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    Former Holland star jailed for seven years as he’s found guilty of being behind plot to smuggle over a TON of cocaine

    FORMER Holland star David Mendes da Silva has been jailed for seven years for his involvement in a cocaine trafficking plot. Mendes da Silva, 40, was sentenced by a court in Rotterdam for importing two batches of cocaine weighing 74 and 105 kilos.
    David Mendes da Silva has been jailed for seven yearsCredit: Getty
    Mendes da Silva played for the Dutch national team on seven ocassionsCredit: Getty
    He was then found guilty of preparing the import of another 1300 kilos of cocaine but was acquitted on suspicion of aiding and abetting the import.
    In addition to aiding the importation of drugs, he was found guilty of selling them.
    Mendes da Silva was also found to have bribed a shipping employee.
    The court heard he paid the worker 100,000 euros (£86,000) – while he received 50,000 euros (£43,000) – to report to the location of the container of drugs.
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    He was altogether found guilty on two counts of bribery and the selling and importing of cocaine, having been arrested last August.
    During his time as a player, Mendes da Silva played for the likes of Sparta Rotterdam, AZ Alkmaar and RB Salzburg.
    He won five trophies including the Eredivisie at AZ and the Greek Cup at Panathinaikos.
    The defensive midfielder’s international career in the Holland national team spanned just two years between 2007 and 2009.
    Most read in Football
    In that time he won seven caps for the Oranje.
    Mendes da Silva hung up his playing boots in 2017 after making just nine appearances for Rotterdam after returning to the club. More

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    I was a drug addict – now I’m a tattoo artist and charge celebs £3,000 per inking…how I turned my life around

    A DRUG addict who turned his life around now makes up to £3,000 per inking from celebrity clients – here’s how he did it.Dan Rossetter, from Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex had delved so deeply into the crippling world of addiction, he knew he’d end up dead or in prison if he didn’t stop.
    The 40-year-old travels up to 600 miles away to tattoo celebrity clientsCredit: mediadrumimages
    At the age of 30 he had reached a breaking point after dealing with years of painful trauma from being sexually abused throughout his childhood.
    Battling with PTSD, Dan soon lost his job as a BOC gasman – but tried to find some sense of justice in 2013.
    He bravely spoke out about what had been done to him from the age of six to 11, and three years later the survivor saw his abuser sentenced to 13 years in jail.
    However, this did not put an end to Dan’s addiction, and by March 2019 he knew it would either kill him or land him in prison.

    Dan, 40, who now lives in London, told MediaDrumWorld: “My addiction was getting worse, I got to the point where my mental health was deteriorating rapidly and I was feeling very suicidal.
    “With a lot of hard work and help from some very good lifestyle coaches I managed to get myself clean and sober and then my obsession became work and being the best version of myself.”
    Now four years sober, Dan travels to tattoo pro-footballer clients who live up to 600 miles away, and has amassed nearly 200,000 TikTok followers.
    “I’ve tattooed the most footballers out of any other tattoo artist in the world; I’ve documented a lot of this on TikTok which then blew up so my demand for general public clients has also increased massively,” Dan explained.
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    “I have clients travelling from all over the UK and also from abroad.
    “Recently I flew over to Spain to tattoo Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard, he wanted a scroll with his five kids’ names in it.”
    The TikTok sensation recounted his biggest work of art was for Chelsea Football Club’s Victor Moses.
    It took the talented artist more than eight hours to complete the black and grey tiger back tattoo.
    HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
    Dan is not new to the industry and kick started his career back in 2010.
    He opened a studio in Gatwick but struggled to manage the business for five years, amid his declining mental health.
    “We made the decision to close the doors in 2015 I partnered up with my business partner Ahmed Alsanawi, AKA A Star Barber,” the tattoo artist said.
    “He is one of the biggest barbers in the world for haircuts for celebrities.
    “I have now been in the game for the last 13 years so I’ve gained a lot of snowball effect returning clients that had kept me busy over the years but what I am most recognised for is tattooing professional footballers.”
    He said clients can fork out anything ranging from £700 to £3,000 depending on the session.
    In his bid to stay at the top of his game, the dedicated artist puts in 12-hour shifts busy days.
    ‘SACRIFICES’
    Despite Dan’s gratitude for the success and fortune he’s found in his dream career – it does come at a cost.
    Being on the road and heavy shift hours has seen the TikTok star “burning out mentally and physically” at times.
    Although he has come a long way since turning his life around in 2019, Dan admitted he does still “struggle” to manage the “demanding” business.
    “Also my neck and back has taken a big hit which to this day still causes me a lot of problems,” he added.
    I’ve tattooed the most footballers out of any other tattoo artist in the world.”Dan Rossetta
    However, none of this keeps Dan away from his studio.
    He said: “But I get to have fun at work too, I have a great memory of when I let four Chelsea players tattoo random things on my leg from a emoji poop to a disabled badge, also the Adidas logo is on there.
    “It was a funny afternoon.”
    KEY TO SUCCESS
    After a difficult start to his career journey, Dan wants to educate other people who want to join him.
    One piece of golden advice he offered was to find ways of expanding your portfolio.
    He said: “Create yourself a portfolio of your artwork and keep knocking at the doors of local studios.
    “Become a pest and keep asking until you get an opportunity.”
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    The 40-year-old reminded young artists to stay “relentless” despite it being such a hard industry to break into.
    “If you want it enough you will get your opportunity,” said Dan.
    Dan worked as a BOC gasman before falling into addiction and struggle with his mental healthCredit: mediadrumimages
    He is now four years sober and working in the top circles within the industryCredit: mediadrumimages
    The tattoo artist pictures with Arsenal’s Emile Smith RoweCredit: mediadrumimages More

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    Brave Dele Alli pictured in Everton training for first time since heartbreaking interview about abuse and pill addiction

    DELE ALLI has returned to Everton training for the first time since his brave tell-all interview.The England midfielder, 27, revealed his sleeping pill addiction and says a huge number of players are suffering with the issue.
    Dele Alli has retuned to training with Everton during pre-seasonCredit: Getty
    Dele returned to training for the first time after his powerful interviewCredit: Getty
    He made the admission in a hard-hitting interview with Gary Neville in which he also revealed he was sexually abused as a child.
    The star, who spent part of last season on loan at Besiktas, also opened up on his difficult childhood during which he sold drugs at eight and was hung off a bridge at 11.
    Today Dele was pictured working with Toffees staff in Evian, France as he takes his first steps to returning to the game.
    With Dele watching on, Sean Dyche’s men began their pre-season  with a 2-1 win over Stade Nyonnais.
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    A leading sleep expert agrees with the Everton ace that the addiction to prescription drugs is ‘rife’ in English football.
    James Wilson, who has worked with several sides in England, said: “You hear stories from players and staff that say: ‘You should go and work with this club because every first-team player is taking sleeping pills every night.
    “They are not generally good for your sleep and they are not good for recovery so that is why they are not a good idea in football.
    “The fact they are addictive is the cherry on the cake. The use is rife in football because the job itself contributes to poor sleep.
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    “They can be addictive but also the sleeping tablet doesn’t give you sleep, it knocks you out. Sleeping pills impact on REM sleep.
    “Without that  REM sleep, the sleeping pill without him knowing will have contributed to him not being able to deal with the mental health issues that he was living with.”
    Wilson does not blame club doctors for prescribing sleeping pills but has urged further training and education to ensure a severe change  in the attitude towards them.
    He added: “We need to be educating players younger about sleep and we need to support players around their mental health.
    “Often poor sleep can be caused by things going on in the players’ lives.
    “We are not great at supporting men’s feelings. There needs to be more done there.
    Dele opened up about his battle with a sleeping pill addictionCredit: Getty
    Dele also revealed he suffered abuse when he was a childCredit: Getty
    “There needs to be better-trained staff. It is more about nutritionists, physios or sports therapists having a better understanding of sleep so they can advise better.
    “There also needs to be a cultural change. If senior and successful players are taking them then younger players look up to them and it becomes a myth.
    “The problem in football is we approach sleep like we approach training: ‘The harder I try the better I get. If I put X, Y, Z in, I’ll get X, Y, Z out’ but sleep is not like that.”
    Former Oxford United psychotherapist Gary Bloom added: “Football clubs are only just waking up to the realisation that when people have off-field issues, these inevitably end up on the field.
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    “More clubs should be employing psychotherapists who are able to mix and  mingle freely with players and warn them of the consequences if they don’t clean up their personal problems.”
    If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123. More

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    I was selling drugs aged 8 and was hung off a bridge on estate, says England star Dele Alli

    ENGLAND star Dele Alli has revealed how he sold drugs aged eight as he opened up about his traumatic childhood.The midfielder, 27, told how he was hung off a bridge as a kid by an adult as his life spiralled.
    Dele Alli has revealed he began selling drugs aged just eightCredit: YouTube
    Alli revealed the bombshell in an emotional interview on The Overlap with Gary Neville.
    The Everton star said: “At seven I started smoking and then at eight I started selling drugs. 
    “An older person told me they wouldn’t stop a kid on a bike so I’d ride around with my football and underneath I’d have drugs.
    “At 11 I was hung off a bridge… by a guy from the next estate. A man.”
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    Ex-Spurs star Alli wiped back tears as he told how he was sexually abused by his mum’s friend when he was just six.
    But he explained how his life turned around when he was adopted by an “amazing” family aged 12.
    Alli gushed as he revealed how he “couldn’t have asked for better people to do what they done for me”.
    The footballer added: “If God created people it was them – they were amazing and have helped me a lot.
    Most read in Football
    “When I was living with them it was hard for me to open up to them because I felt like it was easy for them to get rid of me.”
    But he found himself on a downward spiral again after returning to England from Turkey, where he was on loan at Besiktas.
    Alli said he was excessively drinking and consuming sleeping pills.
    In a desperate bid to get himself back on the straight and narrow, he checked himself into a rehab facility.
    He explained: “When I came back from Turkey I found out I needed an operation I was in a bad place mentally and I decided to go to a modern day rehab facility for mental health.
    “They deal with addiction and trauma. I felt it was time for me.
    “You can’t be told to go there – you have to know and make the decision yourself or it’s not going to work.
    “I was caught in a bad cycle and things that were doing me harm.”
    The star also revealed he considered retiring aged 24 after a spectacular fall-out with then-coach Jose Mourinho.
    Alli has been flooded with support following the interview, including from his girlfriend Cindy Kimberly.
    She tweeted: “Proud of you.”
    James Maddison, who recently signed to Spurs, also shared his support for Alli.
    He posted a still from the interview on his Instagram stories, writing “Love you brother” followed by a heart emoji.
    Ryan Sessegnon, who played alongside Alli during his time at Tottenham, said: “Love you brother. Proud”
    Read More on The Sun
    Spurs captain and England teammate Harry Kane liked the post along with Declan Rice and Kieran Trippier.
    While Kyle Walker-Peters wrote: “So proud of you bro, love you.”
    The star opened up in an interview with Gary Neville
    Alli told how his life turned around when he was adoptedCredit: PA More

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    England star Dele Alli reveals he was ‘sexually abused when he was six by friend of his mum’

    DELE Alli has revealed he was sexually abused by a friend of his mum as a child.The England international made the shock revelation in a bombshell interview after returning to Everton in April.
    Dele Alli revealed he was molested by a friend of his mother at the age of six
    The star also admitted he later struggled with addictionCredit: Peter Tarry – The Sunday Times
    Gary Neville comforted Dele Alli during the emotional chat
    During an appearance on The Overlap with Gary Neville, he revealed he recently spent time in rehab for sleeping pill addiction.
    And opened up about his traumatic experiences as a child.
    He said: “When I was six I was molested by mum’s friend… because my mum was an alcoholic.
    “That happened at six.”
    The Everton star became very emotional and was seen wiping back tears as he opened up about his trauma.
    He continued: “And then I was sent to Africa to learn discipline and then I was sent back.
    “At seven I started smoking and then at eight I started selling drugs. 
    “An older person told me they wouldn’t stop a kid on a bike so I’d ride around with my football and underneath I’d have drugs.
    Most read in Football
    “At 11 I was hung off a bridge… by a guy from the next estate. A man.
    “By 12 I was adopted but from then it was like I was adopted by an amazing family.
    “I couldn’t have asked for better people to do what they done for me.
    “If God created people it was them – they were amazing and have helped me a lot.
    “When I was living with them it was hard for me to open up to them because I felt like it was easy for them to get rid of me.”
    It comes as Alli, 27, found himself on a downward spiral after returning to England from Turkey, excessively drinking and consuming sleeping pills.
    And in a desperate bid to get himself back on the straight and narrow, he checked himself into a rehab facility.
    He explained: “When I came back from Turkey I found out I needed an operation I was in a bad place mentally and I decided to go to a modern day rehab facility for mental health.
    “They deal with addiction and trauma. I felt it was time for me.
    “You can’t be told to go there – you have to know and make the decision yourself or it’s not going to work.
    “I was caught in a bad cycle and things that were doing me harm.”
    And he admits he contemplated hanging up his boots three years ago at the age of 24.
    The former Tottenham man said: “One morning I woke up and I had to go training.
    “I remember staring in the mirror and I was asking if I could retire now. At 24. Doing the thing I love.
    “For me that was heartbreaking.”
    He added: ‘It’s always been me against myself in everything.
    “I was winning the fight, showing I was happy. But inside, I was losing the battle.”
    Alli’s girlfriend Cindy Kimberly this morning led messages of support after her boyfriend opened up.
    She wrote on Twitter: “Proud of you.”
    And Prince William congratulated Dele for being “brave and inspirational”.
    He said: “Discussing mental health is not a sign of weakness. Let’s keep the conversation going.
    “We’re all with you and we wish you the very best.”
    James Maddison, who recently signed to Spurs, also shared his support for Alli.
    He posted a still from the interview on his Instagram stories, writing “Love you brother” followed by a heart emoji.
    Ryan Sessegnon, who played alongside Alli during his time at Tottenham, said: “Love you brother. Proud.”
    Spurs captain and England teammate Harry Kane liked the post along with Declan Rice and Kieran Trippier.
    While Kyle Walker-Peters wrote: “So proud of you bro, love you.”
    How you can get helpWhenever it happened to you, it’s never too late to get support.
    If you’ve ever experienced sexual violence or sexual abuse, you can get confidential support from specialists who will listen to you, believe you and understand how hard it is to talk about.
    As a victim, you’re entitled to support whether you report the crime or not.
    Your rights are set out in full in the Victims’ Code.
    Visit gov.uk/sexualabusesupport to see the support on offer.

    Overlap host Neville, who coached the star during his time with England and was seen close to tears himself during the interview, shared a tweet afterwards.
    He called it “the most emotional, difficult yet inspirational conversation I’ve ever had in my life”.
    Alli was one of the first Everton players to return to pre-season training last week.
    But manager Sean Dyche recently refused to be drawn on the midfielder’s future shortly after his arrival at Goodison Park.
    In April, he said: “He is not here. He has an injury which will keep him out for some time.
    “Some of the stuff reported – they know what they should and shouldn’t be doing.
    “As a manager, you cannot control everything in their lives.
    Read More on The Sun
    “Should we be following them all day? You can only guide them.
    “He has an injury which will take a while to sort out – it will be a number of weeks.”
    The star bravely opened up about his traumatic experiences as a child
    Alli, pictured with his biological mother Denise, was adopted by an ‘amazing family’ when he was 12Credit: Tracey Kandohla
    He arrived back at Everton in April and was one of the first players to return to pre-season trainingCredit: Getty
    The Overlap host came close to tears during the heartbreaking interview
    Alli’s girlfriend Cindy Kimberly led messages of support saying how proud she is of him More

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    I’m the fastest man in the world and broke Usain Bolt’s record but the Olympics hate me, they’ll never let me compete

    A MYSTERY man claims he has broken Usain Bolt’s 100m world record… but will NEVER be able to prove it at the Olympics.Jamaican sprint legend Bolt shocked the world with his incredible 9.58 second dash back in 2009.
    Usain Bolt set the world record at the World Championship in BerlinCredit: Getty
    An athlete at the Enhanced Games claims he can beat the recordCredit: twitter @enhanced_games
    But the eight-time Olympic gold medallist’s seemingly unbeatable time could be SMASHED next year.
    That’s if the organisers of the Enhanced Games are to be believed.
    The Olympics-style event has been proposed for December 2024 and will allow athletes to take performance enhancing drugs.
    The games have been born out of a group of scientists, doctors and athletes that are willing to take part.
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    And, in a promotional video, it is claimed on competitor has already completed 100m in a staggering 9.49 seconds.
    The unnamed star, whose face is also hidden, says: “I’m the fastest man in the world but you have never heard of me.
    “I’ve broken Usain Bolt’s 100m record but I can’t show you my face.
    “I am a proud enhanced athlete. The Olympics help me.
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    BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK
    “I need your help to come out. I need your help to stop hate. I need your help for the world to embrace science.
    “Come join me in 2024 at the first enhanced games and see me break the world record in public.”
    The Enhanced Games has been proposed by Australian entrepreneur Aron D’Souza.
    And it has already been slammed by Australia’s Olympic head Anna Meares.
    She said: “It’s a joke, to be honest. Unfair, unsafe — I just don’t think this is the right way to go about sport.”
    But D’Souza disagrees, saying: “Athletes are adults and they have a right to do with their body what they wish – my body, my choice; your body, your choice,
    “And no government, no paternalistic sports federation, should be making those decisions for athletes – particularly around products that are FDA regulated and approved.” More

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    Ex-porn star & WAG Mia Etcheverria busted ‘smuggling 14lbs of cocaine on flight to Spain’ as she faces 18 years in jail

    A FORMER porn star is among five arrested after being suspected of “smuggling 14lbs of cocaine on a flight to Spain” and now faces 18 years in jail.Mia Etcheverria, two other women, and two men were seized at Carrasco International Airport, Uruguay, as they attempted to board a flight to Madrid.
    Mia Etcheverria was one of five arrested after being caught ‘smuggling cocaine’ on a flight to SpainCredit: Newsflash
    Six slabs – 14lbs – of coke was seized from the suitcaseCredit: Newsflash
    Mia is an ex of footballer Richard Morales, who played for Osasuna and Malaga during his senior club careerCredit: Facebook
    The five were stopped by the Uruguayan cops during a routine check on one of the men, aged 29, on June 24.
    Officers found that his two suitcases had hidden compartments containing six slabs of a white, powdery substance with a total weight of 14lbs.
    The police then pulled aside the rest of his group – three women, aged 26, 27, and 36, and a 35-year-old man.
    One of the women has been identified as former porn actress and model Mia Etcheverria, 27, who was once in a relationship with retired footballer Richard Morales.
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    Morales, 48, made 27 appearances for Uruguay between 2001 and 2005 and played for Osasuna and Malaga during his senior club career.
    The five suspects have been hit with charges related to “attempted drug exportation”.
    Four, including Mia, are currently in custody as the police search for a sixth person in relation to the case.
    Mia’s lawyer, Pablo Casas, is claiming that his client “was unaware of the contents of the suitcases”.
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    He told local media: “The conclusions that she collaborated, that she was aware of the contents, and that she simply passed those suitcases are incorrect.”
    Mia – real name Camila Navarro – from Las Piedras, was one of the main stars on Uruguayan adult channel Divas TV.
    She has two daughters with Morales, who, following her arrest, has said he will pay her legal fees.
    He said in a statement: “Nowadays, more than ever, my only priority is my daughters and their well-being, and I will protect them from any media exposure related to this issue.”
    The Ministry of the Interior of Uruguay said in a statement: “In the morning hours of Saturday, 24th June, personnel from the Carrasco International Airport Delegation, belonging to the General Directorate for the Repression of Illicit Drug Trafficking (DGRTID), were conducting checks in the check-in area of a flight bound for Madrid when they detected a passenger with a possible risk profile.
    “After verifying his itinerary, a routine inspection of his luggage was requested, which the passenger authorised. He was escorted to the inspection room while the three women travelling with him remained in the check-in area”.
    They revealed that the passenger was identified as a 29-year-old Uruguayan citizen whose luggage contained the six slabs of cocaine.
    “Furthermore, two vehicles used for the transportation of all these individuals were identified, and £770 and four mobile phones were seized from them”.
    The individual who officials believed was the organiser of the illegal activity was identified and an arrest warrant was requested.
    “The Justice system initiated a formal investigation regarding the passenger who had the slabs in his suitcase “for his alleged involvement in an offence stipulated in Article 31 of Decree Law 14, 294, in the form of attempted drug exportation”, the statement read.
    Two of the women and the second man identified at the airport were charged “for their alleged involvement in an offence stipulated in Article 31 of Decree Law 14, 294, in the form of attempted drug exportation as co-perpetrators”.
    And the third woman was reportedly charged “for her alleged involvement in an offence stipulated in Article 31 of Decree Law 14,294, in the form of attempted drug exportation as an accomplice”.
    Read More On The Sun
    For the first four individuals, pretrial detention was ordered, while the last woman was placed under total house arrest with an electronic monitoring device, all for a period of 90 days.
    The investigation is ongoing.
    Under Uruguay laws, Mia could now face up to 18 years in prisonCredit: Newsflash
    Mia, 27, is also a former porn star and modelCredit: Newsflash More

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    Olympics-style event WITHOUT drug-testing planned as ‘Enhanced Games’ slammed as ‘unsafe joke’

    AN OLYMPICS-STYLE competition is in the works which would allow athletes to use performance enhancing drugs. The crazy idea comes from the mind of Australian entrepreneur Aron D’Souza who is the president of the newly proposed games.
    The new games are intended to rival the Olympics
    The yearly event has been named the ‘Enhanced Games’ and D’Souza is hoping to hold the first one in December of next year.
    It has been born out of a group of scientists, doctors and athletes who have already expressed interest in joining the games.
    The Enhanced Games will feature no drug testing and try to push the boundaries of what is capable within athletics.
    Ausralia’s Olympic head, Anna Meares, has already spoken out against the proposed games.
    READ MORE IN SPORT
    The former Olympic gold medalist slammed the idea, she said: “It’s a joke, to be honest. Unfair, unsafe — I just don’t think this is the right way to go about sport.”
    But D’Souza is adamant that the Enhanced Games will work and that it is the right direction for the sport.
    He told the Australian Associated Press: “Athletes are adults and they have a right to do with their body what they wish – my body, my choice; your body, your choice,
    “And no government, no paternalistic sports federation, should be making those decisions for athletes – particularly around products that are FDA regulated and approved.”
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    The games are expected to cover five different sporting categories with track and field, gymnastics, swimming, weightlifting and combat sports all included.
    D’Souza is looking to smash world records and thinks that the new games would have further impact outside of sport too.
    He said: “It’s not just a question of can we break the nine-second 100 metre, I am sure we will,
    “I want to see a 40, 50, 60-year-old break world records because performance medicine is the rod to anti-ageing, it’s the route to the fountain of youth.
    “Nothing will improve the productivity of our society more than preventing ageing. It sounds like science fiction now but we live in the future, look at the rise of artificial intelligence and other technologies.” More