Nan's Christmas pud with Vin Santo's recipe by Rachel HAMMOUD

Nan's Christmas pud with Vin Santo's recipe

"This light, fruity Christmaspudding makes buying one from the shops a thing of the past!"

           

                                                                 

               SERVES 8                         COOKS IN 3H15M               DIFFICULTY: SUPER EASY!

Ingredients:
-500g of mixed dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, sultanas and raisins)                   
-100g of chopped dates
-3 tbsps of chopped crystallized ginger
-125g of suet
-1 orange, zest of
-125g of plain flour
-125g of caster sugar
-150g of fresh white breadcrumbs
-2 tbsps of vin santo or brandy                                                                           
-1 handful chopped nuts (pecans, Brazils or hazelnuts)
-1 medium free-range egg
-150ml of milk
-golden syrup, to serve
Method:

1. Grease a 1,5 liter pudding bowl.
2. Mix all the ingredients together except the golden syrup.
3. Put the mixture into the greased bowl and cover with a double layer of aluminium foil.
4. Tie a piece of string round the side of the bowl.
5. Place in large saucepan with water halfway up the sides of the bowl.
6. Bring the water to the boil, put on a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 3 hours.
7. When it's ready, remove the foil, turn out on to a plate.
8. Drizzle with golden syrup.Decorate it as you like. You can also light it with brandy if you want to be really fancy.

WARNING! While simmering the water, don't forget to check it regularly, making sure it never boils dry, because if it does, it will burn and the bowl will crack.
                                     
                                                      ENJOY!!!😊
References:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/my-nan-s-christmas-pud-with-vin-santo/ (recipe)

https://www.google.com.lb/search?q=nan%27s+christmas+pudding&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjs_v7iw8zQAhXJ6xoKHVG6B_IQ_AUICCgB&biw=2049&bih=989&dpr=0.67#imgrc=9GzB0J7_cSPbYM%3A (picture)

"Train at your door" by Ayman Sonji

Train at your door

UK commuters frequently use trains, and living as close as they could to a train station could be likened to the "Holy Grail," but it would not be comfortable.

In Hanoi, Vietnam, there is a train that passes right by people's front doors. At 4 pm and 7 pm every day, the train swiftly comes down the street. The people there have to retreat into their homes to avoid accidents.

In most places, this train would probably not get the nod due to safety reasons, in addition to the lack of peace that would come from a train passing almost inside your house every day.

This article was inspired by http://www.newsinlevels.com/

Christmas by Meena Badran

                     Christmas

Christmas or Christmas day  is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed most commonly on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. Christmas Day is a public holiday in many of the world's nations, is celebrated culturally by a large number of non-Christian people,and is an integral part of the holiday season, while some Christian groups reject the celebration. In several countries, celebrating Christmas Eve on December 24 has the main focus rather than December 25, with gift-giving and sharing a traditional meal with the family. The practice of putting up special decorations at Christmas has a long history. In the 15th century, it was recorded that in London it was the custom at Christmas for every house and all the parish churches to be "decked with holm, ivy, bays, and whatsoever the season of the year afforded to be green’.The heart-shaped leaves of ivy were said to symbolize the coming to earth of Jesus, while holly was seen as protection against pagans and witches, its thorns and red berries held to represent the Crown of Thorns worn by Jesus.

Meena Badran, 3eme1

76 People Killed in Plane Crash Involving Brazilian Soccer Team by Zein Adada

Plane carrying a brazilian soccer team crashes in Colombia. Poor weather conditions had been reported at the time of the crash. At one point, rescue operations were suspended due to heavy rain. Five people survived and 76 others were killed. The team had been scheduled to play in the Copa Sudamerica finals against Atletico Nacional on Wednesday in Medellin.

"Wildfires in Israel" by Ayman Sonji

Wildfires in Israel

For the past four days, many wildfires have been burning around Israel, and firefighters believe that some of them started deliberately. Police arrested twelve people on suspicion of arson.

The fires forced the evacuation of about 80,000 people from the city of Haifa.

This article was inspired by http://www.newsinlevels.com/

Ten surprising effects of lack of sleep by Sara Fanous

                  

1. Sleepiness Causes Accidents.

Studies show that sleep loss and poor-quality sleep also lead to accidents and injuries on the job. In one study, workers who complained about excessive daytime sleepiness had significantly more work accidents, particularly repeated work accidents. They also had more sick days per accident.

2. Sleep Loss Dumbs You Down.

Sleep plays a critical role in thinking and learning. Lack of sleep hurts these cognitive processes in many ways. First, it impairs attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, and problem solving. This makes it more difficult to learn efficiently.

3. Sleep Deprivation Can Lead to Serious Health Problems.

Sleep disorders and chronic sleep loss can put you at risk for: heart disease, heart attack, diabetes, stroke, ...

4. Lack of Sleep Kills Sex Drive.

Sleep specialists say that sleep-deprived men and women report lower libidos and less interest in sex. Depleted energy, sleepiness, and increased tension may be largely to blame.

5. Sleepiness Is Depressing.

Over time, lack of sleep and sleep disorders can contribute to the symptoms of depression. In a 2005 Sleep in America poll, people who were diagnosed with depression or anxiety were more likely to sleep less than six hours at night.

6. Lack of Sleep Ages Your Skin.

Most people have experienced sallow skin and puffy eyes after a few nights of missed sleep. But it turns out that chronic sleep loss can lead to lackluster skin, fine lines, and dark circles under the eyes.

7. Sleepiness Makes You Forgetful.

In 2009, American and French researchers determined that brain events called “sharp wave ripples” are responsible for consolidating memory. 

8. Losing Sleep Can Make You Gain Weight.

When it comes to body weight, it may be that if you snooze, you lose. Lack of sleep seems to be related to an increase in hungerand appetite, and possibly to obesity. According to a 2004 study, people who sleep less than six hours a day were almost 30 percent more likely to become obese than those who slept seven to nine hours.

9. Lack of Sleep May Increase Risk of Death.

In the “Whitehall II Study,” British researchers looked at how sleep patterns affected the mortality of more than 10,000 British civil servants over two decades. The results, published in 2007, showed that those who had cut their sleep from seven to five hours or fewer a night nearly doubled their risk of death from all causes. In particular, lack of sleep doubled the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

10. Sleep Loss Impairs Judgment, Especially About Sleep.

Lack of sleep can affect our interpretation of events. This hurts our ability to make sound judgments because we may not assess situations accurately and act on them wisely.