Why is 6 afraid of 7?

What number comes next in this sequence:
7 8 5 5 3 4 4 _

A bag contains 64 balls of eight different colours. There are eight of each colour (including red). What is the least number you would have to pick, without looking, to be sure of selecting 3 red balls?

There is a river to cross using a river raft and there are eight people (father, mother, policeman, thief, 2 daughters and 2 sons). No one knows to operate the raft except the adults and also excluding the thief. Only two people can go in the raft at a time. The raft should keep coming back and forth in order to pick and drop the people.
Rules to be followed:
Father: the father cannot stay in the raft or outside the raft without the presence of the mother.
Mother: the mother cannot stay in the raft or outside the rat without the presence of the father.
Thief: the thief is not allowed to stay with any of the family members unless there is a policeman.
Policeman: the policeman can travel with anyone.
2 sons and 2 daughters: they are not allowed to travel in the raft without the presence of an adult. They cannot either travel in the presence of only thieves without the policeman. The sons cannot be with their mothers without their father's supervision. The daughters are not allowed to be there with their fathers without the supervision of their mothers. But the daughters and the sons can be left unsupervised (as long as the other rules are applied).
What is the sequence that the people should follow in order to cross the river through the raft keeping in mind all the rules?
The rules are applicable not only in the raft but also outside the raft.

There were two grandmothers and their two granddaughters.
There were two husbands and their two wives.
There were two fathers and their two daughters.
There were two mothers and their two sons.
There were two maidens and their two mothers.
There were two sisters and their two brothers.
Yet there are only six, who are buried here,
All are born legitimate and relationships clear.
How can this happen?

I look at you, you look at me, I raise my right, you raise your left. What am I?

A man is found dead in his bathroom naked with blood scattered all around him. The bathroom was locked from the inside and there is no trace of any struggle. There is nothing in the bathroom except his pant with the belt still around and his shirt. Also, the medic team can't find any incision in his body that may have been the reason behind so much blood loss.

The Police department is clueless regarding this murder mystery.
Can you?

Different lights make me strange by changing me into different sizes. What am I?

If 1+9+8=1, what is 2+8+9?

What is the fewest number of coins that would be required in order to make sure each and every coin touches exactly three other coins?