9 h. ago The ‘rat person’ trend is here – and I thoroughly approve | Arwa Mahdawi

Do you like sleeping, eating and scrolling? Me too. What if I told you this was also a way to protest capitalism?Somewhere in Zhejiang province, China, a woman is living my dream. She gets up in the morning and then, almost immediately, goes back to bed. She lies prostrate all day long, scrolling, eating some food, opening some packages, showering at 2am, then snoozing again. As a longtime sleep enthusiast – and the mother of a child who thinks that 5am is a good time to start the day, all systems go – I think this sounds like bliss.The woman in Zhejiang is known as @jiawensishi – and also “rat person”. I am not being rude; that’s what she calls herself. There are lots of rat people out there: it’s a whole trend in China. You might have heard of the “lying flat” movement a few years ago, when young people lazed around displaying symptoms of mild depression, and some thinkers, including the novelist Liao Zenghu, theorised that it was a passive-aggressive resistance movement, rebellin...

Politics

13 h. ago I suffer from a mysterious syndrome that only seems to affect middle

Half-way up the stairs with my morning coffee in my hand I started to feel a crushing sensation, as if something or someone was pushing on my chest with such force I struggled to breathe.

Politics

56 h. ago My Nobody's Child summer dress hides bloat without anyone realising on all

The swishy A-line skirt is great for those days when you feel a little bloated, as it starts at the waist and skims over your tummy and hips, making it comfortable to wear to dinner

Politics

4 d. ago Facetheory is offering 25% off 'glowy' face serum that 'works magic' straight away

"I have been using this serum for around 3 months. I think that it does give you a glow. I just love that it hydrates my very dry skin. As soon as you apply it I can feel it kind of starting to work its magic."

Politics

5 d. ago Exact age signs of 'poor health choices' like smoking and drinking start to show

A new study has revealed the age when you start to feel the effects of smoking, drinking and not exercising

Politics

6 d. ago Why is the US right so obsessed with the Obamas’ marriage? | Arwa Mahdawi

Conservative commentators can’t stand the idea that people they loathe can live fulfilling livesAn estate on Martha’s Vineyard. A nine-bedroom house in DC. A family home in Chicago. Barack and Michelle Obama own about a gazillion dollars’ worth of property. Turns out they don’t need any of their fancy mansions, however, because they live rent-free in rightwing commentators’ heads. While the right has always been fixated on trying to find fault with former president Obama, they have now become unhealthily obsessed with the idea that Barack and Michelle’s marriage is failing. There’s no evidence to support this, mind you. Just vibes.Picking up on these mysterious vibes is conservative commentator Megyn Kelly, who recently proclaimed on her podcast that she thinks Michelle and Barack “married the wrong people”. Many straws were grasped at to come to this conclusion – including the fact that Michelle once said that she likes going to bed early (wise woman) and her husband doesn’t. Conti...

Politics

6 d. ago JD Vance poses in front of the Taj Mahal with wife Usha and their three children after red carpet tour of India is rocked by tourist massacre

Vance has been trying to shore up relations with India after Donald Trump criticised India's tariffs on cars, farm goods and other products.

Society

7 d. ago JD Vance says his wife Usha has received ‘celebrity’ treatment in India

Family members tell The Independent they are ‘very happy’ to see America’s Second Lady return to embrace her Indian roots

Politics

8 d. ago Modi and JD Vance hail ‘significant progress’ in trade negotiations

Visit to India by vice-president and family could be overshadowed by US visa tensions and farmer protestsIndia’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, and US vice-president JD Vance have hailed “significant progress” in negotiations toward a bilateral trade agreement, a deal that could help India avoid sharp tariff hikes announced by President Donald Trump.Vance, accompanied by second lady, Usha Vance, and their children – Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel – landed in the Indian capital earlier on Monday for a four-day visit combining high-level negotiations with family sightseeing. They were received at the airport by railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Vance stood under a red canopy that shielded him from the blazing sun as soldiers saluted and a military band played the US anthem. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago JD Vance and wife Usha arrive in India for first official visit with trade talks on agenda

US vice president JD Vance arrives in India for four-day visit as New Delhi looks to avoid tariffs and negotiate a bilateral trade deal

Politics

9 d. ago Vance set to visit India for bilateral talks on economic, trade and geopolitical ties

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is set to visit India on a four-day tour as the two countries seek to strengthen their partnership by negotiating a bilateral trade deal

Politics

1 week ago Why do Trump voters have no regrets? Because the people they hate are getting hurt more | Arwa Mahdawi

Even amid political chaos and rising prices, what matters most to his supporters is a macabre form of payback and vengeanceThe stock market is plunging, prices are rising, federal workers are getting laid off, students are being snatched off the street by immigration agents. The US is many things at the moment, but stable is not one of them. So, amid all this turmoil, how are all the Donald Trump voters feeling? Has buyer’s remorse set in? Are they starting to wonder whether voting in a convicted felon as president – a man who has declared bankruptcy six times – might not have been the wisest move?Not according to the polls. Rather, the US appears to be a nation of Édith Piafs: they regret rien. I’m not saying that disillusioned Republicans don’t exist; do enough digging and you can certainly find a few. And journalists have been doing a lot of digging. During Trump’s first term, there was a steady stream of media pieces profiling the regretful Trump voter. The genre has remained po...

Politics

1 week ago JD Vance set for first official visit to India with wife Usha and family

US vice president to lead US trade delegation to New Delhi – alongside recreational visits to the Taj Mahal and Jaipur

Politics

1 week ago Ask questions, practice and know when to make an exit: how to start a conversation

Socializing can be hard, especially starting a conversation with a stranger – here are some tips from expertsHumans are social creatures – we live in groups, rely on others to survive and gossip at parties. But socializing can be hard, even for social creatures. Especially the first part: starting a conversation.“It can feel daunting to go up to a stranger and start a conversation because in some instances, we are not sure how we will be received,” says Elaine Swann, a lifestyle and etiquette expert, and founder of the Swann School of Protocol. Will the other person be friendly or standoffish? Will they try to pull you into a multilevel marketing scheme? Will it simply be awkward?How to start meditatingHow to start weightliftingHow to start budgetingHow to start running Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago You too can look as good as Donald Trump in your dotage. Here’s how | Arwa Mahdawi

The 78-year-old president is in great shape, says the official White House physician. Must be all those ‘hamberders’Forget yoga, pilates or eating leafy greens. If you want to improve your health, just look to Donald “My Body Is a Temple” Trump for pointers. The US president just had his annual checkup and emerged with flying colours. “President Trump remains in excellent health, exhibiting robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and general physical function,” White House physician Sean Barbella said in a report released on Sunday.How does the 78-year-old, who is the oldest person in history to be inaugurated US president, stay in such great shape? The report cited an active lifestyle, noting Trump’s many speeches and “frequent victories in golf events”. But if you’re not a golfer, don’t worry. I have put together a four-point Donald John Trump Wellness Plan so that you can be as perky as the president. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Don’t worry, gen Z! A billionaire boomer says your lives are going to be great | Arwa Mahdawi

The CEO of JPMorgan Chase says young people needn’t worry – the future is bright and AI-enhanced. So why does the world feel so precarious?Chin up, everyone. Things may seem grim at the moment but a billionaire has swooped in to reassure everyone – particularly impecunious young people – that everything is going to be OK. Better than OK, in fact. According to JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, despite the current economic and political instability, gen Z should be grateful for what will be a very bright and AI-enhanced future.“These kids, anyone who’s depressed – as long as we don’t have nuclear war – they’re going to have an unbelievable life,” Dimon said in a recent interview with Fox News. “People say the next generation’s in bad shape,” he added. “Really? They’re going to inherit a country that’s worth two [or] three hundred trillion dollars. They’re probably going to live to 120; AI is going to cure some cancers They shouldn’t be bemoaning their situation.” Continue reading...

Society

2 w. ago Tiny European holiday hotspot still desperate for Brit tourists as Spain says 'go home'

While many Brits' preferred tourism destinations are starting to feel rather unwelcome in the wake of mass protests from locals, one small European spot is inviting visitors in with open arms

Society

2 w. ago CBB star Michael Fabricant lashes out at Trisha Goddard telling her to 'keep gob shut'

After Michael Fabricant was accused by Trisha Goddard of 'Islamophobia', he took aim at her on Late & Live and says others are also starting to feel 'uncomfortable'

Politics

2 w. ago Only after getting sober at 30 did I realise the shocking health consequences of being a functioning alcoholic in my twenties. How could I have done this to myself?

Heather Richard put the vodka back in the freezer, sat on the couch and started to feel the buzz. It was another weekday night and her husband Taylor was still on his way home from work.

Events

2 w. ago Gaza is a ‘killing field’ where people are being starved. How long will the world tolerate this? | Arwa Mahdawi

What is happening is, quite simply, annihilation. Yet our politicians keep funding it and media outlets normalize itWhere do I even start? In recent weeks I’ve sat down to try and write about Gaza and, every time I steel myself to write about one atrocity, another atrocity is committed. Palestinian journalists have been burned alive, babies have frozen to death, medics have been executed and buried in mass graves, kids are being killed in their sleep. Meanwhile, in the US and Germany, speaking out about dead Palestinian babies can land you on a deportation list. Arguing that international human rights law should be respected can put you at risk of being snatched off the street and stuck in a detention centre.I don’t know where to start and I don’t know what is really left to say at this point. After 18 months of endless carnage, it should be clear to everyone that this is not a war. That this is not self-defence. What is happening in Gaza is, quite simply, annihilation. A litany of ...

Events