-Kenzo

Nick: -Kenzo Real name: Basit How old are you?: 19 Which Games you play? and for how long?(each of them): CS1.6 since forever And pubg 7 years Where are you from?(country and city): pakistan, islamabad Describe yourself(at least 50 words):so Im a 19 year old trying to improve my out door work like university/work/friends and family. Im really outgoing person I also like travelling, I have been traveling recently for 5 years ,working and also studying alot, I also like fishing and jumpnasting which is unusual hobby but I find it good. and plzzz give one chance to be staff i will be good in every thing Note some of your qualities: I can work well in groups also by myself and I love my family and friends, I usually see things from other people's point of view , I'm outgoing and very friendly.too all Tell us some of your defects: I good person I didnt smoke cigarettes in my like and have a really bad sleep schedule.. Had you before any kind of responsabilities(describe it): Yes of course different actually, as an instructor leader on a winter camp maintaining my family business and such. On which category/categories have you been active lately?(describe your activity): devil memorie s/Journalists/F.A.Q(Whenever I think I should reply on)/Teamspeak3 and so on. Which category/project you want to care off?: VGR\jiurnalist others if convenient. How well you speak english?(and other languages): English (7/10) Spanish (5/10 Do you use TS3? Do you have an active microphone?: I don't have but If I will do job I buy it my self not to say father to buy microphone For how long can you be active after you get accepted?(days, weeks, months, years): Days Contact methods: Facebook/Transpeak3 Last request:

The upcoming Vehicle Scrappage policy has brought about jitters in the vintage and classic car and bike communities of India. These old jalopies are cherished and are prized possessions of their owners. Some of these cars and bikes have won accolades in international concours events like Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and Cartier Concours d'Elegance . Some of these vehicles also belonged to the erstwhile kings and royalty of India and contribute to India’s rich history as well. On the other hand there are classic cars which are slightly newer and faster as well. These vehicles demand respect and scrapping them would be nothing short of murdering Indian automobile history. So it comes as a sense of relief when Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari recently said that vintage cars will not be affected by the upcoming Vehicle Scrappage Policy. But this leaves a lot of questions to be answered. When is a car deemed vintage and classic There is a lot of confusion over what classifies to be a vintage car or bike. Then there is the question of what is a classic car or bike. Usually, the classic car moniker applies to vehicles over 20 years old. Antique cars are over 45 years old, and vintage cars are built between 1919 and 1930. But as with many subjects in the motoring world, not everyone can agree on a single definition. The Vehicle Scrappage Policy then only mentions about vintage cars which means cars which are over 50 years old are safe. Reregistrationof vintage cars According to a draft published some time back by the MoRTH, said that reregistration of vintage cars will cost around Rs 20,000 and the owner will get a certificate valid for a decade. Thereafter renewal of the certificate would cost Rs 5,000. The draft also said that the vehicles will be given a new registration number plate. The draft also said that the vehicle has to be in original condition and without any major modifications. The draft also said that the use of these vehicles would be restricted to vintage rallies, exhibition and maintenance purposes only. The Hindustan Landmasters should be safe. But we have to wait and watch for other modern classics like the HM Ambassador, Maruti 800 and Premier Padmini. Does the HM Ambassador, Premier Padmini, Maruti 800, Maruti Van come under vintage category The answer to that question is yet to be answered. However if you look at the history of certain cars like the HM Ambassador, we can say that some of them could be deemed classic. Currently vehicles over the age of 45 years can be classified as classics. This leaves us with a cutoff year line of 1976. The HM Ambassador first hit the production line in 1958. So cars manufactured between the year 1958 and 1976 should be safe. The HM Landmaster which came before the Ambassador should also be in the safe zone. The Premier Padmini on the other hand hit the production line in and around 1964. Hence cars manufactured between 1964 and 1976 could also be safe. Now we come to the question of the Maruti cars essentially the Maruti Suzuki SS80 and the Van which hit production lines in and around 1983. By the looks of it these cars could very well be in the danger zone. However if we lose these cars thanks to the Vehicle Scrappage Policy, India will lose a large chunk of its motoring heritage. These cars need to be saved so that the vintage and classic car movement in India continues to evolve and grow. Here is hoping that the new Vehicle Scrappage Policy will consider not just the history of the Indian automobile but also the evolution of the same. Stay tuned to AUTO TODAY as we keep a keen eye on the 2021 Vehicle Scrappage Policy.

According to a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, it can take between 18 and 254 days to form a new habit and an average of 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic. Covid has been an unwelcome guest in all our lives for more than 370 days, so it seems likely that some of the habits and behaviours that have been forced upon us by restrictions could be here for the long haul. Exactly how consumers have changed and how enduring those changes might be has been playing on the minds of retailers, service providers and analysts. Almost since the start of the pandemic, Ernst and Young has been charting our habits with a view to establishing how it has impacted the lives of people at home and abroad. It has also had a sharp eye on the ways Covid might reshape all our consuming habits into the future. Its latest raft of research makes for interesting and gloomy reading in equal measure. The pandemic has “ changed consumer behaviour” and not just by increasing home consumption of products ordered online – although that shift has been major. The research, the sixth under the Future Consumer Index banner, points to people who are “building their whole lifestyles around their homes as centres of gravity where they work, play and stay healthy”. More than half of respondents told researchers they plan to stay fit at home beyond the pandemic, with about a third saying they will invest more in where they live with a view to working more from there. Aer Lingus vouchers fail to take off for pandemic-hit consumers 2020 was the year we all went wild in our gardens Pandemic savings: How some people have saved thousands by working from home While spending more on garden furniture and furnishings and looking forward to a shortened commute might suggest that consumers have found their happy place as a result of the crisis, a deeper dive into the research paints a less cheery picture. More worried The Future Consumer Index suggests that we are more worried about our health, our families and our futures than we were four months ago. When shopping and spending we now prioritise affordability and health over the planet, the impact our purchases have on society and the purchasing experience. The research was carried out amongst 14,500 consumers across 20 countries, including Ireland, in January and February. It finds that the share of people who think they will live in fear of the Covid-19 pandemic for at least another year has risen from 37 per cent in October to 40 per cent, despite vaccines being rolled out. While one in four people have reservations about vaccines, more than 90 per cent say they will take them when they get the chance with 9 per cent saying they don’t intend to be vaccinated. The research suggests that 56 per cent of people will be more likely to shop with retailers who require employees to take vaccines, while 48 per cent believe those who refuse to take the vaccine are acting selfishly. Accelerated change “One year into the pandemic we can see sustainable shifts in consumer behaviour, with a real focus on end-to-end experiences rather than just the end product or service,” says Yvonne Kiely of EY Ireland “Poor experiences are less likely to be tolerated and consumers have repeatedly cited ease of effort as key to manifesting loyalty and advocacy.” She reckons the pandemic “has arguably accelerated consumer behaviour changes that were already under way”. She points to people moving out of cities, shopping online and prioritising health, affordability and sustainability. She notes that early in the pandemic, there were minor investments in home and gardens for example, with home décor improvements rising. “Now we see how completely consumption has transitioned into consumers building their whole lifestyles around their homes.” She adds that organisations that “are primed to benefit from this change are the ones that are focused on ecommerce discoverability through search and content management, that have a good handle on logistics and stock management, and importantly, that are obsessed with fulfilment and last mile delivery as a point of pride and differentiation”.

(CNN)World leaders need to start planning for a world with a lot less water. The world's po[CENSORED]tion consumes six times more of this life-sustaining element than our ancestors did 100 years ago, and with po[CENSORED]tion and economic growth, demand continues to rise.Furthermore, climate change is playing havoc with the water cycle, disrupting weather systems and rainfall patterns that deliver either too much or too little, and rarely where and when it is needed. That is why the theme of this year's United Nations World Water Day is valuing water. This is about considering the value of water for our households, food, culture, health, education, economics and the integrity of our natural environment. This is important because there is a growing disconnect between the urgency of our water needs for its multiple uses and the resources available to address them. This is not due to a lack of capital, expertise or solutions -- all three are available in abundance. It is a failure of national and international foresight, planning and cooperation. With a better understanding of the multidimensional values of water, we will be better able to safeguard this critical resource for everyone's benefit. Over the last year, we have seen how water is the connecting thread linking the myriad impacts of our health and climate crises. Billions of people on every continent face a future of increasing water scarcity. And the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the situation. At the onset of the pandemic, we were urged to wash our hands frequently -- an instruction that was difficult to obey in the crowded slums of Rio, Nairobi, Jakarta and Mumbai, and by the 3 billion people globally who lack access to basic hand-washing facilities. Beulah Mae Donald's nightmare became a challenge to America Beulah Mae Donald's nightmare became a challenge to America In a world without water, food production stops, cities cease to function, economic activity grinds to a halt and greenery turns to desert. The World Economic Forum's 2020 Global Risks Report, published in January, ranks risks from water crises higher than either infectious diseases or food crises. In 2021, we are experiencing all three at once, with Covid-19 claiming over 2.7 million lives worldwide so far and leading to a severe increase in global food insecurity impacting vulnerable households in almost every country. The World Bank estimates an additional capital investment of $1 trillion will be required over the next 10 years to meet the needs of the 2.2 billion people who still lack access to safe drinking water today, and to treat the 80% of the effluent that currently goes untreated, polluting ecosystems and carrying waterborne diseases. Against a funding gap of more than $100 billion a year, the Global Center on Adaptation (or GCA), an international environmental organization that partners with the public and private sectors to accelerate action to tackle climate change, just under $10 billion was invested globally in 2018 to improve water and wastewater management. This means water projects attracted less than 2% of the $546 billion of funding from governments, companies and households available to fight climate change in 2018. In National Climate Plans, which set out how countries intend to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, water projects hardly figure at all. The shameful vote by 172 Republicans The shameful vote by 172 Republicans But there are reasons to be hopeful. First, water projects are beginning to figure prominently in National Adaptation Plans in countries such as China, Ghana and Bangladesh. These plans help communities identify and adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as water scarcity and droughts. Major institutional investors and banks, through groups such as the Valuing Water Finance Task Force, are also increasingly playing a role in addressing water issues by catalyzing capital markets to value water as a financial risk and influencing companies to take action. Funding for climate adaptation, however, attracts only a fraction of climate finance. This must change. Secondly, the fight against Covid-19, which is consuming huge amounts of money, is forcing us to think more strategically about where to invest scarce public resources. In a post-pandemic world, we must use what we are learning about the dynamics of interconnected systems to "build forward better." GCA, in its "State and Trends in Climate Adaptation Report 2020" identifies climate-smart adaptation initiatives that can help economies recover faster and better from the ravages of the pandemic by delivering triple wins for the economy, health, and climate. Martin Luther King III: This is what my father would have done Martin Luther King III: This is what my father would have done For example, a little-known fact is that wetlands such as the Flow Country in Scotland to the swamp forests in South East Asia can store twice as much carbon as forests, making them the most effective carbon sinks on Earth. Investing in nature-based solutions to restore wetland ecosystems offers multiple benefits in addition to trapping carbon emissions, including flood and drought mitigation, water purification and the protection of biodiversity. Another opportunity is increasing wastewater treatment. Effluent that is released untreated not only carries diseases and pollutes our environment, but also ferments and releases dangerous greenhouse gases such as methane, which contributes to global warming. Modern wastewater treatment plants use bacteria to break down organic matter. The byproduct, biogas, can be used for cooking, heating and cooling, and to generate renewable energy in waste-to-energy plants. Investing in wastewater treatment is therefore good for our health, our environment, the economy, and our climate. One of the reasons why water initiatives are underfunded is that funding for building resilience, cutting carbon emissions and development often exists in silos. Harnessing resources from different finance pools is complicated. This is particularly true when water projects transcend national boundaries, like the current crisis. Get our free weekly newsletter Sign up for CNN Opinion's new newsletter. Join us on Twitter and Facebook Even at local and national levels, expertise to put together multi-sectoral project proposals is often lacking. That is why GCA is mobilizing support for a Project Preparation Facility (PPF) to invest in building that local and national expertise by bringing innovation and prowess to investments made by multilateral development banks and other public and private financiers. Faster, better and smarter project preparation is needed to make water projects bankable and to drive investments at the speed and scale required. Water deserves a greater share of climate and development finance, and a much bigger role in our post-pandemic recoveries. It underpins all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, from fighting hunger and poverty, to building sustainable cities and achieving universal access to clean water and sanitation. There are so many practical ways to invest smartly in our water security. We urgently need to reexamine our priorities and make water the foundation of our health and economic recoveries.

Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV is a small mini electric vehicle that is giving Tesla Model 3 run for the money. Yes, this made-in-China small electric car has become the world’s bestselling EV in January and February 2021, by beating the Tesla Model 3 electric sedan. (Also Read: Tesla electric vehicles banned by China's military over camera concerns) The Hong Guang Mini EV sells in China at a price of 28,800 yuan, which is nearly $4,500. On the other hand, the Tesla Model 3 rear-drive Standard Range Plus variant’s price starts at $38,190. Despite the small electric car lagging behind Tesla Model 3 in terms of battery capacity, range, and performance, Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV convenience and affordable pricing have made it the world’s bestselling electric vehicle. According to The Verge, Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV has sold more than 36,000 units in January 2021, as compared to the Tesla Model 3 that sold around 21,500 units in the same month. In February 2021 as well, Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV sold more than 20,000 units, as compared to just 13,700 Tesla Model 3. Dimensionally, the Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV is just 115 inches long, 59 inches wide, and has a height of nearly 64 inches. The car has a wheelbase of just 76.4 inches and it weighs just 665 kg. The electric car is claimed to have a range of 170 kilometres on a single charge. The tiny electric car can reach a top speed of 100 kmph. In comparison, the 2021 Tesla Model weighs 1,587 kg and has a length of 185 inches. The electric sedan is 73 inches wide and 57 inches tall. Also, it has a wheelbase of 113 inches. The Tesla Model 3 is claimed to be capable of running 402 km on a single charge. The Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV is manufactured under a joint partnership between the China’s state-owned auto manufacturer SAIC Motor along with Wuling Motors and US auto giant General Motors. The auto company is referred as Wuling in the Chinese market.

Weaving contemporary designs into a traditional West African fabric, Nigerian Tsemaye Binitie is creating fashion he hopes can also bridge the gap between luxury and the everyday. His material of choice is Aso-oke, a hand-woven cloth indigenous to the Yoruba people and historically used on special occasions. Binitie, who cut his teeth as a design assistant with Stella McCartney in 2005, began using the fabric in 2017, and he infuses the yellow dresses that are his signature creations with cottons and silks to give them a post-modern feel. “We started to use contemporary African art and culture within the threads of the collection so you see hints of it or very ... obvious (signs),” said Binitie, who divides his time between Lagos and London. “It’s sort of informed fabric, informed colour, informed styling.” Priced at between $300 and $4,000, his TB12 custom collection features Aso-oke – which means “top cloth” in Yoruba - in seven different shades. “We are sort of preserving the culture, you know, that we’ve watched all our lives in front of us ... and teaching the younger generation that it is something to be proud of, something to want to wear,” he told Reuters. Fellow Lagos designer Lisa Folawiyo specialises in a different traditional cloth, the West African wax prints known as Ankara, and her hybrid collection, called Batkara, incorporates Batik designs embellished with needle-work beadings and sequin trimmings. “We have merged what is indigenous to us with what is familiar in the West and we’ve made it ours,” she said. That same synthesis informs the aesthetic of Alara, a Lagos store dedicated to showcasing contemporary African fashion for the Nigerian and the diaspora markets. Its Head of Partnerships, Arinola Fagbemi, says more and more people are thinking about African luxury “in terms of how we live on a day-to-day basis ... not just for celebratory moments.

LAHORE: Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has planned to celebrate World Water Day on Monday (today) by creating awareness among the masses about the importance of water. World Water Day is celebrated on March 22 every year and theme of World Water Day 2021 is valuing water. Wasa Lahore is the core body which handles all the fresh water in the city. Every year Wasa carried out a walk to celebrate World Water Day but this year the walk will not be held due to spread of coronavirus. However, the agency planned online conferences and lectures to raise awareness about “Valuing Water”, the theme of World Water Day 2021. Talking about this year’s theme of World Water Day, Managing Director Wasa Syed Zahid Aziz said the value of water was much more than its price. He said value of water was enormous. “Water has value for our households, food, culture, health, education, economics and the integrity of our natural environment,” he said, adding, “If we overlook any of these values, we risk losing this irreplaceable resource.” Without a comprehensive understanding of water’s true value in our lives, we will be unable to safeguard this critical resource for the benefit of everyone as well as for our future generations, the MD said. He said Wasa has taken several steps to preserve the precious recourse. Giving examples, he said construction of an underground rainwater storage tank in the provincial metropolis was the best milestone achieved by Wasa during the year 2020. He said by saving rainwater, “We will be able to fulfill our gardening needs and the innovative project of Wasa was appreciated very much across the country and many big cities were replicating this project.” “During the last monsoon, the underground water reservoir constructed at Lawrence Road proved its utility by storing 15 lakh gallons of rainwater, which was later used by Parks and horticulture Authority (PHA) for watering green belts. This stored water was also used to extinguish heavy fire, which broke at Hafeez Center,” he said. The managing director said that another initiative taken by Wasa was to introduce a project under which ablution area of over 100 mosques adjacent to parks in various localities was redesigned and the water used for ablution was later utilised for gardening purposes. In a bid to save underground water of the provincial metropolis, Wasa has planned a surface water treatment plant, which will convert surface water into clean drinking water, which will be added in the Wasa’s system. He said the agency also introduced mobile water testing labs, which were sent to different city localities on daily basis to check the quality of tap water. It is pertinent to mention here that the water samples collected by these mobile labs from remotest city localities were found fit for human consumption, he claimed. To save unnecessary use of water as well as resources, Wasa has also launched a project of automating several tube-wells by constructing a computer operated monitoring and operating system with the help of PITB, he maintained, adding under this system, the connected tube-wells will automatically start and switched off at a given time. This will save unnecessary use of water as well as resources like electricity, said Syed Zahid Aziz. To save the underground water for our future generations, the agency will continue to plan new and innovative projects for the city, he added.

Having a spotless driving record doesn't guarantee you will receive a low car insurance rate. While your driving history matters, the car you drive also matters — and it can affect your rates more than you may think. Your car insurance rate is based on a number of factors that help determine the risk presented by you and your vehicle. If you want to keep the cost of your car insurance down, you will want to pay attention to these things when you search for your next ride. Car value Rates are based on your car's value, said Jacki Frank, president of operations at Tri-County Agency of Brick Insurance in Brick, N.J. The more expensive your car is, the more it'll cost to repair or replace it. That's why new cars and sports, electric and luxury vehicles tend to cost more to insure. Frank said they often have additional features such as custom paint jobs, hiking up the price of the car — and your insurance bill. Safety records Your car's safety record can also affect your rates. A car that is better at avoiding crashes and protecting its passengers generally means fewer and cheaper insurance claims. Carriers also look at how frequently claims are filed for each car model. For example, sports cars tend to attract young drivers, who are more likely to get into crashes than older adults, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. As a result, insurance prices are often higher for these kinds of vehicles. Looking for a safe car that's also budget-friendly? The Subaru Outback, a 2020-21 IIHS top safety pick for midsize cars, topped NerdWallet's analysis of the cheapest cars to insure among 2020s 25 most-po[CENSORED]r vehicles. High-tech features Many of the extra features drivers are accustomed to, such as heated seats and blind-spot monitoring, increase your safety and comfort — but at a cost. Frank said the price of repairs — and claims — can skyrocket when your car is equipped with the latest gadgets. "A windshield replacement on a vehicle that has the advanced driver-assistance systems in them can cost three times as much as a regular windshield," she says. This is why owning a car decked out with safety equipment doesn't always guarantee lower insurance rates. Although these features generally mean fewer crashes and thus fewer claims, the savings can be offset by the cost of repairing or replacing these features, which can drive up the cost of insurance. Likelihood of theft Cars that are likely to be stolen can hike your insurance rates. That's because carriers are on the hook to pay for the current value of the stolen vehicle if you have comprehensive insurance. This optional coverage also pays for damage from hitting an animal, vandalism, floods and other natural disasters. Engine size A car's engine size regulates how fast you can drive. The higher the horsepower, the easier it is to speed — and to get into a crash. Engine sizes often differ based on the version of the car model, also known as the trim level. Consider choosing a trim level with a smaller engine if you want lower rates. One thing that doesn't directly affect your rates? Car color. Although red vehicles are often thought to be associated with higher insurance costs, color is one factor carriers don't look at, according to Frank. Still, the color of your car could affect its overall price, which insurers do take into account. Other ways to save You may still be able to find cheaper car insurance rates, even if you aren't looking for a new car. Because every carrier uses a unique formula to determine your rate, the one you choose can make a big effect on your wallet. In fact, comparing car insurance rates could save you hundreds of dollars a year. "Rates are so different from one carrier to the next that you really need to shop your insurance," Frank said. In addition, no matter what car you drive, you can lower your costs by avoiding tickets and crashes, she said. You can also earn car insurance discounts by bundling coverage or paying for the entire six-month or one-year policy upfront rather than paying monthly. "Even if it's a luxury vehicle, it doesn't necessarily have to cost you an arm and a leg for insurance if you do all those other things," Frank says.

Lifestyle apparel retailer johnnie-O is opening its first Texas at Fort Worth’s WestBend this month. The California based lifestyle brand was founded by John O’Donnell in 2005 and offers a wide range of apparel and accessories for men. “Trademark is thrilled to welcome johnnie-O to WestBend’s fresh and evolving retail line-up,” said Terry Montesi, CEO of Fort Worth-based Trademark Property Co. “With their first brick and mortar location, johnnie-O will bring a casual east coast and southern California sensibility to Fort Worth. This innovative brand exudes cool and we believe it will be a huge hit in this market and beyond.” Known for playful patterns and distinctive details, its extensive collection ranges from polos, sport coats and button-downs, to pants, outerwear, footwear, and accessories. “We are very excited about our new store and partnership in Fort Worth. The community has always been a big supporter of johnnie-O, and now they will have the opportunity to visit us on a more personal level. Though I think we may need to load up on more purple!,” said John O’Donnell, Founder, johnnie-O. The brand will celebrate their grand opening March 25 with a meet and greet with Founder John O’Donnell and Chief Creative Officer Chris Knott from 5-7 pm. Festivities will continue throughout the weekend, including giveaways and sales benefiting The Women’s Center. Regular store hours will be Monday through Saturday 11-7 and Sunday 12-5. The store is located at 1621 River Run, Suite 116. For more information: johnnie-O.com

In a year when loved ones, jobs and individual freedoms were lost in the pandemic, it wouldn’t be surprising if people around the world felt greater dissatisfaction with their lives. However, while mental health has declined in many countries, there has been a surprising resilience in how people rate their lives overall, according to this year's World Happiness Report. The world's happiest country also stayed the same, as Finland came out on top for the fourth straight year. Denmark was second and Switzerland third. Iceland and the Netherlands completed the top five, while the United States ranked 19th on the list. Finland, a small Scandinavian country with a po[CENSORED]tion of around 5.5 million, has used past wins to tout tourism and promote its natural beauty. The country has consistently ranked high on the measures of mutual trust that have helped protect lives and livelihoods during the pandemic, the report said. "For the 4th year in a row, #Finland is the happiest country in the world," tweeted the Finnish Embassy in the United States on Friday. "Our #happiness stems from a balanced everyday life, supported by good governance, trust, wellbeing and equality. The pandemic has not changed this long-lasting foundation." Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics The annual happiness rankings are based on citizens' evaluations of their own lives. The study uses data from the Gallup World Poll, which asks respondents to assess their life as a whole by imagining a ladder, with the best possible life for them as 10 and the worst possible as 0. Image: Helsinki, Finland Commuters at a tram stop in Helsinki, Finland, on March 8.Roni Rekomaa / Bloomberg via Getty Images file This year's report looked specifically at the relationship between well-being and Covid-19. It also attempts to assess how governments around the world have dealt with the coronavirus and to explain why some countries may have done better than others. Reflecting the global nature of the pandemic and the widely shared resilience when faced with it, Covid-19 has led to only modest changes in the overall country happiness rankings, according to the study, which is a publication of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. “Surprisingly there was not, on average, a decline in well-being when measured by people's own evaluation of their lives,” said John Helliwell, an editor of the report and a professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia in Canada.

BEIJING -- China's Geely plans to roll out electric vehicles under a new marque with different branding and sales strategies, people familiar with the matter said, as the Volvo Cars owner looks to take on its main EV rival, Tesla, with higher-end vehicles. The brand, positioned in the premium segment and named "Zeekr," will be housed under Geely's to-be-launched EV entity Lingling Technologies, according to three people, who declined to be named as the plan is not yet public. Reuters reported the plans for Lingling last month. Geely, the owner of Volvo Cars and 9.7 percent of Daimler, will roll out models under the new marque based on its open-source EV chassis, announced in September and called Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), the sources said. It will be a new attempt to go up-market by Geely, and backs founder and Chairman Li Shufu's long-held ambition to make premium cars "like Mercedes-Benz" in a bid take on EV leader Tesla. Geely will open showrooms, or "hubs," in city centers to sell cars at a fixed price, departing from traditions to sell cars through dealerships - marketing tactics pioneered by Tesla, which last year saw sales expand quickly in China, the world's biggest car market. The plan follows a flurry of tie-ups by Geely earlier this year as the automaker pursues its goal of becoming a leading EV contract manufacturer and engineering service provider. "Traditional gasoline cars and electric vehicles are two race tracks of business. Geely does not have a clear advantage in electric vehicles at the moment so it appears that it wants to complete its own innovation by creating a new brand," said Alan Kang, analyst at auto consultancy LMC Automotive. China's automakers largely compete with entry-level and mass-market manufacturers including Volkswagen and Toyota, but EV maker Nio sells cars with higher prices and counts BMW as a rival. Hangzhou-based Geely also plans a broad array of sales and marketing strategies to seek deeper relationships with the EV buyers. It will open lifestyle lines for clothing and accessories and launch a car owner's club, tactics used by Nio, sources said. Zeekr is also considering rolling out a share ownership plan that allows customers to become shareholders of Lingling, which management hopes will boost sales and the relationship between brand and customers. Geely declined to comment. Many conventional automakers have used a new brand to launch their EV units. Geely's rivals including Great Wall, and SAIC Motor have rolled out their respective new standalone EV brands. China's government has heavily promoted new energy vehicles (NEVs) - such as battery-powered, plug-in gasoline-electric hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell cars - in response to chronic air pollution and a warming climate, spurring interest from technology companies and investors alike. China forecasts NEVs will make up 20 percent of its annual auto sales by 2025 from around 5 percent in 2020.

Data released today by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) shows there were 302 less lifestyle property sales (-10.9%) for the three months ended February 2021 than for the three months ended January 2021. Overall, there were 2,471 lifestyle property sales in the three months ended February 2021, compared to 1,769 lifestyle property sales for the three months ended February 2020 (+39.7%), and 2,773 lifestyle property sales for the three months ended January 2021. 9,244 lifestyle properties were sold in the year to February 2021, 1,992 (27.5%) more than were sold in the year to February 2020. The value of lifestyle properties sold was $8.77 billion for the year to February 2021. The median price for all lifestyle properties sold in the three months to February 2021 was $845,000 and was $135,000 higher compared to the three months ended February 2020 (+19.0%). Brian Peacocke, Rural Spokesman, at REINZ says: “Sales figures for the 3 month period ending February 2021 reflect an easing trend from the previous period ending January 2021, but nevertheless, on a month by month basis, February sales were 32% ahead of the figures for the previous month of January. “Again, acknowledging February sales alone, all regions apart from one achieved an increase in sales, albeit quite small in some cases. “Market conditions remain strong, listings in many areas are constrained and timeframe for achieving a sale is reducing. “Given the current level of interest rates and the consistency in the median price, the outlook for the sector at this stage is extremely positive,” he concludes. Points of Interest around New Zealand include: Upper North Island - Good recovery in sales numbers for February compared to the previous month although not to the level of the recent peak in November 2020. Rodney remains the dominant district in the lower north by a significant margin. The median price increased marginally throughout the region Central Regions - Waikato volumes increased 53% from last month with activity in the Waikato District double that for Waipa; Bay of Plenty recovered strongly from January figures with Western Bay of Plenty easily dominating in the numbers game; Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay remained flat whereas Taranaki bounced back vigorously from last month to be on par with the 3 month period preceding Christmas last; median prices slipped back in the Waikato, improved in the Bay of Plenty, dropped 21% in Gisborne and 8% in both Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki so volatility is clearly a factor Southern North Island - Manawatu/Wanganui was the only region to record a drop in sales volumes, equating to a reduction of 18%, whereas Wairarapa & Wellington recovered a full 100% gain from the major reduction the area experienced in the previous month of January 2021; both regions benefitted from minor gains in the median price Upper South Island - In keeping with its northern neighbours, Nelson/Marlborough enjoyed a 54% increase in sales volumes to place themselves back amongst pre-Christmas levels of activity, albeit at the expense of a small downward adjustment in the median price; West Coast doubled their January performance and in so doing, boosted their median price by a healthy 24%; Canterbury held on for par in both sales numbers and price with all districts contributing at levels consistent with the previous month, albeit well below the peak achieved in August 2020 Lower South Island - Otago sales jumped 50% from last month with activity centred primarily in the Central/ Queenstown/Lakes districts and in so doing, gained incrementally in value; in keeping with the southern trend, Southland recovered 100% in volume compared to January but still remained behind the sales numbers achieved during the late spring of 2020; unfortunately for Southland, the median price for the month dropped 14.5% ($470,000 in February 2021 vs $550,000 in January 2021) Eleven of the fourteen regions recorded an increase in sales compared to February 2020 with Auckland (+195 sales) and Canterbury (+137 sales) observing the biggest increases. Wellington recorded the largest decrease in sales (-7 sales) in the three months to February 2021 compared to the three months to February 2020. Compared to the three months to January 2021, one region (West Coast) recorded an increase in sales. All fourteen regions saw the median price of lifestyle blocks increase between the three months ending February 2020 and the three months ending February 2021. The most notable examples were in Otago (+45%), Gisborne (+39%) and Bay of Plenty (+33%) with the smallest increase being in Auckland (+6%). The median number of days to sell for lifestyle properties was twelve days less in the three months to February 2021 than in the three months to February 2020, sitting at 53 days. Compared to the three months ended January 2021 the median number of days to sell was four days longer. Manawatu/Wanganui recorded the shortest number of days to sell in February 2021 at 36 days, followed by Wellington (40 days). West Coast recorded the longest number of days to sell at 101 days, followed by Northland and Gisborne at 65 days.

Nasa has carried out a successful test on part of the most powerful rocket in existence - the Space Launch System (SLS). Engines on the rocket's "core stage" were kept running for more than eight minutes - simulating the time it takes the SLS to go from the ground to space. It's the second such test for the biggest segment of the SLS, after an attempt in January shut down early. The SLS is to send humans to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972. The mission is part of Nasa's Artemis project, launched by the Trump administration in 2017. The launcher consists of the orange core, with its four powerful RS-25 engines, and two boosters attached to the sides. Nasa finds cause of 'megarocket' test shutdown 'Megarocket' engine test ends early Nasa's giant SLS rocket: a guide Artemis: To the Moon and beyond The test at Stennis Space Center, near Bay St Louis, Mississippi, began at 16:37 ET (20:37 GMT). The core was attached to a giant structure called the B-2 test stand. A massive plume of exhaust expanded from the stand as the engines shook the ground. The cloud was so enormous, it was spotted from space by the Goes-16 satellite. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. View original tweet on Twitter Although the target was to fire the engines for eight minutes, teams from Nasa and prime contractor Boeing only had to keep them on for 250 seconds (four minutes) in order to gather all the engineering data they needed. "It was a great day and a great test," said acting Nasa administrator Steve Jurczyk. The chair of the US House Committee on Science, Space and Technology congratulated Nasa on the successful test. Texas democrat Eddie Bernice Johnson said: "Achieving this significant milestone is a story of tenacity and dedication." She added: "Today's successful test brings us one step closer to returning American astronauts to the Moon in preparation for the human exploration of Mars." The core that was part of Thursday's test will be used for the maiden flight of the SLS - currently scheduled for late 2021. In the 1960s, the stand tested engines used in the massive Saturn V rocket that launched the Apollo astronauts to the Moon. Plume at Stennis Space Center IMAGE COPYRIGHTNASA image captionThe four engines sent a plume of exhaust spiralling high into the air John Shannon, Boeing's vice president and program manager for the SLS, told me before the first hotfire attempt: "When the engines start and then throttle up, we will do what's called a gimbal profile at 60 seconds. The engine nozzles move in a pre-programmed set of movements." This gimbal movement of the nozzles allows the rocket to be steered during flight. Nasa's new 'megarocket' set for critical tests "This is the most heavily instrumented vehicle we will ever fly so we will get a tremendous amount of engineering data on vibration and temperature and stress, acoustics," said Mr Shannon. Before Thursday's hotfire, engineers filled the core stage with more than 700,000 gallons (2.6 million litres) of propellant. That propellant consisted of liquid hydrogen, which is the rocket's fuel, and liquid oxygen, which helps the fuel burn. They react explosively inside the engines, generating super-heated water vapour from the exhaust. SLS graphic When they're fed to the engines, the propellants are at more than two hundred degrees below zero (F), but the exhaust that emerges is 6,000F (3,316C) - hot enough to boil iron. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of water were directed into the flame bucket to cool the exhaust. In addition, tens of thousands of gallons were used to create a water "curtain" around the engines to suppress the noise generated when they fire for eight minutes. This was done to protect the core stage from vibrations while it is anchored to the stand. The RS-25s, built by California-based Aerojet Rocketdyne, are the same ones that powered the space shuttle. The engines tested on Thursday contributed to 21 successful shuttle flights over the vehicle's 30-year operational history. Two were used on the last space shuttle mission, STS-135 in 2011. One flew on the 1998 mission that launched the oldest person ever to go to space - US senator and Project Mercury astronaut John Glenn, who was 77 at the time. The other was used on one of the flights to service the Hubble Space Telescope. The engines were refurbished following shuttle missions, but they will be discarded after the maiden flight of the SLS later this year. That mission, called Artemis-1, will send Nasa's next-generation crew vehicle, Orion, around the Moon to thoroughly test its systems. Tom Whitmeyer, from Exploration Systems Development at Nasa, said it would take about a month to refurbish the core stage, after which it would be put on a ship to Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare it for launch. Here, it will be installed on a structure called the mobile launcher between the two booster rockets, completing the SLS vehicle.

Laser lidar startup Luminar, founded and led by the youngest self-made billionaire tracked by Forbes, will supply high-tech sensors and software to Chinese auto giant SAIC Motor Corp. for its new line of electric R brand vehicles. Vehicles using the Silicon Valley company’s tech are slated to be on the road next year and able to drive autonomously on the highway. Luminar’s Iris lidar will be integrated into the roofs of R brand vehicles, and its Sentinel software, which enables highway autonomy and automated safety capabilities in urban driving, will also be used. The companies say their partnership should deliver China’s first autonomous production vehicles. Luminar will also establish an office in China to support the venture. The companies didn’t provide financial details of the supply deal. Luminar-Lidar-SAIC-China Luminar founder and CEO Austin Russell JAMEL TOPPIN/THE FORBES COLLECTION “This is really our first foray into China—and it won’t be the last,” Luminar CEO Austin Russell, 26, tells Forbes. “From a commercial standpoint, this is definitely the most significant event we’ve had in a year since Volvo.” Luminar’s SAIC deal, following its May 2020 plan to supply sensors and software for automated passenger vehicles that Volvo Cars will market in about two years and production programs with Daimler Trucks and Intel’s Mobileye, improve the odds that the young Palo Alto, California, tech company can begin generating meaningful revenue from next year. Nasdaq-listed Luminar booked orders potentially worth $1.3 billion at the end of 2020 in its first quarterly results report as a public company on Thursday. That figure doen’t include the SAIC deal. Lidar is a critical technology that helps self-driving vehicles “see” their surroundings in 3D, in daylight or at night. In contrast to early industry leader Velodyne, which uses multiple lasers in a spinning unit to create detailed “point cloud” maps, Luminar’s approach is a lower-cost single laser beam system, which it says requires less energy to operate. Its sensors work as a primary component of the hardware for self-driving vehicles that includes digital cameras, radar and a computing system. Luminar says its Iris device detects objects 250 meters ahead of a vehicle traveling at highway speed, and will cost between $500 and $1,000, depending on production volume. “Our new R brand line of vehicles will combine the best technology with luxury and comfort, and autonomous capabilities are central to that vision,” SAIC Motor vice president Yang Xiaodong said. “The only autonomous vehicle company we seriously considered was Luminar–they are in a league of their own in lidar technology and software, uniquely enabling us to achieve our vision in series production.” Lidar units for both the SAIC and Volvo Cars projects will be produced at a contract facility Luminar is working with in Mexico, Russell said. He declined to identify the manufacturer. The SAIC deal will have a “meaningful” impact on Luminar’s revenue, Russell said, declining to provide details ahead of the quarterly results announcement. The company also didn’t elaborate on the project’s value in its results call. Luminar reported revenue of just $14 million in 2020, mainly from sales of lidar sensors to automotive test fleets. Targets for 2021 include increasing its order book by more than 40% and annual revenue of between $25 million and $30 million. Forbes estimates Russell’s net worth at $2.8 billion as of March 18, based on his ownership stake in Luminar. Luminar shares fell 4.2% to $26.30 in Nasdaq trading on Thursday.

There’s a slightly tattered newspaper clipping dated Oct. 2, 1983, with results from the Courier Times Classic 10K race on it. Scan the list of finishers and there, in 18th overall place (out of 240 runners), you will find the name Tom Fuoco. Nearly 38 years later, the Bristol Township native still possesses that smooth stride and compact gait. Plus a tireless work ethic. To the surprise of no one who knows him, Fuoco continues to run and cycle with the best of his contemporaries … along with those significantly younger. And now, with Fuoco having celebrated his 70th birthday this past week, people can appreciate the model he’s set for others — namely, that a healthy lifestyle can keep the aging process out on the street and away from one’s front door. “It (running) has kind of been a lifestyle since I’ve been in my early 20s," Fuoco said in a recent telephone interview. “I just want to be fit and enjoy life, live a long life and be healthy. “I don’t want to just be 85 and in a wheelchair. I want to be 85 and go for a walk. Walk the dog, throw some stones. Be able to move around." Tom and his wife, Julie Heineman, reside in Yardley. Julie was a champion runner back in the day, and coincidentally won the overall women’s title in the aforementioned 1983 race. The couple met through running around 1987. Julie’s dad, Bill, was an accomplished runner and so the three would train and go to big races together, including marathons. So that just made running even more a part of Tom’s life. “(Running) was a huge part," Tom said. “Not just my relationship with Julie but her dad. “Back in the day, we would meet at his house and we would go to races together. Julie’s sister lived in Washington, D.C., and I remember one year we all signed up for the Marathon Corps Marathon sometime in the ’90s and it was like a family affair." Tom Fuoco, 70, has been running since he was in his 20s. As for reaching this noteworthy birthday milestone, Tom said he’s been looking forward to it, just like most runners do when they enter a new age group. He’s had to work through some adversity, including an arthritis diagnosis a couple years back. But medication seems to have that under control. “I was looking forward to (turning 70)," he said. “When I was 65 and 66, I was doing real well in that age group. Then 67, 68 I started having some injuries. Wasn’t able to train like I wanted to. I slacked off on racing and just concentrated on getting better. Your stories live here. Fuel your hometown passion and plug into the stories that define it. Create Account “As 70 approached, I always had it in mind to be my best. That’s pretty much worked out lately. I’ve been running more than the last couple years. Things are holding together." He’s already signed up for the Bucks 5K Series “Bookin’ for Lookin’ 5K" on April 24. Fuoco is looking forward to the bicycle season and to his gymnasium when exercise facilities fully open again. “I’m going to try to make it to 80 or further," he said. “That’s my goal. “I’ve enjoyed riding the bike, even before I was a runner. All my life. I’ve never been injured on the bike, I could probably do that for the rest of my life. “But you have to be able to run a little bit to stay healthy. That’s my goal in running, I don’t want to get injured enough that I can’t run. When I have to take weeks off, I’m mad." Tom Fuoco hopes to still be running when he reaches 80. Fuoco was a baseball player in his youth and competed for Woodrow Wilson High School. When the Bucks County Roadrunners Club began operations in 1978, Fuoco was one of the first on the scene. He became one of the area’s top runners in short order. Fuoco ran a pair of 10K races in the 33-minute range. Later, in the Newtown Athletic Club 5K, he just missed breaking the 16-minute barrier, finishing in 16:03. More: Bookin’ for Lookin’ 5K returning ‘live’ to again help the blind More: BCRR Winter Series overcomes challenges to reach finish line “If I had to do it over again in high school, I would have gone out for track and cross country," Fuoco said with a chuckle. After graduating from Bucks County Community College, Fuoco pursued a career in the trucking industry, both driving big rigs and fixing them. In his leisure time, he competed in races far and wide. For Fuoco, it’s not just about the competition, it’s about making new friends, training with long-time partners and staying active. “I’ve met a lot of new friends, through the club (BCRR) and the Bucks 5K Series," he said. “Many are a little younger because a lot of the runners that I competed with, ran and trained with, I don’t see anymore. “Most of the old guys either can’t run or they aren’t around anymore." The same applies to the measures he takes to keep running, like going to the gym to lift weights, stretch and keep his muscles toned for when he hits the pavement and the trails. “If I had to do it over again in high school, I would have gone out for track and cross country," Fuoco said. Besides wanting to stay mobile into his later years, he says the camaraderie with the running community is key. “Most of my life is around running," he said. “And I’m excited I can go back to the gym. It’s just so important. The older you get, the more I need the gym to do my strengthening exercises to be a runner. “It’s about getting the glutes strong, hamstrings. I try to do it at home but it’s just not the same. I don’t have the apparatus. The whole atmosphere being at the gym with other people … I get a much better workout. I’m sure my running is going to improve once I get back into the gym routine."

SPS automotive performance will race in the 2021 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS campaign with a pair of Mercedes-AMG entries for the Endurance Cup and a single-car effort in Sprint. The team made its series debut last year and has now committed to a full-season programme with its #20 Mercedes-AMG. Valentin Pierburg and Dominik Baumann contest all 10 events in the Pro-Am class. Florian Scholze will complete the Endurance Cup crew, having started two races for SPS last term. The #40 Mercedes-AMG will compete for Silver Cup honours at Endurance events with a trio of new drivers. 2019 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia champion Jordan Love alongside Swiss duo Yannick Mettler and Miklas Born. “We are delighted to be starting in the GT World Challenge Europe again,” said team principal Stephan Sohn. “After our first full season, it goes without saying that we are ultimately looking to do better than last year. The opposition will be very strong again. However, I think we have a balanced team and can challenge for victory in both classes.” Mann-Filter Bring Marciello and Buhk To 2021 ADAC GT Masters Mercedes-AMG factory drivers, Raffaele Marciello and Maximilian Buhk will contest the 2021 ADAC GT Masters with Team MANN-FILTER LANDGRAF-HTP/WWR. Marciello and Buhk are celebrating their comeback to the MANN-FILTER team. Buhk raced for the team in 2018 and teamed up with Marciello for MANN-FILTER to take part in select races including VLN8 in 2019 where the pair took their first win together. LANDGRAF-HTP/WWR team boss Klaus Landgraf: “We feel very much at home at the ADAC GT Masters and are looking forward to once again being at the starting line in the super sports car league in 2021. The Masters series has proven that it is one of the most highly contested and first-class GT3 championships in the world. Its ascendancy to the status of an international German GT championship increases the series’ significance even more. As far as the sporting spectacle is concerned, we are once again anticipating the same enormous show of power that has gripped motorsport audiences to the utmost in years past. With Raffaele and Maximilian, we know that we have two of the very fastest GT3 pilots in our ranks – and the Mercedes-AMG GT3 has long since proven its superior qualities as well. We look forward to a successful and trusting collaboration with MANN-FILTER, to a new MANN-FILTER Mamba and we hope that the fans will soon be allowed at the circuits again.” Drivers and Colours For Herberth Porsche and Land Audi Herberth Motorsport will contest the 2021 ADAC GT Masters with two Porsche 911 GT3R. Sven Mueller will join forces with Robert Renauer in the #99 #Porsche. In the sister #7 car, Porsche works driver Simona de Silvestro will share driving duties with Klaus Bachler. Land Motorsport meanwhile have unveiled new colours for the Audi that will see Christopher Mies compete alongside Richardo Feller this season. True Racing – Reiter Engineering KTMs for DTM Trophy “True Racing” Reiter Engineering will run two KTM Bow GT4s will enter the 2021 DTM Trophy season. KTM works drivers Laura Kraihamer and Reinhard Kofler will race in EVO versions of the little KTM. Hans Reiter: “DTM is currently repositioning itself and offers an extremely interesting environment for GT racing teams like us. In addition, everything looks like the DTM Trophy will be extremely competitive in the 2021 season. KTM Sportcar GmbH, True Racing and Reiter Engineering are always looking for challenges. Accordingly, we are also very happy to accept this one and we’ll do everything in our power to be as good as possible in the overall standings both in the individual races and throughout the year.” Laura Kraihamer: “My motorsport year 2020 was a bit clumsy. Due to the development of our new KTM X-BOW GTX, I did a lot of testing, but couldn’t contest in an entire championship. So I’m all the more delighted that I’m able to attack in the DTM Trophy in 2021. The entries that are known so far suggest a nominally and qualitatively strong grid – my motivation is huge. I can hardly wait until the first race weekend in Monza.” Reinhard Kofler: “Last year was very special due to Corona and it was a bit unfortunate for me at times. For that reason alone, the anticipation of the DTM Trophy races is huge. Last year I was able to contest a fairly successful race weekend there and I must say the series is extremely professional and it will definitely be an intense, exciting season!”

Toyota has showcased the third-generation Aygo, called the X Prologue, which is based on a smaller car from the company. The Aygo X Prologue will be based on the same TNGA-B platform used by Yaris Cross. The production model is likely be released in late 2021 or early 2022. The concept car focuses on Aygo's bold new design with big wheels and thick fenders that make it look like a small crossover. The Aygo X Prologue has some interesting details. For example, the mirrors on both sides come with added 'action cameras' and Toyota says they are "perfect for capturing and sharing exploration moments." At 3.7-metres long, the Aygo X Prologue is bigger, wider and taller than the current Aygo, but it is still smaller than the Yaris which stands at 3.95 metres. With a long and wide base the Aygo X Prologue has four wheels at the ends of the body, mudguards with bulky extensions and a very inclined rear pillar, to increase the interior space, details of which has not been shared yet. The elements that define the SUV, or crossover, are all there, starting with what look like lower protections at the front and back, painted in black to highlight them, a tone that also appears in the fenders and the rear pillar. Some of the details seen in the prototype are unlikely to go into series production, like the absence of a central pillar and doors without upper frames. Most likely, Toyota will adopt the same solution as the C-HR, with a central pillar painted in black and the rear door latches concealed in the rear pillar. There is still no information on the technical specifications, but since the platform is the same that serves the Yaris and Yaris Cross, all engines that equip these models are likely to be available. Therefore the 1.5-litre engine that powers Yaris can be offered with the Augo X Prologue, possibly along with a hybrid version as well.

n addition to lowering risk of heart disease, maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle may pay off in lower risk for developing cancer, researchers from Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and other centers in the United States and the Netherlands have found. Looking at the potential link between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer among participants in two large po[CENSORED]tion-based health studies, Emily S. Lau and Jennifer E. Ho from the division of Cardiology at MGH and their co-authors found that traditional risk factors for CVD, including older age, male sex, and current or former smoking were all independently associated with increased risk of the development of cancer. In addition, they found increased levels of natriuretic peptides — markers of stress on the heart — also predicted higher cancer risk among study participants. Although participants who already had a history of heart disease before the study or experienced a cardiovascular event such as heart attack or heart failure after joining the study were not found to be at increased risk of developing cancers, those who had ideal cardiovascular health at study entry had lower risk of future cancers, the investigators reported in JACC: CardioOncology. “We found an association between a heart-healthy lifestyle and a lower risk of cancer, and the opposite is true: that a less heart-healthy lifestyle is also associated with higher risk of cancer, but we can’t prove that there is causation in this epidemiologic study,” says Lau. Lau and colleagues evaluated data from 20,305 participants in two large community-based, long-term health studies: the Framingham Heart Study and the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-Stage Disease (PREVEND) study. The participants were free of cancer at study entry. The data included information on laboratory-proven cancers that occurred during the course of the study, CVD risk factors at study entry (including obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure), cardiovascular risk as measured by the 10-year atherosclerotic (ASCVD) risk score, established diagnostic markers for CVD such as the naturally occurring substances natriuretic peptides and cardiac troponins, CVD at study entry, and the American Heart Association (AHA) Life’s Simple 7 cardiovascular health score, a patient-reported measure of heart-healthy lifestyles. The researchers found that traditional CVD risk factors such as age, sex, and smoking status were each associated with cancer. In addition, each 5 percent increase in the estimated 10-year ASCVD risk score was associated with a 16 percent increase in risk for cancer, and participants who were in the highest third of natriuretic peptide levels had a 40 percent greater risk of developing cancer than those in the lowest third. Although participants with CVD at baseline and those who had a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke during the study were not at higher risk of subsequent cancer, those who most closely adhered to the AHA recommendations at study entry (manage blood pressure, control cholesterol, reduce blood sugar, get active, eat better, lose weight, stop smoking) had lower risk of future cancers. Co-authors of the study are Samantha M. Paniagua, Elizabeth Liu, Shawn X. Li, Katherine Takvorian, and James L. Januzzi Jr., all MGH; Manol Jovani, Johns Hopkins University; Navin Suthahar and Rudolf A. de Boer, University of Groningen, the Netherlands; Susan Cheng, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles; Greta L. Splansky, Ramachandran S. Vasan, Martin G. Larson, and Daniel Levy, Framingham Heart Study; Thomas J. Wang, U. Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; Bernard Kreger, Boston University School of Public Health.

Rima Shretta, Nathaniel Hupert, Patrick Osewe, Lisa J White Mass vaccination against COVID-19 is considered to be the most effective strategy to bring the SARS-COV-2/COVID-19 pandemic under control. In an unprecedented global scientific effort, 11 vaccines have already been authorised for full or emergency use in at least one country, and 84 countries or locations have begun their roll-out to priority po[CENSORED]tions. However, despite the advanced healthcare infrastructure and logistical capacity in high-income countries (HIC), implementation has been slow. In the United States, by 2 March, 23.7 doses/100 po[CENSORED]tion had been administered, less than 80% of those distributed. Countries in Europe have also faced delays - France and Italy have administered 7 doses/100 and 7.6/100 po[CENSORED]tion respectively. Recognition is growing that vaccinating the global po[CENSORED]tion against COVID-19, particularly those in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), will be the largest global peacetime logistical effort ever undertaken, requiring unprecedented government/industry collaboration across distinct administrative, business, medical and information infrastructures. In fact, cost may be the least daunting hurdle to accomplishing this Herculean task. Existing vaccine supply chains are carefully coordinated orchestrations involving multiple parties and parts. To provide global coverage of an estimated 15 billion doses, up to 200 000 pallet shipments and 15 million deliveries, as well as 15 000 freighter flights will be required across the various supply chains. Pfizer (Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine) expects an average of 20 daily cargo flights worldwide which will need to be coordinated with regional and local transport sources to minimise product delays. In LMICs, particularly in rural areas, transport links are slower and medical facilities are less equipped. The development of a COVID-19 vaccine-specific supply chain may adversely affect other supply chains. For example, air cargo carriers may favour the distribution of the new vaccines because of more secure payment guarantees. A concerted effort to avoid causing delays in the availability of other potentially life-saving products (eg, routine childhood vaccines and essential medicines) will be needed to advance public health and prevent excess mortality from other diseases throughout this pandemic. Of the currently available vaccines, two require extreme storage temperatures. The Moderna vaccine requires a temperature of −20°C, but can be stored for up to 1 month in a regular refrigerator. Pfizer vaccine requires storage at −70°C which makes transport and distribution a logistical and cost challenge for existing medical supply chains that conventionally distribute vaccines at 2°C–8°C. Getting a frozen vaccine to tens of millions of people is likely to be a far greater problem for poorer countries. For example, Peru has 30 ultracold freezers but none are available outside of Lima. These specialised freezers can take 4–6 weeks to manufacture and are expensive to procure (US$10 000–US$25 000). In addition, electricity sources in LMICs are often unreliable and even regular freezers like those needed to store Moderna vaccine may be scarce, potentially requiring trade-offs with storage of other vaccines. Pfizer has developed a reusable suitcase-sized container with Global Positioning System technology that can keep between 1000 and 5000 doses at ultracold temperatures for up to 10 days and an additional 5 days using regular refrigeration. This means that officials have 15 days to distribute the vaccine once it is allocated. Although vaccine containers can be topped off with dry ice every 5 days to maintain temperatures, this may be scarce in rural areas and the cost and hazards of shipping dry ice, which sublimates and turns into carbon dioxide gas, is a challenge. Any breach in storage temperatures could compromise the quality of precious vaccine doses. In 2011, up to 2.8 million doses of childhood vaccines were lost in five countries including Nigeria and Ethiopia due to a break in the cold chain. Although new technologies such as solar refrigerators are available, they have not been rolled out widely. The ‘warp speed’ development and production of COVID-specific vaccine has been rightly hailed as a historic success of molecular biology, but translating this into a public health victory requires a panoply of products, the scarcity of any one of which could lead to production backlogs. From the sterile glass vials needed to turn bulk vaccine into filled and finished doses, to the calibrated needles and syringes, as well as alcohol pads and personal protective equipment (PPE) required at dispensing sites, getting jabs into arms will stress global medical staff and supply chains on which COVID-19 has already exerted unparalleled strain. Protecting the global front-line healthcare workforce, through early vaccination and provision of adequate PPE, is a critical aspect of this endeavour, especially in LMICs where any staff depletion risks jeopardising existing public health programmes (eg, other non-COVID-related vaccination campaigns). After a vial has been punctured to take out the first dose, it must be thrown away within 6 hours. Because vaccine will be in short supply, especially at first, clinical sites will need to schedule patients so that none is wasted. This is nearly impossible in LMICs without functioning telephones and internet. In addition, many vaccines are likely to require two doses of the same vaccine, therefore the whole process must be repeated within weeks. Medical staff will need to ensure that they have enough stocks to allow the administration of booster doses, with flexibility to allow people to get their second dose in a different location if desired. This requires reliable databases to keep track of who has received what vaccine, where and when people are due for a booster. Most LMICs lack digital databases to manage patient data or reliably track vaccine inventories. Corruption, contamination and even accidental duplication will waste precious supply. In addition, about 1 billion people in the world lack formal identities and many are mobile. This presents a massive challenge for governments trying to reach a critical mass of people. Without reliable identification, it is difficult to know who has received vaccines. Biometric digital IDs are one way of overcoming this challenge but are not widely available. People getting vaccinated will therefore have to carry a COVID-19 vaccination record card that will tell them which vaccine they got, when they got it and when they should obtain their booster dose. However, this places onus in the hands of the patients with no recourse should cards get lost. Dedicated investments in a functional record-keeping and verification system will be critical to track progress, informing allocation, tailoring strategies to generate demand and provide end-to-end visibility. In the face of these obstacles, scientific bodies such as WHO have estimated that 70%–80% of the po[CENSORED]tion in a country will need to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity. Since surveys in the USA and Hong Kong have estimated vaccine acceptance rates to be only 40%–70%, even among healthcare providers, governments will need to develop strategic communication plans for public messaging to overcome this public scepticism. Given the level of public scrutiny for COVID-19 vaccines, even rare adverse events during roll-out could affect vaccine demand. Robust post marketing surveillance is needed with adverse event reporting systems to monitor vaccine safety and efficacy during roll-out. Even if demand is strong, most countries do not have robust existing adult vaccination programmes (except in rare cases, for example, tetanus for pregnant women administered through antenatal care units in Bangladesh). Mass vaccination drives will require the creation of multiple vaccination centres and new infrastructure to deliver and monitor vaccine doses. The recruitment and enrolment of vaccinators is a critical part of the process and relies on extensive collaboration between the national and local health departments, immunisation coalitions and other associations. An optimistic projection of the workforce required to administer 1 million doses daily over 100 days (the new US goal) estimated that 100 000 staff—of whom 17 000 are qualified to administer vaccines—would be needed. However, this estimate assumed what could be termed ‘magical supply chain thinking’ such that the underlying vaccine allocation and prioritisation strategy permitted accurate demand forecasts coordinated with the arrival of supplies at different times. Add to this is the complexity of delivery and tracking of multiple vaccines with different storage and dosing requirements, and it is easy to see how the true staffing requirements could be double or more of the modelled figures. Failure to adhere to and use existing supply chain best practices will lead to imbalances in supply and demand in specific locations and over time result in both vaccine wastage and delay in protection, causing increased morbidity and mortality, programme costs and more general economic and social losses. In the face of such infrastructure requirements, the costs of vaccines may appear minimal, but they are not. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are being provided to governments at a price of US$20–US$37 per dose. The Oxford/AstraZeneca product is priced at US$4 with a pledge to provide the product at a cost price to all during the pandemic, and to maintain this price for LMICs after the pandemic. Nevertheless, even this price represents a huge financial burden to many countries. Once prices start to rise, the poorest countries will be even less able to pay than they are now and there is little discussion on the use of other sources of financing, for example, from the World Bank. Without a strategic approach, coverage disparities will widen the equity gaps between HICs and LMICs. Such disparities will threaten health security and the resumption of civil society everywhere. To address the problem of equity, WHO, Gavi and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations established COVAX, a global alliance of 189 countries that have pledged to pool investment, allocate and distribute the vaccines equitably particularly in LMICs. However, the facility is currently under-resourced and they have only been able to secure vaccines for about 250 million people. Wealthy countries are fuelling a gap in access around the world, laying claim to more than half the doses that could come to the market by the end of the year; some of the world’s richest countries have even reserved enough doses to immunise their own po[CENSORED]tions multiple times over. Protecting the global community from the COVID-19 pandemic is not ‘rocket science’, it is much harder than that. Timely delivering the COVID-19 vaccine to the global po[CENSORED]tion will require a strategic all-of-government approach, and an unprecedented all-of-society approach that spans government and the private sector, crossing entrenched economic divisions between the Global North and South, as well as burgeoning antiscientific movements that threaten to scuttle dramatic advances before they can even be brought to market. Basic and applied biological science has given the world the means to tame this pandemic. To succeed now, a new set of sciences—of supply chain engineering, behavioural psychology and information management, to name only the most prominent—must be given equal representation.

Volkswagen Group plans to widen cost-cutting efforts by standardizing key technologies as the German automaker seeks to accelerate a seismic shift toward electric cars to combat Tesla and keep traditional rivals such as Daimler at bay. VW targets 1 million electric-vehicle sales this year and aims to become the global EV market leader by 2025 at the latest, the company said. By 2030, the share of fully electric vehicles in Europe is set to rise to as much as 60 percent of group deliveries. “By pooling the strengths of our brands, we will be able to scale up our future technologies even faster,” CEO Herbert Diess said in the statement on Tuesday. VW is overhauling its sprawling operations to free up funds for new technologies as it plans to build the industry’s largest fleet of electric vehicles. The company has unveiled Europe’s boldest battery-production push and struck a deal with unions to cut more jobs in Germany. VW said it seeks to use a platform approach to raise the efficiencies when deploying technologies including software, batteries and charging infrastructure. It reiterated a plan to lower fix costs by 5 percent, or 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion), by 2023 and material expenses by 7 percent. VW last month said it expects its operating margin to improve to between 5 percent and 6.5 percent this year. It kept its dividend proposal unchanged even as analysts braced for a cut, and said it expects rising vehicle deliveries to push revenue up significantly. VW’s revamp efforts were jolted last year by the health crisis, which shuttered factories and showrooms. While many European countries still wrestle with rising infections and slow vaccinating, the industry is also suffering from a shortage of semiconductors that has disrupted production.

Coronavirus has thrown the problem of obesity in the UK into sharp focus, with research suggesting countries with higher rates of obesity have higher rates of Covid deaths, and indications that the Pfizer vaccine may be less effective on those who are overweight. Led by Boris Johnson, who has been open about his efforts to lose weight, many people in the UK are attempting to lead healthier lifestyles. We’d like to hear from those making an effort to change their diet and exercise routines as a result of the pandemic. Share your experiences You can get in touch by filling in the form below, anonymously if you wish or via WhatsApp by clicking here or adding the contact +44(0)7867825056. Your responses are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. One of our journalists will be in contact before we publish, so please do leave contact details.

New Delhi was the world’s most polluted capital for the third straight year in 2020, according to IQAir, a Swiss group that measures air quality levels based on the concentration of lung-damaging airborne particles known as PM2.5. India was home to 35 of the world’s 50 most polluted cities, according to IQAir’s 2020 World Air Quality Report, which gathered data for 106 countries. The findings were based on the country’s annual average of particulate matter PM2.5, airborne particles with less than 2.5 microns in diameter. Prolonged exposure to PM2.5 can lead to deadly diseases, including cancer and cardiac problems. In 2020, New Delhi’s average annual concentration of PM2.5 in a cubic meter of air was 84.1, the study said, more than double the level of Beijing, which averaged 37.5 during the year, making it the 14th most polluted city in the world. Air pollution caused an estimated 54,000 premature deaths in New Delhi in 2020, according to a recent study by Greenpeace Southeast Asia Analysis and IQAir. Despite an 11 per cent reduction in the annual average of PM2.5 levels due to nationwide coronavirus lockdown curbs imposed last year, India emerged as the world’s third most polluted country after Bangladesh and Pakistan. “Air pollution in India is still dangerously high,” the report said. In 2020, South Asia endured some of the world’s worst air quality on record, it said. Last year, Delhi’s 20 million residents, who breathed some of the cleanest air on record in summer months due to the lockdown curbs, battled toxic air in winter, following a sharp increase in farm fire incidents in the neighbouring state of Punjab. As the burning of crop stubble peaked, Delhi’s PM2.5 levels averaged 144 micrograms per cubic metre in November and 157 micrograms per cubic metre in December, exceeding the World Health Organisation’s annual exposure guideline by more than 14 times, it said.

Max Senges traded the visionary buzz of Silicon Valley for an old-school German industrial center bracing for a dramatic overhaul. As head of Volkswagen's new coding school in Wolfsburg, the former Google researcher is a small but important part of the automaker's massive push into software.VW's strategy — involving more than $30 billion in investment and multiple projects and partnerships — is critical to catch up to Tesla and counter the existential risks posed by the automotive ambitions of Apple and Alphabet. "The car industry is changing from a focus on, 'faster, stronger,' to becoming more sustainable and smarter," said Senges, who worked at Google for more than a decade. "What matters for us here is to foster a mindset" that can bridge the tech and auto worlds. While VW is one of the largest auto producers, it's now pitted against companies that have routinely disrupted industries, casting former leaders aside in the process. And they are coming with deep pockets and big plans to own car data — a $400 billion opportunity, according to McKinsey & Co. estimatesVW Group's management is keenly aware of the challenges. CEO Herbert Diess regularly cites Nokia's fall as the world's dominant mobile phone maker because it failed to keep up with the iPhone as a cautionary tale. He will provide an update on the company’s tech transition at events this week, including during a Power Day on Monday and at the group’s annual press conference in Wolfsburg on Tuesday. The biggest hurdle for Volkswagen may be its firmly entrenched culture, built around seven-year automotive cycles. Line and brand managers traditionally have almost total control over what goes in their vehicles, while VW’s powerful unions weigh in on nearly every decision.

I woke up covered in welts one morning over Christmas break from college. My skin was hot and inflamed from unknowingly scratching myself in my sleep. It marked the beginning of a very long, itchy year. Over the next several months, I saw many doctors and specialists, and spent way too much time online trying to figure out the cause of this ongoing reaction. Eventually, a doctor diagnosed me with chronic idiopathic urticaria. In other words, chronic hives with no known cause. I was told the hives could last anywhere from 1 to 5 years, and they could come back again at any time — a disheartening thing to hear. Doctors prescribed me antihistamines for the hives. But each time I was given a higher dose, and the medication would work for only a few days before the hives came back. So, I sought out other treatments. I took oatmeal baths, put ice on the welts, used lotions — nothing worked. My skin always felt like it was on fire, and the symptoms spread to other parts of my body. Sometimes my lips would swell up. Sometimes my palms and the soles of my feet would get itchy. The hives made it difficult to go through everyday life. I couldn’t focus on my classes, internships, or summer jobs. I knew I had to find something to sooth my skin.The plastic problem That’s when I started digging into the ingredients labels on the personal care products I was using. I thought that maybe if I took a more holistic approach and cut out potentially harmful ingredients, I could finally find some relief. I began swapping everything from my lotion and shampoo to my laundry detergent for cleaner versions. But as I continued to do my research, I realized that the ingredients weren’t the only thing I needed to worry about in these products — it was also the plastic containers and waste. I couldn’t believe I had never realized how much I threw away each day and how I was supporting companies that were creating far more than their fair share of pollution. I was heartbroken thinking of the animals whose homes were being destroyed, of the people most vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change, of the planet we are rapidly destroying. I soon found another corner of the internet that sparked my interest: the zero-waste movement. Members of its large and ever-growing community aspire to send as little as possible to the landfill by avoiding disposable packaging and single-use products. Going green Given the way our society is set up, creating no waste whatsoever can feel like an impossible goal. That’s why many people in the movement simply focus on practical sustainability and purchasing products with minimal waste — which is what I did. As I ran out of my bottled shampoo, I switched to shampoo bars with no packaging. When I needed a new comb, I found a bamboo one instead of conventional plastic. And I began buying my clothes and furniture secondhand instead of new.