Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse dropped earlier this month and has already done record-breaking numbers at the box office. The animated film is centred on 'canon events," the idea that some unfortunate situations that are often unavoidable. TikTokers have since put their own spin on the concept, racking up over 150 million views under the hashtag alone. Users are taking the phrase and using it to share a nostalgic look back at some of the weird phases in their lives. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The canon event TikTok takeover has left some blissfully unaware users baffled, prompting them to turn to the app to ask the all-important question: What does it mean? @bex392 ??? #canonevent #help Luckily for Bex (@bex392) and her 1 million viewers, people were on standby to help out. "Canon event= something that is going happen regardless of space, time and dimension in order to keep the balance. It’s basically fate," one person responded, while another reiterated: "Canon event is something that has to happen in the universe because it’s part of the universes canon, it’s from Spider-Man so it's a multiverse thing". It didn't take long for fellow TikTokers to share their very own canon events. One TikTok user under the username @bonnieaustinnnnnnnn wrote: "Me watching every teenage girl getting into her first relationship with a medium ugly guy that bares a striking resemblance to the rat from flushed away. (I can not interfere, it is a canon event)." Meanwhile, another earlier example saw @greekos_nikos share: "Realising it was never trauma, just a canon event." His video went viral across the platform with 5.2 million views and thousands more comments. "Getting hit on the leg with a firework gotta be a canon event," one person shared, while another joked: "Gonna start calling all my trauma canon events just to make it seem less serious." "It's a plot twist, gotta keep the audience on their toes," a third added. 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.

The UK heatwave has uncovered a "ghost garden" at a British country house. The scorching temperatures have caused the outline of the Victorian formal garden at Gawthorpe Hall, near Burnley, to re-emerge on its front lawn. Aerial photographs capture the traces of the footpaths of the Victorian parterre garden, which was installed in the 1860s. The garden was removed after the Second World War due to maintenance costs but often re-emerges during summer months as various soil types dry at different rates. Built-in the Elizabethan era, the hall was remodeled in the 1850s by noted architect Sir Charles Barry, who sketched out plans for the Houses of Parliament. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Barry also re-designed the gardens at both the front and back of the property. The one at the back is smaller and was kept after the Second World War, but the front one became too onerous to maintain and was removed in 1946. It comes as Britain has baked in 30C heat, prompting an amber heat alert from the UK Health Authority. So much so, now employers are being urged to relax dress codes and let staff work at cooler times of the day. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the current temperatures for June, and the record-breaking temperatures reached last summer, show that helping workers during extreme heat must be a priority for employers. Spokeswoman Clare Owen said: "The updated yellow heat-health alert, as well as the extreme heat we experienced in 2022, should serve as a wake-up call for all employers. "We know that employers are under pressure and we don’t want to add to their burden, but climate change means we’re likely to get hotter summers and that could have a big impact on the workforce of this country." TUC general secretary Paul Nowak added: "We’ve all been enjoying the sunny weather after a cold start to the year, but working in sweltering conditions can be unbearable and dangerous, whether it’s in an overheated shop, a baking office, or outdoors in the direct sun." "Indoor workplaces should be kept cool, with relaxed dress codes and flexible working to make use of the coolest hours of the day. "Employers must make sure outdoor workers are protected with regular breaks, lots of fluids, plenty of sunscreen and the right protective clothing." Credit: SWNS. 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.

In the latest episode of The List Show, host and Mental Floss editor-in-chief Erin McCarthy shares 100 weird facts. Learn about solo synchronized swimming, Dildo Days, and Pope Francis’ past gigs. We know you’re curious.

Brooklyn-based art collective MSCHF is back after their Big Red Boots took social media by storm. This time, they've launched a minuscule handbag – the size of a sand grain. The bag is just 657 by 222 by 700 micrometres and is modelled off the famous Louis Vuitton OnTheGo handbag. Impressively, they were even able to sketch out the LV logo on their tiny creation. The "bag" was specifically designed for an upcoming auction for Pharrell's Joopiter auction house. MSCHF told the New York Times that they actually haven't approached Louis Vuitton for permission to use their design. "We are big in the ‘ask forgiveness, not permission’ school," Kevin Wiesner, the chief creative officer of MSCHF told the publication. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The images soon spread across social media, where people took no time in chiming in with their takes. "Jesus f***ing christ where did we go wrong as a society," one harsh critic wrote, while another hilariously joked: "He made this for the roach at the Met Gala." "I can’t even fit my phone in this," a third humoured, while one Twitter user added: "My dreams about an apocalypse hitting the earth are making more sense now." The creation comes just after the creative brand restocked its Big Red Boots. Retailing at $350 (£280) a pair, the shoes caught the attention of the internet earlier this year for their unique appearance. The brand described them as: "CARTOON BOOTS FOR A COOL 3D WORLD. CARTOONISHNESS IS AN ABSTRACTION THAT FREES US FROM THE CONSTRAINTS OF REALITY. IF YOU KICK SOMEONE IN THESE BOOTS THEY GO BOING!" They've since become a big hit among celebrities with the likes of WWE wrestler Seth Rollins, rapper Lil Wayne and Diplo sporting the bizarre boots. Indy100 reached out to Louis Vuitton for comment. 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 on a hike or at the beach, the best summer safety products will cover all the bases, and they're expert-approved.

Social media users have discovered a carving of an astronaut on a Spanish church from the 12th century. The Cathedral of Salamanca is two churches joined together. One dates back to the 12th century and the other is from the 16th century. Over the years, tourists have turned their attention to one unique carving, posing the question of how someone already knew about modern-day astronauts. Some believed it to be evidence that time travel existed, with one writing: "Astronaut at Salamanca Cathedral: This statue is affirmed as absolute proof of time travel." Another now-deleted Facebook post read: "Experts have been unable to explain this statue, which was found in a church that was built in the 1600s, the statue appears to be showing a man wearing a modern astronaut suit, including air tubes and a helmet." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter While conspiracy theories were rife, it soon came to light that the astronaut was incorporated into the Ramos Gate during work on the cathedral in 1992 ahead of an exhibition for the religious foundation "Edades de Hombre" in 1993, according to Reuters Fact Check. The carving was carried out by Miguel Romero. It comes after people believe they spotted an iPhone in a 350-year-old painting. In one of Pieter de Hooch's paintings, a woman is sitting with a dog on her lap while a man is standing and holding what very much resembles an iPhone. The painting even left Apple’s CEO Tim Cook to question everything he thought he knew. At a 2016 press conference, he joked: "There was an iPhone in one of the paintings. It's tough to see but I swear it's there." 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.

Mum-of-four rakes in the cash on OnlyFans by sexting and sending sexy snaps during the school run A time-strapped single mum-of-four says the key to her six-figure success is sexting on the school run. Whether she’s in the carpool line or watching her kids play sports, Holly Jane spends all day sending saucy messages, pictures and videos to her fans and “doesn’t care” who is looking over her shoulder. The mum-of-four left her recruitment job in 2021 after signing up to OnlyFans, making more than her annual salary in just three months. Now the 39-year-old makes an average of £40,000 ($50,000 USD) a month working from her mobile phone on the go. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter “To everyone on the school run I look like a normal mum wearing yoga pants and texting but what they don’t know is that I am flirting with men all over the world for big money,” Holly, who has 186,000 followers on Instagram (@therealhollyj) told NudePR.com ”I can make over $800 before lunchtime, just for being online at the right time. Just one friend knows what I do for a living. Most of my friends and family still think I work in healthcare recruitment. “My family can get suspicious – my dad in particular says I don’t seem to spend much time talking on the phone for being a recruiter. Little do they know I have increased my income times 10 and now I can be present at home for my kids.” Holly, who is from California, US, is the sole provider for her family since her husband, Stephen, tragically died after an accident in 2017, aged just 31. She used to earn an above average $100,000 salary in her old career, which included medical insurance – but says she hated being “chained to a desk”. The model said: ”Sitting at a desk all day felt like imprisonment. Physically being at my job for eight hours with a lunch break was restrictive and frustrating to me as a busy mum with lots of plates to juggle. “I felt held back and childcare is so expensive that I didn’t have much money left over for fun. I used to joke to coworkers that I needed to find an income through flirting because I’ve always been that sensual person who likes to make sexy jokes and tease. ”My colleagues would laugh but I was serious. Then when OnlyFans came along I felt like I’d won the lottery, my prayers were answered.” Holly Jane set up her OnlyFans account in August 2021 and by October she had quit her job to focus on content creation. She said: “People think you just make videos and pictures to share, and that’s it but now I average around 80 hours a week, I’m constantly on my phone working. ”If my kids aren’t looking I’ll be sexting. It’s that simple. If I’m at a ball game or in the line at the store the people behind me will get an eye-full if they look at my screen. It’s addictive making these lucrative connections with people in the palm of my hand.” But the 24/7 sexting has nearly landed Holly in hot water a few times. She said: “I do a lot of my bikini photoshoots in public and I have to change outfits quickly so I’m always flashing in the park. ”I worry someone could call the cops but they haven’t so far. Mostly people just love to watch and stare. Especially the lawn workers at the park – they aren’t subtle about it but they love the show.” One embarrassing moment came at Holly’s son’s football practice. While she was watching from the crowd she was also working from two mobile phones. She said: “I tried to airdrop myself some pictures of me with my legs spread and posing but I accidentally selected ‘send to all’. “Any parent with their airdrop turned on would have received those images. “But no one said anything. I think they felt lucky to get a freebie.” Even with her impressive monthly income, Holly Jane says she lives a conservative lifestyle and still lives in the same house she bought before her success with her four kids, who are aged 20, 14, nine and three [not named for privacy reasons]. She added: “I still drive a 2006 Lexus and my lifestyle looks the same except that I buy the more expensive designer mom leggings for the school run. ”I save most of my money to build a future for myself and my family. I want to invest in real estate and create a passive income and money for retirement that way.” ”But I do love spending money on my kids. I pay for private tutoring for my kids at $1,000 a month, I have a nanny for my youngest and we love to go on vacations. ”We’ve been on five vacations in the past two months including Arizona, San Diego and at this exclusive coastal town that I love called Encinitas. “The weather is always perfect, it’s a millionaire town so I love to splash out there and make amazing content in a holiday home. “It’s such a luxury. ”But the most important thing for me is being independent and providing a life for my children with everything they need. “It’s so motivating for me to know I can afford to give them a good life and fix their problems. “Money helps me to feel like I’m keeping us all safe and it’s given me my life and flexibility back.” 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.

An avid jet setter has shared a useful tip on how to secure two plane seats for the price of one – and it's incredibly simple. Content creator @kirstyleannetravels has become a TikTok sensation for her sharing her viral travel hacks as a plus-sized person. In one recent clip, Kirsty explained how she gets an empty seat on "almost every flight she takes". The UK blogger acknowledged how airlines make it "so difficult to book an extra seat" and how her newfound tip has saved her "hours of uncomfortable flights." All you need to do is ask. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The TikTok clip cuts to Kirsty asking a flight attendant: "Do you know if there are any two seats next to each other free?" The staff member responds by saying she will look once boarded. Subsequently, Kirsty secured an extra free seat for asking the question. "The sooner you board and ask, the better," Kirsty wrote as the caption. "Flight attendants work on a first come first serve basis and if you’re last to board, all the free empty seats might be allocated." @kirstyleannetravels A few other things to bear in mind are: ✨ The sooner you board and ask, the better. FAs work on a first come first serve basis and if you’re last to board, all the free empty seats might be allocated. ✨ Don’t ask the first FA you see. Get to the ‘section’ your seat is in and ask the person who is then standing closest to you. If you’re at the back of the plane, it’s unlikely someone at the front will be able to help you. ✨ Don’t just move. It’s always better to ask so that FAs are aware you want more space. They also may tell you to wait until after takeoff to move and will save the space for you. ✨ I also ask at check-in as often, they can change your ticket to be in an empty row. A lot of the time, however, I’m told it’s a full flight even if it’s not. If you get this answer, don’t be disheartened - people don’t show up or miss their flight, leaving extra seats. #plussizetraveltoo #plussizetraveltips #travellingwhilefat #fattravel #plussize #flyingwhilefat #plussizequeen #flightghack #travelhack #fatandhappy #plussizetraveller It comes after US influencer Jae-lynn Chaney called out "discriminatory" airline policies asking plus-sized passenger to pay "double twice for the same experience". Chaney, whose Change.org petition garnered attention earlier this year to "protect plus-sized customers", has since doubled down on her experience being discriminated against because of her body. "People with smaller bodies get to pay one fare to get to their destination," Chaney told CNN Travel. "We have to pay two fares, even though we’re getting the same experience. If anything, our experiences are a little bit more challenging." She went on to tell Fox that the "mistreatment and discrimination of plus-size travellers" is clear, "unacceptable and must be addressed." She added: "Implementing policies to accommodate plus-size passengers may come with associated costs, but these costs must be weighed against the benefits of creating a more welcoming and inclusive travel experience." 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.

A Belgian father faked his own death and made an elaborate entrance at his funeral in a jaw-dropping bid to teach his family a lesson. David Baerten, 45, left his loved-ones in a state of shock when he interrupted the service by turning up in a helicopter with a video crew to capture the moment. The TikToker, who goes by the name Ragnar le Fou, later explained that he wanted to make a point about the importance of keeping in touch. In an interview with French chat show Touche Pas à Mon Poste (TPMP), Baerten explained that he felt “unappreciated” by his relatives because he never got invited to barbecues and other gatherings. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter He said he wanted to show them that “you shouldn’t wait until someone is dead to meet up” and insisted that his intention was to bring his family together. @el.tiktokeur2 Tu nous as eu on t aime mon ami on est content que tu es parmis nous ❤️❤️#pourtoii #fyp #fypシ @Ragnar_le_fou The prankster revealed that his wife was, initially, the only person who knew about the elaborate ruse and that she’d implored him not to go ahead with it. He admitted that an emotional dedication about him published ahead of the memorial was penned by his own hand. He also, reluctantly, told TPMP that he’d allowed his kids to believe that they’d lost their father for a “couple of days” before letting them in on the act. @touteslesnewstiktok Ragnar le fou s'exprime sur TPMP. #tpmp #ragnarlefou #ragnar #cyrilhanouna #fyp #pourtoi During that time, his daughter posted a heartbroken message on Facebook, saying: “Rest in peace, Daddy. I will never stop thinking about you. Why is life so unfair? Why you? You were going to be a grandfather, and you still had your whole life ahead of you. I love you! We love you! We will never forget you.” Eventually, he told her the whole thing was a ploy, but only because he was ordered to by his film crew. When he asked if the production team would be willing to document his stunt, they replied that they’d do so only if he let his children and sister know the truth. But, Baerten insisted, he was sure she “half-knew” it was a lie from the start. @el.tiktokeur2 Tu nous a eu je te le jure j etais en pleure moi et apres j ai eu le choc poto on t aime beaucoup ❤️@Ragnar_le_fou @Leclercq Philippe #fyp #pourtoii #fypシ Asked how he felt about his mourners’ response to the extraordinary escapade he admitted that he’d instantly regretted the whole thing. “As soon as I started receiving messages from people and videos of them crying, I wished I could cancel the whole thing, but it was too late. I asked myself, ‘What have you done this?’ but it was too late,” he said. “I’m sorry to all the people I hurt,” he continued. “I hate hurting people." 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.

The Stonewall Book Award celebrates LGBTQ+ literature and includes standouts from authors like Alison Bechdel, Rivers Solomon, and Michael Cunningham.

No one loves Andrew Tate more than Andrew Tate does. Except, he’d have you believe, a highly respected journalist. The king of toxic masculinity has waged a war of words against BBC reporter Lucy Williamson since he sat down with her for an interview earlier this month. Their discussion covered topics including an ongoing criminal investigation into the 36-year-old and his brother Tristan, and his noxious influence over impressionable young men. But Tate was clearly less than impressed with how he came off in their conversation so has spent the last couple of weeks trying to discredit Williamson and the BBC itself. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter In a bizarre tweet posted on Tuesday morning, the self-styled misogynist claimed that it was “clear” from the moment they first met that he was “the object of her obsession”. Writing in his preferred style of elaborate prose, he continued: “Fascination was woven into her veins, consuming her senses, a love untamed. “Her every thought a delicate dance with my name. A whisper. Top G, Top G, Top G.” He went on: “And today, she waited over 6 hours in the cold outside of Diicot's head office to show me support. “My number one and most dedicated fan. Lucy <3.” “Diicot” refers to Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, which is currently looking into a host of serious allegations against Tate, including rape, forming an organised crime group and human trafficking. He is currently under house arrest in the country having spent three months in a Bucharest jail, but was let out temporarily to attend an interview at the prosecutors’ office. And clearly, his comments about Williamson’s “love” for the man known by his adoring fans as “Top G” are tongue-in-cheek. Yet, just as clearly, Tate wants his legion of followers to believe that the BBC and its staff really are “obsessed” with him. In a five-hour interview with podcaster Patrick Bet-David, released on Monday, the cigar-wielding provocateur moaned relentlessly about his treatment by the corporation. “The only reason I even sat down with the BBC is because they were begging me,” he insisted. He went on to claim that as soon as he sat down with Williamson, she (and her employers, by proxy) “instantly attack[ed] me”. “They put the cameras on first and they attack me, expecting me to stutter and make a fool of myself," he told Bet-David. It's kind of like they tried to sucker-punch me. I'm in the club and they're my friends shaking my hand and they tried to hit me and knock me out.” But, he added in his characteristically modest way: “Yes, I destroyed the BBC, but of course I did because I'm smarter than all of them.” To be clear, Tate agreed to the highly-publicised interview with “no set conditions”, according to the corporation, and was asked questions about the criminal charges levelled against him, his broader reputation, and deeply offensive comments he’s made over the years. Those are pretty obvious topics, surely? Can it really be considered a “sucker-punch” to be grilled on the subjects for which you’re best known? Apparently, yes. For someone like Tate, free speech is only acceptable when it’s on your terms. 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.

A jet-setter has been hailed a "genius" after sharing a hack to avoid paying extra baggage fees. In a viral TikTok circulating across the platform, Julie Waters (@dance.likenooneswatching) sported a fishing vest as part of her airport outfit filled with extra items to see whether she could successfully board the flight. The savvy traveller claimed to have packed a week's worth of clothes in the vest while flying with Spirit Airlines. "No one batted an eye, but a friend did make a comment that someone could have thought you were some kind of crazy Unabomber-type person so that would be the biggest downside," she told the Wall Street Journal. "What I really want to try is the pillowcase one, where instead of a pillow it’s full of clothes." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter @dance.likenooneswatching Will this packing hack work? Extra bag fees??? No thanks! ? #travelhacks #airplanetiktok #airplanehack #traveltips #savemoney #fishingvest #airportoutfit #airportfit #losangeles #lax #spiritairlines #frugal #travel #packing #flight #packinghacks This fishing vest is a great packing hack! Don’t pay extra baggage fees for your flight. This fishing vest held a week’s worth of clothes. I got it from Dick’s Sporting Goods. ??? Go get your’s! Follow me for more great life hacks! ?? The concept was also explored by fellow TikToker, @cheapholidayexpert, who also took to the platform with her packing hack. She managed to pack everything from a bikini, a deck of cards to a portable speaker, a laptop and deodorant. “After stuffing my pants in a neck pillow and using a duty-free bag, it was only time before I reached the heady heights of leisurewear,” Cheap Holiday Expert jokes in the video’s caption. The clip racked up almost two million views and hundreds more comments. @cheapholidayexpert Packing hack #3 - A FISHING VEST ? After stuffing my pants in a neck pillow and using a duty free bag, it was only time before I reached the heady heights of leisurewear ? Not only is it super stylish (?) but it has about twelve million pockets for stuffing your bits in. Honestly - this one is daft but also… COMPLETELY LEGIT???!! It’s a winner for me ? WOULD YOU GIVE THIS A GO? And let me know if there’s any hacks you want me to test out for you - I AM WILLING TO GIVE ANYTHING A GO ? Just call it #inv#investigativejournalism♀️ ? Don’t forget to save this hack or tag someone you think will like this!! #t#travelhacktravelhacks #pac#packinghacke#cheaptraveld#budgettravels#easyjeta#ryanairzzair "This and cargo pants?? life changing," one fellow TikToker commented, while another added: "I spent so long looking for a travel jacket with tonnes of pockets I don’t know why I never thought of this!" A third person asked what happens when she went through security, to which she replied: "You always take your jacket off at security! And they’re not checking allowance, just liquids and illegal items." 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.