Latest news with #SpiceGirls'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Mel B marries Rory McPhee at iconic St. Paul's Cathedral, Spice Girl stuns in pearl-embellished gown, star-studded reception held at The Shard
The 'Spice Girls' star Mel B has tied the knot with hairstylist Rory McPhee. The wedding took place on Saturday, July 5, at The Crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral in London--a venue known for hosting the wedding of Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles in 1981, as reported by People. The Spice Girl, 50, shared an Instagram video showing her and her husband getting ready in their respective hotel rooms in the hours before their nuptials. The footage showed the singer relaxing in a chair while several specialists worked on her makeup and hair. She wore a gown from the London-based shop, which featured a strapless corset and a sheer illusion jacket embellished with pearls. She paired the dress with a cathedral veil and wore her hair up, with natural curls framing her face, as reported by People. Wedding dress designer Josephine Scott told the outlet that the gown was created to convey the singer's "fearless spirit and softness all in one look." She explained, "She's iconic, powerful and radiant, and this dress had to be worthy of that. Every detail was chosen to honour her strength and sensuality, while celebrating the woman and the love story beneath the girl power," reported People. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Mel B's Instagram video also featured some clips of the wedding rings and her groom, McPhee, as he put on his suit for the big day, which included a black bow tie on top with a black jacket and a red, patterned kilt on the bottom, to honour his Scottish heritage. After the couple tied the knot, they headed to the 5-star, located inside The Shard, a 95-story skyscraper in London, England, which was decorated with fairy lights and florals, according to People. According to the publication, the ceremony continued with a grand reception at the Shangri-La Hotel, located inside The Shard, the tallest building in the U.K. Celebrities including Emma Bunton (Baby Spice), Cara Delevingne, Katherine Ryan, and Daisy Lowe were among the guests. Mel B's three daughters -- Phoenix (26), Angel (18), and Madison (13) -- were her bridesmaids. The singer has been married twice before and has spoken openly about her experiences with domestic abuse. In 2022, she was awarded an MBE by Prince William for her work in raising awareness about domestic violence. This honour enabled her to marry at the historic St. Paul's Cathedral. "It's a big deal because when you get married there, not many people are allowed to get married there. You have to be kind of special," she shared in May on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, according to People. The wedding came just weeks after Mel B enjoyed a bachelorette party by the sea, joined by 36 of her close friends. The group, all in leopard-print swimsuits, danced together to Beyonce's "End of Time." McPhee helped the Spice Girls singer believe in love again, she said in March 2024, according to People. "I was like, 'I'm never going to get married again. Never, never, never. I'm never having a relationship. I'm fine by myself. I want to raise my kids, put my head down and work, and that's it,' " Mel B said. "And then... never can say never, can you?" "I believe in love, and clearly the other two marriages turned out to be not love, from their angle," Mel B continued. "So I feel like I've really missed out, and now I've got this opportunity to be properly in love with a really good guy who I know loves me for me, who's known me before I was a Spice Girl, why wouldn't I do that?" reported People.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Series on the line, India consider Bumrah gamble in Manchester
LONDON - Jasprit Bumrah is a weapon India must use sparingly but with the five-test series against England on the line, the tourists are considering playing their pace spearhead in the fourth test in Manchester next week. The team management has decided that Bumrah, whose workload has been carefully managed since he returned from a back surgery earlier this year, will play three of the five tests in England. A victory in Manchester would give England an unassailable 3-1 lead. To prevent that, India are considering playing Bumrah, who skipped the second test in Birmingham, in the next match rather than preserving him for the final test at the Oval. "We know we have got him for one of the last two tests," assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate told reporters after a training session on Thursday. "It's pretty obvious that the series is on the line now in Manchester, so there will be a leaning towards playing him." "But again, we have got to look at all the factors: how many days of cricket are we going to get up there, what do we feel is our best chance of winning that game, and then how that fits in together with the Oval." Arguably the best all-format bowler of his era, Bumrah registered five-wicket hauls in both the tests he played on this tour of England, though India lost both in Leeds and Lord's. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Up to 30% of aviation jobs would have to be redesigned because of AI, automation: CAAS Singapore Alleged Kpod peddler filmed trying to flee raid in Bishan charged with 6 offences Business Global fintech firms expanding in Singapore with larger offices, APAC hubs Singapore 5 foreigners charged over scheme to deliberately get arrested in S'pore to sell sex drugs Life Kinokuniya opens third bookstore in Raffles City, weeks ahead of schedule Life F1 Singapore Grand Prix: Music acts Lewis Capaldi, Clean Bandit, Spice Girls' Melanie C added World Trump threatens to sue WSJ over story on alleged 2003 letter to Epstein Asia Appointment of Malaysia's new chief justice eases controversy over vacant top judge seats for now India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who suffered a finger injury at Lord's, did not bat in Thursday's practice. Ten Doeschate was confident Pant will reprise his usual roles in front of the stumps with the bat and behind them with the keeper's gloves in Manchester. "Look, I don't think you're going to keep Rishabh out of the test no matter what," former Dutch international ten Doeschate said. "He batted with quite a lot of pain in the third test and it's only going to get easier and easier on his finger." REUTERS
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Torque Shop: When a tyre explodes
No running: Driving a few kilometres without air can damage the tyre's structure, making them unsafe to be reused. Is it possible for tyres to explode because of over-inflation or even when the vehicle is on the move? Tyre blowouts are actually very rare. The structure of a tyre can be destroyed when it hits a pothole or the kerb forcefully. Most commonly, tyre carcasses are damaged when the car is driven with a flat tyre. This is why any punctured tyre that has endured a few kilometres with little or zero air pressure should never be reused, even if the puncture can be repaired. A blowout is possible if a tyre has sustained damage to its sidewalls or general structure. Besides impact damage, an old tyre that has been sitting on the shelf for a few years before being fitted to a car also has a higher blowout risk. This is because the rubber loses flexibility and this leads to cracks, especially on the sidewalls, once the tyre is in use. In rare instances, tyres have manufacturing defects that may not be immediately noticeable. The only way to prevent a tyre blowout from a manufacturing defect is to visually inspect the tyre carefully before setting off on any long and sustained high-speed drives. Watch out for bulges, cracks, chipped-off tread blocks and uneven wear patterns. Perhaps an online search of your tyre make and model could reveal the general service life, reliability and if there have been any manufacturer recalls. As for over-inflating a tyre, in theory, any rubber 'vessel' can of course explode if inflated beyond its maximum design pressure. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Up to 30% of aviation jobs would have to be redesigned because of AI, automation: CAAS Singapore Alleged Kpod peddler filmed trying to flee raid in Bishan charged with 6 offences Business Global fintech firms expanding in Singapore with larger offices, APAC hubs Singapore 5 foreigners charged over scheme to deliberately get arrested in S'pore to sell sex drugs Life F1 Singapore Grand Prix: Music acts Lewis Capaldi, Clean Bandit, Spice Girls' Melanie C added World Trump threatens to sue WSJ over story on alleged 2003 letter to Epstein Asia Appointment of Malaysia's new chief justice eases controversy over vacant top judge seats for now Singapore SPCA appoints Walter Leong as new executive director However, most tyre pumps at petrol stations will struggle to achieve even 600 kilopascals (kPa), which is about six times the atmospheric pressure, because the air-compressors cannot deliver much more. A pressure regulator and relief valve at the outlet of the compressor are mandatory for any air-compressor installation. In Singapore, air-compressors must be inspected by a professional engineer and certified by the Ministry of Manpower annually. Depending on the tyre size, the maximum allowable pressures commonly vary between 300 kPa and 400 kPa – and it will take at least three to four times the pressure to cause the tyre to burst. In short, it is practically impossible to inflate a tyre until it explodes.
7NEWS
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
School sparks uproar for telling student, 12, she couldn't wear Union Jack dress to diversity day
A British schoolgirl was sent home for wearing a Union Jack dress for 'diversity day', with one of her teachers saying it was inappropriate and offering her a secondhand school uniform to wear. Courtney Wright, 12, wore a Union Jack dress — similar to the famous dress worn by the Spice Girls' Geri Halliwell in the 1990s — to the Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire. Parents had earlier been told the diversity day was a chance to 'celebrate the rich cultural diversity within (the) school community ... students across all year groups will have the opportunity to take part in a variety of cultural activities'. Courtney had prepared a speech to celebrate all things British, which included tea, Shakespeare, fish and chips and the royal family. However, a teacher told her she couldn't wear the dress, offering her the preloved school uniform. Courtney refused, with her father Stuart Field, 47, called to pick her up from school. Field told UK's The Sun: 'Her head of year bizarrely said that if she had worn a suit of armour or a nurse's outfit, she probably would have been allowed. It's ridiculous. 'The irony is they were having a cultural diversity day and yet they singled out a group of people. She's a grade-A student and they have vilified her and punished her for being proud of being British.' The school later apologised to Courtney saying it offered its 'sincere and unreserved apologies' before adding it was 'learning from this experience'. On Thursday, Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas and Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli both took aim at the school while discussing the incident during Hot Topics on Sunrise. 'I struggle with this,' Zempilas said. 'I'm trying to work out what I think and then I put myself in this position: 'What if somebody did exactly the same thing here in Australia but wore the Australian flag as their outfit?' 'I don't think we'd be comfortable with that kid being told what the kid in the UK was told. 'The United Kingdom is a place of diverse communities. People from all over the world, a lot like Australia, who have settled there for a new life and a new start. 'I'm against this. I think you should be able to celebrate your own country on diversity day.' Natoli agreed. 'For a teenage girl, it would be mortifying to have to put on someone else's uniform,' Natoli said. 'Inclusion is supposed to mean everybody. So that is whether or not you associate with British culture ... (it's about) recognising diversity across the board. 'So, I think what the school has done here is missed an opportunity to reflect right across the board what students and children and young people, and other people, all people, are feeling here which is their association to being British. 'I think it was a lost opportunity and sad for that particular student.'
Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Fury as girl, 12, put in school isolation for Union Flag dress on culture day
Courtney Wright was left 'embarrassed' after she was pulled out her class at Bilton School in Rugby for wearing the 'Spice Girls' dress - the school apologised for the 'distress' A schoolgirl was thrown into isolation just for wearing a Union Flag dress to celebrate being British at her school's culture day. 'Straight A' student Courtney Wright, 12, was left feeling devastated after she wore a Spice Girls -esque dress and wrote a piece about history and traditions as part of the celebrations last Friday. She was told the dress was "unacceptable" and she was hauled out of lessons and forced to sit in reception until her dad collected her. Stuart Field, 47, said he was stunned to learn that his daughter had been segregated from her friends due to her choice of attire at Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire. The marine restoration worker said: "Courtney was so embarrassed and couldn't understand what she'd done wrong. "She should not be made to feel embarrassed about being British. And she shouldn't be punished for celebrating being British - nobody else I've spoken to can quite get their heads around it. "Somebody at the school has politicised a Union Jack dress even though that was clearly not Courtney's intent. Courtney didn't do anything to be political. "It's about being British, the Spice Girls and even the freedom at being able to wear a dress. This is just what being British means to her." In a permission letter sent to parents, it said the day was "designed to promote inclusion, understanding, and appreciation of different backgrounds, traditions and heritages". But Stuart said the school's actions went against the message and other pupils with St George's flags and Welsh flags were also turned away from the school gates. He added: "It's the school who have made it political and it went against everything the event was being held for. She chose the dress and wrote the piece off her own back. "They day was to celebrate everyone's cultures and Courtney chose this Union Flag dress so she could celebrate hers. She also wrote this speech to go with it and was very proud of what she'd done. "The next thing I get a call at work at around 9am to say she's not allowed in school dressed like that and that it was unacceptable. I wasn't able to get away from work until about midday. They made her sit in reception all morning in front of the receptionists and kept her in isolation. "She's a straight A student, one of the brightest in her year and she's never been in trouble before so she was really upset. All the kids there are British in my eyes, I like to think I'm a tolerant person but this was just not right. "I wanted an answer as to why they thought this was acceptable - and nobody could give me a straight answer, I wanted to know how they had justified it. I spoke to her head of year, and he said he wasn't the best person to talk to about it, so I can only assume he didn't really agree with it either. "It obviously came from above him but I don't know for sure who made the decision. I was fobbed off and told that I'd get a phone call and I took Courtney straight out for a nice meal to cheer her up. "If anything I was extremely proud of what she chosen and what she had written in her speech. She wanted to celebrate being British, she couldn't understand what was wrong with that. "She wasn't the only kid picked out either - one child from a farming background was turned away at the gates for wearing traditional flat-cap and checked shirt. Another with a St Georges flag and another with a Welsh flag were not allowed in either. It was ridiculous. "It just seemed anything that was remotely British wasn't allowed. Others were allowed in burkas, niqabs or traditional Nigerian clothing. "They didn't even read or listen to her speech which actually celebrates inclusivity and other cultures. It was just like British culture could not be celebrated. "The school backtracked and eventually apologised, I think once the school governors became involved. But the damage had already been done, Courtney should not be have been made to feel that way. "I put a post on Facebook and I've had messages of support from all over the world really, from Poland to Australia. Everybody is saying how ridiculous it is that any young person cannot celebrate where they are from." The school contacted Stuart over the weekend and have since apologised for the move. A spokesman for Stowe Valley Trust said: "At Bilton School, we are proud of the diversity of our students and the rich heritage they bring to our community. We are committed to fostering an environment where every pupil feels respected, valued, and included. "On Friday 11th July, an incident occurred during our Culture Celebration Day that caused considerable upset to one of our pupils, her family, and members of the wider community. We deeply regret the distress this has caused and offer our sincere and unreserved apologies. "We have since spoken directly with the pupil and her family to listen to their concerns and reflect on how this could have been handled better. We are committed to learning from this experience and ensuring that every student feels recognised and supported when expressing pride in their heritage. "As a school, we are reviewing our policies and strengthening staff training to ensure our practices reflect our values of inclusion, respect, and understanding for all.' Courtney's speech for cultural day "Today I want to talk about my culture — British culture — and why it's important to me. In Britain, we have lots of traditions including drinking tea, our love for talking about the weather and we have the royal family. "We have amazing history, like kings and queens, castles, and writers like Shakespeare. It's also modern, diverse and always changing - with music fashion and food from all around the world blending into daily life. And let's not forget fish and chips! "It's also the way we speak, our humour, our values of fairness and politeness, and the mix of old traditions and new ideas But sometimes at school, we only hear about other cultures — which is great because learning about different countries is interesting and important. "But it can feel like being British doesn't count as a culture, just because it's the majority. I think culture should be for everyone — not just for people from other countries or backgrounds. "Being British is still a culture, and it matters too. It's part of who I am. So let's celebrate all cultures — whether they come from far away or right here at home."
