
Rhodes honeymoon 'wrecked' after hotel evacuation
The couple from Stoke-on-Trent said their holiday had been a "rollercoaster".
1970-01-01 08:00

Ecuador jails: Inmates hold dozens of guards hostage
Prison guards are being held against their will in at least six jails by inmates after a deadly fight.
1970-01-01 08:00

Proof that Twitter's new logo is impossible to differentiate between porn sites
Elon Musk’s decision to change the Twitter logo to an X has been mocked for looking like a porn site, with pictures to prove it. Since his takeover of the social media platform Twitter, Musk has made multiple significant changes that have left users baffled. Some changes affect the way users are able to interact with others, based on their verified (i.e. paid for) status, while other changes are more superficial. The latest idea has seen Musk change the iconic blue bird logo of 15 years, replacing it with a white X on a black background that many have compared with porn sites. Porn sites such as XVideos and XNXX feature logos that are variations of the letter X and comedian Jesse McLaren pointed out how true the comparisons are after sharing a screenshot of a Google Chrome page with six tabs all bearing logos that are very similar. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter McLaren wrote: “These are all porn except one. That one's Twitter.” The tweet has been viewed over 4 million times and sparked a conversation about the design of the logo. Someone commented: “It’s the fact that if I had to guess which one out of these was a porn site, my immediate first guess would be the Twitter one.” Another said: “I have a feeling that this will become an interesting case study in marketing and branding classes.” “Unethical, degrading, and perverted. Also there are some porn sites there I guess,” one Twitter user joked. Someone else argued: “Twitter is a porn site too.” Industry experts have cast doubt over Musk’s rebrand decision, particularly at a time when other competitors such as Meta’s Threads have entered the market. Mike Proulx, research director at the analysis firm Forrester, told the Guardian: “By changing Twitter’s app name, Elon Musk will have singlehandedly wiped out over 15 years of a brand name that has secured its place in our cultural lexicon.” He continued: “This is an extremely risky move, because with ‘X’, Musk is essentially starting over while its competition is afoot.” 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.
1970-01-01 08:00

Roundup: Tori Kelly Rushed to Hospital; C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson Sign Contracts; Raiders Sign Marcus Peters
Tori Kelly rushed to the hospital, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson signed rookie contracts, the Raiders signed Marcus Peters and more in the Roundup.
1970-01-01 08:00

Doctor reveals most dangerous sex position which ‘cause penis fractures’
An NHS doctor and TikTok star has revealed the most dangerous sex position – which he says is the cause of 50% of penis fractures. Dr Karan Rajan, a surgical doctor, shares his experience and knowledge with his 5.1 million followers on TikTok. In a video which has recently gone viral, Dr Karan told his followers about the sex position he thinks is most likely to lead to a hospital visit. He gives the title to the reverse cowgirl, as if there is any erratic thrusting during intercourse or if the two parties are not in sync, the penis can slip out and be crushed by their partner's pubic bone, causing a fracture. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Although the penis is boneless, the word 'fracture' is used to describe a tear in the tunica albuginea - a piece of fibrous tissue that connects the framework of the testis and allows the penis to enlarge during an erection. Patients who suffer from a ‘penile fracture’ and don’t have treatment, are usually left with erectile dysfunction, scarring and a permanent curvature of the penis for the rest of their lives. Dr Karan finished his educational video with a warning that over-enthusiastic sex, can lead to your penis really looking like an aubergine. @dr.karanr Reply to @budsfn the one with the broken ? #schoolwithdrkaran #learnontiktok #doctor #storytime The popular clip was posted back in 2021 but has recently gone viral, garnering millions of views and racking up 411,000 likes. Many of Dr Karan’s followers were saddened by the educational video, with one saying: “This is my favourite position,” followed by a sad face emoji. Someone else commented: “They can just break, did I hear...well now I can finally take revenge." Another viewer said: “My husband is now scared to come near me because of that.” A fourth added: “But that’s the best position." Dr Karan answered people who wanted evidence for these claims and said: “Men coming to the emergency room with this issue.” Some people were rather concerned, and one asked: “Just to clarify, by breaking it, will it look swollen and bigger? How long will this swelling last? Asking for a friend.” Another person wrote: “I heard mine crack from this position once." 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.
1970-01-01 08:00

Late night snacking could increase risk of diabetes and heart disease, study says
Eating a snack late at night carries significantly more negative health implications compared to snacking during the day, a new study has found. According to researchers at King’s College London, people who eat most of their snacks in the evening after 9pm saw larger spikes in their blood sugar compared to those snacked earlier in the day. The group who snacked later also had higher concentrations of fat in their blood compared to those who snacked earlier. The researchers studied data from 1,000 people who took part in the Zoe Predict study. The participants kept a food diary and wore blood sugar monitors in order to keep track of the impact of snacking. On average, they ate two snacks a day, with one in three “late evening snackers” eating most of their snacks after 9pm instead of between meals. High blood sugar and fat can lead to diabetes and heart disease, studies have found. People with diabetes are also more likely to have other conditions that raise the risk of heart disease, such as high blood pressure. The Zoe Predict project is a group of in-depth nutritional research studies that aim to reveal how and why people respond differently to the same foods. Kate Bermingham, a postdoctoral fellow at King’s College London and lead author of the study, said: “Surprisingly little has been published on snacking, despite the fact that it accounts for 20 to 25 per cent of energy intake. “Predict followed a large number of people and captured detailed information on their snacking behaviours, allowing this in-depth exploration of snacking on health.” Researchers analysed the relationship between the number of snacks participants ate, the quality of the snacks and the timing with blood fats and insulin levels. Snacking on higher quality foods, which are described as foods that contain significant amounts of nutrients relative to the calories contained, was associated with better bodily responses. The study concluded that the most important factor in determining the body’s response is the quality of snacks, not how often or how much they are consumed. Foods like fruit or vegetables resulted in a better blood fat and insulin response compared to processed foods, such as biscuits and cake. Bermingham added: “Our study showed that the quality of snacking is more important than the quantity or frequency of snacking, thus choosing high quality snacks over the highly processed snacks is likely beneficial. “Timing is also important, with late night snacking being unfavourable for health. This may mean that, universally, snacking late in the evening and interrupting the overnight fasting window is detrimental to health.” The study was presented at a meeting of the American Society for Nutrition. Read More My Taylor Swift exercise class has led me down a luxury fitness rabbit hole Husband fired from family business after wife roleplayed with reborn dolls MrBeast YouTuber Kris Tyson comes out as transgender: ‘I’m excited to authentically be myself’ Scientists share the 8 habits that impact your lifespan the most Cara Delevingne says her journey to sobriety has been worth ‘every second/ Bisexual people ‘experience worse health than other adults’
1970-01-01 08:00

Scientists share the 8 habits that impact your lifespan the most
Scientists have identified eight unhealthy lifestyle choices which, if changed, could see people live more than 20 years longer. Lack of exercise, opioid use and smoking have the biggest negative impact on lifespan and can lead to a 30-45 per cent higher risk of death, according to the study. Stress, binge drinking, poor diet, and poor sleep hygiene were each associated with around a 20 per cent increase in the risk of death. And a lack of positive social relationships was the eighth habit mentioned and is associated with a 5 per cent increased risk of dying. Meanwhile, a separate study suggests incorporating olive oil into your diet could help reduce the risk of dying from dementia. Consuming more than half a tablespoon of olive oil per day is linked to a 28 per cent lower risk of dying from the condition, compared with those who never or rarely eat the oil, researchers say. The findings from both studies were presented at Nutrition 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition being held in Boston, and may include more up-to-date figures than the data initially submitted for the meeting. The research that looked at lifestyle habits used data from medical records and questionnaires collected between 2011-2019 from 719,147 people enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program. It found that men who have all eight healthy habits - including high physical activity and not smoking - at age 40 would be predicted to live an average of 24 years longer than men with none of these habits, and for women an additional 21 years. Xuan-Mai Nguyen, health science specialist at the Department of Veterans Affairs and rising fourth-year medical student at Carle Illinois College of Medicine, USA, said: “We were really surprised by just how much could be gained with the adoption of one, two, three, or all eight lifestyle factors. “Our research findings suggest that adopting a healthy lifestyle is important for both public health and personal wellness. “The earlier the better, but even if you only make a small change in your 40s, 50s, or 60s, it still is beneficial.” The researchers say their findings, which have not been peer-reviewed, highlight the role of lifestyle factors in contributing to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease that lead to premature disability and death. In the olive oil study, scientists analysed dietary questionnaires and death records collected from more than 90,000 Americans over three decades, during which 4,749 people died from dementia. It also found that replacing just one teaspoon of margarine and mayonnaise with the equivalent amount of olive oil per day was associated with around an eight to 14 per cent lower risk of dying from dementia. Anne-Julie Tessier, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in the USA, said: “Our study reinforces dietary guidelines recommending vegetable oils such as olive oil and suggests that these recommendations not only support heart health but potentially brain health, as well. “Opting for olive oil, a natural product, instead of fats such as margarine and commercial mayonnaise is a safe choice and may reduce the risk of fatal dementia.” Research suggests that people who regularly use olive oil instead of processed or animal fats tend to have healthier diets overall. However, Dr Tessier noted that the relationship between olive oil and the risk of dying from dementia in this study was independent of overall diet quality. She added that the research is observational and does not prove olive oil is the cause of the reduced risk of fatal dementia. However, Professor David Curtis, UCL, said it was difficult to assess whether the research adds much to the understanding of links between diet, health and dementia risk, as it has not been peer-reviewed. He added: “There are many, many differences between people who consume olive oil and those who do not and it is never possible to fully account for all possible confounding factors. “Another point to bear in mind is that about half of dementia is caused by vascular disease so that anything which improved cardiovascular health, such as not smoking, would be expected to reduce dementia risk. “It has been shown that olive oil consumption is associated with better cardiovascular health so one would expect that it would also be associated with lower dementia risk.” Dr Duane Mellor, registered dietitian and senior lecturer at Aston University, said: “The authors claim replacing margarine and mayonnaise with olive oil could reduce risk. “However, many people who did this would also change the food that it is being added to, which could increase vegetable, lentils, beans, peas, seeds and nut intake – all of which are linked to a healthy diet and reduced risk of conditions like dementia. “We also need to remember that it is not just what we eat that helps maintain our brain function, it is how we eat – and remaining sociable around meal times and eating with others can benefit our mental health in the short term and cognitive function as we age.” Read More The bowel cancer symptom George Alagiah wished he’d caught earlier Experts share 8 healthy habits to help you live longer Husband fired from family business after wife roleplayed with reborn dolls Cara Delevingne says her journey to sobriety has been worth ‘every second/ Bisexual people ‘experience worse health than other adults’ The bowel cancer symptom George Alagiah wished he’d caught earlier
1970-01-01 08:00

Now TikTok looks like it is imitating Twitter following rebrand
Elon Musk's time at Twitter is going from bad to worse. The tech mogul has introduced a number of changes that have annoyed people since he bought the website last year, from making users pay for their blue ticks to letting controversial figures rejoin the platform. His latest crime is changing the iconic bird logo to an 'X' and people are fuming about it. So much so that it is driving people away from the platform into the arms of other social media apps. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter With that in mind, those social media platforms waiting with open arms are making changes to their offering, and it looks like they are trying to replicate the Twitter experience. TikTok, for instance, has announced the introduction of text-only posts, which users will also be able to add coloured backgrounds and stickers to, and which have a limit of 1,000 words. It follows Threads, Instagram’s text-based app, which was launched earlier this month. While Threads saw 100 million people sign up in fewer than five days after its launch, the number of active daily users has since fallen by 70 per cent, Forbes reports. The moral of this story? Don't mess with a beloved social media app - people will only get annoyed. 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.
1970-01-01 08:00

Rhodes: First flights taking NI tourists from wildfires due later
EasyJet and Jet2 flights carrying passengers from areas affected by wildfires will touch down tonight.
1970-01-01 08:00

US-born NBA player Kyle Anderson will represent China at the basketball World Cup
US-born basketball player Kyle Anderson will play for China at next month's FIBA World Cup after obtaining Chinese nationality, Anderson and the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) announced Monday.
1970-01-01 08:00

Does Microsoft own the letter 'X' trademark?
We didn’t think it was possible, but Elon Musk’s tenure at Twitter took an even stranger turn this week after he rebranded the social media platform to “X” out of the blue. It turns out Musk has been obsessed with naming things after the letter all his career, but it still came as a big surprise that he decided to change the name of an internationally recognised brand overnight to something that sounds more like a porn site or gentleman’s club. The logo is a pretty generic graphic, which replaced the famous blue Twitter bird after Musk crowdsourced ideas from users last weekend. It’s left people with more questions than answers at this point – one of them surrounds the issue of Microsoft and potential disputes over the letter “X” as a trademark. “X” is pretty common in names of companies and organisations and the likes of Meta and Microsoft reportedly have intellectual property rights around the letter “X”. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter In fact, as Reuters reports, the likelihood is that Twitter – now "X" – could well face legal action over the name change. "There's a 100 per cent chance that Twitter is going to get sued over this by somebody," said trademark attorney Josh Gerben. According to Gerben, there are close to 900 active U.S. trademark registrations surrounding the letter “X”. Microsoft does indeed have an X trademark which it’s held since 2003. However, it’s related to communications about its Xbox video game system. Meta Platforms also owns a trademark for an “X”, which is related to software and social media. According to Gerben, the two companies are unlikely to sue over the Twitter name change unless they believe the move encroaches on their brand equity. Douglas Masters, who is a trademark attorney at law firm Loeb & Loeb, said [via Reuters]: "Given the difficulty in protecting a single letter, especially one as popular commercially as 'X', Twitter's protection is likely to be confined to very similar graphics to their X logo. "The logo does not have much distinctive about it, so the protection will be very narrow." Social media user Keith Edwards posted on the topic by uploading a screen grab of Microsoft’s 2003 patent for “X”, writing: “Microsoft owns the trademark for X. This is just too good.” A community note was added to the post which read: Microsoft only holds this trademark for videogame-related services; this wouldn't affect Twitter. “However, Meta holds the ‘X’ trademark for ‘online social networking services... social networking services in the fields of entertainment, gaming and application development…’” 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.
1970-01-01 08:00

Sophie Ellis Bextor delights her children with new single
Sophie Ellis Bextor delighted her children with her new single because all five of them and explains why it is "really special" to them all.
1970-01-01 08:00