Features

What are we going to do, now that the extraordinary combination of Internet, computers and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is performing an incredible number of tasks for us? What is really left for a person to do?

When it comes to straightforward information Google Search doesn’t only know everything, it also makes the information available for us in a split second. The young generation has long stopped memorising who the 35th president of the USA was, what the name of the highest mountain on Earth is, when the Ottoman Empire rule ended in the Middle East, or what movie got the highest number of Oscars in the history of cinema.

If you want to drive to a distant place where you have never been before, Google Maps, the best GPS of them all, is here for you. Just say where you want to go to the app on your smartphone, and it will not only get you there, giving you precise directions, it will also tell you how long it will take you to get there, taking distance and actual traffic into consideration. In some cases it also warns you when a police speed radar is within detection range!

Listening to a song that you can’t remember the name of? Who needs memory when Shazam is here? Just start the app (yes, a mobile app again, what else?), and let it listen to the sound. In the overwhelming number of cases it will recognise the song and will display its title in a few seconds.

Want to have a text translated automatically, by a machine? Try DeepL, a new online translator using a huge knowledge base combined with elements of AI. Whereas it will not entirely replace a translation done by an experienced, skilled human translator, DeepL can produce results that are very close to that. It is superior to most known online automatic translating engines, and will provide a decent and usable translation in many a situation.

For the time being the available languages are English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Japanese and Chinese. It is just too bad that Arabic is not included yet. It is probably because DeepL is a rather new player in the game.

Text-to-speech functionality and its opposite, speech recognition that turns the words you speak into text, have also come a long way since the 1990s. Again, we are still a bit far there from refined human work, but the sound is not as robotic as it used to be, and is even pleasant. I use the text-to-speech service very frequently in my work with MS-Word and MS-Excel – it helps me do proofreading (of this very article for example), and check long lists of numbers.

After a few orders, online shopping sites usually end up knowing your taste and habits, and can help you optimise the experience. On another front, the latest crop of surveillance cameras are able not just to recognise you, but can “process you” almost instantly and can tell if you have fever, or are wanted by the law, or… All this thanks to AI and software applications.

I am not mentioning Alexa, Cortana, Siri and Bixby. Certainly, these digital assistants created by Amazon, Microsoft, Apple and Samsung, respectively, can be helpful and fun to use, but at the same time, their imperfections and sometime idiosyncratic attitude still have not made them good enough for wide usage, in my honest opinion (or IMHO as WhatsAppers like to put it). 

The same is true about Google Assistant that I find to be somewhat whimsical. When I’m driving in my car and I ask it out loud to “call my friend Omar”, through the Bluetooth audio system, it fails to comply about fifty per cent of the time, for no apparent reason. Again, not good enough.

The existential question, therefore, is not about how much advanced high tech can do for us at this stage on a day-to-day basis, or how much it will improve over time, this all goes without saying. It is rather about the gradual disappearance of general knowledge, of skills, of our ability to memorise information. More dramatically: will the main, the most essential job in the future be designing and writing software, as technology scholars predicted it as early as in the 1970s?

LOS ANGELES — Tom Hanks is “heartbroken” that his World War II thriller must skip the big screen due to the pandemic — but hopes it can still teach audiences at home a thing or two about acting decently in a global crisis.

“Greyhound”, out on Apple TV+ Friday, was written by and stars Hanks as a rookie captain escorting a convoy of Allied ships as they cross the freezing North Atlantic, hounded by Nazi U-boats.

The movie follows a destroyer’s terrified young crew crossing the treacherous ocean beyond the range of air cover, bound together in life-and-death responsibility for protecting the fleet and each other.

“Those guys on the ship... all they can do is what’s expected of them, and hope for some combination of providence and serendipity to see them through,” said Hanks. 

“COVID-19, no one knows how long it’s going to go on, no one knows who’s going to die because of it... you don’t have to go very far to see the correlations and the similarities to the war years,” he told a virtual news conference.

Hanks should know. The “Saving Private Ryan” star and “Band of Brothers” producer in March became the first Hollywood A-lister to contract the deadly virus, which has killed around 130,000 in the United States as a fresh surge brings 50,000 new cases a day.

Contrasting today’s simple instructions to socially distance, wash hands and wear a mask with World War II sailors pulling together as torpedoes tore through the icy waters and slammed into ships’ hulls, Hanks sounds indignant.

“If anybody cannot find it in themselves to practice those three very basic things, I just think, shame on you,” he said.

“Don’t be a pussy. Get on with it, do your part. It’s very, very basic.”

‘A degree of hell’

Hanks, a self-described history buff, based his screenplay on C. S. Forester’s 1955 novel “The Good Shepherd”, in a seven-year process that began when he spotted a second-hand copy.

“They had the original cover on it, and it was of [Commander] Ernie Krause grey-haired, undone, exhausted, uniform flapping in the wind, ships sinking and burning on the horizon,” recalled Hanks.

“And I thought — that man is exhausted. That man has been through a degree of hell.”

Director Aaron Schneider constructed a set based on the USS Kidd, the only unmodified US World War II destroyer surviving today. 

For extra authenticity, some interior scenes were shot on the original ship — which survived a 1945 kamikaze attack — at a Louisiana museum.

The film itself is stuffed with military jargon, as Hanks’s captain bawls out orders.

“It feels like we’ve just placed you on a destroyer and let you loose,” said Schneider.

But with many US theatres closed due to coronavirus, Hanks admitted he was saddened that audiences will miss out on watching his passion project as a communal experience.

Producers decided delaying was not worthwhile, with dozens of other blockbusters already vying for theatre slots in winter and 2021, so Sony sold the movie as an Apple TV+ streaming exclusive.

“We are all heartbroken that this movie is not playing in cinemas,” said Hanks.

“But with that removed — I mean literally removed as a possibility — we were left with this as a reality. We have a movie that is ready to go, that is timely because of COVID-19,” he added.

“Just as Ernie Krause is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, wondering when, how, if he is going to survive and do his job, we are all in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis, which ends up being like five times bigger than we anticipated it being.

“And we don’t know when, how, if we’re going to get out of it, and who’s going to join us on the other side.”

The latest addition to the Hiroshima-based manufacturer’s Crossover SUV-heavy line-up, the Mazda CX-30 is a compact and convenient family vehicle that is strong on style and driving characteristics in what is an often humdrum segment of the modern automotive market. Created with subtly European flavours but a distinctly Japanese character, the CX-30 is Mazda’s second smallest crossover SUV and slots in between the CX-3 and CX-5 models, but forgoes the expected CX-4 moniker, as that is already occupied by a Chinese market model produced by Mazda in a joint venture with the FAW Group.

Dramatic demeanour

Designed with Mazda’s classy and contemporary “Kodo” design language, the Mazda CX-30 is characterised by its jutting fascia, lunging profile and athletically urgent sense of momentum. A dramatic design undoubtedly, the CX-30 seems to be in motion even when still and, like most modern Mazdas, has a distinctly sporting styling sensibility. However, the CX-30’s sportingly assertive style is fused with a smoothly flowing and wavy elegance in its lines, profile and surfacing, rather than taking the blunt, brash and overtly aggressive aesthetic approach to creating a dramatic intent and road presence.

Seemingly ready to sprint forward with its curt rear, high-set bulging rear lights and contrasting sharp-edged, shark-nosed front end with its deep-set lights, the CX-30’s front views are characterised by it huge concave grille and its textured diamond pattern. Slim, squinting and moody headlights meanwhile flank the grille and are browed by the CX-30’s jutting bonnet line, and underlined by chrome accents. Sporty and car-like in demeanour, the CX-30, however, features lower black cladding elements to lend it a chunkier SUV style, and to reduce the visual perception of body height.

Seamlessly linear

One of the more independently-minded and innovative car makers in engine technology, Mazda have in recent years been refining and honing the naturally-aspirated combustion engine. Named Skyactiv, Mazda’s engine technologies include high compression, direct injection, optimised gas flow, shortened combustion duration and piston cavities for improved efficiency and performance. Offering a more refined, smoother alternative that is more progressive, connected and responsive to precise driver input than either turbocharged or full hybrid alternatives, the CX-30 receives a 2-litre version of the 4-cylinder Skyactiv G engine, as driven in Jordan.

Mounted in front and driving the front wheels — as tested — through a slick shifting 6-speed automatic gearbox, the CX-30 develops 153BHP at 6,000rpm and 147lb/ft torque at 4,000rpm. Delivered with exacting throttle control and seamlessly smooth and linear accumulation, the CX-30’s driving characteristics are predictable and engaging, and allow one to dial in precise increments of power for a given situation or manoeuvre. Eager to rev and rewarding in engine character, the CX-30 can achieve 194km/h and is estimated to complete the 0-100km/h dash in around 10-seconds. Meanwhile, combined fuel consumption is estimated at 6.5l/100km.

Engaging abilities

Easily one of the best looking crossovers on the market, the Mazda CX-30’s power and performance do it justice in its segment as a compact and more affordable vehicle with convincing premium aspirations. And while we would certainly like to sample the more powerful CX-30 variants, the driven model’s progressive delivery and dynamic talents allow one to better explore and utilise its output. Featuring quick, precise electric-assisted steering the delivers good in-class road feel and tidy cornering turn-in, the CX-30 finds a fine line between cornering agility and adjustability, and commitment and confidence. 

Well controlling body lean and with more direct steering than some rivals, it is however the CX-30’s good throttle control and progressively silky power build up that allows one to get back on the power early to smoothly, confidently and briskly exit onto a straight. Willing to adjust weight to the outside and rear when asked, the CX-30 can also easily tighten a cornering line. Offered with optional four-wheel-drive, the CX-30, however, proved more fluent and predictable in front-wheel-drive guise, as tested, than some all-wheel-drive segment rivals with a heavy front-drive bias.

Classy quarters

With progressive power delivery and without its driven rear wheels coming into play through cornering manoeuvres to alter dynamics, the CX-30 is among the best handling crossovers in its class. Driving through switchbacks and winding hill climbs with flow and finesse, it is also stable, refined and reassuring on highway, settled on rebound and in vertical travel, and is manoeuvrable and easy to drive in town. Standard to the CX-30 are stability and traction control, electronic brake-force distribution and rear parking sensors, while front sensors and a reversing camera are optional. 

Though sharing no components, heritage or origin, and being of different eras, segments and price, the CX-30’s dramatic swooping style and adept dynamics were nevertheless reminiscent of a smaller Infiniti QX70, née FX. The CX-30’s premium aspirations are also pronounced inside, where it features a relaxed, comfortable, well-adjustable and involving driving position with classy fabric upholstery and easy to reach intuitive controls and stylish and uncluttered layouts. Comfortable if slightly firm riding, the CX-30’s cabin offers good space and practicality for young families, while materials and design have a subtly sporty and high quality look and feel.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 2-litre, transverse 4-cylinders

Bore x stroke: 83.5 x 91.2mm

Compression ratio: 10:1

Valve-train: 16-valve, DOHC, variable timing

Gearbox: 6-speed automatic, front-wheel-drive

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 153 (155) [114] @6,000rpm

Specific power: 76.5BHP/litre

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 147.5 (200) @4,000rpm

Specific torque: 100.1Nm/litre

0-100km/h: 10-seconds (estimate)

Top speed: 194km/h

Fuel consumption, combined: 6.5-litres/100km (estimate)

Fuel capacity: 51-litres

Length: 4,395mm

Width: 1,795mm

Height: 1,540mm

Wheelbase: 2,655mm

Tread: 1,565mm

Overhang, F/R: 915/825mm

Ground clearance: 175mm

Headroom, F/R: 967/973mm

Shoulder room, F/R: 1,412/1,361mm

Hip room, F/R: 1,388/1,352mm

Luggage volume, min/max: 430-/1,406-litres

Kerb weight: 1,466kg (estimate)

Suspension, F/R: MacPherson struts/torsion beam

Steering: Electric-assisted rack & pinion

Turning circle: 11.36-metres

Brakes, F/R: Ventilated discs/discs

Tyres: 215/55R18

Price, on-the-road: Starting from JD26,300

By Dr Tareq Rasheed International Consultant and Trainer

Worries, vague information, an unclear vision and threatened objectives ensue during crises and affect the decision-making process at the individual, organisational and country levels. Are you equipped with the right decision-making tools and strategies?

What is a crisis?

Any obstacle that affects achieving objectives is a problem and in most cases, several solutions can be applied. But when problems are neglected, they turn into risks and risk is an expected threat that may affect future achievements of goals. Risks need control procedures to deal with them. If risks are not controlled, then we end up with a crisis on our hands. Crisis management is then needed to control the crisis. One of the most important managerial procedures is decision making.

The life cycle of decisions

• Decision Making: This step is deciding what decision to make. Here, data, information and knowledge are needed to help reach the right decision. The problem that may affect this step is when the information is incorrect, incomplete or sometimes both, resulting in a wrong decision

• Decision Taking: The person in charge must take this step, which requires courage, speed and precision. Delaying this step in times of crisis will make its impact more critical

• Decision Implementation: Implementation is the key to control and manage the crisis. This step needs competent people who are provided with resources for implementation, such as materials, machines, money, technology and any needed logistics.

Tools for more effective decision making

Consider all factors: To ensure that correct and complete information is available, action needs to be taken to get the information from credible resources and experts. This tool is the most important one as the other tools will be effective once this is applied correctly.

Plus, minus and interesting: Decision-making requires us to ponder three main important issues: 

• Plus: What are the advantages of this decision in managing this crisis?

• Minus: What are the possible disadvantages of this decision? 

• Interesting: Are there interesting points to be considered in this decision?

If the impact of the advantages and interesting points exceed the disadvantages, the decision should be taken.

Consequences and sequel: Consider the consequences of the decision in the short, intermediate and long terms. Once the consequences on the long-term are positive and sustainable in impact, you can act on the decision.

First important priorities: It’s important to assess the situation in crisis to focus on the situations that have the highest level of priority.

Alternatives, possibilities and choices: Discuss several alternatives to manage the crisis, study the possibilities of success in implementing the different alternatives, then make the best choices, which should satisfy the following criteria:

• Lower strategic cost

• Quick in time of implementation

• Best quality of outputs

• Sustainable impacts

• Availability of resources to implement

• Ease of implementation 

Aims, goals and objectives: Aims provide a sense of direction and serve as guiding principles. Aims become goals when they become more specific. Objectives are more precise than goals and are stated in observable and measurable terms.

Others’ point of view: Before taking the final decision, consider the impact of the decision on all those affected by the decision so as not to manage the crisis from one perspective and neglecting the viewpoints of others who are affected.

Once you manage a crisis effectively, then it’s time to review and document for future similar crises. 

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

This Is What American Looks Like: My Journey from Refugee to Congresswoman

Ilhan Omar with Rebecca Paley

London: Hurst & Co., 2020

Pp. 275

Recently, the US House of Representatives has taken on a livelier, diverse face, largely due to the election of four young congresswomen of colour pushing a progressive, inclusive, pro-people agenda. They quickly elicited the ire of Donald Trump, who suggested that they go back to their own countries. The irony was that three of them were born in the US. “This Is What America Looks Like” is the memoir of the only one born overseas: Ilhan Omar, a naturalised US citizen, was born in Somalia and came to the US at the age of twelve. In this book she recounts her childhood in Mogadishu, four years in a refugee camp in Kenya after her family fled civil war, immigration to the US, her struggle to get a higher education, her involvement in community organising, then city politics in Minneapolis, state politics in Minnesota, and finally, her 2018 election as the first Somali American Muslim woman in the US Congress. 

Omar’s life has been tumultuous and sometimes harsh and heartbreaking, but she doesn’t plead for sympathy. Just as interesting as the eventful journey she traces is the development of her philosophy of life, which drove her into political action. It started when she was in primary school in Mogadishu, and learned to stand up for herself and fight if necessary. From an early age, she had zero tolerance for unfairness and bullying, and often came home from school with scratches from having stood up for herself or a weaker student. Later in Arlington, Virginia, she would fight in school again to preserve her dignity. The word, feisty, comes to mind, and she honed this quality as an adult, enabling her to withstand many attacks, whether from racist and Islamophobic figures or conservatives in her own community.

From her experience in the refugee camp, Omar developed empathy for human suffering and adopted her optimistic view on life: “Although we witnessed the worst of human nature… we also witnessed the best of it. The greatest lesson I came away with from my time in the refugee camp is that your today doesn’t get to determine your tomorrow.” (p. 48)

Although Omar’s mother died when she was very young, she never lacked for care at home. Growing up in an extended family, she had the special love and guidance of her father and grandfather, both of whom believed that boys and girls should be treated equally and avoided being authoritarian. “We were unlike a traditional hierarchical Somali family, where when the father or mother spoke no one else dared utter a word. Instead, everyone, even the youngest child, me, was brought into every decision.” (p. 9)

It may seem surprising that Omar thus had her earliest training in democracy — the cause she espouses so eloquently — in her Somali home, and later when her father took her to political caucuses in Minneapolis.

Twelve-year-old Omar’s first impressions of America were crucial. Arriving in New York, she was shocked to see piles of trash and desolate homeless people such as she had never seen in Somalia. Yet, again, seeing the negative served as a call to action: “I was looking for an escape from devastation into something wonderful… we had sacrificed and invested so much in this journey that I couldn’t accept inequality and suffering upon arrival — just a different kind. I was — and still am — in search of America as that more perfect place.” (pp. 66-67)

When she and her father relocated to Minnesota, the state which has the largest concentration of Somalis in the US, Omar finally had the chance to replace fighting with constructive engagement. In a very diverse, but dysfunctional high school in Minneapolis, she joined with other students to improve the racial and cultural relations among different groups, founding a coalition called Unity in Diversity, which succeeded.

Omar is very frank about her personal life — her difficulties as a teenager, a young mother, her marriages and personal crises. She is equally persuasive about her political commitment, which began while teaching a nutrition class to new immigrants and realising that none of them had the means to implement the healthy choices she was advocating. This led her into public policy and the issues she has continued to champion ever since — equal access to education, employment, healthcare, nutrition, voting, as well as fighting for income equality, criminal justice reform, environmental protection and support for new Americans. She succeeded in being elected to office by virtue of incredibly hard work, coalition-building and detailed knowledge of the issues involved. Whether running locally or nationally, her political strategy has been based on face-to-face encounters and knowing the details of her constituents’ lives. Her presence in the US Congress became a counternarrative to the message of hate broadcast by Trump and his policies. 

The sparkling prose and energy in this book are contagious. One learns a lot about Somali culture — not the folkloric kind, but how families and communities function. Omar also compellingly explains what her Muslim faith and wearing the hijab mean to her. In the last chapter she outlines her vision for America and how to get there. This book will upend your perceptions of Somalia and America.

In this era of social distancing and depressing news, we could all do with a good hug. Now scientists have analysed what makes the perfect cuddle — just don’t squeeze too tight. 

A team from Japan’s Toho University measured the calming effect on infants of hugs of different pressures, and when given by strangers compared to from parents.

By monitoring heart rates for the infant and using pressure sensors on the adult’s hand, the researchers assessed the baby’s reaction to just being held, a hug with medium pressure, and what they called a “tight hug”.

According to the results, published in the journal Cell, babies were soothed more by a medium-pressure hug than just being held but the calming effect decreased during a “tight” hug.

The study researchers kept the length of the hug to 20 seconds as “it was almost impossible to avoid infant’s bad mood during a one-minute or longer hold or hug”, they admitted in their paper.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, for infants older than 125 days, the calming effect was greater when receiving a hug from a parent than from a female stranger.

So, the perfect hug is considered to be medium pressure from a parent, the scientists believe.

The infants are not the only ones who feel the benefits of a comforting hug, the research showed.

Parents also exhibited significant signs of calmness while hugging their child.

It is known that a hormone called oxytocin, sometimes known as the “love hormone”, is released during close physical contact but the researchers said the time period of their hug experiment was too short for this to play a role.

The scientists believe their research is the first time the physiological impact of hugging infants has been measured and say their work should advance knowledge of parent-child bonding and child psychology.

There could also be an application in the early detection of autism, Hiromasa Funato, one of the researchers on the team, told AFP.

The research centres on the various sensory inputs received during a hug — this is what alters the heart rate, explained Funato.

“Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties in sensory integration and social recognition,” he said.

“Therefore, our simple hug experiment might be utilised in the early screening of the autonomic function [that regulates unconscious bodily processes], sensory integration, and development of social recognition in infants with high familial risk for ASD,” concluded the scientist.

As if it was not enough running Gmail and YouTube, two of the most significant and influential heavyweight products of the IT online scene, not to mention the ubiquitous Google search engine and Android, the operating system that dominates the mobile world with a massive 85 per cent market share, Google would love now to supplant MS Office, Microsoft’s pride and spearhead for a long time, and the true pioneer of all “office suites” as we know them.

Actually Google may have already achieved that. According to an update from last April by Shanhong Liu from statista.com: “The office suite market in the United States is split between Google’s G Suite and Microsoft’s Office 365, with G Suite being the market leader holding a share of 56.97 per cent and Office 365 occupying 42.63 per cent.” These figures are also confirmed as the world market shares as well, by datanyze.com, give or take a half per cent.

Why would people go for G Suite, Google’s answer to MS-Office, when it was Microsoft that started it all? Especially that Microsoft had taken a smart move nine years ago, almost to the day, when it introduced Office 365, its online version of MS-Office, realising at a rather early stage that sooner or later everything would go online. Moreover, MS Word and MS Excel are standards by which everything else is measured. Excel, in particular, is a kind of “undisputed world authority” when it comes to numbers and tables!

Putting details and accurate comparisons aside, the two products, G Suite and Office 365, have the same functionality and serve the same purpose, in the broad lines. They also both work based on online subscription and they both have a free though somewhat limited version. Cloud storage is another common point, with One Drive for Microsoft and Drive for Google.

They have online collaboration capability, but “as soon as the volume of collaboration-related content rises, they will have to switch to SharePoint” notes scnsoft.com when talking about Office 365.

Online collaboration may well be the key point here, perhaps along with Gmail, Google’s winning and globally adopted email messenger. It is now far ahead of Microsoft’s Hotmail, with more than five times the share size. Collaboration has been in Google’s blueprints from the beginning, which maybe explains the tremendous success of the company’s G Suite.

When you get a paid Gmail (or Pro) subscription, another interesting feature is that you can have an email address created such as for example [email protected] instead of [email protected], where “mydomain” is a domain name you own. This makes for a better business image, and a higher level of personalisation in your communication.

A smooth and efficient shared calendar is another strong point in favour or the G Suite. Naturally Office 365 also has a shared calendar (Outlook Web App) but is seems that the one in Google’s Suite is more streamlined and is highly appreciated by the users.

For now the days of Office 365 are anything but numbered. It is still a very popular Office Suite, one that has a huge fan base. Its Excel module is a reference spreadsheet software that has seen countless users write VBA code for it and who have customise it to become even more powerful and friendlier to use.

But again, the world is going towards more online collaboration, more practical use and an as perfect as possible and seamless integration of e-mail with calendars, word processing and spreadsheets. G Suite may just be a winner in this very league.

PARIS — The South Pole has warmed three times faster than the rest of the planet in the last 30 years due to warmer tropical ocean temperatures, new research showed on Monday.

Antarctica’s temperature varies widely according to season and region, and for years it had been thought that the South Pole had stayed cool even as the continent heated up. 

Researchers in New Zealand, Britain and the United States analysed 60 years of weather station data and used computer modelling to show what was causing the accelerated warming.

They found that warmer ocean temperatures in the western Pacific had over the decades lowered atmospheric pressure over the Weddell Sea in the southern Atlantic. 

This in turn had increased the flow of warm air directly over the South Pole — warming it by more than 1.83oC since 1989. 

Authors of the research said the natural warming trend was likely boosted by manmade greenhouse gas emissions and could be masking the heating effect of carbon pollution over the South Pole.

“While temperatures were known to be warming across West Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula during the 20th century, the South Pole was cooling,” said Kyle Clem, a researcher at Victoria University of Wellington, and lead study author.

“It was suspected that this part of Antarctica... might be immune to/isolated from warming. We found this is not the case any more,” he told AFP.

The data showed that the South Pole — the most remote spot on Earth — was now warming at a rate of around 0.6oC a decade, compared with around 0.2oC for the rest of the planet.

The authors of the study, published in the Nature Climate Change journal, attributed the change to a phenomenon known as the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO). 

The IPO cycle lasts roughly 15-30 years, and alternates between a “positive” state — in which the tropical Pacific is hotter and the northern Pacific is colder than average — and a “negative” state where the temperature anomaly is reversed.

The IPO flipped to a negative cycle at the start of the century, driving greater convection and more pressure extremes at high latitudes, leading to a strong flow of warmer air right over the South Pole.

Clem said that the 1.83oC level of warming exceeded 99.99 per cent of all modelled 30-year warming trends.

“While the warming was just within the natural variability of climate models, it was highly likely human activity had contributed,” he said.

As it was inevitable that Britain’s ultra-luxury auto manufacturers would eventually branch out and enter the ever-burgeoning SUV market in the form of the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls Royce Cullinan, it was equally inevitable that a high performance variant would follow. 

First to launch into what is effectively a two-vehicle segment, and with a wider range of variants, the Bentley Bentayga was also first to spawn a high performance Speed version. Launched last year, the Bentayga Speed’s mission is not a complicated one but is one that it well fulfils.

Confident character

Designed and engineered for opulent luxury, comfort and refinement along with effortlessly effective high performance, the Bentayga Speed accomplishes both with excellence, but also adds in far better driving dynamic abilities than could be expected. Built on the same basic platform as its broader Volkswagen group Lamborghini Urus cousin, the Bentayga Speed may also share some basic underlying characteristics and makes a similar claim to be the world’s fastest SUV, but is an entirely different sort of beast with different priorities, traits and primary characteristics placing continent-shrinking speed and comfort at the forefront.

Something of a controversial design when launched — as was its chief Cullinan rival — the Bentayga’s design is a quickly acquired taste, especially when combined with bold and rich colours rather than bland basics. With muscular well-defined bodywork and surfacing, and an upright and confident stance, the Bentayga translates Bentley’s now trademark wire mesh grill and big inner headlight, small outer running light combo quite well for SUV service. In Bentayga Speed guise, it strikes a more potent look with huge 22-inch alloy wheels, discreet signatures, body coloured lower bodywork and dark tinted grille mesh.

Smooth brute

Powered by an enormous twin-turbocharged 6-litre 12-cylinder engine packaged in a comparatively compact W-formation with four cylinder banks — akin to two V6 engines side-by-side — the Bentley Bentayga Speed comes with a 27BHP power hike over the regular Bentayga W12 version. Developing an immense 626BHP at 6,000rpm and a mighty 664lb/ft torque throughout a broad and seemingly ever-accessible 1,350-4,500rpm band, the Bentayga Speed serves up effortlessly brutal performance, delivered with silky smooth refinement and ever-present flexibility aided by a slick-shifting 8-speed automatic gearbox to best exploit the W12 engine’s talents over a broad range of ratios.

Responsive from standstill and with little by way of turbo lag, the Bentayga Speed digs all driven four wheels and launches with avalanche-like momentum, allowing it to dispatch the 0-100km/h benchmark in just 3.9-seconds despite a significant near 2.5-tonne mass. Falling just short of the lighter Lamborghini Urus in acceleration, the taller and heavier Bentayga Speed however achieves a slightly higher top speed at 306km/h, with its indefatigably forceful and under-stressed engine. Billed as the world’s fastest SUV, the Bentayga Speed has meanwhile set a production SUV record on the Pike’s Peak hill climb.

Unexpectedly eager

Hushed and supple on the road, the Bentayga Speed is a natural high-speed cruiser that is hugely reassuring, stable and confident eating up long distances. Its ride is forgiving and comfortable despite low profile 285/40R22 tyres, owing to its combination of air sprung double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension.

This is coupled with sublime active electro-mechanical anti-roll bars, powered by a mild hybrid energy recovering 48V system. Seemingly gliding over tarmac in Comfort driving mode, the Bentayga Speed’s active suspension systems read the road for more pliancy over imperfections and tauter body control through corners.

Forgiving yet settled on rebound, the Bentayga Speed’s driving characteristics can, however, be sharpened for a more focused and tighter, more buttoned down feel in Sport mode. Unexpectedly eager and tidy in sport mode, the Bentayga Speed turns in with commitment and direct, grippy response, despite its huge front-mounted engine and slight front-biased weighting. Happy to be chucked through corners, the Bentayga Speed may lean more than an Urus, but feels far more nimble and agile that an ultra-luxury SUV of this size and weight should, as its centre Torsen differential and rear electronic differential distribute power where necessary.

Opulent appointment

Though it delivers vice-like road-holding and grip courtesy of its intelligent four-wheel-drive system, the Bentayga Speed nonetheless feels adjustable and eager through corners, happy to shift weight to the outside to tighten a cornering line, and to be driven not too unlike a much smaller and lighter hot hatch. Inside, a highly adjustable driving position with good support and comfort, provides a commanding road view and a feeling of being at the centre of the action through winding roads. Meanwhile, optional carbon ceramic brakes can withstand temperatures of up to 1,000°C and provide resilient fade-resistance and stopping power.

Manoeuvrable and easy to park for such big brute, with its light steering, tight turning circle and various cameras, sensors, driver assistance and safety systems, the Bentayga also proves to be a practical daily drive luxury machine. Spacious inside for driver, passengers and with plenty of luggage room, the Bentayga Speed is offered in 4-, 5- and 7-seat configurations. Brimming with high tech convenience, safety and infotainment features, the Bentayga Speed’s cabin is flush with high quality leathers, woods, metals, Alcantara and carbon-fibre, depending on specification, for a highly refined and opulently indulgent ambiance with a sporting flair. 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 6-litre, twin-turbo, in-line W12-cylinders

Bore x stroke: 84 x 89.5mm

Valve-train: 48-valve, DOHC

Gearbox: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive, centre Torsen differential

Ratios: 1st 4.71; 2nd 3.14; 3rd 2.1; 4th 1.67; 5th 1.29; 6th 1.0; 7th 0.839; 8th 0.667

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 626 (635) [467] @6,000rpm

Specific power: 105.2BHP/litre

Power -to-weight ratio: 252.1BHP/tonne

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 664 (900) @1,350-4,500rpm

Specific torque: 151.2Nm/litre

Torque-to-weight ratio: 362.4Nm/tonne

0-100km/h: 3.9-seconds

Top speed: 306km/h

Fuel economy, combined: 14-litres/100km

CO2 emissions, combined: 335g/km

Fuel capacity: 85-litres

Length: 5,140mm

Width: 1,998mm

Height: 1,722mm

Wheelbase: 2,995mm

Headroom, F/R: 1,023/965mm

Legroom, F/R: 1,058/1,039mm

Boot capacity: 484-litres

Kerb weight: 2483kg

Weight distribution, F/R: 57.5/42.5 per cent

Suspension, F/R: Double wishbones / multi-link, adaptive air suspension, 48V active anti-roll bars

Steering: Electric-assisted variable ratio four-wheel steering

Brake: Ventilated discs, optional carbon ceramic

Tyres: 285/40R22

Since the coronavirus outbreak in March this year, online distance learning has become the cornerstone of education in Jordan. How well have students, parents and educators coped and adapted? Al Marji’ Publications recently convened a virtual panel discussion to find out. You can visit Al Marji’ Publications’ YouTube channel to view the webinar.

Meet our panelists

Educator: Haifa Najjar — senator and superintendent of two private schools in Amman. Najjar is also head of the Technical Committee of the Queen Rania Award for Excellence in Education, a member of the Senate’s Education Committee, a member of the National Committee of the Higher Council for Curriculum Development and elected member of the European Council of International Schools.

Educator: Dina Halaseh — educational psychologist and specialist in the field of brain development and training.

Parent: Sawsan Dalaq — director of The Children’s Museum Jordan, member of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) at a private school and mother of two.

Parent: Dina Halaseh — educational Psychologist and specialist in the field of brain development and training. 

Parent: Ra’ad Jumean — design Strategist, managing director of an interior design firm and father of two. Parent: Rawan Nazer — pharmacist and mother of three.

Students: Laith Abu Rub (11th grader),  Hala Shahatit (7th grader)  and Mazen Saleh (9th grader). 

What students 

are saying

Ninth grader Saleh enjoys waking up later and working on a laptop from the comfort of his bed or on the sofa instead of being in a classroom. “I feel as though I can learn the material at my own pace and on my own time, with breaks when I need them,” he explains. But he admits to missing his friends, teachers and extracurricular activities and says educators have not been mindful of cyberbullying. 

For 7th grader Shahatit, distance learning has meant new opportunities that she doesn’t get in a traditional classroom. The chat box on her online learning platform allows her and everyone in the class to ask and answer questions. She also benefits from teachers recording lessons. “When I don’t understand something, I can go back to the recording to better prepare myself for the next class,” she says. 

Eleventh grader Abu Rub also appreciates recorded classes. As a student applying to universities, he believes the COVID-19 era of education will make test scores less important and that he will need to put more effort this coming academic year into his extracurricular activities, essays and interviews.

Students recount other challenges, such as increased workload with distance learning, getting easily distracted as well as difficulty in staying motivated. As peer-to-peer interaction is also a pivotal part of education, for our student panellists, it feels like it falls short in their distance learning. Even for those who use Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet, students are often muted or their cameras are off. Thought-provoking discussions don’t happen online like they do at a physical school, the students agreed.

The experience of younger children

Online learning is not an ideal medium, for younger children in particular, notes Najjar. Most primary-aged students had no previous experience with online learning tools before COVID-19 and parents are struggling to keep their children focused on schoolwork. Jumean, a father of two, points out that it is hard to convince his seven-year-old that he is not on an extended vacation. Everybody needs built-in breaks, which include fresh air and physical activity, adds Halaseh. Najjar also stresses that for younger children, learning through play is still crucial.

As these times are confusing and stressful for both children and adults, Jumean has found that his child, as well as himself and his working spouse, cannot realistically commit continuously to set routines. Najjar says it’s reasonable to feel frustration and uncertainty as fathers and mothers are thrust into the parent-teacher role. Everyone, from students to parents and teachers, is on a learning journey together, she adds.

Challenges and benefits for parents

Whether they have children in elementary or high school, our parent panellists share many of the same pains: establishing a daily routine, keeping their children focused on schoolwork, balancing household responsibilities and teaching, balancing working from home and teaching or supervising their children’s learning as well as reducing anxiety due to real-world concerns about the virus. 

Nazer, who lives in Dubai, describes the difficulty of managing different aged children in a remote learning environment. When she found herself unable to go back to Dubai after a trip to Amman, due to the lockdown, she had to secure “a computer device for each child, ensure Internet connection was strong and create a learning environment with minimal distractions”.

In this context, Najjar points out, “Many parents have children of different ages, each with their own learning needs.” Education, whatever its form, needs to be flexible in its ability to cater to individual student needs and accommodate individual learning styles, she adds. 

However, as Halaseh points out, “not all schools managed to accommodate for exceptional students, special needs and gifted students”.

Yet, parents also acknowledge how distance education can help better understand their children’s learning abilities, styles and preferences. Nazer and Dalaq benefited from seeing firsthand how their children manage school and engage with their learning.

Well-being and connection

Halaseh sees the added stress that distance education places on everyone, affecting the mental and physical health of students, parents and teachers. “Human beings are not made for lengthy isolation. Online learning, for the most part, lacks peer interaction and knowledge sharing,” she adds.

Dalaq recognises the importance of the human element when her daughter asked about “why some teachers keep their camera turned off”. Dalaq says that while the entire school community has worked hard to make the transition to distance learning smoother, “we need to be more prepared for the non-academic side”. Panellists agree that students need a sense of being cared about by their teachers and this feeling can dramatically improve their motivation to learn. 

The people who most want to return to school may not be only the students but also the teachers. Najjar explains that teaching online can be more challenging than most people would imagine, and can lead to high levels of stress. Teachers struggle with feeling anxious and overwhelmed. They divide their time between supporting their children and teaching their students, putting in longer hours than usual for distance education. Whatever the platform, the delivery of instruction is challenging, especially as many teachers try to keep up with the pace of the in-school curriculum. 

Beyond academics

Going to school is not only about learning core subjects, but also about social relationships, peer-to-peer interactions and learning to be a global citizen, panellists stress. “Students are curious and they should be able to feed their curiosity by exploring and interacting with the world outside the walls of their homes,” says Najjar. 

“A teacher helps to ignite students’ dreams, unleash their potential and nurture critical thinking, communication skills, teamwork and human caring,” Najjar concludes. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has been destructive and disruptive in so many ways for billions of people, but it has also equipped students, parents and teachers for future learning and communication. As everyone hopes to see a return to schools in August or September, one thing is sure: there’s a growing appreciation from students and parents for what teachers do in the classroom year-round. Teachers deserve recognition and gratitude more than ever.

Tips from Halaseh

Here are ways parents may support their children’s transition back to school after a long period of distance learning: 

•Creating a routine and schedule: Jointly set a fixed time for everything, even playing, reading, eating, waking up and sleeping. Children need a daily routine and schedule to thrive

•Work on creating a growth mindset: This requires instilling in your children the ability to focus on the process and not just the result. Children should not fear mistakes; instead they should want to learn and discover 

•Avoiding comparisons: Don’t stress the knowledge gap between your child and another. This extra stress will only reflect negatively on you and your family. 

•Focusing on a healthy brain and lifestyle: Healthy eating, exercising, sleeping and brain training are important areas to focus on! Don’t forget, no extra sugar or caffeine!

•Modelling what you want your kids to do: Children tend to copy what parents do, so check your own behaviours and stress level and see what you need to work on 

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine