Latest news with #Isobel
Irish Independent
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
The Labubu craze: What are the little monsters, why are they causing fights and should I have one hanging from my handbag?
For those of you not familiar, Sonny Angels originate from Japan. They have cute rosy cheeks, some form of hat and are usually trouser-less. Very odd when written out, but to look at they're adorable. Part of the appeal of these 'blind box' collectibles is that you can't see into the box that they come in, so you don't know which specific one you're going to get from the general theme you've chosen. I complimented Isobel's bag charm, and then joked about how many she had: her house is covered in them. They're not only keychains, people also stick them on shelves, laptops – any surface really. She informed me she had got an ultra-rare one which she bought for €15.90, but can be sold for around €150 online. Apparently bag charms are big business! If naked baby charms aren't your, ahem, bag, there's many more options. Jellycat stuffed animals – meant for kids but beloved by adults – have also hopped on the bag charm bandwagon, offering a wide range priced from €23-€30. Maybe you need a grumpy cloud to adorn your Birkin? Or you could keep it classic with a fluffy bunny. Or perhaps a monkey that sucks his thumb? In that case, look no further than a Monchhichi, the cute primate doll that first launched in 1974 whose latest incarnation is in keychains that start at around €20. Monchhichi hails from Japan, which is also the home to Sanrio, the company that created characters like Hello Kitty (also born in 1974) and Cinnamoroll, which are both popular for bag charms. However, today's most in-demand charms come from China. Labubus were created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung in 2015 but only recently sprung into mainstream popularity after Rihanna and K-Pop star Lisa, from band Blackpink, paired them with their designer bags. Little monsters inspired by Nordic fairy tales, these guys look like they're up to no good! You can buy a Labubu surprise box on for €19.20 – if you're lucky enough to find them in stock. The retailer recently halted selling the toys in its UK stores due to reports of fights between customers when new stock dropped. If you can't find the real deal, there's always 'Lafufu' – the name by which fake Labubus have become known. Yes, these little guys are in such high demand they're being counterfeited. Curious, I bought one from a store on Dublin's Moore Street. Just like a counterfeit handbag, it had all the tags included: a Pop Mart logo, a Kasing logo stamped on the foot and branding sewn onto the keychain strap. One major difference was that mine came in a clear box, so it wasn't a surprise. Probably for the best: I recently saw a TikTok of two girls unboxing their 'Lafufu' in the city centre. It looked nothing like the pictures listed on the box, one eye was bigger than the other and its feet were twisted in opposite directions… ouch. I'm undecided about this trend. On one hand, these charms are a symptom of late-stage capitalism. We're collecting items that are essentially worthless once they've been opened, and we're encouraged to buy them in mass – the more hanging off your purse the better. On the other hand, I think people are just trying to have fun. In a world that feels increasingly dark, why not have a silly little monster attached to your bag? Plus, there's always a cheaper Lafufu. I can't guarantee his eyes, or even his limbs, will even be facing in the right direction… but doesn't that add to the charm?
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
CBS' FBI Stars Didn't Spoil Isobel's Fate After Life-Or-Death Finale Cliffhanger, But I Love Their Pitches For 'Jumping The Shark' Spinoffs
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Fans of CBS' Dick Wolf TV shows knew going into the finales that they would be the last-ever episodes of FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International, but who would have guessed that FBI would end on a life-or-death cliffhanger for one of the main characters? Not exactly a show known for serialized storylines or season-ending cliffhangers before the 2025 TV schedule, the Season 7 finale seemed like it was about to end with the good guys winning, the bad guys losing, and fans feeling pretty okay heading into hiatus. Instead, Isobel's life is on the line! Alana De La Garza and Jeremy Sisto didn't spoil to CinemaBlend what happens next, but they proved to be a very fun duo when paired up for interviews even after previewing a "frightening" finale. While dodging any spoilers, the two FBI stars came up with some wild spinoff pitches and fun alternate explanations for why Isobel collapsed with no pulse at the end of the Season 7 finale. When I spoke with the actors, I had to ask the obvious question: will De La Garza appear in Season 8? The Law & Order alum teased: Look, you never know. You have to watch! You have to watch Season 8 to see if I'm alive. Does she make it? How does she make it? Is there actually a call? Is she a zombie?... Zombie Apocalypse: FBI. She just comes back [like that]. Hey, if any TV universe could pull off a procedural about zombies, I'd wager that one in the FBI/One Chicago/Law & Order Dick Wolf world would have a fighting chance. Jeremy Sisto wasn't sold on the idea of Zombie Apocalypse: FBI, though, and the actors went back and forth on a potential supernatural spinoff: Jeremy Sisto: "I don't think that's a good idea. That would be jumping the shark for sure." Alana De La Garza: "We'll ask Dick [Wolf]." Jeremy Sisto: "Has Dick ever done a vampire [show]? I don't think he has. A zombie thing?" Alana De La Garza: "I don't think so. Blood and gore, but not that kind." Dick Wolf's current slate of shared universe TV shows via the Wolf Entertainment production company includes Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, and of course FBI. (CIA will join on CBS in the fall to a certain extent.) They're all different enough shows, but one thing they all have in common? No zombies or vampires. Jeremy Sisto went on to address what it would mean to lose Isobel, so soon after she made a decision with no regrets. With the Season 7 finale currently available streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, the former Clueless star said: I mean, it's huge. Obviously, just the idea of losing Isobel... All of us were like, 'What's going on?' So whatever the fans are feeling, we have also felt, although perhaps we know the results, but we don't know. We cannot say. Despite the laughs between the stars, nobody was smiling when the final credits rolled on the finale. After Maggie and Jubal noticed Isobel stumbling over her words, the ASAC suddenly collapsed to the floor without a pulse. It seems that head wound that had me worried in the promo was more serious than it seemed! In a touch that I particularly loved, Jubal kept calling her "ma'am" when something just seemed a bit off, but switched over to "Isobel!" once she collapsed. Having seen that tragic ending, I got a kick out of De La Garza and Sisto continuing to spin sillier options for what the future holds. They told me: Alana De La Garza: "We cannot divulge." Jeremy Sisto: "That's the idea of it. Either I'm extremely saddened right now because she's not coming back, and I'm hiding that from you." Alana De La Garza: "He is a good actor!" Jeremy Sisto: "Or she is coming back and you'll just have to wait and see. I'm hiding that too. That's what we're supposed to be doing here. I'm playing the middle." But what about Maggie announcing to the assembled agents that Isobel didn't have a pulse, just after they scored such a huge victory against the villains who had infiltrated the Bureau? That's the biggest cliffhanger left after the credits rolled on Season 7, and that left me very happy that FBI scored an early renewal for Season 8. Well, the stars pitched an explanation for the absent pulse: Jeremy Sisto: "She doesn't have a pulse. I checked again, still no pulse. Maybe she just doesn't have a pulse. That's the other thing. They cut out the part where I was like, 'Maggie, it's fine. She just doesn't have a pulse.'" Alana De La Garza: "'Just leave her there. It's fine.'" Will FBI pick up in the immediate aftermath of the cliffhanger in the fall, to show exactly what happened to Isobel after her collapse? Or will Season 8 pick up in real time, with months passed in-universe since Isobel ended the spring without a pulse? Season 7 started last year with the exit of a series regular following a time jump, although Katherine Renee Kane's Tiff Wallace got to walk out alive and well. What about Isobel? We can only speculate for now, but at least Paramount+ has the entire run of the series so far to offer for summer hiatus rewatching.
Scotsman
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The Polar Academy named as Carlowrie Castle's 2025 Isobel Award winner
Last Friday, the team behind Carlowrie Castle presented the seventh annual Isobel Award to local charity, The Polar Academy, in recognition of their life-changing expeditions to the Arctic for young people. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Isobel Award honours the legacy of renowned Arctic explorer, botanist and author Isobel Wylie Hutchison, who defied convention in the 1900s and lived a life of adventure, community giving, and wonder for the natural world. Carlowrie Castle was Isobel's family home and the place she would return to after each of her adventures. Inspired by Isobel's spirit of giving back to people and the planet, every year the team behind Carlowrie Castle presents The Isobel Award to an individual or group who has overcome adversity and made a positive impact on their community. The winner receives a bespoke hand-made trophy, a monetary donation, and one year of dedicated operational support by the team. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With a keynote speech by Lise Wortley, adventurer who gained fame by re-creating historical women's expeditions and the runner up on Channel 4's ultimate survival series ALONE, this year's event was a powerful celebration of determination and breaking boundaries. Craig Mathieson The Polar Academy impressed the judges with their efforts to lift young people out of 'invisibility' and empower them to become resourceful, curious, and confident individuals. Working with teens and their parents or caregivers, The Polar Academy leads an intensive year long physical and mental training programme, which culminates in an expedition in Greenland. The Polar Academy has worked with over 240 young people and their families to date. Working closely with schools all over Scotland, The Polar Academy model is built around an 18-month planning schedule for each annual intake of participants. Their programme includes cold chamber training at Napier University, tyre hauling training, and weekly check-ins with parents and teachers in preparation for a 10-day expedition in Greenland. Craig Mathieson, founder of The Polar Academy, says: 'For the past 12 years we've had the privilege of working with some incredible young people and their families from all over Scotland. We take ordinary young people, who have unfortunately experienced some sort of trauma in their life, such as bullying or bereavement and prove to them what they are truly capable of. At the Polar Academy, we don't just change lives, we help them find purpose, resilience and belief in themselves'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Andrew Marshall, owner of Carlowrie Castle and founder of Carlowrie Group says: 'From our first conversation with Craig, we knew The Polar Academy was the obvious winner of our Isobel Award this year. His story and the impact the charity has on the lives of children and their families is nothing short of incredible. We look forward to supporting them with their mission in every way we can.' Lise Wortley The Isobel Award ceremony was attended by 80 invited guests from across the charity and business sectors for an evening of inspiration, celebration, and connection. The Isobel Award and Carlowrie Castle are part of Carlowrie Group, which encourages relationships between business and charities to create a positive impact for communities.
Scotsman
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The Polar Academy named as Carlowrie Castle's 2025 Isobel Award winner
Last Friday, the team behind Carlowrie Castle presented the seventh annual Isobel Award to local charity, The Polar Academy, in recognition of their life-changing expeditions to the Arctic for young people. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Isobel Award honours the legacy of renowned Arctic explorer, botanist and author Isobel Wylie Hutchison, who defied convention in the 1900s and lived a life of adventure, community giving, and wonder for the natural world. Carlowrie Castle was Isobel's family home and the place she would return to after each of her adventures. Inspired by Isobel's spirit of giving back to people and the planet, every year the team behind Carlowrie Castle presents The Isobel Award to an individual or group who has overcome adversity and made a positive impact on their community. The winner receives a bespoke hand-made trophy, a monetary donation, and one year of dedicated operational support by the team. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With a keynote speech by Lise Wortley, adventurer who gained fame by re-creating historical women's expeditions and the runner up on Channel 4's ultimate survival series ALONE, this year's event was a powerful celebration of determination and breaking boundaries. Lise Wortley The Polar Academy impressed the judges with their efforts to lift young people out of 'invisibility' and empower them to become resourceful, curious, and confident individuals. Working with teens and their parents or caregivers, The Polar Academy leads an intensive year long physical and mental training programme, which culminates in an expedition in Greenland. The Polar Academy has worked with over 240 young people and their families to date. Working closely with schools all over Scotland, The Polar Academy model is built around an 18-month planning schedule for each annual intake of participants. Their programme includes cold chamber training at Napier University, tyre hauling training, and weekly check-ins with parents and teachers in preparation for a 10-day expedition in Greenland. Craig Mathieson, founder of The Polar Academy, says: 'For the past 12 years we've had the privilege of working with some incredible young people and their families from all over Scotland. We take ordinary young people, who have unfortunately experienced some sort of trauma in their life, such as bullying or bereavement and prove to them what they are truly capable of. At the Polar Academy, we don't just change lives, we help them find purpose, resilience and belief in themselves'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Andrew Marshall, owner of Carlowrie Castle and founder of Carlowrie Group says: 'From our first conversation with Craig, we knew The Polar Academy was the obvious winner of our Isobel Award this year. His story and the impact the charity has on the lives of children and their families is nothing short of incredible. We look forward to supporting them with their mission in every way we can.' Craig Mathieson The Isobel Award ceremony was attended by 80 invited guests from across the charity and business sectors for an evening of inspiration, celebration, and connection. The Isobel Award and Carlowrie Castle are part of Carlowrie Group, which encourages relationships between business and charities to create a positive impact for communities. Previous winners of The Isobel Award include: children's mental health charity With Kids, environmental charity founder Amy Bray, and wellbeing charity Art in Healthcare, among others.
Sky News
27-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News
The 'ludicrous' divorce settlements leaving many women 'devastated'
Abandoning her career to look after their two daughters was what Isobel's* ex-husband wanted. Six years after their divorce, she earns a quarter of his salary while caring for the children six out of seven days. Despite having two university degrees, she is "trapped" on universal credit and frustrated with a "ludicrous" divorce system that didn't account for years of unpaid work to support her ex and raise their family. "I feel hugely let down and I feel cheated by a system that feels so orchestrated towards women being on the back foot," said Isobel, 44, from Berkshire. Data suggests she is not alone. Divorce slashes women's household incomes far more than men's, new research by Legal and General has revealed. Wives can expect their income to be halved on average in the year after ending the relationship, compared with a 30% drop for husbands. A closer look at Isobel's divorce settlement - and why half didn't seem anywhere near fair Isobel was earning £19,500 working for a pharmaceutical company in 2007 when she married her ex-husband. She took voluntary redundancy while on maternity leave in 2008 and over the next nine years only briefly worked part-time. "It [the jobs] didn't last very long because he didn't manage very well with me being at work," she said. When they divorced in 2019, she had been back in work for two years. But her care assistant salary was just £17,000 - much less than her likely salary if she hadn't given up her career to be a mum. As for her husband - he was now taking home approximately £52,000. In a roughly even settlement, she was awarded the car, one buy-to-let flat with £50,000 equity, and £55,000 of £200,000 equity from the family home, plus child maintenance. He was awarded the remainder of the equity and a separate buy-to-let flat. She spent £20,000 on solicitors' fees and, given her low wages, much of the rest of her capital was used to pay off debt accumulated after separating and renting from 2018 onwards, she said. "Why on earth would it [the settlement] be a 50-50 split when my earning capability is a quarter of what he earns?" said Isobel, who is now a nurse on £25,000 a year while her ex-husband earns six figures. "I've had six years out of work, I'm the primary carer for the children, I'm never going to be able to get a job that gives me £100,000, am I? That's ludicrous. And why is that not taken into account?" Some more data Double the number of divorced women (14%) have cut their hours to manage caring responsibilities compared with men (7%), Legal and General (L&G) found. "Women still pick up the majority share of caring responsibilities, both for children as part of the family unit, but also elderly relatives," said Lorna Shah, managing director of retail retirement at the pension provider. Shah sees a lot of cases where married women prioritise the family unit over their own financial well-being and long-term earning potential. Emma Hitchings, professor of family law at the University of Bristol, agrees: "Wives, and particularly mothers, are in a precarious financial position at the point of divorce." Her wide-ranging 2023 study, Fair Shares on Divorce, found married women were more likely to be employed part-time, with 28% taking home under £1,000 a month compared with 10% of men. One key asset that's often overlooked - pensions Pensions are one of the three main assets divvied up in any divorce settlement, alongside capital and housing. Yet Hitchings said her study found there is a "lack of awareness, understanding and interest in pensions" on divorce. "Women are far more likely to surrender any rights over pensions," said Shah, adding they often prioritised the family home. Legal and General found 28% of women waived their rights to access their partner's pot, compared with 17% of men. This is despite women having smaller pensions for the same reasons their wages are lower post-divorce: the gender pay gap (which stands at 7%), longer parental leave and more career breaks for childcare. "There's a reticence for some women to call on their partners' pensions," said Shah. "I think it feels like it's not theirs, but obviously if they've had joint finances as part of a marriage, then actually they've contributed to that in other ways and therefore it should all be considered." Grace's divorce and her husband's 'hidden' pay rises Among the women waiving that right is Grace*, 48, from the Midlands, who feels "forced to take the bare minimum" in her ongoing divorce proceedings. Her husband has offered her £70,000 if she doesn't make a claim to his pension or future earnings, she said, and she feels she has to agree so she can leave their home as quickly as possible with a deposit for another house. "I'm devastated if I'm being honest with you because all I ever worked for was just to have a solid home and a family." In 2005, she gave up her £26,000 job at an energy company and the £160,000 home she owned in Greater London to move in with her husband-to-be and his children. Grace said she invested £30,000 in renovating their home in the Midlands and, while still working full-time, took on the role of "homemaker". "I would be the one looking after the house, the general running, the washing, the cleaning and all the typical wifey things." Her husband took control of all the finances - to the point she was "shocked" to find out he had not disclosed pay rises from £50,000 to £80,000. Grace earns £26,000. "I feel incredibly ripped off - manipulated. I feel hopeless," she said, adding the house she once owned in Greater London is now worth approximately £400,000. "The worst thing is that I feel it's really hard to wrap my head around everything after having let go for so many years to let him control everything - and then trying to make the right decisions when you're emotionally distraught all the time." Knowledge is power Lack of understanding is common in divorce proceedings, Professor Hitchings' study found. Again, the division of pensions provides a perfect illustration. That's because pension sharing requires a court order, and there is less understanding of the process since legal aid for private family proceedings in England and Wales was cut in 2015, she said. In 2023, only 11% of divorcees with a pension yet to be drawn had made an arrangement for pension sharing. Some 37% did not know the value of their own (let alone their ex-spouse's) pension. Around 10% of homeowners with a mortgage did not know what the equity in their home was at the point of divorce. Karen Stainton, 55, found her background in finance invaluable during a protracted and painful divorce 10 years ago. She offered to pay her ex-husband a £135,000 lump sum out of the proceeds of the house, in return for him waiving access to her pension. "And why should he, after he'd not given me any child benefit or helped me look after the kids after the split," she said. She took on three jobs and worked seven days a week to earn the £45,000 she needed to look after their children, Joe, John and Peter, aged 18, 15 and eight, at the time of the divorce. "I was completely running on adrenaline. It wasn't good," she said. But a decade later, her pension is valued at £450,000 - far more than the lump sum. Law 'definitely needs reform' Professor Hitchings added that there are areas of the law that "definitely need reform". It gives couples too much discretion at the expense of having a full account of all of their assets and their future prospects, particularly pensions. In December, the Law Commission published a scoping report on whether the existing law - the more than 50-year-old Matrimonial Causes Act of 1973 - needs reform. The government was given six months to respond to the report and decide whether the commission should investigate further and suggest options for reform. "We are grateful to the Law Commission for reviewing the current laws governing finances in divorce, including in relation to pensions," said a Ministry of Justice spokesperson. "The government is carefully considering the findings of the report and will provide a response in due course." What divorcees can do Whether a divorcee should prioritise pension sharing, capital, or the family home depends on their circumstances, said Shah. "Gather as much information as you can up front; try to get some financial advice if you can afford it or guidance otherwise," she added, pointing to a financial health checking service Legal and General provide online. "Divorce is a really emotional time for everybody involved. But being able to take that step back and actually look at it from a logical perspective on really what is the best for both parties, both at the time and in the longer term, is really important."
