Puncture

• It was protest by petition – a tactic that reflects the legacy of Alexei Navalny, the longtime Russian pro-democracy campaigner.
• Authorities say Navalny, a persistent thorn in the side of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died in prison on Feb. 16, 2024.
• It reflected the heart of a strategy that Navalny developed over more than a decade and that I have written about since 2011.

The movement remains

• Navalny highlighted the very real opposition to Putin and authoritarian rule that exists in Russia despite attempts to hide it from the world.
• To achieve these goals, team Navalny – and it is important to remember that while Navalny the man is dead, the movement he sparked remains – repeatedly used elections to make the opposition visible and spark political debate.

Putin inevitably won the election, with the head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe observer mission commenting that due to irregularities and abuses the winner “was never in doubt.” But nonetheless, Navalny’s efforts meant that a new opposition was in place and ready to take to the streets to fight election fraud.

Getting out of the electoral ‘ghetto’

• Despite his arrest and conviction on fraud charges in 2013, Navalny ran for mayor of Moscow that year.
• In the campaign, he innovated electoral politics, recruiting young volunteers who met voters on the streets and in their apartment blocks.
• Many of the volunteers rejected the idea that they were working for him.
• They built local organizations that attracted support and found some success in Siberian cities Tomsk and Novosibirsk, despite the endless obstacles the Kremlin placed in their way.

Return from exile

• Navalny survived Novichok poisoning only because international pressure forced the regime to allow him to be airlifted to Germany for treatment.
• During his recovery, Navalny used the attack on him to further his political activism and convey the regime’s growing brutality.
• Navalny’s return to Russia under threat of arrest in February 2021 kicked off the largest street protests – in support of the opposition leader – since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Handing on the baton

• As one respondent argued: “My civic position began to emerge.
• They support Ukrainian refugees and war efforts and participate in tracking down children who have been taken to Russia.
• Before his death, Navalny spoke directly to the generation of activists he inspired: “Listen, I’ve got something very obvious to tell you.

Regina Smyth does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

More of us have tattoos than ever before. About 25% of Australians are inked. A tattoo can be a large investment in time, money and pain. So how do you take care of your tattooed skin? Here’s what you need to know about sunburn, sweating and fading.

Read more:
Tattoos have a long history going back to the ancient world – and also to colonialism

What’s a tattoo, dermatologically speaking?

Tattoo inks are deposited in the layer of skin called the dermis. This layer contains sweat and oil glands, a blood supply, immune cells, collagen to support the skin’s structures, and fibroblasts, which produce collagen.
Fibroblasts take up the ink particles, as do immune cells in the dermal tissue known as macrophages. The ink particles also stick inside bundles of collagen. Between these three mechanisms, the dermis holds tattoo inks so well they can be seen even on the 5,300-year-old ice mummy Ötzi.

Read more:
What Ötzi the prehistoric iceman can teach us about the use of tattoos in ceremonial healing or religious rites

Can I get a tattoo if I’m sunburnt?

• During sunburn, your skin calls in extra immune cells and fluid to kill off and break down cells that have too much UV damage.
• This inflammation can affect the tattoo ink deposits.

How soon after my new tattoo can I go into the sun?

There’s not much research on how soon you can expose your new tattoo to the sun. However, most tattooists advise you to avoid sun exposure while the tattoo heals, generally about three weeks. This seems sensible, as your fresh tattoo is a type of wound.

• There is an influx of immune cells to deal with the damage, much like a sunburn.
• So, in one way, you should treat your new tattoo like sunburn and avoid sun exposure while it heals.
• But you shouldn’t use sunscreen on the tattoo in that time.

What happens if my tattoo gets sunburnt?

• There’s usually swelling, itching or stinging on the tattoo site that can start immediately or develop over the course of a day.
• There is also a small amount of evidence that sunburn on a tattoo temporarily suppresses the skin’s immune system, allowing an infection to become established.

Do tattoos increase my risk of skin cancer?

• However, there’s no evidence skin cancers are more likely in tattooed skin.
• Tattoos make newly-developed skin cancers more difficult to detect.

• Red tattoos seem to be more prone to large but benign (non-cancerous) skin tumours called keratoacanthomas.
• However, they can be difficult to distinguish from squamous cell carcinomas (a type of skin cancer).

Can sunlight fade my tattoo?

• As tattoos age, they can fade a bit as some of the loose ink particles filter deeper into the dermis.
• Sun exposure can also degrade ink particles.
• After all, most people don’t want to fade their tattoos for science.

Does tattooed skin sweat differently to un-inked skin?

• If you’ve got a full sleeve or your whole back is your canvas, that’s a significant amount of skin.
• Since tattooing punctures the skin repeatedly, sweat glands in the dermis may be damaged.
• However, when other researchers looked at sweating induced by exercise there was no effect in the volume of sweat between tattooed and un-tattooed skin.

Longer-term risks

When performed under the clean conditions of a licenced tattoo parlour, tattooing is relatively safe. But long term, some people develop allergic reactions to certain colours due to the different compounds in each, most commonly red dyes. This can cause lumps, scales, scarring or other visible changes. So, what’s the most common long-term side effect of tattoos? Tattoo regret and wanting to have them removed.
Katie Lee receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council. Erin McMeniman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• of Battery Safety campaign with a new PSA and tips to educate people about safer use of lithium-ion battery powered devices.
• Although they offer many advantages, a significant safety concern is the potential for these batteries to catch fire and cause explosions.
• To help people enjoy their many lithium-ion battery powered devices safely, FSRI's new safety campaign offers consumers easy steps to Take C.H.A.R.G.E.
• Recycle Devices and Batteries Properly: Responsibly dispose of old or damaged batteries and devices by taking them to the nearest battery recycling center.

• TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Sailun Tires is thrilled to announce the launch of the highly anticipated Sailun Terramax Rugged Terrain (RT) Tire, designed to provide off-road and on-road driving capabilities for everyday use.
• With a commitment to innovation and quality, Sailun has crafted a tire that delivers exceptional performance, durability, and reliability on any terrain.
• Key Features of the Sailun Rugged Terrain Tire:
  Unmatched Off-Road Performance: The Sailun Terramax RT is engineered for the most challenging off-road conditions.
• "Sailun is proud to introduce the Terramax RT, a testament to our dedication to innovation and quality," said Wayne Cuculuzzi, VP Products and Product Development at Sailun Tires.