By Dipa Kamdar, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, Kingston University
Many people assume that medicines sold over the counter are inherently safe. After all, if you can buy something in a supermarket or high street pharmacy, how dangerous can it really be?
The reality is more complicated. Several commonly used over-the-counter medicines carry a real risk of dependence, misuse or harm when taken in higher than recommended doses, for longer than needed, or for the wrong reasons. Here are five medicines it is worth knowing about.
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By Liam Kennedy, Professor of American Studies, University College Dublin
The case of Seamus Culleton – who was detained by US immigration agents in Boston in September 2025 – is proving a diplomatic headache for the Irish government ahead of a visit to the White House on St Patrick’s Day.
Culleton arrived in the US in 2009, overstaying his visa. He married a US citizen last year and obtained a valid work permit, and was in the process of applying for permanent residency when he was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and detained. He has remained in detention in Texas since. A US court has now issued a temporary…
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By Humayun Kabir, Assistant Teaching Professor, Dept. of Environment, Culture, & Society, Thompson Rivers University
This election is the first following the 2024 July uprising that led to the ouster of the country’s longest-serving prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.
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By Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, Clinical Assistant Professor of Education, Health and Behavior Studies, University of North Dakota
I spoke in January 2026 with 150 high school students about career options. After explaining my own career as a professor of education, health and behavior, I asked the students a simple question: Would you want to be a teacher?
“Why in the world would I want to be a teacher?” one female student said.
“My aunt is a teacher and she works all the time … no thanks,” a male student added.
Several students said it felt like teachers were doing everything: from teaching lessons…
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By Jason Zenor, Associate Professor of Mass Communication, State University of New York Oswego
The law is on Trump’s side, in most cases, when his administration names things after him. But citizens still have the right to protest.
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By John M. Kinder, Professor of History and American Studies, Oklahoma State University
Jennifer Murray, Assistant Professor of History, Shepherd University
As anger about the presence of ICE in Minneapolis divided the nation, Americans turned to the American Civil War for metaphors.
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By Nicole L. Novak, Research Assistant Professor of Community and Behavioral Health, University of Iowa
William D. Lopez, Clinical Associate Professor of Public Health and Latino/Latina Studies, University of Michigan
The Trump administration announced on Feb. 12, 2026, that it is ending Operation Metro Surge, its deployment of more than 3,000 federal immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding metro area. Federal officials say some agents will remain in the area and have vowed that similar immigration sweeps are coming soon to other U.S. cities.
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By Paula de la Cruz-Fernández, Cultural Digital Collections Manager, University of Florida
Immigration to the U.S. is often framed as a problem to be managed, controlled or punished. Immigrants are often derided for crossing the border without authorization or “taking jobs” from U.S. citizens.
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By Bill Sullivan, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University
People have long given up on the search for the Fountain of Youth, a mythical spring that could reverse aging. But for some scientists, the hunt has not ended – it’s just moved to a different place. These modern-day Ponce de Leóns are investigating whether gut microbes hold the secret to aging well.
The gut microbiome refers to the vast collection of microscopic organisms – bacteria,…
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By Noah Dormady, Associate Professor of Public Policy, The Ohio State University
American families are feeling the pinch of rising electricity prices. In the past five years alone, the generation portion of the standard service residential electric bill in Columbus, Ohio, has increased by 110%. This is one data point in a national trend.
Energy affordability is quickly shaping up to be a key…
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