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Features

<p>The ties that bind: Ideas about fated meetings and ‘the one’ can feel our search for love with an intensity</p>

The unstoppable rise of invisible string theory

As ideas around fate and destiny go viral on TikTok, Olivia Petter asks if leaning into mystical ideas around love can be helpful or harmful

<p>Leggings are being usurped by baggy tracksuits and boxy T-shirts</p>

Leggings are officially uncool and I couldn’t be happier

<p>Skibidi Toilet has gained such cultural influence that the word is now included in the dictionary</p>

What the new dictionary words tell us about our disturbing new world

<p>A shared place once integral to any housing experience has become an all too fleeting rarity</p>

Why the death of the living room matters

<p>A new book suggests that there is a connection between our desires and how we dress</p>

I’ve swapped my boring jeans for ‘energy dressing’

<p>The pilates princess is the latest version of womanhood that leads the pack today</p>

How the ‘pilates body’ became the most coveted body type

<p>Dakota Johnson as professional matchmaker Lucy in 'Materialists' </p>

IN FOCUS

This is what it’s really like to be a millionaire matchmaker

Latest news

More features

<p>Claire’s has filed a notice to appoint administrators</p>

comment

So long, Claire’s Accessories – but you deserved to fail

<p>Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson have been called 'dirty flirts' on The Naked Gun press tour</p>

comment

Why we’re obsessed with Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson’s love story

<p>A taste of the States, no passport required – just extra mustard</p>

food focus

Britain’s big American restaurant obsession

<p>‘The trickiest part about taking my kids, 13 and nine, away solo was having to make all the decisions, such as which place to eat, which activity, is it safe?’</p>

In focus

How I let go of ‘perfect’ to beat single-parent holiday anxiety

Fitness and wellness

<p>Research has found that women who’re anxious or depressed are less likely to have the number of children they want </p>

My mental health is bad – and it makes me scared to become a mother

Having a baby can be a bigger risk for those with anxiety and depression. Lydia Spencer-Elliott asks the experts if pregnancy is still a good idea – and how women can keep themselves safe

My mental health is bad – and it makes me scared to become a mother

Having a baby can be a bigger risk for those with anxiety and depression. Lydia Spencer-Elliott asks the experts if pregnancy is still a good idea – and how women can keep themselves safe

<p>Research has found that women who’re anxious or depressed are less likely to have the number of children they want </p>

<p>According to experts, immunity and the gut are connected</p>

Fitness and wellbeing

Is there a link between gut health and allergies? An expert explains

<p>I've tried everything to soothe my TMJ symptoms</p>

Fitness and wellbeing

Could botox for teeth grinding cure my TMJ? I tried it to find out

<p>A walking expert has shared the many benefits of going for a short walk after eating a meal </p>

Fitness and wellbeing

Expert says a walk after eating can protect health for decades to come

<p>Running a marathon for the first time has meant being discerning about my kit</p>

Sports & Fitness

I’m running the London Marathon – these are my training essentials

<p>Running a marathon for the first time has meant being discerning about my kit</p>

Sports & Fitness

I’m running the London Marathon – these are my training essentials

<p>I taped my mouth shut every night to see if the Tiktok trend might actually be worth it</p>

Fitness and wellbeing

I tried mouth taping for three weeks, and the results surprised me

<p>My therapist advised me to pick up a copy of the book and the rest is history</p>

Fitness and wellbeing

How living with less changed my life

Food features

<p>Portion control, but make it aesthetic – the new appetite is all about restraint with flair</p>

How to dine out on Ozempic: The menus designed for a weight loss era

<p>Savour the last of the summer sun with a glass that tastes far pricier than it costs</p>

Best bank holiday wine deals including this £5 gem

<p>Anastasia Miari has spent a decade cooking with grandmothers – and learning far more than just recipes</p>

The cookbook celebrating Mediterranean grandmothers’ recipes

<p>The Mediterranean diet was built on balance – but modern life is tipping the scales</p>

How UPFs and toxic masculinity are killing off the Mediterranean diet

Recipes

<p>Fragrant with dill and finished with feta and lemon, this Greek-style risotto is a celebration of spring in every spoonful</p>

This Greek spinach and rice dish is spring in a bowl

<p>Bright, spicy and beautifully simple – omek houria is a Tunisian classic that deserves a place at every summer table</p>

This Tunisian carrot dip is your new summer picnic essential

<p>Fresh from Naples: Nonna Luisa’s spaghetti alle vongole is proof that the simplest ingredients, cooked with care, can deliver unforgettable flavour</p>

The ultimate clam pasta recipe from a Neapolitan nonna

Life Stories

<p>After having five children of her own, Charlotte Johnson-Daniels decided to help childless couples and become a surrogate in 2022</p>

‘I’m a surrogate – but I don’t want to make money from a baby’

<p>Mohammed Nayef Salem is 18 and has been training as an entertainer since he was 12</p>

‘I’m a clown in a war zone – it’s an incredibly important job’

<p>Lauren Bateman, who received under-eye filler from a woman without medical qualifications</p>

‘I got under-eye filler – then felt like my face was going to explode’

<p>Rachael Doman and her husband Paul with their three children</p>

‘I went from zero children to being a mum to three kids overnight’

Independent TV

Judge Frank Caprio’s final message to fans in heartfelt video

Cruz Beckham channels dad David’s skills with poolside football tricks

Meghan shares one-pan pasta dish as she drops huge hint to fans

<p>Chris Martin fights back tears as superfan travels 5000 miles from China to join him for unforgettable duet.</p>

Chris Martin emotional as Chinese fan joins Coldplay for duet on tour

Deals

<p>Enjoy Garden Trading’s amazing site-wide deals</p>

Enjoy 25% off all homeware and garden at Garden Trading

Marks & Spencer discount codes for August – save 10% site-wide

Save up to 60% on luxury bags, jewellery and more at Aspinal of London

<p>Enjoy the best of Jacamo with these deals</p>

Save over 25% on fashion, tech and gaming at Jacamo

Design

Creative ways to bring gorgeous pink shades into your home (Mustard Made/PA)

10 pretty pink influences for summery schemes

<p>Colour palettes are key when it comes to pattern drenching, says interior designer Rebecca Hughes </p>

More is more: Mastering the art of pattern drenching

These cool hues pair well with neutrals (DFS/PA)

9 must-have brilliant blue homewares and decor

Royal Family

Prince Phillip’s cousin shares duke’s kind words when he came out

<p>Queen Elizabeth II was known for her diplomatic dressing throughout her reign</p>

Queen Elizabeth skips airport opening after cousin stopped from flying

<p>Forest Lodge during previous restoration work in July 2001 </p>

Where are William and Kate moving to? Inside historic Forest Lodge

Women

<p>Readers debate whether women should have to work the week of their period</p>

‘Try working 12-hours on your period’: Readers torn on menstrual leave

<p></p>

The Independent Influence List list on display at the Outernet

<p>Some are calling Blue’s stunt a bizarre cash grab while others have called it a trauma response</p>

Bonnie Blue isn’t the problem: it’s the men who want to sleep with her

Dating and Relationships

<p>Holly Jackson and Kalila Bolton founded SheSpot to provide access to sexual wellness products and intimate health education in 2021</p>

Fitness and wellbeing

Sexual wellness could help women everywhere, but it’s being censored

<p>These vibes offer every bedroom buzz imaginable and every one of them is expert approved</p>

Sports & Fitness

Best vibrators for 2025, tried and tested by an expert

<p>Dating app Bumble will shed 30 percent of its workforce as it explores how AI can be deployed in online dating</p>

Major layoffs at dating app Bumble with business at ‘inflection point’

indy100

viral

Major new assessment recognises four separate giraffe species for the first time

Major new assessment recognises four separate giraffe species for the first time

tv

First look: Emily in Paris season 5 is coming much sooner than we think as release date confirmed

gaming

GTA 6 LIVE: Rockstar Gamescom appearance rumours addressed

news

Why was Kneecap's Mo Chara in court today? Fans turn out in hundreds for pro-Palestine rapper

politics

The 25 most stupid things Donald Trump has ever said

politics

The 25 most stupid things Donald Trump has ever said

science-tech

Watch stunning moment meteorite blazes across sky in Japan

politics

Trump's latest 'cruel' order on border of Mexico has everyone saying one thing