The Spice Girls joined the world in sharing celebratory messages to David Beckham as the former footballer and husband of Posh Spice Victoria turned 50 in style
David Beckham is celebrating his 50th(Image: INSTAGRAM)
The Spice Girls joined the celebrity world in taking its turn to celebrate David Beckham on his milestone 50th birthday. The iconic girl band’s official Instagram page had to join in the special celebration for the “original Spice Boy”.
In a sweet message on their Stories, the group’s page wrote: “One of our original Spice Boys turns 50 today! Happy birthday @davidbeckham.” They also shared two snaps of the former sports star donning official group merchandise while Spice Up Your Life played in the background. In the first snap, Becks is seen holding his hands out wide to fully show off his blue Christmas Spiceworld jumper. In the second, the ex-England captain is flashing the peace sign to the camera while wearing a top emblazoned with wife Victoria and her “Posh” nickname.
David Beckham was wished a happy birthday by the Spice Girls(Image: Spicegirls/Instagram)
The gushing post followed VB’s loving messages to her man. As soon as the clock struck midnight on her husband’s birthday, she rushed to social media to celebrate him.
While the Beckhams have already been marking his milestone birthday for a number of weeks now, Victoria made it her mission to make sure her man felt extra special on his 50th. She took to her Instagram to post not one, but two loving tributes.
In the first video, she is seen serenading David as they both sing and dance to Islands In The Stream by Dolly Parton. She labelled him her “best friend, soul mate and dance partner for life” in the post.
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The Spice Girls’ official Instagram page paid tribute to David Beckham(Image: @spicegirls/Instagram)
She later shared a montage of memories with David since the pair first met in 1997 until their most recent life milestones. In the second tribute, she swooned: “When I look at this video I think ‘Wow, how lucky am I’. You’re everything I could have dreamed of and more. Happy 50th birthday David. I love you and our beautiful family endlessly. You complete me.”
While the group and Victoria were united in sending their love for Becks on the special occasion, it’s rumoured there will be no repeat ahead of next year’s speculated Spice Girls reunion tour.
Band guru Simon Fuller is reportedly set to meet with Geri Horner in a bid to secure a deal for the iconic band to play to their adoring crowds once again. Emma Bunton, Mel B and Mel C are said considering a world tour next year with Geri, however Victoria Beckham has reportedly “90 percent” ruled herself out.
Geri and Simon are thought to be back in touch and meeting in Miami, but Victoria has reportedly told pals she isn’t considering going back to her music roots.
A source told the Sun: “There have been rumours swirling for months, but Geri has always been too busy and had other things on, preventing her from saying Yes.
Australians are heading to the polls shortly in parliamentary elections which will decide if Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s centre-left Labor government will return for a second term.
Labor’s main rival is the country’s conservative coalition, led by opposition leader Peter Dutton, which came into the election campaign polling strongly but is now lagging slightly behind Labor.
If Albanese does win, it could mean Australia is following in similar footsteps to Canada, where the Liberal party reversed its prospects in recent weeks, amid concerns about the effect of United States President Donald Trump’s policies on Canada’s economy.
Amy Remeikis, chief political analyst at the Australia Institute, an independent research centre, told Al Jazeera that polls indicate President Trump is “an increasing concern for Australian voters” and that “Labor’s gamble of holding a later election to allow some of Trump’s policies to start to impact has paid off.”
In comparison with Canada, where both major parties tried to distance themselves from Trump, Remeikis notes that Australia’s opposition leader Dutton has courted “favourable comparisons” to Trump for months.
But, he has been “badly damaged by the ‘Temu Trump’ label” – a reference to the Chinese online shopping website known for selling cheap copies of original brands.
The Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher and Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton after attending mass, following the death of Pope Francis, at Saint Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, Australia, on April 22, 2025 [Hollie Adams/Reuters]
War on Gaza and the price of eggs
Uncertainty around Trump’s tariffs on Australia has only compounded the concerns of many Australians around the cost of essential items, including housing, food, healthcare and childcare.
In the final televised leaders’ debate, a week before the election, both Dutton and Albanese stumbled when asked to guess how much a dozen eggs might cost at a supermarket.
Albanese was closer, guessing 7 Australian dollars, nearly two dollars less than the actual price of $8.80, while Dutton guessed $4.20, less than half the actual price.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during an appearance as a guest on the Sunday Footy Show during the federal election campaign in Sydney, Australia, on April 20, 2025 [Alex Ellinghausen/Pool via Reuters]
Cost of living has “trumped everything” leading into the election, says Josie Hess, who comes from the Latrobe Valley, a coal-mining region in Victoria, and who also works for advocacy group Environment Victoria.
For a number of Australians, the most important issue on election day will be beyond Australia’s borders, says Nasser Mashni, the president of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN).
Mashni told Al Jazeera that “the genocide that is occurring in Palestine” has seen a “new constituency” emerge in Australia that understands that Israel is “a settler colonialist movement doing exactly what occurred here [in Australia] 238 years ago”.
APAN has developed a scorecard of where the major parties stand on Palestine. Of those, only the Greens received a tick from APAN on every issue. The scorecard for Labor was mixed, while the conservative Liberal-National coalition did not meet a single criterion.
“We’ve asked for people to make Palestine their number one issue and to find a candidate that best reflects a just and humane position for Palestine,” Mashni said.
“Certainly, the easiest candidates to find will be in the Senate, but I am sure there’ll be somebody in every seat where they can vote a little bit better for Palestine, and in some cases, very well for Palestine,” he added.
Dozens of minor parties and independents from across the political spectrum are also vying for votes.
Remeikis said there is a “late surge to the nationalistic, far-right, One Nation party”, which has been aided by Dutton’s conservative coalition preferencing votes for One Nation, and vice versa, in outer suburban and inner regional seats. Next year marks 30 years since One Nation’s leader Pauline Hanson was first elected to federal office in Australia.
But Remeikis says the late surge is unlikely to affect the outcome of the election, with polls suggesting Labor will win with a minority government.
The Greens, along with some independents running on pro-climate action platforms, will also be hoping to repeat successes in Australia’s 2022 election, which followed many months of devastating fires and floods.
People arrive at a polling centre as early voting begins in Sydney on April 22, 2025 [Mark Baker/AP]
Going nuclear
With climate change remaining a key concern for many Australians, Dutton, whose party has long delayed taking action on climate, has chosen to focus on campaigning to build Australia’s first-ever nuclear power stations in areas where coal power stations are closing down, such as the Latrobe Valley, in Victoria.
This week, organisations representing more than 350,000 emergency and health services workers released a letter calling on Dutton to drop his plan to introduce nuclear energy to Australia, saying “Australia’s current emergency services do not have the support or resources to respond to nuclear disasters.”
Josie Hess, a Latrobe Valley local who works for Environment Victoria, told Al Jazeera that people there still have questions about the viability of Dutton’s proposal.
She says people in the valley “desperately need jobs” but the timeline to build nuclear means that it would do little to help workers now.
“We have some people who support nuclear but for the most part, the Latrobe Valley is not a monolith, and there is clear and demonstrable opposition to the proposal,” she said.
And while economic issues are a concern, she added, there is also an “intrinsic link between climate security and cost of living and housing”.
Melissa Sweet, who runs public health news site Croakey, told Al Jazeera that climate change remains a key issue for Australian health workers heading into the election.
“Heatwaves, floods, and bushfires are already driving up demand for emergency care, mental health services, and chronic disease management,” Sweet said.
Enjoy frozen treats with family and friends this bank holiday weekend, without paying extortinate prices at your local ice-cream shop as Cuisinart have axed their ice-cream maker by a massive £100
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Enjoy frozen treats at home as Cuisinart slashes £100 off ice-cream maker(Image: Getty)
Fancy enjoying some frozen goodies at home this bank holiday? Well, you’re in luck. Iconic kitchenware brand Cuisinart have axed the price of its Gelato and Ice Cream Maker by a whopping £100 just in time for the sunny weekend ahead.
With the temperatures continuing to rise, what better way to fend off the heat with some homewade treats that cater to your sweet tooth, cool you down and won’t cost a fortune for every one? This ice cream maker is the perfect addition to any kitchen ahead of the summer months – and now it’s up for grabs at a bargain price. But you’ll need to hurry, this sale ends as of Monday 5 May.
READ MORE: ‘Super soft’ luxury bedding set hits Debenhams sale with a mega 50% off
READ MORE: These heeled Timberland sandals are so comfy I’ve been wearing them all heatwave week’
The Cuisinart Ice Cream and Gelato Professional is currently £100.01 cheaper thanks to this bank holiday sale(Image: Cuisinart )
Available for the same reduced price at Lakeland and Amazon, this Gelato and Ice Cream Maker would normall set shoppers back by a steep £300, but is currently on sale for £199.99 directly from Cuisinart.
Boasting Instant Freeze Technology, this machine creates creamy ice cream, rich gelato, and refreshing sorbet in as little as 40 minutes without the need for pre-freeze, cutting down on prep time so you can enjoy your delectable frozen delights that bit sooner. Able to churn out multiple batches without waiting, thanks to the continuous use of its Professional Compressor System, this machine makes enjoying ice cream and gelato so much cheaper and easier than heading to your local ice cream stall.
The Ice Cream and Gelato Professional comes armed with two mixing paddles: one for light and airy ice cream, and one for dense, smooth gelato right from your own kitchen.
Set to be the ultimate tool for creating delicious homemade frozen desserts, this gadget lets you customise your favourite treats from your own kitchen, with the ability to add mix-ins and toppings during the churning, for endless flavour possibilities. What’s more, its perfect for elevateing your dessert-making game, especially handy if you’re keen on hosting dinner parties and BBQs this spring and summer.
Boasting an impressive 4.7 out of 5 stars, shoppers adore this gadget. One thrilled customer beams: “After a recent trip to Italy, I had to try my hand at homemade gelato. This machine makes it super easy. Even the recipes in the included manual are great (surprisingly the olive oil-thyme was our favorite).”
Another buyer beams: “Absolutely wonderful! I would give it 10 stars if I could. The ice cream is so amazing I will not be buying store bought ever again. It’s easy to operate, cleans up in a jiffy, and is simply perfect.”
Article continues below
A third continues to sing its praises, writing: “This is super easy to use and we had a finished batch of delicious ice cream very quickly.”
Enjoy frozen treats with family and friends this bank holiday weekend, without paying extortinate prices at your local ice-cream shop as Cuisinart have axed their ice-cream maker by a massive £100
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Enjoy frozen treats at home as Cuisinart slashes £100 off ice-cream maker(Image: Getty)
Fancy enjoying some frozen goodies at home this bank holiday? Well, you’re in luck. Iconic kitchenware brand Cuisinart have axed the price of its Gelato and Ice Cream Maker by a whopping £100 just in time for the sunny weekend ahead.
With the temperatures continuing to rise, what better way to fend off the heat with some homewade treats that cater to your sweet tooth, cool you down and won’t cost a fortune for every one? This ice cream maker is the perfect addition to any kitchen ahead of the summer months – and now it’s up for grabs at a bargain price. But you’ll need to hurry, this sale ends as of Monday 5 May.
READ MORE: ‘Super soft’ luxury bedding set hits Debenhams sale with a mega 50% off
READ MORE: These heeled Timberland sandals are so comfy I’ve been wearing them all heatwave week’
The Cuisinart Ice Cream and Gelato Professional is currently £100.01 cheaper thanks to this bank holiday sale(Image: Cuisinart )
Available for the same reduced price at Lakeland and Amazon, this Gelato and Ice Cream Maker would normall set shoppers back by a steep £300, but is currently on sale for £199.99 directly from Cuisinart.
Boasting Instant Freeze Technology, this machine creates creamy ice cream, rich gelato, and refreshing sorbet in as little as 40 minutes without the need for pre-freeze, cutting down on prep time so you can enjoy your delectable frozen delights that bit sooner. Able to churn out multiple batches without waiting, thanks to the continuous use of its Professional Compressor System, this machine makes enjoying ice cream and gelato so much cheaper and easier than heading to your local ice cream stall.
The Ice Cream and Gelato Professional comes armed with two mixing paddles: one for light and airy ice cream, and one for dense, smooth gelato right from your own kitchen.
Set to be the ultimate tool for creating delicious homemade frozen desserts, this gadget lets you customise your favourite treats from your own kitchen, with the ability to add mix-ins and toppings during the churning, for endless flavour possibilities. What’s more, its perfect for elevateing your dessert-making game, especially handy if you’re keen on hosting dinner parties and BBQs this spring and summer.
Boasting an impressive 4.7 out of 5 stars, shoppers adore this gadget. One thrilled customer beams: “After a recent trip to Italy, I had to try my hand at homemade gelato. This machine makes it super easy. Even the recipes in the included manual are great (surprisingly the olive oil-thyme was our favorite).”
Another buyer beams: “Absolutely wonderful! I would give it 10 stars if I could. The ice cream is so amazing I will not be buying store bought ever again. It’s easy to operate, cleans up in a jiffy, and is simply perfect.”
Article continues below
A third continues to sing its praises, writing: “This is super easy to use and we had a finished batch of delicious ice cream very quickly.”
United States President Donald Trump has renewed his threat to strip Harvard University of its tax exempt status, a move that could cost the Ivy League institution billions of dollars if implemented.
“We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!” Trump wrote on Friday, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.
The statement is the latest threat in a continuing feud between the Republican president and Harvard, the country’s oldest higher-education institution.
Since taking office for a second term on January 20, Trump has sought to increase his control over US universities and crack down on what he considers “illegal protests” on campus.
But Harvard has been a focal point for his public ire, particularly after school leaders refused a list of demands the Trump administration sent on April 11.
In a five-page letter (PDF), Trump officials called on Harvard to reform its student disciplinary system, investigate protesters involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, commission an external audit of programmes deemed anti-Semitic and eliminate its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes.
The letter also required Harvard to commit to “viewpoint diversity” in its hiring and admissions practices, something it was expected to accomplish through “structural and personnel changes”. Critics said this mandate was tantamount to Trump attempting to impose a political litmus test on the school.
By April 14, Harvard’s President Alan Garber had rejected the letter. In a statement published to Harvard’s website, he explained that Trump’s demands infringed upon Harvard’s academic freedom, among other rights.
“The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” Garber wrote. “No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”
The Trump administration swiftly responded by suspending nearly $2.2bn in grants and contracts to the school.
It has since filed a lawsuit (PDF) challenging Trump’s attempts to withhold federal funding from the school, calling the move “leverage to gain control of academic decision-making at Harvard”.
Shortly after halting the grants and contracts, Trump turned his attention to Harvard’s tax exempt status, ratcheting up the pressure on the school.
Educational institutions, charities, nonprofits and institutions of scientific research are among the entities eligible to apply for tax exempt status under US law. That status offers those organisations relief from paying federal income and property taxes.
But on April 15, Trump mused on social media that Harvard should lose that exemption, on account of its handling of pro-Palestinian student protests.
“Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax-Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?’” Trump wrote.
US media reports later indicated that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was having internal deliberations about whether to revoke the school’s IRS status, despite such action being relatively rare.
But under the US Code, it is illegal for the president, vice president or any of their employees to petition the IRS — even indirectly — to conduct an audit of any taxpayer.
Democrats have seized on that fact to push for an investigation into the Trump administration’s actions towards Harvard.
“The President is targeting the non-profit status of Harvard University for blatantly political purposes,” Democratic senators including Chuck Schumer, Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren wrote in a joint letter on Friday.
“This is a war crime.” A representative of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition accused “Israel or one of its allies” of conducting what the group says was a drone attack on its ship carrying aid to Gaza. The Israeli government has not responded to the allegations.
