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The favorite flower of all children hides a magical secret and healing power

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Because of its resemblance to a lion or dragon, in ancient times it was believed that the “lion’s mouth” could ward off evil spirits

One of the most common and common garden flowers is the snapdragon, but few people today know about the strange mysteries that this plant hides.

We all played as children with this flower. Antirrhinum is known as “lion’s mouth”, “puppy” and others. By pressing the flower on the side, the mouth opens and closes just like a lion’s (or puppy’s) muzzle. The name is obviously related to the shape of the flower, but that’s not all it’s weird.

Much stranger is the fruit of this flower, which has the shape of a skull. The capsule that contains the seeds looks like the skull of a half-human, half-devil or dragon creature, hence the English name of this flower, namely “snapdragon”.

Many times nature has found a way to warn us that certain plants are useful or toxic, giving them curious shapes or colors that stand out from others. It is quite natural that this flower has some magical properties, since nature has gifted it with such curious forms.

Because of its resemblance to a lion or dragon, in ancient times it was believed that the “lion’s mouth” could ward off evil spirits and combat poison or poisonous potions used by witches.

A flower of youth and beauty

Among the medicines used in childbirth is a decoction of the leaves of the lion’s mouth flower, which is believed to ease labor pains.

The lion’s mouth is a flower dedicated to women and it is also said that its mysterious charm protects beautiful women from the envy and enmity of other women. That is why in England or Scotland the flower was worn hidden on the chest, especially on new moon nights.

It was also believed to be a flower that maintains youth and beauty. Sending a bouquet with a “lion’s mouth” to a young woman meant that they wanted to tell her how beautiful and special she was to the sender.

We do not know how effective lion’s mouth love charms were, but it is certain that the plant has certain healing properties.

The decoction and tea of ​​the flowers were often used for stomach pains and inflammations, for sores in the oral cavity, for sore throats, and externally for the care of wounds and skin rashes.

How to deal with a cat that persistently wakes us up at night

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Every cat owner knows from bitter experience what it’s like to be woken up at night or around 6am. Also, we know very well that if a cat is left alone for a long time during the day (especially if it is active and likes to play), it will hardly do anything but sleep. This is wonderful for one thing because it won’t make whites. On the other hand, however, this means that it will be more active at night.

What we need to know is that yes, cats do tend to be more active in the evening and at night. However – they can be taught on a different schedule and this requires your commitment and patience.

The biggest myth about cats is that they cannot be trained.

Because many owners believe this, they completely refuse to teach their meowing companion certain behaviors. This is a very wrong approach as cats are adaptable animals. In no way can we compare them to dogs, but then again – we can’t rely on myths without trying.

Why cats wake their owners

By waking you up, your cat accomplishes certain goals:

• Gets attention

• Wants to cuddle

• He wants to play

• Gets food

• Kills boredom

If the cuddly pet meows at night for food and you respond to this need – your cat will learn that you are responding and will beg for food. This action on your part will “cement” the behavior of the meowing pet, as there is no greater motivation for the cat to do anything than food.

How to teach the little kitten to stop waking us up

If you have a little one at home who hasn’t been taught many things yet, now is the time to take the time! You can prevent the little ones from nocturnal activity in several ways:

• Let the kitten pretend to hunt by playing with interactive toys.

• Get involved in the game by using a fishing line or by throwing toys for the cat to chase.

• Let the little one eat the last part of his food before you go to bed.

• Do not react when the kitten meows at night.

How to teach an elderly cat to stop waking us up

Tips for an adult cat are similar to those for a small kitten. The only difference is that it would be good to provide known games and entertainment for the meowing pet, to enrich its experiences. This will surely keep him away from boredom and he will be one idea calmer at night:

• Interactive playtime – try interacting with fishing rod toys

• Feeding treats but after playing or playing a puzzle

• Environmental enrichment — create opportunities for more sights, sounds, smells and things to do, such as periodic leash walks

While teaching your cat not to wake you up at night, you will certainly need to take care of yourself as this process takes time. In other words, a purring pet will most likely be meowing loudly while you’re trying to sleep. You can approach as follows:

• Close your bedroom door

• Use earplugs

• Set up an automatic feeder to put out some food for the night

A word of caution: If your cat suddenly develops annoying habits at night, it could be a sign of a medical problem, including pain, infection, or hyperthyroidism. Consult your veterinarian immediately.

Photo: iStock

WFP: First Ukrainian humanitarian grain shipment leaves for Horn of Africa

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WFP: First Ukrainian humanitarian grain shipment leaves for Horn of Africa
The first vessel transporting Ukrainian wheat grain to support humanitarian operations run by the World Food Programme (WFP) has left the port of Yuzhny, also known as Pivdennyi, the UN agency reported on Tuesday.
The MV Brave Commander departed with 23,000 metric tonnes of wheat grain for WFP’s response in the Horn of Africa, where the threat of famine is looming due to severe drought. 

This is the first shipment of humanitarian food assistance under the Black Sea Grain Initiative signed by Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye and the UN in July. 

Feeding the world’s hungry 

It marks another important milestone in efforts to get much-needed Ukrainian grain out of the war-torn country and back into global markets, to reach people worst affected by the global food crisis. 

“Getting the Black Sea Ports open is the single most important thing we can do right now to help the world’s hungry,” said WFP Executive Director David Beasley.  

“It will take more than grain ships out of Ukraine to stop world hunger, but with Ukrainian grain back on global markets we have a chance to stop this global food crisis from spiraling even further.” 

WFP will use the wheat grain shipment to scale-up its efforts in southern and south-eastern Ethiopia, supporting more than 1.5 million people affected by drought. 

Globally, a record 345 million people in more than 80 countries are currently facing acute food insecurity, while up to 50 million people in 45 countries are at risk of being pushed into famine without humanitarian support. 

The current hunger crisis is being driven by several factors including conflict, climate impacts, and the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The war in Ukraine is another catalyst as the country is a major grain exporter.  Ukraine was exporting up to six million tonnes of grain a month prior to the start of the conflict in February, but volumes now are at an average of one million tonnes per month. 

More action needed 

WFP said that with commercial and humanitarian maritime traffic now resuming in and out of Ukraine’s Black Sea Port, some global supply disruptions will ease, which will bring relief to countries facing the worst of the global food crisis. 

Crucially, Ukraine will also be able to empty its grain storage silos ahead of the summer season harvest, the agency added. 

However, despite these developments, the unprecedented food crisis continues. 

WFP stressed the need for immediate action that brings together the humanitarian community, governments, and the private sector to save lives and invest in long term solutions, warning that “failure will see people around the world slip into devastating famines with destabilizing impacts felt by us all.”

Camping the Grounds of Paris. How to choose camping sites

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aerial photo of park Paris. Photo by Marcel Strauß
Paris. Photo by Marcel Strauß

Paris has a nice selection of camping grounds. Some of the best camping sites around Paris are located at Charente-Maritime, Brittany, Central Cote d’ Azur, Languedoc, Aquitaine, and Vendee.

Camping at Brittany:

Brittany camping grounds have stunning grounds where superb buildings stand out in the background. The campground provides you fun and entertainment, since you will visit the splash zone, while enjoying many activities.

Brittany is a wonderful way to spend your holidays, as you will enjoy the tales of the past. The tales will walk you through spooky moments where you will take a haunting adventure back to the sprites of folklore giants, such as King Arthur and the well-known Merlin. The sorcery memories come alive as you listen to the tales of old.

On the adventure, you will enjoy ivy films along with beautiful views of lighthouses, which spread out over rock-strewn inlets, bays and coves. Throughout the bays are remarkable villages where friendly Parisians live. This cultural environment will allow you to enjoy music that takes you back to the legends and myths of the land, as the drums, harps, flutes, and bagpipes sound in your ears.

Taking a camping trip to Languedoc:

If you enjoy nature, spread your wings and fly since you will walk through luscious green/purplish pathways that lead up to ancient structures. This area is highly guarded by the French residence, and to see it you would know why. The beaches are filled with white, pearly sand those channels beyond the luscious fruits of town. Scented fields of lavender lilacs take you beyond the wild Marsh Island horses painted white. As you camp on these grounds, you will enjoy the tastes of hardy ripe grapes.

Past the broad-based cities near this lavishing park are labyrinths of walkways that take you to some of Paris’s hottest antique shops. You have a selection of other shops as well.

Tossing your tent in Aquitaine:

Taking a camping trip to Aquitaine will put you on Paris’s finest sandy beaches around. This sunny beach has a shred here and there of vineyards that stretch along the mountains of Pyrénées. The beach has a wide array of land that stretches over to Spain. Aquitaine is the capital of Bordeaux, which land area surrounds glaciers, ponds, lakes and stretches to the Atlantic Ocean. Grapes are the most valued fruits on this land that vines around forests.

Vendée Camping:

If you want comfort, relaxation and adventure combined then Vendée Camping is your choice. This beautiful sandy beach area provides you with golf courses, museums, wildlife, monuments, and more. You can enjoy surfing followed by a visit to one of the lovely arenas around Paris. If you enjoy sea diving, then Vendée is the place to camp. Vendée lies central west of France. The areas surround the Atlantic Bay and stretches onto the southern-east parts of the département of France.

Vendée at one time served as a battleground, yet today the lovely area is a peaceful water galore haven. Mont Mecure is Vendée highest point stretching up to 935 feet and over 285 miles. Around Vendée areas many tourists, industries, agriculture, and processed foods make up the environment. The camping at Vendée however is one of the most popular adventures.

Along the cultural grounds of Vendée are hundreds of miles of sandy beaches that stretch to dune edges around mild climates, pinewood, and so on. On the south region of the beach is Paris’s nude region. The nude beaches are at Pointe d’ Arcay south of the lovely La Faute sur Mer.

Fidel Castro survived 634 assassination attempts, slept with 35,000 women

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Certainly one of the most fascinating political figure of the 20th century was Fidel Castro. A thorn in the side of the West, a man who, according to official data, survived 634 failed attempts. Orator, lover, strategist, father of the nation but also of many children, politician and communist who did not deny his faith, all this and much more was the unique, revolutionary and charismatic Spaniard by birth, Cuban by self-consciousness, Fidel Alejandro Castro Rooz.

Official, but incredible information says that during his lifetime he remained intact, despite 634 murders planned by the American CIA and other related services. The most curious thing, however, is that the west is trying to put powder on him to make his beard fall out – his trademark. The agents intend, if they cannot kill him, at least to undermine his authority in Cuba. They fail!

According to the accounts of his close friends and associates, Fidel Castro is one of the greatest womanizers the world has ever seen. Cuban pub stories claim he slept with over 30,000 women!

Although there are conflicting opinions in the world about his rule, the fact is that Cubans cannot boast of wealth, but at the same time he should be honored because he almost completely succeeded in eradicating illiteracy in Cuba, so the level of literacy today is up to 99.7%.

Castro’s illness remains an enigma and the subject of much conjecture and speculation to this day. Most of the time it was said that he had cancer, but the Cubans never confirmed it.

In addition to two brothers and four sisters, Castro, who was officially married three times, leaves behind a son, Fidel “Fidelito,” and a daughter, Alina.

Today, Cubans pay special respect to the historic leader of their revolution, Fidel Castro, and speak of him with a mixture of admiration, respect and longing. Most Cubans remember their leader in various anecdotes, and every year on his birthday (August 13), people celebrate him with various activities and with great pride.

Castro is remembered on all continents for always extending a hand of solidarity without asking for anything in return. In this way, he teaches his countrymen to help those in need.

In a 1993 interview with Vanity Fair magazine, when asked how many children he had, Castro replied, “Almost a tribe.” According to another story, while the nation lived on the brink of poverty, Fidel Castro enjoyed plenty and kept everything about his personal life, lovers, eight children and even his wife strictly secret.

Castro’s only officially known wife is Myrta Díaz Ballart, who came from a wealthy family. The daughter of a prominent Cuban politician and mayor, she met Castro while studying philosophy at the University of Havana. The couple married in 1948 and had one child, known as Fidelito. In 1955, however, their marriage failed and Mirta and Fidel divorced. She then marries his archenemy, a man who supports Fulgencio Batista, the Cuban leader ousted during Castro’s revolution.

One of the most controversial women in Fidel’s life was a CIA spy. It is believed that Marita Lorenz was sent by the US in 1959 to kill Castro, but at the crucial moment she failed to pull the trigger because she fell in love with him. She becomes his lover and a year after arriving in Cuba, she tries to slip poison capsules into Castro’s dessert, but he discovers her intention.

“I thought he was going to shoot me, but he gave me the gun and said, ‘Did you come to kill me?'” Then he took a puff of smoke from his cigar and closed his eyes. He didn’t defend himself because he knew I couldn’t do that. He still loved me and I still loved him,” Lorenz says. She throws the gun away, refusing to kill her lover.

Photo: Castro (right) with fellow revolutionary Camilo Cienfuegos entering Havana on 8 January 1959 / Luis Korda / Public Domain

A legendary ferry goes on a journey across the Bosphorus

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The legendary Pashabahçe ferry, built in 1952, made its first trip across the Bosphorus last weekend after a 2-year restoration.

The naval vessel, which was originally built as a warship and later converted into a ferry plying the Bosphorus, has been fully restored by a major Istanbul municipality. It will now once again operate a regular urban marine transport service to the Princes’ Islands.

At the ceremony held at the Halic Shipyard, on the Golden Horn, the leader of Turkey’s main opposition force, the Republican People’s Party (RPP), Kemal Kulçdaroğlu, said: “It is extraordinary to relive history. It is this kind of history that gives cities their character. If the rulers alienate themselves from the city they live in, they also forget history.”

The opposition expressed great thanks to the head of Cityline’s ferry services in Istanbul, Sinem Dedetaş.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the reconstruction of the Pashabahçe ferry. He shared the many problems he faced: “I would like to thank my friends who have taken firm steps to increase the share of marine public transport in our city after years. I am happy that the Pashabahce ferry will embark on this beautiful journey where we will experience many good days, many good news, many special celebrations and many special moments in the upcoming 100th anniversary of our republic next year. In our institution, we have adopted the basic philosophy and principle which is part of our understanding, which is transparency, accountability, saving and using every penny of this country and this nation in the most proper way, never giving an opportunity to wasters. As a leadership, we are confidently on our way.”

The Pashabahçe ferry was built in 1952 in Taranto, southern Italy, as a warship and later converted into a ferry for the Turkish metropolis, used primarily for Bosphorus transport lines.

For 58 years, the iconic ship sailed between both sides of the Bosphorus, including the Princes’ Islands, but in 2010 Pashabahçe was retired.

In 2017, journalist Adil Bali visited the ship and decided that after more than half a century of service, retirement was not a fitting fate for the iconic vessel.

The journalist shared that when he first saw the disused ferry, he felt sorrow in his heart. It was covered everywhere with grass and moss and everything was dilapidated.

He inspired the reconstruction by posting a petition on change.org calling for the ferry to be saved. About 6,500 people signed up in support.

Hundreds of ships stopped on the Danube river because of low water

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Hundreds of self-propelled and non-self-propelled vessels are waiting in the Bulgarian-Romanian section of the Danube River due to the very low level. This was announced to BTA by Ivan Zhekov, director of the “River Supervision – Ruse” Directorate at the “Maritime Administration” agency.

In the Bulgarian-Romanian section there are 20 thresholds that make navigation difficult. The lowest level is in the areas of Belene and Batin islands. Ships can pass there with a draft of up to 1.30 meters.

The downtrend continues. The situation is similar in the other Danube countries, as the low water has covered the entire river.

“Cruise ships travel, if they have the opportunity, and in very few sections. In our area, this is impossible. They mainly travel lightly loaded vessels or empty vessels that have a draft of 1.20 – 1.30 meters”, explained Zhekov.

According to him, there are currently no stranded ships as the captains avoid traveling in this environment and wait for the conditions to improve. This leads to losses for ship owners and companies.

“There was a similar low water in 2003, as well as in 2018, but now the drought came too early and this will probably be the most unfavorable year from the point of view of shipping,” Zhekov said.

According to him, in the Bulgarian-Romanian section, the level of the Danube River is not expected to rise soon, which would ease the very difficult navigation.

According to data from the “Research and Maintenance of the Danube River” agency, the level at Rousse today is minus 52 cm compared to the conditional elevation of “zero”. The forecast for the next two days is that it will drop by another three centimeters.

Drought is putting severe challenges to navigation on Europe’s longest river; only some passenger cruise ships, which are running very shallow, are currently overcoming the difficulties. On Sunday, the level of the Danube in the area of ​​the village of Gomotartsi, Vidinsko, was below sea level – minus 121 cm; near Novo Selo, the Agency for the maintenance of the navigable waterway of the Danube River reported a water column of minus 10 cm. And at the 796th kilometer at “Danube Bridge 2”, the level was only 35 centimeters above sea level.

Blazing sun, clear water, birds and people can be seen in an unusual place. Sandy islands and dunes, lakes and lagoons are part of a landscape that attracts more and more admirers in the summer heat.

This unusual place is the middle of the Danube River at kilometer 796, under the nearly 30-meter high structure of “Danube Bridge 2”. It can be reached by car, bicycle and boat, and the most enthusiastic – on foot.

The thick shadow cast by the bridge is where one can hide in the cold. The feeling is strange – on one side is the Bulgarian coast, and only meters away – the Romanian coast.

The level of the Danube in the Bulgarian section remains critically low, it has been below zero in many places for almost a month now. Somewhere the river can even be crossed on foot.

Photo: BTA

Signs in Bulgarian scare thieves in the London subway

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The police in London are apparently squealed by the Bulgarian pickpockets

Signs in Bulgarian warning pickpockets that the police are monitoring their actions have appeared in London.

“We are actively monitoring you, you are targeted”, reads the inscription on the sign in the subway.

The photo was shared on social networks by travel blogger Bobby Ilinov.

London’s Metropolitan Police have apparently been hissed by the Bulgarian pickpockets and have resorted to an unusual approach to warn them off. With a yellow sign, in Bulgarian, the following text is written: “The police are warning. Pickpockets, be careful! We are actively watching you, you are being targeted!”.

On Facebook, other Bulgarians who live in the capital of the United Kingdom share that there were other signs with the text: “Beware of thieves – Bulgarians!”. Many people ask why a cosmopolitan city with a mayor of Pakistani origin puts all Bulgarians under one denominator in this ugly way.

The police certainly have a serious problem with our pickpockets, which, however, can be solved in another way, especially since the entire subway and a large part of the streets are surrounded by cameras.

Photo credit: TrafficNews

What is the connection between salt and muscle cramps?

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See what to do if you get a muscle spasm

It is a misconception that salt should accumulate in the body after training. Salt is also found in whole grains, nuts, and legumes. Their consumption supplies our body with a sufficient amount of sodium chloride. People who do intense sports need more salt in their diet. However, they are not the only ones affected by muscle cramps. Why do they occur?

Muscles respond to stimuli from our motor nerves. When their interaction is disturbed, the muscle reacts and a painful spasm occurs. There can be two reasons – a damaged nerve that sends more than necessary signals to the muscle, or a muscle that reacts hypersensitively to normal stimuli.

 “If someone often suffers from muscle cramps, it should be investigated,” explained neurologist Dr. Dirk Cesnik. According to him, sometimes the reasons can be related to a disease, which is important to detect in time.

The standard recommendation to relieve painful spasms is to take magnesium. Unfortunately, it doesn’t help everyone. Dr. Gernot Kühnel recommends stretching the muscles before bed.

We don’t have to cut out salt completely to be healthy, says Matthias Riedl, a nutritionist and head of the Medicum Center in Hamburg. “But we have to consume salt in moderation,” he is emphatic, DW quotes.

How to eliminate chips, soy sauce, ready-made soups or frozen pizzas from our menu? Most people cannot imagine life without salt at all. But this is exactly what the current health minister of Germany, Karl Lauterbach, has been practicing for over 30 years, because he is convinced that it is healthier.

The human body needs salt, but in limited quantities

Salt is vital. Its chemical formula is sodium chloride – especially sodium is important for the human body because it is necessary for the maintenance of important functions: it regulates the water balance, the activity of the nervous system and muscles and aids digestion. For the body to perform all these functions, we need about 1 gram of salt. This means that salt in moderation is beneficial.

Archbishop Jerome of Athens: If bishops and priests do not care for people, they have no purpose in life

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The Archbishop of Athens, Hieronymus, appealed to all the clergy in the country to be close to each and every person, because without this their ministry becomes meaningless. In his speech today after the solemn service in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Chrysospilyotissa, he said:

“If the Church, the archbishop, bishops and priests are not concerned about every single person, then they have no purpose in their lives.” And he added: “The Church and priests exist because there are people with difficulties and problems in life, and because of that God has called us to become co-workers.”

“When God bends down to every person’s wound, to every problem, to every difficulty, even when he meets denial, we have no right to follow another path and go in another direction. This is why all clerics, be they archbishops, bishops or priests, are called to be servants of man.”

The head of the Greek Church believes that today’s medicine to deal with the growing difficulties of society is cooperation: “In our country, we need to forget about differences and put them on the back burner, and cooperation should come first. The Church must set an example here as well. The priests must cooperate with the people, the bishops – with each other and with the people, so that the people can hand it over to the politicians and everyone around us who are fighting for this country. For everyone to understand that this is the best medicine, and to strive for cooperation, coexistence and understanding.”

For his part, Australian Archbishop Macarius called on the clergy of his diocese to remember that their priestly mission is to direct people not to themselves, but to Christ and the Church. He delivered his pastoral speech during a priestly ordination in the church “St. Charalampius” in Melbourne, and the reason is the way some clerics preach from the pulpit – in the center of their sermons they put themselves, their experiences, thinking that this way they make their word more interesting and alive, while in fact they self-centeredly obscure the message of Christ . This is how they gain followers, subtly creating a cult of their own personality instead of directing people’s attention to Christ.

According to Archbishop Macarius the priest must bear in mind the danger of losing orientation to his mission, despite the enthusiasm with which he begins his priestly ministry:

“And this happens because we priests forget that we are here not to preach ourselves, not to say things from ourselves, not to lead people to ourselves and win people’s love, but to we point people to Christ and the Church.”

There are three basic principles that the priest must observe if he wants to avoid this danger: never to identify himself with Christ, never to identify himself with the Church, and never to identify himself with the Holy Spirit.

“There are many cases of clergymen who come out and speak in the name of the Holy Spirit and preach heresy. There are many cases of clergymen who go out and, instead of Christ, talk about their lives and accomplishments, about the good things they believe in, or even worse – raise the tongue in the pulpit in the street, because they think that this way they become current, but they forget that the sermon is a sacred matter and not everyone can say what he wants, what interests him, what he believes in and especially what he personally lives”.

This is also advised by the model in the preaching work – St. John Chrysostom: “We do not preach and reveal our lives, but our goal is to preach and reveal Christ.”

Photo by Ron Lach / pexels