Monthly Archives: April 2025

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Apple issues warning to all 1.8b iPhone users: Delete this app NOW or your bank details will be stolen

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Apple is warning their nearly two billion i phone users to immediately delete another tech giant’s app, claiming that your digital privacy is in grave danger.

Without mentioning the company’s name, Apple appeared to tell its users to dump Google’s Chrome internet browser in a video posted on YouTube.

The veiled shot is gaining renewed attention after Google announced on Tuesday that they are backtracking on a promise to remove third-party tracking cookies from Chrome.

These cookies let websites and advertisers track Chrome users’ online activity in order to show them personalized ads – and also creates a multi-billion-dollar revenue stream for Google.

Google previously planned to replace cookies with a new system, giving Chrome users a one-click ‘don’t track me’ option, but those plans fell apart due to widespread fear from the online advertising industry that any replacement would leave less room for online ad rivals.

While tracking cookies themselves are not necessarily malicious, they can lead to privacy risks and, in certain cases, increase the chances of your data being leaked or stolen – including sensitive information like bank records.

This means everything iPhone owners who use Chrome do will continue to be tracked unless they manually clear cookies or use the browser’s Incognito Mode.

Apple has used the controversy to promote their own internet browser, Safari, which promised to be ‘a browser that’s actually private.’

Apple has used the controversy to promote their own internet browser, Safari, which promised to be ‘a browser that’s actually private.’

In a YouTube video that’s been viewed 19 million times, Apple claimed that iPhone users’ privacy wasn’t secure unless they switched to their Safari internet browser

Paying homage to the 1963 film ‘The Birds,’ iPhone users are followed around by flying surveillance cameras spying on their online browsing habits

In Apple’s anti-tracking video entitled ‘Flock,’ iPhone users try to escape from an endless onslaught of surveillance cameras – which finally explode when the user chooses Safari as their private browser.

It would seem to be a direct shot at Google, who called their original tracking cookie replacement plan FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts).

Although Apple promotes that Safari has stronger privacy features like blocking third-party trackers by default, it’s not the only browser iPhone users can switch to.

Third-party cookies on Chrome track a user’s activity across several websites, noting what you like to buy, what sites you frequently visit, and what you type into your searches.

All this information can create a detailed biography of a Chrome user, including their age, location, and general interests.

Although cookies don’t specifically store private information about a user’s bank accounts, they could capture certain details like what bank you’re using, when you visited the bank’s website, and how long you were online.

All of this data collected while you’re using Chrome on an iPhone is shared or sold to ad agencies, analytics firms, and data brokers – organizations that make money by collecting and studying your personal data and then licensing it out for marketing purposes.

Google uses this data to power its advertising revenue stream, which brought in approximately $265 billion in 2024, according to company earnings statements.

Apple’s Safari is one of many internet browsers that claims to block third-party tracking cookies by default

Google’s decision comes months after a study estimated that the company would lose nearly 20 percent of its annual advertising revenue by changing its current third-party cookie policy

However, a 2024 study by Google found that its Privacy Sandbox initiative – which would carry out the company’s promise to reduce user tracking and improve privacy – would also lead to an advertising revenue drop of roughly 19 percent.

On April 22, Anthony Chavez, the VP for Google’s Privacy Sandbox announced that Google ‘made the decision to maintain our current approach to offering users third-party cookie choice in Chrome, and will not be rolling out a new standalone prompt for third-party cookies.’

Unfortunately for Chrome users, not all third parties have the greatest digital security.

If hackers were able to break into an ad network buying data from Google, your digital profile could be stolen, including your private search history, personal information, and banking details.

Firefox, developed by the non-profit Mozilla, promotes privacy with an ‘Enhanced Tracking Protection’ feature – which also blocks third-party tracking cookies by default.

 

Celebrity

Miley Cyrus risks more than a wardrobe malfunction for very daring photoshoot in NYC

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Miley Cyrus turned heads in a stylish look while on set of a risky photo shoot in New York City. on Wednesday for the cosmetic brand Maybelline.

The Flowers hitmaker, 32 – whose Father Billy Ray recently confirmed his new romance with actress Elizabeth Hurley. – put on an edgy display as she shot scenes on a rooftop and scaffolding in the Big Apple.

The daring shoot saw her pose upon tall scaffolding placed against a building.

The Grammy winner wowed wearing a black top which was tucked into the waist of  a black leather miniskirt.

Cyrus additionally slipped into a pair of crocodile-embossed, heeled boots and layered the look with an oversized, leather jacket.

The star’s locks were parted in the middle, and effortlessly flowed down past her shoulders in light waves.

Miley Cyrus, 32, turned heads in a stylish look while on set of a risky photo shoot in New York City for the cosmetic brand Maybelline

The Grammy winner wowed wearing a black top which was tucked into the waist of a black leather miniskirt

Miley’s photo shoot took her to impressive heights

Miley struck a pose on the scaffolding on the side of a building as a camera was placed directly above her

Miley’s makeup was glammed up for the busy day of filming and comprised of a layer of mascara to her lashes as well as a smoky shadow around her eyes.

A warm blush was added to her cheekbones for a radiant glow while a nude-colored tint was worn on her lips for a finishing touch.

The singer opted for minimal accessories to allow the outfit to be the main focal point, and donned a pair of small hooped earrings.

Cyrus is no stranger to Maybelline – and wore makeup from the brand a few months earlier when she attended the 2025 Grammy Awards in February.

The performer added the Super Stay Lumi-Matte Foundation and Instant Age Rewind Concealer to her look for the event. She also opted for blush and mascara from Maybelline.

Makeup artist James Kaliardos told Elle at the time, ‘Miley is the brainstorm. We work together to create her makeup look every time.

‘I always want Miley to feel like she is in her own skin, I want her to recognize, in the mirror, a version of herself she wants to be.’

The former Disney channel star also opened up about what beauty means to her during a a past interview with to Harper’s Bazaar.

‘My physical appearance is always an extension of my creativity. I am very literal when it comes to externally representing the “era.”‘

The Flowers hitmaker put on an edgy display as she shot scenes on a rooftop and scaffolding in the Big Apple

Cyrus additionally slipped into a pair of crocodile-embossed, heeled boots and layered the look with an oversized, leather jacket

Miley’s makeup was glammed up for the busy day of filming and comprised of a layer of mascara to her lashes as well as a smoky shadow around her eyes

The singer opted for minimal accessories to allow the outfit to be the main focal point, and donned a pair of small hooped earrings

Miley was seen filming multiple scenes throughout New York City on Wednesday, such as in Queens and Long Island

At one point, the star made a risky move as she stepped onto tall scaffolding and switched into a pair of different black ankle boots

Cyrus continued, ‘On my days off I am usually in all black; there is something classic [about it] – you could find a girl from each generation I’ve admired wearing something similar.

‘I like that it’s mysterious and doesn’t draw too much attention to me. Then, when I am on stage, I use color and fabric to enhance the emotion of the music.’

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Miley Cyrus emerges amid fears Billy Ray’s romance with Elizabeth Hurley will ruin her big comeback

Miley was seen filming multiple scenes throughout New York City on Wednesday, such as in Queens and Long Island.

At one point, the star made a risky move as she stepped onto tall scaffolding and switched into a pair of different black ankle boots.

She was spotted climbing steps of the scaffolding and paused for a scene as the wind blew through her hair.

Cyrus later made her way onto a rooftop of another building as the afternoon sun shone down on her.

The Wrecking Ball songstress lowered her jacket off her shoulders which draped down towards her elbows as she was surrounded by a camera and crew.

The star is preparing for the release of her upcoming ninth studio album titled Something Beautiful on May 30.

Cyrus later made her way onto a rooftop of another building as the afternoon sun shone down on her

Cyrus is no stranger to Maybelline – and wore makeup from the brand a few months earlier when she attended the 2025 Grammy Awards in February

The star is preparing for the release of her upcoming ninth studio album titled Something Beautiful on May 30

Also on Wednesday, Miley flashed a cheerful smile and greeted fans after she wrapped filming on the Maybelline commercial

Celebrity

Woman Born with ‘Two Vaginas’ Opens Up About How Men Really React to Her Secret

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Anniee Charlotte, a 26-year-old model from Surrey, was diagnosed at the age of 16 with uterus didelphys — a rare congenital condition that results in a duplicated reproductive system. This means she was born with two uteruses, two cervixes, and two vaginal canals.

 

@annieecharlotte Instagram
The Only fans creator revealed that her two reproductive systems share one set of ovaries. But there is still “complete uncertainty” regarding her ability to conceive. Uterus didelphys, the condition she was diagnosed with, affects roughly 0.3% of the population, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Though surgery may be necessary in severe cases, most instances don’t require medical intervention.

Coming to Terms With a Rare Condition

Charlotte, who was diagnosed at 16, described the experience as “really quite scary”. She says slowly came to terms with it during her university years.

“I stopped looking at it as a medical issue, and all the problems that could arise from having children, and instead something that was just a super-cool aspect of myself because of people’s reactions, they would be shocked but also so interested,” she told Daily Mail. “Now, I’ve completely embraced it and accepted it as part of myself, and I’ve never been more confident.”

@annieecharlotte Instagram

Impact on Romantic Relationships

Despite embracing her uniqueness, Charlotte admits her condition often influences how her romantic relationships begin.

“Because I let people know quite early, or they’ve seen me in the papers, or they’ve seen my Instagram, my relationships start quite sexual, and that can be quite intense,” she explained. “I feel like because of my condition the first thing that is spoken about is sex, and sometimes I just want someone to get to know me — not my vaginas.”

 

Judgment in the Adult Industry

Since launching her career on OnlyFans, Charlotte says she regularly faces judgment—not only due to her condition but also because of her job. Some men, she explained, struggle with her profession and the nature of her work.

“I’ve had partners before watch the tapes back and be like ‘you looked like you were enjoying sleeping with that guy more than you’ve ever with me’,” she shared. “People don’t feel comfortable with it, and they don’t date me at all because they can’t get past it.”

 

Empowered Despite the Stigma

Still, Charlotte finds empowerment in her career, despite societal stigma.

 

“I don’t expect to come home and tell my partner how my day was on set with another man, but I want to feel not awkward about coming home and having a chat with them,” she added.

Most Partners Don’t Even Realize

In an earlier interview with The Mirror, Charlotte revealed details. Most of the men she’s been intimate with never realized her condition during their encounters.

“None of them ever know. I’ve had experiences where I’ve told them ‘By the way I have two vaginas’ and they’re like, ‘What?’” she said.

Health, Uncategorized

I got my skin analyzed by a high-tech machine. The results horrified me.

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WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. − I was relaxing by a pool, surrounded by beautiful actors, influencers and models, when I saw the ugliest photo of me ever taken.

I was attending a wellness retreat inspired by ” The White Lotus”  at the Fore Seasons Westlake Village in Southern California. As part of the event, Kiehl’s − one of the brand partners − set up “Derma-Reader” stations outside, where attendees could get high-tech images taken of their skin to reveal potential issues lurking beneath the surface.

As a skincare enthusiast, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to get a deeper look at my skin’s health. And besides, I know I take great care of my skin anyway. What could go wrong?

When I got my photos back, my heart sank. Has my skincare routine been off this whole time? I spoke to dermatologists to get to the bottom of it. Thankfully, there’s a lot more to the story.

How does the Derma-Reader work?

My own distress aside, the Derma-Reader uses some cool technology.

With fancy lights and advanced algorithms, the Derma-Reader analyzes skin across several categories, including wrinkles, dark circles and texture. It can also look below the surface, taking photos of UV damage and clogged pores you wouldn’t see otherwise.

After taking these images, the machine then compares your results against those of 16,000 other skin profiles in its database. A representative told me the machine measures your skin specifically against other people in its database with similar skin profiles to you, giving a percentage score based on where you rank among them.

Dr. Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist in New York, isn’t familiar with Kiehl’s machine, but says he uses similar machines on his patients − and they really do work, so long as the analyses are done in the right context and the results are compared to a large enough sample size.

“That’s the problem with these machines,” he says. “If they’re not rigorous enough, they don’t always give you the best data.”

My Derma-Reader results shocked me

I wasn’t the only one who got a rude awakening from a Derma-Reader at the retreat. Other attendees expressed similar shock at their results throughout the day. “Were you also traumatized by the skin machine this morning?” I overheard one woman say to another after dinner.

OK, my results weren’t that bad − at least that’s what one of the Kiehl’s representatives told me. All my scores, even the lower ones, she said, are still in the “green” zone, meaning none are actually in bad shape.

The machine also gave me some good news too. I scored 100% in the “clogged pores” category, meaning my pores are, allegedly, nearly entirely free of blockages that could cause acne. Acne has been my biggest skin concern since I was a teenager, so that news came as a relief. My skin has been pretty clear for the past couple years, so maybe my breakouts era is finally behind me.

The score that stopped me in my tracks, however − and sent me into mild panic − was my UV damage result. My uncle died after a melanoma diagnosis about a year ago, so I know how important sun protection is not just for your complexion, but also for your overall health. The machine gave me a 74% in UV damage − not horrible, the Kiehl’s representative said, but, ideally, someone around my age should be at 80% or higher. I diligently apply an SPF mineral sunscreen to my face and neck − including my ears and eyelids − every day and reapply it if I spend time outside or sweat, so I found this score disheartening. Did I do something wrong?

I brought these concerns to two separate dermatologists − Rossi and Dr. Brooke Jeffy − to get some answers.

Should I be worried?

First off, Rossi told me, context can impact results. My analysis was done outside in the sun and in the morning, before I had water, so my scores were likely to skew dehydrated.

Still, the Kiehl’s representative said I do have room to improve, especially in the hydration department. My lowest scores − a 68% in wrinkles, a 64% in hydration and a 59% in crow’s feet (I smile, sue me) − all could stem from dehydrated skin. I’ve been hitting the anti-acne products pretty hard since adolescence, which may be drying me out too much. Now could be the time to pivot my routine to focus on retaining moisture.

Also, in order to get a more accurate reading, these analyses should be done on clean skin. My analysis was done after I’d already applied sunscreen for the day. I asked the Kiehl’s representative onsite if this was OK, and she said it wouldn’t make a difference.

Rossi, however, begs to differ.

“To really get a perfect reading, you want to have really nothing on your skin,” he says. “Even the UV damage, it’s hard because, if you have a sunscreen on you, it’s going to reflect the light differently.”

Also, a lot of my UV damage could have accumulated in childhood, before I started taking skincare seriously. I grew up in sunny Los Angeles and didn’t start wearing sunscreen daily until I was 23.

Still, Jeffy says, I shouldn’t be discouraged.

“I would say you’re actually doing really well,” she says. “How much exposure you had when you were much younger (might) play a role.”

My takeaway

This experience did teach me a few things.

For starters, hydration is key, and I’ll be prioritizing it in my skincare routine moving forward. Now that my acne is mostly under control, I’m not going to be afraid to reach for moisturizing products. Dr. Jeffy says it might also be time to incorporate retinol into my regimen.

I’m also going to stay diligent with sunscreen and reapply it more frequently. It’s possible I sweat off more of it than I realize.

UV damage can also look worse than it actually is when viewed through a black-and-white filter, which is how it appears in Derma-Reader images. Based on how my skin looks outside these photos, Rossi says he suspects my UV damage isn’t at a level that should overly concern me.

“I wouldn’t say your UV damage is very bad,” he says. “You don’t have a ton of brown spots, and you don’t have a ton of obvious wrinkles.”

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Poland says Moscow is ‘mocking’ Trump with deadly Ukraine strike

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Poland’s foreign minister on Monday urged President Donald Trumpto take steps to counter Russian President Vladimir Putin’s continued war in Ukraine following another deadly strike that killed 34, including two children, on Palm Sunday.

“I just want to say how appalled I am by the latest spate of Russian attacks on Ukraine, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told reporters ahead of the European Union’s foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg.

“Ukraine unconditionally agreed to a ceasefire over a month ago,” Sikorski said. “The heinous attacks on Kryvyi Rih and Sumy are Russia’s mocking answer.”

 

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following Russia’s missile attack that killed at least 20 civilians in Sumy, Ukraine, on Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

Russia fired two ballistic missiles into Sumy’s city center Sunday, claiming it targeted a meeting of top Ukrainian military officials. The northeastern city lies about 30 miles from the Russian border. Moscow said 60 troops were killed but provided no evidence, and it remains unclear if any officials were among the 30 dead and 119 injured.

The attack came just over a week after Russia struck Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih, in what was the deadliest strike against children since the war began in an attack near a playground that killed 19 people, including nine children.

“I hope that President Trump and his administration see that the leader of Russia is mocking their goodwill and I hope the right decisions are taken,” Sikorski told reporters Monday.

A woman with two children cries near a makeshift memorial on a playground while honoring the memory of a Russian missile strike’s victims on Apr. 6, 2025 in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine. (Mykola Domashov/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC “UA:PBC”/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

 

The attacks were met with a swift international rebuke from European leaders, with Germany’s chancellor-designate, Friedrich Merz, calling it a “serious war crime.”

Leaders from Lithuania made similar claims and summoned a Russian diplomat over the incident on Monday.

France’s foreign minister ahead of the top international talks called for tougher sanctions on Russia to “suffocate” its economy and stop its war effort.

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters carry a body of the victim following Russia’s missile attack that killed at least 24 civilians in Sumy, Ukraine, on Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

 

Trump similarly condemned the attacks as “terrible” but said he “was told they made a mistake.”

“But I think it’s a horrible thing,” he added.

Russian forces over the last month have dropped 2,800 air bombs on Ukraine, fired more than 1,400 drones – including 62 Shahed drones Sunday night – and levied some 60 other missiles of various types, according to The Associated Press.

Celebrity

Katy Perry heading to space with Lauren Sanchez and Blue Origin’s all-female crew

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Kety Perry will join Lauren Sanchez, Gayle King and others on a journey to space with an all-female crew.

The trio will be on board Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space flight with film producer Kerianne Flynn, NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe and civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, according to a Press release shared Thursday. The flight will launch this spring.

Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket carrying Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyn, Kerianne Flynn, Gayle King, Katy Perry, and Lauren Sánchez lifted off from West Texas at around 08:30 local time (14:30 BST)

“This mission will be the 11th human flight for the New Shepard program and the 31st in its history,” Blue Origin stated. “To date, the program has flown 52 people above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. This is the first all-female flight crew since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo spaceflight in 1963.”

 

Katy Perry, left, and Lauren Sanchez are traveling into space this spring. (Getty Images)

 

King reacted to the news on Thursday’s episode of “CBS Mornings.”

“I have to tell you, I’m so afraid,” King emotionally told her co-hosts. “I am, I’m so afraid, but I’m also so excited about it.”

The TV host was approached in November about the upcoming flight and admitted it was “never [her] dream” to travel to space. However, after consulting with her kids and Oprah Winfrey, King chose to change her dreams.

“I don’t know how to explain being terrified and excited at the same time,” she told the audience. “It’s like how I felt about to deliver a baby.”

A view from inside the cabin as it entered space. The women on board were given a view of the Earth many have only seen in pictures

Founder of Blue Origin Jeff Bezos opened the capsule door as the crew landed back on Earth, and the first to exit the pod was his fiancée Lauren Sánchez

We’ve just been hearing from the six women who started their day jetting off to space in Blue Origin’s New Shepard vessel. Here are their key takeaways:

This flight wasn’t a ride, we demonstrated unity in space – Katy Perry

 

“CBS Mornings” host Gayle King is joining Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez for space travel. (Michele Crowe/CBS News via Getty Images)

 

King also shared appreciation for her fellow crew members.

“These women are so bada–,” she said. “They have such amazing life stories.”

Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Perry and Sanchez regarding their decision to travel to space.

“Katy is honored to be a part of Blue Origin’s first all-female crew and hopes her journey encourages her daughter and others to reach for the stars, literally and figuratively,” Blue Origin’s press release stated.

Sanchez, who has been romantically involved with Bezos since 2019, has a goal of inspiring “the next generation of explorers.” The former journalist and Bezos got engaged in May 2023.

“If someone would have told me that I would be able to go to space once day, I would have definitely, well, I don’t know, laughed,” Sanchez said in a video shared on Instagram. “I can’t believe it’s happening.”

Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos got engaged in May 2023. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

 

Perry and King are not the first celebrities to make the journey to space with Blue Origin. William Shatner traveled to space in October 2021, becoming the oldest person to do so at the time. Shatner recalled his experience in space during an interview with Fox News Digital.

WATCH: WILLIAM SHATNER EXPLAINS WHY HIS TRIP TO SPACE ‘FELT LIKE A FUNERAL’

“When I landed and came out of the spaceship, I was overwhelmed by a feeling and I started to weep,” Shatner, who was 90 years old at the time of his trip, remembered. “I didn’t know what I was crying about. And it took me a couple of hours to be by myself to figure out what’s the matter with me.

“And then I realized I was in grief for this beautiful world that I could see more clearly from up in space… This planet that took 5 billion years to evolve into what it is now. And all the multitude of things that we human beings can love and be aware of that are so beautiful. Never mind the elephants and the great predators and all that stuff… but the stuff today. The child, your fingers. I mean, everything abounds that is a miracle and is beautiful — and we’re destroying it.”

“That was my overwhelming feeling of, ‘Oh, my God, what are we doing to this tiny rock?'” the actor added.

 

Celebrity

Laura Adlington, 36, is pregnant! GBBO star in ‘shock’ as she shares ‘miracle’ IVF baby news after nine years of infertility and previously being told to lose 14st to have a child

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Laura Adlington is pregnant!

The GBBO star, 36, has announced she is expecting her first child with her husband Matt after nine years of infertility and being told to lose 14st before she could get pregnant.

Laura shared the joyful news in an Instagram post on Sunday after ‘quietly deciding to give IVF a try’ over a year ago.

 

The size 26 body positivity model previously gave her hopes up of having a baby after she was told by doctors that her only chance to get pregnant was to try IVF and she would have to Lose weight  first to qualify.

Sharing her happy news, she wrote: ‘After 9 years of infertility, we are very excited (and still a bit in shock) to be expecting our little IVF miracle in October ✨

‘I know announcements like this can be really painful, especially if you’re in the thick of waiting or grieving, so please feel free to mute or unfollow if you need to and know I’m sending so much love your way.

Laura Adlington is pregnant! The GBBO star, 36, has announced she is expecting her first child with her husband Matt after nine years of infertility and being told to lose 14st before she could get pregnant

Laura Adlington is pregnant! The GBBO star, 36, has announced she is expecting her first child with her husband Matt after nine years of infertility and being told to lose 14st before she could get pregnant

Laura shared the joyful news in an Instagram post on Sunday after ‘quietly deciding to give IVF a try’ over a year ago 
Laura shared the joyful news in an Instagram post on Sunday after ‘quietly deciding to give IVF a try’ over a year ago

‘It’s been such a really long, and to be honest lonely road to get here – something many of you will know if you’ve followed me for a while or listened to the podcast.

‘We’d honestly made peace with the idea that having children might not happen for us. But about a year and a half ago, we quietly decided to give IVF a try.

‘We kept it to ourselves and decided not to share online (or even with family) just so we didn’t put more pressure on ourselves.

‘We had an unsuccessful round and a cancelled round, and then found out a couple of months ago that I was finally pregnant.

‘I’ll be sharing a bit more over the coming weeks about our journey to get here but for now we’re just really excited to share our news with you all. We honestly can’t believe our luck.’

In 2022, Laura detailed it was always a dream of hers to become a mother after admitting she decided against starting a family.

Speaking to Fabulous magazine, she said: ‘Unless you’ve gone through infertility and that heartache of really wanting it and it not happening . . . it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through.’

The star, who appeared on the 2020 series of the Channel 4 show, told how she had always wanted to be a mother and thought, ‘what’s the point?’ if she couldn’t have a child.

‘

Laura recently opened up about the contradicting thoughts she battles when it comes to her weight as she said ‘it’s important to be honest’

Laura recently opened up about the contradicting thoughts she battles when it comes to her weight as she said ‘it’s important to be honest’

She said: ‘I’ve never thought, “I want to take my own life”, but I definitely have had thoughts that I didn’t want to be here any more. And I have phoned Samaritans on a few occasions and really benefitted from it.

Laura said she tried to lose weight after speaking to her doctors and even considered bariatric surgery before deciding it wasn’t for her.

The star, who has struggled with her weight since she was eight, found it difficult to lose so much to have the IVF.

She said: ‘It was such a lot to lose — about 14st and I just struggled to do that. I wonder if that will always play on my mind, particularly as I get older.’

Laura recently opened up about the contradicting thoughts she battles when it comes to her weight as she said ‘it’s important to be honest’ while she admitted she was tempted by the concept of  Weight lose injections like Ozempic.

In a lengthy caption in a post on Instagram, Laura penned: ‘My name’s Laura and I’m a walking contradiction. I accept myself and my body as it is now…

‘But there’s still not a single day that goes by that I don’t think about being smaller. I believe all bodies are good bodies, but I still sometimes feel like mine is “wrong”.

‘I want to live a life free from diet culture, but I also wonder if losing weight would make things easier. I don’t judge other people for changing their bodies, but I feel disappointed in myself for wanting to…

 

The fashionista recently enjoyed a lavish holiday alongside Police Community Support Officer Matt as the happy couple beamed for an Instagram selfie shared on Sunday 

The fashionista recently enjoyed a lavish holiday alongside Police Community Support Officer Matt as the happy couple beamed for an Instagram selfie shared on Sunday

‘I like how I dress for my curves, but I also wonder what it would be like to not struggle so much to buy clothes…

‘I advocate for body confidence, but I still have days where I can’t stand my reflection. I tell people they don’t need to shrink to be worthy, but I sometimes wonder if my life would be easier if I took up less space…

‘I know weight loss injections aren’t a magic fix, but with all the noise in the media about them and so many people on them, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted. I want to rebel against beauty standards, but I also want to feel beautiful within them…

She continued: ‘Within these contradictions I sometimes feel quite lost. My relationship with my body (and food) is messy and complicated, and sharing this makes me feel quite vulnerable. But I think it’s important to be honest.’

Last year, the GBBO favourite revealed she spent a long time wanting to ‘slim down’ in order to have ‘better sex’ before she found self-confidence.

Laura said that she often found herself ‘putting things off’ due to her weight, thinking she would enjoy things more, like sex, adventures and holidays, if she was ‘slimmer’.

But now, after finding inner-confidence Laura has admitted she will never put her life on hold again because ‘life is too short’.

In a candid interview, Laura said: ‘I spent a long time not doing things or putting things off, and reserving things for when I was smaller…

‘I’d always say “Laura version 2.0 is going to go on more adventures, more holidays, have better sex, greater friendships”, but actually, you are just putting your life on hold. If Covid taught us anything, It’s that life is short.

‘You don’t need to have a small life just because you’re in a bigger body, or if you have insecurities. Life is for living.’

 

Share or comment on this article: Laura Adlington, 36, is pregnant! GBBO star in ‘shock’ as she shares ‘miracle’ IVF baby news after nine years of infertility and previously being told to lose 14st to have a child
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Birthday girl’s last smile: Final photo shows young child excitedly sitting in helicopter cockpit… 16 minutes before plummeting to her death beside her parents and siblings in Hudson River disaster

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Beaming at the camera and sitting proudly in the cockpit of a helicopter on the eve of her ninth birthday, a little girl excitedly waited to take off and embark on a tour over the iconic New York City skyline with her parents and young siblings on Thursday.

But just 16 minutes later, tragedy struck when the eight-year-old, who had travelled to the Big Apple from Spain with her family, was killed in a horror crash after the chopper plummeted into the Hudson River at 3.15pm yesterday.

Her brother, 10, and sister, four, also died in the horror crash, as well as her father Agustin Escobar, a Siemens executive, and mother Merce Camprubi Montal.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the children’s ages and said in a statement that the devastating crash ‘was a real unfortunate situation. And our heart goes out to the family members’.

The family were on vacation in New York to celebrate her ninth birthday, which would have been today.

The family-of-five had just arrived from Barcelona and embarked on their first day touring the Big Apple, taking a scenic trip in the helicopter as a treat for the young girl and her mother Merce, who officials said was also celebrating her birthday.

Commenting on the tragedy, Jersey City mayor Steven Fulop said: ‘The family flew out to extend the trip a couple days in NYC. They were celebrating the mom’s 40th birthday with the tourist helicopter flight yesterday.’

It was unclear whether Fulop was referring to the holiday overall being a birthday trip for Merce or if the little girl’s mother was also celebrating her birthday on the fateful day.

The tragic twist emerged as terrifying new footage appears to show the cause of the tragedy.

One of the Escobar children sits in the helicopter before the crash

The family were on vacation in New York to celebrate the birthday of one of their children, according to Spanish newspaper El Diario. Heartbreaking photos showed the Escobar family posing on the helipad and inside the aircraft before the crash

Harrowing footage captured the moment the helicopter rotor blade flew off and splashed into the Hudson River after the deadly crash

A rotor blade can be seen plummeting into the water, with aviation experts saying that this likely occurred because the main rotor blades separated from the aircraft and sliced the tail.

‘From the footage, it appears that the main rotor struck the body of the helicopter, cutting off the tail of the helicopter, which created an unrecoverable event,’ former military aviator and attorney Jim Brauchle of Motley Rice LLC told DailyMail.com.

‘The two main causes of this phenomenon are mechanical failure or excessive maneuvering. Still, a full investigation is needed to understand why this tragedy occurred.

‘Having previously represented the families of tourists killed during a helicopter tour over the Hudson River, my heart goes out to the families at this catastrophic time.’

Another expert told Fox 5 that in the case that the separating rotor blades sliced off the aircraft’s tail boom, the flight would have been unrecoverable.

‘If that articulating head actually separated from the aircraft, the aircraft was doomed. There’s no possibility of that aircraft ever having made a normal type of landing. It was going to crash,’ said Tristani.

‘In this particular case though, when you throw a blade, one blade or the entire head, no, you’re just a falling brick.’

Michael Roth, 71, who owns New York Helicopter which provided the tour and the chopper, said the aircraft was running out of fuel before it crashed.

‘He [the pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,’ Roth told The Telegraph.

Roth said he was devastated by the crash and agreed with other experts that the video appears to show the main rotor blades had broken off.

‘The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter,’ he told the New York Post.

‘And I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business. The only thing I could guess – I got no clue – is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed. I have no clue. I don’t know.’

A ‘catastrophic mechanical failure’ left the pilot with no chance to save the helicopter, said Justin Green, an aviation lawyer who was a helicopter pilot in the Marine Corps.

It is possible the helicopter’s main rotors struck the tail boom, breaking it apart and causing the cabin to free fall, Green said.

‘They were dead as soon as whatever happened happened,’ Green said. ‘There’s no indication they had any control over the craft. No pilot could have prevented that accident once they lost the lifts. It’s like a rock falling to the ground. It’s heartbreaking.’

It comes as it was revealed that the helicopter’s unidentified pilot, 36, radioed base to warn that they were running out of fuel just before the tragedy struck. He was also killed in the crash.

Agustín Escobar, a Siemens executive from Spain, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal and their three children, aged four, eight and 10, took photos just before the crash

Aviation experts explained that the crash likely occurred because the helicopter’s (pictured before crashing) main rotor blades separated from the aircraft and sliced the tail

 

Witnesses said they saw the chopper ‘split in half’ before it went down near Pier 40, with one man reporting the stricken aircraft making what sounded like a ‘sonic boom’

Heartbreaking photos showed the Escobar parents and their kids, aged four, eight and 10, posing on the helipad and inside the aircraft before the crash.

The aircraft was operated by New York Helicopter, a local tour company. The chopper appeared to be a N216MH – a Bell 206L-4, according to Flight Radar.

The helicopter flew for approximately 16 minutes before going down into the water.  It took off from the Wall Street Heliport and did a circle near the Statue of Liberty before flying up the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge at about 1000 feet.

Dramatic video showed the helicopter sinking into the water as emergency crews rushed to the scene.

Witnesses said they saw the chopper ‘split in half’ before it went down near Pier 40, with one man reporting the stricken aircraft making what sounded like a ‘sonic boom.’

‘Oh my god. Oh my gosh. Oh my goodness. Oh my gosh,’ said a terrified witness who watched the helicopter fall into the river.

Bruce Wall, a witness near the shoreline of Jersey City, New Jersey, said he saw the helicopter ‘falling apart’ in midair, with the tail and main rotor coming off. The main rotor was still spinning without the helicopter as it fell.

Dani Horbiak was at her Jersey City home when she heard what sounded like ‘several gunshots in a row, almost, in the air.’ She looked out her window and saw the chopper ‘splash in several pieces into the river.’

The family had just arrived from Barcelona and embarked on their first day touring the Big Apple

Emergency responders were seen late Thursday night pulling the remnants of the destroyed helicopter from the murky water of the Hudson River

Devastating photos show debris from the helicopter tour floating in the Hudson River including a pink shoe

Mayor Eric Adams gives am update on Hudson helicopter crash
The helicopter was spinning uncontrollably with ‘a bunch of smoke coming out’ before it slammed into the water, said Lesly Camacho, a hostess at a restaurant along the river in Hoboken, New Jersey.

On air traffic control radio, an NYPD helicopter pilot can be heard saying, ‘Be advised, you do have an aircraft down. Holland Tunnel. Please keep your eyes open for anybody in the water.’

About five minutes after that, someone asks, ‘Hey Finest,’ a reference to the NYPD’s call sign, ‘what’s going on over there by the Holland Tunnel?’ – ‘The ship went down,’ someone else responds.

Emergency responders were seen late Thursday night pulling the remnants of the destroyed helicopter from the murky water of the Hudson River. Photos showed a crane pulling mangled clumps of metal out of the river.

Jersey City Mayor Steven explained in a post on X that major parts of the aircraft have not yet been recovered, so dive teams will scour the Hudson River for the parts on Friday.

‘Recovery operations have been secured for the night. Major parts of the aircraft have not been recovered so dive operations by the NYPD and NJSP will resume tomorrow morning,’ he said.

Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others were taken to the hospital, where they ‘succumbed to their injuries,’ NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

At the time of the crash, it was cloudy with winds around 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph, CNN reported.

Surface visibility was considered good — 10 miles — but it was cloudy as a system is moving into the region, bringing light rain to the region this afternoon and evening. The water was about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Other footage showed the chopper ‘flying erratically’ just before it fell into the water, while other clips showed pieces of the aircraft were seen flying off.

Emergency responders enter the water after the helicopter crash. The National Transportation Safety Board has announced it launched a ‘go team’ to investigate

Celebrity

Ellie Goulding reveals shocking painful-looking results from cosmetic treatment as she says ‘I give up’

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Ellie Goulding has sparked concern among fans after revealing her painful-looking results from a cosmetic treatment.

The singer, 38, who often bats away rumors she uses injectables such as Botox and filler, shared a shocking video on TikTok on Thursday following a laser facial which left her skin red raw.

Sharing the results with her 1.7 million followers, the star captioned the clip: ‘I give up trying to look snatched.

Ellie, who shares four-year-old son Arthur with her ex-husband Caspar Jopling, candidly added that she felt like she’d been ‘attacked by a laser grill’ following the procedure.

After sharing the immediate results of her treatment, fans rushed to the comment section to express their concern.

One fan wrote: ‘My god Ellie, what happened to your skin? I hope it’s fine.’; ‘Ouch. sorry.’; ‘You were beautiful just as you were! Not sure why you think you need to do anything. We love you for you!’

Ellie Goulding has sparked concern among fans after revealing her painful-looking results from a cosmetic treatment

The singer, 38, who often bats away rumours she uses injectables such as Botox and filler, shared a shocking video on TikTok on Thursday following a laser facial which left her skin red raw

Laser skin resurfacing is loved by A-list stars including Jennifer Aniston, Kim Kardashian and Hailey Bieber, and is becoming an increasingly popular method of anti-ageing.

It is a cosmetic procedure that uses laser energy to improve skin tone, texture, and appearance, addressing issues like wrinkles, scars, and uneven pigmentation by stimulating collagen production and removing the outer layers of skin.

The cost of a laser facial in London’s private medical district, Harley Street, ranges from £450 to £1,330 for a single session, with some treatments costing up to £2,500 or more.

Ellie previously denied getting Botox or filler in the past but has been open about her desire to look her best in an industry that puts a premium on youth and beauty.

She told Vogue in 2023: ‘I am always having my photo taken so my biggest priority is to make sure my skin looks hydrated and fresh,

She continued: ‘I love to use cryotherapy-inspired tools, like ice globes, straight from the freezer on my face in the morning to relieve puffiness before applying an under-eye mask.’

In 2014, the singer also denied undergoing a boob job, explaining: ‘My boobs look bigger because my waist is smaller. People underestimate how you can shape your body. Since I stopped eating meat and fish, my body’s better than ever.’

She was also forced to quash speculation in 2016 that she’d had lip filler, after she was pictured at the Clive Davis Pre-Grammy gala in Los Angeles, with noticeably plumper lips and a generally smoother, streamlined appearance.

Ellie previously denied getting Botox or filler in the past but has been open about her desire to look her best in an industry that puts a premium on youth and beauty

Although she has always been the owner of plump, pouty lips, they appeared fuller than usual, with the slick of pale pink gloss only adding to their volume.

It wasn’t long until people began to comment on Ellie’s appearance on X, formerly Twitter, and other social media sites, with many questioning whether she had undergone surgery or had lip fillers.

One user wrote: ‘Did Ellie Goulding get plastic surgery?’; ‘Ellie Goulding you are a beautiful woman – step away from the lip fillers. Seriously.’;

While one concerned onlooker asked: ‘Why do girls do this to themselves? – gross!’; ‘@elliegoulding those lips. I’m disappointed.’

Quashing any speculation that she had lip filler, she told Digital Spy: ‘Any of my friends will tell you, I don’t like needles – it’s impossible for me to have done anything like that. But it’s funny, I have to see the funny side.

‘(My make-up artist) Lisa does 3D lips, and it makes your lips look massive. You add, like, three layers of lip liner.’

 

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New Jersey woman identified as one of 200 Dominican Republic nightclub collapse victims

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A New Jersey woman has been identified as one of the 218 people who died in a Dominican Republic nightclub collapse late Tuesday.

A translated press release from the island’s government said authorities have confirmed 218 deceased victims and rescued 189 people alive from the collapse of Jet Set, an iconic club known for attracting celebrity guests in Santo Domingo.

“These figures reflect both the magnitude of the tragedy and the tireless efforts of the response teams who, from the very beginning, have worked tirelessly and continue to do so in search, rescue and recovery efforts,” the Dominican government said.

On Wednesday, friends and family identified one of the 218 deceased victims as 26-year-old Jennifer Contreras of New Jersey.

EX-MLB PLAYER TONY BLANCO CREDITED WITH SAVING FRIEND BEFORE DYING IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ROOF COLLAPSE

On Wednesday, friends and family identified one of the 218 deceased victims as 26-year-old Jennifer Contreras of New Jersey. (Facebook)

 

Her sister, Luz Contreras, told NJ.com that she owns a nail salon called LuziBeauty in Passiac and that Jennifer had traveled to the Dominican Republic to obtain her eyebrow microblading certification so she could work with her sister in the salon. She was also celebrating her birthday.

AT LEAST 18 DEAD, 120 INJURED IN ROOF COLLAPSE AT DOMINICAN REPUBLIC NIGHTCLUB

Rescue workers search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eddy Vittini)

 

“[E]verybody who knows us knew she was my best friend, my partner in crime. We always did everything together,” Luz told NJ.com. “She wanted me to go with her on this trip, but I couldn’t cancel on my clients.”

A GoFundMe created in memory of Jennifer Contreras remembers the 26-year-old as a “kind-hearted, loving, and soft person.”

DOZENS DEAD, MORE THAN 150 INJURED IN NORTH MACEDONIA NIGHTCLUB FIRE

A GoFundMe created in memory of Jennifer Contreras remembers the 26-year-old as a “kind-hearted, loving, and soft person.” (Facebook)

 

“She was an incredible daughter, sister, friend, cousin, and more,” a description of the GoFundMe states. “Jennifer was in Santo Domingo to complete a certification class on eyebrow micropigmentation as she was starting a beauty business. She was there to celebrate her birthday and the birthday of family friends.”

MISSING AMERICAN STUDENT LINKED TO POPULAR NIGHTCLUB KNOWN FOR EXTRAVAGANT PARTIES, HOURS BEFORE DISAPPEARANCE

Contreras’ family is raising money to bring her body back to the United States for a funeral service.

Rescue workers search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub on April 9, 2025, after its roof collapsed the previous night. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez)

 

The entire roof of the Jet Set club collapsed Tuesday evening, and officials received more than 100 emergency calls in the aftermath, including many from people trapped under the rubble.

Emergency rescue operations continued as of Thursday.