Latest news with #BlackMagic
Metro
29-05-2025
- Metro
How a new 'double-edge sword' weapon is changing warfare in Ukraine
A new kind of weapon is flying under radars – literally – on the battlefield in Ukraine. Electronic warfare, specifically jamming, is a crucial tactic used by Russian and Ukrainian forces in killing off kamikaze drones, responsible for deadly strikes. Forces on both sides have figured out a way to make their drones immune to jamming – a thin strand of fibre optic connecting the aircraft to its pilot. Deploying fibre optic drones has its advantages – it protects from jamming, allowing them to carry explosives to enemy lines. It is also inexpensive in comparison with other weapons. Yet, that same strength could also be a major liability. Ivan Stupak, a military expert and ex- officer in Ukraine's security services, told Metro that the very same cable making the drone immune to jamming can also be traced to the launch site. It is a double-edged sword, but Ukrainian forces are coming up with ways to swerve such disasters. Stupak said: 'The massive side effect in launching fibre optic drones from one current position toward your enemy – so from point A to point B – is that it leaves a trace. The cable itself. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'Let's say, you have launched fibre optic drones several times today. 'The number of cables become significant, and sooner or later your enemy will discover your position. 'Many Russian and Ukrainian positions have been eliminated like this in the past.' Stupak explained there are several rules Ukrainian forces adhere to – never launch from command centres and always launch from multiple positions. He said about this 'method of secrecy': 'It is more useful to switch your position, not to use constantly one launching site to deploy your drones. 'You have to move constantly from one point to another in the field.' Soldiers on armoured vehicles also follow the drones, which have a range of up to 12 miles, to cut the cables. Stupak stressed that fibre optic drones are 'not a final solution,' adding that the operation is 'very complicated' and it changes all the time. Russian electronic warfare, locally referred to as 'Black Magic', uses a wide range of equipment to block GPS and GSM signals. They are actively used to disable drones, to set false targets on the radars of air defence systems, to change the flight path of missiles. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Stupak revealed that Ukraine is working on technology to detect Russian fibre optic drones, but so far they remain immune to electronic warfare. More Trending In the meantime, Ukrainian forces are using nets – similar to those used for fishing – to catch fibre optic drones. The expert said: 'To prevent equipment being destroyed by the drones, the army establishes special corridors built with a net. 'The idea is that every drone would get entangled in this net, and it will not hurt you or your transport.' Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ Or you can submit your videos and pictures here. For more stories like this, check our news page. Follow on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. MORE: UK to train hackers to get revenge on Putin's cyber attacks MORE: Putin threats to 'throttle' US firms like Microsoft and Zoom in words war with Trump MORE: British missiles could soon be used against Putin deep into his own territory
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
British Popstar Remembers Special Taylor Swift Moment
When it comes to Taylor Swift's tours, the music isn't the only thing fans rave about; her opening acts and surprise special guests have become legendary in their own right. From chart-topping artists to rising stars, Swift has a gift for handpicking performers who bring just as much energy and star power to the stage as she does. In past tours, she's shared the spotlight with major names like Selena Gomez and Shawn Mendes during the "1989 World Tour," Charli XCX and Camilla Cabello in Swift's "Reputation Stadium Tour" and Ed Sheeran for her "Red Tour" back in 2013, proving she has a serious eye for talent on the rise. In her most recent "Eras Tour," Swift performed with many of her openers, many of whom are well-known artists, such as Gracie Abrams, Phoebe Bridgers and Sabrina Carpenter. One popstar in particular recently recalled her and her band being personally asked by Taylor Swift to perform at the "1989 World Tour" back in 2015. Jade Thirwall, who was part of the girl group Little Mix at the time, felt like it was "the seal of approval" when she received the call. "When we got the call from Taylor herself that she wanted us to join her on stage, it was like 'Oh my gosh!' […] It's the seal of approval," Thirwall said recently, according to Pop Base. "She was very lovely, very supportive.' On August 15, 2015, Little Mix performed their hit song "Black Magic" with Swift during the tour's stop in Santa Clara, California. A fan even posted on X that even ten years after their collab performance, Swift played Thirwall's debut single "Angel of My Dreams" as part of the "Eras Tour" pre-show playlist at one of Swift's shows in Miami. Formed on "The X Factor" in 2011, Little Mix is a British girl group that rose to fame thanks to their songs "Shout Out to My Ex" and "Black Magic." The group achieved international success and became one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. In 2020, Jesy Nelson left the band, and in 2022, the remaining members announced an indefinite hiatus to focus on solo projects. After the group announced their hiatus, Thirwall began carving out her solo career with the artist name JADE. She signed with RCA Records and released her first song, "Angel Of My Dreams," in July 2024. The British pop singer's debut album "That's Showbiz Baby!" will be released on September 12.
Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Perrie Edwards chokes back tears as she addresses Jesy Nelson friendship
Jesy Nelson has had a whirlwind few years since she left Little Mix - we've taken a look back at her bitter band departure, including Perrie Edwards' sad admission Jesy Nelson abruptly left Little Mix four years ago, and her former bandmate Perrie Edwards later opened up about the end of their friendship. Jesy and Perrie, along with Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall, first shot to fame when they were put together as a band during the eighth series of The X Factor in 2011. During their time on the ITV show, Little Mix were mentored by N-Dubz star Tulisa Contostavlos, and they triumphantly became the first-ever girl group to win. They went on to release huge hits such as 'Shout Out To My Ex', 'Wings', 'Black Magic' and 'Woman Like Me', quickly becoming one of the biggest girl groups in the UK. But ahead of their 10-year anniversary, Jesy announced she was quitting the band. Fast forward to 2024, Perrie gave a rare insight into Little Mix's rumoured feud and opened up about her friendship with Jesy while on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast. When asked how she felt about her former pal, Perrie shared: "I wrote a song about it, and it's about a friendship that I had, which I no longer have. I mentioned it in an interview, and so many people reached out to me. "It's not really spoken about. When you hear a heartbreak song, it's about a relationship or a significant other, and it's like, 'Unbreak my heart'. "But when it's a friend, you don't hear about it much in music, so I was like, 'I am going to write something about it because it's just as heartbreaking, if not worse'." Perrie continued: "When you have been in that person's life for years, and they have had your back, and you have been through highs, lows, everything and all of these experiences, it's a wild ride, but you are in it together, and then poof, they're gone ... That is hard to deal with. I struggled a lot with that. "It was really sad, but at the same time, these things happen, and it makes you think, 'Do we try to rectify the situation? Do I reach out? I feel like I should just stay away.' It's a really horrible dynamic to be in." She added: "You can't force somebody to be friends with you. If they don't want to be friends, they don't want to be friends. But, yes, it's really hard." Quitting Little Mix After almost ten years together in December 2020, Jesy revealed her departure from the acclaimed band, citing that being in Little Mix had "taken a toll" on her mental health. Sharing the news in a statement on Instagram, Jesy wrote: "To all my Mixers. The past nine years in Little Mix has been the most incredible time of my life. "We have achieved things I never thought possible. From winning our first Brit Award to our sold out shows at the O2. Making friends and fans all over the world I cant thank you all enough form the bottom of my heart for making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. You have always been there to support and encourage me and I will never every forget it." Jesy added: "The truth is recently being in the band has really taken a toll on my mental health. I find the constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard. There comes a time in life when we need to reinvest in taking care of ourselves rather than focusing on making other people happy, and I feel like now is the time to begin the process. I need to spend some time with the people I love, doing thing that make me happy. I'm ready to embark on a new chapter in my life - I'm not sure what it's going to look like right now, but I hope you'll still be there to support me. "I want to say thank you to everyone involved in our journey. All the hard work and dedication that went into making us a success. To every single fan who came to see us in concert, who listened to our songs and sung their hearts out, sent me messages and supported me along the way I want you to know I love you all so much and I could never have done this without you and I appreciate it endlessly. Most of all I want to say thank you to Jade, Perrie and Leigh-Anne for creating some of the most amazing memories I'l neve forget. I hope that you'll continue to fufill all of your dreams and keep making music that people love. Love Jesy." 'We are fully supportive of Jesy' The three remaining Little Mixers followed with their own joint statement and wrote: "After an amazing 9 years together Jesy has made the decision to leave Little Mix. This is an incredibly sad time for all of us but we are fully supportive of Jesy. We love her very much and agree that it is so important that she does what is right for her mental health and well-being. We are still very much enjoying our Little Mix journey and the 3 of us are not ready for it to be over. They added: "We know that Jesy leaving the group is going to be really upsetting news for our fans. We love you guys so much and are so grateful for your loyalty and continued support of all of us. We're looking forward to seeing so many of you on tour. Love always, Jade, Perrie and Leigh-Anne xxx." Rumoured feud Speculation about a possible feud within Little Mix started to heat up following Jesy's departure from the band. Gossip around a potential rift was fuelled when Jesy didn't publicly congratulate Leigh-Anne and Perrie on their pregnancy announcements. Tensions seemed to come to a head a month later, in August 2021, as Jesy disclosed in an interview with The Guardian that she had stopped speaking to Leigh-Anne, Perrie and Jade. When asked if she was in touch with the girls, Jesy explained: "No, not as much. Not now. I think we all need time. It's a big thing that's happened. I still love them to pieces. They were like my sisters." Not giving up on her love for music, Jesy launched her own solo career with tracks like 'Boyz', featuring Nicki Minaj and 'Bad Thing'. Things heated up in an alleged row when Jesy released the music video for her song 'Boyz', in which she was accused of Blackfishing – a term to describe a white person who alters their appearance to appear black or mixed-race. Later, Leigh-Anne was accused of slating Jesy in leaked direct messages shared by influencer NoHun. NoHun had asked fans if he should perform a routine to Jesy's debut solo track, and Leigh-Anne replied saying "no". "Omg Leigh Anne I thought you were all ok," he replied, to which Leigh-Anne said: "Do a video about her being a black fish instead." She added: "She blocked us. Cut us off. Horrible person." Nicki Minaj even got involved in the row, and slammed Leigh-Anne as a "jealous clown" in a live video. Jesy added of the allegations in the live video with Nicki, who featured in the track: "Thank you babe, honestly that really means a lot," before explaining that she never wanted to "offend people of colour" from the music video.
Metro
15-05-2025
- Metro
Being imprisoned in a cruel Magdalene laundry left me with 'no soul'
It is hard to imagine how Maureen Sullivan rebuilt her life after enduring devastating trauma as a child. Following the death of her father, she was raped repeatedly by her stepdad, and when she spoke out about what happened after four years of abuse, she was incarcerated. Maureen, now 73, was one of the youngest girls to enter the Magdalene Laundries – institutions run primarily by Catholic religious orders where so-called 'fallen women' were sent. Inmates, often young and vulnerable, were forced to work in harsh conditions, usually doing laundry for local businesses, the church, or the state. Maureen was sent to the Magdalene Laundry at St Mary's Convent, New Ross, County Wexford, where she was forced to work long hours scrubbing floors and washing clothes, and denied an education. She was ostensibly put there for her own safety, but the experience proved to be the final nail in the coffin of her childhood, which had already been devastated. Speaking from her home in Carlow, Ireland, about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepfather Marty, she tells Metro: 'I was so full of fear, it felt like my body was burning. It's a very horrible way to feel. And I couldn't understand what was happening to me, couldn't put a name to it. He was pure evil.' He warned Maureen that if she told anyone what was happening, nobody would believe her. 'It's what paedophiles do. They will groom a child and call them a liar. If you say that you are hurting, or something has happened, they will say: 'Sure, don't mind her. She's a liar.'' So the little girl kept it inside, all the while enduring pains in her hips and abdomen and cramping so bad she would vomit. It went on for years until one day, at the age of 12, a teacher approached Maureen and took her into her office for a private chat. 'She said: 'Maureen, you really look pale and unwell, and I'm concerned about you. I know something is wrong.' She had a lovely box of Black Magic chocolates and gave me a few. I'd never seen lovely sweets like them before, and I started talking,' Maureen remembers. The Priest was called and a letter given to her mother. It was decided that she was to go immediately to live at the convent at New Ross. Relieved to have escaped Marty, she thought she was going to get an education and come home at weekends, but when she arrived, Maureen realised life was to be very different. As a survivor of sexual abuse, she was kept away from other children. 'Because I could 'corrupt' their little minds', she remembers. 'How cruel is that? I wasn't able to talk to them or play with them. I was stripped of everything a child should have and was left with nothing.' Instead, there was hard labour and long days. Maureen was woken at 6am and began the day by washing, polishing and shining corridors, windows and doors. She would then attend mass, have breakfast and go on to spend the day working in the Laundry. At 5pm she would have tea and then attend 'recreation'. 'Recreation was making rosary beads and sweaters for Lourdes, Rome and holy places across the world,' she remembers. 'There was no such thing as recreation. We would do that until bed at 8 o'clock. We'd be exhausted. They didn't need to worry about us talking or whispering to one another, we didn't have the energy. 'You'd then go to sleep and have nightmares about whether you'd got it right. It was horrible; no play time, no sitting and having a chat… It just didn't happen,' she adds. Maureen would work five days a week, and the weekends would be spent cleaning the church or the nuns' apartments. Her hands were left sore and burnt from the soul-destroying work and she was given a new name; Frances. 'You were left with no soul. You had nothing. It was very cruel,' she remembers. 'It felt as bad as the original abuse I'd suffered. I was thinking – 'why did I tell my teacher? Why did I open my mouth?' Isn't that sad?' Maureen's presence in the laundry was kept secret from the outside world; if inspectors or other visitors arrived, she was put in a tunnel to hide. Once, aged 14, she was locked in for hours and forgotten about. She became hysterical and it took her days to get over the traumatic incident. After two years, the young girl was transferred to another laundry in Athy, County Kildare and then to a school for blind people in Dublin. 'My education was taken from me, my hair was cut, I was used as a child slave. I was trafficked from laundry to laundry and my name was changed,' she remembers starkly. 'It really damaged me for years. I should have been enjoying life in my early years, but I didn't. It was worse than prison, because we had no rights. 'After that, I didn't cope very well. I never thought anything of myself, it destroyed all the enjoyment I should have had. I never celebrated a birthday or anything about my life. I couldn't warm to or trust anybody. It was horrendous what was done to me.' Maureen left as soon as she could, aged 16, and took the boat to London with her brother Patrick where the pair decided to build a new life. They slept in Argyll Square, Kings Cross, with no sleeping bag, pillow or money to their name. When, after two months they found the Irish Centre in Camden Town, they were given a room. Without an education, Maureen was limited to jobs in laundries and restaurants. 'I was getting more and more depressed and getting flashbacks. Memories of my stepfather, of what he did. Memories of the laundry and the way I was treated. Of sleeping in a park and how anything could have happened to me,' she explains. She married soon after she arrived in London andhad two children, but Maureen admits she was miserable. Just 19 when she had her daughter, she was so full of 'fear and confusion' she struggled to parent. Her son came 15 years later. By the time she was 34, Maureen made an attempt on her life and ended up in hospital, where, for the first time, she started receiving therapy. She has had counselling every week ever since and has slowly managed to rebuild her life. Her mother, who had ten children by Marty, left him shortly after her daughter was incarcerated, but when Maureen was in her thirties she learned her stepfather was terminally ill and he'd asked for her to come and see him. 'I went into the hospital room in private, because I didn't want to hurt his other children. It wasn't their fault,' remembers Maureen. 'I told him I couldn't forgive him for what he did. He replied: 'Oh, you were a silly little girl. I was only getting you ready for the outside world.' Imagine saying that? It's sick. I told him: 'I hope you rot in hell' and left the room. 'I felt nothing when he died.' In 1995, Maureen moved back to Carlow to be with her mother and determined to help others like her, she started working as an advocate for laundry survivors. More Trending She also joined Justice for Magdalenes, the group that helped bring about an apology from the Irish State, and has been involved in honouring the names of women of the laundries who were buried in unmarked graves. Maureen helped unveil the the Journey Stone at the Little Museum of Dublin in 2022, to honour 'the great courage, integrity and dignity of the women' who had been in the laundries. The following year she published The Girl in the Tunnel about her experiences, in the hope that it would help other survivors of abuse. Despite her initial parenting struggles, she and her children have grown very close. However, even now, people are trying to force Maureen into silence, she says. 'I was invited onto Oprah and somebody emailed to try and stop me going on. People say I make stuff up, that I'm a liar. Really nasty stuff. The latest rumour is that I am a bigamist,' she adds.'I don't know why they do it. I think they begrudge me speaking out, but I don't care. I will never stop talking about what happened to me and other survivors.' 'The Good Shepherd Sisters remain focused on providing whatever support they can to women and children who were in their care and continue to offer help and pastoral support wherever possible. We support victims and survivors in several ways. The Congregation has made financial contributions to the Towards Healing support service since its inception almost 30 years ago. This means that any victim or survivor who requires support has access to a free, confidential, independent counselling service for as long as they need. Many former residents and their family members remain in contact with and have good relations with individual Sisters. This is encouraged and acknowledged as an essential encounter in the healing process. The Good Shepherd Sisters have co-operated fully with several historical inquiries, including detailed testimony from many of its members and by providing extensive files and documentation. We continue to engage with ongoing investigations. We do not comment publicly on individual cases, but we strongly encourage anyone in need to contact us directly.' MORE: 'My life is a ticking time bomb – I worry about running out of days to make change' MORE: Coming seventh in a triathlon taught me more than becoming European champion MORE: A friend asked a question about disability that stopped me in my tracks
Scottish Sun
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Pregnant Jesy Nelson's due date revealed as star spends TWO months in hospital after being told twins could die
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PREGNANT Jesy Nelson's due date has been revealed after the star's difficult pregnancy with twins. It came after the former Little Mix star, 33, uploaded a series of glam black and white snaps flashing her bump alongside partner Zion Foster, 26. 6 Jesy Nelson's due date appears to have been revealed Credit: Noah Sapon 6 The popstar, 33, is expecting twins with boyfriend Zion Foster Credit: TikTok / @jesynelson 6 Jesy's pal commented she was seven months pregnant alongside her recent Instagram upload Credit: Noah Sapon On her Instagram page, Jesy captioned the images: "Muma Nelson Papa Foster." And as fans were quick to gush over the images, which came after she was hospitalised during her first maternity experience, one of her loved ones issued an update on her due date. In their comment, they wrote: "Can't wait to meet my beautiful twinnies but can we also speak about the fact you have been through some scary moments in the past few months, been stuck in hospital for over two months, over 7 months pregnant with twins, and you are glowing and look amazing and have shown so much strength and bravery! "The twins are very lucky to have you and Zion as their parents." One fan was then quick to note: "So she's due in June/July time x" Generally, a full term pregnancy is between 39 and 41 weeks, so would lead into summer for the Black Magic songstress. Jesy then wrote: "My angel I love you so much." TRICKY PREGNANCY Jesy is expecting her first children with boyfriend Zion Foster, and is being looked after by doctors due to the high risk pregnancy. The Boyz hitmaker was previously diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). TTTS is a rare but serious condition in which blood flows unevenly between identical twins sharing a placenta - putting both babies at risk. Pregnant Jesy Nelson begs fans for help after 'all we've been through' The diagnosis took Jesy and Zion by surprise and they revealed they had no idea what TTTS was before the diagnosis. Jesy has already had a successful operation, though didn't specify the type of procedure, and has been keeping herself busy with a self-care and beauty regime. The popstar previously revealed she was using a wheelchair during her recovery. Meanwhile Zion ran the London marathon with less than five weeks training, in order to raise money for the charity Twins Trust in honour of their little ones. Little Mixers: Where Are They Now? LITTLE Mix announced their hiatus in December 2021 whereby the group clarified that they were taking a break to focus on individual projects and personal endeavours. So, where are they now? Perrie Edwards Perrie has been focusing on her solo career post-Little Mix. She recently released her debut solo single, Forget About Us, which has garnered significant attention. She is also enjoying her time as a new mum and often shares adorable moments with her son on social media. Leigh-Anne Pinnock Leigh-Anne has ventured into acting, landing a role in a major film project, 'Boxing Day'. She's also been active in promoting her documentary on racial issues within the music industry. Additionally, Leigh-Anne is balancing her career with motherhood, having welcomed twins with her partner. Jade Thirlwall Jade has been exploring various creative avenues, including hosting a podcast and appearing on several television shows. She remains a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and continues to use her platform to support various charitable causes. She signed a solo recording contract with RCA Records in 2022, and released her debut single, Angel of My Dreams, this year, which reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart. Jesy Nelson Jesy left Little Mix in 2020 to focus on her mental health and has since embarked on a solo music career. She released her debut single, Boyz, which sparked much discussion and showcased her new musical direction. Jesy is also working on her first solo album, JN1, which is set to be released this year. She also appealed to fans for help "after all we've been through." OPENING UP Previously, Jesy was emotional at the prospect of losing one of her babies as she spoke candidly about the pregnancy. She said: "We wanted to let you in on our journey of what we've been going through. "So we are having identical twins which is so exciting - we cannot believe it. "But, unfortunately, there are complications that come with having identical twins." Sitting close to partner Zion for comfort, the popstar continued: "The type of twins we are having are called mono/di twins and so normally most twins will have two placentas that they feed off of. "But when you have mono/di twins, that means your twins live off one placenta which can lead to lots of complications - one of them being one baby might take all the nutrients which, and it's really awful to say, but could lead to both babies dying." Jesy then said she would be having two scans a week so that her babies were monitored closely. 6 Jesy has kept fans up to date during her difficult pregnancy Credit: Instagram 6 She previously underwent surgery after one of her baby's lives was under threat Credit: Instagram 6 Zion recently ran the London Marathon for the charity Twins Trust in honour of their little ones Credit: Instagram
