Getting ready for the rodeo — and other news in pictures
Times picture editors select the best images from around the world, including ways to cool off in a heatwave and grabbing a snack. Which is your favourite?
The Times
Tourists and locals dance around a bonfire in Yue Opera Town in Shaoxing City in the Zhejiang province of China
PAN WEIFENG/VCG/GETTY IMAGES
Fred the dachshund showed that short legs are no obstacle by running an agility course at the K9 World Dog Show at Chalkwell Park, Southend
BEN JONES FOR THE TIMES
Meabh, two, and Tadhg, four, get tips on their swashbuckling technique from Bob the pirate at the Golden Age of Piracy weekend held at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich
BEN JONES FOR THE TIMES
Cyclists raced from Chinon to Chateauroux during stage nine of the Tour de France, passing fields of sunflowers
BENOIT TESSIER/REUTERS
A pod of 12 dolphins entertained onlookers enjoying the sunny weather with acrobatics off the coast of Amble, Northumberland
LINDA JOHNSON/SWNS
BAV MEDIA
ARTUR WIDAK/ANADOLU/GETTY IMAGES
Visitors to the Dapu Tsunami World water park enjoy the waves under the domed roof of the indoor pool in Wuhu, China
XIAO BENXIANG/VCG/GETTY IMAGES
Jovan Filipovski receives a close shave from his best man before his Galicnik wedding ceremony, a tradition that symbolises the transition into married life in North Macedonia
IOANNIS ALEXOPOULOS/LNP
Boxers spar during a morning training session at the Virunga Club in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo
JOSPIN MWISHA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Scorching temperatures failed to deter thousands of bargain hunters from the car boot sale at Lea Marston in Warwickshire
BRITISH NEWS AND MEDIA/ALAMY
Reenactors dressed in Roman Empire era costumes recreated an ancient attack on a fortress in the village of Poiana in northern Romania
VADIM GHIRDA/AP
A pair of swans with their cygnets found themselves the centre of attention from a herd of curious cows in Romney Marsh, Kent
TOM IWASYSZYN/PICTURE EXCLUSIVE
The Red Arrows put on a colourful display on their return to Bournemouth airport, in their last show of a packed weekend schedule
STEVE HOGAN/SOLENT NEWS
The Pope arrived in style in his popemobile to preside over a Sunday mass in the Papal Parish of St Thomas of Villanova in Castel Gandolfo
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Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Experts issues warning to singletons who collect Labubus - as it could suggest a personality trait that is seen as a 'red flag' to potential dates
Singletons who collect Labubus could be putting off potential dates, according to a relationship expert. The sharp-toothed grinning toys, which have sparked a craze among Gen Z consumers, were inspired by the illustrated book series The Monsters, created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, in which Labubus are a tribe of female elves. They became the must-have item for thousands of young adults and teens after Lung partnered with Chinese toy company POP MART in 2019, producing toys based on his creations. And some people have reportedly spent thousands on the collectibles, with others queuing for hours in order to try and get their hands on a new Labubu. But singletons who collect the items could could see their dating pool shrink, as some people - particularly men - are reportedly put off by the trinkets. Relationship expert Dr Mindy DeSeta, of the Hily Dating app, told Vice there could be a number of reasons why - from seeing the figures as 'immature' to questioning the money management of those who collect them. Speaking about the issue of the maturity, she told the outlet that Labubus 'are often misunderstood and quickly labeled as "dolls".' This, she continued, can make people subconsciously question the 'maturity and life priorities' of people who collect them. Dr DeSeta added that when dating, first impressions are 'powerful', and accessories like Labubus can send signals about who a person is, whether they intend to send those signals or not. Men in particular are likely to be put off by Labubus, she noted, even if subconsciously so, therefore 'anything that hints at immaturity can become a subtle red flag'. Another judgement daters may make about those who collects the items is that they are easily influenced, according to the expert. As Labubus have become a 'viral craze' due to TikTok and celebrity endorsement, a date may 'wonder if you make choices based on trends rather than your own values', Dr DeSeta said. This could subsequently lead them to question the Labubu fan's authenticity, prompting them to wonder whether someone who collects the dolls will 'jump on every bandwagon that comes along'. Moving onto another point, Dr DeSeta noted the cost of Labubus - which can spiral into the hundreds if not thousands, as they can be highly collectible. Because they sell out so quickly, people will often resell them for inflated prices, with some fans even paying to just rent a Labubu. As financial habits are a big deal when dating - even in the early stages - the expert said that spending significant amounts of money on the collectable keychains could suggest that a person might be 'financially impulsive or irresponsible'. If a dater is prudent when it comes to budgeting, and they question whether a Labubu collector is wise when it comes to money management, this could put them off pursuing the relationship further. Another issue raised by the expert is that while collecting the items is often a 'sweet, quirky passion', it could come across as 'a sign of superficiality'. 'Many collectors love flaunting their rare finds and pairing them with designer outfits to show off their Labubus,' Dr DeSeta said, adding that while this can be 'fun', it may come off as 'superficial' or 'high maintenance' to some. This could then result in a date questioning whether the Labubu lover is 'relationship material or just someone who needs to be constantly impressed', she added. Her final point was that those who collects the keychains are likely to invest both time and energy into getting their hands on the sought-after items. Because restocks can sell out within minutes - or even seconds - securing one means buyers have to be organised and strategic, organising their schedule that day around the time and location of the restock. Dr DeSeta said that if 'your date finds out you spent hours waiting in line or obsessively refreshing websites for a blind box, they might be put off'. In addition, she noted, if someone dedicates such significant amounts of effort to following a trend, this could 'raise questions about your priorities and emotional availability'. It comes after a psychologist warned that owning Labubus could be a sign of deeper emotional struggles. While the trend may seem harmless, it has raised eyebrows among mental health professionals - particularly as some fans admit to spending hundreds, even thousands, on the items. From unboxing videos to elaborate displays, fans of the quirky creatures say they're a cute collectable item, but experts say there might be more going on under the surface. Chartered clinical psychologist Tracy King, who has been tracking the rise of 'trinket culture' among younger generations claims it is a 'response to burnout and disconnection.' King described the Labubu toy craze not as a 'shallow trend', but as a 'psychological response' to the unpredictable climate Gen Z are growing up in. Speaking to Tyla, she explained: 'On the surface, they're fun and whimsical. But psychologically, they're deeply symbolic: these objects offer small, accessible moments of comfort, control, and identity in an unpredictable world.' She claimed Gen Z don't have the same financial security as past generations with home ownership on the decline - leaving many young people feeling out of control. However, collectibles are 'something you can control'. The psychologist went on to explain how, while previous generations were largely saving for mortgages and pensions, Gen Z are instead 'investing in now'. Dr King said: 'They've watched global crises unravel with pandemics, recessions, the climate emergency - so the big life goals that guided previous generations often feel out of reach. She clarified that they are not collecting the toys 'out of immaturity' but instead as a 'form of emotional repair', adding: 'These soft, playful objects evoke feelings of safety, care, and nostalgia, things that might've been missing or cut short in early life. This is inner child work in action.'
The Guardian
8 hours ago
- The Guardian
‘I was struck by the grammar of it, the angular nature': Elizabeth Day's best phone picture
Elizabeth Day felt as if she hadn't seen the sun for decades. It was a gloomy December morning and the podcaster and author was headed towards a London recording studio. On the way, she passed a row of houses that were being renovated. The windows on one particular house had just been replaced and covered with a translucent blue sheet and haphazard orange tape; the scene caught her eye, so she paused to capture it with her iPhone 15 Pro. 'I'm known among my loved ones as someone who takes photos of random things, but I just found this so arresting,' Day says. 'I was struck by the grammar of it, the angular nature. The tape reminded me of art's golden ratio, the geometry like a Mondrian crossed with a Rothko. I was exhausted that morning and it completely brightened my mood.' Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Some months later, Day entered the image into the Royal Academy of Arts' annual Summer Exhibition, and was delighted to be selected. 'I love the fact that anyone can enter,' Day says. 'It proves that anyone can be an artist, and that art is for everyone.' She's now in touch with an interested buyer. 'The RA will keep 35%, but I'll donate the remainder to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund.' Day passed by the house again recently to find the renovation complete. The window looked like any other, but, she says, 'The transient nature makes it more special, I think. I just hope people will have a conversation with the image. Maybe it makes you reflect on your own life, or the life of the person on the other side of the window. Who were they? Who will they be?'
The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
Tropical storm Wipha threatens southern China after battering Taiwan and the Philippines
A tropical storm that prompted flight and ferry cancellations in Taiwan is forecast to reach typhoon strength before hitting the southern China coast on Sunday. The storm earlier crossed the Philippines, where a parked truck was crushed by a billboard-like structure that was toppled by high winds in Quezon City, north of Manila. Wipha had maximum sustained winds of 101 kph (63 mph) and gusts up to 126 kph (78 mph) as it passed south of Taiwan on Saturday, the island's Central News Agency said. More than 20 centimeters (8 inches) of rain was recorded in Hualien and Taitung counties on Taiwan's east coast, the news agency said. Several domestic flights were canceled and service on 14 ferry routes was suspended because of rough seas and strong winds. On the other side of the Taiwan Strait, many ferries suspended service in Fujian province on China's east coast. The storm, the sixth of the season in the western Pacific, is forecast to reach typhoon strength before passing near Hong Kong overnight. It is expected to bring heavy rain along China's southern coast and then weaken as it heads west to Vietnam and Laos. In Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific said that all flights arriving or departing between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday would be canceled or delayed. The airline is waiving ticket change fees, it said. The Hong Kong Observatory warned of gale-force or higher winds and possible flooding in low-lying coastal areas because of storm surges. A 30-kilometer (18-mile) bridge that crosses the water between Hong Kong and Macao will be closed overnight, Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK reported. Authorities in Hainan province, a Chinese island that is a popular beach resort, said that three ports would suspend operations starting Saturday night in Haikou, the provincial capital.
