The famous marching bands at historically Black colleges and universities have been putting on their must-watch shows for decades

HANOVER, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 18, 2023--

De Beers decided to call time on offering lab-grown diamonds for engagement rings even as the man-made alternatives

Match Group, the parent company of dating apps like Tinder, Hinge, Match, and others, announced

Waterloo Road star Adam Thomas has announced he has rheumatoid arthritis ahead of his Strictly Come Dancing debut next month. In an Instagram post shared on 11 August, the actor, 35, told his followers that he initially thought that the condition was something people were diagnosed with “later on in life”. “As much as I act like a kid, my body is telling another story…” he wrote. “I thought that was something people, later on in their life get… but that’s not the case, clearly!” “I’ve been in a lot of pain since January,” he continued. “It started with my knees and then travelled to my wrists, fingers and now ankles and toes.” Thomas explained: “I never knew what was happening and finally after several blood tests and back and forth to doctors and hospitals, I’ve been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis!” The actor, who is competing in this year’s instalment of Strictly Come Dancing but has said that he is “up for the challenge”. “It really couldn’t have come at a better time I’m a firm believer of everything happening for a reason, and I know the journey I’ve been on was meant to happen, to never take small things in life for granted!” he assured fans. “…Like going for a run, playing with my kids and just being able to walk with no pain!” “I know it’s going to be tough and I’ve definitely got my work cut out but am up for the challenge and can not wait to get on that dance floor!!” What is rheumatoid arthritis? Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease and long-term condition that typically affects the hands, feet and wrists. Benjamin Ellis, a Consultant Rheumatologist and Senior Clinical Policy Advisor to Versus Arthritis (the UK’s largest arthritis charity), told The Independent: “Rheumatoid arthritis affects people of all ages, and happens when the immune system – the body’s natural defence system – goes out of balance and attacks the joints making them inflamed, swollen and painful.” Some people with rheumatoid arthritis also experience problems in other parts of the body, or more general symptoms such as tiredness and weight loss. According to the NHS, the condition often starts when a person is between 30 and 50, and women are more likely to be affected than men. What causes rheumatoid arthritis? The NHS states that it is not clear what triggers this problem with the immune system, but women, people who smoke, and people who have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk. Depending on how much pain a person experiences, their daily tasks can become difficult and take longer to do. Is there a cure for rheumatoid arthritis? There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis but an early diagnosis and treatment allows people with the condition to have long periods between flare-ups. The NHS states that the main treatment options include taking medicine to relieve symptoms, supportive treatments like physiotherapy and surgery to correct any joint problems. Ellis told The Independent that early treatment can reduce the risk of long-term joint damage. “Urgent and intensive treatments to rebalance the immune system improve symptoms and reduce the risk of long-term, disabling joint damage caused by this inflammation, but NHS delays mean that not everyone is getting the treatment they need, as quickly as they need it,” said Ellis. “Keeping moving is great for the joints, whatever type of arthritis you have. The best thing is to pick something you enjoy, and listen to your body to do the right amount that works for you, whether that’s walking, yoga, swimming or dancing.” What are the complications of rheumatoid arthritis? Having rheumatoid arthritis can sometimes lead to other conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome or inflammation of other areas of the body, causing additional symptoms. The NHS states that some complications can be more serious, like an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. But it advises that managing the condition early on can help to reduce the risk of complications. You can find out more about living with Rheumatoid arthritis on the NHS website here. For further support and information about arthritis, visit www.versusarthritis.org or call the free Versus Arthritis helpline on 0800 5200 520 . Read More Adam Thomas diagnosed with long-term health condition ahead of Strictly Come Dancing Husband ‘ruins’ dinner because of his wife’s typo: ‘The worst kind of control freak’ Fan who went into labour at Pink concert names newborn son after her Adam Thomas diagnosed with long-term health condition ahead of Strictly Come Dancing From Angela Scanlon to Zara McDermott: The fashion of this year’s Strictly contestants Linda Evangelista opens up about co-parenting with son’s stepmother Salma Hayek

By Humeyra Pamuk and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to China next week

What does a “smacked cucumber” look like? What is a “rutabaga”? Why does a “spiny caldereta” sound so threatening? Is “blackened” just a fancy word for “burnt”? These are some of the many questions diners have to grapple with when they look at a menu in some restaurants these days. But Britons are a shy bunch who would rather curl up in a ball and disappear than actually have to utter these queries out loud to a waiter. I would know – my husband is one of 41 per cent of diners who would choose to google an unfamiliar menu term under the table instead of asking for clarification, according to recent research from reservation service Resy. Whenever me and my husband come across an obscure word on a menu, my suggestion of asking the waiting staff to explain is swiftly shot down by the appearance of his phone, followed by a muttered definition from a search engine. Navigating a menu has become harder in recent years. It’s not just the use of lesser-known techniques, nor the use of alternative words for common ingredients (a rutabaga is a turnip and a cep is a porcini or pennybun mushroom, by the way). With Covid came menus only available via QR code, a development that’s now the bane of eating out – some restaurants still use them. It means having to point our stupid camera phones at stupid, alien-looking squares and scroll through the menu in stupid silence, as if we need to be even more enslaved to our devices than we already are. And then, if menus do get printed, they’re impossible to see because restaurants insist on turning their lights down lower and lower. Or they print the text in smaller and smaller typeface, making it a struggle to read even with 20/20 vision – which I haven’t had since I was 10. I’ll never forget trying to read the menu at the ever-trendy Smoking Goat in Shoreditch in 2019, me and five of my companions sat squinting in the dark with our phone torches on. Going to a restaurant should be a relatively easy endeavour, an experience free of stress and embarrassment. But recent menu trends might be off-putting to the customer, says Gavin Rankin of the Mayfair-based French brasserie restaurant Bellamy’s. “Restaurant menus are supposed to seduce you, to persuade you,” he tells me. “There’s a tendency now to list vegetables or ingredients nobody’s ever heard of, but I don’t like it and people don’t like having to ask questions about what something is because it makes them feel foolish. Restaurants aren’t out to humiliate the diner.” Descriptors that give an idea of texture or flavour are important, but they don’t have to be complicated. It’s definitely possible to achieve a balance between having your menu be stylish and still informative Hugh Richard Wright, restaurant PR But could it be a good thing for menus to spark conversation between a diner and the restaurant? When I ask Rankin this, he blows a raspberry down the phone line, though not rudely – just in exasperation. “There’s something a bit… aggressive about it,” he says. “You can see on some menus they are deliberately choosing to list things that will force people to ask. Keep it simple, in my opinion. It’s different if you’re trying a really unfamiliar cuisine, but not when you go to an English or French restaurant. You should be able to look at a menu and be happy to eat 90 per cent of it with pleasure.” I’m someone who’s quite happy to have a chinwag with the waiter and ask questions about a menu. I also like it when a menu provides the opportunity to learn something new. But Rankin is right in pointing out that many diners don’t like asking questions at all, and menus shouldn’t force a diner into having to enquire about every single item. Hugh Richard Wright, leading restaurant PR and man-about-town with years of eating and consulting experience under his belt, says restaurants need to be mindful of striking the right balance with their menus. “A menu is more than just a list of dishes,” he says. “It should tempt you and excite you, so the descriptions should be tantalising. A menu that makes you want to have a conversation with your server is nice but it’s a balance. You don’t want to have everything explained to you and to go through every dish asking, ‘What’s this, what’s that’. That’s what a lot of places get wrong.” He adds that a menu should give the diner a “realistic impression of what you’re getting on your plate” – a reasonable enough expectation that some restaurants have foregone in favour of just listing ingredients. “For example, ‘pork, leek, kumquat’. It should describe how the pork is cooked. Is it pulled pork? Or roasted? Descriptors that give an idea of texture or flavour are important, but they don’t have to be complicated. It’s definitely possible to achieve a balance between having your menu be stylish and still informative.” David Paw, international editor at Resy, advises that we shouldn’t be put off by a sparse menu. “It may be deliberate,” he says. “The restaurant is setting up the chance for a guest and the front of house staff to engage in a dialogue. I lean into these moments as opportunities to have a chat about ingredients, techniques, and the kitchen’s creative process. I’d encourage diners to always try to ask for more information. Even frequent diners are always learning and expanding their food vocabulary.” It comes down to what kind of experience we’re looking for when we dine out. For some, like Paw and myself, it’s fun and exciting to come across new things on a menu. But for many, given that eating out nowadays is much more of a pricey indulgence than it used to be, relaxation is key, not being challenged. This isn’t to say that every single restaurant should acquiesce to simplicity, but it would be no small potatoes to consider ways to make a diner feel less like they need a thesaurus before sitting down. It doesn’t diminish a fine restaurant to make its menu more accessible – instead, it would make it so much more appealing, bringing incredible food to the many instead of the few. That said, we go to restaurants to eat food we wouldn’t normally cook ourselves, and often food that we’re not familiar with. There is so much joy to be had in allowing new flavours and textures to colour your palate, and the culinary world has never been more creative or diverse than it is right now. So in a time where suspicion of anything unfamiliar is rife, perhaps it would do us all some good to try something new on our plates. Next time you’re stuck, ask your waiter for assistance. I promise they won’t bite. Read More Best burgers in London: Where to eat top patties in the city Why ‘chain’ restaurant shouldn’t be a dirty word Three ramen recipes to change your life Best burgers in London: Where to eat top patties in the city Why ‘chain’ restaurant shouldn’t be a dirty word Three ramen recipes to change your life

Robot vacuums were once an anomaly, but now it seems like almost every household has

Russian tour operators are pleading with vacationers to Crimea not to make decisions "based on emotions," as Ukraine's strike on the Crimea bridge on Monday played havoc on travel between the occupied Ukrainian peninsula and Russia.

The sumo wrestlers weighed an average of 120 kilograms (264 pounds) each.

From salon visits to shampoo, looking after your hair can be an expensive business. And unlike things like manicures or waxing – which you can do at home if you so wish – hair-cutting is best left to the pros. Yet there are ways to save money at the hairdressers and at home. Here, experts offer their advice for affordable hair care… 1. Low-maintenance cuts Some hairstyles require more regular trims than others. An Anna Wintour-style bob, for example, is the pinnacle of high-maintenance hair. “The best way to make your pennies stretch in between appointments is to opt for a low-maintenance haircut,” says Tyler Moore, expert stylist at Live True London. “These longer-lasting haircuts are usually ones that grow out gracefully and are on the longer side.” For long hair, he recommends a layered style: “Ask for some long, movement-creating layers to add some definition and shape to your cut. “These will grow out relatively well and will only need maintaining when you want to tidy your cut up.” Avoid blunt fringes that will need trimming a lot, but parted ‘curtain bangs’ won’t require as much upkeep. “If you prefer to keep things short, ask your hairdresser for a sleek, one-length chop,” says Moore. “If you don’t mind rocking several different lengths over a period of time, opt for a layer-free chop. The shorter you go, the more mileage you’ll get out of this.” 2. DIY dye For dark hair in particular, box dye is very affordable, especially compared to an appointment with a salon colourist. But what if you’ve never gone DIY before? “When in doubt, choose a shade that is on the lighter side – you can always go a shade darker the next time,” says Carin Freidag, global senior hair education manager at Clairol. To ensure rich all-over colour she advises: “Make sure you fully saturate your hair with the colourant mixture. If you have long or very thick hair, get two boxes so you have enough.” Start by doing an allergy patch test 48 hours before application following the instructions in the box. “Do the strand test at the same time since you will have some of the mixture left over,” Freidag says. “Simply apply the mixture to a small portion of hair and set the timer for 25 minutes. Wipe off with a wet paper towel, dry it and see how you like it.” If you’re happy, carry on: “Part and clip your hair into four sections so it’s easier to manage. If you are covering grey, start in the section where you have the most grey.” 3. Keep your blonde bright “If you’re blonde, keeping your colour looking salon fresh means booking a salon appointment for a toner, especially after the summer months,” says celebrity hair stylist and Olaplex expert Tom Smith. “However you can extend the life of your blonde colour with Olaplex No. 4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo which neutralises unwanted yellow tones, leaving your hair brass-free blonde for longer.” Kris Barnes, celebrity colourist and Provoke ambassador agrees that purple shampoo is a must for blondes. “The Provoke Touch of Silver range is brilliant for keeping hair vibrant and it’s such a steal,” he says. “My clients can maintain their colour affordably at home and come to me slightly less often than before.” Olaplex No.4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo, £28 Provoke Touch Of Silver Brightening Shampoo, £2.99, Boots 4. Long-lasting colour As with cuts, some types of hair colour require more maintenance than others, such as all-over shades. “I would say switch up the colour a bit and go for a more lived-in colour,” says Barnes. “A blonde balayage or some depth towards the root will mean you can go a bit longer between colour visits, whereas full highlights will mean roots show quickly and will need re-doing.” Moore adds: “Steer clear of bright fashion colours, cool-toned blondes, and coppers – these require a lot of upkeep.” 5. Cover your roots Root cover-up spray is a brilliant way to extend the time between your colour appointments, and there’s a huge range of shades to choose from. “Simply shake and spray right where you need it and voila, done!” says Freidag. “It’s removed with shampoo so gives you the flexibility to go to the gym or out on a rainy day without fear of it running.” Clairol Root Touch Up 2 In 1 Spray Light Brown, £8.99, Boots 6. Use dry shampoo Refreshing your hair more often with a cheap-as-chips dry shampoo saves money on liquid shampoo and conditioner, as well as your water and electricity bills. “The way to get the most out of your dry shampoo is to give the can a big shake to awaken the formula and then ensure you are spraying at least 30cm away from the roots,” says hair stylist and Batiste brand ambassador Samantha Cusick. “Don’t spray close to your head that’s how you’ll get powdery residue. Don’t forget to massage in and then brush out to be most effective.” Batiste Dry Shampoo Tropical, £3.59, Superdrug 7. Make your own mask “Create your own deep conditioning masks using ingredients found in your home, like olive oil, peppermint and honey,” says Oyinkansola Adebayo, founder of Niyo Hair and Beauty. Other foods recommended by beauty buffs include coconut oil, avocado, bananas and egg yolk. “These natural products nourish, enhance your curls and moisturise your hair without the hefty price tag of store-bought treatments which may have ingredients harmful for your hair.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sarcoma Awareness Month: What you need to know about these cancers Bjork’s controversial swan dress to go on display in new exhibition Chrissy Teigen welcomes fourth child – how does surrogacy actually work?

Apple is following Amazon and Samsung in blocking employees from using ChatGPT over concerns the