Headline Junkie: 7 August '23

Aliens Are Real and Nobody Cares

US Congress held a UFO hearing two weeks ago, wherein three ex-military officials came forward. They claimed the US government has more knowledge of extraterrestrials than they were letting on and are in possession of ‘non-human biologics’ discovered at a UFO crash site. The wildest thing about this is not that aliens might be real and are being acknowledged by congress, but the fact that nobody is talking about it. Seriously, it didn’t even make it into headline junkie last week. Considering the Storm Area 5, They Can’t Stop All of Us Facebook event of 2019 that took the internet by storm, the radio silence after the congress meeting has been deafening. Perhaps this is due to a lack of evidence brought forward by the three ex-officials, or the ambiguity of the phrase ‘non-human biologics’? 



Suck Your Disposable Vapes Goodbye

As of last Wednesday, New Zealand has banned all disposable vapes. All vapes must now have a removable or replaceable battery, meaning the cycle of perpetually buying ‘one last disposable before you quit’ is over. Shop owners now have three months to sell whatever disposable products they have left. The government hopes that the ban will restrict young peoples’ access to cheap nicotine. Along with the disposables, vape stores within 300 metres of schools and marae are on their way out too. More regulations around vape flavour names are also coming into place, aiming to restrict vaping’s appeal to young people. However, some retailers believe the government hasn’t given the industry time to adjust. They reckon we can expect to see disposables sold at slashed prices to abide by the law only to be bought out and sold at a premium price on the black market. 



Is This Chinese Sun Bear Really a Dude In a Costume?

A recent viral video has forced a Chinese zoo to make a statement that their sunbear is not some guy in a suit, but a real bear. A viral video showing the bear standing on its hind legs raised suspicion with some viewers, as they believed that only a human would stand up in such a way. The wrinkles on the bear's rear-end raised eyebrows as well, with some claiming it bunched in a way similar to fabric. A Hangzhou Zoo spokesperson refuted rumours on Saturday, claiming a human would not be able to withstand the summer heat in such a fur suit. 



Barbie Slated To Be A Billion Dollar Movie

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is expected to make over $1 billion, having reached $93 million after its second weekend. Barbie has also broken the record for the biggest opening of a film directed by a woman. The film boasts the highest grossing second weekend at the NZ box office of all time. Oppenheimer hasn’t done too badly either for a 3-hour historical biopic, earning $46 million in its second weekend.