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Nicole Kidman reveals rare look at natural hair after years of wearing wigs

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Nicole Kidman is best known for her successful acting career which includes starring in the likes of Moulin Rouge! and Babygirl

Nicole showed off her natural hair(Image: Getty Images)

Nicole Kidman has revealed her natural hair after years of famously wearing wigs. The star has given her fans a rare insight into her natural hair as she soaks up the summer sun in Europe alongside her family.

The 58-year-old actress tends to keep her iconic auburn locks under wraps when she’s either on scree or making a public appearance and tends to wear wigs instead. However, she is now going natural as she spends time with those closest to her.

Nicole’s niece Lucia Hawley is on the trip with her aunt in Croatia and has been documenting it on Instagram. She shared a photo as she cuddled up to her mum Antonia Kidman as well as Nicole.

Nicole is on holiday with her family
Nicole is on holiday with her family(Image: Instagram)

Nicole looked as stunning as ever as she wore a flowy silk dress with a floral detail. She also showed off her curly auburn hair in a rare sighting of her natural hair.

Nicole is known for wearing wigs when it comes to her job in showbiz. It’s rare to see the star showing off her natural hair in films or on the red carpet, which has been the case since the early days of her successful career.

Just in recent months, Nicole has been seen in several dramatic wig looks which has included blunt bobs and straight wigs. However, one recent look caught the eyes of fans.

Nicole went for a daring look at the Met Gala
Nicole went for a daring look at the Met Gala(Image: GC Images)

As Nicole attended the Cannes Film Festival, fans noticed a that the mesh cap of her wig peeked through in red carpet photos. Nicole also turned heads in a dramatic look at this year’s Met Gala.

She looked gorgeous in a Balenciaga gown but it was her cropped, slicked-back cut and wavy fringe that everyone noticed. Just days before she was at a Charli XCX concert where she had a long ponytail.

Nicole appeared on Sunrise back in May as she said she “loves changing her hair” and uses hairpieces to achieve new looks. She then confirmed that it was a wig she wore at the Met Gala and she hadn’t cut her hair.

She said: “For the Met Gala, everyone was questioning if I had chopped my hair off. But no, I didn’t.” This comes soon after Nicole celebrated her birthday.

Husband Keith Urban upped the expectation of husbands around the world after he surprised his wifefor her 58th birthday. The country singer, 57, took time out of his High and Alive world tour to treat his wife and the mother of his two kids.

The singer paused his tour to take Nicole to a soccer match at Geodis Park Stadium in Nashville, watching the World Club Cup Group D match between Los Angeles FC and Esperance Sportive de Tunis.

The pair appeared to be in full spirits as they enjoyed their time together. Earlier in the day, Nicole shared with fans that she had received a bouquet of flowers from her husband.

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Keith also shared a sweet message to Nicole on his Instagram page. He wrote: “HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABYGIRL.”

READ MORE: Hailey Bieber made a new hands-free way to hold the Rhode lip balm – but fans are divided

The Chase star Darragh Ennis sets tricky ‘real name’ quiz that most can’t solve

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The Chase star Darragh Ennis has left people baffled after setting a fiendishly difficult ‘real names’ quiz on social media, as many struggle to get every answer correct

Darragh Ennis set a tricky challenge on social media (stock photo)(Image: ITV)

You’ll need to have a sharp mind to beat this quiz set by The Chase star Darragh Ennis. The 44-year-old neuroscientist and professional quizzer is most known for his role as The Menace on the ITV quiz show, where he is tasked with preventing contestants from being able to take home huge prize money by answering questions quicker than they can.

However, in his spare time, Darragh regularly challenges the public to quizzes of his own on his social media accounts. These brainteasers are usually comprised of five questions, and while some are themed around specific franchises like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, others are more general knowledge based.

One recent quiz set by The Menace was on “real names”, and he claimed that most people wouldn’t be able to get a perfect score. So if you think you’ve got what it takes, why not give it a go?

Darragh started by explaining how the quiz would work. He would give the real name of a famous person who uses a stage name, and your job is to work out what name they’re “better known by”. He added: “I bet you can’t get all five.”

Questions

  1. Which actor, who was born in 1951, had the real name Michael Douglas?
  2. Which Welsh singer, also born in 1951, was originally named Gaynor Sullivan?
  3. Which rapper’s real name is Calvin Broadus Jr?
  4. Which American President was born Leslie Lynch King Jr?
  5. Which American singer’s real name is Elizabeth Woolridge Grant?
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Take some time to read through the questions and think about your answers before you scroll down to see how many you got right. There’s no time limit on this one, so take as long as you need.

We won’t be giving you any hints this time, but we can tell you that the first question is not a trick. The actor changed their name because the Michael Douglas we know was already a famous actor.

Once you think you’ve got all the answers, check them against the correct ones below!

Answers

  1. Michael Keaton
  2. Bonnie Tyler
  3. Snoop Dogg
  4. Gerald Ford
  5. Lana Del Rey

Commenters on the video were mixed. Some said they found the quiz easy, and many others said they “couldn’t answer any correctly” because they found it too hard.

One person said: “I didn’t know the answer to any of those!” Another added: “Blimey, I am hopeless at this. I only had a guess on the second one, and even that was wrong. I thought Shirley Bassey.”

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Of the several people who managed to get four answers correct, the US President question tripped them up the most. Several said they had no idea who Gerald Ford was, let alone what his birth name was.

‘We need artists that speak up’: Rap duo Bob Vylan climb the charts after Glastonbury controversy

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Punk group Bob Vylan has surged to the top of the UK charts despite pushback from governments, as fans and other musicians express support for their anti-genocide message

Bob Vylan’s album has surged to the top of the charts(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

As the saying goes: all press is good press. Despite (or perhaps because of) Bob Vylan’s highly controversial Glastonbury performance, the rap duo surged to the top spot on the UK’s Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart with their 2024 record Humble As The Sun.

This comes after the punk group had their US visas revoked after frontman Bobby Vylan led the Glastonbury crowd through a “Death to the IDF” chant. Both Radar Festival in the UK and France’s Kave Fest also pulled the act from their line-up following the uproar.

The BBC has since stated that they regret broadcasting “deeply regret” broadcasting “such offensive and deplorable behaviour”. However, the sentiment hasn’t been shared by everyone. Multiple prominent artists, including Massive Attack and Amyl & The Sniffers, have spoken out in support of the rap group.

Bobby Vylan
Bob Vylan received backlash for their “death to the IDF” chant(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

READ MORE: BRIAN READE: ‘Hypocrisy over Glastonbury IDF death chant is ludicrous’

Upon news of their chart success, Bob Vylan took to X: “Ban Bob Vylan? The people said ‘Nah’. We need artists that speak up. Our album ‘Humble As The Sun’ is back in the charts and, as an independent band releasing music on our own label, it shows the power of the people. You can’t get dropped if you own the label. Thank you all!”

Their comment section was filled with support from fans. One said: “The people resonate with what’s real, you will gain more from representing the majority interest than you ever will being a sell out…”

“Thank you! Can’t believe we need to explain this to people, but the vast majority of people living on this planet are indeed anti-genocide,” a second added. “I’m buying some of your music just off general principle!” another wrote.

Another commenter also suggested that the pushback against the group had the opposite of its intended effect. They said: “You didn’t get silenced. You got more famous. Up until 2 weeks ago I had no clue who you were now I have your album.”

Kneecap, who have received similar criticism over their vocal support for Palestine, have also seen chart success, with their debut album Fine Art reaching number five.

The BBC refused to livestream the Belfast rap trio during their Glastonbury set and instead played an edited version of the clip on their iPlayer. This came after Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (stage name Mo Chara) was charged with terrorism over allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London gig last year.

Mo Chara, DJ Provaí and Móglaí Bap of Kneecap perform on the West Holts stage during day four of Glastonbury festival 2025 at Worthy Farm
The BBC refused to livestream Kneecap’s Glastonbury set(Image: WireImage)

However, as with Bob Vylan, many other artists were vocal in their support for the group and their message. Posted to Instagram stories, the Australian group Amyl & The Sniffers wrote: “The British media in a frenzy about Bob Vylan and Kneecap but artists all weekend at Glastonbury from pop to rock to rap to punk to DJs spoke up onstage and there were toned of flags on every streamed set.”

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They added: “Trying to make it look like just a couple of isolated incidents and a couple of ‘bad bands’ so it appears the public isn’t as anti-genocide as it is, and trying to make it look like Bob and Kneecap are one-offs, instead of that the status quo has shifted majorly and that people are concerned and desperate for our governments to listen.”

Wireless Festival fans are only just realising star performed at £4 show in London

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Rapper Drake is headlining Wireless Festival 2025 this weekend at Finsbury Park in London – and many fans are only realising one thing about the Canadian superstar

Drake will be back in the UK this weekend as he headlines Wireless Festival(Image: GETTY)

Wireless Festival is returning with a bang this weekend with Drake headlining the gig after a much anticipated wait. Earlier this week the Canadian singer’s private jet named ‘Air Drake’ was spotted at Exeter Airport. An onlooker managed to snap a photo of the distinctive sky-blue aircraft and shared it with DevonLive, commenting: “Drake’s private jet is parked up at Exeter Airport.”

With weekend tickets priced up to £388, and the superstar flying over in style, it is a far cry from his early days in London. Recently fans were reminiscing on how far the star has come, and how he’s remained humble only his journey. He was previously spotted performing in London at a £4 concert.

A post was shared on X and TikTok recently which showed him making a guest appearance at the concert. One individual shared on X: “Never forget when Drake showed up at a $5 [£4] show in London. I’m convinced Drake would rather be a UK citizen.”

“He gets so much love more love from the UK than he does from America,” commented one.

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READ MORE: Fans say the same thing as Wireless line-up released four days before festival

“Drake gets super love in the UK,” noted another. “One of my favourite videos ever,” said another after viewing the clip.

One other pointed out: “It’s these little little things that Drake does that make people love him… that’s what they don’t understand.”

Another said: “People don’t get that Drakes culture when he shows up to events like this in the UK. It’s these moments that have made him one of the carriers of the culture.”

So fans are expecting big things from the beloved star this weekend.

The 38-year-old previously made surprise appearances at Wireless. He made a guest appearance at Wireless Festival in 2021, where he joined Future on stage. He also made a surprise appearance at Wireless Festival in 2018.

Who else is performing at Wireless Festival 2025?

Some 20 new names have now been added to the official line up. Each night will reflect the cream of Black music, celebrating a coming-together of global rap, R&B, Afrobeats, dancehall, grime, and trap.

New acts revealed include Leon Thomas, KWN, Odeal, Roy Woods, Sailorr, TBA, Nippa, and Kamilla Rose on Friday. Saturday will see the likes of BigXThaPlug, Lancey Foux, Nemzzz, Fimiguerrero, Sahbabii, Len, Chy Cartier, YT and Kenny Allstar perform.

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Sunday attendees will be able to see Vybz Kartel, Popcaan, Spice, Masicka, Uncle Waffles, Darkoo, Odumodublvck, Skeete and Izzy Bossy. Drake will headline all three days.

Are there any Wireless tickets left?

There was a limited number of tickets were released on Monday (July 7 2025) and are currently on sale now through Ticketmaster until the final release sells out.

PKK begins disarmament process after 40 years of armed struggle in Turkiye

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has begun the first steps towards disarmament, closing a chapter on a four-decade armed campaign against the Turkish state in a conflict that has killed more than 40,000 people.

A small ceremony was being held on Friday in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region, where 20 to 30 PKK fighters were expected to destroy their weapons rather than surrender them to any government or authority. The symbolic process is being conducted under tight security and is expected to unfold throughout the summer.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has welcomed the development, declaring it as “totally ripping off and throwing away the bloody shackles that were put on our country’s legs”. Erdogan also said the move would benefit the entire region.

The move follows an announcement in May by the PKK that it would abandon its armed struggle.

For most of its history, the PKK has been labelled a “terrorist” group by Turkiye, the European Union and the United States.

More than 40,000 people were killed between 1984 and 2024, with thousands of Kurds fleeing the violence in southeastern Turkiye into cities further north.

In a video aired earlier this week but recorded in June by the PKK-linked Firat News Agency, the group’s imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan described the moment as “a voluntary transition from the phase of armed conflict to the phase of democratic politics and law”, calling it a “historic gain”.

Ocalan has been held in solitary confinement on Imrali Island in Turkiye since his capture in 1999. Despite his imprisonment, he remains a symbolic figure for the group and broader PKK offshoots across the region.

The disarmament is being closely monitored by members of Turkiye’s Kurdish DEM party, as well as Turkish media. Further phases will take place at designated locations involving coordination between Turkiye, Iraq and the Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq.

The impact of the conflict has been deeply felt not only in Turkiye but across neighbouring countries, particularly Iraq, Syria and Iran, where the PKK and its affiliates have maintained a presence.

‘If the PKK leaves there won’t be any shelling’

In northern Iraq, where the fighting has often spilled over, civilians are cautiously hopeful.

Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud Abdelwahed visited communities in the mountainous district of Amedi, near the Turkish border, where villages have been caught in the crossfire.

“Here in northern Iraq, the PKK controls hundreds of villages spread across the semi-autonomous Kurdish region,” said Abdelwahed. “Some have been turned into battlefields, severely limiting access to farmland and making life even more difficult for displaced families who are desperate to return home.”

Shirwan Sirkli, a local farmer, told Al Jazeera that the conflict destroyed his family’s livelihood. “My farm was burned down by shelling as Turkish forces and the PKK brought their conflict to our lands. My brother also lost his $300,000 worth of sheep ranches. Many of our neighbours have left the village – only 35 out of about a hundred families remain.”

Turkish military operations in the area have intensified in recent years, with Ankara establishing outposts across the border and frequently targeting PKK positions.

How England can close out series win in Argentina

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Second Test: Argentina v England

Date: Saturday, 12 July Kick-off: 20:40 BST Venue: Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario

Before England left for Argentina, head coach Steve Borthwick called the odds. He proclaimed that the Pumas – higher in the world rankings and with a clutch of high-profile scalps to their name – were favourites for the series.

That’s changed.

England’s superb 35-12 win in the first Test in La Plata propelled Borthwick’s side above the hosts in the rankings.

Markets still have Argentina as favourites for the second Test but only now by the width of a betting slip.

Dig in under new scrum pressure

England trainingGetty Images

On a trip that has included visits to Boca Juniors’ home ground and Buenos Aires’ famous Palermo Hipodromo racecourse, England have also been hosted at a traditional, meat-mountain ‘asado’ barbecue.

The front row might need that protein.

After being more than matched at the set-piece in the first Test, the hosts have beefed up their front five.

First-choice loose-head prop Thomas Gallo is back in the starting line-up with the 40-year-old wiles of Francisco Gomez Kodela on the other side of the front row and Guido Petti in the second-row engine room.

England gave travelling journalists a rare insight into a full-bore training session this week. One of the drills involved the eight starters scrumming against a 10-strong pack.

“If we’re playing against a team which scrummages for penalties, and a heavy pack, then I’ll go 10 versus eight and have a longer time under tension,” said scrum coach Tom Harrison.

Cool hands & hard lines from debutant Luke

Luke NorthmoreGetty Images

Luke Northmore was not the obvious replacement for injured Henry Slade.

His Harlequins team-mate Oscar Beard is a more natural outside centre. Max Ojomoh started at 13 for Bath in their Premiership final win over Leicester last month.

But Borthwick instead has opted for Northmore’s hard-running physicality alongside Seb Atkinson in midfield.

England will miss Slade’s playmaking nous. But he wasn’t always central to the backline’s slickest moments in La Plata.

Tom Roebuck’s second try was set in motion by Atkinson’s impeccable pull-back pass and Freddie Steward clinging on to a pass around his hips.

Steward’s own try was created by George Ford’s daring miss-pass across the face of the Pumas’ defence.

Keep the line speed

While Blackett is looking after attack, Sale Sharks’ Byron McGuigan is helping out regular defence coach Joe El-Abd.

England have been varying the angle of the accelerator pedal over the past year, trying to find a balance between raw, rabid line speed which cuts down opposition space and a coherent shape that denies them holes to exploit.

In the first Test in La Plata, there was a little more gas and go-forward compared to the Six Nations and, together with some gutsy goal-line rearguard, it worked brilliantly.

Argentina created two tries with sharp heads-up rugby.

Willis to overpower Pumas once more?

Tom WillisGetty Images

One of England’s star performers in the first Test, number eight Tom Willis, outshone the Pumas’ stellar back-row trio of Pablo Matera, Facundo Isa and Saracens’ team-mate Juan Martin Gonzalez.

He was furiously industrious on either side of the ball, with a bottomless appetite for the rough stuff.

He carried remorselessly, made 21 tackles and won two turnovers in a figurehead individual performance.

By the end of the Six Nations, Borthwick was favouring a speedy, low-slung ground game in his back row, with Ben Earl at number eight between the Curry brothers.

Bench spots under the spotlight

Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Chandler Cunningham-SouthGetty

The strength of England’s bench has been questioned this year. In theory, with 13 players on duty in Australia, it should be under even more pressure.

However, England finished on the front foot in the first Test, pushing for more points rather than clinging on for victory.

It is a young set of replacements – six of the eight are 24 or under – and the experience gained at the business end of a Test series in front of a loud, away support will be priceless.

Borthwick spoke about this tour being a chance to build and reveal Test-match temperament in his youngsters. That focus may be most acute on these finishers.

Twenty-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour, who came under pressure in Sale’s Premiership semi-final defeat by Leicester, will relish the chance to prove himself.

Chandler Cummingham-South, who is attempting to add second row to his repertoire, needs to rediscover his rampaging best.

The broken field and tired opposition might suit the all-court skills of Theo Dan, centrally-contracted, but third choice at hooker behind Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jamie George.

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