41+ min ago (521+ words) A report on a proposal to rename Herzog Park in Dublin is set to be withdrawn from the agenda of a council meeting on Monday. Lord Mayor Ray McAdam said the chief executive of Dublin City Council Richard Shakespeare had indicated to him he intends to withdraw the report, stating that legislation pertaining to renaming of place names had not been "fully commenced. The council proposal had been criticised by Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris. The Office of the President of Israel had also expressed concern over the proposed renaming of the park in south Dublin. It is named after Chaim Herzog, who was was born in Belfast and raised in Dublin. He was the sixth president of Israel between 1983 and 1993. Dublin city councillors had been expected to vote on a motion to rename the park at their…...

7+ hour, 11+ min ago (490+ words) Nicky Henderson is keen to "let the dust settle" following Constitution Hill's latest fall in Saturday's Fighting Fifth Hurdle, with the Seven Barrows handler pondering the role padded hurdles have played in his stable star's recent jumping woes. The 2023 Champion Hurdler was given a clean bill of health on Sunday morning, having come to grief for the third time in his last four starts at Newcastle, but the Lambourn handler admitted there is plenty to consider as connections try to work out the next move in the 10-time winner's illustrious career. Henderson told the Press Association: "There's no decision at all (on future plans). I've spoken to Michael Buckley (owner) who had a long day yesterday and we're going to let the dust settle. "We'll go through tomorrow and then we've got to think " and we've got a lot of…...

22+ hour, 39+ min ago (778+ words) Former Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope has topped the Strictly leader board and won the first Instant Dance challenge. Saturday night was eventful in the Elstree studios after the BBC dance competition introduced a new challenge which tasked the couples with performing a dance on the spot for the chance to win extra points. The episode began as normal, with each couple performing their choreographed dances. Cope and his partner Katya Jones danced a rumba to Harry Styles" Falling. They received 36 points from the judges. Head Judge Shirley Ballas said: "I love the chemistry, I love the narrative, and I love the way you told the whole story. So for me, I would say this is one of the very, very good rumbas." Well done." Craig Revel Horwood added: "The hips, I thought lacked a little bit of fluidity and resistance…...

2+ day, 2+ hour ago (384+ words) Veteran rockers Aerosmith have scored their first ever UK number one album with One More Time, their collaborative project with pop rock star Yungblud, the Official Charts Company has confirmed. The achievement comes more than 50 years after the Steven Tyler-led US band's self-titled debut, and 38 years since their first appearance in the UK albums chart with ninth LP Permanent Vacation. Yungblud said: "No words can express how grateful I am for this " my second official number one of 2025. Massive love to everyone who supported this record in the name of rock and roll. "Aerosmith has been part of the soundtrack to my life. Thank you to Joe and Steven for riding with me " I can't believe we made a record together. The record is the second number one album of the year for Yungblud, whose real name is Dominic Harrison,…...

2+ day, 9+ hour ago (658+ words) Taylor Swift, Denise Welch and Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are among those battling it out for this year's Christmas number one. US pop superstar Swift, 35, who released her 12th studio album, The Life Of A Showgirl, in October, could secure the top spot with her chart-topping hit The Fate Of Ophelia. The Official Charts Company said her songs Opalite and Elizabeth Taylor, which have yet to reach the summit, could also be contenders in the chart race. Swift, who has had five number one singles in the UK chart, could come up against Loose Women panellist Welch, 67, who is the mother of her rumoured former flame, The 1975 frontman Matty Healy. Healy and Swift never confirmed a romantic relationship, but it is speculated that some of Swift's songs on her 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department were written about the…...

2+ day, 20+ hour ago (427+ words) A song written by McFly singer Tom Fletcher for Paddington The Musical has been tipped to be this year's Christmas number one. A new version of One Of Us, sung by Fletcher, was released as a single on Friday, and is among the bookmakers' favourites for Christmas number one. The Official Charts Company chief executive Martin Talbot said:A Christmas number one race isn't complete without the arrival on the starting blocks of a bona fide legend. The vision of Paddington taking on this year's diverse gaggle of new festive chart contenders, alongside seasonal classics from The Pogues, Mariah (Carey) and Wham!, will be something to savour." The single is accompanied by a music video featuring Michael Bond's well-known bear in Paddington Station with the singer. In the West End musical, the song is sung by Mrs Brown, who is…...

3+ day, 3+ hour ago (882+ words) French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled a new national military service plan on Thursday as France seeks to bolster its armed forces to address growing concerns over Russia's threat to European nations beyond the war in Ukraine. Mr Macron announced that volunteers aged 18 and 19 will start serving next year in a new 10-month military service programme. "A new national service is set to be gradually established, starting from next summer," Mr Macron said in a speech at the Varces military base, in the French Alps. "In this uncertain world where power prevails over law and war is an ever-present reality, our nation has no right to fear, panic, unpreparedness, or division." Young volunteers will serve in France's mainland and overseas territories only, not in its military operations abroad, Mr Macron said. The programme will start with 3,000 youth to be selected next…...

3+ day, 9+ hour ago (308+ words) Britain's Got Talent star Simon Cowell has revealed he has his blood "rinsed" and "filtered" in a process he claims has helped him "age backwards". The 66-year-old record executive said he had also been eating better and doing more exercise, which had also helped him to maintain his health. He told The Sun: "I go to this place, this wellness clinic, where they actually take your blood, they rinse it, they filter it and then they put it back into your body. "You do all these tests and they tell you your age, so I've actually aged backwards by eating better, more exercise, less stress, certain supplements. My brain is still there, I still have the energy." But he told the newspaper he has U-turned on a plan to have his body cryogenically frozen so he can be brought back…...

3+ day, 13+ hour ago (505+ words) Olivia Dean has slammed the ticket resale market as "exploitative" after securing partial refunds for fans from Ticketmaster. The star's comments come after some resale tickets were reportedly put on ticketing platforms at above face value. After Ticketmaster agreed to offer fans a partial refund, Dean urged the music industry to "protect people" and "community" by opting to cap re-sale tickets and ensure live music remains "accessible for all". In a statement shared on her Instagram story on Thursday, Dean said: "After many conversations with my team, Ticketmaster and AXS have agreed to refund the difference to anyone who has paid over face value for a ticket and will cap all future ticket resale prices to face value for the North American run of the tour. "Every artist and their team should be granted the option to cap re-sale at…...

3+ day, 15+ hour ago (384+ words) AN 82-year-old woman has died and two people were taken to hospital after a "serious" road accident in Aberdour this morning. There were reports that a car had hit a pedestrian and then crashed into a building at the corner of Station Place and High Street. Emergency services, including an air ambulance, rushed to the village and an 82-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Her family is aware. Another female pedestrian, aged 75, and the driver of the vehicle, an 81-year-old man, were taken to hospital for treatment. High Street in Aberdour remains closed following the crash, which was reported around 10am this morning. Motorists are asked to avoid the area and use another route. Sergeant Tom Aitken said: "Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances, and I would ask anyone who was in the area and witnessed…...