Kevin Gower

The origins of the customs of the day are shrouded in mystery. Some scholars believe it is likely to be a relic of festivities held to mark the vernal equinox. These celebrations of the first days of spring began on 25 March and ended on 2 April. Certainly, there is some evidence to suggest that 1 April was observed as a general festival in pagan Britain.

More commonly, the customs are associated with the switch to the Gregorian calendar in France during the sixteenth century.

Historically, many parts of the world celebrated 1 April as New Year’s Day – due to its relationship with the start of Spring.

France was one of the first countries to adopt 1 January as their official New Year’s Day, by decree of Charles IX in 1564. This was before the 1582 adoption of the Gregorian calendar.

The gifts and traditions which had been the feature of the 1st of April switched to January 1st. However, many people either refused to accept the change or did not hear about the news for several years. Those who still celebrated April 1 were seen as ‘fools’ by the general populace, and fair game to be the butt of pranks and tricks were known as a “poisson d’avril” or “April fish.” 

The traditions spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century and was brought to the American colonies by both the English and French.

In 1814, Malta had become a crown colony of the British Empire after the British had help expel occupying French forces.

Following the heroic defense of the island during World War II, King George VI had promised the Maltese people self government which they gained in 1947. This eventually led to independence from Britain in 1964 and Malta becoming a republic later that year.

British forces remained on the island until 31 March 1979, when the Defence Treaty with Britain came to an end.

The removal of British was partly financial. When the Labour government came to power in Malta in 1971, it renegotiated the the lease agreement that allowed British forces to stay on the island until 1979 at an increased rent.

This withdrawal meant that for the first time in over a thousand years, Malta had no foreign military presence on its land.

The main events of the activities commemorating this date take place at the Freedom Day Monument at Vittoriosa and at the War Memorial in Floriana. In the afternoon the Grand Harbour hosts a competitive regatta.

Spiritual Baptist is a religion that developed from similar faiths in several Caribbean countries. It combines elements of Protestant Christianity with African customs and rituals. 

The Baptist faith in Trinidad is a legacy of the Merikin community. The ‘Merikins’ were African-American refugees of the War of 1812 – freed slaves who fought for the British against the Americans during the war of 1812. Following the end of the war, the Merikins established a community in the south of Trinidad. They brought the Baptist faith, having been part of evangelical sects common in places such as Georgia and Virginia.

In 1917, practising the religion was prohibited under the Shouter Prohibition Ordinance by the British colonial government. The reason given was that the noise created their services was disturbing the peace. The ordinance was introduced by then-attorney general Sir Henry Gollam who described the way members of the faith worshipped as an “unmitigated nuisance.” Another possible reason behind the ban is that the leaders of the other established religions saw the popularity of Spirtual Baptists as a threat.

For the next 34 years, it was against the law to take part in a Shouter Baptist service or use a property for that purpose and the penalty was a fine of $240.

Spiritual Baptists are sometimes referred to as ‘shouters’, as, during services, they shout, clap, sing loudly and ring bells. During the time of the prohibition on their religion, the Spiritual Baptists dropped the name Shouter Baptists in order to gain more respect for their religion. 

EVERY arsehole you have the misfortune to speak to now aggressively calls you ‘buddy’, Britain has confirmed.

The twats, who can work in any field from vehicle repair to fencing installation, now automatically add ‘buddy’ to their verbal interactions while making it clear it is in no way friendly.

Julian, not his real name, of Stevenage said: “When a man greets you with the salutation, ‘alright buddy?’ it is natural to assume fellow feeling. Natural and wrong.

“In my experience, the next stage will be to tell you you cannot park there, or this particular meadow would be an unwise place to walk through with children as he is exercising his pit bulls, or the quote he gave over the phone was ‘provisional’.

“What happened to calling someone ‘mate’ or ‘pal’ to be hostile? Why has rampant Americanism changed our language so ‘buddy’ is the new codeword of belligerence, spat out rapidly at the end of sentences designed to dishearten?

“You are not genuine when you call me ‘buddy’. We are not ‘buds’. I am not fooled. Though obviously I will continue to be polite and play along.”

Heat pump maintenance engineer Stephen Malley said: “Yeah looks like a bird’s nested in it. That’s gonna run you about three grand buddy.”

Barthélemy Boganda was a leading nationalist politician and the driving force in the creation of the Central African Republic in 1958.

Before his political career, Boganda had become the first African Roman Catholic priest in Ubangi-Shari, a French colony that is now part of the CAR. He became involved in politics and in 1946 he was elected to the French National Assembly, becoming the first representative of the CAR in the French government.

His strident anticolonial views led to him becoming disillusioned with the French political system and leaving the priesthood in 1949; and forming his own political party, the Social Evolution Movement of Black Africa.

Hugely popular, Boganda became the president of the Grand Council of French Equatorial Africa (which also included Chad, Gabon, and the French Congo) in 1957. His vision was for a pan-African movement to unite several African states.

Boganda became the first prime minister of the Central African Republic on 1 December 1958.

Barthélemy Boganda designed his country’s flag using the Pan-African colours and the colours of the French flag.

THERE she is, waiting for her coffee order as if she’s done nothing wrong knowing full well your boyfriend would be all over her if he were here, which he isn’t. Here’s how to cope:

Text him angrily

All that’s standing between you and your beloved straining at the leash to betray you? His absence. Not the love and fidelity he’s pledged. Not all you’ve shared together. Fire off a text to let him know what a fickle, shallow arsehole he is, but without giving away it’s because you’ve seen her. ‘F**k you for not putting the bins out’ should do it.

Itemise defects

Her hair is too shiny, her tote bag quote annoying. That skinny with tits that big is ridiculous. There’s no way things would work between him and her. He’d be intimidated by constant competition from other men and irritated by her ten step skincare routine. You could look like that if only you were completely shallow and self-obsessed.

Feel pity and contempt for their age difference

She must be a good six years younger than him. There was a time when that would have constituted a police matter. Even though they’d both be in their 20s, it would be best if he signed some kind of a register. She’s essentially a 25-year-old infant with a child’s brain and he’s sick for even considering it.

Shudder with horror at his attempt to flirt

God, even his first approach to this vision of loveliness would be a crash-landing. She’s dated exclusively millionaires or gangsters since she turned 18 and in comes a data analyst from Croydon, stuttering and salivating and all he can think of to ask is ‘Do you like bread?’ She wouldn’t even answer and he’d walk away all defeated. Snooty bitch.

Leave as if nothing happened

You’ve just completed an entire emotional arc your partner will never know about. Receding behind you sits a stranger who has unknowingly participated in a relationship stress test. He should be ashamed, and she should be served with a restraining order which specifies it’s for whoredom. You? You’ve triumphed. Hold your head up high.

Eskimo Pie was first created on January 24, 1922. This frozen treat consists of a vanilla ice cream bar covered in chocolate and has a stick in it that makes it easy to eat. However, this ice cream treat is no longer known as an Eskimo Pie.

During the 2020-21 George Floyd protests, this treat was changed to Edy’s Pie—the last name of Dreyer’s co-founder, Joseph Edy. That’s because the term “Eskimo” is considered to be a colonial name for the Aleut, Inuit, and Yupik peoples and is considered not only to be inappropriate but also a form of cultural appropriation. So maybe this holiday should be renamed Eat an Edy’s Pie Day.

In Russia the traditional “Eskimo Pie” recipe appeared in the early 1930s, quickly garnered a huge fanbase, across all ages & ethnicities, soon became a tasty staple!

Christian Nelson decided to invent this treat after he and his friend went to a corner drugstore, and he watched his friend debate whether he should buy ice cream or a chocolate bar. His friend ultimately decided to buy the ice cream, but the decision perplexed Mr. Nelson. He asked his friend why he didn’t buy both treats, and his friend responded that he simply didn’t have enough money to buy both. That is when Nelson decided to create a treat that combined chocolate and ice cream.

With Jess, your Gen X Tiktok beauty influencer who knows real women aren’t afraid to play possibly fatal Radiance Regime Roulette

LARGE pores are a natural part of aging, and if anyone sees them you’ve failed and should lock yourself in a hut for the rest of your life, like women used to.

The only way to keep your pores authentic and feminine is to obliterate them from view. Begin by going in with a spritz of ice water. As cold as you can stand. You need to be punished for daring to age.

This makes your pores visibly shrink, but too many of them are still wide open and emitting tiny rasping screams like my pleuritic uncle when I used to turn off his CPAP machine to tease him.

And, like Uncle Evelyn, I’m always asking myself ‘how much is too much when it comes to asbestos-based resurfacers’? This Golden Age skin technology is regaining classic status, thanks to Bella Hadid’s signature chin that shines like a messenger of god.

This week’s must-have is La Mer’s ‘Bestos in Show’ exfoliation system. Created with vintage pipe insulation harvested from Jayne Mansfield’s Pink Palace on Sunset Boulevard, this blasts Golden Age glamour right into your deepest most hidden layers.

It’s a steal at £529.99 in Space NK this month for 6ml, and you won’t even need all of that for a single treatment to mute the intolerable howling of your pores that keeps me up at night until only certain videos you can watch on the darknet can lull me to sleep.

One coat and your face is silent and smooth, like a sexy newborn salamander sliding down your hungry throat. You’re ready to be unobtrusive to men again.

So get out there besties and ignore the haters! By which I mean your inner voices, and the terrible things they will you to do! Be iconic!

In 1886, Myanmar (then called Burma) came under British control. From the earliest days of colonisation, there was a strong feeling of resentment against the rule of the British.

During World War II, Some Burmese saw the rise of Japan as an opportunity to gain independence from Britain. Aung San was a prominent figure in the independence movement, but he had been exiled to China. He collaborated with Japan, having been convinced they would make Burma an independent nation if they helped drive out the British.

With Burmese nationalist support, Japan took control of Burma in 1942. However Aung San came to realise that the Japanese had no intention of giving independence to Burma and on March 23rd 1945, he led the Burmese army in a rebellion against the Japanese that helped the Allied forces remove the Japanese from the region.

Not surprisingly, the key event on this day is a large parade by the Tatmadaw, the Myanmar military in Naypyidaw, the capital of Myanmar.

Originally this holiday was called Resistance Day, but it was renamed to Armed Forces Day by the Tatmadaw.

In 1947, India was partitioned by the British, creating the ‘Dominion of Pakistan’, which was two separate regions to the northwest and northeast of India. The new dominion was governed by West Pakistan, which led to friction between the two regions, with the first signs of a movement for autonomy for East Pakistan appearing in 1949.

In the 1970 general elections, the Bangla-based Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman won an overall majority, but the West Pakistani regime was reluctant to hand over power. On March 25th 1970, Pakistani troops were used to quell the growing unrest.

This led to the Independence of Bangladesh being declared by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 26th 1971 and marked the start of the war of Independence. In November 1970, India entered the war, supporting East Pakistan. This led to victory for East Pakistan on 16 December 1970 (marked by the Victory Day holiday).

On gaining its independence, East Pakistan was renamed Bangladesh.

IT would just be like so wrong to deprive teenagers like me of my socials because I have grew up with it and there is all what you learn from it, right?

Social media is a vital part of young peoples life’s nowadays. In the future we will need to know technology to get a job. If your boss tells you to watch TikTok and you don’t know what that is, you’ll get the sack. Thats just the Real World.

In any case AI will have taken all the jobs and its all vibe coding now. What point am I making here? Dunno.

Social media is also important for our education. I’m reading comments on Insta all day and thats learning me good spelling. It would be wrong to deprive us of such a voluble learning resauce.

Anyway its like totally addictive so we can’t stop using it if we wanted to. Is that actually more of a bad thing about it? I don’t know because at school I’m usually on Snapchat instead of learning how to construct an argument. The Government needs to do something about that.

Also banning me off social media would be wrong because its how young people communicate these days, you feel me? I mean, yeah, mostly we just put emojis next to videos, but sometimes we really open up emotionally and use a sad face.

Of course theres harmful content out there, but you can just make it illegal with a law. Someone made a fake nude of a girl in my form group, and I’m like totally against that. Its wrong to compare ordinary women to professional porn stars with much better tits.

So after reading the arguments I’ve done here, I think you’ll agree we must not ban under-16s from social media. Even if its just so we stay online in our bedrooms rather than talking to you about our clueless bullshit.

In 1821, the Greeks rose up against the Ottoman Empire which had occupied Greece for almost 400 years, leading to the war of independence.

Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the Greek flag at the monastery of Agia Lavras, inciting the Peloponnese to rise against the oppressors.

While the exact date probably may not have been March 25th, it is acknowledged to have occurred in late March and it was gradually associated with the religious Feast of the Annunciation.

On this day in the Orthodox calendar, the archangel Gabriel appeared to the maiden Mary and informed her that she was pregnant with the divine child.

The first modern Greek state was founded in 1828 under the name “Hellenic State” and consisted of the Peloponnese and part of Central Greece. The first governor was John Kapodistrias who founded schools and orphanages and helped make great advances in the development of the Greek economy and education.

Kapodistrias is still honoured in Greece today; the Greek euro coin of 20 cents bears his face.

This Argentinian public holiday is held on March 24th, the anniversary of the coup d’état of 1976 that overthrew President Isabel Peron and brought the National Reorganization Process to power. The coup installed the bloodiest dictatorship in the history of the country, led by General Jorge Rafael Videla, Admiral Emilio Eduardo Massera and Brigadier-General Orlando Ramón Agosti.

It was this that started a period of state terrorism aimed at left-wing guerrillas, political groups, and socialists.

During over seven years of dictatorship, Argentine security forces, along with right-wing death squads such as Triple A, hunted down anyone believed to be associated with socialism, left-wing Peronism, or the Montoneros movement. While nearly 10,000 people are known to have ‘disappeared’ under the junta, the true number may have been much higher as so many documents and records were destroyed by the military. The actual figure may have been over 30,000 students, activists, trade unionists, writers, journalists, artists and any citizens suspected of being left-wing activists were kidnapped, tortured and disappeared. The military junta silenced any political or ideological dissidents, even those seen as antithetical to its neoliberal economic policies.

The period lasted until December 1983 when democratic elections were held to install a new president.

The commemoration was sanctioned as Law 25633 by the Argentine National Congress on August 1st 2002, and promulgated by the Executive Branch on August 22nd of the same year. However, it was not implemented as a public national holiday until 2006.

The day is marked by peaceful rallies and marches by those who lost loved ones during the period. Hundreds of thousands of citizens, relatives of the disappeared people, members of social movements, human rights organizations and left-wing political parties march to the Plaza de Mayo in the capital Buenos Aires to commemorate the victims of the last dictatorship and demand justice for the crimes against humanity committed by the State during that period.

On March 23rd 1940, the Lahore Resolution was passed which rejected the concept of a United India and proposed the creation of an independent state for Muslims, even though it did not actually mention Pakistan at all.

The resolution paved the way for the creation of Pakistan on August 14th 1947, when Pakistan became the world’s first Islamic republic. August 14th is celebrated as a holiday – Independence Day.

To mark the resolution, the Minar-e-Pakistan (pictured above) was constructed during the 1960s on the site in Iqbal Park where the All-India Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution

A COUPLE meeting up for the third time have already exhausted all the entertaining anecdotes they have to share.

Despite having only been on three dates, potential partners Jack and Lauren, not their real names, have already discussed the highlights of their respective lives and now have nothing of interest left to say to each other.

He said: “I thought my horizon-expanding trip to Japan would sustain at least a few months of dates. But Lauren’s already glazing over when I talk about riding the Shinkansen to Buddhist temples.

“The time I ran a marathon? Blown on the first date. As was the tale of when I thought I’d won the lottery. I should have known to keep something gripping in reserve, but I was just so pathetically desperate to maintain her attention.

“Now all I’ve got left to discuss is what happened to me during my actual daily life, which is boring as f**k. I’ll save Lauren the hassle of ghosting me by dumping her now.”

Hewitt said: “Jack’s being hasty, we can create our own fun stories. They’ll bring us closer together and when we break up we’ll have something to tell our next dates about.”

Bihar Divas is an annual celebration that marks the foundation day of the east Indian state of Bihar.

Bihar was an important region for Buddhists, with many stupas and pillars erected by the Great Emperor Ashoka as a tribute to the Buddha. The National symbol which adorns Indian currency, the Four-Headed Lion was erected atop an Ashokan Pillar that once stood in Bihar. Bihar can also claim the oldest Hindu temple of India still in use at Mundeswari, which dates back to 625 CE.

Following the Battle of Buxar in October 1764, the British East India Company defeated the Mughal Empire and obtained the rights to administer, and collect revenue or tax for Bihar, Bengal and Odisha.

On March 22nd 1912, Bihar state was carved out from the Bengal Presidency of British India. Orissa also became a state as part of this break-up.

The celebration officially began in 2011 and since then it has become a state festival full of fervour and festivity depicting the image and spirit of Bihar.

Gala functions will be organised across the State. Cultural extravaganzas are being organised at a panchayat (town and village) level to involve people’s participation in large numbers.

To commemorate Bihar’s Foundation Day, the State Government of Bihar organises Bihar Utsav, a fortnight-long cultural festival that showcases art, culture, and heritage from Bihar at Dilli Haat in Delhi.

ATTENDING an online seminar is a fantastic opportunity to get stuff done while some arsehole is droning on about bullshit, research has found.

The Institute of Studies found that online presentations, without any need for attendees to participate or turn cameras and microphones, are incredibly productive in the sense of getting the washing hung out, the dog brushed and the grouting deep-cleaning.

Professor Henry, not his real name, said: “It is a basic human urge to f**k about doing stuff when someone is talking, especially if they’re talking about work.

“A webinar? Our research shows that this time, when an employee is least engaged in work, is often their most productive hour of the day.

“Not for employers, no, but in terms of folding washing, trimming nosehair and applying beauty treatments, it’s really getting tasks ticked off. And over half those surveyed found they still had a rudimentary, one-line understanding of what the webinar was about.”

Hybrid worker Joshua Hudson said added: “I did all the paperwork for my recent house move during a webinar about data-centred analysis of retail park footfall in the West Midlands. It’s saved me hours I can now spend drinking alone.

“If they ever make me have my camera on, I’m leaving the company.”

Webinar host Oliver, not his real name, said: “I know nobody’s listening. I pop on a recording of myself back from when I still had hope and get on with weeding the garden.”

In June 2025, the Ghanaian Parliament approved the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introducing key changes to Ghana’s holiday calendar.

The bill introduces a new public holiday for the Muslim community, known as Shaqq Day, to be observed a day after Eid-ul-Fitr, , a major Islamic festival marking the end of Ramadan.. The day is intended to allow extended reflection and celebration after the Islamic festival.

The Minister for Interior, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka said the introduction of this holiday fulfils a key pledge in the 2024 election manifesto of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and honours the public commitment of President John Dramani Mahama to promote religious inclusivity.

In presenting the Bill to Parliament, he emphasised that the amendment reflects Ghana’s evolving social fabric and commitment to equitable recognition of the country’s diverse religious and cultural identities.

“This amendment is a progressive step toward religious equity,” the minister noted.

“It acknowledges the significance of the Muslim community in our national life and ensures their practices are respected and celebrated,” he said.

ROYAL Mail bosses are to be called to Parliament to answer for their failure to deliver letters on time, but are we imposing unfair expectations on them?

William McKay, conveyancer: “Notice how it’s always the privatised businesses who come in for all this criticism. That’s victimisation, pure and simple.”

Wayne Hayes, psychiatric nurse: “I don’t see the issue with only receiving post once a week. In the Kevin Costner film The Postman they get it years late, and that was a post-apocalyptic society just like ours.”

Joanna Kramer, full-time mother: “Postmen used to have time to give you a good seeing to over the kitchen table. Now I barely have time to toss him off at the door.”

Jordan Gardner, tanning salon manager: “Royal Mail have blamed weather and illness for the problem. Well those are both new things which have never happened before so give them a break.”

Helen Archer, camgirl: “It’s all junk mail anyway! By which I mean I correspond with multiple older gentlemen who post me regular dick pics.”

This is an ancient holiday, which can be traced back 5,000 years to the Sumerians and the Babylonians civilisations. The first records of Novruz as a spring holiday date back to 505 BC.

Like a lot of spring festivals, this idea of purification and starting again is key. Indeed, before Novruz, activities based on renewal like spring cleaning, planting trees, make new clothes and painting eggs are popular.

On the day before Novruz, the graves of relatives are visited and tended, then the whole family will gather around the table to enjoy traditional dishes. The table will be decorated with a khoncha with Samani (wheat that was planted on water Tuesday) placed in the centre and candles and painted eggs representing the number of family members around it. The feast will consist of at least seven dishes.

While Azerbaijan was part of the Soviet Union, the celebration of Novruz was given unofficial status and even prohibited. although during the Soviet period. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Novruz has surged in popularity and has now regained its position as the key holiday in Azerbaijan.

Novruz (Novruz Bayrami) is the most important holiday in Azerbaijan. It celebrates the Persian New Year, and the beginning of Spring. Novruz means ‘New Day’.

Saint Joseph was the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster father of Jesus. All we know about Joseph comes from the accounts of the nativity in the New Testament.

He was a tradesman, commonly he is said to have been a carpenter, but it’s possible he may have been a stone worker. He was said to have been a direct descendent of David, the great king of Israel.

Since Joseph is not mentioned in any accounts of Jesus’ public life, his crucifixion, or resurrection, it is thought that Joseph died before Jesus started preaching.

St. Joseph is the patron saint of the Catholic Church, unborn children, fathers, immigrants, workers, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Despite knowing so little about Joseph, he still has two feast days in the Western church. In his capacity as the patron saint of Workers, 1st May was established as the Feast of “St. Joseph the Worker” in 1955. This is seen as an attempt to counteract the social and non religious growth of Labour Day as a worldwide holiday.

A MAN who accidentally ticked a box saying he was gay on his equalities form now feels compelled to go along with it, to be an ally.

34-year-old digital services manager Jim, not his real name, realised his error during orientation when he was welcomed to the team by his employer’s LGBTQ officer, and felt it was the wrong time to correct it.

He said: “I don’t want to offend anyone by being straight. But on the other hand, the longer this goes on the worse it gets.

“Maybe at six months, after I finish my probation? But that will make the rainbow lanyard I’m now wearing a lie and the expenditure on sending me to that Gay In Tech conference fraudulent. And that sounds like it’ll be fun.

“It’s too late to explain my sexuality is a typo, and saying I’ve had a rethink and I like fanny now isn’t going to convince anyone. So I’ve started binging Drag Race to learn the slang and called the Q1 accounts ‘iconic’.

“I get to sit with the girls at lunch, I get a day off to go to Pride, I get compliments on my casual Friday outfits. All in all it’s a positive experience and I’m demolishing gay stereotypes by being a bit fat with bad skin.

“Will from estates has invited me to a gay bar. I’d pull out but I’m in too deep. I hope they serve real ale.”