More than 1,200 new German words have been created during the Covid era, among them coronaangst (anxiety about the virus), coronafrisur (corona hairstyle) and maskentrottel (mask idiot who wears a face covering leaving the nose exposed). “I can’t think of anything, at least since the Second World War, that would have changed the vocabulary as drastically, and at the same time as quickly, as the corona pandemic,” said a linguistics professor.
Climate change ‘means days could get longer’
Days could last longer than 24 hours if the ice caps in the North and South Poles continue to melt, according to a scientist. Earth expert Mathieu Morlighem says the planet would eventually spin more slowly in the universe thanks to the increased sea levels at its axis. “So the Earth is going to spin at a slower rate. It's hard to quantify, but probably 10, 20 seconds longer for a day,” he added.
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Man bowls perfect game with father's ashes
An Illinois man has bowled a perfect, 300-score game of ten-pin bowling with a ball filled with his late father's ashes. John Hinkle said he and his brother decided to honour their avid bowler father by placing his ashes inside a ball. “I was talking to my brother and told him, ‘I’m shooting a 300 with this ball,’” said John. He said he had “goosebumps” and “chills’ afterwards. “He was there,” he said of his father.
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Film reviews: ‘The Testament of Ann Lee,’ ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,’ and ‘Young Mothers’Feature A full-immersion portrait of the Shakers’ founder, a zombie virus brings out the best and worst in the human survivors, and pregnancy tests the resolve of four Belgian teenagers
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Political cartoons for January 25Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include a hot economy, A.I. wisdom, and more
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Le Pen back in the dock: the trial that’s shaking FranceIn the Spotlight Appealing her four-year conviction for embezzlement, the Rassemblement National leader faces an uncertain political future, whatever the result
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Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
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Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
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Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
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US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
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The Alps start the countdown to ‘peak glacier extinction’IN THE SPOTLIGHT Central Europe is losing ice faster than anywhere else on Earth. Global warming puts this already bad situation at risk of becoming even worse.
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How Bulgaria’s government fell amid mass protestsThe Explainer The country’s prime minister resigned as part of the fallout
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Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
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Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
