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The Great Halloween Debate: At least twelve countries worldwide have banned or do not celebrate Halloween, calling it a ‘Western cultural invasion.’ From China, which prefers to celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival, to Russia where Halloween is viewed as a threat to the Russian Orthodox Church, a Celtic festival that once marked the end of the harvest season and the dawn of winter has become mired in controversy. Wasting pumpkins, children ‘begging’ for candy, spooky costumes and noisy parties — has the true spirit of Halloween been lost?
Labour’s Great Expectations: The 2024 Autumn Budget is all about ‘Fixing The Foundations To Deliver Change.’ Stability, Investment and Reform are on the cards. A 40bn tax rise targeting the wealthy and middle class, largely through an expanded inheritance tax and hikes on employers’ national insurance contributions, will help fund the NHS and the Department of Transport which are the budget’s biggest recipients.
Are You Suffering From ‘Social Jet Lag’? As the clocks shift back and daylight hours reduce, those who are night owls can feel frustratingly out of sync with the rest of society. Seasonal affective symptoms for those with a different internal clock can range from fatigue to a lack of productivity and life satisfaction, to chronic sleep deprivation.
Are Some Animals Natural-Born Drinkers? Alcohol is not just something humans use to relax on a Friday. According to research, animals that eat fruit- and nectar-based sources consume ethanol regularly because it occurs naturally in almost every ecosystem. Ethanol consumption carries several potential benefits, including being an additional calorie source and having medicinal properties.
Myanmar’s Methamphetamine Crisis: Since the country was plunged into civil war in 2021, thousands have had to flee their homes and take refuge in camps which have become hotbeds for drug trafficking. Young people who feel ‘hopeless,’ with little to do and no job prospects are easy prey for Myanmar’s drug market, says one counsellor and former addict working at the camps.
Should We Forgo the Tuna Melt? Governments have been called to remove ‘all products’ containing tuna from school cafeterias, nurseries, maternity wards, hospitals and care homes after methylmercury, a toxic metal, has been found in over 150 tins of tuna selected for a study. Fifty-seven per cent of the tins tested exceeded the safety level of 0.3mg.
HeroRATS Help Fight Wildlife Trafficking: With its acute sense of smell, the African giant pouched rat has been busy sniffing out trouble from landmines to tuberculosis. Highly intelligent and quick learners, the rats undergo a one-year training camp learning to detect elephant tusks, rhino horns, pangolin scales and African blackwood – products that are usually trafficked out of Africa.