Opá Magazine UK

17/04/2024

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🇬🇧 Opá Magazine UK - England

🇵🇹 Opá Magazine PT - Portugal

13/03/2024

By Daiza Bispo
Journalist

Indonesia's Batik Air faces investigation, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transport Safety Committee (KNKT), because both the pilot and co-pilot fell asleep simultaneously for 28 minutes during flight. The incident occurred on a return Batik Air flight from Haluoleo International Airport in Indonesia to Soekarno-Hatta Airport in the capital, Jakarta.

One of the pilots said he was very tired, having not slept the previous nights, as he was helping to take care of his newborn children. The Airbus A320 briefly deviated from course but landed safely, with all 153 passengers and crew unharmed.

The transport ministry “strongly reprimands” Batik Air for the incident, said air transport director-general Maria Kristi Endah Murni, and calls on companies to monitor their crew’s rest time.



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Image credits: Wikipedia
Design by Opá Magazine

08/03/2024

Very life begins with a woman. Respect and encourage every woman for what she is.

Woman, you are always loved and appreciated.
Happy Women’s Day! 🌷

14/02/2024

Happy Valentine's Day. 😍❤

03/02/2024

London




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Image credits: Opá Magazine

24/01/2024

By Daiza Bispo
Journalist

Data reveals a new drop in the number of childminders, continuing the almost uninterrupted trend of the last decade and a half, according The Department for Education’s (DfE) annual Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers (SCEYP).

The number of childminders has declined over the past decade, from 56,200 in 2013 to 27,900 in 2023 - a fall of 50%.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "We are taking action to increase the number of childminders, supporting thousands of people to join the sector with the childminder start-up grant and removing unnecessary training costs."

While the government provides the funding, the exact amount childminders receive will be set by local authorities.
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Image credits: Opá Magazine

12/01/2024

By Joana Lopes
Lifestyle columnist

If your dishes aren't clean, it's probably because you forgot some basic steps you should do in your dishwasher.

Follow these tips and you’ll get a longer life out of your dishwasher.

1. Scrape off the dirt
Scrape off dirt and food bits before putting dishes in the dishwasher. Food debris and other deposits can build up over many uses.

2. Clean filter
Remove it and clean off any food or grime.
Empty the filter and clean it once a month.

3. Use dishwasher salt and rinse aid
Dishwashers these days have a salt refill indicator to let you know when it's time for a top-up.

4. Properly load your dishes
Loading your dishwasher correctly can make a difference in how clean your dishwasher is.

For any technical issues, we recommend you consult a qualified technician.


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Joana Lopes is Opá Magazine's lifestyle columnist. She writes articles about home life, style and lots more.

Image credits: Opá Magazine

03/01/2024

By Sandra Rodrigues
Journalist

New weather warnings have been issued for the coming days after Storm Henk lashed Britain yesterday, causing flooding, homes to lose power and severe travel disruption. Hundreds of flood warnings are in place today, and police have confirmed the death of a driver killed by a falling tree in Gloucestershire and hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes or rescued from vehicles as the impact of Storm Henk continued to cause havoc in parts of southern Britain.

The forecaster issued a yellow rain warning for the south of England on Thursday and Friday with the chance of power cuts and the flooding of homes.
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Image Credits: Opá Magazine

31/12/2023

New beginnings are just around the corner.
Happy New Year!! 🥂


#2024

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Image credits: Opá Magazine

23/12/2023

By Daiza Bispo
Journalist

Christmas is a time of year when people around the world come together in the spirit of giving, love and hope for mankind, but there are many countries that don’t celebrate Christmas.

Afghanistan
Most of the people who live in Afghanistan are Islamic, so they don’t celebrate Christmas at all.


Morocco
The population of Morocco is predominantly Muslim, so Christmas is not a major holiday.

Somalia
For the past eight years, since 2015, Somalia has banned the celebration of Christmas outright.


Tunisia
Although Christmas is not banned in Tunisia, and despite the 35,000 or so Christian inhabitants of Tunisia, there are almost no public celebrations of the holiday and it is a regular work day for the country.


China
China, as a non-Christian country, does not widely celebrate Christmas. While some major cities may have adopted certain Western traditions and commercialized aspects of the holiday, the religious significance of Christmas is not observed in rural areas and smaller towns. The country is officially a non-religious state, and so Christmas in China is another working day and schools, offices and shops all remain open.

North Korea
This is one of the most hostile places in the world for the Christmas spirit. The only devotion permitted is for the party and its leaders, the Kim family. Most North Koreans have never even heard of Jesus or the celebration of Christmas.

Qatar
Unfortunately, you’ll need to find your own way to spread Christmas cheer in Qatar as you won’t even be able to tell it’s Christmas, let alone December.


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Image credits: Opá Magazine.
Design by Opá Magazine.

22/12/2023

Watford - Hertfordshire

29/11/2023

By Carla Araujo
Health and Lifestyle columnist

Raspberries are grown in the UK over the Summer and Autumn months, and are actually little bunches of reddish-pink druplets that are tightly packed together.

The early boost for the raspberry season didn't only bring a high quality of fruit, it extended the growing season right through to early November.

In the UK, it’s recommended that adults eat at least 30g of fibre every day, meaning your raspberry fix will contribute to just over a quarter of your daily intake.
Raspberries are full to the brim of nutritional.
May improve blood sugar management, may have cancer protective properties, may alleviate arthritis, may reduce signs of ageing and may protect against metabolic syndrome.
Nutritionists say, “Raspberries are a powerful source of nutrients, including vitamin C, manganese, dietary fiber and polyphenols, which are believed to have potent antioxidant properties.

I don't think we need any more reasons to enjoy this delicious and nutritious fruit.

This advice in this article is for information only.


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Carla Araujo is a health, wellness and lifestyle columnist. She writes on family and welfare issues. She has been a health journalist for three years.

27/11/2023

By Joana Lopes
Lifestyle Columnist

Christmas is the most wonderful time of year but to many though, the thought of having to cook Christmas dinner can be a very daunting task – especially when doing it for the first time but these holidays don't have to be stressful.

There are plenty of ways to help make Christmas dinner easy so never fear.

With our tips you can make your dinner in advance and can guarantee you’ll have more time to enjoy family and friends this year.
In moments like this, what you need is a good strategy.

1. Make a plan.

2. Organization is key.

3. Plan your menu and guest list.

4. Write down everything you plan to make for your Christmas dinner.

5. Cook the food you like.

6. Prep as much food as you can ahead of time.

7. Prep your veg the before: Peel potatoes, carrots, parsnips and any other vegetable you're having and leave them in pans of cold water during the day.

8. Pick a dessert that can be made ahead.

9. Use your refrigerator space wisely.

10. Keep your table setup simple.

Christmas dinner should be, every year, an enjoyable and memorable event, not a source of stress and exhaustion. We hope you have a wonderful, stress-free Christmas dinner.
Try to enjoy it!



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Joana Lopes is Opá Magazine's lifestyle columnist. She writes articles about home life, style and lots more.

Image credits: Pexels

26/11/2023

17/11/2023

By Nuno Santos
Columnist

Today, having a Christmas tree in one’s home is an expected form of celebrating. Trees have been used as decorations since ancient times and many believe that it originated in Germany where Christians began to decorate trees.

Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine trees, ancient people hung evergreen boughs over doors and windows. Despite the Christmas tree's roots in Christianity, most Americans refused to adopt the tradition at first because they believed it to be attached to pagan beliefs. The tradition was mostly contained to Germany until the late 1700s and early 1800s.

The Christmas Tree is a wonderful and historic tradition that we don our homes with every Christmas to fill us with spirit and to lay our gifts underneath. However, it is the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on the very first Christmas that we celebrate.



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Nuno Santos writes on various topics with an emphasis on curiosities.

Image credits: Pixabay

06/11/2023

By Carla Araujo
Health and Lifestyle columnist

Do you like tea?
We have good news for tea lovers!

Tea is the second most consumed drink in the world after water.
Sipping on a cozy cup of tea every day may be one of the best things you can do for your health.

But what happens to your body when you drink tea every day.
Here are some health benefits:

1. You May Be More Hydrated
Tea has unique health properties not found in other beverages and is an excellent source of hydration. If you're a regular tea drinker, you can continue drinking tea and it will contribute to your overall hydration level. But tea should not replace water, which should also be incorporated into your daily fluid intake.

2. Promotes heart health
Black tea is very important when it comes to heart health. Studies show that tea can reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular events.

3. May Aid Weight Loss
Green tea may help accelerate weight loss thanks to its chemical composition. It’s calorie free, at least if you don’t add milk or sugar.

4. May improve gut health
The polyphenols found in black tea may help maintain a healthy gut by promoting the growth of good bacteria and inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria.

5. Best at bedtime
Whether you need help falling asleep at night, boosting your immune system, or reducing stress, a cup of chamomile tea can help.

Although more research is needed to pin down all of its benefits, tea can be part of a healthy eating pattern.

The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care. Just make sure you don’t overdo it and talk to your doctor to check whether your favorite tea might interfere with any medications.



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Carla Araujo is a health, wellness and lifestyle columnist. She writes on family and welfare issues. She has been a health journalist for three years.
Image credits: Opá Magazine

01/11/2023

St Albans - Hertfordshire
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Image credits: Opá Magazine

22/10/2023

By Susan Dias
Journalist

Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The original Sonic the Hedgehog was released on June 23, 1991, is a fictional character created by Naoto Ohshima and Yuji Naka.

After a landmark event, the two rivals launch games in the same week for the first time in more than 30 years. In 1992, this also happened, Super Mario Land 2 and Sonic 2 were released in the same week.

You might think that these two new games were made by the same team, but while these games may look similar they play quite differently.



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Image credits: YouTube

16/10/2023

By Joana Lopes
Lifestyle Columnist

While keeping a reusable water bottle handy is nice, if you don't clean your water bottle it could expose you to germs and bacteria.

Experts say you should wash your water bottle after every use. Check out our water bottle cleaning tips below.
Using unscented dish soap is especially important for plastic, silicone and other synthetic-material water bottles, because they absorb odors and flavors.
Clean the Cap
General Cleaning
If you wash your water bottles with soap and hot water every day, you might not need to do a deep cleaning.
For daily cleaning the washing up liquid method is probably best.
Deep Cleaning
If your reusable water bottle has been neglected for a while, a deep clean may be necessary to remove any unwanted substances.
If your bottle needs a more intense cleaning, try vinegar or baking soda to clean it.

Soak with white vinegar
Fill your water bottle with white vinegar and let it soak overnight. In the morning, rinse with warm soapy water and reassess.

What about the dishwasher?
Check with the manufacturer of your bottle to see if it can go in the dishwasher - if so put it on the top rack but take off any silicone seals first.


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Joana Lopes is Opá Magazine's lifestyle columnist. She writes articles about home life, style and lots more.

11/10/2023

By Daiza Bispo
Journalist

A British Airways flight was evacuated at Heathrow after four people fell ill following reports of “fumes” on Sunday, 8 October. The flight was arriving from Barcelona.

A major emergency services operation took place at Heathrow Airport in response to these reports. Emergency services rushed to Terminal 5 after the plane landed at around 4.15pm, with sick passengers being treated and released at the scene.

The London Fire Brigade said a “chemical team scanned the plane and found no elevated readings.” A statement added: “Customers disembarked the aircraft safely via stages and we apologize to them for the delay and inconvenience caused to their journey."
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Image credits: Opá Magazine

18/09/2023

By Daiza Bispo
Journalist

Rents in the UK are now at the highest rate on record – and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has recorded the biggest annual increase since its records began seven years ago.

Rent rises were most acute in London where they grew 5.1 per cent, according to the Office for National Statistics on Wednesday, with soaring mortgage costs darkening the property market outlook. However, it says rising rents will likely be felt similarly across the UK, not just in London

Pressure on landlords from high mortgage rates and rising demand from tenants has been pushing up rental costs.
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Daiza Bispo is journalist and Director of Opá Magazine. Daiza graduated from the University of Lisbon in 2010.

Image credits: Opá Magazine

11/09/2023

By Sandra Rodrigues
Journalist

Covid vaccine rules are changing, but those most at risk will be offered another jab this autumn.

Ministers are facing urgent calls to consider widening the availability of Covid vaccines amid concerns that a new variant of the virus could put pressure on the NHS and cause more sickness in the workforce this winter. Doctors warned that Pirola may be cause for concern as it is a newly-designated, highly-mutated variant of Omicron which triggered a surge in cases in a number of countries including the US.

For more information, please visit nhs.uk.
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Sandra Rodrigues is a journalist with five years of experience in writing, editing, and conceptualizing story ideas in different genres, including news, curiosities, health and wellness, lifestyle, beauty, fashion, etc.

31/08/2023

By Daíza Bispo
Journalist

The UK's air travel was plunged into chaos after a 'major failure' in air traffic control led to flights in and out of the country being delayed.

The air traffic control failure that grounded hundreds of flights was caused by a complex technical issue, the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) boss has said. Airlines are facing costs “in the tens of millions”, according to Willie Walsh, the former chief executive of British Airways, who is now the director general of theInternational Air Transport Association, as disruption extended into the third day.
Martin Rolfe told the BBC that measures were in place to protect against the "incredibly rare" system failure which has left hundreds of flights cancelled.

Thousands of passengers faced a nightmare Bank Holiday Monday, with many left stuck abroad and in the UK. Some people slept on airport floors or in makeshift beds, while many scrambled to rebook flights.

There are no indications that this was a cyber-attack."
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Image Credits: Opá Magazine

07/08/2023

By Lydia Souto
Beauty columnist

Keeping your nails in good condition is an investment in your health.
Healthy nails require an investment of time, not just money.

Follow these tips to get healthy nails, according to nail care experts:
Moisturize your nails
Give your nails extra attention when applying hand lotion.
Nail polish and remover
Use quality products
Keep your hands and feet clean
Keep nails away from dirty or wet areas for a long time.
How to Trim Your Nails
Do not bite nails, do not overcut and do not cut the cuticle.
Protect your nails
Wear gloves when washing dishes or other wet work. Thicker the gloves, the better it is.

When visiting the manicure or pedicure make sure the tools your nail technician uses are clean and sanitized.

It is important to seek treatment for any nail problem. If you have questions or concerns about caring for your nails, seek medical attention.

The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care.




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Lydia Souto shares beauty and fashion tips and techniques. Lydia is responsible for much of the fashion and beauty writing you'll see in these pages.

02/08/2023

By Cezar Augusto
Columnist

Watford - Hertfordshire

24/07/2023

By Cezar Augusto
Editor and Columnist

Apsley - Hertfordshire

12/07/2023

😊

10/07/2023

BODY SKIN CARE
By Lydia Souto
Aesthetician: Sophia Evans

Having a structured body skin care routine is important keeps your skin healthy, says Sophia Evans Aesthetician.
A body skin care routine looks after your bodies first line of defense against infection and disease.

HOW TO CREATE A SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR YOUR BODY

•The perfect body skin care routine begins in the shower. Look for a gentle body wash that won’t irritate or dry out your skin.

•Lather up with help from a loofah, wash cloth, or just your hands, then be sure to rinse off.

•Two or three times a week, exfoliate your body by adding a sugar scrub into your shower routine and gently massaging the scrub onto your skin. Be sure to focus on your elbows, knees, and heels, which are more likely to have rough patches that need extra exfoliation.
Exfoliating your body is just as important as exfoliating your face.

•Last but by no means least – moisturise! Moisturising your body creates abarrier for your skin, helping to protect it and deeply nourish.

For most people, cleansing, toning, and moisturizing are enough.
If you have problematic skin, consulting a dermatologist will work best for you, says Sophia Evans Aesthetician.

The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care.
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Lydia Souto shares beauty and fashion tips and techniques. Lydia is responsible for much of the fashion and beauty writing you'll see in these pages.

09/07/2023

By Daiza Bispo
Journalist

House prices have fallen at their fastest rate in 12 years, according to mortgage lender Halifax's latest price index released Friday.

The High Street lender said the annual fall of 2.6% was equal to around £7,500 being wiped off the average UK house price, the biggest drop since 2011.
Home prices last year were rising rapidly, in part because there was so much demand and so few homes on the market. Now, activity is comparatively stagnant.

Mortgage holders acted quickly when they saw rates rising. This has led to less than expected staying at a standard variable rate which has affected the finances of some lenders.
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30/06/2023

By Sandra Rodrigues
Journalist

Brits were mistakenly shown a freak cold snap was on the way
A technical glitch on the BBC Weather app and website left the UK predicting temperatures of around 8C. And the Met Office predicting temperatures of 20C and 21C over the same period.

In a statement, BBC Weather said: “Our apologies for the incorrect temperatures appearing on the website and app. We are working with our data suppliers to fix this fault.”

The issue had been resolved by Friday afternoon.