A California veterinarian is caring for the pets of the state's homeless population

A hamburger and drink combination called the Lionel Messi

Prepping for a trip can be a whirlwind. You not only have to find the right suitcase or weekender bag, make sure you have a pair of comfortable sneakers, and then actually pack, but you also need a personal bag that is both sensible and stylish — one that goes from the airport to sightseeing to a night out. Do you opt for a trendy handbag or a reliable oversized tote? The struggle is real. No need to fret because our editors are recommending their favorite practical bags for travel. Our tried-and-true list covers everything from versatile crossbodies and viral Lululemon belt bags to chic modern totes and elevated backpacks that pair effortlessly with your ‘fits and carry your essentials.

Trader Joe’s has recalled its sixth food item in five weeks. The latest food to make the list is the grocery store’s Texas Tamale Company gourmet black bean tamales, which were recalled on 22 August. According to Trader Joe’s website, the company was alerted by its supplier that tamales with a “best before date of 19 June 2025 and Lot code 17023 - sold only in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas stores - may contain undeclared milk”. This means that the presumed vegan items sold in those specific states may contain milk. “No illnesses have been reported to date, and all potentially affected products have been removed from sale,” Trader Joe’s announcement read. The recall warned consumers who did purchase the tamales not to eat them. Trader Joe’s “urged” buyers to either throw the tamales away or return them to the store where they will receive a full refund. Just a few days before this recall announcement from Trader Joe’s, another item was recalled. On 17 August, Trader Joe’s announced a recall of its multigrain crackers with sunflower and flax seeds. According to the announcement on its website, “products with Best If Used By dates between 1 March and 5 March 2024 may contain metal”. Similar to the tamales, no injuries were reported and all product that may have been affected was removed from sale and destroyed. Other recalled items include: Fully Cooked Falafel, Almond Windmill Cookies and Dark Chocolate Chunk, Almond Cookies, and Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup. The falafel was recalled because it may have contained rocks, and the broccoli cheddar soup was pulled because it may have contained insects. The cookies were also recalled because they may have contained rocks. Customers with questions are encouraged to contact the store’s customer relations department or email Trader Joe’s via the product feedback section of its website. Some frequent Trader Joe’s shoppers have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to talk about their concerns with the increase in recalls. “I was gonna go to Trader Joe’s today and then I heard about all the recalls,” one tweet read. “The news media is just catching on to this, due to recent Trader Joe’s incidents that rose to the level of mass recalls. But it’s been an issue I’ve been noticing since the pandemic... Trader Joe’s has never been great at consistent quality control, it’s just noticeably worse,” another person pointed out on the platform. According to Trader Joe’s website, it doesn’t “take any chances when it comes to product safety and quality”. “We err on the side of caution and are proactive in addressing issues. We voluntarily take action quickly, aggressively investigating potential problems and removing the product from sale if there is any doubt about its safety or quality,” the grocery store chain said. It continued: “We value information and clear communication. Should a recall become necessary, we waste no time in providing our customers details. Our recall-related communications go well beyond regulatory requirements: we share news through in-store signs, on our website, and through email alerts.” The Independent has contacted Trader Joe’s for comment. Read More Trader Joe’s recalls two types of cookies over concerns they may contain rocks Nestlé recalls Toll House cookie dough Jennifer Aniston’s ‘go-to’ collagen supplement recalled Woman explains why she excluded her maid-of-honour from the bachelorette party Woman named Barbie Oppenheimer encounters difficulties amid Barbenheimer craze The Golden Bachelor: Who are the 22 senior women competing for Gerry Turner’s heart?

Marmite. You either love it or you hate it. Nigella Lawson loves it. “I know the combination of pasta and Marmite sounds odd to the point of unfeasibility, but wait a moment,” she writes on her blog. She stumbled across a recipe for a “day-after-the-roast pasta dish” in Italian-British food writer Anna Del Conte’s memoirs and, realising Marmite’s potential as a replacement for the umami-ness of a stock cube, has been making a version of it on repeat ever since. “I haven’t as yet found a child who doesn’t like it,” she says. The simple and speedy dish requires just four easy-to-find ingredients: spaghetti, butter, parmesan (or vegan equivalent) and Marmite. Packed with saltiness and savouriness, Lawson’s spaghetti with Marmite makes for a tasty midweek meal and, as an added benefit, its main ingredient is also high in vitamin B. Nigella Lawson’s spaghetti with Marmite Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: 375g spaghetti 50g unsalted butter 1 tsp Marmite Original (8g) Freshly grated parmesan cheese (to serve) For vegans, replace the parmesan cheese and butter with a plant-based alternative. Method: Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water, according to the packet instructions. When the pasta is almost cooked, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the Marmite and 1 tablespoon of the pasta water, mixing thoroughly to dissolve. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water; then drain the pasta and pour the Marmite mixture over the drained spaghetti, adding a little reserved pasta water to amalgamate if required. Serve with plenty of grated parmesan cheese. Read More This speedy king prawn pasta has a supermarket secret weapon Midweek meals: Baked pasta Siciliana with meatballs How to make a classic lasagne Dear Pret, this is what a £7 sandwich should look like Jack Stein’s Cornish mussels with spinach and cider Pub grub: Three recipes from Tom Kerridge’s new cookbook

Black Friday is almost upon us, when retailers kick off the holiday season with offers meant to get customers in the shopping mood

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A UNESCO report released during Lagos Fashion Week notes Africa’s fashion industry is growing rapidly to meet demand but that inadequate investment still limits its potential

Fashion is no stranger to subversiveness, especially in statement shoe form. See: Y2K sneaker wedges, wooden clogs, the split-toe Tabis (that made headlines last month after a date gone wrong), and just about any “ugly shoe” trend of the last few years. Runways for Fall 2023 were no exception to this high-art bent; only this time around, the boldest shoe of the season might just be borrowed from Bigfoot’s closet: furry footwear.

Deciding how to spend your first paycheck after graduating from college can be overwhelming, given the many competing demands on it

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