Features

PARIS — A gene therapy that has allowed several children born deaf to hear for the first time is being hailed as a “game changer” that raises hopes of the first new treatment for hereditary deafness in decades.

Several medical teams around the world are trialling the procedure, which focuses on a rare genetic mutation that affects only a small number of the 26 million people with congenital deafness globally.

But several success stories announced this week are already being seen as a turning point.

On Tuesday, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia revealed that 11-year-old Aissam Dam, who was born deaf, was now “literally hearing sound for the first time in his life”.

Aissam still has mild-to-moderate hearing loss, and may never learn to talk because the brain’s window for acquiring speech closes around the age of five.

But a trial in China, the results of which were announced in The Lancet journal on Thursday, tested a similar treatment on six younger children.

Five gained the ability to hear, according to the findings of the trial that started in 2022, making it the first to have tested the gene therapy on humans.

Some of the children were already able to speak thanks to a cochlear implant — which they now no longer need, study co-author Zheng-Yi Chen of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear hospital told AFP.

But one, a baby only a year old, had never been able to communicate verbally, Chen said.

Chen said that after the treatment, when the mother asked the baby “who am I?” the baby responded: “Mama”.

When asked what a chicken sounds like, the baby responded: “Coo-coo”.

“Everyone just cried with joy, it’s really amazing,” said Chen, adding that the baby was expected to grow up speaking normally.

Not since cochlear implants were invented 60 years has there been such an advance, Chen said, adding that the therapy “symbolises a new era in the fight against all types of hearing loss”.

How does it work? 

For now, the trials in China, the United States and another announced in France this week all use a similar technique to focus on people born with a mutation of the OTOF gene.

This defect means they can no longer produce the protein otoferlin, which is needed for hair cells in the inner ear to convert sound vibrations into electrical signals that can be sent to the brain.

The treatment involves injecting a harmless virus into the inner ear that smuggles in a working version of the OTOF gene, restoring hearing.

The French trial will focus on babies aged 12-31 months, in the hopes it can “enable the acquisition of language”, said Nawal Ouzren, CEO of the firm Sensorion developing the treatment.

Natalie Loundon, a French doctor and hearing loss expert, called the technique “a game-changer, a technological advance that will revolutionise therapeutic care”.

“The idea is to be able to offer this treatment to children rather than an implant, which is not always received well,” she told AFP.

For the China-based trial, the researchers will continue to study the participants to find out if their improved hearing lasts.

Chen estimated that the treatment tested in that trial could be ready to apply for regulatory approval within three to five years.

Targeting the other genes 

But this particular treatment will only help a fraction of those born deaf.

Around one in every 1,000 children are born deaf due to gene defects, but a lack of otoferlin is the cause of only around 3 per cent of those cases.

More than 150 other genes have been discovered that trigger genetic hearing loss.

But Chen had some good news.

So far, the otoferlin treatment seems to work just as well in humans as it did in during trials on mice — which is not always the case for such research.

Trials on mice targeting other gene defects that cause hearing loss have also been successful, Chen said.

Researchers therefore hope this first treatment opens the door to others.

France’s Pasteur Institute, which pioneered the research on otoferlin, and Sensorion are already working on another therapy that focuses on a gene whose mutations are responsible for the most common forms of hereditary deafness.

An alternate and finely distinct evolution of the broad segment that has come to be dominated by the popular and ubiquitously mainstream crossover utility vehicle, the high-riding four-wheel-drive estate has however now a small niche segment. Catered to by the few manufacturers still committed to the wagon body style, the high-riding estate is more a car that is modified for light off-road duty and inclement weather, rather than a high-bodied vehicle designed to look like an SUV but drive like a car on road.

Designed to retain much of the handling ability, ride comfort, visibility, practicality and efficiency of an estate car with an effective modicum of occasional use off-road ability, the high-riding four-wheel-drive estate’s prototypal roots go back to the compact and quirky 1972 Subaru Leone 4WD wagon.

Followed by the larger, more rugged, distinctly taller and better defined four-wheel-drive 1980 AMC Eagle, the modern off-road estate niche however only fully took shape with the 1994 Subaru Legacy Outback, and subsequent Volvo and Audi rivals soon launched in its rally-inspired wake.

Subaru Outback XT

Having planted the seeds for its segment with the Leone 4WD wagon, Subaru then defined the high-riding four-wheel-drive estate when it launched the Legacy Outback at the height of the Legacy’s burgeoning successes on the WRC circuit.

A Subaru staple since the Outback was re-designated as a standalone model in 2009, to better compete in the lucrative crossover segment. It nevertheless remains a Legacy estate derivative, even as it leans more heavily into an SUV-inspired aesthetic in its latest sixth generation.

Chunkier, and higher-riding than ever with its jutting surfacing and liberal use of lower body cladding, the current Outback arrived in 2019, and was updated last year. Powered by a charismatic turbocharged horizontally-opposed 2.5-litre 4-cylinder “boxer” engine driving its symmetrical permanent four-wheel-drive through continually variable transmission, the top spec Outback XT develops 256BHP and 277lb/ft for estimated 6.5-second 0-100km/h acceleration. With 221mm ground clearance, the Outback boasts and generous off-road angles, while a higher riding Wilderness specification promises even better off-road hardware, features and abilities.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Engine: 2.4-litre, turbocharged, horizontally-opposed 4-cylinders 
• Gearbox: 8-speed continuously variable transmission (CVT), all-wheel-drive
• Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 256 (260) [191] @5,600rpm
• Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 277 (375) @2,000-4,800rpm
• 0-100km/h: 6.5-seconds (estimate)
• Top speed: 190km/h (estimate)
• Length: 4,854mm
• Width: 1,855mm
• Height: 1,679mm
• Wheelbase: 2,746mm
• Ground clearance: 221mm
• Approach / break-over / departure angles: 18.6° / 19.4° / 21.7°
• Weight: 1,778-1,790kg
• Luggage volume, min/max: 522-/1,675-litres (estimate)
• Suspension: MacPherson strut / double wishbone 
• Tyres: 225/60R18

Volvo V90 Cross Country B6 AWD

A stalwart proponent of the estate, Volvo was quick on the Outback’s heels in launching the V70 Cross Country AWD in 1997. Developed with Scandinavian winter conditions in mind rather than rally stages, the high-riding four-wheel-drive estate has since remained a Volvo feature, even as the Chinese-owned Swedish manufacturer invests heavily in the crossover SUV segment.

In current V90 Cross Country B6 AWD guise, Volvo’s offering is a most handsomely elegant, luxurious, practical and capable alternative to ever-ubiquitous crossovers.

The pick of the current Cross Country range, introduced in 2016 and updated in 2020, the B6 is powered by a supercharged and turbocharged 2-litre 4-cylinder engine for seamlessly robust and responsively lag-free delivery. Producing 296BHP and 310lb/ft, it is brisk through0-100km/g in 6.4-seconds, while an unintrusive 48V mild hybrid system helps improve efficiency.

Riding on double wishbone front and integral axle rear suspension for confidence and comfort on road, its 195mm ground clearance meanwhile allow for 300mm water wading and good off-road angles.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Engine: 2-litre, supercharged & turbocharged 4-cylinders 
• Gearbox: 8-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive
• Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 296 (300) [200] @5,400rpm
• Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 310 (420) @2,100-4,800rpm
• 0-100km/h: 6.4-seconds
• Top speed: 180km/h (electronically governed)
• Length: 4,959mm
• Width: 1,903mm
• Height: 1,537mm
• Wheelbase: 2,941mm
• Ground clearance: 195mm
• Water wading: 300mm
• Approach / break-over / departure angles: 18.9° / 17.7° / 20.8°
• Weight: 1,930-1,982kg
• Luggage volume, min/max: 551-/1,517-litres
• Suspension: Double wishbones / integral axle
• Tyres: 235/50R19

Audi A6 Allroad Quattro 55 TFSI

Having cemented the advent of four-wheel-drive road and rally cars with the iconic 1980 Quattro and well on the way to earning a pre-eminent reputation for high performance estates with the 1994 RS2 Avant,  Audi threw its hat in the budding high-riding four-wheel-drive estate niche with the A6 Allroad Quattro in 1999.

Now a manufacturer of numerous crossovers and SUV, Audi nevertheless doggedly retains the A6 Allroad as a more elegant alternative with great road manners and good occasional off-road and bad weather abilities.

In its fourth generation since 2019, the A6 Allroad Quattro is more luxurious and technologically sophisticated than ever. Its only petrol 55 TFSI variant is powered by a turbocharged 3-litre V6 engine, while a 48V mild hybrid system aids efficiency. Producing a muscular 335BHP and 369lb/ft, the Allroad 55 TFSI is quick through 0-100km/h in 5.2-seconds and capable of 250km/h. Sure-footed on road and confident at speed, its Quattro four-wheel-drive system enables excellent traction, while adaptive air suspension improves ground clearance for off-road driving.

 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Engine: 3-litre, turbocharged V6-cylinders 
• Gearbox: 7-speed automated dual clutch, all-wheel-drive
• Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 335 (340) [250] @5,200-6,400rpm
• Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 369 (500) @1,370-4,500rpm
• 0-100km/h: 5.2-seconds
• Top speed: 250km/h (electronically governed)
• Length: 4,951mm
• Width: 1,902mm
• Height: 1,516mm
• Wheelbase: 2,925mm
• Approach / departure angles: 14.1° / 18.3°
• Weight: 1,945kg
• Luggage volume, min/max: 550-/1660-litres
• Suspension: Independent, 5-link
• Tyres: 235/55R18

By Sonia Salfity,
Desperate Dieter

You and I both know that we didn’t get to be desperate dieters by following through any of the past new year resolutions we had set for ourselves. If we had, we wouldn’t still be struggling in this area of our lives.

This is partly due to the fact that any addiction can have a stronghold on us. Just when you think you’re free from temptations, they rear their ugly head up as part of our human experience.

Unsuspecting victims 

Remaining on guard is our greatest weapon in the battle of food addictions. It’s more powerful than any new year resolution we could envision. When criminals aim to steal or kill, they use the element of surprise to sneak up on their unsuspecting victims.

We, however, do not need to behave like sitting ducks being hunted down. It’s not like this is our first experience, nor is it likely that we’re suddenly not going to be tempted by our favourite desserts.

Strategies

To help us stay on guard, it would serve us well to set specific strategies that are easy to implement even on our busiest of days.

Here are a few that have worked for me. To make them easier to remember, I gave them the codename WAIT.

Water 

Ensure to drink a glass every hour even when you don’t feel thirsty. This is especially important in the cold winter months. Staying hydrated will stave off hunger and flush out toxins, not to mention that it will do wonders for our skin.

Activity

Being intentional about adding activity to every part of our day is a must and not just rely on our formal exercise time.

I have found that especially to be true in the evenings when I’d rather plop on the comfy sofa to watch my favourite TV show.

To break this habit, I’ve made it a rule not to fast-forward commercials on my media apps and instead, use that time to get up and do something around the house. There’s always housework, which never ends whether it’s folding laundry or de-cluttering a messy drawer.

This is a double win because it helps us tackle procrastination. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather do anything else but decluttering and organising.

I have friends and family that are the opposite and who thrive on consistently putting things away in their exact spots. Combining dreaded chores with things we enjoy will not only help us remain active, but they also keep our hands too busy to grab snacks we shouldn’t be reaching for.

Information

Gathering information is vital to our ongoing success in any venture. This helps us to make informed decisions that lead to making better choices over and over again.

If you discover that your friends or family, for example, are planning to go out for dinner, you have two choices; you could either go with the flow, or you could look up the menu online and see if there’s anything healthy you can order.

If you find nothing healthy, you may suggest a different restaurant that has healthier options on their menu.

Your family will thank you as you’ll be a good influence on their making wiser food choices.

Temperance

We could all use self-control and moderation in every area of our lives. With enough practice, we can reach a healthier balance. Instead of aiming for perfection, we can all aim for consistent improvement in the right direction.

Finally, it’s important to understand that we are each unique and there is not a one size fits all when it comes to solutions. Find what works for your body and go at the pace you know you’ll be able to sustain for life.

Remember this is not a sprint and, like any long marathon, it’s essential to pace ourselves so we make it to that finishing line without quitting.

Here’s to a healthier and more balanced new year that lasts beyond the first month as we each set the pace we can keep up with for a lifetime!

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

LOS ANGELES — US actor Alec Baldwin, who has been charged with manslaughter over the deadly shooting on the set of his film, asked a New Mexico judge for a “speedy trial”.

Baldwin, a producer and actor on the film, was charged again on Friday for his role in the 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his movie “Rust”.

He was holding a Colt .45 during rehearsals for the low-budget Western in New Mexico when it discharged a live round, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

Baldwin has repeatedly denied responsibility for the shooting, insisting he did not pull the trigger on the gun, which in any case should have been loaded with a non-lethal blank.

The charges filed on Friday are the latest attempt to hold someone to account for the deadly episode, which sent shockwaves through Hollywood and led to calls for a tightening of the rules around firearms on movie sets.

The court had required Baldwin to appear for an initial hearing virtually or in person by February 1, according to court documents seen by AFP.

Baldwin’s defence Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro on Wednesday filed a request for a quick trial in order to “minimise public vilification and suspicion and to avoid the hazards of proving his innocence that often arise after a lengthy delay in prosecution”.

Initial manslaughter charges against 65-year-old Baldwin were dropped in April last year, due to what prosecutors called “new facts” which demanded “further investigation and forensic analysis” and lead to the convening of the grand jury that handed down Friday’s indictment.

Baldwin reportedly faces up to 18 months in jail if convicted.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armourer — the person responsible for supplying and maintaining weapons — is set to go on trial next month on charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence.

Dave Halls, the film’s safety coordinator and assistant director who handed Baldwin the loaded gun, agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to six months’ probation.

Filming of “Rust” was halted by the tragedy, but resumed last year.

The cinematographer’s widower, Matthew Hutchins, who has already settled a wrongful death suit with “Rust” producers, served as an executive producer on the project.

Director Souza also returned, saying at the time that completing the movie would be “bittersweet” but that the cast and crew “are committed to completing what Halyna and I started”.

PARK CITY, United States — Nominations for the 96th Academy Awards were unveiled on Tuesday, with Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” leading the way on 13 nods.

Here are six key takeaways from the Oscars announcement:

Unstoppable ‘Oppenheimer’? 

It has, by the account of many pundits, been a remarkably strong year for film, with 2023 easily offering the most packed lineup of commercial and critical hits since before the pandemic.

That strength makes the seemingly unstoppable awards success of Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” all the more impressive.

The film earned rave reviews on its release last summer, and ranked third at the global box office with $950 million — behind only “Barbie” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”.

The three-hour historical drama has since swept every major best picture award going, including at the Golden Globes (best drama) and the Critics Choice Awards.

And its haul of 13 Oscar nominations is only one shy of the all-time record for a film, held jointly by “All About Eve”, “Titanic” and “La La Land”.

Can anything now stop the “Oppenheimer” juggernaut on March 10?

‘Barbie’ surprises 

“Barbie”, last year’s highest grossing film, had been widely expected to secure an Oscar nomination for its female star.

But it was America Ferrera, not Margot Robbie, whose name was read out on Tuesday morning.

Ferrera, a Latina actress of Honduran ancestry, was previously best known for television comedy “Ugly Betty”.

But her emotional turn as a regular mom in “Barbie”, which included a powerful monologue on the impossible double standards of being a woman, clearly caught Academy voters’ attention.

Female directors 

Another “snub” for the film came as Greta Gerwig missed out on a best director nomination, four years after she was controversially overlooked for her adaptation of “Little Women”.

But there was solace for Gerwig as the movie landed a best picture nomination, making her one of three female directors with a film in the key category for the first time in Oscars history.

And Gerwig’s presumed slot was taken by another woman — France’s Justine Triet, who becomes only the eighth female ever to be nominated for best director by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Hollywood vintage 

Hollywood veterans Martin Scorsese and John Williams added to their impressive Oscar nominations hauls on Tuesday — and broke a couple of records in the process.

Scorsese, 81, became the oldest person ever nominated for best director.

The nod for his critically adored epic drama nominee “Killers of the Flower Moon” is his 10th in the category.

That puts him just two behind record-holder William Wyler — and Scorsese is already working on his next project.

Meanwhile, composer Williams racked up an astonishing 54th nomination, for his score to “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”.

He has the most nominations for any living person, and is only second overall to Walt Disney.

“He is also, to the best of our knowledge, the oldest nominee in a competitive award category at 91 years of age,” said the Academy.

Domingo pips DiCaprio 

It had been the subject of intense discussion in Hollywood for weeks.

Could Leonardo DiCaprio, arguably the world’s biggest movie star, already an Oscar winner for “The Revenant”, really miss out on a best actor nod?

After all, he is on screen for nearly two hours in “Killers” — around an hour longer than his nominated co-stars Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro.

But in a crowded category, the spot that had been expected to fall to DiCaprio went instead to veteran actor Colman Domingo, for “Rustin”.

Domingo, 54, has had a long career on stage and screen, with supporting roles in movies like “Lincoln”, “Selma”, “If Beale Street Could Talk” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”.

Documentary surprises 

Perhaps no category produced more surprises this year than best documentary.

The field included several big-hitting and starry productions that were presumed by many pundits to be shoo-ins.

These included Apple’s “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie”, charting the actor’s battle with Parkinson’s disease, and Netflix’s “American Symphony”, which portrays the creative process of Grammy-winning musician Jon Batiste as he supports his wife through cancer.

Neither were picked, although the latter earned a best original song nod.

Instead, the spots went to films on subjects from Ugandan politics (“Bobi Wine: The People’s President”) and the war in Ukraine (“20 Days in Mariupol”) to Alzheimer’s disease (“The Eternal Memory”) and women’s rights (“Four Daughters” and “To Kill a Tiger”).

PARIS — The Paris Fashion Week menswear shows draw to an close on Sunday. Here are some of the highlights among the 40-plus runway shows of the past few days.

Quiet luxury

The watchword of high-end fashion last year was quiet luxury, thanks in large part to the success of TV show “Succession”.

Whether out of guilt at deepening social inequality or for the love of classic tailoring, the trend showed no sign of abating in Paris this week.

Fashion site Culted said AMI was a leading example, highlighting the “timelessness of a garment and rejecting the trend cycle altogether”, with its expertly tailored suits and trench coats in autumnal tones.

Online fashion firm Hypebeast argued that it was Hermes who should be seen as the “epitome of quiet luxury”, with its long leather coats and heavy knitwear in a sombre palette of blacks, greys and browns.

Dior was also a classy affair, as designer Kim Jones used a show dedicated to Rudolf Nureyev to present some haute couture takes on kaftans, turbans and stage costumes beloved of the ballet legend.

And not-so-quiet 

There were lots of roses, red lips and polka dots among the sparkly reworkings of tuxedos and classic suits at Balmain’s first menswear show in several years.

“It’s luxury, but it’s definitely not quiet,” Designer Olivier Rousteing told fashion site WWD.

The show, which he described as a celebration of African style, was full of bold colours, innovative shapes, luxurious facial jewellery and gold bags — tasteful but very bling and ended with an appearance by the queen of divas, Naomi Campbell.

Every goth’s favourite designer, Rick Owens, is always a highlight for fashion experts. His latest show was more low-key than normal in its setting — at his Paris atelier — but there was the usual shock factor.

Alongside the familiar stilts, pagoda-like shoulders and dilated black pupils were a new highlight: Huge rubber boots — something between a condom and a missile warhead — that the designer himself called “grotesque and inhuman” in their proportions.

 Celeb-spotting 

Celebrity presence has always been a big part of the fashion game, with sporting tie-ups playing an increasingly big role.

New York label KidSuper scored big by convincing Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho to walk the catwalk.

Loewe is always a celebrity hotspot, and Saturday’s show saw actors Jamie Dornan and Nicholas Hoult and popstar Zayn Malik on the front row.

Louis Vuitton has gone a step further, naming a celebrity from outside the fashion world as its creative director last year, hip-hop star Pharrell Williams.

His American West-themed show, full of cowboy hats and rhinestones, attracted Bradley Cooper and rapper Playboi Carti, while British trad-rockers Mumford and Sons debuted new song “Good People” at the after-party.

Perhaps the coolest A-listers were reserved for 80-year-old Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto, who featured cult German director Wim Wenders and “Walking Dead” star Norman Reedus on the catwalk, while football legend Zinedine Zidane watched from the front row.

A long-awaited, stylishly slinky and swift spiritual sports car successor to Jaguar’s iconic 1961-74 E-Type, the F-Type was much-feted upon its 2013 arrival, and intended to re-instill Jaguar’s model range with a sporting heritage.

Bringing a much missed feelgood factor and sprightly sensibility, it soldiers on — a decade and face-lift later — with no identified successor in the wings.

However, with Jaguar’s focus now turning to bulky crossovers and uninspiring electrification, the lithe F-Type is more viscerally appealing than ever, and at its purest in rear-wheel-drive V8-powered P450 Convertible specification.

Succeeding a car described as “the most beautiful car ever made” by no less than Enzo Ferrari, the F-Type’s seductive lines, jutting edges and Coke-bottle curves convincingly captured much of the E-Type’s appeal for a modern era among bluntly aggressive competitors.

Little changed mechanically since, the it has seen upgraded tech, features and variants, but its most radical revision was the 2019 adoption of a more contemporarily conformative horizontally-oriented fascia, with an almost obligatory slim, scowling and heavily browed shark-like headlights and grille combo, in place of its originally upbeat and fresh vertically swept back design.

Feel the power

Powered by slightly detuned version of the 2013 “V8 S” launch variant’s 488BHP direct injection 5-liter supercharged engine, the re-designated P450 now slots neatly between the 296BHP 4-cylinder entry-level F-Type and highly tuned range-topping 567BHP V8 variant.

Hardly less brutal with 444BHP at 6,000rpm and 428lb/ft at 2,500-5,000rpm delivering it through 0-100km/h in 4.6-seconds, the P450 tops out at 285km/h. Its enviable headline figures however don’t relate the muscularity of its V8 engine, which with a mechanically-driven Roots-type supercharger delivers instant off-the-line boost and immediacy, and indefatigable full spectrum vigor that turbochargers cannot match.

The P450’s relentlessly seamless power accumulation is underwritten by a generously ever-present torque torrent that plateaus through a broad mid-range for effortless on-the-move response and versatility at almost any speed or gear.

This is complemented with a slick and quick shifting 8-speed automatic gearbox, which operates like a torque converter auto for setting-off smoothly from first and second, but uses fully-locking clutches for crisp and sportily direct cog changes thereafter.

The F-Type’s massive ventilated disc brakes, meanwhile, rein in its immense performance and 1,793kg mass with reassuring power and fade resistance.

Feline finesse

Precise, agile, responsive and engaging with its direct and quick steering and near perfect weight distribution, the F-Type well-reconciles dynamic handling and ride qualities, and is reassuringly stable and refined at speed. Smooth and sure-footed through tight winding and imperfect B-roads, its double wishbone adaptive suspension irons out imperfections with fluency, despite firm low profile tyres. Designed as a convertible from scratch, the F-Type’s lightweight bonded and riveted aluminium frame’s rigidity aids handling and ride comfort, without the scuttle shake often plaguing less rigid convertibles.

Brisk, balanced, poised and engaging cross-country, the P450 channels its ample output through an electronic limited-slip rear-differential, which directs power to the wheel best able to put it down for agility and stability when powering through tight or low traction corners. In its element on such roads, it is eager and crisp turning-in, and taut, poised and flat through corners. Rewarding and effective, the P450, however, demands respect and focus in low traction switchbacks, where it is better controlled and progressive unleashing power in its more forgiving “winter” gearbox setting. 

Hear the roar

Carving through snaking lanes with buttoned down grace and brisk pace, the P450 lets out a guttural exhaust rort as it rapidly downshifts, before tidily darting into a corner.

Balanced and controlled out of the apex, the F-Type leaps onto the straight to a ferociously pounding, evocatively throaty, rumbling, crackling and bellowing soundtrack made all the more viscerally amplified with its active exhaust system engaged and roof stowed away.

Rewarding driving finesse with fluency, the F-type’s electronic stability and traction controls meanwhile operate effectively and intuitively with the driver when called into action.

The F-Type’s elegant interior is low-slung, driver-focused and distinctly sporty, and is decked with quality materials and textures, including stitched leathers.

With a distinctly sporty ambiance, the F-type features a supportive, body-hugging and comfortable driving position, and a thick, contoured steering wheel with gearbox paddle shifters.

The F-Type’s heating and airflow enable top-down winter driving, while the cabin is well-insulated with its quick electric folding fabric roof raised. A 233-litre boot is meanwhile acceptable, if not generous, but a slinky and flush rear deck design makes it somewhat shallow.

Jaguar F-Type P450 Convertible

• Engine: 5-liter, supercharged, V8-cylinders
• Bore x stroke: 92.5 x 93mm
• Compression ratio: 9.5:1
• Valve-train: 32-valve, DOHC, variable timing, direct injection
• Gearbox: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel-drive, electronic limited-slip rear-differential
• Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 444 (450) [331] @6,000rpm
• Specific power: 88.7BHP/liter
• Power-to-weight ratio: 247.5BHP (297PS)/tonne (kerb)
• Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 428 (580) @2,500-5,000rpm
• Specific torque: 116Nm/liter
• Torque-to-weight ratio: 323.5Nm/tonne (kerb)
• 0-100 km/h: 4.6-seconds
• Top speed: 285km/h
• Fuel economy, combined: 10.8-liters/100km
• Combined CO2 emissions: 245g/km
• Length: 4,470mm
• Width: 1,923mm
• Height: 1,307mm
• Wheelbase: 2,622mm
• Track, F/R: 1,584 / 1,628mm
• Boot capacity: 233-litres
• Unladen / kerb weight: 1,718/1,793kg
• Suspension, F&R: Double wishbones, coil springs, adaptive dampers, stabilizer bars
• Steering: Electromechanical rack & pinion
• Lock-to-lock: 2.34-turns
• Turning circle: 10.63-meters
• Brakes, F/R: Ventilated discs, 380 / 376mm
• Tires, F/R: 255/35R20 / 295/30R20

By Dr Tareq Rasheed,
International Consultant and Trainer 

COVID-19 set all organisations under a big challenge; how could processes and work proceed

with the lockdown that was announced in March 2020? Schools, universities and academic institutions were directly impacted by the lockdowns.

Students and youth represent, in most countries, the majority of the population. So, the sustainability of education posed a challenge for the ministries of education and decision makers in academic institutions.

A digital transformation

 To ensure the continuity of education in schools and universities, the decision was taken to transfer education online. In a world of digital transformation, many strategies, tools and techniques were adopted to ensure achieving strategic goals during this crisis.

Advantages of online education

There are several advantages that proved to support the effectiveness of this strategy in education. The main benefits are:

1. Continuity of Education: Without online solutions, for many, it was impossible to continue the education process during the lockdown, where face-to-face education was impossible.

2. Health Protection: During the COVID-19 lockdown, there were many who were infected by the virus incurring a lot of health problems — many people lost their lives in this pandemic. Therefore, online education was a means of containing the spread of the virus.

3. Time Investment: Online education saved time on transportation to and from schools, which, on average, takes one hour for most students.

4. Safety: Due to lockdowns, streets were empty and thus health, safety and environment standards were brought to new levels with fewer accidents.

5. Family Relations and Communication: Family relations, connections and communication were enhanced during the lockdown. This allowed for more time spent with parents and care givers, and to engage with the educational process with their children and teens.

6. Recorded Lessons: Since all classes and lectures were recorded and available, any student that did not understand the lecture initially could get back to the recording However, there are challenges to online education.

Lack of Engagement: The main advantage of face-toface education is the full engagement of teachers and students, as well as students’ interaction together Lack of Online Curricula: In several countries, ministries of education do not have support for an online curriculum covering all topics and all educational stages. 

This impacted the educational process negatively  Lack of Internet: In some poor countries, there is either a lack of effective Internet connectivity, or it may be expensive for ministries of education to go with the alternative of online education No Internet Infrastructure: In some poor countries, there is no internet infrastructure and thus a large number of students did not have the opportunity to learn during the crisis Unequipped Teachers in Handling Online Solutions: Some teachers did not have efficient training to use online solutions effectively.

This introduced a challenge to teachers, affecting the trust between teachers and students for having incompetent teachers where, in fact, they were just poorly trained. 

Difficulty in Measuring the Educational Output: The most challenging outcome was for teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching process and to assess student knowledge and skills in the subjects that were taught. In some countries, the real output of education was very weak especially in lower classes. In the latter situation, there are several difficulties related to student engagement and the ability to supervise them Absence of Being Online: The most important question was how to ensure that students were attending classes, especially as some did not open their cameras or microphones? So, apparently, students were online as their names appeared on the screens, but were they really present? Cheating: As educational experts working with several organisations and ministries, we noticed a lot of cheating by students; the most terrible of which was when some mothers were helping their children to answer questions!! Due to the challenges faced, ministries of education are invited to discuss the lessons learnt from COVID-19, and how to modify our online solutions for better effectiveness. In a world of rapid digital transformation, all educational sectors and organisations should be able to effectively support solutions that maintain the educational output at the highest standards possible.

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

PARIS — The director of Zac Efron’s heartbreaking new wrestling film, “The Iron Claw”, said it was a battle to keep the emotional star from turning on the waterworks during filming.

Efron, who made his name in wholesome Disney films like “High School Musical”, is almost unrecognisable thanks to the extreme bodybuilding preparation he did for the role as real-life wrestler Kevin Von Erich.

But director Sean Durkin said the biggest challenge was keeping him from crying.

“Zac is such a committed, generous guy. He’s so full of emotion,” Durkin told AFP.

“So much of the direction was telling him, ‘Don’t cry — not yet, not yet!’ Until we shot the final scene on the final day and I could say: ‘OK, now you can let it all out.’

“And he did, for take after take after take.”

Fans of Hollywood hunks Efron and Jeremy Allen White may be excited to see them parade around a ring half-naked for much of the new movie.

But they should be prepared for one of the grimmest portrayals of American sports ever put on screen, in the true-life tale of the Von Erich wrestling family from the 1970s and 1980s, who were pushed into tragedy by a success-obsessed father.

“Iron Claw”, which features White’s first major role since his award-winning turn in hit series “The Bear” and a much-discussed Calvin Klein ad, is being released around Europe in the coming weeks.

It may focus on the world of US wrestling, with its unlikely mix of athleticism and pantomime, but it is really about the “lie of the American Dream”, Durkin said — the idea that pushing to be the best at any cost is the only way to survive.

“It’s pertinent now because we finally have language about mental health, but it’s only in the last couple years that you hear athletes talking about it,” the 42-year-old director said.

The early days of wrestling were particularly extreme, with performers on the road most of the year with little support.

“These guys were putting their bodies on the line day after day for entertainment’s sake and if they couldn’t wrestle, they were done,” said Durkin.

“The irony is they express all these emotions in the ring — the highest highs, the lowest lows — but they get backstage and they aren’t allowed to show any of it because of this old-school nonsense notion of what it means to be a man.”