Belsnickel is a combination of Saint Nikolas, the original German Santa Claus – a jolly character who rewards good children and Krampus, a half-goat character and the antithesis of Santa Claus, who torments bad children. Being a combination of these two characters, Belsnickel is both kind to the good children and torments the naughty ones.

The war in Ukraine has now surpassed the milestone of 1,000 days, a period marked by devastation, resilience, and geopolitical upheaval. This seemingly endless conflict has reshaped the world’s understanding of 21st-century warfare, exposing the fragile balance of global security, the endurance of the Ukrainian people, and the profound ripple effects far beyond Eastern Europe.

On 30 October 2024, Rachel Reeves stood in parliament and announced the Autumn Budget for the UK. For those who may not know, the Budget is a statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to declare how the UK’s government finances will be divided, and the changes to taxation. It also includes the predictions for economic growth.

Some of the biggest promoters of veganism are actually not the health-conscious yogis in lulu lemons but hardcore punk bands. Many words have been used to describe the notorious punk subculture: gothic, nihilistic and dangerous, so this statement might be surprising to readers.

Language is a key part of our everyday life. As social creatures, humans crave communication between others, and words have enabled us to do just that. “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world” is a famous quote from Ludwig Wittgenstein that also just so happens to be around the MFL floor (take a look next time you go up the staircase), and to a certain extent, it is true. In this article, I will be talking about how language plays a key role in our cognitive functioning, and can influence the way we think.