Latest news with #culturaldifferences
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Juneteenth scale backs, how the world swears, a singer's protest: Catch up on the day's stories
👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Swear words can act as social glue, playing meaningful roles in how people connect and express themselves. How often they're used, though, varies depending on region and cultural differences. Here's what else you might have missed during your busy day. 1️⃣ At risk: Job Corps centers provide housing and schooling for low-income students aged 16 to 24. The six-decade old program has provided a lifeline for more than two million young Americans, but its fate is now uncertain after the Trump administration ordered its operations to be paused. 2️⃣ Scaling back: Despite Juneteenth's status as a federal holiday, celebrations across the US are being toned down or canceled. Event organizers cite safety issues and political backlash as reasons for the changes. 3️⃣ AI analysis: Outcries about artificial intelligence replacing human jobs have become more common. CNN's Allison Morrow writes that it's CEOs' new way to keep their workers afraid of losing their jobs. 4️⃣ Trash stash: Viral videos of garbage captured by explorers in China's Zhangjiajie Forest — with one explorer describing waste piled seven to eight floors high — have prompted a mass cleanup. From 2010 to 2015, the local government banned trash burning, so dumping in caves became common. 5️⃣ 'I'm standing by them': At the LA Dodgers game this past Saturday, Nezza performed the National Anthem in Spanish in protest of the ICE raids in the city. Before she sang, an unidentified employee told her to sing the song in English. Get '5 Things' in your inbox If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. 🏠 Home alone: The Goodsons have been living off the grid in an energy efficient home prefabricated in a factory. In a housing and construction labor crisis, these modern homes are a growing trend. Israel and Iran trade strikes as Trump weighs US involvement in conflict Supreme Court upholds Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth Fed holds interest rate steady for fourth time in a row 💵 That's how much money drug companies spent on TV ads in 2024 — but that may soon change as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. considers policies that would alter the ease and price of pushing products onscreen. 🏭 Smokestack impact: Human-caused climate change is not as new of an issue as previously thought. With the help of sophisticated computer models and scientific theory, researchers believe a clear signal can be detected as far back as 1885. 🏀 Caitlin Clark down: The larger-than-life basketball star suffered a poke in the eye following a testy game at the WNBA Commissioner's Cup final. Here's how it happened. 🥃 Liquid Death and WhistlePig partnered to create a new whiskey aged in what? A. SoilB. A water wellC. A casketD. An oak barrel⬇️ Scroll down for the answer. 🏃 It's a runderful life: Olympic gold medalist Karsten Warholm soared past his own world record time in the 300-meter hurdles last week in front of a home crowd in Oslo, Norway. Although shaving half a second may not sound like much, when the new world record is a mere 32.67 seconds, he's running with the stars. 👋 We'll see you tomorrow.🧠 Quiz answer: C. The new whiskey is partially aged in an actual casket at WhistlePig's Vermont distillery, and made with Liquid Death's mountain-sourced water.📧 Check out all of CNN's newsletters. 5 Things PM is edited and produced by CNN's Chris Good, Meghan Pryce, Kimberly Richardson and Daniel Wine.
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Juneteenth scale backs, how the world swears, a singer's protest: Catch up on the day's stories
👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Swear words can act as social glue, playing meaningful roles in how people connect and express themselves. How often they're used, though, varies depending on region and cultural differences. Here's what else you might have missed during your busy day. 1️⃣ At risk: Job Corps centers provide housing and schooling for low-income students aged 16 to 24. The six-decade old program has provided a lifeline for more than two million young Americans, but its fate is now uncertain after the Trump administration ordered its operations to be paused. 2️⃣ Scaling back: Despite Juneteenth's status as a federal holiday, celebrations across the US are being toned down or canceled. Event organizers cite safety issues and political backlash as reasons for the changes. 3️⃣ AI analysis: Outcries about artificial intelligence replacing human jobs have become more common. CNN's Allison Morrow writes that it's CEOs' new way to keep their workers afraid of losing their jobs. 4️⃣ Trash stash: Viral videos of garbage captured by explorers in China's Zhangjiajie Forest — with one explorer describing waste piled seven to eight floors high — have prompted a mass cleanup. From 2010 to 2015, the local government banned trash burning, so dumping in caves became common. 5️⃣ 'I'm standing by them': At the LA Dodgers game this past Saturday, Nezza performed the National Anthem in Spanish in protest of the ICE raids in the city. Before she sang, an unidentified employee told her to sing the song in English. Get '5 Things' in your inbox If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. 🏠 Home alone: The Goodsons have been living off the grid in an energy efficient home prefabricated in a factory. In a housing and construction labor crisis, these modern homes are a growing trend. Israel and Iran trade strikes as Trump weighs US involvement in conflict Supreme Court upholds Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth Fed holds interest rate steady for fourth time in a row 💵 That's how much money drug companies spent on TV ads in 2024 — but that may soon change as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. considers policies that would alter the ease and price of pushing products onscreen. 🏭 Smokestack impact: Human-caused climate change is not as new of an issue as previously thought. With the help of sophisticated computer models and scientific theory, researchers believe a clear signal can be detected as far back as 1885. 🏀 Caitlin Clark down: The larger-than-life basketball star suffered a poke in the eye following a testy game at the WNBA Commissioner's Cup final. Here's how it happened. 🥃 Liquid Death and WhistlePig partnered to create a new whiskey aged in what? A. SoilB. A water wellC. A casketD. An oak barrel⬇️ Scroll down for the answer. 🏃 It's a runderful life: Olympic gold medalist Karsten Warholm soared past his own world record time in the 300-meter hurdles last week in front of a home crowd in Oslo, Norway. Although shaving half a second may not sound like much, when the new world record is a mere 32.67 seconds, he's running with the stars. 👋 We'll see you tomorrow.🧠 Quiz answer: C. The new whiskey is partially aged in an actual casket at WhistlePig's Vermont distillery, and made with Liquid Death's mountain-sourced water.📧 Check out all of CNN's newsletters. 5 Things PM is edited and produced by CNN's Chris Good, Meghan Pryce, Kimberly Richardson and Daniel Wine.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
I'm a Brit living in the US and my tradesman charged me MORE after I asked him a polite question
A British woman living in the U.S. revealed she was left baffled after asking her American tradesman a quintessentially English question, only for the gesture to spark confusion - and possibly even a hike in the bill. Amber, 29, from Lincolnshire Wolds, emigrated to Florida with her husband Josh and their son Rory in 2024 to pursue the 'American Dream,' and has since documented the ups and downs of their new life on social media. But in a recent TikTok video, shared to her account @_amberinamerica, Amber recounted how a visit from a local tradesman took a strange turn after she greeted him and, in typical British fashion, offered him a cup of tea. In the clip, she explained she had tried to be polite in extending a traditional gesture of hospitality by asking: 'Would you like a cuppa, mate?' The mother joked: 'It's basically something you learn at school in the UK. If you go to someone's house and they don't offer you a cuppa - the work ain't getting done for the quoted price.' However, Amber revealed the tradesman looked at her as if she had 'two heads,' before he politely declined her offer. She was later informed by her landlord that the work on her home was 'not getting done for the quoted price,' which left her wondering if her offer of tea had somehow offended him. Turning to her followers for answers, Amber posed the question: 'My American friends: do you offer tradesmen a drink - is that part of the culture here like it is in the UK? And if so, what do you offer?' The post drew hundreds of responses, with many viewers offering clarity on the 'cultural confusion.' One person wrote: 'My husband is a tradesmen. He will accept sealed water bottles and possibly sodas. He's not keen on excepting drinks out of strange cups and glasses. He says no thank you also.' Another British expat chimed: 'I'm living in Florida too. I always say fancy a cuppa? … then stall, then oh I mean tea… Or coffee… then I stumble my way to water or fizzy drink. Jeez it's complex.' Many explained that while hospitality is appreciated, in the U.S., it's more common to offer a cold bottled water or a can of soda. One person said: 'Generally we would offer a cold drink. Water, maybe lemonade or soda. A cup of tea seems like an invitation to sit and chitchat for hours lol.' Another wrote: 'It's not expected, but usually I offer a drink. Especially if they have been working a while and working outside. Usually a cold bottle of water, Gatorade, or pop lol I think he was just confused.' A third added: 'Tradesman here, a cold bottle of water or a can of Coke unless it is in the A. M. then it's coffee. I don't know anyone who drinks tea unless they have a sore throat.' One viewer speculated that the phrase 'cuppa' might have even thrown the tradesman off, adding: 'A cuppa he probably thought that was something more suggestive than it was. Hilarious!' Meanwhile, an American woman has revealed the one everyday British word that's so offensive in the United States, she claims she wouldn't even dare say it aloud. Amber Kacherian, a popular TikToker with nearly a million followers, has been visiting the UK and regularly posts about her culture shock experiences, from slang to baffling food labels. But one of her most recent videos has sent shockwaves through both sides of the Atlantic after she revealed three seemingly innocent English words that take on wildly different, and in some cases, inappropriate, meanings in the US. Amber starts the video with a warning: 'British people - do not say these words in America unless you want people to look at you very strangely.'
Washington Post
12-06-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Ask Sahaj: I'm worried my son's girlfriend is isolating him from his loved ones
Dear Sahaj: We have a 33-year-old son who appears to have a codependent relationship with his White American girlfriend. Since they have moved in together, he has reduced his communication with friends, moved to another state in pursuit of adventures and reduced the quality of his connection with us. Visits to our home have been designed around her interests only, and he visits us only with her. She shows little or no interest in anything family-oriented except when we take them out for dinner or an event where we pay for the tickets. She has stopped showing interest in our Desi culture. She wouldn't even take her Christmas gift (she left it under the tree). She insists on bringing her cat along and is not willing to rehome the cat when my husband, who is under a cancer treatment, developed life-threatening allergies. With my son's help, she has retrained as a data analyst and is now well-employed, which we thought was good for their relationship. We have diplomatically drawn boundaries, but her lack of interest in being part of our family and behaving like a difficult guest (without saying anything as my son speaks for her) is concerning. This last visit, she left without saying goodbye, and we found that quite ungracious. She also left the room and bathroom a mess with her cat's litter; it smelled awful. We offered to pay to board the cat during their visit, but my son said the cat could get depressed. We are a welcoming and generous — to a fault maybe — Desi family who enjoy our children hanging out with us. We are concerned about the social and physical isolation our son's life has become. He is unable to speak up for himself or address the issues. — Welcoming to a Fault Welcoming to a Fault: You have to separate your son's choices from his girlfriend's influence. He chose to move, to help her retrain and to go on adventures with her. He may not be 'unable' to speak up (especially since you say he speaks for his girlfriend); he may just be prioritizing his relationship. That can be painful for you as a parent, especially in a family where interdependence and close-knit ties are the norm. But adulthood sometimes looks like distance — not because love has disappeared, but because the terms of the relationship have changed. Tell your son, directly and privately, you are worried about losing him without making the conversation about his girlfriend being the problem. Instead, focus on him and point out specific behaviors you have observed rather than your feelings to help him feel less defensive. This means naming his distancing with something like, 'We love you and miss how things used to be. We know things change, but we feel disconnected from you.' If you're concerned he's uprooting from values you've taught him, you may even ask him: 'Do you feel like connecting to your Desi culture — through food or tradition — is still important to you?' This can help you understand why he may not be holding on to these values, and it could clue you into why his girlfriend is uninterested in your culture. She may just be following your son's lead. If your son does feel torn or dominated, he may not even realize how codependent the relationship has become. But pressuring him will likely push him further away so instead use open-ended questions: 'Are you okay? Are you happy? Have you been able to see or talk to [best friend's name] recently? Do you feel you're able to talk about your needs in your relationship?' If you gently hold up a mirror, he may be able to see what he's accepted as 'normal.' Checking in on your son gently will be key, because your emotions about feeling disconnected could be leading you to believe he's being isolated. You describe your son's life choices with more judgment than perhaps you realize — and that judgment might be part of what's straining the connection. Shift the lens from your son's girlfriend to considering your role in the dynamic that exists — the only part you can control and change. Ask yourself: What is it she and your son may be reacting to? What have you modeled, and how have you welcomed her — truly, not just logistically? Consider how you can build a bridge with his girlfriend. This may sound like, 'We want to continue to build a relationship with [girlfriend's name] but don't feel like our attempts have been working. Do you have any advice on what we can do or why this is so?' Regardless of how you approach this conversation, try to be mindful of offering love and curiosity, not criticism or blame. You may be a generous and welcoming Desi family, but generosity is more than providing dinners, tickets and hospitality. It's also emotional openness and curiosity about someone else's world. Even if your expectations are well-meaning, they may feel conditional or uncomfortable to someone else. You want to separate what is actually harmful and worrisome about this situation from what is simply different and unexpected. Still, being more emotionally open to your son's relationship doesn't mean you can't set some boundaries. I know firsthand that boundary setting may feel countercultural in Desi culture, but you have reached your limit with how you, your husband and your home are being treated. It's okay to tell your son and his girlfriend, 'We'd love to see you both again, but we can't host the cat here anymore. It's a serious health risk. We hope you understand.' Clear boundaries don't mean you are rejecting them — especially where health is involved. You're grieving a relationship that is changing, and that's okay. While you can't control your son's choices, you can keep your doors open and continue to show your love and support.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
I'm a Canadian living in London and these are all the things I dislike about the UK
A Canadian man living in London has revealed all the things he doesn't like about the British capital. Matt Giffen, 29, moved to the capital last year after relocating from his home country with his girlfriend, influencer Summer Fox. Matt, who is also a TikToker and has 330,000 followers on the platform, has since documented himself trying out everything London has to offer - from sampling a roast dinner to visiting Big Ben and other city landmarks. But although he said he 'loves' the public transport and how there's always 'something to do', there are certain aspects of life in the UK that he's found more difficult. 'As a Canadian in the UK, these are the things I dislike about living in London,' Matt said, in a video that racked up more than 500,000 views on TikTok. The first thing on Matt's list is that, in his opinion, there's 'not a very warm culture' in the UK, adding 'and that's just the truth'. He said that conversations just consist of people asking 'you alright?' and answering 'yeah okay'. Matt said: 'As a Canadian, personally, that is a big struggle for me. I'm used to walking to the park and smiling at people. I did that once, and a guy told me to "sod off".' His second reason was perhaps unsurprising, as he lamented that the 'weather here sucks'. After enjoying a couple of days of springtime sunshine, Matt said he'd begun to look forward to the summer after experiencing a chilly winter. But his girlfriend, who is British, soon stopped him in his tracks to explain that's 'not how it works here.' 'And then I remembered that last year in July I was wearing my winter jacket,' Matt said. Next up was Matt's 'constant anxiety' about getting his phone stolen while out walking anywhere in London. As an influencer, he explained, it is his job to 'wander around the city aimlessly and wave my phone around'. He joked: 'Do you not think that phone thieves are licking their f***ing chops when they see Matt walking down a street in London?' He also explained he'd had difficulty grasping just how 'huge' the city actually is, saying that it takes him over an hour and a half to see some of his friends - despite them living in the same city. Finally, he told his followers that the 'cost of living in London is mental', and it's not just about the rent. Matt said that a two-bedroom home had recently gone on sale in his neighbourhood for a whopping £800,000 - and even this is relatively cheap for London standards. 'What are we talking about!' he exclaimed. 'I would love to live in London long-term, but it ain't going to happen. I'm moving my ass to St Albans, I'll tell you that for free.' Concluding his video, Matt even said he had such a long list of things he dislikes that he's hoping to make a second video to reveal them all. Matt admitted he and his girlfriend, Summer, eventually want to settle down in Canada. Summer wrote underneath his video: 'We are having kids in Canada for sure.' Rushing to the comments, most people agreed with Matt but advised him to leave London if he wanted to see a different side to the UK. One person said: 'London is a cesspit, it 's great for a day out of shopping, eating, socialising etc… head outside of the M25 and everything is much nicer.' Rushing to the comments, most people agreed with Matt but advised him to leave London if he wanted to see a different side to the UK 'Everywhere outside of London is much friendlier! London is miserable!'; 'Even most UK people hate going to London! I avoid it like the plague.' However, one Brit duly noted: 'To be fair if random people were smiling at me, I'd be scared - guess that's growing up in London.' In another video, Matt revealed all the things he does like about living in England's capital city, including the transport links and being able to book cheap flights. Matt, who lives in Zone 2, said he'd recently booked a flight to Spain for just £14, and said 'not once' in his experience has a tube or bus been delayed. He also admits he's 'jealous' of the sense of identity that British people have, such as 'cheeky Nandos', Sunday roasts and Chinese takeaways. He said everyone he's been around says the 'same things' and watches the same TV shows - and even dress the same. When Matt first tried a Sunday roast, he was left more than impressed. After trying each element on his plate, Matt was amazed with the taste. He said: 'I can see why you have this every Sunday now.'
