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If you're mooching off someone else's Netflix account, the company's password-sharing crackdown may have you

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered the government to ensure national food security under all circumstances, while

A bunk bed for £10, or a double bed for £100? If you’re planning to travel again soon, you might be wondering where your money is best spent – on the most comfortable accommodation or out and about at your destination. Here are the pros and cons on each side of travel’s most hotly-contested dichotomy: should you stay in a hostel or a hotel? The argument for a hostel It goes without saying that if you can afford to stay in a 200th floor penthouse suite in Monaco with on-tap Bollinger, an infinity pool and an antique four poster that once belonged to Grace Kelly, the average backpacker’s hostel will probably struggle to meet your expectations. But assuming Jeff Bezos isn’t a distant cousin, the average two or three star hotel is not only much pricier than most hostels, it often also serves up a far less satisfying experience. Hotels will inflate their costs for things that don’t directly affect your stay: an extra tenner for having lots of lifts, an extra £20 for the ornate-looking columns in the lobby, and who knows how much for the nice-but-superfluous chocolate on the pillow. Hostels, by comparison, sell themselves on things that overtly impact your trip. Even high-end outlets rarely stray into hotel price ranges, and your minimal buck gets direct bang with bed, board and sometimes breakfast. A holiday is only as good as who you go with, and most hostels will happily play matchmaker with central social areas, affordable alcohol on demand, and organised activities like pub crawls and sightseeing. Hostels expect you to spend your days out and about, so location and transport are often a big part of the branding, while proprietors often pride themselves on local tips that go beyond the guidebook. Hostels know their purpose is to help you enjoy the place that you’re in – not try and compete with it. You could spend your day standing around awkwardly while room service changes your one-night-old bedsheets, or you could get to know the couple from your dorm over a game of ping-pong, before heading off to a local bar. The pros of a hotel There is a reason hostels are predominantly the preserve of the young, and it isn’t just to do with money. A lot of gap year travellers don’t need to escape from the laundry, an overflowing office inbox, and doing their tax returns, because for one reason or another they simply aren’t at that stage of life. At hotels, meanwhile, menial tasks are done for you – the bed is made, the floor is cleared, the toiletries are provided – and for a break from your daily reality, taking care of the domestics is pretty much essential. Hotels also offer up that rare quality: privacy. Room service means you needn’t even brave the restaurant, and you can exist with your people, on your terms. Just try going for a romantic break in 10 person dorm; your trip will have limits. As for those 10 people, if even one of them listens to loud music with no headphones, leaves their foul-smelling sandals by your bed, or is “not a racist but…”, they can single-handedly ruin your trip. Foreign fraternising can go one of two ways, and the more people you’re cooped up with, the more likely you are to find a wrong ‘un. (Also, we hope you like being tired if you’re staying in a hostel; a lot of guests keep ungodly hours). And if you do want to step it up a gear and go all-inclusive, all power to you. You don’t have to fly all the way to Mexico to languish by a swimming pool, but it sure does help with the weather. Hotels make things easier and that’s what holidays are supposed to be all about. Read More Best UK hotels 2022 Best luxury hotels in Scotland for 2022 Family-friendly hotels in the UK for style, location and value 8 of the best dog-friendly hotels in Scotland for countryside walks 8 of the best dog-friendly hotels in Wales for walking adventures 7 of the best hotels on the Amalfi Coast for views and luxury

Jennifer Lopez has come under fire for launching and promoting her new alcohol brand, due to her husband Ben Affleck’s problems with alcoholism. The 53-year-old Let’s Get Loud singer, who had previously told InStyle that she abstains from caffeine and alcohol, took to Instagram following the announcement of her new liquor brand Delola, saying she enjoyed the “occasional cocktail” but did not drink to excess. Fans had been quick to criticise her, posting comments like, ‘Why not respect your husband’s sobriety?’ Her husband Ben Affleck, 50, has been candid about his struggles with alcoholism. In a 2020 New York Times interview, he shared: “It took me a long time to fundamentally, deeply, without a hint of doubt, admit to myself that I am an alcoholic… The next drink will not be different.” Affleck is sober, but seemingly, Lopez is not. “Going sober can be really difficult, especially if your partner drinks. There may be aspects of your drinking which they enjoy, so it’s quite common for people close to you, to say things which make it harder to go sober,” says Dr David McLaughlan, a visiting consultant psychiatrist for the Priory. So, how can you do it if your partner isn’t so keen? Consider what you will gain “Going sober might mean less drunken fallouts or arguments about incidents which occurred under the influence of alcohol. Avoiding hangovers also gives you back a lot more quality time together and more free cash to spend on things that matter to you,” says McLaughlan. If more sex and higher fertility are important to you, quitting the booze may help, perhaps helping to garner support from your partner too. “You might also notice increased libido and erectile function when you quit drinking. Even small amounts of alcohol reduce your fertility, so giving up will also increase your chances of falling pregnant together,” he explains. Find the right time to discuss it It may be a sensitive topic to dive into. “It is important when you go sober, that you find a time when your partner is calm, collected and willing to discuss a big change in your relationship,” says Phil Jackman, an addiction therapist at private rehab clinic Delamere. “Attempting to speak to them when they are stressed or busy may lead to unnecessary conflict. “Once you’ve found the right time, be honest with your partner and let them know the reasons you are giving up alcohol, and how this might impact your relationship. Hopefully, they will be supportive of your decision, but there might need to be a few things you need to work through first. “If you are with a partner that still likes a drink, try asking them if they can remove any alcohol from the house, or from a place you have access to it, so you aren’t tempted to give up on your sobriety,” he says. Don’t make unfair demands of them “Though it is fair to ask your partner to stop drinking and support you in sobriety, it is important that this is not a strict expectation of them. Assuming someone will automatically change their lifestyle just to suit yours may cause unnecessary conflict,” Jackman says. “Instead, when you make the decision to go sober, it’s important that you sit and talk through the reasons why you want to give up drinking, so they fully understand your decision. You may find they want to improve their own personal relationship with alcohol. However, it’s important to note, not everyone will be willing to do so. ” Seek out authenticity One of you quitting drinking could break a dangerous cycle. “If you and your partner regularly drink, more than just socialising with friends or during an occasion, your relationship could develop with a co-dependency to alcohol, where you are drinking to maintain the relationship,” says Dr Stefan Walters, Caba’s addiction specialist. “As humans, we can be highly influenced by peer pressure and the people around us. So, if we are socialising with those who drink heavily, we may feel a judgement for being sober, or that we are not joining in on the fun,” he explains. Pushing past that dependency will help you be authentic with your partner. “When you are sober, your personality is authentic, and you will feel emotionally present throughout conversations and experiences with your partner,” Walters adds. Find new things to do together If one of you does not drink, you may have to think outside the box about things you can do together. “If you are still feeling this way about the activities or hobbies after some time, I’d recommend speaking openly with your partner about adjusting or changing them,” says Walters. “Generally, you may feel that you’d rather take up healthier hobbies, like physical pursuits or mentally stimulating activities, instead of those centred around drinking, like quizzes or socialising at the pub. “So, it’s not necessarily about how to enjoy the same things, but working out how to spend time together through new activities that you both enjoy and receive emotional fulfilment from,” he explains. Going sober could help you find something new you love to do together. 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Lush are determined to make sure their advent calendar packaging can be "reused or regifted" and it is a priority to create designs that "have longevity and spark imagination".

A mother has said she still breastfeeds her four-year-old son and has no plans to stop any time soon. Allison Yarrow, the journalist and author behind Birth Control: The Insidious Power of Men Over Motherhood, reportedly told People that she hasn’t stopped breastfeeding because she believes it makes her son dependent on her and vice versa. “We haven’t stopped breastfeeding because breastfeeding works for us,” Yarrow explained to the outlet. “It’s something we do once or twice a day. Sometimes it happens more than that if he’s hurt or sick, but it is a way that we connect and communicate with each other.” Within the first hour of birth, babies should initiate breastfeeding and be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their lives, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Health officials advise that babies should only be breastfed on demand from six months to “up to two years of age or beyond.” In June 2022, The American Academy of Pediatrics agreed with their recommendation, adding that they supported continued breastfeeding only as long as it was “mutually desired for two years or beyond.” Yarrow advocates for continued breastfeeding, citing multiple benefits: “The research shows that breastfeeding can reduce breast and ovarian cancers. The hormone oxytocin is released when you breastfeed, so it actually feels good.” While breastfeeding is also associated with small neurodevelopmental outcomes in children, according to the Mayo Clinic, is also “associated with a reduction in acute infections as well as chronic adult conditions like obesity, cancer, heart disease and allergies.” “It’s a way of connecting,” Yarrow continued. “And I don’t think I would still be doing it if I didn’t enjoy it. I wouldn’t be just sacrificing myself at this stage. My four-year-old has other food, right? He’s not coming to me for food.” “We still breastfeed because it’s a way to connect with each other. We feel good. It’s intimacy. It’s looking into each other’s eyes. It’s cuddling. It’s having a physical connection. And that strengthens our connection in general,” Yarrow added. Yarrow’s decision to continue breastfeeding well past the age of two is considered taboo to most Americans, but she explained to the outlet that she believes this mentality is more indicative of misogyny in American culture. “Our culture really doesn’t support women doing things with their bodies that they want to be doing, so that certainly extends into breastfeeding,” Yarrow noted. “There’s really poor research about extended breastfeeding. There isn’t a lot of it.” She continued: “And women and people who give birth are really hampered in their quest to breastfeed after their babies are born. We know that the majority of people who give birth want to breastfeed, but most don’t even meet their own breastfeeding goals because accessing lactation support is incredibly difficult.” Yarrow elaborated that poor healthcare and support forces a lot of women to head back into the workplace earlier than they might like. “Often it’s not covered by insurance or Medicaid, and people have to pay out-of-pocket and find somebody to support them in this way when they’re already very vulnerable recovering from childbirth and caring for a newborn,” she said. Read More Mother reacts to video of her breastfeeding taken without her knowledge Woman says she was told not to breastfeed on flight because it would make passengers ‘uncomfortable’ Rumer Willis shuts down criticism over breastfeeding photo with her child: ‘I am the happiest I have been’ Sia says she suffered ‘severe’ three-year depression after Erik Anders Lang divorce David Foster and Katharine McPhee express grief after death of their child’s nanny Mother defended after calling father ‘creepy’ over name choice for newborn daughter

Cats in Cyprus are being treated with anti-Covid pills meant for humans after a feline virus killed thousands of animals on the island. An estimated 8,000 cats have died from Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), prompting the government to approve the use of stockpiled human coronavirus medication. The disease is almost always lethal if left untreated, but medication is effective in around 85 per cent of cases. However, the high price of the medication made it inaccessible to vets and pet owners in Cyprus, activists said. The government’s veterinary services director, Christodoulos Pipis said the first batch of 2,000 medication packages will be used to mitigate what has been called the “FCov-2023” outbreak, with a total of 80,000 pills becoming available later. Mr Pipis told the Guardian the health ministry rolled out the treatment on 8 August, celebrated as International Cat Day. Each pill will cost €2.5 (£2.16) and can be bought at local vets’ offices, after a formal examination and diagnosis. It is hoped the move will end the outbreak, first noticed in the Cypriot capital of Nicosia in January. FIP, which spreads through contact with cat faeces, has spread across the island four months later, the Pancyprian Veterinary Association said. Local animal activists claimed FIP has killed 300,000 cats, but PVA president Nektaria Ioannou Arsenoglou called that figure an exaggeration. The disease is unrelated to Covid-19 and cannot be contracted by human beings. However, the active ingredient in anti-Covid medication Lagevrio, molnupiravir, has proven effective in treating cats who’ve contracted FIP. The feline virus has been around since 1963, Ms Arsenoglou added, but previous epidemics in the UK, US, Taiwan, and Greece remained confined to catteries and eventually fizzled out without the use of any medication. However, the outbreak in Cyprus has also affected indoor cats. Read More Maui wildfires – live: Devastating wildfire burns historic town ‘to the ground’ in Hawaii and kills 36 Wildfire devastates Hawaii's historic Lahaina Town, a former capital of the kingdom A feline virus mutation in Cyprus caused far fewer cat deaths than claimed, veterinary leader says UK man bitten by cat contracts previously unknown and ‘extensive’ bacterial infection Ukraine war live: Putin ‘considers coming face to face with world leaders’ at G20 Poland to double troops number at border with Belarus

We’re all about sharing our best secrets here, and when it comes to makeup, skin care, and more, Beauty Pie is one of them, IMHO. Founded by beauty industry veteran Marcia Kilgore (who founded Bliss Spa, among other ventures), Beauty Pie is a beauty lover’s online playground: Luxurious, on-trend products made at top beauty labs around the world are sold at a fraction of competitors’ prices. It’s one of those things that feels too good to be true but isn’t.

Whether you’re looking for a game to play with young kids or something to keep

As the fastest-growing sport in the US, pickleball is the hangout activity of the summer, and now it has the sporty-chic collection to back it up. Launching on June 22, the Staud’s Court drop brings the brand’s effortless, minimalist and timeless aesthetic to the, well, pickleball court — but, don’t worry, tennis obsessives, you’ll love the line, too.

Legendary film director Martin Scorsese was sued for allegedly accepting a $500,000 payment to executive-produce a World War