Would you like to travel during Christmas? Where would you like to go? If you would like to play in the snow, I recommend the Ice & Light village in Lapland! Lapland is very cold and it snows every winter. But at the Ice & Light village, you can stay warm inside these 'Snow Globes'! Inside every Snow Globe is a cabin. Each cabin has 2 beds, a seating area and a bathroom. 2 guests can stay in the cabin and enjoy the arctic scenery. There is also a fridge in the cabin, which is full of local . You can watch the northern lights inside a snow globe whilst trying Swedish cuisine! It's a very unique experience It seems very expensive, but actually it's quite reasonable. It costs £150 (about 22,000円) per night for 2 people. Let's try to go there next Christmas!
There's only 5 more days until Christmas and now many people are watching Classic Christmas movies like Home Alone, Elf and The Grinch. However, there is one Christmas movie many people aren't watching, and there's a good reason why, because it is known as the 'scariest movie ever'! The 1970s movie 'Black Christmas' is a low-budget horror movie directed by Bob Clark. This movie is about a group of sisters who receive threatening phone calls during the Christmas season. It is one of the first 'slasher' movies and inspired horror movies such as John Carpenter's 'Halloween'. Its so popular that there are even 2 remakes, which were made in 2006 and 2019. Recently many people have been recommending this movie as an alternative to the typical Christmas movies we watch every year. Here are some reviews: “The best Christmas horror film, the best slasher film, maybe the scariest film ever made.” “A scary movie that doesn't get boring, no matter how many times you watch it!” “This and Krampus are my go to Christmas horror movies.” "Great horror/slasher film and one that started it all! The suspense was brilliant!" "The acting is better than average, the phone calls are creepy, and the deaths are disturbing.” The movie received mixed reviews when it was released, but nowadays the movie receives a lot of praise from movie critics. What are some of your favourite Christmas movies? Do you usually watch Horror movies during Christmas?
It's a story we hear often nowadays - A man who took a big risk by investing his life savings in Bitcoin is now a multimillionaire. However, this man has surprised many by claiming that "being rich is boring". The investor says it feels like he has used a 'cheat code' to obtain the huge fortune and that he doesn't deserve it. Before he became rich, he worked as a content creator for almost a decade and earned an average salary of £25,000 (3.7 million yen) a year. He said that he never was interested in expensive things and was happy to save his money. In 2014, he discovered Bitcoin and 'fell down a deep rabbit hole' after putting all his savings on the line. Bitcoin is extremely volatile so its value can quickly go up or down at any time. Over the span of a year and a half, he put his entire life savings into the coin. Three years later, in 2017, he was in a position to cash out £2 million (300 million yen) after tax. By 2019, he managed to earn £26 million just from interest. However, he now says money doesn't excite him anymore. He no longer feels the 'buzz' of working hard to earn it. "I used to love my job and it was a source of lots of excitement in my life. Hard to recreate that with just money, but I also don't feel like doing the work it takes just to get the high-status stuff." He said.
The world's population is set to decline for the first time in centuries. Currently, there are around 7.8 billion people in the world and that number is expected to peak in 2064. In a study published in The Lancet, the peak will be at roughly 9.7 billion and then will drop to 8.8 billion by 2100. Stein Emil Vollset, a Professor of Global Health at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) - went into more detail of the 'groundbreaking' study. Vollset told IFLScience: "The last time that global population declined was in the mid 14th century, due to the Black Plague. "If our forecast is correct, it will be the first time population decline is driven by fertility decline, as opposed to events such as a pandemic or famine" More significantly, the population of up to 23 counties could shrink more than 50 percent. Those countries include - Japan, Thailand, Italy, Spain, Portugal, South Korea. Even China, a place associated with having a large population density, could fall from 1.4 billion people in 2017 to 732 million in 2100. “There are two key factors: improvements in access to modern contraception and the of girls and women,” explained Vollset. “These factors drive the fertility rate – the average number of children a woman delivers over her lifetime which is the largest determinant of population. "The global total fertility rate is predicted to steadily decline, from 2.37 in 2017 to 1.66 in 2100, well below the minimum rate (2.1 live births per woman) considered necessary to maintain population numbers." Dr Richard Horton, editor of the Lancet, said in a statement: "The 21st century will see a revolution in the story of our human civilisation. "Africa and the Arab World will shape our future, while Europe and Asia will recede in their influence. "By the end of the century, the world will be multipolar, with India, Nigeria, China, and the US the dominant powers. "This will truly be a new world, one we should be preparing for today."
Engineers in China are building a super-fast plane that will be able to fly passengers anywhere in the world within an hour. A research team has tested a prototype of a hypersonic engine, which will be used to power a 45-metre long plane capable of carrying up to 10 passengers at high speeds. Professor Tan Huijun at Nanjing University in Jiangsu created the prototype engine and tested it in a wind tunnel, according to the South China Morning Post. The new aircraft has delta wings and will travel at five times the speed of sound due to its design, which is based on the Boeing Manta X-47C. The Boeing Manta X-47C was designed in the 1990's, but was eventually scrapped due to high costs and technical problems. The blueprints for the original design were declassified in 2011, allowing Huijun and other engineers to create his own. China is planning to have a fleet of passenger planes by 2035 and wants to be able to expand them to carry 100 passengers by 2045. The country isn't alone in the race to develop hypersonic aircraft. The US Air Force is working with a company called Hermeus to design and develop a hypersonic prototype in three years, which can travel 3,800 mph with just one engine.
Where do you think is the happiest place to live?According to a recent study by Rightmove, green spaces, a friendly community, and amenities such as schools, facilities and restaurants are all important things to make a place feel happy. Rightmove's Happy Home Index study asked 21,000 British people how they feel about where they live - to find out which place in Britain is the happiest place to live. Number 1 on the list is Hexham in Northumberland. The Mayor of Hexham, Derek Kennedy, said: "Hexham is glad to be awarded the happiest place to live in Great Britain. "We are a small town with great history, Hexham Abbey and other historical buildings, and our marketplace is 800 years old. "There is a wonderful community spirit, people are very supportive of one another." The average price of a house in Hexham is £297,088. It's cheaper than the average house price in England, which is around £342,401. It might be the happiest place to live because the cost of living is so low! On the other hand, the second happiest place to live in Britain is Richmond Upon Thames. Which has an average house price of £1.2 million. And Harrogate in North Yorkshire Is the third most happiest place to live. The Happy Home Index survey found that seaside villages had the happiest people. In addition, Market towns also seem to have many happy people. If you are planning a move to Wales, you might want to consider Llandridod Wells, which is 5th place on the list. Meanwhile, Stirling in Scotland was named the 6th happiest place to live. Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Many people in Britain have moved homes to lower their stress levels. 69 percent of people who had moved during the pandemic, relocated to a new town or village. And 81 percent of those people agree they are now much happier than before. What are some happy places to live in your country?
A man in the US has been arrested after he was accused of pulling out a deadly weapon because he was told to wait for his pizza. The Charlotte Observer revealed how Charles Douglas Doty Jr. walked into a Little Caesar's restaurant in Tennessee and ordered a pepperoni pizza. The 63-year-old apparently got angry when staff explained how his meal would be ready in about 10 minutes. He demanded to get free breadsticks while he waited and then left the restaurant to go to his car. Police have been told that Doty Jr returned with an AK-47 and pointed it at Little Caesar's staff demanding to get his food immediately. Kimberleigh Murrell, a former staff member who was working that night, told a local TV news network how bizarre and terrifying the whole situation became. "He comes walking back in and hasn't pointed at anybody yet," she told WVLT. "I was taking care of a female customer and she was just getting ready to leave, then he gets the gun. "He pointed at me saying where is my damn pizza I want my pizza. Honestly fear and disbelief, like, I was shocked it was over a six dollar pizza." Noah Beeler was also working at the restaurant during the incident and he recalled to the TV network what he said when he approached Doty Jr. "'Calm down. No need to be Angry'," Beller explained. "And right when I walk up there, I say, 'what in God's green earth is going through your head', he moves his hand off the trigger and onto the barrel to put it on safety and says 'don't get aggravated'. I was like 'man... leave'." One of the customers who had already received their pizza asked Doty Jr. whether he wanted to eat theirs. The gunman noticed another staff member was trying to leave and he managed to stop them while yelling 'where in the hell' were they going. The employee managed to get away and called 911. Authorities arrived on the scene, however the 63-year-old had already left the scene. They eventually caught up with him and took him to jail. He's since been charged with four counts of violence and one count of kidnapping.
People in England who fail to wear a mask in shops and on public transport face fines of £200 as the government brings in new measures aimed at slowing spread of the Omicron variant tomorrow (30 November), The Telegraph reports. Boris Johnson announced at a press conference on Saturday that masks would return in shops and on transport in order to mitigate the spread of the variant, of which nine cases have already been identified in the UK. According to The Telegraph, those challenged about not wearing a mask will face a fine of £200, which rises to £400 for a second offence, and £800 for a third, and could even continue to accumulate up to £6,400 for the worst repeat offenders. The change to rules is to be brought before the House of Commons today and come into effect at 4am tomorrow. The system of fines is expected to work in the same way as during the third national lockdown, and will see fines reduced by half to £100 if paid within the first 14 days. Furthermore, passengers travelling into the UK from abroad must self-isolate until a negative test is returned on the second day after entering the country, as well as all contacts of those with the Omicron variant having to isolate for 10 days regardless of vaccination status. The government has also announced that children from Year 7 upwards are strongly advised to wear a mask in communal areas of school as of today.mRules on face coverings in hospitality settings such as pubs, cinemas, and restaurants have not changed. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said that the measures taken were at the correct level for the threat posed by the new variant, which scientists are concerned could be vaccine resistant or more transmissible than other variants. He told Sky News: “Doing it in this proportionate way where it’s for public transport, it’s for retail outlets, I think is the right level of response on masks. “It will be via government regulation and that means, I think, that people will take it seriously.” The rules, which Javid said are aimed at getting the public to take the threat of the virus ‘more seriously’, will be reviewed in three weeks. However, unions and bosses are concerned that the brunt of enforcing the mask rules will fall to their employees, which could result in confrontation with those who refuse to wear them. Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union, said: “We support the wearing of masks, but there are major issues about enforcement and it is our members left in the front line with angry passengers who refuse to comply.” Chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, James Lowman, argued that shop workers and owners are ‘extremely concerned about abuse against their staff’. “Face coverings can provide protection to those around you and can help prevent the spread of the virus. “This legal requirement will come into effect at 4am on Tuesday 30 November.”
Keanu Reeves has made a reputation as one of the nicest guys in Hollywood - Often giving thoughtful gifts to the cast and crew of the movies he has starred in. One person who can vouch for his generosity is American actress Sandra Bullock.The pair starred in 1994 movie Speed and it was the start of an enduring friendship. Despite being just friends, Reeves hasn't been afraid to treat the actress well.On one occasion, she and Reeves got on to the subject of champagne and truffles and how she'd never had them before.It was only a throwaway comment by Bullock, but a few days later Reeves turned up on his motorbike with flowers, champagne and truffles and said: "I just thought you might want to try champagne and truffles, to see what it's like."Bullock was painting her nails with a friend at the time, but she invited him in, they drank the champagne and she painted his nails too.He didn't stay for long though, as he had a date to get to.Bullock said: "When I first met him, I would spend as much time as I could filling a silence, just to feel comfortable."And the more I jibber-jabbered on, the quieter he would get. And I thought, 'I don't understand what's happening! He's looking at me with eyes of confusion. He's quiet. Did I say something to offend him?'"And then a day or two later, he would arrive with a note or a little package, saying, 'I thought about what you said', and he would have his response."How many people do you know like that?"Looking back, Bullock is glad they never got together - or split up - as she is able to appreciate him as a person.She explained: "Keanu's a guy who, I feel like, is friends with every woman he's ever dated. I don't think there's anyone who has something horrible to say about him."So maybe we could have survived. I don't know. But we didn't have to survive anything. We just get to grow up together on parallel roads and tip our hats and meet for a dinner and try to work together."And the longer time goes on, the more in awe I am of the human being. Would I have been able to say that if he had dumped me and made me angry? Probably not."
The CEO of Othram Inc, A company which specialises in DNA, is performing groundbreaking studies with new technology which could someday wipe out serial crime. It seems impossible, but CEO David Mittelman believes it's 100 percent a possibility. The new DNA technology has already performed tasks that would previously have been considered impossible. With this technology, they have solved cases as far back as 1881, and even identified a victim of the USA's most prolific serial killer, Samuel Little. With enough funding, Othram could make serial killing a thing of the past, and could help thousands of families find out what happened to their loved ones. Currently, the USA has a system that looks at 20 markers inside the DNA. The system then searches a database to match the DNA with evidence from the crime scene. However, this only works if the persons DNA is already in the database. If the killer has not previously committed any crime or murder, then they cannot be identified by the current system. Mittelman says that the success rate of this system is just one percent. Furthermore, the system only dates back to the 1990s, so many cases before that are unlikely to be solved through this system. Othram’s system is able to take tiny parts of DNA and build a profiles with not just 20, but tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of markers. Using this technology has already helped them identify victims of serial killers from 44 years ago, as well as cracking cases from the Victorian era, and crimes as recently as 2019. But Mittelman is more interested in the future. He said: "People are not going to be committing serial crimes in the future, because if they commit the crime and they can't be identified, we'll identify them using Othram's system” "In the future, if you're not in the database, they'll find out who you are, they'll put you in the database, and there won't be a second crime scene." The reason this technology hasn’t already been invented is largely due to funding. Othram's work is expensive, and at the minute they rely heavily on donations. They are also fighting to get the word out that this technology exists, and these results are possible. "Getting that awareness out there is what is going to trigger adoption of the new system, and I think then you'll start to see tremendous value." - Mittelman
Elon Musk's net worth has increased considerably after Hertz, a rental care company, secured a substantial business deal with Tesla. Hertz has confirmed its purchase of 100,000 Tesla vehicles for its enterprise, which sent Tesla's share price through the roof. The company had its biggest day ever on the stock market as it raked in $25 billion, nearly 3 trillion Japanese yen. This deal means that Tesla's market capitalisation has now pushed it into the trillion dollar club alongside the likes of Google, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft. It's fantastic news for Tesla, but also for head honcho Elon Musk. Currently, the tech billionaire's personal net worth stands at around $290 billion, making him the richest person to ever live. It was only two years ago that Musk's worth was estimated to be around $20 billion, meaning his net worth has skyrocketed over tenfold since then. His net worth has increased again by $36 billion over the past week. David Beasley, the director of the World Program has urged Musk to invest 2% of his wealth towards eradicating world hunger. He said: "$6 billion can help 42 million people who are without and are near death" Musk, who remains dubious, responded by saying he will sell Tesla stock right now if the WFP are transparent with how they will spend the money. However, the WFP have yet to respond with a clear answer on how they plan to use the money to eradicate world hunger.
Facebook is planning to rebrand itself under the new name 'Meta' according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. At the company's Connect event, Zuckerberg announced that the social media platform will change It's name to Meta in the near future. He said: "We are a company that builds technology to connect." "Together, we can finally put people at the center of our technology. And together, we can unlock a massively bigger creator economy." He added: "To reflect who we are and what we hope to build." Zuckerberg stressed that the current name 'Facebook' no longer represents what the company does and hopes to achieve. He wants the company to be a 'metaverse' "Right now, our brand is so tightly linked to one product," he said. "But over time, I hope we are seen as a metaverse company." It was recently discovered that Zuckerberg also owns the domain meta.com and twitter handle @meta. A sure sign that Facebook may soon be a thing of the past. Looking at the website, it appears the new platform will be focusing on connecting people through virtual reality by using tech such as VR headsets and smart glasses. However, some people have criticised the idea, saying they are hesitant to purchase expensive technology just to connect with their friends and loved ones. The older generation is also concerned, as many of them are not very tech-savvy and may have difficulty with the new platform. "The metaverse is the next evolution of social connection. Our company's vision is to help bring the metaverse to life, so we are changing our name to reflect our commitment to this future." - Zuckerberg
A UK supermarket has revealed it’s Christmas-themed food items for 2021, and some items have left British people confused and disgusted.Sainsbury's, one of the UK’s biggest supermarkets, has combined pigs and blankets with sushi! They’ve called it 'Pigs in Snowy Blankets'.Pigs in Blankets is a British dish typically eaten alongside Christmas dinner. It consists of small sausages wrapped in bacon. It's especially popular with kids. And although sushi comes in many varieties, it doesn't traditionally include British staple foods like sausage or bacon.The 'Pigs in Snowy Blankets' will be available for customers to buy from November 1st 2021, for the price of 3 British Pounds.Sainsbury's describes their new creation as "Pigs in blankets wrapped in nori, sticky rice and topped with cranberry sauce and crispy onions".Harry Wallop, A consumer journalist, recently posted a photo of the food, tweeting: "After the 2metre long pig in blanket, the pigs in blanket pizza & pigs in blanket mayo, I bring you news that @sainsburys has officially jumped the shark. Or the pig. SAINSBURY'S IS SELLING PIGS IN BLANKET SUSHI."Other users from Twitter also shared their opinion on the product, most of which were negative. They describe the food as "horrifying" and "absolutely disgusting".However, some users thought the combination wasn't too unusual. : "Hmm, if as shown, it's sausage and rice, [and] that's not a bad idea"Sainsbury's has more than 300 new Christmas-themed food and drink items this year, from festive burgers to vegan ham and salmon.
Supermarkets around the UK are now preparing for Halloween this year on October 31st. Pumpkins and Scary Costumes will be sold everywhere. Halloween has many names, such as Allhalloween, All Hallow's Eve or All Saint's Eve - An evening where Christians often have a feast. However, most people just call it Halloween nowadays! The tradition of dressing up in scary costumes and going 'trick or treating' began in America, however, Halloween originally began in the UK. Some people believe Halloween comes from the Celtic festival of Samhain, meaning 'Summer's End' which is celebrated at the end of summer. A very long time ago, people thought evil spirits could enter our world and damage our crops at the end of summer. They would make carved pumpkins and bonfires to scare away the spirits. Also, similar to trick or treating, People in the UK would dress in costumes and go door-to-door to ask for in exchange for a poem or song. Their costumes looked like the evil spirits they wanted to scare away because they felt protected if they copied the appearance of the spirits. By the 11th century, a new tradition called 'souling' was made. Children would go door-to-door and ask for 'soul cakes' in exchange for praying for the souls of relatives. Children dressed up as angels, demons or saints. The soul cakes were sweet, with a cross symbol on top. Eating the cakes allowed trapped spirits to go to heaven. It's a little similar to 'trick or treating' today! In 1927, many immigrants came to America and introduced the traditions of Samhain and Souling. Americans did not care much for the religious meaning of Halloween, but they enjoyed dressing up, eating candy and making Jack O Lanterns. Since then, the tradition of Halloween has become more of a party than a religious celebration. How do you celebrate halloween in your country? Have you ever tried trick or treating?
Apple is working on new technology that will allow the iPhone to know if its owner is feeling depressed or anxious. The Wall Street Journal said that iPhones will be able to detect unhappiness and signs of depression by looking at its owner's daily habits. Apple is working with UCLA, Biogen to gather information such as facial expressions and typing speed. After gathering enough information, the data will be analysed and allow an iPhone owner to be diagnosed. The iPhone will look for sadder facial expressions by using the camera and detect slower typing speeds to decided whether its owner is suffering from depression. Apple claims the company will not be able to see anything from the iPhone camera in accordance with their strict privacy rules. All data is stored inside the phone and is not uploaded to icloud servers. This technology is still in the early stages of development, but Apple say they are very optimistic about it.
A recent study found that 1 in 5 English speaking adults don't understand basic English grammar. The study aimed to find how much information we remember from high school. The results revealed that a large amount of UK adults have forgotten English grammar. More specifically, 17% of adults do not know the difference between a noun, a verb, and an adjective. Noun as objects, adjectives as descriptive, and verbs as “the doing word” are all taught to primary school children in the UK. The study, conducted by stationary company Stabilo, found that UK adults had the most difficulty in explaining the difference between these basic grammar points, as well as more advanced grammar points. In addition, 1 in 5 adults could not quote any sentences from the works of William Shakespeare. Vanya Hunter, with Stabilo UK, said: “This research is fascinating, highlighting the things which many have forgotten.” Math subjects, such as basic algebra and trigonometry, have also been forgotten by around 50% of UK adults. Pythagoras theorem, long division, and how to calculate Pi had also been forgotten by around 1/3 of adults, according to the study. 32% of adults also could not name more than 10 elements on the periodic table. And 22% of adults have forgotten basic Geography, as they could not locate certain places in the world. What subjects do you remember least from high school? Which was the most difficult for you?
In a northern town called Bolton, hundreds of British people queued up to buy a portion of Fish & Chips. It's well known that fish & chips is the ultimate comfort food for British people, but to wait for 2 hours!? Why is that? Well, In Bolton, there is a chippy called Mother Hubbards. Over the weekend, the chippy had a special promotion for its customers. If you were one of the first 1000 customers, you could buy a portion of fish & chips for just 45p! (or about 70 Japanese yen!) Why 45p? When Mother Hubbards first opened in 1972, this was the original price for their fish & chips. Nowadays, the usual price is £5.95. The excited and hungry customers began queuing around 9am, 2 hours before the chippys opening time. By 2pm, they had sold over 700 portions of Fish & Chips, and sold another 700 before closing that day. The owner said: "It's been hectic and we lost quite a bit of money today, but it's great to see so many people here." Customers were also interviewed whilst queuing: "We've been waiting about an hour and half, maybe longer" "We were going get a portion to share, but we've been here so long I think we'll get one each now, we're so hungry." "We've been to the Mother Hubbard's in Blackpool before - they're really good." Despite Britains love for fish & chips, it's only the 3rd most popular takeaway food. The most popular cuisine is Chinese, followed by Indian.
Pizza comes 4th and Thai cuisine is the 5th most popular. What's the most popular takeaway food in your country? and how much is a portion of fish & chips where you live?
Is it a Pig? Is it a Shark? Or maybe, both!? A group of Fishermen were very surprised when they found the strange looking creature swimming next to their boat in Portoferraio, Italy. They quickly took the creature out of the water and discovered it had the body of a shark and the face of a pig. It's completely bizarre! However, this isn't a new species. This creature is the Angular Roughshark, which usually swims 700 metres below the surface of the ocean. This deep-sea creature also has a nickname: The pig-faced shark! It's pretty easy to remember, isn't it? Some people even call it a pig-fish because it grunts just like a pig. Despite living so far under the sea, the pig-faced shark, or pig-fish is actually an endangered species. Though local people sometimes sea them on the surface. This pig-faced shark was taken to Elba Aquarium, where it was further studied. Yuri Tiberto, A professional at the aquarium explained that the Tuscan Archipelago, a group of islands in Italy, is so rich in biodiversity. So its not uncommon to find this kind of fish. Have you ever seen a fish like this before? What is the strangest animal you've ever seen?
If you use TikTok, maybe you have seen this new viral trend before! In the Milk Crate Challenge, people try to walk up and down a stack of milk crates. However, they almost always fall down. It's a very difficult and dangerous challenge! These videos are very popular, but TikTok is taking them down because people often get seriously hurt by doing the challenge. The company wants people to make TikTok videos safely. Doctors are also saying the challenge is too dangerous. A Doctor said: "Falling from the milk crates can damage your head, neck, limbs, bones and skin. This trend can result in lifelong injuries " "I understand that it's fun to do, but it's not smart to injure our bodies" Now is especially a bad time to do the milk crate challenge, because hospitals don't have enough beds due to the covid-19 pandemic. In the past, there have been many other challenges, such as the ice bucket challenge and cinnamon challenge. Have you tried any of these challenges before? What challenges are popular in your country?
This Week, Manchester United have signed a deal to acquire Cristiano Ronaldo From Juventus. The 36-year-old Footballer will make a return to Old Trafford Stadium 12 years after transferring to Real Madrid. In an announcement, Manchester United said: "Manchester United is delighted to confirm that the club has reached agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo, subject to agreement of personal terms, visa and medical. "Cristiano, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, has so far won over 30 major trophies during his career, including 5 UEFA Champions League titles, 4 FIFA Club World Cups, 7 league titles in England, Spain and Italy, and the European Championship for his native Portugal. "Whilst first playing for Manchester United, he scored a total 118 goals over 292 games. "Everyone at the club looks forward to welcoming Cristiano back to Manchester." Recently there was a lot of speculation that Cristiano Ronaldo may end up transferring to United's rival team, Manchester City. However, there was an unexpected turn of events and the football legend will now be returning to the club where he gained his status as one of the worlds best footballers. It's estimated that Manchester United payed out €20million in their agreement to acquire Ronaldo. Are your delighted or disappointed about Ronaldo's decision to return to Man U? Who's your favourite Footballer?
An Australian who used to be homeless as a teenager now runs a multi million dollar business.Harry Sanders, A young entrepreneur from Melbourne, Australia, spent years sleeping on sofas and even under a bridge after his parents divorced when he was 17. At that time, He had already set up a business called StudioHawk, a search engine optimisation (SEO) company which he started when he was in high school. After leaving home, he was so desperate for money that he tried to cancel the registration of his business so that he could get a refund. But luckily for him, he was unsuccessful and his company is now projected to be worth over $8 million dollars, which is nearly 1 billion Japanese yen. Last year, StudioHawk doubled its revenue to $3. In an interview with the local news, Harry said: "To go from nothing to this has been a crazy ride and it's so surreal getting on planes and doing all these things, when not that long ago I was trying to scrape $10 together to get. "Making all this money is great but it doesn't feel real. I have a company worth millions of dollars but sometimes I still catch myself worrying about buying a $3 bagel and asking myself, 'Do I really need this? Even though Harry has acquired success in his business, He doesn't believe that he has any unique talents. He said "Other young people out there can do the same thing - I'm not special, I'm not a genius." In addition, he offered some simple advice to other young people who are trying to become successful. "Wear clothes that make you feel comfortable. Don't deprive yourself from sleep and always keep a clear mind. You can't run a business if your head is in a fog"
If you want to go for a stroll in the UK, you might want to leave your face mask at home. An expert has warned that Magpies, A type of bird from the UK, are more aggressive towards people who wear masks. Since the beginning of the pandemic, British people have started to wear face masks every day. While this protects us from coronavirus, it doesn't protect us against Magpies! Magpies are black and white birds who are very territorial. This means they will attack anyone nearby to protect their homes and babies. However, magpies can also remember human faces. If they see your face around the neighbourhood often, they won't attack you because they know you aren't a threat. This is why masks have become a big problem for them. If you wear a mask, magpies can't recognise your face and might attack you. Daryl Jones, a magpie expert at Griffith University said: "The mask comes into this story because most of the magpies which swoop pedestrians, do so to only one or two people who for some reason have become a threat." "Almost every magpie lives in a small territory with about 20 to 30 people living there with them. The birds never leave this area and get to know all these people very well." Magpies often lay their eggs in August, and hundreds of attacks have already been reported this year.So far, there are over 800 reports of magpie attacks. 86 people have been injured and 1 person has died after an incident in Queensland, Australia.Some people say you can avoid these attacks by wearing a hat with fake eyes on the back. If the magpie thinks you're looking at it, they are less likely to attack you.Have birds in your country become more aggressive because of the pandemic? Which birds are the most aggressive?
Are you a fan of hotdogs? If so, this new study might change your mind! The University of Michigan in the US researched which foods increased and decreased our lifespan, and the results show that eating a single hotdog can decrease your life by 36 minutes. They studied over 5000 different foods, from unhealthy foods such as processed meats, fizzy drinks and cheese-based foods, to healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and nuts. Hot dogs, Soda and Bacon had the worst results, whereas Tomatoes, Baked Salmon and even Peanut Butter & Jam sandwiches can increase your lifespan by up to 33 minutes! A Hot Dog Eating Contest was held in America this year. The winner, Joey Chestnut, won the contest by eating 75 hotdogs! That means Joey lost about 2 days of his life that day. He'll need to eat about 80 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to undo the damage. How often do you eat hotdogs? and will you continue to eat hotdogs?
Airbnb is offering Afghan refugees to stay in it's rooms for free after the recent crisis in Afghanistan. The CEO, Brian Chesky, also asked Airbnb hosts to help. On twitter, he wrote: "Starting today, Airbnb will begin housing 20,000 Afghan refugees globally for free. If you're willing to host a refugee family, reach out and I'll connect you with the right people here to make it happen!" People in Afghanistan are forced to escape their country after the Taliban seized power for the first time in 20 years. A spokesperson from the Taliban announced that nobody will be able to leave the country after August 31st during a press conference last week. This isn't the first time Airbnb has helped people in a crisis. Since 2012, they have offered free accommodation to over 75,000 people involved in difficult situations.The company has properties in about 100,000 different cities around the world. Have you ever used Airbnb whilst travelling? How was your experience?
In the UK, a popular chain restaurant called Nandos had an interesting deal. If customers bring their grandparents to the restaurant, they can get 50% OFF their meal! Recently, many people couldn't meet their grandparents because of the pandemic. So the restaurant wanted customers to spend time with them. Nandos specialises in South-African style chicken. Customers can choose from very mild to very spicy dishes. Their peri-peri chicken is famous across the UK! But if your grandparents are vegetarian, there are meat-free dishes too! Their newest menu item is called "The Great Imitator". It uses plant-based chicken instead of real chicken. Whatever your age, I think anyone can enjoy Nandos! Did you go to a restaurant with your parents are grandparents recently? What did you eat?
The World Heritage Committee recently decided to take away the title of UNESCO from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. Liverpool received the title of UNESCO in 2004 because of its historical, architectural and developmental impact on the world. In 2012, the city began making plans to build Everton's new football stadium at Bramley Moore Dock, a historical and popular tourist site, which created tension between Liverpool and the committee. These plans were recently approved and the committee made the decision to take away Liverpools UNESCO status during a meeting in Fuzhou, China. They said the plans “damage the site's authenticity”. Joanne Anderson, the new mayor of Liverpool, was highly disappointed by this decision and is trying to appeal to get back the title. However, she isn't bothered about the outcome. “Whatever happens, Liverpool will always be a World Heritage city” Liverpool is the third site to lose the UNESCO title. The first was Oman’s Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in 2007 and the second was Dresden Elbe Valley in 2009. Have you ever visited a UNESCO World Heritage site before?
In the UK, you can visit a very small house. The house is in a town called Conway in North Wales. It's about 310cm tall and 180cm wide. It's the smallest house in the UK! The tiny house only has 2 rooms - 1 living room and 1 bedroom. There is no kitchen, bathroom or toilet. The interior has not changed for almost 100 years. The owner is a woman called Jan. She can't live in the house because it's too small. Jan's great grandfather bought the house in 1891. At that time, he could live there. But 9 years later, the council said the house was too small to live there. So the house became a sightseeing spot. Now, thousands of people visit the house every year. It's very popular! Would you like to visit this house?
There is a restaurant in London that specialises in many kinds of cheese. But there is something interesting about this restaurant. It looks like a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant! This restaurant is called 'Pick & Cheese' and is located in SevenDials Market. It's the world's first conveyor-belt cheese restaurant. You can try many kinds of local cheeses and each cheese is paired with aside dish to compliment it's flavour. You can try many kinds of local cheeses and each cheese is paired with aside dish to compliment it's flavour. Also, you can try desserts made from cheese, such as basque cheesecake and goats cheese donuts. The restaurant's menu is always changing, so each visit is a unique experience. In addition, it's all you can eat for just £20! It's heaven for cheese lovers!
Nowadays, children in America are speaking British English thanks to a British cartoon. This cartoon is called called Peppa Pig. Have you seen it before? Peppa Pig has become very popular in America and children watch it everyday. Now, they are using British words and British accents often. For example, they say "telly" instead of "TV". or “father christmas” instead of “santa claus”. Also, their english has become more polite. They say “please” and “thank you” more than before. Their parents must be stunned! Because Peppa Pig is for young children, I think it's a good TV show for beginners. In fact, many people watch this show to study a language. So if you're a beginner, I recommend watching it to learn English