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Chris Seeley and Huda Mustafa Have Sex in the Villa

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If you thought that it couldn’t possibly get spicier on Season 7 Love Island USA, you would be wrong. Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales were chosen by their fellow Islanders to go to the Hideaway for some private time. Meanwhile, Chris Seeley and Huda Mustafa had sex in the villa.

Several couples have done the deed in the villa, in close proximity to their co-stars, with cameras filming. The contestants have been so sexually adventurous this season that production reportedly asked the Islanders to calm their hormones. As if!

Chris “couldn’t” wait to have sex with Huda, so they had sex on Love Island USA

Photo Credit: Ben Symons/Peacock

During a recent episode of the series, Chris told Bryan that he and Huda had a “hiccup” during the baby challenge. “I truly appreciate her being vulnerable. I really do like her,” Chris said, before adding that he “folded” the previous night. “I wasn’t going to tell anybody. [But] I couldn’t do it anymore. I really tried [to hold out],” he explained. “I just didn’t want to tell the other boys.”

In his confessional, Chris said, “I feel like that was just a great step into our physical connection that we probably don’t show in front of everyone else. It definitely made us feel stronger in our physical connection.” He added, “That is really all I can say about that.”

However, as you may recall, Huda previously had sex with her first connection, Jeremiah Brown. Plus, Pepe Garcia and Hannah Fields also enjoyed some sexy time in the villa before her exit. Do these people forget that they are on camera?

Meanwhile, Cierra Ortega and her connection, Nic Vansteenberghe, also had sex in the communal villa. She even mentioned a term, “journey,” that Huda coined as a code word for sex. I’m sure viewers will be hearing about more “journeys” as the season winds to a close.

Love Island USA is available to stream on Peacock, with new episodes airing every day except Wednesdays.

TELL US – ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT CHRIS AND HUDA HAD SEX? IS THERE TOO MUCH SEX IN THE VILLA THIS SEASON?



This story originally appeared on Realitytea

Commentary: In an L.A. park, Trump unleashed his latest show of farce: The Battle of the Photo Op

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La migra spread across MacArthur Park yesterday morning like a platoon ready for war.

Federal agents on horseback with a white steed in the middle trotted through a soccer field. Others dressed like they were ready for Fallujah walked across lawns that just minutes earlier hosted a kid’s summer camp. Humvees complete with gun turrets parked on Wilshire Boulevard.

A Black Hawk helicopter buzzed above.

It was meant to be a show of force. It was more of a farce.

The park was mostly empty thanks to social media posts that had been warning Los Angeles about the coming incursion since Sunday. A furious Mayor Karen Bass arrived, got on the phone with U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino — who was strolling around while a photographer took glam shots — and told him to pull back. Activists showed up instead of the regular crowd to laugh at and film la migra and cuss them outta there.

It was like the climactic scene in “Blazing Saddle,” when incompetent villain Hedley Lamarr tried to invade a small town with the baddest of hombres besides him only to find a Potemkin village. The Non-Battle of MacArthur Park even had a “cowboy” (those quote marks are getting some serious “air” time as I write this) — its own buffoon: With his straw cowboy bat and rifle slung over his shoulder, Assistant Chief Border Patrol Agent David Kim seemed to be channeling his inner Alex Villanueva, the ex-L.A. County sheriff who wore Stetsons anywhere and everywhere in urban L.A. because he thought that showed power.

This was the Battle of the Photo Op. Written in D.C. and paid for by taxpayers.

For the past 30 days, President Donald Trump has laid siege to L.A. like a potentate trying to quash a far-away rebel province. Over 1,600 people detained, citizens and noncitizens alike. A parade of his lackeys — Department of Homeland Security head Kristi Noem, Vice President JD Vance, border policy advisor Tom Homan — parachuted in to lecture L.A. about how out of control it is and vow retribution. California’s senior U.S. senator, Alex Padilla, briefly handcuffed for daring to question Noem during a press conference.

Trump and his troupe keep squawking about getting “the worst of the worst,” but they’re mostly not. This operation doesn’t seem to make much of a distinction between snatching an immigrant with a criminal record or a guy armed with a stockpile of tamales he’s trying to sell to make a living.

Masked men grabbing anyone and everyone in the fashion of paramilitary squads from countries we deem uncivilized. Straight-up invasions of workplaces and residential neighborhoods, parks and street corners. Thousands of members of the National Guard and hundreds of Marines called up.

What the city is weathering is supposed to be a warning to all other immigrant-friendly municipalities across the country: submit, or else.

Well, L.A. chose the something else. And Trump and his goons are getting more and more angry — and reckless.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks to the National Guard before their lunch at the Wilshire Federal Building in Los Angeles on June 12.

(Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

People are scared, sure — even terrified. That’s part of Trump’s strategy, along with making life so miserable that he hopes Angelenos will turn on each other. Instead, they’re uniting and hunkering down for more. Support networks and neighborhood watchdog groups are blooming across the region. Everyone with a smartphone and a social media account is now a reporter, capturing la migra at its worst and letting the world know what’s really going on. Lawsuits are being filed. More and more average citizens are joining the resistance.

What’s happening reminds me of the concluding line Lisa Simpson sang when Springfield Nuclear Power Plant workers went on strike against Mr. Burns and his heavies:

They may have the strength, but we have the power.

I get it, America: You think what’s happening in L.A. will never come to you. And you sort of like seeing the big, bad City of Angels getting smacked around with promises of even worse things to come. There’s a reason sports fans chant “Beat L.A.” and not “Beat Salt Lake City” or even New York.

But what happened yesterday at MacArthur Park is a microcosm of Trump’s vision for the rest of the country: a massive show of nada that does absolutely nothing to make life better for Americans. A gigantic waste of money. Spectacle over substance. Venom for anyone who dares speak out.

That should concern anyone who cares about a functioning democracy. Including L.A. haters.

The last month of raids across Southern California has shown that when the going gets tough, Trump goes for the easy. Sure, the Department of Homeland Security and its toxic alphabet soup of agencies participating in Trump’s deportation deluge are churning out social media posts featuring grainy photos of some of the people they’ve caught along with their alleged crimes. But that’s a way to mask the reality that these people taken in raids are mostly not criminals. A Times analysis of data obtained by the Deportation Data Project at UC Berkeley Law found that nearly 70% of those arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement from June 1 through June 10 had no criminal convictions.

The sad irony about what happened yesterday in MacArthur Park is that if ever there was a place in L.A. that might have welcomed a helpful assist from the feds … it’s MacArthur Park.

As my fellow columnista Steve Lopez has written about for years, it’s a jewel of a green space with serious problems that city officials have allowed to fester over the decades and has made it a no-go zone for many Angelenos. Gangs have long extorted businesses in the neighborhood and terrorized everyone else — including immigrants. Too many unhoused people pass through with nowhere else to go. Drug use is as prevalent as sunbathing: When I walked through it earlier this year on the way to Langer’s for lunch, I saw a man smoke a meth pipe within eyesight of an LAPD officer who didn’t even blink.

But this wasn’t about saving MacArthur Park from the bad guys. Instead, the deployment of masked troops in tactical gear showed Trump and his berserkers only care about optics, up to and including a man on horseback leading his fellow cavalry in a straight line while holding an American flag as colleagues whipped out their smartphones. The charade looked like something out of a Western movie — American military subjugating yet another Native American tribe.

Federal immigration agents near MacArthur Park

Federal immigration agents near MacArthur Park on July 7.

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

More is going to come, most likely worse. Trump’s Bloated Bullplop Bill has allocated $170 billion to immigration enforcement. Homan is relishing the idea of increasing the number of ICE agents from 5,000 to 15,000 — as if all that migra will improve the economy or make up for the rise in taxes and loss in Medicaid that millions of American citizens will suffer in order to support an agency whose increased budget will put it above the military of most of the world’s countries.

Are you paying attention yet, America?

After the MacArthur Park action, Trump’s disciples proclaimed victory. Bovino bragged to Fox News reporter Bill Melugin — the de facto media stenographer for Trump’s migra mission — that he told L.A. Mayor Karen Bass during their phone call, “Better get used to us now, ’cause this is going to be normal very soon. We will go anywhere, anytime we want in Los Angeles.” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller went on Fox News later to thunder, “The Democrat Party’s objective is to flood the West with millions upon millions of illegals from the developing world” as footage of what happened earlier that day rolled next to him.

Big words from little men who act like they’re living some “Apocalypse Now” fantasy.

I preferred what L.A. councilmember Eunisses Hernandez — whose district encompasses MacArthur Park — said shortly after the sweep at a City Hall press conference, something as true as the sun rising in the east: “We are the canary in the coal mine. What you see happening at MacArthur Park is coming to you.”



This story originally appeared on LA Times

Why Your Eye Area Deserves a Dedicated Routine


Photo: Shiny Diamonds / Pexels

When it comes to skincare, most of us are diligent with our cleansers, serums, and moisturizers. We know how to layer hyaluronic acid with vitamin C and wouldn’t dream of skipping SPF. Yet, there’s one delicate area that still tends to be overlooked: the eyes.

The skin around our eyes is thinner, more sensitive, and quicker to show signs of stress, aging, and fatigue. And while concealer may offer a quick fix, nothing replaces a consistent and targeted eye care routine. 

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and noticed dark circles, puffiness, or fine lines that seem to appear overnight, you’re not alone. These common concerns go beyond being cosmetic. They’re also signs that your skin is in need of extra attention.

Whether you’re in your twenties and looking to prevent premature aging, or well into your forties managing visible signs of maturity, taking care of your beautiful eyes should be a non-negotiable part of your daily skincare ritual. 

Why the Eye Area Needs Special Attention

Eye Serum
Photo: Deposit Photos

The skin around your eyes is up to ten times thinner than the rest of your face. It has fewer oil glands, so it dries out more easily. This area is also always moving through blinking, smiling, and squinting. All of which wear down the skin over time.

External factors like blue light, UV rays, and pollution add more stress. They break down collagen, which keeps your skin firm. As collagen fades, fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging appear faster.

Regular face creams often contain ingredients that are too strong for this sensitive area. That’s why eye products are specially made to be gentler and more targeted. Knowing this science helps you choose the right care for long-term results.

The Case for a Dedicated Eye Care Routine

Eye Mask Care
Photo: Yan Krukau / Pexels

Now that you know why the eye area needs special care, let’s talk about what that care looks like. A dedicated eye routine is a smart way to keep your skin looking fresh, smooth, and bright.

Unlike regular face products, eye treatments are made for this sensitive spot. They’re lighter in texture, use gentler ingredients, and focus on issues like puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines. These products help improve tone, boost hydration, and support long-term skin health.

Ready to build a routine that works? Let’s break it down step by step.

1. Cleansing With Care

Always remove eye makeup gently to avoid irritation. Use micellar water or an oil-based cleanser that dissolves makeup without rubbing. Harsh scrubbing can lead to redness or tiny tears. Instead, press a soaked cotton pad on the area for a few seconds, then wipe softly.

2. Cooling and Depuffing with Eye Patches

Enter the eye patch, a quick-fix hero that’s also a long-term ally. These gel-infused treatments create Instagrammable beauty moments. Eye patches deliver a concentrated dose of hydration, antioxidants, and peptides to the skin in just 10–20 minutes.

They can reduce puffiness, plump up fine lines, and revive tired eyes, perfect before a photoshoot, a date night, or a long Zoom call. 

For an extra decongesting effect, store your eye patches in the fridge. The cooling sensation constricts blood vessels, instantly minimizing puffiness and waking up your entire face.

Woman Brown Eyes
Photo: Meruyert Gonullu / Pexels

3. Targeted Eye Serums and Creams

Choose your eye cream based on your primary concern. If you’re battling dark circles, look for brightening agents like vitamin C, niacinamide, or licorice root extract. For fine lines, retinol-based eye products, formulated in lower, eye-safe concentration, can stimulate collagen production over time.

Hyaluronic acid is a must-have for everyone. It hydrates and plumps the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and creating a smoother base for concealer or makeup.

Pro tip: apply your eye cream using your ring finger; it naturally applies the least pressure. Tap, don’t rub, to boost absorption without stretching the skin.

4. Protection and Prevention

Sunscreen is just as essential for the eye area as it is for the rest of your face. Many people skip applying SPF too close to the eyes out of fear of irritation, but numerous formulas are ophthalmologist-tested and safe for use around the eyes.

Look for mineral-based sunscreens that are fragrance-free and specifically labeled as eye-safe. Additionally, wear sunglasses with UV protection to prevent squinting and shield your eyes from the sun’s aging rays.

Lifestyle Habits That Support Eye Health 

Beautiful Woman Sleeping
Photo: Deposit Photos

While topical products play a key role, don’t underestimate the power of internal habits:

  • Hydrate generously to minimize puffiness caused by water retention
  • Sleep at least 7–8 hours per night, as chronic fatigue exacerbates dark circles and dull skin
  • Reduce screen time or use blue light filters to ease digital eye strain
  • Limit salty foods and alcohol, both of which can contribute to fluid buildup under the eyes
  • Use a silk pillowcase to reduce friction and help prevent morning creases

When to Start an Eye Care Routine 

Eye Cream
Photo: Deposit Photos

The earlier, the better. In your twenties, your goal is prevention: maintaining elasticity, promoting hydration, and shielding against damage. By your thirties and forties, your focus shifts to repair and correction, addressing fine lines, dryness, and pigmentation with more active ingredients.

But regardless of age, consistency is what matters most. No product delivers overnight miracles, but with daily use, results build over time, creating a smoother, brighter, more youthful eye area.

Eyes Open

Closeup Eyes Woman
Photo: SHVETS Production / Pexels

A dedicated eye care routine is essential. With the right combination of gentle cleansing, targeted treatment, and preventative protection, your eyes can remain vibrant, expressive, and refreshed for years to come. 

So next time you stock your vanity, don’t just reach for your favorite moisturizer. Make room for that cooling eye patch, invest in a quality eye cream, and remember: the eyes may be the window to the soul, but they’re also the mirror of your skincare.



This story originally appeared on FashionGoneRogue

Speaker Mike Johnson Reveals New Federal Law Officially Codifies 28 Executive Orders Signed by President Trump | The Gateway Pundit


Credit: The White House / Flickr

Speaker Mike Johnson has announced that 28 of President Donald J. Trump’s executive orders have been officially codified into federal law under the newly passed “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

“Last week, when House GOP passed the One Big Beautiful Bill, we codified into law 28 executive actions taken by President Trump.   More to come!,” Johnson wrote in X.

The legislation enshrines a robust America First agenda — ranging from national security to economic revival — making it nearly impossible for future administrations to undo without going through Congress. Among the codified executive actions:

  1. Securing our borders
  2. Declaring a national emergency at the southern border of the United States
  3. Protecting the American people against invasion
  4. Ending taxpayer subsidization of open borders
  5. Restricting the entry of foreign nationals to protect the United States from foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats
  6. Implementing the President’s “DOGE” cost efficiency initiative
  7. Protecting America’s bank account against fraud, waste, and abuse
  8. Continuing the reduction of the federal bureaucracy
  9. Stopping waste, fraud, and abuse by eliminating information silos
  10. Iron Dome for America
  11. Unleashing American drone dominance
  12. Restoring America’s maritime dominance
  13. Unleashing American energy
  14. Reinvigorating America’s beautiful clean coal industry
  15. Unleashing Alaska’s extraordinary resource potential
  16. Declaring a national energy emergency
  17. Immediate measures to increase American mineral production
  18. Immediate expansion of American timber production
  19. Clarifying the military’s role in protecting the territorial integrity of the United States
  20. Keeping Americans safe in aviation
  21. Improving education outcomes by empowering parents, states, and communities
  22. Reforming accreditation to strengthen higher education
  23. Establishing the President’s Make America Health Again Commission
  24. Further amendment to duties addressing the synthetic opioid supply chain in the People’s Republic of China as applied to low-value imports
  25. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) global tax deal (Global Tax Deal)
  26. Enforcing the Hyde Amendment
  27. Celebrating America’s 250th birthday – Garden of Heroes
  28. Making the District of Columbia safe and beautiful

By codifying these executive orders, House Republicans have effectively outmaneuvered the bureaucratic Deep State and activist judges who often sabotage conservative governance.




This story originally appeared on TheGateWayPundit

Inactive Jon Jones becoming next Conor McGregor with recurring ‘I’m back!’ headlines in sad attempt to stay relevant

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Jon Jones admits to being inspired by Conor McGregor.

Perhaps that explains why “Bones” was so quick to cancel his retirement after surrendering the UFC heavyweight title. “Notorious” is no stranger to phony goodbyes and even phonier comebacks, which continue to generate weekly headlines in the combat sports media.

Don’t blame us, you’re the ones who keep clicking on this crap.

“Jon Jones and I don’t see eye to eye in most instances,” longtime rival, Daniel Cormier, said on YouTube. “And boy, he’s been great for my YouTube here this last couple months. Him flopping all over the place has been great for my YouTube. But please don’t become what Conor has become in the media. Every time a big story breaks, Conor’s like, ‘I’m back,’ or ‘I’m doing this.’ Don’t do that.”

“Don’t try to make it about you when you voluntarily walked away from this,” Cormier continued. “Conor didn’t voluntarily walk away. Conor got hurt, and he left. He just hasn’t come back. Jones voluntarily said ‘I’m done.’ So now that he’s done, don’t try to make these stories about you whenever you’re a guy that’s supposed to have walked away from the game.”

You can argue that Conor did, in fact, walk away.

McGregor broke his pinky toe, an injury so severe it fully healed in less than a month. So why didn’t “Notorious” immediately rebook the fight? Unsubstantiated fan theories range from his inability to pass a drug test to financial disputes regarding his UFC 303 payoff.

But to Cormier’s point, Jones simply quit in the face of a monster challenge.

It’s unclear if Jones, 37, is using his absence to wait for newly-minted undisputed champion Tom Aspinall to lose or get released (a tactic “Bones” may have employed in the past), or if he wants to strong-arm the promotion into making a more lucrative deal.

Time will tell.



This story originally appeared on MMA Mania

Life changes after 18 months without ultra-processed food

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Steffan Rhys has eaten no ultra-processed food for 18 months (Image: Steffan Rhys)

Among the numerous strategies I’ve employed to enhance my health and manage my weight, I never anticipated this one to have the most profound effect. Eighteen months ago, in January 2024, I made the decision to completely eliminate ultra-processed foods from my diet.

This journey began with the all-too-familiar feeling of starting a new year feeling lethargic, fatigued and bloated after the festive indulgence of December. However, it has evolved into something far more significant – it’s no overstatement to say the impact has been utterly transformative, altering my dietary habits, my physical form and my understanding of food. What’s truly astounding is how effortless the transition has been.

Unhealthy products. food bad for figure, skin, heart and teeth.

Ultra processed food consist of food you would expect, and a few surprises (Image: Getty)

I haven’t reduced my food intake, counted calories or fretted over fats or carbs.

This means the changes are far more likely to become lifelong habits, enhancing my prospects for a healthier future.

Here are the four major ways my life has transformed:

  • I lost weight
  • I enjoy so many more foods than I used to
  • I perform far better when exercising
  • I know a lot more about what goes into our food and how manufacturers get us to over-eat.

I’ll delve into each of these points individually, but first, let’s briefly define what constitutes ultra-processed food and how I eliminated it from my diet.

What exactly is ultra-processed food?

A lunchbox containing crisps, a doughnut, cookies and sausage rolls, with a bottle of cola beside it

Ultra-processed food is everywhere (Image: -)

In essence, ultra-processed food (also referred to as UPF) is food that contains ingredients not typically used in home cooking, or that has undergone industrial processing. It’s often a combination of both.

Dr Chris Van Tulleken, an infectious diseases expert at University College London and BBC science broadcaster, gave a succinct definition of ultra-processed food: “If it’s wrapped in plastic and it contains at least one ingredient that you don’t typically find in a domestic kitchen, then it’s ultra-processed food.”

Some commonplace items on the list of these ultra-processed foods (UPFs) include:

  • packaged bread
  • breakfast cereals and granola
  • flavoured yoghurts
  • chocolate, biscuits, and crisps
  • energy and granola bars
  • fizzy drinks
  • ready meals

Should you spot any of the following ingredients on the back of a product, chances are it falls under the UPF category:

  • emulsifiers
  • stabilisers
  • dyes
  • flavour enhancers
  • lecithin
  • xantham or guar gum

Are all processed foods bad?

Young woman picking up a slice of cheese from the dairy aisle refrigerated section of supermarket

Cheese is a processed food – but that doesn’t mean it’s bad for you (Image: -)

The short answer is no. Humans have been processing food for millennia.

Staples like bread, butter, cheese, and yoghurt count among processed foods – and don’t forget tinned foods. Truth be told, most foods gracing our plate today have undergone some degree of processing.

However, ultra-processed food takes it a step further. Zoe co-founder and epidemiologist Professor Tim Spector explains: “Plain yoghurt, nothing added, nothing changed, is processed because you are mixing a basic ingredient, milk, with microbes…

“It is when you take it to the next stage… [adding] various starches, emulsifiers, concentrates, artificial sweeteners and flavourings… that same yoghurt becomes ultra-processed. It is that extra step that is the main problem.”

Yet, not all technically ultra-processed foods are detrimental. High-quality dark chocolate, for instance, is considered ultra-processed but typically contains only cocoa and a smidgen of sugar.

Even Prof Spector, a leading proponent of reducing UPF consumption, asserts that items like Heinz tomato ketchup and Weetabix, while technically ultra-processed, pose no threat to our health.

Naturally, even heavily ultra-processed foods such as sweets, fizzy drinks and Pringles won’t wreak havoc if consumed sparingly rather than regularly.

How did I eliminate UPF from my diet?

Breakfast table served with healthy bowls containing nuts, yoghurt, fruits and seeds

I swapped granola and flavoured yoghurts at breakfast time for nuts and Greek yoghurt (Image: -)

Dodging ultra-processed food can seem like an insurmountable task. Supermarket aisles are brimming with them, and they often offer convenience and affordability.

Here’s a brief rundown of my approach:

  • I replaced granola and milk with nuts and Greek yoghurt, as well as some fruit, for breakfast
  • I swapped milk chocolate for dark chocolate boasting a high cocoa content (80 per cent or more)
  • I eliminated supermarket bread, crisps, biscuits, ice cream, and pre-packaged meals.
  • I stopped eating processed meat
  • I ate a lot more legumes, such as chickpeas, lentils, and beans, as well as nuts
  • I aimed to eat at least 30 different plants per week
  • Followed advice from trusted sources like the Zoe Science and Nutrition podcast.

Prior to 2024, my go-to breakfast consisted of granola with fruit and flavoured – a routine I believed was healthy. In reality, this breakfast choice was overabundant in added sugar and ultra-processed ingredients.

Weight loss

Steffan Rhys on the left in 2023 and on the right, looking much slimmer in 2024

Steffan Rhys on the left in 2023 and on the right, in 2024 (Image: Steffan Rhys)

The most evident impact of these dietary adjustments was my weight loss, shaving off roughly 1.5 stone in the past 18 months (a drop from 11.5 stone to just shy of 10 stone). Ultra-processed foods tend to be high in calories, but their nutritional value is inversely low.

These foods often over-deliver on sugar, salt, and detrimental fats. An experimental study involving a diet dense in ultra-processed items found that participants ingested an average of 500 additional calories daily, in contrast to those on a diet composed chiefly of unprocessed food sources.

The ultra-processed test group experienced an average weight increase of two pounds after two weeks. One particular trial had Dr Chris Van Tulleken alter his diet drastically by making ultra-processed food account for 80 per cent of it – not an unusual proportion in the UK or USA.

Reflecting on the aftermath, Dr Van Tulleken shared: “I gained a huge amount of weight in one month. I gained so much weight that if I’d continued for the whole year, I would’ve doubled my body weight.”

Exercise benefits

I discovered that adhering to a workout routine was more manageable. Over the past 18 months, I’ve haven’t increased my exercise routine – I manage to fit in a run once or twice a week, participate in one or two 45-minute circuit classes and, if I’m fortunate, squeeze in a bike ride.

Despite not increasing my workout frequency, I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my performance.

For instance, I’ve achieved three personal bests in half marathons and two in 10K runs over the past year, shaving approximately 25 minutes off my half-marathon time – an accomplishment I’m immensely proud of.

Exploring new culinary delights

A variety of dips and foods including avocado, seeds, yoghurt, tahini and more

It’s been amazing to learn so much about the taste potential and health benefits of so many different foods like avocado, seeds, Greek yoghurt, tahini and others (Image: -)

In addition to the aforementioned UPF foods, many ready-made sauces and salad dressings are ultra-processed. Therefore, if I craved unique flavours in my meals, I had to create them from scratch using spices, herbs, fruits, nuts, legumes and vegetables.

Far from being a chore, this has been the most enjoyable aspect of my new dietary approach. I’ve stumbled upon a plethora of new flavour pairings and now rely on foods that were previously seldom included in my diet, such as chickpeas, butter beans, lentils, nuts, and Greek yoghurt.

My go-to salad dressing is now a blend of Greek yoghurt and tahini, enhanced with lemon juice, olive oil or even a splash of maple syrup.

And don’t fret over fat – I regularly consume around 150g of fat daily, sometimes even more. The key point is that these are healthy fats, which are beneficial for you and plentiful in foods such as nuts and avocados.

They won’t lead to weight gain. It’s the unhealthy fats present in processed meats and foods with added sugar that pose a problem. I also aim to consume 30g of fibre each day.

My typical meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Breakfast: Almost always the same thing: Greek yoghurt with a variety of nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts or cashews), seeds (such as chia, pumpkin or linseed) and a medley of fruit (usually raspberries, strawberries, bananas and blueberries). If not this, I might opt for some avocado on a slice of wholemeal sourdough from a local bakery.

Lunch: Typically lentils accompanied by an assortment of vegetables and hummus, often homemade with chickpeas or butter beans. Another alternative would be an omelette with onions and peppers.

Dinner: Usually a white fish like hake, cod, or basa (which is considerably cheaper than other white fish), or salmon, served with butter beans or chickpeas seasoned with onions, mint, and lemon juice.

Other nutritious meals include this walnut, mushroom and cauliflower ragu, this vegan chilli made with a variety of beans, this homemade hummus and this homemade pesto.

Understanding what goes into our food

Dr Chris van Tulleken sits at a table with lots of ultra processed foods in front of him

In an experiment, Dr Chris Van Tulleken altered his diet so that 80% of it was made up of ultra-processed food — he said he ‘gained a huge amount of weight in one month… so much weight that if I’d continued for the whole year, I would’ve doubled my body weight’ (Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)

When I initially gave up ultra-processed food, my primary goal was to enhance my health and maintain a healthy weight. However, as I delved deeper into the practices of many major food corporations, I found an additional incentive in withholding my financial support.

The creation of ultra-processed foods involves staggering amounts of marketing and manipulation, including bold health assertions on vibrant, attention-grabbing packaging. Food companies have poured vast resources into understanding the science that triggers our appetites, from the sound of a packet being opened to the texture of food in our mouths and the irresistible flavours that leave us craving more.

Essentially, we are being duped into overeating. For further insight, I recommend Chris van Tulleken’s book, Ultra-Processed People. His 2024 BBC documentary Irresistible is also worth a watch.

How to incorporate 30 different plants into your weekly diet

The notion of consuming 30 different plants a week may seem daunting. But why 30?

It’s all about enhancing the health and diversity of your gut microbiome, a microbial community that experts increasingly recognise as a crucial pillar of overall health, potentially adding more healthy years to your life. As a member of Zoe, my gut microbiome score after adhering to this diet for 12 months was an impressive 93 out of 100.

A 2018 study conducted in the USA, UK and Australia found that individuals who consumed 30 or more distinct plants per week were more likely to harbour certain “beneficial” gut bacteria than those who ate just 10. Achieving the target of 30 isn’t as challenging as it might appear, given that fruits and vegetables aren’t the only foods that count.

The tally also includes a wide variety of beans (such as butter, cannellini, black, kidney, pinto), grains (like oats, quinoa or bulgar wheat), nuts (including almonds, cashews, pine nuts, walnuts and pistachios) and seeds (such as chia, pumpkin or sesame). Additionally, herbs and spices are included, and plants like coffee and cocoa, which contain beneficial chemicals that support your gut microbiome, also count towards the total.

Sweet treats can still be enjoyed

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar for Dessert

These homemade chocolate peanut butter bars have no added sugar or UPF and taste amazing (Image: -)

Sweet treats are a delight for most, and I’m certainly no exception. Thankfully, you can whip up a sumptuous, healthy dessert using natural ingredients.

Take this simple recipe: a luscious chocolate mousse made with just dark chocolate, olive oil, maple syrup and aquafaba. Likewise, you can create delicious granola or a delectable chocolate and peanut butter bar that rivals a Snickers – and they’re all wholesome.

Just one more thing:

Whilst I’ve been quite diligent about avoiding ultra-processed foods (UPFs), it’s not mandatory to be as strict. Even Zoe, staunch proponents of reducing UPF consumption, merely recommend keeping it below 15 per cent of your total diet.

Co-founder Professor Tim Spector admitted to me he indulges in crisps occasionally despite warning against UPFs – noting my diet seemed “restrictive”.

Of course, the odd UPF has sneaked into my meals this year, like during a meal out or when options were limited. And I haven’t forsaken alcohol – we all deserve our vices.

So take heart – as long as you’re moving towards a healthier you, there’s no need to fret.



This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk

Trump applying ‘heavy pressure’ on Netanyahu to end war in Gaza | US News

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US President Donald Trump is putting “heavy” pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza, two sources close to the ceasefire negotiations have told Sky News.

One US source said: “The US pressure on Israel has begun, and tonight it will be heavy.”

The source, who is not authorised to speak publicly, was referring to the White House dinner on Monday night between Trump and Netanyahu.

A second Middle Eastern diplomatic source agreed that the American pressure on Israel would be intense.

Image:
Benjamin Netanyahu gave Donald Trump a letter saying he had nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize. Pic: AP

Netanyahu arrived in Washington DC in the early hours of Monday morning and held meetings on Monday with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy, and Marco Rubio, the secretary of state and national security adviser.

The Israeli prime minister plans to be in Washington until Thursday with meetings on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.

Trump has made clear his desire to bring the Gaza conflict to an end.

However, he has never articulated how a lasting peace, which would satisfy both the Israelis and Palestinians, could be achieved.

His varying comments about ownership of Gaza, moving Palestinians out of the territory and permanent resettlement, have presented a confusing policy.

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‘Israel has shifted towards economy of genocide’

Situation for Palestinians worse than ever

Over the coming days, we will see the extent to which Trump demands that Netanyahu accepts the current Gaza ceasefire deal, even if it falls short of Israel’s war aims – the elimination of Hamas.

The strategic objective to permanently remove Hamas seems always to have been impossible. Hamas as an entity was the extreme consequence of the Israeli occupation.

The Palestinians’ challenge has not gone away, and the situation for Palestinians now is worse than it has ever been in Gaza and also the West Bank. It is not clear how Trump plans to square that circle.

Read more:
Explainer – What is the possible Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal?
Israeli soldier describes arbitrary killing of civilians in Gaza

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‘Some Israeli commanders can decide to do war crimes’

Trump’s oft-repeated desire to “stop the killing” is sincere. Those close to him often emphasise this. He is also looking to cement his legacy as a peacemaker. He genuinely craves the Nobel Peace Prize.

In this context, the complexities of conflicts – in Ukraine or Gaza – are often of secondary importance to the president.

If Netanyahu can be persuaded to end the war, what would he need?

The hostages back – for sure. That would require agreement from Hamas. They would only agree to this if they have guarantees on Gaza’s future and their own future. More circles to square.

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Trump 100: We answer your questions

Was White House dinner a key moment?

The Monday night dinner could have been a key moment for the Middle East. Two powerful men in the Blue Room of the White House, deciding the direction of the region.

Will it be seen as the moment the region was remoulded? But to whose benefit?

Trump is a dealmaker with an eye on the prize. But Netanyahu is a political master; they don’t call him “the magician” for nothing.

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Trump makes decisions instinctively. He can shift position quickly and often listens to the last person in the room. Right now – that person is Netanyahu.

Gaza is one part of a jigsaw of challenges, which could become opportunities.

Diplomatic normalisation between Israel and the Arab world is a prize for Trump and could genuinely secure him the Nobel Peace Prize.

But without the Gaza piece, the jigsaw is incomplete.



This story originally appeared on Skynews

Immortalised in Graham Greene’s novel The Comedians, destroyed by gang violence : NPR

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Main entry to the Hotel Oloffson, built as a private residence by Simon Sam in about 1886. American Marines leased it and turned it into a military hospital from 1915–34. In 1936 Walter Oloffson converted it to a hotel. In the 50’s through 70’s it was a Hollywood jet–set destination.

Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times/Getty


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Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times/Getty

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti —One of Haiti’s most storied landmarks — a 19th-century gingerbread mansion that once hosted cultural luminaries and political intrigue — has been reduced to ashes in the latest wave of gang violence gripping the capital.

The Hotel Oloffson in Port-au-Prince, long a haven for artists, writers, musicians and foreign dignitaries, had weathered dictatorships, coups, and natural disasters. But this weekend, it could not survive Haiti’s spiraling security crisis.

“It’s where I spent my last 40 years. It’s where I met my wife. It’s where my kids grew up. It’s where we played, where we had parties, where we danced,” said Richard Morse, the Haitian-American long term tenant and manager of the hotel, speaking by phone from his home in Maine.

Morse didn’t just manage the property — he fronted the Haitian roots band RAM, which played legendary Thursday night sets from the hotel’s wraparound balcony. The Oloffson was more than a business. “It was a heartbeat,” he said.

The swimming pool at the Grand Hotel Oloffson in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, February 1981.

The swimming pool at the Grand Hotel Oloffson in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, February 1981.

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Slim Aarons/Hulton archive/Getty Images

The hotel’s history is as rich as its architecture. Built in the late 1800s, it once served as a presidential residence and later as a U.S. Marine Corps hospital. As a hotel, it became a gathering place for cultural royalty — from Mick Jagger and Jackie Kennedy Onassis to Haitian painters and poets.

The Oloffson also lives on in literature. British novelist Graham Greene, who stayed there in the 1960s, immortalized it in The Comedians, a dark satire set during the brutal regime of François “Papa Doc” Duvalier and his feared Tontons Macoute. The novel was later adapted into a film starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor — herself a guest at the hotel.

In recent months, the Oloffson stood on the frontlines of a turf war. The Viv Ansanm gang coalition, which has taken over much of Port-au-Prince, had been targeting once-gentrified neighborhoods like the one surrounding the hotel. Morse said he hadn’t been able to access the building since April.

“I’ve been trying to get there for months,” he said. “And no one would let me go.”

The fire that destroyed the hotel broke out amid clashes between gangs and Haitian police in the Carrefour-Feuilles neighborhood. It was one of several historic buildings torched in recent days.

Richard Morse, right, sings with his group, Ram, at the famous Hotel Oloffson on Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jan. 20, 2000. Morse, the son of an American scholar and a Haitian dancer who grew up in Woodbridge, Connecticut, is the latest in the Oloffson's long line of operators.

Richard Morse, right, sings with his group, Ram, at the famous Hotel Oloffson on Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jan. 20, 2000. Morse, the son of an American scholar and a Haitian dancer who grew up in Woodbridge, Connecticut, is the latest in the Oloffson’s long line of operators.

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DANIEL MOREL/AP

Morse admits he’s uneasy about the attention the hotel’s destruction has drawn, considering the broader suffering across the country.

“The most difficult part for me is attracting all this attention to a hotel,” he said, “when there are so many people out there being killed and raped. The way I can justify it is, if the hotel is bringing attention to the killings and injustices, then maybe it serves a purpose.”

Nearly 90% of Port-au-Prince is under gang control. Hundreds of thousands of Haitians have been displaced by the violence. Still, Morse insists neither the spirit of the Oloffson — nor Haiti itself — is lost.

“I don’t think we’re going to see places the way we saw them,” he said. “But I believe the spirit is not gone. Haitians are such a powerful entity, people can’t get rid of it — as much as they try.”




This story originally appeared on NPR

The One Trait That Separates Great Leaders From Everyone Else

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

One trait consistently separates those who thrive from those who stall: a growth mindset. At its core, this mindset is less about raw intelligence or flawless execution and more about adaptability, resilience and the ability to transform setbacks into strategic stepping stones.

Growth-oriented leaders don’t see failure as defeat — they see it as data. They understand that success isn’t about having all the answers, but about asking better questions, staying curious and acting with courage even before they feel fully ready.

Related: 5 Entrepreneurial Mindsets That Drive Success

Growth requires discomfort

In my experience, meaningful growth begins the moment you step outside your comfort zone. It’s not about waiting for perfect conditions — it’s about being willing to step into the fire, learn, adapt and evolve. The leaders who rise aren’t the ones who avoid risk, but those who are willing to fail forward, turning missteps into momentum.

Strategic thinking, resilience and problem-solving are forged in uncertainty. The ability to spot opportunity in foggy conditions — and act on it — is a hallmark of growth-minded leadership. When done right, each failure becomes a rehearsal for future success.

Growth mindset in leadership

The most successful leaders don’t start with all the answers. They lead with better questions: How can we improve this? What haven’t we considered? Where is the opportunity hidden within this obstacle? This intellectual humility drives both personal and organizational evolution.

A growth mindset equips leaders to adapt in volatile markets — not just by being clever, but by being willing to evolve. In a world that demands reinvention, standing still is riskier than failure.

Growth mindset in the workplace

This mindset doesn’t just benefit top executives — it transforms entire organizations. When companies promote growth thinking across all levels, they build cultures that value curiosity over perfection, learning over blame and potential over fixed roles.

Employees with a growth mindset don’t view problems as roadblocks — they see them as invitations to innovate. They’re more receptive to feedback, more collaborative and more likely to take initiative. This leads to higher performance, deeper engagement and a more resilient organization.

When setbacks occur, these teams ask:

  • What can we learn?
  • How can we do better next time?
  • What does this make possible?

The answers fuel continuous improvement and stronger collaboration.

Growth is the new competitive advantage

In industries where talent and technology are often evenly matched, mindset becomes the ultimate differentiator. Organizations that embrace change, foster adaptability and invest in growth thinking outperform those that cling to legacy thinking or ego-driven leadership.

Importantly, a growth mindset doesn’t discard strategy or planning. Instead, it sharpens them. It helps leaders balance ambition with discipline, grounding their decisions in both vision and reality.

Willingness over readiness

Every great career pivot, business turnaround or entrepreneurial success story has a common denominator: someone chose to grow. They didn’t wait to be ready — they moved forward anyway.

Readiness is often an illusion. The people who succeed are those who are willing to take the first step, challenge their assumptions, and keep going even when the outcome is uncertain. That’s real growth — progress through discomfort.

The danger isn’t in failure — it’s in staying stuck. When you believe you can grow and take action accordingly, you position yourself to succeed in ways you never imagined.

Small shifts, big results

You don’t need a radical overhaul to start thinking with a growth mindset. It begins with small internal shifts:

  • Replace “What’s wrong?” with “What’s possible?”
  • Use feedback as fuel — not a threat
  • Choose curiosity over criticism
  • Trade perfection for progress

These micro-adjustments unlock major results over time. One new perspective. One brave question. One action taken before you’re “ready.” That’s how transformation begins.

Mindset as a strategic asset

The right mindset isn’t a soft skill — it’s a strategic advantage. Leaders and teams who embrace growth thinking don’t just adapt to change — they create it. They turn feedback into fuel, pressure into performance and uncertainty into innovation.

In a business environment that rewards agility and continuous learning, the most valuable asset you can develop isn’t just a product, process or pitch. It’s a mindset committed to learning, evolving and leading through change.

Related: What Separates a Great Leader From a Good One?

Final word: choose growth

Every challenge holds within it the potential for transformation — but only if you’re willing to lean in. Growth isn’t comfortable. It’s not always convenient. But it is always worth it.

Don’t wait for the conditions to be perfect. Choose to grow — especially when it’s hard. That’s when the real breakthroughs happen.

Join top CEOs, founders and operators at the Level Up conference to unlock strategies for scaling your business, boosting revenue and building sustainable success.

One trait consistently separates those who thrive from those who stall: a growth mindset. At its core, this mindset is less about raw intelligence or flawless execution and more about adaptability, resilience and the ability to transform setbacks into strategic stepping stones.

Growth-oriented leaders don’t see failure as defeat — they see it as data. They understand that success isn’t about having all the answers, but about asking better questions, staying curious and acting with courage even before they feel fully ready.

Related: 5 Entrepreneurial Mindsets That Drive Success

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This story originally appeared on Entrepreneur

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta pays ‘tens of millions of dollars’ to poach top Apple AI exec — adding to murderers’ row of new hires

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Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta has reportedly forked over “tens of millions of dollars” to poach one of Apple’s top artificial intelligence researchers as the tech giant continued to add to a murderers’ row of high-paid talent.

Ruoming Pang, who led the team responsible for developing Apple’s AI models, will become the latest member to join Meta’s new “Superintelligence Lab,” Bloomberg reported, citing sources with knowledge of the matter.

Meta reportedly lured Pang, who had worked at Apple since 2021, with a compensation package “worth tens of millions of dollars per year,” the sources said.

The company also recently hired away researchers Yuanzhi Li from OpenAI and Anton Bakhtin from Anthropic.

Meta has hired one of Apple’s top AI researchers. REUTERS

In all, Meta has poached more than a dozen top AI researchers since last week, purportedly offering compensation packages worth $100 million or more to win the AI arms race – meaning the company’s total spending on hires could soon surpass $1 billion, if it hasn’t already. 

At least nine of the hires jumped ship from Sam Altman’s OpenAI, with the others coming from Google DeepMind and Amazon-backed Anthropic.

The new hires will be part of the the newly formed Meta Superintelligence Labs, headed by former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang. Late last month, Zuckerberg announced that Wang came aboard after Meta invested nearly $15 billion for a 49% stake in the startup.

Rouming Pang was in charge of a roughly 100-person team at Apple. LinkedIn / Ruoming Pang

Other key hires include former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, ex-Safe Superintelligence CEO Daniel Gross and former OpenAI researcher Trapit Bansal, who played a key role in developing the ChatGPT maker’s AI reasoning models.

“As the pace of AI progress accelerates, developing superintelligence is coming into sight,” Zuckerberg said in an internal message to employees on June 30. The announcement helped push Meta’s stock to an all-time high.

Meta confirmed the hire but declined further comment. Apple did not immediately respond.

Meta’s tactics have miffed Altman, who has publicly grumbled about his billionaire rival targeting OpenAI’s employees with exorbitant packages.

Daniel Gross also joined Meta’s team. Getty Images
Former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman will work closely with Alexandr Wang at Meta. GitHub

Top Meta executive Andrew Bosworth reportedly pushed back during a recent all-hands meeting, telling employees that Altman was being “dishonest” about the extent of the offers.

At the same time, Meta denied a report from the tech news site Wired that it had offered up to $300 million to some AI talent – numbers that, if true, would dwarf the annual pay of some of the world’s top tech executives.

“Some people have chosen to greatly exaggerate what’s happening for their own purposes,” Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said at the time.

Trapit Bansal played a key role in developing OpenAI’s reasoning models. LinkedIn / Trapit Bansal

Meanwhile, the loss of Pang was another setback for Apple, which has struggled to integrate new AI features for its iPhones and other hardware. Pang oversaw roughly 100 employees at Apple.

During Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference last month, the company confirmed that its long-teased AI overhaul of the Siri voice assistant still needed more work before it could be released to the public.



This story originally appeared on NYPost