WEIRD STUFFF

Teen allergic to water

A teenage girl suffers from over 40 different allergies -- including water.

Chloe Ramsay, 19, was born with several food allergies and would "pass out" if she ever ate bananas or potatoes, but, unusually, has aquagenic urticaria, an allergy to H20.

Showers cause Ramsay's skin to flare up in hives and getting caught outside in the rain leaves her "wanting to scrape (my) skin off with a knife".

The carer -- who hails from Hampshire in the UK -- told the Daily Star newspaper: "We found out about my first allergies when I was six months old and my mum was weaning me.

"If I was given potatoes or bananas I would go blue and pass out, but luckily my reactions aren't that bad any more. They change, but currently I can't eat foods like strawberries, kiwis, fruit juices and I can't use scented shampoos, and body washes."

Ramsay continued: "With the water allergy, it just came on one day -- I thought I'd used a body wash I was allergic to, but it got worse. Whenever I washed my hands I would get massive rashes, and it felt like ants crawling on my skin."

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People are happiest in the morning

A new study on mental health by University College London (UCL) has found that individuals wake up feeling in the best frame of mind but are at their worst come midnight.

The day of the week and time of year also influence happiness levels, with Tuesdays and summer among the most upbeat periods.

Scientists analysed data from 49,218 adults in the UCL COVID-19 Social Study, which followed people for two years between March 2020 and March 2022.

The experts noted that people had more varied mental health at weekends, whereas things were more stable during the week.

Dr Feifei Bu, from UCL's Department of Behavioural Science and Health, said: "Our findings suggest that on average, people's mental health and well-being are better in the morning and worst at midnight."

She added: "Mental health support services might consider adjusting resources to match fluctuating needs across the day -- for instance, prioritising late-night availability."

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Russia revives pre-war song contest

Vladimir Putin has ordered the revival of the Soviet-era alternative to the Eurovision Song Contest.

The Russian president signed a decree earlier this week instructing officials to oversee the return of the Intervision Song Contest in Moscow this year, with the goal of "developing international cultural and humanitarian cooperation".

Presidential envoy Mikhail Shvydkoi previously stated that "almost 20 countries" had agreed to take part -- including Brazil, China, Cuba and India.

Russia was banned from competing in Eurovision in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine and Kremlin officials are seeking to portray the Intervision contest as a "traditional values" alternative to the established competition.

Eurovision expert Dean Vuletic said: "For Russia, it's an expression of soft power. This is a challenge to Eurovision's status as the world's biggest popular music contest."