BEIJING (Reuters) -Trips for tourism in China during last week's three-day Dragon Boat Festival climbed 32.3% from a year earlier

In many ways, retirement planning for someone in the LGBTQ+ community follows the basic tenets of anyone’s retirement planning: save more, spend less, invest for the long term

A bride has gone viral after sharing a TikTok showing what she ate at her wedding, and it left viewers shocked. Sam Cutler, a fitness influencer with over 100,000 followers on TikTok, got married last week. To share the moment with her followers, she posted a ‘what I eat in a day’ video, in line with her regular content, but this time it was ‘what I ate on my wedding day’. However, viewers were shocked to see how much restriction and ‘clean eating’ habits were at the forefront of the wedding. The video, which now has over 4 million views, starts off with Cutler having a protein smoothie and some salad whilst getting her hair and makeup done, nothing too out of the ordinary. She also showed a veggie platter that was in the bridal suite for herself and her bridesmaids to snack on whilst getting ready. Whilst it’s quite unlike a lot of other TikToks that show the food at weddings, often with bridal suites having brunches and an array of snacks, viewers weren’t upset yet. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter However, viewers took issue when Cutler revealed that she had placed ‘bloat pills’ on every table, and shows herself taking one during the main course. The wedding cake was also gluten, dairy, and sugar free, and the bride only drank Cote de Rose because she knew ‘it’s less than 2g/L of sugar.’ People were quick to question the bride’s choice of food and drink for the day, with some saying ‘girl it’s one day you can have sugar’, ‘my jaw dropped’, ‘I would have been starving afterwards’, ‘I thought it wasn’t that bad and then I got to bloat pills part’, ‘diet culture is crazy’. Cutler responded to the backlash she faced, by saying "as women, we should be empowering each other to make the choice that works for our own individual body, without judgement." But many were still critical of Cutler, saying that when you’re giving your guests bloat pills, it’s no longer about individual choice, it’s about you’re making others feel, and the perpetuating of diet culture. Others came from a place of concern, with one user commenting: "not understanding one day of “bad” eating is not going to undo all the work you’ve put in is where things get scary." The video also gained a lot of attention on Twitter with people sharing similar views: Cutler reiterated that she enjoyed her wedding and no one was forced to take the bloat pills, but they were simply there for people who wanted them, or were interested in knowing more. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Channel 4's The British Miracle Meat, has stirred up a divisive response online after Gregg Wallace and Michel Roux Jr seemingly tuck into human steaks – but it isn't all that it seems. The Masterchef judge and Chef Roux Jr visited a factory in Lincolnshire where they "engineered human meat" in a mission to solve the cost of living crisis. The pair met with so-called low-income donors who were selling their flesh to the company, Good Harvest. Later in the show, the pair unknowingly chowed down on toddler meat at a restaurant. Baffled viewers were quick to turn to social media to understand what was going on, with one calling it the "sickest thing" they've ever seen. Another called the show a "dystopian hell." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Meanwhile, a third quipped: "I hope Ofcom have some extra staff on tonight." But, there's a huge plot twist: The show is completely satirical and fictional. The mockumentary intended to show the measures people would go to to make ends meet amid the cost of living – which, clearly, many viewers missed. Here are five nuggets that should have given the game away: The donor signup process The British Miracle Meat shares the Good Harvest company's realistic-looking submission form, in which donors 'sign up for extraction.' "Good Harvest encourages people who need the income to sign up, select their own extraction site and get paid within the week," Wallace explains. Among the extraction options were: 'buttock, thigh, belly, rib, wing and shoulder.' The mock page shows the 'buttock' selected, which rewards £250 in cash. Human skin can be lab-grown into a '30kg protein cake' within hours While visiting the lab, Wallace is shown how the 'human meat' is grown. The thin slices of flesh start off in a 'nutrient vat'. The scientist told Wallace it will grow into a cake over 24 hours – thanks to the nutrient solution it's immersed in. When Wallace asks why human meat, as opposed to animal, the scientist responds: "We've got centuries of knowledge of human medicine on our side. We know more about humans than we know about animals, so we've mastered engineered human cells to make these structured flavours we expect from steaks we eat." The 'taste test' Wallace takes his new findings to Chef Roux Jr at a fine dining restaurant in Mayfair. The chef is taken aback by the package's logo "made by humans, from humans" and the cost of just 99p a slice. "These come from three donors in the north-east of England," Wallace responds to which the chef quips: "Wow, I wonder if that affects the flavour." The blind taste test showed the chef cooking up three different steaks from different people across the UK. They then had to guess where it was from. Upon tasting one of the steaks, Chef Roux Jr says: "If it was 100 per cent pure beef, I'd say it was an animal that's got a certain age, and maybe a little stressed as well." Wallace revealed the person to be 45-year-old Alison, an NHS nurse and part-time delivery driver. 'You know there's something wrong when you have to jump on a bus and have some flesh scooped out of your arm for money' Wallace met with donor Gillian, a retired receptionist who looks after her housebound husband and grandson. Speaking about her situation, she said: "When the prices shot up, well... It buried us." When asked whether she was happy about taking part in the clinical trials, the 67-year-old confessed "no". Wallace went on to say that Gillian would be able to cover two weeks of energy bills following her donation. He spoke with other people in the waiting room, asking what they'll be spending their money on. "Black mould in every corner of the house," one elderly man responded, "I'm going out to earn money so I can repair it." The launch of Good Harvest's premium range The company shared a promotional video for their upcoming premium range, which the boardroom was ecstatic about. The secret? "Well-fed children under the age of six." One of the workers told Wallace "they recover quicker than adults," before offering him a portion of toddler tartare. He then went over to visit the children's medical complex which saw toddlers playing with toys while sporting stickers that read: "I'm beating the cost of living crisis." Following the show, Wallace took to Instagram thanking people for watching. He jokingly added: "I really enjoyed my first acting job!" He went on to share a photo of himself, writing: "Satire. See Jonathan Swift 'A Modest Proposal'." Swift's 1729 satirical essay suggested the Irish may have overcome their financial troubles by eating their own children. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Whether you’re a super diligent packer or prefer to wing it right before heading out for the airport, there’s no overstating the importance of packing cubes. Not only do they take the stress out of organizing your travel bags or suitcase, the compression design makes it easier to cram even more stuff inside. Since everything is neatly separated, you’re spared from rummaging through the whole suitcase when you need to locate that extra pair of socks or a tiny toiletry bottle. In other words, your future self will thank you for investing in some proper packing aids.

Maestro, Bradley Cooper's second directorial run after A Star Is Born, is set to bring

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 13, 2023--

Fans were left shocked as 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' star Teresa Giudice showed off her new makeover

Keyboards are an essential part of any PC setup, but once you start getting particular

London has recaptured its crown as Europe’s largest stock market from Paris, lifted by surging crude oil prices.

Travis Barker has spoken out about wife Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s “urgent” surgery on her and her unborn child. The musician, 47, took to X – formerly known as Twitter – on Wednesday (6 September) to open up about his wife’s surgery. His tweet came after the Poosh founder revealed that she was rushed into emergency surgery, in order to save the life of her and her husband’s unborn baby. In his post, he expressed his gratitude for how the procedure went and noted that he’ll be back on stage this week, after postponing a handful of Blink-182 European tour dates due to “an urgent family matter”. “God is great. I flew home for a life-threatening emergency surgery for our baby that I’m so grateful went well,” he wrote. “I want to say thank you for all the support. Tour resumes Friday.” Many fans replied to Barker’s tweet with messages of support during Kardashian’s recovery from the surgery. “Happy to hear man, love from all around the world,” one wrote, while another added: “Great news!” Barker’s tweet comes days after Blink-182 revealed that Barker was returning home to California in the middle of his band’s tour to be with his family. “Due to an urgent family matter, Travis has had to return home to the States,” the band wrote in a tweet, shared on 1 September. “The Glasgow, Belfast, and Dublin shows are being postponed. More information in regards to his return to Europe and rescheduled dates will be provided as soon as available.” The three-piece rock group were initially scheduled to perform two shows at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow on 1 September and 2 September, followed by concerts in Belfast on 4 September and Dublin on 5 September. On Saturday 2 September, Kardashian and her husband were seen leaving the hospital, in photos obtained by the Daily Mail. It was later confirmed by People on 4 September that the reality star had been briefly hospitalised and on the road to recovery. Two days later, Kardashian shared an update about her health on Instagram, where she posted a black and white photo of herself in a hospital bed while holding Barker’s hand. She began her caption by explaining that she’ll “be forever grateful to [her] incredible doctors for saving [her] baby’s life” and praised her husband’s support while she was in the hospital. “I am eternally grateful to my husband who rushed to my side from tour to be with me in the hospital and take care of me afterwards, my rock,” she wrote. “And to my mom, thank you for holding my hand through this.” In her Instagram post, Kardashian revealed that she underwent “fetal surgery”, which “is a procedure performed on an unborn baby in the uterus to help improve the long-term outcome of children with specific birth defects,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “As someone who has had three really easy pregnancies in the past, I wasn’t prepared for the fear of rushing into urgent fetal surgery,” Kardashian continued. “I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been through a similar situation can begin to understand that feeling of fear. I have a whole new understanding and respect for the mamas who have had to fight for their babies while pregnant.” She concluded: “Praise be to God. Walking out of the hospital with my baby boy in my tummy and safe was the truest blessing.” In June, Kardashian held up a sign at a Blink-182 concert to announce that she was pregnant. The news came six months after she publicly shared that she had stopped in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment because it had taken “a toll” on her physical and mental health. Before Kardashian tied the knot with Barker in May 2022, the reality star previously welcomed three children – Mason, 13, Penelope, 12, and Reign, 10 – with ex Scott Disick. Meanwhile, Barker shares a 19-year-old son, Landon, and 14-year-old daughter, Alabama, with ex-wife Shanna Moakler. He also helped raise Moakler’s 24-year-old daughter, Atiana De La Hoya, from her previous relationship. Read More Kourtney Kardashian reveals she underwent urgent foetal surgery amid pregnancy Kourtney Kardashian was briefly hospitalised amid pregnancy, according to reports Blink-182 postpone UK and Ireland shows as Travis Barker rushes home for ‘urgent family matter’ Kourtney Kardashian reveals she underwent urgent fetal surgery Kourtney Kardashian was briefly hospitalised amid pregnancy, according to reports Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker leave hospital after ‘urgent family matter’

Kim Kardashian has been criticised for modelling in Balenciaga, nearly one year after the brand’s campaign scandal. The reality star, 42, posed for Balenciaga’s newest lookbook this week, with her outfit from the brand’s summer 2024 collection. Her decision to model with the brand came after she said that she was “re-evaluating” her relationship with Balenciaga due to its controversial campaign of child models holding teddy bears dressed in bondage gear. As part of her latest work with the brand, as shown on Balenciaga’s Instagram account, Kardashian posed in front of a red curtain while wearing a black latex leather dress with a slit called the “3D Molded Wet Dress”. Her black hair appeared to be damp, while she also wore a pair of black, sheer legging pants and held a silver high heel in her hand. Although Kardashian posed for Balenciaga’s lookbook, she reportedly didn’t attend the brand’s show on 1 October during Paris Fashion Week, according toPage Six. On X, formerly known as Twitter, fans have criticised The Kardashians star for publicly modelling for the brand due to the controversy surrounding last year’s campaign, which featured an image of a Supreme Court opinion on a child pornography case, and which was removed due to backlash. “@KimKardashian supporting Balenciaga once again, like she forgot what happened! Is beyond messed up,” one wrote. “Looks like Kim Kardashian is back to supporting Balenciaga. Does she think we have all forgotten that ad campaign showing children holding teddies dressed is BDSM-styled outfits? This gives me the icks,” another added. “Kim, you don’t understand, #Balenciaga CAN’T SIT WITH US!” a third wrote, referring to a line from the hit 2000s movie Mean Girls. “You’re telling the world that it’s okay to exploit children.” Other people encouraged Kardashian to use her platform to condemn Balenciaga, as opposed to working with the brand, with one writing: “Just think what these powerful women could do to end the abuse of children in the fashion industry! Instead she hides and doesn’t do anything. She can’t even bring herself to say f*** you Balenciaga. You got yours, screw those kids, right?” Last month, Kardashian sparked similar backlash for wearing a Balenciaga outfit to the Kering Foundation’s annual Caring for Women Dinner. For the occasion, she wore a semi-sheer, pink, sparkly dress with a halter neckline and train, along with a pair of nude heels. She also shared a snap of herself and Nicole Kidman posing together at the event, along with the caption: “@balenciaga babes.” “Why are you both wearing Demna again,” one critic wrote on Kardashian’s Instagram post from the evening, while another agreed: “I seriously don’t get it. This is a simple look that she could have commissioned from any brand. I’m here because I’m a fan but this really upsets me.” Back in November 2022, the KKW Beauty founder first broke her silence about the campaign, noting that as mother of four children – who she shares with ex-husband Kanye West – she was “shaken by the disturbing images” of the advertisements. “The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalise child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society – period,” she wrote on X at the time. “I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven’t been disgusted and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns, but because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened.” She explained that she was “re-evaluating [her] relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with”. She also added that she “appreciated” Balenciaga’s decision to issue an apology and remove the campaign. One month after issuing the statement, Kardashian explained why she didn’t speak out against the Balenciaga teddy bear controversy at the very beginning. “With the Balenciaga thing, everyone was like: ‘Why aren’t you speaking out? Why aren’t you speaking out?’ And I’m like: ‘Wait. I’m not in this campaign. I don’t know what’s happening. Let me take a minute to research this,’” she said. “And then as soon as I saw what everyone was seeing on the internet and the reality of the situation, I completely spoke out and gave my thoughts on child porn and completely denounced it.” She also shared her beliefs on why she faced criticism amid the campaign scandal, continuing: “But because I didn’t say: ‘F*** you, Balenciaga. That’s it,’ people got mad at that. So they’re mad if I don’t speak out. They’re mad if I do speak out, and if I don’t cancel.” The Independent has contacted a representative for Kardashian for comment. Read More Kim Kardashian admits she’s ‘struggling’ as a single mother following Kanye West split Kim Kardashian and Tom Brady get into bidding war at casino-themed charity event Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian mark 20th anniversary of father Robert’s death: ‘I miss you Daddy’ Kim Kardashian and Tom Brady get into bidding war at charity event Fans think Anna Wintour changed seats after Kim Kardashian sat down at fashion show 5 trainer trends that will be everywhere this autumn