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May 23, 2022 - 20:48 BST Celine Dion celebrated with fans a big anniversary for one of her most cherished records post a heartbreaking loss Celine Dion is currently in celebration mode as she marks the milestone 15th anniversary of her important record D'elles . MORE: Céline Dion celebrates amazing milestone after new tour update ALSO: HELLO! launches Jubilee T-shirt collection to celebrate Queen Elizabeth in style Her team shared a copy of the album's cover art, a black and white photo of the singer, along with a message celebrating the record. Loading the player... VIDEO: Celine Dion shares heartfelt message with her fans as she announces career news "This week marks the 15th anniversary of Celine’s D'elles album," it read. "Released in May 2007, this incredible concept album celebrates Womanhood. "The lyrics of all thirteen songs were written by influential authors from France and Quebec: … [Read more...] about Celine Dion sparks reaction with celebration close to her heart after devastating loss

The Church of Scotland yesterday gave the green light for ministers to marry same-sex couples for the first time after a historic vote. The General Assembly in Edinburgh agreed to change a church law to allow ministers and deacons to become authorised celebrants and conduct same-sex ceremonies. The decision was passed by 274 votes to 136. The moderator of the General Assembly, the Right Reverend Dr Iain Greenshields, said: ‘The Church of Scotland is a broad church and there are diverse views on same-sex marriage. ‘There has been a lengthy debate about this for many years at all levels of the church to find a solution that respects diversity and values the beliefs of all. ‘The General Assembly has approved the solemnisation of same sex marriage overture to change a church law to enable ministers and deacons to apply to become authorised celebrants if they wish. ‘No minister or deacon would be required to be involved in the arrangements for a same-sex marriage … [Read more...] about Church of Scotland will allow same-sex marriages for first time

The Elizabeth line was evacuated at Paddington station after just two hours of uninterrupted service on its opening day. Passengers were ushered out amid rush hour following a reported fire alert, which turned out to be a false alarm. It came almost immediately after the grand opening , celebrated today after nearly four years of delays. The very first train departed at exactly 6.33am, while hundreds were told to leave Paddington just before 9am. A Transport for London spokesperson told Metro.co.uk the station has reopened and services are now running normally. The £18.9billion Crossrail project – which was £4 billion over budget – is being hailed as a huge boost to the capital’s economy that will cut journey times from the east and west. A crowd of around 300 had cheered and rushed forward as the station entrance was opened. Transport enthusiasts had travelled from abroad to be at Paddington for the historic occasion. Danny McLaren, 21, from Edinburgh, … [Read more...] about Lizzie Line has already been evacuated just hours after it opened

A newly appointed minister of Emmanuel Macron’s government has denied raping two women, insisting that his disability makes him incapable of sexually assaulting someone. Damien Abad, the newly appointed minister for solidarity and the disabled is accused of raping a woman in 2010 and another in 2011. One of the women filed a complaint to the police against Mr Abad in 2017 which was closed without further action, Mr Abad said. “I contest with the greatest force these accusations of sexual violence,” he said in a statement. “The sexual relations that I have had throughout my life have always been by mutual consent.” Mr Abad said his disability, a disorder called arthrogryposis that affects all four of his limbs, made it physically impossible for him to undress or carry someone. The accusers do not know each other according to Mediapart which broke the story. One of the women said she went for dinner with Mr Abad in October 2010 after he pursued her persistently. She said … [Read more...] about French minister denies rape accusations saying his disability makes it physically impossible

Dorothy Levitt had it all in 1908. Feted as Britain’s fastest woman, the 26-year-old had won motor races across Europe. She had a house in Marylebone, sporty cars, glamorous friends and the ear of sports writers and gossip columnists alike. How then did Levitt become a persona non grata, found dead in her bed by a neighbour before she had even turned 40? The story is far from clear. In her book, The Woman And The Car – in which she gave advice for female drivers, including carrying both a revolver and a hand mirror for looking behind, the first known use of a rear-view mirror – Levitt writes that she grew up in the countryside, riding to hounds, shooting and fishing. There was no country house, nor a hunting pedigree. Levitt was born Elisabeth Dorothy Levi in Islington in 1882, to Jewish parents. She spent her early years close to her paternal grandparents in Hackney, where her father worked as a tea merchant. It was he who changed their family name from Levi to Levitt, and his … [Read more...] about Speed records, police raids and gambling dens: The rise and fall of Britain’s fastest woman

Technology for thought-controlled limbs that allow amputees to touch and feel again is bringing a robotic hand from Star Wars within reach of becoming a reality. A U.S. research team developing the cutting-edge prosthetic is bringing Luke Skywalker's robotic hand, seen at the conclusion of the film The Empire Strikes Back , closer to real-life use . The collaborative effort to mimic human arms with synthetic replacements has some major advancements to come, according to Gregory Clark, an associate professor in biomedical engineering at the University of Utah. A team of specialists has been creating innovative methods to attach robotic arms to amputees at the university's Center for Neural Interfaces . Connecting artificial limbs to a person's neural function is a complicated process, involving linking specific electrodes to specific nerve fibers to create the correct perceptions from the recipient's brain. The brain adjusts and learns to effectively manipulate the … [Read more...] about ‘Skywalker’ prosthetic hand feels like It’s the Real Thing to Amputees

A bride-to-be is seeking advice over a delicate invitation situation, as she set about finalizing the guestlist for her upcoming wedding. The woman shared the dilemma to Mumsnet under the apt username, Weddinginvitationdilemma, as she revealed she was tying the knot later this year. She claimed her parents, in their 70s, were good friends with another couple, who she called June and Terry, since they were all in their 20s. The couple have a daughter, who she calls Amy, and the foursome were so close June is her godmother, while her dad is Amy's godfather. She said: "Terry & June moved to a different part of the country when I was a baby. Weekends spent visiting them, and hanging out with Amy, were a genuine highlight of my childhood. I suspect because my parents really enjoyed those weekends too. "Fast forward and Amy and I have an independent friendship—we aren't close—she lives far away, probably see her and her DH [dear husband] and DC [dear children] maybe once every … [Read more...] about Bride-to-be’s wedding invitation dilemma sparks debate: “Feels selfish”

A teen has been praised for her stance after refusing to allow her stepsiblings to come on vacation with her and her mom. The 16-year-old revealed in a Reddit post, under username Joiysmall, that her divorced parents share her and her 15-year-old sister. Her mom lives in another state with her boyfriend and his kids, while their dad remarried. He has two boys with the teen's stepmom, and three stepkids, as his new wife had children from a previous relationship. The teen explained: " I like my stepmom I love my little brothers, I hate my stepsiblings. They are a**holes. For so many reasons. They had such a nasty attitude toward me and my sister when dad and stepmom first moved in together. "They used to brag about the crap their dad bought them but once they learned about the beach house they would constantly say they wanted to come and demanded that my dad ask my mom to let them vacation there. "They also treated my sister like s**t over her anxiety. They have mocked … [Read more...] about Teen praised for not allowing stepsiblings to join vacation with her mom

An adorable 3-year-old girl who delighted retirees by dressing as a "mini-queen" and paying "royal" visits to care homes has taken her first-ever trip to Buckingham Palace. Little Isla Bates undertook several "royal engagements" across the north of England to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II , where she walked down a red carpet and perfected her regal wave. The little queen got the chance Monday to visit Queen Elizabeth's royal residence in London, where she wore her signature salmon pink outfit and charmed passersby. Isla's mother, Alex Fairhurst, from Wigan, Lancastershire, said it was a "once in a lifetime" chance for the tot to visit the palace dressed in her smart coat and hat, with a pearl necklace and matching shoes. And for full effect, she also donned her signature wig, with greying hair, leading scores of enthusiastic tourists to ask for photos with her. Fairhurst said: "It was a special day for her. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, … [Read more...] about Adorable 3-year-old girl dressing as “mini-queen” visits care homes

Conversations With Friends is the second Sally Rooney novel to be adapted to the small screen, following in the footsteps of Normal People. The 12-part series on Hulu and BBC follows the story of 21-year-old Dublin college student Frances (played by Alison Oliver), who begins an affair with married man Nick Conway ( Joe Alwyn ). The pair met through his wife Melissa (Jemima Kirke), a hugely successful author who is a fan of Frances and her ex-girlfriend/current best friend Bobbi's (Sasha Lane) poetry. Melissa is played by Sex Education and Girls star Jemima Kirke, who spoke to Newsweek all about Melissa's acceptance of Frances and Nick's romance, the importance of marriage to Melissa, and whether Melissa deliberately tried to sabotage Nick and Frances' relationship. When Melissa learns of Frances and Nick's affair, she handles it entirely differently than expected, Nick shares with Frances. Instead of acting with explosive anger, Melissa, to an extent, is … [Read more...] about ‘Conversations With Friends’ star Jemima Kirke on Melissa’s love for Nick