Whether it’s a cheeky search for pub quiz answers or a glance at X-rated content, many us have Googled things we’re not proud of. 

But one company is on a mission to rid us of these worries once and for all, with a tool that erases your browsing history after you die.

Norway-based Opera GX claims its new feature swaps questionable activity with an array of more virtuous searches to wipe your slate clean after death. 

‘How to build a birdhouse’ and ‘local volunteering opportunities’ are among countless more sanitised URLs it can select from to replace your true online past.

‘In life, there are no saves, respawns or checkpoints – anything can happen,’ said the Product Director, Maciej Kocemba.

The Norway-based Opera GX erases your dodgy browsing history beyond death

‘When it does, what will you be remembered for? The Lara Croft body pillow you ordered online?

‘With “Fake My History”, we’re wiping the slate clean and replacing your scandalous digital shenanigans with a totally fake version of your browsing past.’

Opera GX is web browser that’s primarily geared towards gamers, with Discord and Twitch set up in its sidebar.

The search tool can be installed on both Windows and Apple computers, with users then able to opt into ‘Fake My History’. 

This afterlife feature kickstarts after 14 consecutive days of inactivity on the browser, with searches then replaced with a fake list.

Fabricated searches are carefully selected from a set of pre-defined URLS and often relate to charity work and ‘responsible’ living. 

While the URL list is quite extensive, some may be reused if the search history is exceptionally long. 

Opera GX claims this adds to its realism, as users generally visit their favourite websites more than once. 

‘How to build a birdhouse’ and ‘local volunteering opportunities’ are among countless more sanitised URLs it can select from to replace your true online past

A spokesman told MailOnline: ‘Fake My History is an opt-in feature as we don’t want to forcibly remove the history of a person that just went on a two-week hiatus. 

‘Once you do opt in, the feature will clean your history and replace it with a rosy one after two weeks of inactivity. 

‘If you’re a little impatient, you can click on “Pretend I’m already dead”, which will immediately replace your browser history with a new, curated one.’

Albeit tongue-and-cheek, the feature comes at a time when more than a third of Britons have admitted to snooping on their partner’s devices. 

Online privacy is also at the centre of debate amid continued reports of cybercrime and scams. 

Importantly however, Fake My History stresses that its tool cannot be used to conceal crimes.

‘We have to make a distinction between browsing history and search history. Fake My History replaces your browsing, not your search history,’ the spokesperson continued. 

‘Browsing history is a list of the websites you actually visit through your browser. 

‘This information is saved locally on your device as you browse, and lives there until you decide to clear it. 

A small tick box offers you the chance to ‘Pretend I’m already dead’, if you want to seem virtuous before kicking the bucket

The search tool can be installed on both Windows and Apple computers, with users then able to opt into ‘Fake My History’.  This afterlife feature kickstarts after 14 consecutive days of inactivity on the browser, with searches then replaced with a fake list

‘Some users clear it regularly, some never, and some clear it every time they close the browser. In fact, regularly clearing your browsing history is a recommended privacy and security practice across all browsers.’

Jake Moore, a cybersecurity expert at ESET, also told MailOnline that it’s crucial to think about your own online footprint.

‘Any feature that helps protect privacy in any form is a move in the right direction. People need to always consider their online footprint,’ he said.

‘However, deleting data is not as forensically sound as not having the information written in the first place as deleted data is not overwritten quickly and remains on the hard drive in just a slightly different guise.’

To try out Fake My History, you’ll first need to install Opera GX and get it up and running. 

The clock symbol in the left-hand column should then be clicked, taking you to a ‘History’ page.

Here, ‘Redeem my soul’ can be selected, which offers you the chance to ‘Activate’ Fake My History.

A small tick box will also say ‘Pretend I’m already dead’, if you want to seem holier-than-thou before kicking the bucket. 

Once activated, the fabricated URLs will roll in, replacing any previously filthy searches.   

‘To reiterate, the feature is definitely a little Easter egg for our users, a little joke about how varied and diverse our online activity is these days, but also what the time we spend online says about us,’ the spokesperson added.

Bizarre moment woman sprinkles ‘her brother’s ashes’ into swimming pool packed with revellers at Ibiza club

• The woman dances along to the music at Ushuaia as she pours the contents out 

By Olivia Jones

Published: 10:22 EDT, 15 September 2023 | Updated: 11:34 EDT, 15 September 2023

Grim footage has emerged showing a woman who claims to sprinkle her brother’s ashes into a busy swimming pool at a club in Ibiza.

In a post she shared on TikTok, the woman appears to scatter a grey dusty substance in the shallow waters at the popular party venue, Ushuaia.

As she pours she dances along to the music in the background and is surrounded by unsuspecting revellers.

She then smiles and laughs at the camera before continuing to party.

In her post she says: ‘Just me sprinkling my brother about Ushuaia.’

TikTok users appeared disgusted, with some commenting that her behaviour was ‘dirty’.

The woman, who posted the video on TikTok, appears to sprinkle her ‘brother’s ashes’ into a busy swimming pool at a club in Ibiza

She grins at the camera after scattering a grey dusty substance in the shallow waters at the popular party venue, Ushuaia

And X users also commented on the viral video, with one joking: ‘Human ash is probably the last thing to worry about in a pool in Ibiza.’  

Others were confused how the hotel security had not confiscated the small plastic bag from the woman.

The adults-only Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel in the resort of Playa d’en Bossa is incredibly popular among British tourists flocking to Ibiza. 

It is considered to have one of the most famous beach dance clubs and can cater for 7,000 revellers. 

The poolside parties host world-famous DJs including Calvin Harris and David Guetta.

Revellers travelling to Ibiza have become notorious for bad behaviour over the years – with many getting drunk on ‘party’ flights or being a nuisance late at night at hotel resorts. 

Today a mother expressed her horror after shocking footage of her son went viral showing him and a woman ‘he’d only just met at the airport’ exit a plane toilet moments after having sex.

Piers Sawyer, who was celebrating his 23rd birthday, and an unnamed woman were caught in the act by cabin crew member who opened the door to expose the duo during the flight to Ibiza.

The pair were met with applause and cheers of ‘top girl’ as they wandered shamelessly back to their seats.

Now, his mother Elaine has told The Sun she was shocked as the ’embarrassing’ footage of her son was shared by pals and even discussed on ITV‘s Loose Women.

Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel has been approached by MailOnline for comment.

Experiencing different cultures is part of the magic of travelling.

But some have the potential to leave tourists scratching their heads, thanks to bizarre local customs.

Commenters took to online forum Ask Reddit to reveal some of the choicest examples after user ‘LifeOnMarsden’ posed the question: ‘What is totally normal in your country that would be really bizarre to foreigners or tourists?’

The discussion, which has gained thousands of comments since it began, recently resurfaced online. 

Getting the ball rolling, ‘chillphilsonthegrill’ said: ‘In Canada, we put maple syrup on snow and wait for it to get all gooey, then we eat it.’

People took to Reddit to answer the question: ‘What is totally normal in your country that would be really bizarre to foreigners or tourists?’

Explaining how this is done, fellow Redditor ‘truecdn’ added: ‘You basically make a mound of snow and cut a trench in it, then pour the hot syrup into it and the snow cools it. Then, when it’s still gooey, you roll it onto a stick and eat it off the stick.’

Sharing another peculiar foodie tradition,’seeyouyeah’ suggested: ‘Throwing cheese down a hill then running after it.’

The comment, which earned 788 upvotes, refers to the Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake event in Gloucestershire, England, where competitors roll a cheese wheel down a steep hill and the first person to cross the finish line wins.

In another food-focused comment, ‘Azel’ said: ‘In Cambodia, there’s this food called “Happy Pizza”. It’s a pizza with marijuana on it.’

While ‘molecularpotet’ shared how, in Colombia, people put cheese in hot chocolate.

In Canada, it’s traditional to eat maple syrup that’s been solidified on blocks of snow 

They explained: ‘You put in a bit of cheese in the cup, it melts, and you take it out with a spoon and eat it with bread. No, it doesn’t make your chocolate taste cheesy, it just melts in a nice way… the first time I did this with foreigners they were completely beside themselves.’

And while it’s not a foodie custom per se, chewing gum is banned in Singapore – a rule that locals find ‘odd’, Reddit user ‘Im_Tsuikyit’ revealed. 

Sharing the story behind the ban, which was implemented in 1992, they said: ‘The fact gum is illegal here in Singapore may be odd to foreigners, but there’s a reason for that. The reason being, people [were] constantly spitting gum onto the ground, sticking it on cars and elevator buttons, making everywhere you went covered in gum. And when the gum dried up, it would become very hard to remove.’

One Reddit user shared how, in Colombia, people put cheese in hot chocolate 

Also in Singapore, ‘bluezebra1990’ said that in food halls, coffee shops and food courts, you can ‘reserve a table or a seat by placing a packet of tissue or a handkerchief on the spot’.

They added: ‘No need to leave my bag or bottle or anything else to reserve the spot before I walk over to a food stall to buy food. I come back and my 20-cent packet of tissue is still there.’ 

And quirky customs extend to drinking too. Offering insight into a Russian tradition, Reddit user ‘Skordge’ revealed it’s customary to put ‘liquor bottles under the table when you finish them, because there’s a superstition about empty bottles on a table bringing bad luck’. They added: ‘You follow it even if you don’t believe it because you never know if anyone drinking with you actually does and takes offence.’ 

Several users, meanwhile, pointed out that ‘clamanto juice’ – clam juice and tomato juice – is frequently mixed into beer in Canada and Mexico. ‘It’s a “hangover cure” but I’ve had it and it might be the most repulsive thing ever,’ user ‘thatdrunkgirl’ commented. 

And user ‘DrUnce’ revealed that drive-through daiquiri shops are an unusual custom in the U.S. The cocktails are served in closed containers, so they can’t be sipped while driving. 

Another common theme in the discussion was different countries’ approaches to parenting. For instance, ‘Zrina94’ said Denmark’s approach to caring for children ‘baffles a lot of foreigners’.

They explained: ‘We find it natural to leave them unattended. They are left in their prams to nap basically everywhere, usually outside, no matter what time of the year it is.’

‘Rimana2015’ replied that it’s customary for children to be left to nap outside in Finland as well.

Drive-through daiquiri shops are an unusual custom in the U.S. Above is one in Harahan, Louisiana, in 2021. Image courtesy of Creative Commons 

Thanking the bus driver is a custom that’s popular in Ireland, but can confuse visitors from other countries, one Redditor suggested. Pictured above is a bus in Dublin

The Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake event in Gloucestershire, England, where competitors roll a cheese wheel down a steep hill and the first person to cross the finish line wins

Sharing a parenting custom of the Ute people, an indigenous tribe in the U.S, ‘nativehoneybaby’ said that it’s traditional for new mothers to be confined to a room in their homes for 30 days after having a baby, only leaving to go to the doctor. 

The Reddit user, who explained they are Ute themselves, said that ‘it’s to help the baby identify where his/her home is’.

Manners and politeness are other topics that seem to underpin intriguing local customs.

Irish Reddit user ‘Madra_ruax’ suggested that the custom of ‘thanking the bus driver’ can confuse visitors from other countries. They said: ‘If I don’t thank them, I think that [the bus drivers] think I’m rude.’ Another UK-based Reddit user admitted this is commonplace in Britain too. 

Sharing a custom in Iran, ‘Sunchild21’ said ‘it is common to say “no” out of politeness’ when you are offered something.

They explained: ‘Only if the other person asks again will you say yes. Cab drivers will do this too for instance.

‘You ask how much you owe them and they’ll say something along the lines of “oh, don’t worry it’s worth nothing” to which you then reply by insisting on paying. Only then will they tell you the price.’

‘In Bulgaria, we nod for “no” and shake [our heads] for “yes”… foreigners get really, really confused,’ said one Reddit user. Above is a Bulgarian woman in traditional dress 

One Reddit user revealed that flip-flops are called ‘jandals’ in New Zealand

User ‘EasyDeezy’ said: ‘In Bulgaria, we nod for “no” and shake [our heads] for “yes”… foreigners get really, really confused.’

And Reddit user ‘Skordge’ revealed that in Russia, it’s not customary to smile at strangers. 

One unnamed user said the ‘no smiling’ practice also happens ‘in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia’, adding: ‘When we smile, it actually means something.’

Local festivals can baffle foreigners, the forum suggested. Reddit user ‘TommyTbone’ revealed that Swedes dance around a penis-shaped maypole that’s festooned with flowers to celebrate Midsummer each year. ‘Historically this was to ensure a plentiful harvest,’ they explain. 

Other customs that can cause confusion are the different words used to describe the same thing, the forum highlighted.

Australian Reddit user ‘Imnotavegan’ said: ‘We call flip-flops “thongs” and erasers “rubbers”.’ User ‘guustavoalmadovar’ weighed in and said that flip-flops are called ‘jandals’ in New Zealand.

While ‘butterpopkorn’ said that in Malaysia, water is referred to as ‘sky juice’. 

From over-the-top frocks, clashing patterns and X-rated looks, the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards were filled with a slew of fashion fails.

Some of music’s biggest names attended the event, which took place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Tuesday, but many failed to deliver as far as fashion was concerned.  

Rapper Nicki Minaj, 40, model Emily Ratajkowski, 32, and singer Saweetie, 30, were among those who sported strange looks for the night. 

Minaj opted for a bizarre bubblegum pink bridal gown with a bustier bodice and a see-through bottom, as well as a matching lace veil over her face. 

Nicki’s blushing bride look was created by Dolce & Gabbana, and the star later wore it onstage while performing her hosting duties. Minaj also matched her pastel pink eyeshadow to her dress.

Meanwhile Ratajkowski chose a beachy looking halter wrap-around gown that showed off her toned midriff and featured a clashing bottom pattern. 

Emily gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of strapped heels and kept her essentials in a small sparkling black handbag.

She styled her glossy chestnut tresses in bouncy waves and wore picture-perfect glam.

Saweetie channeled the classic cartoon, The Flintstones, donning a glittering, pastel pink sequin gown with a large white bone embellishments on the neck and waist. 

The gown came from Area’s Fall/Winter 2023 couture runway. Small cutouts could be seen on each side of the sleeveless gown that contained a hem that fell down to brush the ground.

She slipped into a pair of open-toed, strappy heels and opted to slick back her dark locks into a ponytail, while loose strands were styled into waves that gently fell onto her forehead.

She accessorized her look for the special evening by wearing a pair of flashy, silver-hooped earrings as well as a chunky ring on her left hand.

The performer – whose real name is Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper – opted for glammed up makeup for the event.

The My Type singer showed off voluminous lashes as well as a pink, smoky shadow around her eyes to coincide with the color scheme of her outfit.

A pink blush and glowy highlighter was added to better accentuate her cheekbones, while a nude-colored, glossy tint was worn on her lips and bordered by a darker lipliner.

Pink bride: Minaj opted for a bizarre bubblegum pink bridal gown with a bustier bodice and a see-through bottom

Interesting choice: The Dolce & Gabbana look also featured a matching lace veil over her face

Barbie pink: Minaj also matched her pastel pink eyeshadow to her dress

Heading to the beach? Ratajkowski chose a beachy looking halter wrap-around gown that showed off her toned midriff and featured a clashing bottom pattern

Backless: She styled her glossy chestnut tresses in bouncy waves and wore picture-perfect glam

Sheer madness: The bright green top of the dress was sheer 

Flintstones: Saweetie channeled the classic cartoon, The Flintstones, donning a glittering, pastel pink sequin gown with a large white bone embellishments on the neck

Bone to pick: At one point she was pictured pretending to lick the bone 

Rapper and singer Doechii, 25, left heads scratching in a very revealing and mismatched outfit.

She wore a barely-there black and white dress, which was held together on the sides with a thin strap of material showing off plenty of sideboob.

The musician paired the ensemble with a red and white baseball cap, to which she also added grey and white arm warmers.

Though Brazilian singer Anitta, 30, usually doesn’t miss, her outfit at the event left much to be desired.

The star wore a two-toned Schiaparelli dress with a large key-hole cut-out in the middle, showing off her toned abs.

She paired the ensemble with bright dangling neon earrings that were yellow and red, as well as a black headband.

Colombian singer Karol G, 32, left almost nothing to the imagination and went totally sheer in a cream lace gown. She topped off the look with a shaggy cream coat that dragged behind her, and wore pastel pink hair.

Teen Wolf star Colton Haynes, 35, also failed to wow, wearing an oddly-fitting white tuxedo/dress over a cream turtleneck sweater. 

The actor paired the outfit with chunky black boots.

Red carpet or sporting event? Rapper and singer Doechii, 25, left heads scratching in a very revealing and mismatched outfit. She wore a revealing dress, held together on the sides with a thin strap of material and showing off plenty of sideboob 

Confusing combination: The musician paired the ensemble with a red and white baseball cap, to which she also added grey and white arm warmers

A lot going on: Brazilian singer Anitta, 30, wore a two-toned Schiaparelli dress with a large key-hole cut-out in the middle

Neon: She paired the ensemble with bright dangling neon earrings that were yellow and red, as well as a black headband

Baring it all: Colombian singer Karol G, 32, left almost nothing to the imagination and went totally sheer in a cream lace gown

Shaggy look: She topped off the look with a shaggy cream coat that dragged behind her, and wore pastel pink hair

Another fashion fail of the night was Doja Cat, who left almost nothing to the imagination in a flesh-flashing spiderweb dress.

Taking things up a notch, the Grammy Award-winner, 27, decided to go braless beneath the tattered see-through garment.

The only thing protecting the LA native’s modesty was a tiny nude thong that was just barely visible through the webs.

She battled it out with Tinashe, who also threw all caution to the wind as she stepped onto the red carpet in a sparkling black netted dress.

Instead of opting for pasties or a thong, the 30-year-old used shiny black body tape to x-out her nipples and ran a strip of the tape over her private area.

She oozed confidence in the barely-there dress, which she styled with sky-high back patent leather heels.

The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) is being held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. 

The show is hosted by rap royalty Nicki, marking her second consecutive year in the role. It is the first time the ceremony has been held on a Tuesday.

Airing live in more than 150 countries, the global fan-filled spectacle honors the best music videos of the past year with unforgettable performances, epic tributes and show-stopping appearances from music’s biggest stars.

A new award category has been introduced this year titled ‘Show of the Summer’ that will be decided upon entirely by fans.

Latin superstar Shakira is set to receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, with hip-hop icon Diddy receiving the Global Icon Award.

Spooky: Another fashion fail of the night was Doja Cat, who left almost nothing to the imagination in a flesh-flashing spiderweb dress

Baring it all: Taking things up a notch, the Grammy Award-winner, 27, decided to go braless beneath the tattered see-through garment

See-through: She battled it out with Tinashe, who also threw all caution to the wind as she stepped onto the red carpet in a sparkling black netted dress

Daring: Instead of opting for pasties or a thong, the 30-year-old used shiny black body tape to x-out her nipples and ran a strip of the tape over her private area

Ill-fitting: Teen Wolf star Colton Haynes, 35, also failed to wow, wearing an oddly-fitting white tuxedo/dress over a cream turtleneck sweater

Suit or dress: Colton twirled in his unique outfit as he posed on the pink carpet 

This year, the entire list of Artist of the Year contenders is comprised solely of female artists for the first time ever with megastar Taylor Swift leading the pack with the most nominations.

Taylor already holds the record for most wins ever with three for Bad Blood (2015), You Need To Calm Down (2019), and All Too Well: The Short Film (2022) so she would extend the record to four. 

A staggering 35 artists are nominated for the first time this year, with Kim Petras making the shortlist for five prizes.

The nods all come from her Sam Smith collaboration Unholy, in the Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Direction, Best Visual Effects and Best Choreography categories.

In addition, newcomers Metro Boomin and Rema are up for three awards each, while Ayra Starr, GloRilla, Ice Spice, Peso Pluma, Renee Rapp and Yung Miami are all in the running for two accolades.

As well as Kim, established stars Doja Cat, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Olivia Rodrigo and Sam Smith are all up for five prizes, while BLACKPINK, Shakira and Diddy have the chance to take up to four trophies home with them.

MTV Video Music Awards 2023: WINNERS

 Video of the Year

Doja Cat – ‘Attention’ 

Miley Cyrus – ‘Flowers’ 

Nicki Minaj – ‘Super Freaky Girl’

Olivia Rodrigo – ‘vampire’ 

Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’

SZA – ‘Kill Bill’ 

Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ (WINNER)

Taylor Swift won Video Of The Year for her song Anti-Hero, which she directed

 

Artist of the Year:

Beyoncé

Doja Cat

KAROL G 

Nicki Minaj

Shakira

Taylor Swift (WINNER)

 

Song of the Year:

Miley Cyrus – ‘Flowers’

Olivia Rodrigo – ‘vampire’ 

Rema + Selena Gomez – ‘Calm Down’ 

Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’

Steve Lacy – ‘Bad Habit’

SZA – ‘Kill Bill’

Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ (WINNER)

 

Best New Artist:

GloRilla

Ice Spice (WINNER)

Kaliii

Peso Pluma

PinkPantheress 

Reneé Rapp

 

Push Performance of the Year:

August 2022: Saucy Santana – ‘Booty’

September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – ‘Until I Found You’ 

October 2022: JVKE – ‘golden hour’

November 2022: Flo Milli – ‘Conceited’

December 2022: Reneé Rapp – ‘Colorado’

January 2023: Sam Ryder – ‘All The Way Over’

February 2023: Armani White – ‘GOATED’

March 2023: FLETCHER – ‘Becky’s So Hot’

April 2023: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – ‘Sugar Rush Ride’ (WINNER)

May 2023: Ice Spice – ‘Princess Diana’

June 2023: FLO – ‘Losing You’ 

July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – ‘That Part’

 

Best Collaboration:

David Guetta + Bebe Rexha – ‘I’m Good (Blue)’ 

Post Malone, Doja Cat – ‘I Like You (A Happier Song)’ 

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – ‘Gotta Move On’ 

KAROL G, Shakira – ‘TQG’ (WINNER)

Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – ‘Creepin’ (Remix)’

Rema + Selena Gomez – ‘Calm Down’ 

Shakira and Karol G took home ‘Best Collaboration’ for their hit ‘TQG’

 

Best Pop:

Demi Lovato – ‘Swine’

Dua Lipa – ‘Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)’ 

Ed Sheeran – ‘Eyes Closed’

Miley Cyrus – ‘Flowers’ 

Olivia Rodrigo – ‘vampire’ 

P!NK – ‘TRUSTFALL’ 

Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ (WINNER)

 

Best Hip-Hop:

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – ‘Gotta Move On’

DJ Khaled ft. Drake + Lil Baby – ‘STAYING ALIVE’ 

GloRilla + Cardi B – ‘Tomorrow 2’

Lil Uzi Vert – ‘Just Wanna Rock’ 

Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz + DMX – ‘Kant Nobody’

Metro Boomin ft Future – ‘Superhero (Heroes and Villains)’ 

Nicki Minaj – ‘Super Freaky Girl’ (WINNER)

Nicki Minaj won the ‘Best Hip-Hip’ gong for her ‘Super Freaky Girl’ music video

 

Best R+B:

Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – ‘Stay’ 

Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – ‘How Does It Feel’

Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – ‘Creepin’ (Remix)’

SZA – ‘Shirt’

Toosii – ‘Favorite Song’

Yung Bleu + Nicki Minaj – ‘Love In The Way’

 

Best Alternative:

blink-182 – ‘EDGING’ 

boygenius – ‘the film’ 

Fall Out Boy – ‘Hold Me Like A Grudge’

Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – ‘Candy Necklace’ (WINNER)

Paramore – ‘This Is Why’

Thirty Seconds To Mars – ‘Stuck’ 

 

Best Rock:

Foo Fighters – ‘The Teacher’

Linkin Park – ‘Lost (Original Version)’

Red Hot Chili Peppers – ‘Tippa My Tongue’

Måneskin – ‘THE LONELIEST’ (WINNER)

Metallica – ‘Lux Æterna’

Muse – ‘You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween’

 

Best Latin:

Anitta – ‘Funk Rave’ (WINNER)

Bad Bunny – ‘WHERE SHE GOES’

Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – ‘Ella Baila Sola’ 

KAROL G, Shakira – ‘TQG’ 

ROSALÍA – ‘DESPECHÁ’ 

Shakira – ‘Acróstico’

Anitta took home the Best Latin award for ‘Funk Rave’

 

Group of the Year:

Blackpink – (WINNER)

Fifty Fifty

FLO

Jonas Brothers

Måneskin

NewJeans

Seventeen

Tomorrow x Together

 

Album of the Year:

Beyoncé – Renaissance

Drake and 21 Savage – Her Loss

Metro Boomin – Heroes & Villains

Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation

SZA – SOS

Taylor Swift – Midnights (WINNER)

 

Video Vanguard Award: Shakira (WINNER)

Shakira was this year’s Video Vanguard Award recipient

Best K-Pop:

aespa – ‘Girls’ 

BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom’ 

FIFTY FIFTY – ‘Cupid’

SEVENTEEN – ‘Super’ 

Stray Kids – ‘S-Class’ (WINNER)

TOMORROW X TOGETHER – ‘Sugar Rush Ride’ 

 

Best Afrobeats:

Ayra Starr – ‘Rush’

Burna Boy – ‘It’s Plenty’ 

Davido ft. Musa Keys – ‘UNAVAILABLE’

Fireboy DML + Asake – ‘Bandana’ 

Libianca – ‘People’

Rema + Selena Gomez – ‘Calm Down’ (WINNER) 

Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– ‘2 Sugar’ 

Rema and Selena Gomez won Best Afrobeats video for their collaborative track ‘Calm Down’

 

Video for Good:

Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral)

Bad Bunny – ‘El Apagón – Aquí Vive Gente’

Demi Lovato – ‘Swine’ 

Dove Cameron – ‘Breakfast’ (WINNER)

Imagine Dragons – ‘Crushed’

Maluma – ‘La Reina’ 

 

Best Direction:

Doja Cat – ‘Attention’ – – Directed by Tanu Muiño

Drake – ‘Falling Back’ – Director X (Julien Christian Lutz)

Kendrick Lamar – ‘Count Me Out’ – Directed by Dave Free + Kendrick Lamar 

Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Her’ – Directed by Colin Tilley

Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’ – Directed by Floria Sigismondi

SZA – ‘Kill Bill’  – Directed by Christian Breslauer

Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ – Directed by Taylor Swift (WINNER)

Taylor Swift won Best Direction for her song ‘Anti-Hero’

 

Best Cinematography:

Adele – ‘I Drink Wine’  – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra

Ed Sheeran – ‘Eyes Closed’ – Cinematography by Natasha Baier

Janelle Monae – ‘Lipstick Lover’  – Cinematography by Allison Anderson

Kendrick Lamar – ‘Count Me Out’ – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra

Miley Cyrus – ‘Flowers’ – Cinematography by Marcell Rev

Olivia Rodrigo – ‘vampire’ – Cinematography by Russ Fraser

Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’  – Cinematography by Rina Yang (WINNER)

 

Best Visual Effects:

Fall Out Boy – ‘Love From The Other Side’ – Visual Effects by Thomas Bailey and Josh Shaffner

Harry Styles – ‘Music For A Sushi Restaurant’  – Visual Effects by Chelsea Delfino and Black Kite Studios

Melanie Martinez – ‘VOID’  – Visual Effects by Carbon

Nicki Minaj – ‘Super Freaky Girl’ – Visual Effects by Max Colt and Sergio Mashevskyi

Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’ – Visual Effects by Max Colt / FRENDER

Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ – Visual Effects by Parliament (WINNER)

 

Best Choreography:

BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom’  – Choreography by Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung (YGX), Taryn Cheng (YGX) (WINNER)

Dua Lipa – ‘Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)’ – Choreography by Charm LaDonna

Jonas Brothers – ‘Waffle House’ – Choreography by Jerry Reece

Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Her’ –- Choreography by Sean Bankhead

Panic! At The Disco – ‘Middle Of A Breakup’ – Choreography by Monika Felice Smith

Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’ – Choreography by (LA)HORDE – Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, Arthur Harel

 

Best Art Direction:

boygenius – ‘the film’ – Art Direction by Jen Dunlap

BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom – Art Direction by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)

Doja Cat – ‘Attention’ – Art Direction by Spencer Graves (WINNER)

Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – ‘Candy Necklace’ – Art Direction by Brandon Mendez

Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Her’  – Art Direction by Niko Philipides

SZA – ‘Shirt’ – Art Direction by Kate Bunch

 

Best Editing:

BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom’ – Editing by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)

Kendrick Lamar – ‘Rich Spirit’ – Edited by Grason Caldwell

Miley Cyrus – ‘River’ – Edited by Brandan Walter

Olivia Rodrigo – ‘vampire’ – Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel (WINNER)

SZA – ‘Kill Bill’ – Edited by Luis Caraza Peimbert

Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ – Edited by Chancler Haynes

The music video for Olivia Rodrigo’s hit ‘Vampire’ took home the Best Editing award

 

Song of the Summer:

Beyoncé – ‘Cuff It’

Billie Eilish – ‘What Was I Made For?’ (From The Motion Picture Barbie)

Doja Cat – ‘Paint the Town Red’

Doechii featuring Kodak Black – ‘What It Is (Block Boy)’

Dua Lipa – ‘Dance the Night’ (From the Barbie Album)

Fifty Fifty – ‘Cupid’

Gunna – ‘Fukumean’

Jung Kook featuring Latto – ‘Seven’ (WINNER)

Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice – ‘Barbie World’ (with Aqua) [From Barbie The Album]

Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Vampire’

SZA – ‘Kill Bill’

Taylor Swift featuring Ice Spice – ‘Karma’

Tomorrow X Together and Jonas Brothers – ‘Do It Like That’

Luke Combs – ‘Fast Car’

Troye Sivan – ‘Rush’

Yng Lvcas & Peso Pluma – ‘La Bebe’ (Remix)

Show of the Summer:

Beyoncé

Blackpink

Drake

Ed Sheeran

Karol G

Taylor Swift (WINNER)

 

Global Icon Award: Diddy (WINNER) 

Diddy received the Global Icon Award

The pain in Spain falls badly for his plane: Passenger who held up flight by being late falls from boarding gangway onto the runway in bizarre bid to board jet

• Man filmed pleading with airport workers after getting to end of the gangway 
• He plunged several feet to tarmac as astonished plane passengers looked on
• It was unclear if he was allowed to board the flight after his desperate plunge

By Natalia Penza

Published: 06:30 EDT, 16 June 2023 | Updated: 09:52 EDT, 16 June 2023

This is the moment a passenger who arrived late for his flight falls to the ground after losing his balance as he tries to jump onto the runway and reach his plane.

The man, who had already pained other passengers by arriving late and causing a delay, was filmed pleading with airport workers after getting to the end of the boarding gangway at Malaga Airport.

He was overheard demanding in Spanish, with a foreign accent, ‘Bring me a ladder’ before adding: ‘No ladder, then I’m coming down.’

The man proceeded to try to ease himself off the end of the walkway before losing his balance and plunging 12 feet to the hard tarmac below as astonished passengers on the plane looked on.

He landed on his back, with his small rucksack cushioning his fall slightly, and at first appeared to be seriously injured as more airport workers rushed to his aid before sitting and then standing up.

The man who already held up the flight after being late was filmed pleading with airport workers after getting to the end of the boarding gangway and discovering the plane was getting ready for take-off with a drop to the ground below

He was overheard demanding in Spanish, with a foreign accent, ‘Bring me a ladder’ before adding: ‘No ladder, then I’m coming down.’ The unnamed man proceeded to try to ease himself off the end of the jet walk before losing his balance and plunging several feet to the hard tarmac below as astonished passengers on the plane a few feet away looked on

One of the people on board the plane watching the drama unfold was overheard asking a flight attendant ‘Can you call the police’ but was told that was already being done.

Amazingly the disgruntled man who fell to the ground was seen walking towards the plane after taking a few moments to rest and recover and seemed to achieve his objective of boarding with his dangerous display.

A spokesman for Spanish airport operator Aena confirmed the incident had occurred in the last few days and said the Civil Guard had dealt with it.

Police could not be immediately reached this morning for comment and it was not clear if he had been allowed to board and make the flight he was so desperate to take.

In August 2016 a Bolivian national was filmed running onto the tarmac at Madrid’s main international airport to catch a Ryanair flight.

He jumped off the jet bridge with two bags in his hands and sprinting across the edge of the runway to board the plane, managing to fly to his destination of Gran Canaria where he was intercepted by police and identified so he could be reported for an airport security infraction.

The unnamed man is thought to have been hit with a huge fine and the person at the centre of the latest drama is also expected to face a stiff financial penalty for his actions.

In January 2018 a Polish man was taken off a Ryanair plane that had just landed at Malaga Airport from Stansted after leaving the aircraft via an emergency exit and climbing onto the wing.

He landed on his back, with his small rucksack cushioning his fall slightly, and at first appeared to be seriously injured as more airport workers rushed to his aid before sitting and then standing up. One of the people on board the plane watching the drama unfold was overheard asking a flight attendant ‘Can you call the police’ but was told that was already being done.

Polish expat Romuald Gracyzk was later warned he could face a fine of up to POUNDS 40,000 for breaching airport security, although reports at the time said it was unlikely authorities would ever get any money out of him because he was living in a charity flat and busking for tourists outside Malaga Cathedral to make a bit of pocket money.

He apologised for his action after his stunt, blaming his drastic actions on an attack of claustrophobia after a delay leaving London Stansted Airport and another unexplained wait when the plane reached Malaga, but admitting: ‘I’m ashamed, it was a mistake.’

Revealing he had travelled to London with an invite from one of his three nieces who lived in Britain, he added: ‘He said: ‘I hadn’t arranged to meet anyone and I wasn’t late for anything.

‘I don’t know what came over me. I felt a little bit of claustrophobia. I became nervous, I didn’t understand why we were in Malaga and couldn’t leave the plane, so I saw a door that said ‘Exit’ and left.

‘People began to applaud me and encourage me by doing the thumbs-up.

‘I wasn’t going to jump. When I reached the edge of the wing I saw it was too high so I went back inside the plane.’

Where’s the ball?! Texas fielders totally lose Stanford’s hit in the sky as costly error leads to bizarre walk-off win to send rivals to the College World Series

• Texas fielders couldn’t track Drew Bowser’s pop fly and Stanford walked it off 
• Stanford is set to play Wake Forest, the top seed in the tournament 
• DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news 

By Associated Press and Jake Fenner For Dailymail.Com

Published: 08:47 EDT, 13 June 2023 | Updated: 08:47 EDT, 13 June 2023

Drew Bowser hit a routine fly that Texas outfielders couldn’t find in the twilight sky, allowing Alberto Rios to score the game-winning run from second, and Stanford edged the Longhorns 7-6 on Monday night to advance to its third straight College World Series.

Rios was nearly thrown out at second for the third out of the ninth after his long fly to left hit off the wall. 

Texas almost got out of the inning again when Bowser hit a high fly, but it dropped about 15 feet from outfielder Dylan Campbell.

Stanford (44-18) will play top-seeded Wake Forest on Saturday in the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

Bowser made it 2-0 in the second with his third home run in three games.

Drew Bowser (R) celebrates his walk-off hit to send Stanford to the College World Series

Bowser’s pop fly got lost in the sky by fielder Dylan Campbell – who couldn’t make the play

It spoiled Texas’ chances for making their third consecutive appearance in the CWS

Stanford scored three runs with two outs in the fourth for a 6-3 lead. Carter Graham followed an intentional walk with an RBI single to break a tie and Braden Montgomery added a two-run single for a three-run lead.

Texas (42-22) was also seeking its third consecutive appearance in the College World Series.

Campbell tied it at 6-all in the eighth with a single and then turned a double play on a long throw from right field to retire Saborn Campbell at third.

The other matchups in the College World Series – beginning this Friday – are as follows: Oral Roberts v. TCU; No. 7 Virginia v. No. 2 Florida; Tennessee v. No. 5 LSU.

A Las Vegas woman has revealed that her 75-year-old father’s death had a surprising result — it made her horny.

Shanna Christmas, 41, said she goes for months without sex, feels good about it, and often struggles to get aroused. In her last relationship, she described time under the sheets as ‘stagnant’ at best.

So it came as something of a surprise that when Christmas’s dementia-ridden father died, she experienced a Renaissance in her sexual appetite — telling strangers she had new ‘panties’, asking male colleagues for hugs and spending hours locked in public bathrooms taking photos of her backside.

‘I was horny. Turned on. Thirsty, as the kids would say,’ she admitted. ‘[But] I couldn’t understand it. This was not an appropriate response to someone I loved dying.’

Experts say the death of a loved one may ignite sexual desire in what is known as the ‘liberation effect’, or a sudden feeling of adventure or opportunity following a loss.

Shanna Christmas, 41, from Las Vegas, said that after her dementia-ridden father Charles died she had a sudden explosion of sexual desire

To combat the urges, she said she would tell strangers she was wearing new ‘panties’, hug male colleagues and spend hours in the bathroom taking pictures of her backside

The death of Ms Christmas’ father, Charles, did not come as a complete surprise.

He had been suffering from a form of rapid dementia, a rare type of the disease that rapidly escalates over several weeks to months to rob sufferers of their memory, robbing sufferers of their memory and judgment skills.

By the end, he was described as having forgotten how to eat and rarely opening his eyes.

When Ms Christmas, a comedian, received the news that he was nearing the end, she was touring in Los Angeles.

‘I had no family around. My college roommate, who I was staying with at the time, was at work, so I couldn’t even hug another human when I got the call,’ she wrote in the Insider.

‘And I had been single for 10 months, which meant there was no man of my own around, either,’ she said.

Despite receiving the news, she decided to stay in Los Angeles and continued with her shows.

But this was when, while she was dealing with the grief and loss, her sex drive suddenly ramped up.

During one of her shows just two days after his death, she revved up the crowd by yelling: ‘I’ve got new panties! And my dad’s dead!’

At other shows, Christmas would go up to male colleagues to tell them the bad news and then ask for a hug.

She even admitted to spending almost every evening locked in a cubicle in public bathrooms taking pictures of her backside while wearing new panties that ‘exposed a large portion of my undercarriage’.

‘My level of thirst could only be explained by this new feeling of emptiness, I just wanted to connect with someone,’ she said.

‘Well, with a man. A big, strong man.’

‘My ex was 6ft5in and was the best at holding me and making me feel small. It’s what I desperately wanted.’

There has been little research into why people may feel horny after the death of a loved one — although some experts say this is not uncommon. It has even been featured on popular TV shows like ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.

Psychologists have said the phenomenon may be a ‘liberation effect’, or a sense of relief after an expected death.

‘There’s an excitement about the unknown,’ said Dr Patti Britton, a clinical sexologist based in California.

‘I think that excitement is part of what “wakes someone up”.’

Her father, Charles, pictured, had suffered a form of rapid dementia that gradually robs people of their memory and ability to live independently

Other theories suggest that the sudden burst in sexual desire could be due to a will to avoid grief and cover the void opened by the loss.

Dr Britton added: ‘The grief trajectory is about a loss of closeness — a loss of intimacy. That’s why our libido kicks in: To fill that void.’

Dr Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist at the Kinsey Institute Indiana, added to VICE: ‘The body becomes quite broken [after a death] and having sex — decent sex — drives the dopamine system.

‘Any stimulation of the genitals drives the dopamine system in the brain, which gives feelings of optimism, energy, focus and motivation.’

In her case, Ms Christmas said that within a few weeks, the impulses to have sex began to subside. She didn’t have sex during her Renaissance period.

She then transitioned to a point where ‘no one’ was attractive and said she could not even get aroused enough to pleasure herself.

‘It’s as if I’ve been slingshotted back into who I was before,’ she said. ‘Alone again. Trying to sort out the feelings of emptiness and isolation.’ 

Republicans took part in a bizarre fundraising auction on Tuesday as bickering lawmakers remain unable to strike a debt deal to avert a catastrophic U.S. default.

An unprecedented failure by the government to pay its debt would send interest rates spiraling, weakening the dollar. 

It would also force a nationwide shutdown of Federal authorities. 

Congress and the White House are battling to find an agreement on the $31-trillion debt spending cap, which limits how much the U.S. can borrow. 

Yet GOP lawmakers appeared unperturbed as they took part in the 15-minute fundraiser at their weekly behind-closed-doors meeting.

Greene bid $100,000 for a chapstick once used by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy

Ukraine-bashing Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene splashed out an eye-watering $100,000 on a chapstick used by California Republican Kevin McCarthy.

The 48-year-old, who parrots pro-Russian talking points about Vladimir Putin’s invasion, placed the winning bid after McCarthy offered to dine with the winner and any supporters of their choice. 

The pair have struck up an extremely close friendship since the Georgia lawmaker backed McCarthy’s bid for the position of House Speaker.

 ‘I’m honored to be able to donate $100,000 to the [National Republican Congressional Committee] to help Republicans increase our majority in 2024 and defeat the Democrats. My constituents will be honored to host a visit with Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who we all think is doing a great job,’ Greene said in a statement. 

A debt default could see social security payments delayed, investments drop and mortgage rates soar

Other members who bid included Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) and Jason Smith (R-Mo.).

Democrats hit out at the fundraising stunt after the U.S. Treasury said a deal must be agreed before June 1 to avoid default, a date disputed by some Republicans.

‘They [are] doing this insane chapstick shit while the country teeters on default. Wild,’ tweeted hard-Left firebrand Ilhan Omar, a Democratic Congresswoman representing Minnesota.

It came as negotiators for President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy traded more budget-cutting ideas at the Capitol Tuesday.

But Republicans warned of a ‘lack of urgency’ at the White House to resolve the standoff in time to avert a potentially chaotic federal default.

‘We’re not there yet,’ McCarthy said at the Capitol, reiterating he won’t bring any bill forward ‘that doesn’t spend less than we spent this year.’

He told reporters the teams are eyeing ‘creative’ ways of rolling back spending that all sides can accept.

‘I believe we can still get there — and get there before June 1,’ McCarthy, R-Calif., said at midday.

Dragging into a third week, the negotiations over raising the nation’s debt limit, now at $31 trillion, were never supposed to arrive at this point — a crisis in the making.

From the White House, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it was ‘ridiculous’ to suggest Biden wasn’t acting with urgency. ‘He wants to see this done as soon as possible,’ she said.

The White House insisted early on it was unwilling to barter over the need to pay the nation’s bills, demanding that Congress simply lift the ceiling as it has done many times before with no strings attached.

But the newly elected speaker urged the president at an Oval Office meeting in February to come to the negotiating table on a budget package that would reduce spending to reduce ballooning deficits in the post-COVID era in exchange for the vote to allow future debt.

Both men said after a crucial meeting late Monday at the White House — after the president returned from the Group of Seven summit in Japan — that talks were productive.

But with time short to strike a deal, they are laboring to come up with a compromise that could be approved quickly by the Republican House and the Democratic Senate and be signed into law.

Negotiations are focused on finding agreement over a 2024 budget year limit.

Republicans have set aside their demand to rollback spending to 2022 levels, but say that next year’s government spending must be less than it is now. 

The White House instead is offering to freeze spending at current 2023 numbers.

‘We are holding firm to the speaker’s red line,’ said a top Republican negotiator, Representative Garret Graves of Louisiana.

‘Which is that we will not do a deal unless it spends less money than we’re spending this year,’ he added.

The White House continues to argue that deficits can be reduced by ending tax breaks for wealthier households and some corporations.

But McCarthy said he told the president at their February meeting that raising revenue from tax hikes is off the table.

The negotiators are now also debating the duration of a 1% cap on annual spending growth going forward, with Republicans dropping their demand for a 10-year cap to six years, but the White House offering only one year, for 2025.

Typically, the debt ceiling has been lifted for the duration of a budget deal, and in this negotiation the White House is angling for a two-year agreement that would push past the presidential elections.

Another main Republican negotiator, Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, who joined the speaker at the Oval Office Monday evening, said, ‘What I sense from the White House is a lack of urgency.’

But on the Senate side, Republican leader Mitch McConnell said, ‘Look, I think everybody needs to relax.’

Traveling in his home state of Kentucky, McConnell said of the back and forth, ‘This is not that unusual.’

However, time is growing short. The House speaker promised lawmakers he will abide by the rule to post any bill for 72 hours before voting, making any action doubtful until the weekend — just days before the potential deadline. The Senate would also have to pass the package before it could go to Biden’s desk to be signed.

McCarthy faces a hard-right flank in his own party that is likely to reject any deal, and that has led some Democrats to encourage Biden to resist any compromise with the Republicans and simply invoke the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling on his own, an unprecedented and legally fraught action the president has resisted for now.

On Tuesday, the leader of the conservative House Freedom Caucus Rep. Scott Perry said: ‘We all want to stick together. But again, it’s sticking together around the right thing.’

He and others are skeptical of the June 1 deadline that Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said is when ‘it is highly likely’ the government will be unable to pay all the nation’s bills.

Treasury said Tuesday it is keeping in close contact with federal agencies on their planned spending as it monitors cashflows.

As the negotiators focus on the $100 billion-plus difference between the 2022 and 2023 spending plans as a place to cut, other priorities Republicans are pushing as part of the deal remain on the table.

Republicans also want to beef up work requirements for government aid to recipients in the Medicaid health care program, though the Biden administration has countered that millions of people could lose coverage.

The GOP additionally wants new cuts to food aid by restricting states’ ability to waive work requirements in places with high joblessness. But Democrats have said any changes to work requirements are nonstarters.

GOP lawmakers are also seeking cuts in IRS funding and, by sparing defense and veterans accounts from reductions, would shift the bulk of spending reductions to other federal programs.

The White House has countered by keeping defense and nondefense spending flat next year, which would save $90 billion in the 2024 budget year and $1 trillion over 10 years.

All sides have been eyeing the potential for the package to include a framework to ease federal regulations and speed energy project developments. 

They are all but certain to claw back some $30 billion in unspent COVID-19 funds now that the pandemic emergency has officially lifted.

FOOD

ROMAINE WASN’T BUILT IN A DAY 

by Judith Tschann (Headline £18.99, 240pp)

Stand by for a tsunami of lettuce-based puns as American academic Judith Tschann explores the often bizarre etymology of various foods.

Actually, her book, subtitled ‘The Delightful History Of Food Language’, contains no other lettuce-based puns at all, which was a great disappointment: the only one, indeed, of this splendid book. Did you know, for instance, that the word ‘avocado’ comes from ahuacatl in the Nahuatl language, spoken in southern Mexico and central America? And as well as referring to the fruit, ahuacatl can mean ‘testicle’, and no one is quite sure which meaning came first. Was an avocado named after a testicle or a testicle after an avocado?

The actual fruit they ate was not named in Genesis, but some Jewish commentators on the Torah think it was the fig

Moving on swiftly, we establish that ‘apple’ also has two distinct meanings. One is the ’round fruit with crisp flesh’ we are all familiar with, and the other is the fruit eaten by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

The actual fruit they ate was not named in Genesis, but some Jewish commentators on the Torah think it was the fig, and Michelangelo made it fig-like on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

In the 13th century a translator of the Spanish-Jewish philosopher Maimonides said it was a banana, and early Christian theologians writing in Latin opted for an apple.

This actually gave them an opportunity for a Latin pun: the Latin word for apple is malum, with a long ‘a’, while malum with a short ‘a’ means ‘evil’. Think on that as you nibble your organic Pink Lady.

The word banana, meanwhile, came into English via Portuguese or Spanish from Wolof, an Atlantic-Congo language, or possibly Mande, a branch of the Niger-Congo family of languages. The fruit’s botanical name is Musa sapientum, meaning ‘fruit of the old wise men’, and as I still eat them in terrifying quantities, I shall take that as a compliment. To ‘go bananas’ is, obviously, to go mad, whereas ‘top banana’, alluding to someone important, originally meant ‘the top comedian in a vaudeville show’.

‘Probably because of a skit involving a banana’, says Tschann, stretching the gag a little.

Orange, of course, is one of the few words in the language that has no precise rhyme. (Silver is another.) It also comes to us, via Arabic and French, from the Persian word narang, and somewhere along the line it lost that initial ‘n’. Tschann asks, ‘Did the colour orange exist for English speakers before the fruit came into their lives?’ Whether it did or not, she notes that the word ‘orange’ describing the colour only appeared about 100 years after English speakers had been eating and talking about the fruit.

And why is a certain rude noise called a ‘raspberry’? Apparently this is our old friend Cockney rhyming slang, which decided that ‘raspberry tart’ was a much more polite way of saying ‘fart’.

And this is just the section on fruit!

French fries come not from France, but from Belgium. They’re called French because another meaning of that word is ‘sliced lengthwise in strips’. Ketchup comes fom a Chinese word for ‘briny fish sauce’.

The word banana, meanwhile, came into English via Portuguese or Spanish from Wolof. Stock image used

At one point, Tschann gives a useful list of meanings for various pasta shapes. I knew that farfalle meant either ‘butterflies’ or ‘bow-ties’, but if you ever eat strozzapreti, that word means ‘priest-stranglers’.

Vermicelli are ‘little worms’ (yuk), but did you know that ziti, a type of macaroni, are ‘newlyweds’? It comes from maccheroni della zita, literally ‘macaroni of the bride’.

At some point the word mutated to ziti, a masculine plural word, so presumably the groom was allowed to eat them, too.

A Bloody Mary — vodka and seasoned tomato juice — is named after Mary I of England, nicknamed Bloody Mary for her tendency to have dissenters to her Catholic doctrine executed. But the earliest recorded date of Bloody Mary as a name for a cocktail wasn’t until 1939, when the New York Herald Tribune called it a ‘new pick-me-up’.

No one knows who the original Harvey Wallbanger was — or even whether he existed at all — but a more recent cocktail, the Terremoto, from the Spanish word for earthquake, was named after the 1985 Chilean earthquake.

It’s made with white wine, pineapple ice cream and grenadine. If you order a second one of these cocktails — something I personally find almost impossible to imagine — it’s called an aftershock.

Did you know that the correct name for a brandy glass was a ‘snifter’? No, neither did I.

This fine and amusingly written book is full of these wonderful gobbets of information, all strung together with Tschann’s nimble and droll prose.

Anyone who eats food and/or likes words will gain hours of innocent pleasure from this veritable feast of fun.

Bizarre moment senior politician walks into Parliament dressed like Tina Turner with an 80s-style wig

• Sussan Ley arrived in Parliament wearing an 80s style mullet wig
• She performed the ‘dare’ to raise money for cancer charity 

By Brittany Chain, Political Correspondent and Nic White In Canberra For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 22:14 EDT, 6 March 2023 | Updated: 01:29 EDT, 7 March 2023

Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley has arrived in Parliament wearing an 80s style wig and dressed as her ‘alter ego’ Tina Ley-na Turner to raise money for charity.

Ms Ley appeared in the House of Representatives on Tuesday in front of a tentative crowd in a black camisole, pearls and the frizzy blonde mullet wig.

Speaker Milton Dick introduced Ms Ley ‘with some nervousness’ and she confirmed her costume was a ‘dare’ from her community, ‘for a very worthwhile cause’.

‘I am here today as my alter ego, Tina (Ley-na) Turner,’ she said.

‘At a cancer support fundraiser in Griffith last Friday, my song partner challenged the 700 strong crowd to reach a $100,000 target – but only if I took Tina to Parliament House.’

She described cancer as a ‘tougher curse in the country with the tyranny of distance’ and revealed the total sum of $100,000 was later doubled after accepting the conditions of the dare.

‘I want to thank the generosity of the community in Griffith. In the Riverina, we just get things done.

‘Two years ago, I announced around five million dollars from the Coalition Government for a new Cancer Centre in Griffith.

‘Now that money gets you the bricks and mortar but there is always more needed for patient care, medical costs and equipment.’

Last week, Ms Ley performed at an event to raise money for the care centre, which is due to open in May. 

Video footage of the performance shows Ms Ley dancing and singing alongside radio DJ Starry for Triple M Riverina. 

Ms Ley appeared in the House of Representatives on Tuesday in front of a ‘tentative’ crowd in a black camisole, pearls and the frizzy blonde wig as part of a ‘dare’ from her community

Sussan Ley described the costume as her ‘alter ego’

Earlier on Tuesday, Ms Ley appeared on 2GB Radio to slam Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over his super announcement.

‘This is a dishonest prime minister. He’s deceived the Australian people,’ she said.

‘Now he’s breaking promises, in fact he is breaking promises he made hundreds of times before the last election, and he’s ramming policies through the parliament that he didn’t even mention once.

‘This is a perfect example… if you’re 37 years old, and you’re looking at investing more in your super, in 30 years’ time you’ve basically been told that what is described as $3m dollars today has shrunk to about $1m. Now, we have enough trouble convincing young people to invest in super and now they see this changing of the goalposts.’

She described cancer as a ‘tougher curse in the country with the tyranny of distance’ and revealed the total sum of $100,000 was later doubled after accepting the conditions of the dare