SINGER Dua Lipa has emulated her idol Madonna by playing Wembley Stadium at the age of 29.
The superstar last night kicked off the first of two sold-out gigs at the 90,000-capacity venue.
It caps a meteoric rise for Dua, whose first UK gig was at a 375-people capacity venue in Hackney nine years ago.
She is the same age as Madonna was when she headlined Wembley in 1987 as part of her Who’s That Girl Tour.
Just five other women — Beyonce, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Adele and Pink — have headlined the venue.
Only Swift and Rihanna were younger than Dua, both performing there aged 28.
Adele was also 29, tying with Dua as the youngest-ever Brit.
An insider told The Sun: “Playing Wembley is a dream come true for Dua and to sell out both nights feels incredible. She’s not even at the peak yet and has so much more she wants to achieve.
“To be headlining stadiums with just three albums under her belt proves how influential her music has been. Her world tour has been a huge success. She’s on cloud nine.”
Fans had been camping outside in North West London since Thursday to see her on the Radical Optimism Tour.
Last night, Dua opened with 2024 hit Training Season, and went on to perform her four UK No 1 singles New Rules, One Kiss, Cold Heart and Dance The Night.
Dua’s family and actor fiancé Callum Turner were also there.
She was 17 when she was discovered by former manager Ben Mawson — telling him she aspired to be in the same league as Madonna.
He said: “There was something about the way she said it that made me believe her.
“It was about her personality, her charisma, her competitiveness and her drive — and that came across. Dua’s got it all.”
Madonna appeared on a 2020 remix of her song Levitating.
Dua recalled: “I was talking with my manager and I was like, ‘You know who’d sound really good on this? Madonna.’
“And he said, ‘We could send it to her and see if she likes it.’ She responded and she was so down.
“I couldn’t believe that she wanted to do this record with me. I’m such a fan. It was really exciting.”
THE inventor of the controversial Sacro “suicide pod” has vowed to bring the death device to the UK – despite it facing scrutiny over the alleged murder of a woman.
It comes as MPs on Friday passed landmark assisted dying laws in a knife-edge final vote.
Terminally ill adults are set to be given the legal right to end their lives.
The decision paves the way for the biggest shake-up in end-of-life care in decades after weeks of furious lobbying on both sides.
The Bill now moves to the House of Lords for further scrutiny before it can become law.
If passed, it would mean adults in England and Wales with fewer than six months to live will be allowed to apply for a medically assisted death, under strict safeguards.
Dr Philip Nitschke, who invented the bizarre-looking Sacro pod used in assisted dying, said he hoped to use the device in the UK.
It is a human-sized pod which replaces the oxygen inside it with nitrogen, causing death by hypoxia.
Dubbed the “Tesla of euthanasia”, it is self-operated by a button on the inside, providing death without medical supervision.
A camera inside records their final moments, and the video is handed to a coroner.
Dr Nitschke said: “As soon as we know that the final legislation is in place, we’ll start enthusiastically pursuing the option of using the device in the UK.
“We’ll be looking to find UK-registered doctors to assist, and of course, someone who wants to use it and satisfies all of the requirements under the law.
“The doctors involved would know that this would attract attention and possible close scrutiny, which by and large most doctors aren’t enthusiastic about, so we’d have to find someone who’s a little crusading.”
Dr Nitschke invented the Sarco in 2012.
Last year, he developed a double pod that could be used by a couple who wish to die together, The Times reports.
He said: “If we were able to make use of the device available in the UK, there would be quite a few more applications, I imagine, because people want to die in their own home, or more importantly, be able to take the Sarco to some nice place in the UK rather than having to try and go to some strange country.”
The suicide pod activist started the process of assisted dying using the pod last year with The Last Resort organisation – an assisted dying group based in Switzerland.
However, the pod became the centre of an alleged murder investigation after the first woman to die inside it was allegedly found with strangulation marks on her neck.
The anonymous woman, 64 and identified as an American citizen, died last year inside the controversial capsule set up in a forest in Switzerland.
The woman is said to have initiated the dying process herself by pressing a button while lying in the pod in the middle of the forest.
would exclude those with eating disorders.
It followed concern over the wording of the potential law would provide a loophole for those with anorexia to end their own lives.
The Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olne tabled the amendment.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists also expressed concern over any people with mental disorders such as anxiety or depression using the Bill in a similar way.
END-OF-LIFE CARE
Another amendment requiring ministers to assess the impact on palliative care within a year also passed.
Charity Marie Curie warning this alone would not “make the improvements needed” in end-of-life care.
REFLECTION PERIOD
Some parts of the Bill have stayed the same, however.
Two doctors must be independently satisfied a person is eligible for assisted dying.
The medics must do their assessments at least seven days apart.
There must be a 14-day “reflection period” if the High Court decides the patient can undergo assisted dying.
If the two doctors are still satisfied once the period has been completed, the patients will be prescribed lethal drugs.
THE PAPERWORK
Brits who want to end their lives early must show have the mental capacity to make a choice about ending their life.
They must also be deemed to have expressed a clear, settled and informed wish, free from coercion or pressure.
If the patient can prove this, they will then have to make two separate declarations, witnessed and signed, saying they want to die.
WHAT IS IN THE BILL?
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill applies to those over 18, who are living in England or Wales, and have been registered with a GP for at least 12 months.
They must have the mental capacity to make the choice.
They must be informed and free from coercion or pressure before making the choice.
According to the Bill, they must have a terminal illness and be expected to die within six months.
It requires them to declare their wish twice, both witnessed and signed.
Two doctors must be satisfied that these requirements are met before the application is approved.
A doctor would prepare the substance being used to end the patient’s life, but the person would take it themselves.
Coercing someone into declaring they want to end their life will be illegal, with a possible 14-year prison sentence.
However, a forensic expert who checked her body shortly after she died found injuries near her neck that appeared similar to strangulation marks.
The American woman was reportedly terminally ill and had been dying for two years.
She was diagnosed with Osteomyelitis – a disease that could have manifested the alleged injury marks on her neck – according to Dutch media.
But her death raised a host of legal and ethical questions in Switzerland, where active euthanasia is banned but assisted dying has been legal for decades.
Cops took several people into custody, including Dr Florian Willet, the president of The Last Resort organisation.
The right-to-die activist, 47, suffered a mental breakdown after being arrested by Swiss Police last year, according to Dr Nitschke.
As part of the probe, prosecutors investigated whether he strangled the woman, but that was ruled out.
Willet was released in December after being held in pre-trial detention for 70 days.
He reportedly died in Germany with the help of a specialist organisation, though it is not known exactly how he died.
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK, a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
TERENCE CRAWFORD warned Canelo Alvarez there is nothing he can do to beat him – even in a STREET fight.
The unbeaten American jumps two divisions to challenge for Canelo’s undisputed super-middleweight world title on September 13 in Las Vegas.
Canelo once talked down the blockbuster bout – believing he had nothing to gain from beating a man who started his career at lightweight.
So the Mexican great was probed on the damage a loss to two-time undisputed champ Crawford would have on his iconic record.
But cool as ice Canelo, 34, replied: “He’s not gonna beat me. Don’t worry about it, he’s not going to beat me.
“I think this fight is going to be in the history books of boxing, for sure.”
Crawford, 37, snapped back: “For sure them belts are coming with me, they’re coming home with me.
“I’m taking them, and there ain’t nothing you can do about it come fight night. I promise you. You see I’m different than all the others ones.”
Canelo – who has won titles all the way from 154lb to 175lb – countered: “You don’t look different. Nothing different.”
Crawford has not returned since last August when he beat Israil Madrimov, 30, for WBA light-middleweight title.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Meanwhile, Canelo regained his undisputed 168lb throne with victory over William Scull, 32, in May in Riyadh.
He now headlines on Netflix at the Las Vegas Raiders’ £1BILLION 65,000-seater stadium against Crawford – who says there is no way he loses to Canelo – in the ring or otherwise.
He said: “Come on, man. You know what I do.
“I don’t have to talk about it, on the streets me against anybody, I ain’t ever gonna say another man can whoop me. That’s your answer there.”
But Canelo hit back: “We’re not talking about the streets we’re talking about boxing, the beautiful sport of boxing.”
A ‘VULNERABLE’ IRAN may activate a network of sleeper cells across the West in the face of the Israeli bombing campaign, experts have warned.
With its military and top Islamist leadership on the ropes, analysts say a weakened Iran could resort to asymmetric terror warfare in a bid to sow chaos against its enemies.
It has now been more than a week since Israel began pounding Iran’s nuclear facilities and other military targets.
The goal, as the Israelis say, is to thwart the Iranian regime’s efforts to produce nuclear weapons – as well as more ballistic missiles, including long-range weapons that can strike targets far beyond Israel.
While Iran has been responding by launching frequent salvos of ballistic missiles, its top military command has been decapitated.
And Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been forced to live in underground bunkers.
Experts now fear that a vicious Iran could awaken its network of sleeper cells to carry out terror plots across the West.
Barak Seener, a security and defence expert at Henry Jackson Society and Iran expert, said: “The very fact now that the Iranian regime is volatile, it’s targeted, and it’s highly vulnerable — that’s what actually makes it increasingly dangerous to the West.”
Iran’s murderous Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is thought to run an extensive network of sleeper cells across the world.
Mr Seener said that these sleeper cells could be regular people living regular lives.
But when given the signal, they could carry out terrorist activities targeting the West.
These terror operations could target public infrastructure and even civilians, with no weapons off the table, experts warn.
The sleeper cells could even carry out assassination attempts on top leaders that could throw the world into chaos.
Last year, an Iranian agent was charged with plotting to kill Donald Trump in an assassination that would have shaken the world.
US prosecutors say the rogue state told ex-con Farhad Shakeri — said to be hiding in Tehran — to devise a seven-day plan to spy on and murder him.
Prosecutors said an official in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard told Shakeri to devise a plan to eliminate the President elect.
They claim the planned hit was an attempt to take vengeance for a US drone strike ordered by Trump that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, then said to be the world’s No1 terrorist, in 2020.
Trump’s former security advisor, John Bolton, said the US President is “at the top” of an “assassination list” from the Middle East nation.
Mr Seener said: “They live amongst us in regular communities, have regular jobs, and they just are awaiting being activated to conduct malign activities, whether it be through a telephone text or a beeper, and then they already know what they are going to be doing.
“If the regime feels threatened and on the verge of being toppled, then they may say, ‘you’re going to go down with us,’ and at that point they may unleash their sleeper cells.”
In an op-ed for The Sun, expert Mark Almond wrote: “Iran’s Islamic regime is a dangerous, wounded predator.
“It cannot defeat Israel, but it could go mad and unleash terrorism, even using chemical weapons, which its industries can make much more easily than nuclear weapons.”
Mr Seener said the attacks could range from an attack against a synagogue, an embassy, or blowing up a dirty bomb in Central London.
Sir Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, warned back in October that Iran could turn on UK targets if it felt Britain was too enthusiastic in its support for Israel.
He said the attacks could increase if the Middle East conflict intensifies.
In August, Matt Jukes, the head of Counter Terror Policing, warned that Britain is facing an increase in plots by hostile states.
He said Iranian dissidents and diaspora communities have been “clearly at risk of kidnapping or assassination”.
“These are people who are doing it daily. And when you are projecting soft power, you’re creating the cultural milieu in which terrorism can be conducted much more readily.
Counterterror police have investigated 15 of these cases alongside MI5.
MI5 has responded to 20 plots backed by Iran since 2022, it was reported.
Mr Seener said: “The reason why the Irgc can act with impunity, and why British citizens are at risk, is because of the British Government’s unwillingness and failure to designate the Irgc as a terrorist organisation.
“It means that they are able to conduct activities and infiltrate mosques, charities, community centres, cultural centres, and many of them, their directorship has been directly appointed by the supreme leader, Khamenei.”
“British Shias go on pilgrimages to religious sites in Iran and Iraq. They are targeted by the IRGC and recruited, so that when they return to the UK, they can conduct surveillance on potential targets.”
By Sayan Bose, Foreign News Reporter
Iran-fuelled hit squads on the streets of the UK have been linked to at least 15 threats to kill or kidnap detected by authorities.
They are all part of a campaign of intimidation aimed at those who speak out against the hardline regime.
The MI5 has accused Tehran of more than a dozen assassination and kidnap plots in Britain against dissidents and media organisations in the past two years.
Officials have previously warned that the threat against Iranian critics living in the UK has ramped up drastically after the horror October 7 attacks.
And given the hostile situation in the Middle East, Iran could ramp up its secret terror activities in the UK, Europe and the US, experts fear.
In 2022, Major Gen Hossein Salami, the Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC warned: “You’ve tried us before. Watch out because we’re coming for you.”
Last year, Iranian TV journalist Pouria Zeraati was stabbed outside his home in London, sparking an investigation led by counter-terrorism police.
The suspects were believed to be proxy agents hired by Tehran.
Mr Zeraati works for Iran International, a London-based Persian-speaking channel which has reported on Iran’s human rights violations.
He said a man approached him and asked for £3 before another man appeared and stabbed him in the leg.
The two fled in a car being driven by a third man, leaving Mr Zeraati bleeding in the street.
Investigators believed the three culprits were able to flee the country on a flight from Heathrow within hours of the attack.
Mr Zeraati, whose organisation has been a vocal critic of Iran, said the attack was a “warning shot” from Tehran.
He called on the UK government to declare the IRGC a terrorist group to stop it from spreading its doctrine.
He said: “It will also send a clear message to the regime in Iran that enough is enough.
“The whole of Western civilisation is in danger because of the threat the IRGC poses.”
A report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) found almost half of journalists who covered Iran from the UK reported being physically or verbally harassed in the past five years.
Individuals have been sent death threats by text and voice notes, with one message noting that the “water underneath Westminster Bridge was very deep”.
One said they were constantly worried about Iran targeting their children, saying: “I wake up in the middle of the night. I check my son to see if he’s there. I won’t let him play in the garden on his own. I have to be there. I’m on alert constantly.”
Another reporter told the RSF she had a package, which was designed to look like it contained anthrax, hand-delivered to her apartment block.
While female TV journalist was approached on a London bus by a man who told her: “We will kill you. You are a very bad person.”
All of them are understood to have voiced their dissent against Tehran.
The IRGC is the principal supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah, both of which are proscribed in the UK.
Amid threats of all-out war in the Middle East, officials last year wanted to expedite tightening domestic terror laws to ban IRGC operatives from nurturing Islamist terrorism at home.
Current sanctions on Iran do not prevent state-linked organisations spreading jihadi propaganda or carrying out soft-power activities designed to radicalize British citizens.
Kasra Aarabi, Director of IRGC Research at United Against Nuclear Iran, said: “The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is the most antisemitic armed Islamist extremist organisation in the world.
“The government needs to proscribe the IRGC as a matter of urgency.
“The failure to proscribe the IRGC is putting British lives at risk, not least those from the British-Jewish community and British-Iranian diaspora —the two primary targets of IRGC terrorism in the UK.”
RTE Fair City viewers were all left saying the same thing after Ger finally got her payback on Liam.
On tonight’s episode, Cass tried to teach Orla and Nikki a lesson, while Mondo and Ray went head-to-head.
Liam apologised to Sharon and asked her to take him back, but she was not ready to accept the offer.
And later, Ger apologised to Sharon and warned her not to believe anything Liam said.
Following her talk with Sharon, Ger met with Liam and accidently provoked him.
However, when Liam grabbed Ger, Dean intervened, and he realised he had been set up.
After Liam grabbed her, Ger threatened to report him for assault if he did not give back the locket.
Sharon discovered the locket that Liam had hidden and realised he’s been lying to her.
Liam was furious when he saw the locket was missing and found out Sharon wanted to end things for good.
RTE viewers raced to social media to share their opinions as the action heated up on Fair City.
Thomas wrote: “Ger will have to pay back Dean #FairCity style.”
John tweeted: “Get rid of Liam.”
Another viewer added: “Go way Liam you wouldn’t bate snow off a rope.”
Elsewhere on the show, Emma asked Hughie to come and meet her for a discussion about the rent.
Meanwhile, James told Rafferty he should take a step back as things have gotten too personal between him and Joan.
And Holly tried to connect with Mondo in an attempt get him to accept Rafferty’s new deal.
While at their protest, Ray accused Mondo of being a scab after he crossed the picket line to deal with a work crisis.
The Rafferty’s celebrated with Joan and Holly while a deal was struck between them and the protesting tenants.
After hearing Jacinta out, Ray decided to apologise to Mondo and re-assure his son.
Judge Cowhey told Joan he wouldn’t report her, easing her path to Canada Joan was still unsure if the job was right for her.
But after a conversation with Gareth, Joan decided to accept the job.
Following Joan’s decision to take the job in Canada, she told Rafferty they have to end their relationship.
Elsewhere in Carrigstown, Cass sought the help of Nikki and Sean to trick Kira and Orla into thinking someone wants to do a TV piece on Cass’ travel souvenirs and asked if one of them will speak on his behalf.
Delighted at the prospect of being on TV, Orla jumped at the idea, but not before Sean broke the news to Orla and Kira that the TV interview was a ruse.
This finally caused Cass to call a family meeting to confront Kira and Orla over their selfish ways.
A VILLA hunk tried to break up a Love Island couple telling the girl ‘you’re The One’ in a shocking moment.
During Friday night’s episode, Harry seemingly made a move on an old flame after smooching Yasmin last night.
At the start of the series, Harry had his sights set on Shakira before he snuck out of the bedroom and had a steamy night with Helena.
Things then ended between Harry and Shakira, though he did tell her he thought they would have “unfinished business”.
After coupling up with Helena, things seemed to be going well before his head got turned by new girl Yasmin.
This week, Harry had some steamy chats with Yasmin, with the pair even sneaking off to the hideaway during the day for a snog.
But now Harry is keen for his old flame, Shakira, who he seems to have “unfinished business” with – as he previously predicted.
In tonight’s episode, Harry made a move for Shakira again and even told her she’s “The One”.
Pulling Shakira for a chat, Harry asks how she’s feeling.
“Initially, you were number one for me,” Harry said in a candid way to the stunning brunette.
He then said that he doesn’t think he would do the things he does if they were together, because she “wouldn’t stand for it”.
“It was you,” Shakira confessed, “And still is you. But it’s your behaviour for me that I can’t tolerate.”
Harry then admitted that he wanted to spend some more time with her and rekindle what they had at the start.
“If that could possibly be arranged?” he pleaded.
Shakira then said: “It could be arranged.”
Reacting to this interaction, one person said: “Shakira please don’t go for Harry!
Departures:
“Shakira and Ben were my favourites. Even Shakiras mum said she doesn’t like Harry.”
A second added: “I’ve said all along half of Harry’s behaviour is because he doesn’t want to be with Helena he wants Shakira.”
While a third penned: “Harry is such a player. I would not trust him a thing he says.”
The brunette beauty is currently coupled up with Ben, though things between the pair haven’t been great of late.
Ben has made some comments to Shakira that have proved to be problematic.
At the beginning of the series, he chose another girl and said it “humbled” Shakira when he did so.
SEX aid pill Viagra helps stiffen your skeleton, a study suggests.
The little blue tablet was found to increase production of vital bone cells — so could one day prevent back pain and fractures in old age.
Researchers found sildenafil, which is branded as Viagra, helped human stem cells transform into osteoblasts, the bone-building cells.
These are vital as the human skeleton regenerates and is completely replaced roughly once every ten years.
As we age, we lose more bone than we build, increasing the risk of breaks or osteoporosis, which makes bones brittle and painful.
The Peking University team’s follow-up tests on mice also suggested sildenafil would prevent bone loss.
Dr Menglong Hu and Dr Likun Wu said: “Our findings offer new insights into the physiological effects of the medicine.
“Sildenafil enhanced stem cell osteogenic differentiation and inhibited bone loss — it may usefully treat osteoporosis.”
More than three million Britons suffer osteoporosis. Other treatments exist but the researchers said it would be handy to have more cheap and readily available drugs.
They said: “Any new drug must be evaluated. This is time-consuming, expensive and risky. But sildenafil is approved and safe.”
Viagra was invented as a heart drug in the 1980s before it was found to help with erectile dysfunction.
Studies have since suggested it might also reduce dementia risk.
