A professional swimmer has defended herself against fitness influencer Joey Swoll after he publicly called her out over a video she filmed at the gym. Nika Godun, 26, a Russian record-holder, refuted Swoll’s claim that she’d been “making fun of a young kid” in a clip she posted to social media. The video, shot from Godun’s point of view, shows an adolescent boy raising a dumbbell with one knee on a bench, while her voice is heard laughing in the background. Swoll made a stitch of the scene, in which he urged the female athlete to “do better”. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Beginning his commentary, he lambasted the 26-year-old for her “arrogant laugh,” insisting that a person like her would have had “two options” in that situation. “You can politely approach him and ask him if he'd like some help, then teach the young man – show him what good form is – or you can mind your own business,” the popular TikTok star said. “Filming him to make fun of him to post on social media is never an option, and you are a professional athlete, you should know better.” He went on to identify Godun by flashing a screen grab of her Instagram page, then admitted that he’d sent her a direct message to ask “if you think that you're better than people and you can do as you please because you're a professional athlete”. Her response, according to a screen grab of their conversation, was to tell him to “lighten up”. Professional Athlete Makes Fun Young Kid at the Gym Who's Trying his Best | DO BETTER! youtu.be However, Godun clearly had more to say about the matter, and she did so via a lengthy statement. Writing on Instagram, she offered some context around the encounter, saying: “I know the kid and he’s the funniest guy ever, not giving a f*** when his coach is not looking. “He didn’t need any of my help because he’s in the swimming group with other kids and a coach and he knows how to do the exercise properly. “He’s not disabled or sick, he’s just a KID!!” She continued: “I posted a video with [the] caption ‘me on a Monday morning’ saying that I’m like this kid because I adore his ‘I’m tired and I don’t give a f***’ energy and even in the video itself I’m saying ‘I love him’.” She went on to condemn the backlash she’d received over Swoll’s coverage of her video, accusing the influencer of “threatening” her to delete it before posting it himself. “If he truly had good intentions and thought I did something wrong he would’ve excluded the video so no one [would] see it,” she added. Wrapping up her message, she went on: “I don’t [owe] an apology to anyone because I didn’t do anything wrong [...] the kid is happy, I’m happy, if you’re not happy write a comment, but I don’t think anyone cares.” She continued: “People over-exceed the importance of social media in their [lives], it doesn’t matter that much.” Then, reiterating the point she made to Swoll, she concluded: “LIGHTEN UP! Because life is about being happy and not taking yourself too seriously.” His fans were clearly not impressed by her justification, however, with one writing: “[The] saddest part is you won’t even acknowledge your mistake.” Another added: “Your responses have only made it worse and show how arrogant of a person you are. “Who knows if you really do know the kid on a personal level or if anything you’re saying in regards to him is true, but you STILL are missing the point! He is a CHILD. A child you posted on [social media] to get likes and laughs out of. “I wouldn’t be thrilled if a ‘professional athlete’ used a video of my child’s incorrect form for laughs.” It’s not the first time one of Swoll’s videos has seen a woman subjected to torrents of criticism and abuse. The hatred one TikToker received after he criticised a video she'd shared left her fearing for her family’s safety, while others have had to issue public apologies or delete their social media accounts to avoid further harassment. We agree with Swoll that it’s never right to bully others, and certainly not to humiliate children. But is it right to throw people to the sharks over videos you’ve taken totally out of context? There, the jury is clearly still out. 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 couple, who spent almost £1,800 on a Benidorm holiday, were left fuming when they were turned away from check-in – despite having an in-date passport. Penny Priestly, 59, and her husband Dug from Nottingham were stunned when TUI refused to board them because their passports were 10 years old. "We just turned up and were waiting an hour in the queue, I think we were about fourth from last and the girl on the checkout said to the other girl, can you check those dates?" Penny told NottinghamshireLive. "She checked and said 'no they can't fly'. Then a bloke came over, a supervisor or something, and he said our only alternative is to go to Jet2 and ask them if we can fly." Vouching they will never fly with the airline again, they claimed TUI staff said if it was a few days earlier, they would have been fine to fly. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "They said if we had gone on Saturday we would have been alright," they told the publication. This date would have marked the 10-year point from when their passports had been issued. The pair were still able to go forward with the holiday with a different airline – but at a price. They managed to secure flights with Jet2 for £860 but were unable to be refunded on the TUI flights due to it being a package deal. A spokesperson for TUI said: "We're sorry that Mr Priestly was unable to fly with TUI as planned as his passport did not meet the required government passport guidelines. "Government rules state that for customers travelling to certain EU countries, passports must be issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country and must also be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave. We strongly advise that our customers check their passports are up to date before booking any flights. "Details of passport validity guidelines can be found here." 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.

People think they have spotted an “Apple iPhone” in a painting that’s 350 years old and they are absolutely baffled. In the 1600s, people’s wildest imaginations probably couldn’t have dreamt up the technology we have now in the 21st century, from mobile phones to artificial intelligence. But now, people believe that they have seen an iPhone mysteriously appear in a 1670 painting by Pieter de Hooch. Hooch is an artist from the Dutch Golden Age and is renowned for his works depicting domestic scenes from the time. In one of his 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. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter At a press conference in 2016, Cook joked he was “not so sure” about who invented the phone after seeing the Hooch painting at the Rijksmuseum art gallery during a trip to Amsterdam. Cook argued: “There was an iPhone in one of the paintings. It's tough to see but I swear it's there.” While for some it has added fuel to the fire of the time-travel conspiracy, the painting’s name may actually point toward a different conclusion. Hooch’s image is called, 'Young Woman with a Letter and a Messenger' in an Interior, suggesting that the object in the man’s hand may in fact be a bog standard paper envelope. 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 flight attendant on TikTok has opened up about what not to do when visiting hotels. In a viral clip posted to the platform, user @t_marie_the_fa_bartender shared a handful of invaluable tips that most people probably haven't ever considered. Her first tip was to not use the provided shower products unless they've been secured. She claimed she had heard horror stories about people refilling with "crazy things" such as hair removal cream. She went on to tell people to avoid using some coffee machines as they're difficult to clean out, along with the cups that are not wrapped in plastic. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The hotel ice bucket is also a big no-no. "I’ve heard people have done the unmentionables in those, so just use the little plastic bag," she told her 13,000 viewers. The TikToker concluded with advice to take an anti-bacterial spray to give furniture and other items a clean down. @t_marie_the_fa_bartender Lets talk about what not to do FA style! Im giving some tips! What else do ya’ll want to know #hotel #traveltiktok #dontdoit #flightattendant #blackflightattendants #nonrevlife #travellife #hotelsecrets One fellow TikToker advised in the comments to also take "wipes and ziplock bags for remote". Meanwhile, a second urged people to buy a camera detector. "Insane how many cameras are hidden. They are cheap on Amazon," they wrote – and they're not the first person to highlight this. One woman recently advised people to "always listen to their super paranoid friends" after having a suspicion about their holiday rental. And they were not wrong. Kennedy (@kennedyallegedly) and a group of friends headed to Vancouver to celebrate a birthday. They went on to check "every single shower head, all the picture frames, doorknobs, everywhere in the house for a camera". When it came to one of the plug sockets in the bathroom, that Kennedy noted did not work, she found a small hidden device pointing directly at the shower. "You can see in the top here there’s nothing, looks totally normal. And then the bottom one, look at that little camera," she said while zooming into the tiny camera lens. The woman rang the police, who seemingly confirmed a hidden camera in the property. 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.

Happiness is one of life’s most elusive gifts – it is an emotion that can’t be pinned down. And yet, an animation showing a protein molecule “walking along”, carrying a large sphere, is widely credited with being a visual representation of joy itself. The gif has trended online for almost a decade but continues to breed delight in those who see it. Many people believe that it is – to use the technical terms – a myosin transporting endorphins in the brain. In other words, it is a scientific portrayal of the actual processes that give us that warm and fuzzy feeling. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter However, though we’d hate to dampen the mood, this isn’t quite accurate. In fact, the real brain behind the original clip, medical artist John Liebler, set out the truth back in 2014. @mommyca713 AMAZING! #cells #innerlife #happiness #lookslike #facts #fact #fyi #fyp #brain #research #facts #animation #myosin #interesting #education #viral #fypシ #humanbrain #mentalhealth #science #stem He explained that he, his team at medical technology company XVIVO, and two Harvard University researchers created the 3D computer animation in 2006 for a biology classroom video called ‘The Inner Life of the Cell’, as Science Alert reports. The educational clip wasn't intended to depict a brain process at all but to take the viewer "on a journey through the microscopic world of a cell, illustrating mechanisms that allow a white blood cell to sense its surroundings and respond to an external stimulus,” according to Liebler himself. So this is all about a protein in a white blood cell, not a protein in a neuron. The Inner Life of the Cell Animation youtu.be At any rate, happiness doesn’t just come about through a single process. So even if the clip did show endorphins being delivered to our brains, this wouldn’t offer a full picture. Dopamine, other neurotransmitters (for example, serotonin), biological health and genetics all play a part in cementing our feelings of contentment. We don’t just rely on jolly little myosin proteins lugging around bundles of cheer. Still, the internet is now awash with jovial variations on the clip and it can’t be denied that the scene-stealing strutting protein is pretty damn cute. So if that’s enough to bring a smile to your face, maybe it is a representation of happiness after all. 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 woman has claimed she is the victim of “hot phobia” and says men are scared to approach her because she is too attractive. Sabine Roll-Cohen, 40, from North London has claimed that she is ignored at the school gates when collecting her son because other parents can’t handle her beauty. The personal shopper and model said she wears outfits such as crop tops and short shorts to collect her son, resulting in other parents giving her the cold shoulder and victimising her. Roll-Cohen told The Sun: “I like to wear small shorts, or a low dress, or a tiny crop top, I like to feel sexy.” She continued: “Every woman should look after themselves. I don’t go out much anymore, so the school run is my reason to get dressed, so why not wear a nice outfit? “The other mums don’t talk to me when I look nice, they just turn their noses up. But when I am dressed in my jogging bottoms, they decide to speak to me, it’s strange.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter But, she said, it’s not just the school gates where she’s found herself snubbed by other parents and claimed that it also happened at a child’s birthday party when she arrived wearing a crop top and skinny jeans. Roll-Cohen does not believe she dresses inappropriately and claims she is simply the victim of “hot phobia”. She argued: “I was at this party with my six-year-old son, but I only knew one other mum there.” Roll-Cohen went on: “I was wearing a little floral crop top and some skinny jeans which showed off my perky bum and I thought I looked great. “But every single mum at the party, apart from my friend, ignored me. I asked my friend why no one was talking to me and she said ‘Maybe you wear the wrong outfits.’ “I think they must be jealous as I do have a good body. I’m size eight, 5ft 7, I don’t go to the gym and I don’t have to watch what I eat. “A lot of these ladies are bigger and less sexy after having children and I think it annoys them that I look so good. If jealousy is an illness, I hope they all get better soon.” But, Roll-Cohen said that one person who appreciates her beauty is her husband of six years, Beto. She said: “He thinks I’m gorgeous and like to look nice for him. He wouldn’t change me for the world, so I’m not going to worry what anyone else thinks of me.” 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 Ecuadorian woman was found alive at her very own funeral in a disturbing turn of events. Last week, Bella Montoya was pronounced dead at the age of 76 due to a stroke, reported BBC News. Hours into the wake while family members were preparing Montoya for burial, they discovered that she was breathing. Bella's son, Gilbert Balberán, told local news outlet El Universo: "My mother started to move the left hand, open her eyes, the mouth. She was making an effort to breathe." "The doctor at noon told me that my mother was dead and was not at the facility," he continued. "Another one saw me and he gave her oxygen, they intubated her and took her to an (ICU) room where she is under observation." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Footage of the startling event has since circulated on social media. The clip shows the woman gasping for air in her coffin with several people surrounding her calling for an ambulance. Medics are then seen arriving and then moving her onto a stretcher. Many Twitter users were confused as to how such a thing could happen. "Maybe the doctors should do a better job," one person hit back to the recording, while another freaked-out user added: "Okay, zombies are real I’m out." Montoya has since been taken back to the hospital where she's in intensive care. Ecuador's health ministry now has a committee investigating the bizarre incident. Her son was quoted as saying to the to AFP News Agency: "Little by little I am grasping what has happened. Now I only pray for my mother's health to improve. I want her alive and by my side." 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 right-wing commentator has complained that the main female character in a new video game is “unattractive” and blamed it on “woke” feminists. Fable is a series of action role-playing video games and a trailer for its newest release premiered on Monday (June 12). The trailer featured The IT Crowd actor Richard Ayoade starring as a veggie-growing giant named Dave, who looks set to play a starring role. But for right-winger Ian Miles Cheong it was the unnamed female main character that caught his eye for being “weirdly unattractive”. In a tweet, Cheong claimed there’s a current trend in video games where the female characters are intentionally made to be ugly and suggested it’s all down to “woke intersectional feminists”. Sharing a screenshot of the Fable character, he wrote: “This is the main character of the new Fable game from Microsoft. “Continuing the trend of weirdly unattractive female main characters in video games, because beauty is objectifying. This is what happens when you consult with woke intersectional feminists.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter It didn’t take long for other people to completely ridicule and mock Cheong’s comments. One person joked: “(Seeing a video game character I don’t want to have hot steamy sex with) Western civilization has fallen.” Another pointed out: “Hi Ian, pro tip: you are not required to be sexually attracted to video game characters for the game to be fun. Hope this helps!” It’s not the first time Cheong has drawn criticism for his comments as he was previously absolutely annihilated by a history expert after claiming that the Nazis were “socialist”. 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.

Ricky Gervais has reportedly upped the security for his tour after receiving death threats. Ahead of his Armageddon tour set to kick off in Cardiff on Wednesday (14 June), the comedian has ordered a full team of security. A source told The Sun: "Ricky has been made aware threats have been made to his life. His offices haven’t shown them to him, but have told him very disturbing letters have come in for him. "Ricky is very aware of the dangers and he can afford whatever security he wants, so he thought it was a no-brainer." One of the alleged death threats was about an "anti-trans" joke he made in his Netflix special SuperNature. It is reported the 61-year-old is set to discuss God, Hitler and the culture of offence in his upcoming tour. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter It comes after the comedian confessed to regretting one single joke during his entire career. The joke in question was during the 2011 Golden Globes when a joke about Tim Allen fell "flat" – or at least according to Allen. Introducing two celebrities to the stage, Gervais said: "What can I say about our next two presenters?" He added: "The first is an actor, producer and director whose movies have grossed over $3.5 billion at the box office. He’s won two Academy Awards and three Golden Globes for his powerful and varied performances, starring in such films as Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Castaway, Apollo 13 and Saving Private Ryan." The comedian finished by saying: "The other is Tim Allen." Allen expressed his confusion in an interview, saying he simply did not get it. Gervais later told the Hollywood Reporter in 2020 that he regretted the joke "because I think [Allen] took it wrong". "The joke was him and Tom Hanks," Gervais said. "So I came out and said, ‘Our next two presenters, the first has won five Oscars, combined box office of five billion dollars. And the other, Tim Allen.’ Right? It’s a fine joke. I’m teasing Tim Allen." Indy100 reached out to Ricky Gervais' rep 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 an entire town can’t stop dancing or people suddenly start worrying about minor marks on their windshields, these seemingly unbelievable events have had some surprising (and sometimes devastating) effects.

Kanye West celebrated his 46th birthday over the weekend in a lavish Los Angeles bash, with his daughter North West and reported wife Bianca Censori in attendance. Like most birthday parties, food was in order – but it was the display that soon caught the attention of social media users. In footage shared on Twitter, nude women were seen lying on tables with platters of sushi covering their private areas. "Not creepy at all," one user hit back, while another added: "This feels problematic." Meanwhile, a third suggested it portrayed "misogyny at its finest." The Japanese practice is said to be called nyotaimori, also referred to as 'body sushi'. Nantaimori is the male equivalent. According to sources, some high dining nyotaimori experiences can cost as much as $13,000 (£10,300). Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The private party was said to have the likes of Chloe Bailey and Ty Dolla Sign in attendance. West's reported wife was also spotted holding hands with his eldest daughter as they made their way to the event. After months of speculation about the rapper's relationship status with the head of architecture for the Yeezy brand, one content creator sent social media spiralling. In a viral video that circulated on TikTok earlier this year, Censori, 28, appeared to confirm she was married without explicitly naming West. TikTok user Nue filmed himself having a conversation with a "sexy" bleach-blonde woman while out shopping. He wrapped up their encounter by asking for her number, to which she replied: "I’m married!" The woman in question turned out to be Censori, sending viewers into a frenzy. "I think she’s adorable and I’m happy for her and ye," one person wrote about the alleged marriage, while another added: "She honestly seems like a really sweet person." 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.

By Matt McKnight OLYMPIA, Wash. In the middle of a serene forest four miles from Washington state's capital