Five British women share their personal experiences of suffering discrimination in the UK because they wear the hijab.
Islamophobia raised its ugly head in race riots in Britain in August 2024 and attacks on Muslims and mosques in the United Kingdom have increased since October 7, 2023.
Women have been targets of abuse just as much as men.
In this film based completely on their own testimonies, five British Muslim women share their experiences in frank and often emotional, intimate interviews. They challenge Western perceptions of the hijab as a symbol of female oppression and describe it as a powerful expression of commitment to their faith, which defines them as strong, independent women.
Former footie ace David Beckham’s Golden Balls get a brand new pair of pants everyday, it’s been revealed.
Becks – who recently stripped off as the face (and bottom) of BOSS underwear – gets shipped unlimited undies, according to the label’s creative director. Marco Falcioni said: “Lets put it this way, that is true… he is a very high ranked customer”.
Talking at London’s V&, A museum Mr Falcioni also said how sales of their underwear range have rocketed and compared Becks to Marky Mark (Mark Wahlberg) when he stripped off for Calvin Klein.
Falcioni said: “To be honest he is the new Marky Mark. It is quite incredible. He is obsessed about quality and touch. He wanted to touch every fabric and is very precise with what he likes. Also David told me he and Victoria don’t really talk much about fashion at all”. Becks has a long history when it comes to parading around in his undies.
In 2015, he modelled a range for H&, M in an advert directed by Guy Ritchie. However the Mirror revealed at the time how his much-loved rear had been substituted by a bottom double.
In the film, he was seen vaulting over tall hedges and running through a tennis court – wearing just a pair of H&, M boxer shorts. But key tats on his body were missing in some of the shots – and a lookalike was spotted on set.
Smouldering: David Beckham in underwear ad (BOSS)
However in the latest BOSS campaign – in which he racily strips off and takes a shower – appears to be all him. Mr Falcioni joked of that shoot: “Taking his pants off was not my task. It was just work. I was there for the shoot”.
Becks also bared all in the bedroom for his 2009 Armani campaign, alongside his wife.
Speaking about the BOSS collaboration, the dad-of-four admitted he once thought his bodywear modelling days were behind him. However, the opportunity to work with his longtime friends Mert and Marcus convinced him otherwise.
“I once said that my bodywear modelling days had come to an end, but when BOSS shared their ambition for the range and brought in my good friends Mert and Marcus to shoot the campaign with their brilliant creative ideas I simply couldn’t refuse”, he said.
“The new BOSS One collection is beautifully made. I’m proud to support BOSS in our long-term strategic partnership with this campaign”.
Becks underwent a strict health and fitness regime to get into shape.
Amazon shoppers are ditching their Dyson and Shark hoovers for a more wallet-friendly alternative that’s been slashed in a new spring clean offer. The Smoture VAC01 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is now available for £129.99 with the £30 voucher on the product page, marking a nearly 25% discount from its original £169.99 price tag.
It’s also been awarded the ‘ Amazon’s Choice ‘ badge, an accolade given to highly-rated, well-priced items ready for immediate dispatch. This vacuum cleaner boasts a powerful motor with strong suction that the manufacturer claims can tackle even deeply embedded dirt.
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‘ This is absolutely brilliant, I’ve had Shark, Dyson, Henry, Vax, but this is better than others. ‘ ((Image: Amazon))
It offers four cleaning modes—Eco, Standard, Boost, and Auto—which can be selected via its touch-screen display. In Auto mode, the vacuum cleaner automatically adjusts its suction power according to the floor type, whether carpet or hard floor.
The display also alerts users to any blockages and shows the battery level, which can last up to 60 – or 18 minutes in the high-powered boost mode. The free-standing Smoture has a wall-mounted charging station that fully charges the device in four hours and provides storage for the included long flat nozzle and dusting brush.
The Smoture VAC01 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner has earned an impressive 4.8-star rating after more than 1, 250 reviews, 96% of which are four or five stars. This beats Shark’s £189.99 Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Pet Vacuum and Dyson’s £229.99 V8 Advanced, rated 4.4 stars, reports the Express.
One customer raved about the product, saying: “Worth every penny. I had the Dyson V8 Animal and this beats it. Not only is this far cheaper, it also performs better. It is lightweight but sturdy. You only have to press the power button once to turn it on/off, whereas you have to continuously hold the button for power on the Dyson. It has a convenient touch screen control for the suction power settings. The bagless compartment is also really easy to empty. It has the same wall-mounted stand but this is also designed to be free standing, so you can store it how you like. Highly recommended”.
Another customer was equally impressed, commenting: “Excellent value, versatile machine. A quality item with a functional design making it easy and versatile to use. It’s also simple enough to empty and not difficult to clean. It operates relatively quietly too. The hour-long battery life is a bonus and it doesn’t take too long to charge. It seems to be quite powerful. The fact that the end of the floor brush lights up is great for being able to see if you have picked up everything”.
One delighted customer raved: “Absolutely amazing, highly recommended. This is absolutely brilliant, I’ve had Shark, Dyson, Henry, Vax, all the big brands, but this suction power]is] brilliant, better than others on flooring or carpet. ]It] gets up close to edges without using a crevice tool. It actually stands up free standing unlike many others. Battery charge lasts twice around my bungalow]and] comes with spare parts. Absolutely a must-have – lightweight, amazing power, versatile”.
Yet, not all reviews were glowing, with a shopper pointing out: “Not bad, nowhere near the same level of suction as a Dyson, but does the job for now. Decent on hard flooring picking up bits, but needs more power for carpets”.
For those eager to get their hands on this gadget, Amazon is sweetening the deal on the Smoture VAC01 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, slashing the price to £129.99 if you apply the £30 voucher available on the product page – a bargain from the already marked down £159.99.
Captain Kylian Mbappe returned to the France squad named Thursday for this month’s UEFA Nations League quarter-final against Croatia, as Paris Saint-Germain teenager Desire Doue earned a first call-up.
Mbappe, 26, was left out of the last two France squads by coach Didier Deschamps for the Nations League group stage in October and November.
The Real Madrid superstar was initially dropped because of fitness concerns, before later being left out amidst headlines about his private life.
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FILE: France’s forward Kylian Mbappe speaks during a press conference in Longeville-les-Metz, eastern France, on June 4, 2024. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
Deschamps said at the time that his decision to do without Mbappe was “for the best” due to the noise surrounding the striker.
Mbappe has been in fine form for Real in the months since and has scored 28 goals in all competitions this season for the club he joined last year.
“I have chatted with him and I confirm what I already said a few weeks ago, that he will be the captain”, Deschamps said in response to questions about Mbappe’s ongoing role as skipper.
The versatile Doue, meanwhile, has been rewarded for his impressive club form.
The 19-year-old has scored or set up a total of 17 goals in 23 appearances since becoming a regular in the PSG side in mid-December.
Capable of playing as a winger as well as in midfield, Doue was outstanding after coming off the bench for PSG in Tuesday’s Champions League last 16, second leg against Liverpool, and scored the winning kick in the penalty shoot-out.
Signed by PSG from Rennes for a reported 50 million euros ($54.1m) in August, Doue was part of Thierry Henry’s France Under-23 team that won the silver medal at the Paris Olympics last year.
“He is not always a starter for his club but whenever he plays or comes on he has made a lot of progress”, Deschamps said.
“He is a very young player but he is an interesting one for us. I could have waited but I have called him up now because I think it is the right time”.
France face Croatia away in Split in the first leg of the quarter-final next Thursday, March 20, in a tie that is a repeat of the 2018 World Cup final won by Les Bleus.
Paris Saint-Germain’s French midfielder #14 Desire Doue shoots a penalty during the penalty shoot out during the last 16 second leg UEFA Champions League football match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on March 11, 2025. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
The sides will clash in the second leg at the Stade de France on Sunday, March 23.
The winners will advance to the final four, which will take place in either Italy or Germany in June.
N’Golo Kante is the most notable absentee from the squad, with Deschamps revealing that the Saudi Arabia-based midfielder has been nursing a minor muscle injury.
Squad Goalkeepers: Lucas Chevalier (Lille), Mike Maignan (AC Milan/ITA), Brice Samba (Rennes)
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Nice), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa/ENG), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan/ITA), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool/ENG), Jules Kounde (Barcelona/ESP), Benjamin Pavard (Inter Milan/ITA), William Saliba (Arsenal/ENG), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER)
Meghan Markle has announced her next career move after her Netflix series received mixed reviews.
Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex announced on her Instagram that she is launching a new podcast entitled Confessions Of A Female Founder, despite being labelled a ‘ grifter ‘ by Spotify following their failed podcast venture. This time, the Duchess of Sussex, 43, is teaming up with Lemonada Media. The upcoming podcast is described by the US podcast company as inviting listeners “to be a fly on the wall as Meghan sits down for candid conversations with female founders and friends about the success, the struggles, and the never-before-told stories of building a business”. ‘
It has been announced just a week after Meghan’s lifestyle show on Netflix premiered to savage criticism. Lemonada said: “As Meghan (@meghan) herself navigates the world of entrepreneurship with the upcoming launch of her brand As Ever, be inspired by the real, unfiltered stories and lessons learned from notable female founders—from knowing your worth, to trusting your gut, securing investors, and investing in yourself”.
A trailer will be released on March 25 and the first episode on April 8. It follows Meghan’s Archetypes podcast about female stereotypes which ran for just one series and was part of the Sussexes ‘ previous deal with Spotify which ended in 2023
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Liverpool interim manager Amber Whiteley says she is “proud” of Taylor Hinds after the defender called out “sexually inappropriate comments” made to her during Sunday’s victory at Arsenal.
Hinds says she heard the comments while down with a head injury during Liverpool’s 1-0 FA Cup quarter-final win.
After the comments were reported to officials, a member of the crowd was removed from the stadium, and Arsenal started an investigation.
Jamaica international Hinds said it was “hard” to continue playing.
Speaking before Liverpool’s Women’s Super League game against Manchester United on Friday, Whiteley praised Hinds.
“What happened at the game was completely unacceptable”, said Whiteley.
“We’re proud of Taylor for making the stand. It’s important for her but everyone else in the game too, for every little girl out there who dreams of being a professional footballer.
” I’ve got two little boys at home so it’s important for them, too, to know that sort of behaviour is not acceptable and won’t be tolerated.
“We’re really proud of Taylor and we’re right behind her. She’s in a good place.
