Ruth Wilson Finishes 24-Hour Performance at London’s Young Vic
Breakups are always tough, but how about 100 in a day? Ruth Wilson, star of HBO’s “The Affair,”
2023-05-21 01:18
DeSantis asks that judge be disqualified from Disney's free speech lawsuit
Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking that a federal judge be disqualified from the First Amendment lawsuit filed by Disney against the Florida governor and his appointees
2023-05-21 00:29
Low-income tenants lack options as old mobile home parks are razed
Mobile home parks are among the few affordable options that remain for extremely low-income people
2023-05-21 00:22
Hedge Funds’ Ultra-Bearish Oil Bets Signal US Recession Angst
Money managers that trade derivatives linked to oil and fuel prices are about as bearish as they’ve been
2023-05-20 21:27
Tourist hot spot erects fence to deter selfie-takers
In travel news this week, why this summer could be a record-breaking one for air travel, America's best beaches and Asian-American fusion cuisine -- plus an Austrian village takes an unusual approach to combating unwelcome tourist behavior.
2023-05-20 17:17
Thai Election Winner Confident of Senators’ Support in PM Vote
Thailand’s leading pro-democracy party, which swept Sunday’s election, is confident its coalition will win over senators’ prime ministerial
2023-05-20 17:16
7 tips and tricks for hay fever relief
Incessant sneezing, runny, red hot nose, dry itchy eyes and a banging head from wheezing all the time, it’s exhausting! So far it’s really proving to be far from a summer of fun for hay fever sufferers. While we love verdant trees, green grasses (grass pollen being the most common cause of hay fever coming into July) and flower beds to delight our bees and boost our picnic plans, the pollen plants release cause any number of allergic reactions. According to Allergy Ireland, about 25 per cent of all Europeans suffer some type of nose/sinus/chest allergy and this is set to rise to 50 per cent within the next decade Hay fever sufferers should have antihistamines handy and should visit their GP if things get really bad, but in the meantime, here’s how to help ease any irritation, at least a little… 1. Be prepared with an app My Pollen Forecast Pro UK is cited as one of the best apps for tracking the pollen count and your allergens. With a five day forecast, a diary feature to track your allergies and a live pollen map, at least it can help you prep for the great outdoors. Available on the App Store. The Asthma Society of Ireland offers a similar app with a pollen tracker for daily updates on pollen levels around Ireland, including a forecast and predictions for the following day. Plus it’s free. 2. Keep the windows closed Sunshine and blue skies? It’s only natural to want to throw open the windows. Unfortunately, this can let all those nasties in, so try to avoid opening them during peak pollen hours of late morning and late afternoon; and close them at night when there’s a high pollen count too. 3. Vaseline can help in various ways A godsend when you have dry lips, eyelids or cracked skin, Vaseline can also help soothe and protect your nose. Try smearing it inside each nostril to ease any soreness and catch pollen entering the nasal passages. 4. Take a cool shower If your eyes are streaming and you can’t stop sneezing, take refuge under the coolness of cold running water. Not only will it help ease symptoms, but you should wash your hair and change your clothing if you’ve been spending any length of time sitting or working outside. If a shower isn’t practical, put a cold facecloth on your face and lie down for a few minutes. 5. Used tea bags can help ease puffy eyes Make the most of your morning cuppa by putting used tea bags in the fridge and use them as a cold compress to help relieve any swelling and soothe sore, itchy eyes. Cucumber slices can work too. 6. Keep your face mask on Face masks have become so much the norm, you may as well use them to filter out particles of pollen. Especially with summer socials in full swing, if you’re going on a picnic, it’s windy or you have to mow the lawn… eek! 7. Wear wraparound sunglasses Fashionable, sporty and with a fair chance of slightly increased protection against pollen getting in your eyes, a cool pair of wraparound sunnies is your best summer investment – an A-list accessory with benefits. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 7 tips and tricks for hay fever relief Top Films: w/c Saturday, May 27 Soap Guide: w/c Saturday, May 27
2023-05-20 16:20
Venice Architectural Biennale gives overdue voice to long-silenced Africa
Scottish-Ghanaian architect Lesley Lokko is giving voices that have long been silenced a platform at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale
2023-05-20 15:59
Thai Foreign Visitors Hit 9.47 Million, Driven by Asian Tourists
Thailand has welcomed 9.47 million foreign tourists so far this year, generating about 391 billion baht ($11 billion)
2023-05-20 10:22
Adidas defended amid backlash over gender-inclusive Pride Month swimsuit model
An Adidas campaign for Pride 2023 has gained considerable backlash after featuring male-presenting models wearing women’s swimsuits. Now, many people have defended the brand, amidst a wave of anti-trans sentiment towards companies including transgender people in their advertising. The sportswear brand unveiled its new collection for Pride 2023 on 15 May, titled “Let Love Be Your Legacy”. The range of apparel and footwear was designed by queer, South African designer Rich Mnisi, and comes as a collaboration with the non-profit Athlete Ally, which focuses on ending homophobia and transphobia in sports. In a statement, Rich Mnisi said the collection was “a symbol for self-acceptance and LGBTQIA+ advocacy.” On the company’s website, one of the bathing suits from the line – a colourful one-piece swimsuit called the “Pride Swimsuit” that retails for $70 – was being shown off by an apparently male model, though their gender is unknown. The swimsuit was marked under the women’s sportswear section on the website. The campaign photoshoot immediately set the internet ablaze, as many people criticised Adidas for “erasing women” by using a male-presenting model to advertise its female clothing. Former NCAA women’s swim athlete Riley Gaines, who has often been outspoken against trans women competing in sports, tweeted: “I don’t understand why companies are voluntarily doing this to themselves. They could have at least said the suit is ‘unisex’, but they didn’t because it’s about erasing women. Ever wondered why we hardly see this go the other way?” “We women will not be erased!!! Quit trying to replace us with male models!!! We’ve fought hard to be heard. Quit attempting to erase us again!!!” another user tweeted. Others called out the company for the move towards “woke” advertising, in light of the recent Bud Light and Nike campaigns featuring trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. “Apparently Adidas hasn’t learned the lesson from Bud Light fiasco. Time to give Adidas the ‘get woke, go broke’ treatment,” said one person. British internet personality Oli London added, “Nike and Adidas are at War to see which brand can become the Most WOKE! Both brands are now using male models to advertise women’s sports bras. Who wins the WOKE Award?” Reviews for the bathing suit on the Adidas website have also been flooded with one-star ratings and negative reviews, like one which read: “Hope the same thing that happens to Bud Light happens to them with this woke trash.” Despite some of the criticism, many people have stepped up to defend Adidas for featuring the models in its Pride Month collection. In response to the backlash, author Dr Delatorro McNeal appeared on daytime talk show Daily Blast Live to discuss the Adidas Pride campaign. “My concern with all of the bashing and all of the categorising is that we’re not leading with love and we’re not leading with acceptance and inclusion,” he said. “We all want to count, we all want to matter, we all want to be included, and it’s so vitally important. So I believe that, although there’s a fine line between free speech and freedom of expression, I believe at the end of the day if Adidas wants to create this line, let them do it. The customers that are going to align with that message and are aligned with that product are going to get it those that won’t, won’t.” @dailyblastlive Something we have been talking a lot about on the show is big brands like Bud Light and Nike are facing boycotts because of their ads that include transgender people. Adidas is under fire for using a model to highlight its pride swimsuit collection. People online are claiming this ‘woke marketing’ is ‘erasing women.’ Reviews on the site have been flooded with negative comments like this one saying, ‘Hope the same thing happened to Bud Light happens to them with this woke trash.’ Dr. Delatorro shares his take on this. #adidas #backlash #leadwithlove #love #lgbtq #drdelatorro #transgender #swimsuitmodel #model #budlight #trans ♬ original sound - DBL Others took to social media to express their support for Adidas, as well as their confusion over the widespread outrage. “Why are people in an uproar about a man modelling a womens ‘pride’ swimsuit for adidas??????” asked one person on Twitter. “WHO CARES?” Meanwhile, on TikTok, someone else said: “I want one!!! It’s beautiful and so is the model!” “Trans people exist! They shop too!! If the model doesn’t represent you it probably wasn’t meant to,” another TikToker said. “Y’all are making this outrage up,” a third user wrote. “I’m a millennial woman and I don’t feel erased or threatened. Accept people, love people, grow.” In April, Bud Light faced similar backlash for partnering with trans influencer and model Dylan Mulvaney in an Instagram video. The 26-year-old TikTok star revealed her new sponsorship deal with the beer company when she filmed herself with multiple cans of Bud Light. The brand had also sent her a can of Bud Light with her face on it. The video instantly received backlash from conservative politicians and celebrities, including Kid Rock and Travis Tritt. Others called for a boycott of the beer, and filmed videos of themselves smashing or shooting at cases of Budweiser products. Anheuser-Busch, the producer of Budweiser beers, issued a statement in response to the boycott, saying that they “never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people.” That same month, the actor also faced transphobic backlash for her partnership with Nike. In response, the sportswear brand wrote in the pinned comments of one of its social media posts: “You are an essential component to the success of your community! We welcome comments that contribute to a positive and constructive discussion. Be kind…Be inclusive…Encourage each other…Hate speech, bullying, or other behaviours that are not in the spirit of a diverse and inclusive community will be deleted.” The Independent has contacted Adidas for comment. Read More LGBTQ+ group suspends Bud Light maker's rating over handling of backlash to transgender influencer Ted Cruz wants to investigate Bud Light for working with Dylan Mulvaney: ‘Melting down over a trans woman’ Dylan Mulvaney reveals impact of trolls misgendering her following Bud Light controversy Adidas plans to sell Yeezy stock from axed Kanye West deal and donate proceeds Get to know Foday Dumbuya, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design 7 beauty changes to make as the weather gets warmer
2023-05-20 08:48
LGBTQ+ group suspends Bud Light maker's rating over handling of backlash to transgender influencer
The country’s largest advocacy group for LGBTQ+ rights has suspended its benchmark equality and inclusion rating for Anheuser-Busch
2023-05-20 05:24
Mother speaks out after video about putting fake tan on baby goes viral
A mother has clarified that a video she made about giving her child a fake tan was a joke, after she faced a backlash over her footage. Kylen Suttner frequently posts videos on TikTok about her partner and their four-month-old child. In one clip, posted in March, she could be seen holding up her baby, while she appeared to have a serious look on her face. She also poked fun at the self-tanning product that she joked she used on her child, in the text over the video. “When everyone is telling me to stop self-tanning my baby but the loving tan employees have families to feed,” she wrote, referring to the popular self-tanning spray, Loving Tan. In the caption, Suttner added: “loving tan is our fave.” As the video quickly went viral, with more than 1m views, it sparked mixed responses. However, Suttner has now clarified that her video was actually a joke. During an interview with New York Post, she said that her baby had jaundice when he was born, which is what made his skin tan. According to the Cleveland Clinic, jaundice “a condition in which the skin, sclera (whites of the eyes) and mucous membranes turn yellow”. “Everyone commented on his colour, so I decided to make a joke about it. I would never actually use self tanner on my baby,” she said. “I feel like most people understood it was a joke. But the few who didn’t were appalled that I would self tan my baby.” Although Suttner made this clarification about her video, the clip was still hit with criticism regarding the use of using self-tanners on babies. “Disgusting! So horrible!” one wrote, while another added; “I can’t tell if this is a joke?” @kylensuttner loving tan is our fav #tan #selftan #selftanning #selftanday #lovingtan #babyboy #newborn #newbornnap #momtime #naptime #newbornbaby #newbornbabyboy #momtok #postpartumbody #postpartumrecovery #postpartum #fourthtrimester #4thtrimester #newmom #newmomtok #postpartumjourney #csectiondelivery #csection #csectionmom #csectionrecovery ♬ original sound - Barney However, many TikTok users poked fun at the video and realised that it was just a joke. “You gotta keep the tan up, it’s a lifestyle Brian,” one quipped in the comments of the video, while another added: “So funny to me that people think you’re being [for real].” A third wrote: “I love this… I wish I had his skin colour.” The Independent has contacted Suttner for comment. According to the National Health Service (NHS), it is generally safe for women to use fake tan creams and lotions while pregnant. But, the site recommends avoiding spray tans, since “the effects of inhaling the spray are not known”. “The active ingredient in fake tan is dihydroxyacetone (DHA),” the medical site notes. “As the DHA isn’t thought to go beyond the outer layer of skin, it isn’t absorbed into the body and can’t harm your baby [during pregnancy].” The medical site also advises against using tanning pills, which are banned in the UK. “They contain large quantities of beta-carotene or canthaxanthin, which are commonly used as food colourings and can be toxic to an unborn baby,” NHS states. Read More Grandmother praised for refusing to babysit daughter’s newborn unless she’s paid $20 an hour Mother shares horrifying moment she found ticks living in her daughter’s ear Stay-at-home mother explains why she relies on full-time nanny Schoolboy almost dies from swallowing magnets for TikTok challenge Woman shares honest review of New York City apartment TikTok mom slammed after making 5-year-old son run in 104 degree heat
2023-05-20 05:21