia's] Investigative Committee are nonsense," he told Ukrainian media. "They are fake structures which serve the Putin regime, so we're definitely not going to comment on their latest announcements." Who - or what - blew up the Crimean bridge? 'New wave of terror' calls for more sanctions Russian forces retaliated on Monday with a wave of missile strikes across the country, including on central Kyiv, killing 19 people. Asked by the BBC on Wednesday whether the aims of Russia's special military operation - what Moscow calls its invasion - remained the same, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said they were "exactly the same". "These goals only become more relevant against the backdrop of the actions of the Ukrainian regime," he said. In February when he launched the invasion, Mr Putin called for the "demilitarisation and denazification" of Ukraine, terms he uses for the overthrow of the Ukrainian authorities, which Moscow baselessly considers "fascist". Following more strikes on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged countries to hit Moscow with more sanctions in response to "a new wave of terror". The calls came after he met the G7 group of nations for emergency virtual talks on Tuesday. The bloc - which consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and US - promised to continue providing "financial, humanitarian, military, diplomatic and legal" support to his country "for as long as it takes". Nato also said it would stand with Ukraine for as long as necessary, as ministers gather for two days of talks in Brussels. The bloc's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance needed to scale up its provision of air defence to Ukraine, with both long-and short-range systems to cope with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones. Separately, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi said that external power has been restored to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in occupied southern Ukraine after earlier saying the plant had lost external power for the second time in five days. "This repeated loss of #ZNPP's off-site power is a deeply worrying development and it underlines the urgent need for a nuclear safety & security protection zone around the site," he said when reporting the latest outage. Also Ukrainian nuclear agency Enerhoatom said in a post on Telegram that the Russian authorities at the plant, the largest in Europe, were not allowing it to deliver fresh supplies of diesel fuel. Moscow seized the massive facility in March, but kept on its Ukrainian staff. Both Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of repeatedly shelling the plant, amid global concerns that this could lead to a major radiation incident in Europe. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63225947

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVQnRq9qFdM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa8-l5VJU9w

Live Performance Title: Emkal - Oublie-moi (Clip officiel) Signer Name:- Live Performance Location: - Official YouTube Link: Your Opinion About the Track (Music Video):

Music Title: 2Pac - Mask Off (ft. 50 Cent & Eminem) Remix Signer: - Release Date: 12/10/22 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer:- Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video):10/10

Nick : @Castiel Old grade : Owner New grade : Legend Reason : Retirement

DH1: DH2: DH3:

The global economy is a little closer to recession, in which several developed countries will fall in 2023, the International Monetary Fund warned on Tuesday, worried about inflation and the impact of the war in Ukraine. The IMF maintained the growth forecast for 2022 at 3.2%, a percentage that has already changed three times this year, but lowered its expectations for 2023 for the fourth time, now 2.7% (0.2 percentage points less than forecast in July). (Also read: Global recession: IMF warns that the risk is increasing) This is the "weakest growth since 2001, with the exception of the global financial crisis and the acute phase of the covid-19 pandemic, and reflects a significant slowdown in the largest economies", the United States, Europe and China, for different reasons, specifies the institution. Because the global economy, which was slowly recovering from the effects of the pandemic and facing logistical problems in many sectors, has to deal with chain shocks. "This year's shocks will reopen economic wounds that were only partially healed after the pandemic," IMF Chief Economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas said in a blog accompanying the outlook. More than a third of the world economy is headed for a contraction next year, and the top three economies -- the United States, the European Union and China -- will remain stagnant, he warned. (Also: OECD lowers its forecast for world economic growth for the year 2023) "The worst is yet to come and many people will perceive 2023 as a recession," Gourinchas said. The main difficulty is inflation, which affects developed economies, but even more so in emerging and developing countries, where it will reach an average of 8.8% at the end of the year (+0.5 pp compared to forecasts for July). The slowdown affects the richest countries, starting with the United States, which will only grow 1.6% in 2022, compared to the 2.3% forecast in July. And 2023 could be even more difficult with 1%. The situation is not better in the euro zone despite the fact that growth will be 3.1% in 2022, better than expected in July (+0.5 pp). And it is that in 2023 it will border on recession, with growth of 0.5% (-0.7 pp compared to July forecasts). And for some Member States, such as Germany and Italy, recession seems inevitable (-0.3% and -0.2% respectively), while France narrowly escapes, with growth of 0.7%, as does the UK, outside the EU, with 0.3%. Better luck is Spain, which will grow 1.2%. Emerging countries For China, the world's second largest economy, 2022 will be its worst year in more than four decades with the exception of the onslaught of the pandemic in 2020, with a forecast growth of only 3.2%, which will rise in 2023 to 4.4%. It is due to the continuous lockdowns caused by the zero tolerance policy against covid-19 in several cities, including the economic hub, Shanghai. Despite this gloomy global context, some regions are improving. This is the case of Russia, whose economy bears the weight of the sanctions imposed on it by the United States and the European Union, for having invaded Ukraine, this year it will experience a contraction of 3.4% (better than expected). (You can read: What are the cities with the most millionaires on the planet?) Russia will, however, be the only economy in the G20, which meets in Washington on Wednesday, to suffer a recession this year. Forecasts for Latin America and the Caribbean also improve, with growth of 3.5% (+0.5 pp) due to stronger-than-expected activity in the first half, although they drop for 2023 to 1.7% a as "growth weakens in partner countries, financial conditions tighten and commodity prices moderate". Brazil and Mexico, the first and second regional economies respectively, grow less than the regional average, but do well compared to other emerging nations. For Brazil, in the midst of the campaign for the presidential ballot on October 30, the IMF predicts growth of 2.8% for 2022 (+1.1 pp compared to the July forecast) and 1% in 2023 (-0. 1pp). The projection for Mexico, meanwhile, is 2.1% this year (-0.3 pp) and 1.2% next year (unchanged). (Keep reading: Thinking of migrating? These are the cheapest cities to live in Europe) At a global level, the future remains uncertain and the forecasts, especially for 2023, are only valid if "long-term inflation expectations remain stable" and the tightening of monetary policies "does not lead to a generalized recession and adjustments disorderliness in the global financial markets". The effect of 2022 will be felt in the long run, as IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Thursday: "By 2026, this will represent a $4 trillion loss for the global economy." The only positive thing about a report that oozes concern is the forecast that inflation will fall from the end of this year until reaching a level comparable to that of 2021 (4.7%) in the last quarter of 2023. https://www.eltiempo.com/mundo/mas-regiones/fmi-rebaja-su-prevision-de-crecimiento-economico-mundial-para-2023-708912

The monarch butterfly travels more than 4 thousand kilometers in search of environmental conditions that allow it to continue with its life cycle The majesty of the monarch butterfly continues to captivate the world. This lepidopteran insect is recognized not only for its beauty, but also for the migratory phenomenon it embodies; Every year, during the fall, this butterfly travels more than 4,000 kilometers to reach the eastern forests of the state of Michoacán, Mexico. This is what we know about the monarch butterfly. The group of butterflies that travel this long path are known as the "Methuselah generation" because they exceed their life expectancy, which is between four and five weeks. Mentioning this, those that fly to Mexico to hibernate during the colder months live up to seven or eight months. It may interest you: The monarch butterfly is in danger of extinction, warns the IUCN The monarch butterfly is one of the most amazing insects. It is the same generation that makes the round trip, from Canada to Mexico. Interest in the migratory behavior of this Lepidoptera not only attracts scientists; tourism has also found a focus of attention in the monarchs' refuges. Sleepy Transformation Bug The scientific name for the monarch butterfly is Danaus plexippus, which is Greek for "sleepy transformation." Its etymology is a clear reference to the process of change that the monarch undergoes when going from a caterpillar to a butterfly. This animal is considered to be part of the holometabolous insects due to all the stages of development that it goes through before reaching its final phase. The life cycle of the monarch butterfly is very complex. It all starts when the female lays her eggs on milkweed leaves (Asclepias spp). Approximately 400 eggs are laid by a butterfly of this species. After four or eight days, the small caterpillars see the light and, at the same time, begin to feed on the milkweeds. Fifteen days later, the caterpillar looks for a suitable place to give rise to the chrysalis. Once in this process, a metamorphosis begins in which the most important organs change, while other elements grow and develop. In the end, what emerges is a monarch butterfly. According to the Government of Mexico, this life cycle lasts approximately one month, however, the time may vary depending on environmental factors. The caterpillar of the monarch butterfly feeds on milkweeds. This plant, also known as “venenillo”, releases toxins that help keep predators away during this phase of its development. For its part, the adult butterfly takes nectar from the same plant. Despite their defense methods, the monarch butterfly and its caterpillars are preyed upon by a wide range of predators. According to what is stated by the Government of Mexico, the prickly pear bosero, the dark-backed bosero and the tigrillo gordo are the main animals that feed on this butterfly. In 2022 the monarch butterfly was declared endangered Unfortunately, there are factors that are putting the survival of the monarch butterfly at risk. Climate change, for example, affects migration because it alters the temperatures of the places they arrive and pass through. The harsher winters are causing the death of many members of the species. Similarly, the use of herbicides for agriculture is destroying milkweeds, the key to feeding these pollinators. The felling of trees and uncontrolled urbanization also influence the fact that the number is getting smaller and smaller. https://www.ngenespanol.com/animales/mariposa-monarca-el-lepidoptero-que-recorre-miles-de-kilometros/

The Nissan X-Trail was going to be built in Britain in a deal done in the highest corridors of power. Then Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn (you know, the one now exiled in Lebanon, on the run from Japanese authorities still) walked into Theresa May’s 10 Downing Street in 2016 to ensure the UK’s looming exit from the European Union wouldn’t harm his firm’s latest investment in its Sunderland factory. Three years later, Nissan announced that the new X-Trail would actually be built in Japan, laying thinly veiled blame for this U-turn on Brexit. Remain or leave and regardless of where it’s built, though, the X-Trail still holds plenty of appeal for British buyers as it enters its fourth generation. For starters, it returns making an excellent visual first impression. Interest waned in the previous X-Trail as customers found it too similar to the Nissan Qashqai (remember, it had the role of replacing both the Mk2 X-Trail and the Qashqai+2) and too much of a crossover rather than a proper SUV, which it made its name on. So Nissan has reversed that this time, making the X-Trail a chunky, substantial presence on the road once more, rather than a bigger Qashqai. The staple diesel engines that were once the only gig in town for models like this are no more. Instead, the flagship and predicted best-selling powertrain in this new X-Trail is the e-Power system being introduced across various Nissan and Renault models. It’s a novel and clever type of series hybrid, with the front wheels being driven by an electric motor and a small battery that draws its power from a 1.5-litre variable compression ratio three-pot turbo petrol engine that’s designed to always run in the most optimal state for efficiency. For starters, it returns making an excellent visual first impression. Interest waned in the previous X-Trail as customers found it too similar to the Nissan Qashqai (remember, it had the role of replacing both the Mk2 X-Trail and the Qashqai+2) and too much of a crossover rather than a proper SUV, which it made its name on. So Nissan has reversed that this time, making the X-Trail a chunky, substantial presence on the road once more, rather than a bigger Qashqai. The staple diesel engines that were once the only gig in town for models like this are no more. Instead, the flagship and predicted best-selling powertrain in this new X-Trail is the e-Power system being introduced across various Nissan and Renault models. It’s a novel and clever type of series hybrid, with the front wheels being driven by an electric motor and a small battery that draws its power from a 1.5-litre variable compression ratio three-pot turbo petrol engine that’s designed to always run in the most optimal state for efficiency. Their graphics are crisp and clear, and you can connect using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, the latter wirelessly. It’s all good, rational stuff in the poking-around stage, a trend that continues when you get on the road. The drivetrain doesn’t show its complexity on the move, working quietly and efficiently without the loud whirrs that series hybrids with CVTs typically produce. There’s a noticeable difference when you’re experimenting with the various drive modes, too. The e-Power system feels its most free and responsive in Sport mode, while there’s a sensation of pushing the accelerator through treacle in Eco mode with also the ‘B’ regeneration setting (via the transmission shifter) and the e-Pedal (which allows for near one-pedal driving by upping the regen further) activated. As is typical with so many of these systems, it does its best work in Normal mode, which I tended to leave it in, along with the e-Pedal activated, as one-pedal driving is a real boon, particularly around town. For all its sophistication, the crux of the e-Power is that it’s a very efficient real-world system, a good 15-20% or so more economical in the real world than the mild-hybrid X-Trail. The official economy figure is 43.544.1mpg, and we got close to that on our mixed-roads test route. What’s more, the electric four-wheel drive allows for better torque control and quicker responses off-road, although the X-Trail remains more of an SUV than a true 4x4 in this regard, and we weren’t able to test this on our route. The X-Trail’s solid and more robust looks extend to the way it handles. There’s little excitement to be had here, but nor has Nissan tried to inject much. It’s an easy car to place, one that doesn’t feel as big as it is. Body roll is kept in check and there’s a crispness to the steering when you’re applying lock, albeit also an unwelcome springiness when you’re taking it off. The major question surrounds the low-speed ride, which was quite harsh on the 20in wheels of our test car. This could be further exposed on the UK’s rougher roads and prove a black mark against what is otherwise a very accomplished performer. There’s plenty to recommend in this new X-Trail, then, and even more so on price. Seven-seat SUVs are all going down the plug-in hybrid route, which adds plenty of cost, so Nissan is able to undercut electrified rivals here with its e-Power system, which does feel a particularly good match and solution for a car of this size and weight without adding the extra cost and even greater weight that going to a PHEV or a full BEV would bring. It starts at £32,030 for the front-wheel drive mild hybrid. Add £2435 to get the e-Power system, a further £2200 for four-wheel drive and then £1000 to get the third row of seats. The Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV will set you back at least £46,615 and is front-wheel drive only, whereas you can have a four-wheel-drive hybrid X-Trail for less than £40,000. It’s a welcome return to form for the X-Trail, even if we can’t quite call it one of our own. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/nissan/x-trail

Videos posted online show an Iranian teenager protesting hours before her death, her mother has told BBC Persian. Nika Shakarami, 16, is seen standing on a dumpster and burning her headscarf in Tehran on 20 September, as others chant slogans against the Islamic Republic. She later disappeared after telling a friend she was being chased by police. Her mother, Nasrin, also denied she was in a CCTV video put out by officials to support their claim that her death was not connected to the protests that day. UK sanctions Iran's morality police over crackdown Mrs Shakarami has accused security forces of murdering her daughter, but officials have said she died after being thrown from a building that was under construction, possibly by workmen. Last week, Iranian state TV broadcast blurry footage showing a teenage girl or woman whom it identified as Nika walking down an alley and entering a building through a door. But Mrs Shakarami told BBC Persian on Monday that the person in the video was not her daughter. Another source close to the family also said that they did not walk like Nika. Mrs Shakarami also alleged that her sister Atash and brother Mohsen had been forced into making false statements about Nika's death while they were in detention. "They threatened to detain my brother's four-year-old child," she said. Mohsen was shown on TV last Wednesday night speaking against the current protests, as someone off camera seems to whisper to him: "Say it, you scumbag!" Atash was meanwhile seen saying that Nika "was killed falling from a building". They were released after making the statements. Nika's family have said they located her body at the mortuary 10 days after she went missing, and that they were only allowed by officials to see her face for a few seconds in order to identify her. Atash has also said that the Revolutionary Guards told her that Nika was in their custody for five days and then handed over to prison authorities. Mrs Shakarami said Nika had disappeared hours after attending the protest seen in videos that have surfaced on social media in recent days. One of the videos show a girl dressed in black standing on a dumpster on a street and waving a burning headscarf. A crowd around her is heard chanting "death to the dictator" - a reference to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters. Another video shows the same scene from a different angle. "Like Nika, I have been against compulsory hijab since I was a child. But my generation was not brave enough to protest," Mrs Shakarami told BBC Persian. "People my age accepted years of suppression, intimation and humiliation, but my daughter protested and she had every right to do so." "Generation Z" - defined as those born between 1997 and 2012 - have been at the forefront of the protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was detained by the morality police for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic's strict hijab law. Nika is not the only young female protester to have been killed during the unrest. The family of Hadis Najafi, 22, have said that she was shot dead by security forces while protesting in the city of Karaj, west of Tehran, on 21 September. Another 16-year-old girl, Sarina Esmailzadeh, allegedly died after being severely beaten on the head with batons by security forces during protests in Karaj on 23 September, according to Amnesty International. On Monday, the Iranian Society for Protecting the Rights of the Child reported that a total of 28 children had been killed during the protests. Many other children had been arrested and were being held at detention centres, the group said. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63200652

Live Performance Title: Samara - Houma Skhouna (Official Music) Signer Name:- Live Performance Location: - Official YouTube Link: Your Opinion About the Track (Music Video):

Music Title: SKORP - AUTONOME ( Lyrics - Paroles - الكلمات ) Signer: - Release Date: 11/10/22 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer:- Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video):10/10

hello hunter thx for your suggestion We can't do this now, Maybe in the near future

king

Accepted

President Gustavo Petro traveled this Sunday to the island of San Andrés to verify first-hand the conditions in that island territory after the passage of Hurricane Julia, on Saturday night. His arrival on the island occurred around 1 pm this Sunday. It may interest you: "The damage in San Andrés due to Hurricane Julia was slight": Ungr After verifying the conditions for landing and weather conditions by the authorities, the president decided to move. The hurricane left a lot of material damage. In addition to the president, the ministers of Health, Carolina Corcho; Housing, Catalina Velasco, and Environment, Susana Muhamad, as well as the director of the Risk Management Unit, Javier Pava, among other officials. Since Saturday, the head of state had announced that as soon as conditions permitted he would travel to the island territory to face the situation left by the passage of 'Julia'. It may interest you: The balance that Petro delivered on the damage caused by the hurricane in San Andrés https://www.eltiempo.com/politica/gobierno/huracan-petro-alista-viaje-para-san-andres-708479

Although albatrosses are monogamous animals, females will divorce if their partners' personalities make them uncomfortable. Albatrosses are monogamous animals. In fact, they are among the few bird species that choose a mate for life. However, when the females perceive that the male's behavior is not appropriate, they do not skimp on separating from them. Divorces between albatrosses were documented in a wandering po[CENSORED]tion that scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) detected. This was what they discovered. Against violent males The character of the male is decisive for a female to decide to separate from her partner. Although, historically, the species has opted for monogamy, even this evolutionary conditioning does not make them subordinate to the hostilities of the males. In contrast, researchers from MIT and WHOI found that divorce among albatrosses is more common when the males are aggressive. As Stephanie Jenouvrier, associate scientist and seabird expert, explains: "WE THINK THAT BOLD MALES, BY BEING MORE AGGRESSIVE, WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO GET DIVORCE, BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO TAKE THE RISK OF CHANGING PARTNERS TO IMPROVE FUTURE REPRODUCTIVE OUTCOMES," SAYS THE STUDY'S LEAD AUTHOR IN A RELEASE. However, the behavior is not limited to violence. It is common for females to lose interest in shy males, and look for other 'more daring' alternatives. For this reason, Jenouvrier points out, the study reveals that “personality can affect divorce rates” between albatrosses and other species. Beyond monogamy: another consequence of the climate crisis? On average, according to a team led by the University of Lisbon, divorce rates (the scientific term used by the authors to refer to a separation between a pair of albatrosses) between these birds are very low, ranging from 1% to 8%. %. In most cases, divorces usually occur due to reproductive failures, for example, the eggs do not hatch, the young die or are eaten by predators. After analyzing data from albatross pairs from 2004 to 2019, the team discovered a relationship between higher divorce rates and periods when the ocean is warmer, called warm sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs). for its acronym in English) by the team. Not only that: the climate crisis is also likely increasing levels of stress-related hormones in albatrosses, the same ones that peak when faced with food shortages; another factor that could as the temperature of the seas increases. https://www.ngenespanol.com/animales/por-que-suceden-los-divorcios-entre-los-albatros/

Chevrolet clearly likes a challenge. The last Chevrolet Corvette Z06 used a supercharged version of GM’s long-lived pushrod ‘small block’ V8, and there’s no obvious reason to an outsider why the track-focused version of the current, C8 generation couldn’t have taken the same route to increased performance. Instead, the new Z06 gets an all-new, naturally aspirated 5.5-litre V8, one that uses both a flat-plane crank and twin-cam cylinder heads to produce a very impressive peak of 670bhp. While there are plenty of other changes over the regular Chevrolet Corvette C8, the new engine is the transformational one, radically altering the character of the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. While the basic Corvette has a burbling idle and is curtailed by a lowly 6500rpm redline, the Z06 fires up like a race car and snarls its way to 8500rpm before the limiter calls time, sounding more like a Ferrari than a traditional ’Vette as it does so. Low-down torque is limited but the new engine is tractable at low speeds, and the same eight-speed dual-clutch transmission as the regular C8 can be both smooth and punchy according to which dynamic mode the car is in. Beyond 4000rpm, it starts to come alive, and well before it gets to the red part of the digital rev counter, it is pulling with a vigour that seems more supercar than sports car. Chevrolet claims a 2.9sec 0-60mph time, a figure that feels, if anything, pessimistic. Z06 buyers have further choices to make. The biggest is between the standard Targa-style roof, with a single lift-out panel, or the cleverer but 45kg-heavier convertible, which uses a power-retractable hard-top. Both cars have the same torsional rigidity, although the convertible also lacks its sibling's glass engine cover. A hardcore Z07 pack brings stiffer suspension settings – the standard Z06 is already 30% firmer than the basic Corvette – plus carbon-ceramic brakes and track-spec Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. Buyers can also choose an aero package, which brings a raised rear wing and takes peak downforce to 330kg, plus the stand-alone option of carbonfibre wheels to save an other 5kg per corner. Although the Z06 is firmer than the regular C8, it isn’t too firm. Granted, my test route in Michigan consisted of some of the roads the car was developed on – a point made to me by a Vanishing Point encounter with a disguised Z06 prototype going the other way. But in the gentlest Tour dynamic setting, it is still compliant enough for road use, and even moving up to Sport didn’t turn it excessively harsh. Steering is high geared and very direct, with only minimal inputs required in all but the tightest corners. Which is probably just as well, given the awkward shape of the squared-off steering wheel, and the fact that the top and bottom of the rim are made from slippery carbonfibre. While I didn’t get to experience the Z06 on a track, the steering felt set up for high-load circuit work. Similarly, real-world loadings gave no chance to push beyond the massive adhesion generated by the tyres. The car I drove was on the road-friendly Pilot Sport 4S tyres rather than the Cups, but on dry Tarmac, grip was huge. A full 61% of the Z06’s static mass sits over the rear wheels and this imbalance is obvious in the way the car aggressively tightens its cornering line when the throttle is eased, but the near impossibility of engendering understeer at road speeds means there isn’t really any need to do this. With limits so high, though, I suspect that when the Z06 does let go, it will do so suddenly. But it doesn’t feel snappy or skittish, and even at road speeds, the chance to listen to the engine’s zinging soundtrack feels properly special. With the exhaust in its loudest switchable mode, it seems effectively unsilenced and could certainly never pass Europe’s stringent drive-by noise regulations. As for habitability, the Z06 benefits from the same impressively spacious cabin as the basic Corvette, certainly by sports car standards. Unlike many track-focused specials, it doesn’t feel harsh or compromised on the road. Note also that in addition to selectable settings for the adaptive dampers, engine map, exhaust note and steering feel, the Z06 has adjustable ‘brake feel’, which alters the weight and level of resistance of the pedal. I struggle to imagine anyone wanting anything but the firmest setting in a car so potent. The Z06 is also a performance bargain compared with the wider American market, although it is certain that dealers will be screwing substantial ‘market adjustment’ hikes onto the official list price. The most basic version starts at $109,295 before taxes in the US, barely more than an entry-level Porsche 911, and even putting a full set of dynamic options onto the most expensive 3LZ Convertible won’t take it past $150,000. For perspective, that’s $75,000 less than the starting price for the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Sadly, despite the precedent set by the right-hand-drive basic Corvette, there are no plans to brings the Z06 to Europe. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/chevrolet/corvette-z06/first-drives/chevrolet-corvette-z06-first-drive

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of attacking the bridge to Russian-annexed Crimea, saying that it was an "act of terrorism". President Putin said Ukraine's intelligence forces had aimed to destroy a critically important piece of Russia's civil infrastructure. He was speaking at a meeting with the head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Alexander Bastrykin. Officials say three people were killed in the blast on the bridge. Who - or what - blew up the Crimean bridge? Excitement and fear in Ukraine after bridge blast The victims were in a nearby car when a lorry blew up, Russian officials say. "There is no doubt, this is an act of terrorism aimed at destroying Russia's critical civilian infrastructure," Mr Putin said. "Its authors, perpetrators and beneficiaries are the security services of Ukraine." Mr Bastrykin said that citizens of Russia and some foreign states had aided preparations for the attack. According to Mr Bastrykin, investigators have established that the truck which they say blew up travelled through Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, North Ossetia and Krasnodar Territory. He has ordered an investigation into the incident which brought down sections of the roadway. Ukrainian officials have not indicated that their forces were behind the attack. On Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the incident in his nightly address, saying: "Today was not a bad day and mostly sunny on our state's territory." "Unfortunately, it was cloudy in Crimea. Although it was also warm," he added. And a Ukrainian MP told the BBC that regardless of who was responsible for the attack, this was a "big Ukrainian victory and very severe and hard loss for Russia". "The bridge is not destroyed but damaged, but the image of Putin is destroyed, that is the most important thing," Oleksiy Goncharenko said. Russian authorities partially re-opened the roadway part of the bridge hours after the attack but for light traffic only. The railway part of the bridge - where oil tankers caught fire - has also reopened. The 19km (12-mile) bridge, the longest in Europe, is an important supply route for Russian forces fighting in Ukraine. Russia has used the bridge to move military equipment, ammunition, and personnel from Russia to battlefields in southern Ukraine. It was opened by Mr Putin in 2018, four years after Russia's annexation of Crimea. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63195504