A 54-year-old Powerlifting Champion Is Urging Other Women to Try the Sport.

British champion Elaine Jackson encourages women to try powerlifting after winning gold at the British National Powerlifting championships. At 54, she is an international medallist for GB and England, proving it's never too late to start strength training. Jackson started at 30 after a cancer diagnosis and now lifts impressive weights like 155kg in back squat. She spends hours in the gym each week and wants to inspire others, especially women over 40, to find their own strength through exercise.

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Miniature Horse Joins Guests As Roommate In Unique Airbnb Experience

In the English countryside near Thurgarton, Nottinghamshire, a one-of-a-kind Airbnb is drawing animal lovers from across the world — and it all started with a miniature Shetland pony named Basil. Guests at the rustic holiday rental can spend the night in a 17th-century barn that shares a wall — and a windowed door — with Basil’s stable. It’s a setup that’s proven so popular, it’s often booked out a year in advance, according to owner Brittany Sparham. “At first we just had the idea to rent out the outbuilding, as there was a huge surge of people looking for staycations because of COVID,” Sparham, 28, told SWNS. “But with Basil's stable directly next to it, we thought why not do something really unique and open up the doorway between the two rooms, so guests could see Basil.” The result? A cozy countryside escape with a miniature horse as your roommate — for about $230 per night, or £360 for a two-night minimum stay. The idea quickly took off on social media as guests began posting videos of the 12-year-old pony peeking through the adjoining stable door. Now, Sparham says the barn stay is a hit with families, couples, and equestrian fans alike. “It works out well for Basil too, as he always has company and gets lots of fuss and attention,” she said. According to Sparham, Basil is a “very chilled individual” with a predictable routine. He spends his days playing with friends in the field, and at night, he trots right into his stable on his own. “He knows he gets lots of attention and all the hay to himself for the night,” she added. The barn, located on the grounds of a historic manor, includes a double bed and bunk beds to sleep up to four people. It’s equipped with a full kitchen, bathroom, outdoor tiki hut, and a log fire BBQ area. Guests are also free to explore the grounds, including a bridge that leads to views of cows, sheep, and full-size horses. There are some rules: guests aren’t allowed to feed Basil, but they are welcome to brush him with tools provided — and even help clean out his stable if they’re feeling hands-on. Living next to a horse does come with certain realities — smells and nighttime noises among them — but Sparham says most guests embrace the experience. “From strangers, sometimes it’s mixed reactions. People think it might smell or be too noisy,” she said. “But everyone who stays loves it.” And Basil? He seems to love it too.

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Taylor Momsen and Jim Carrey Reunite 25 Years After The Grinch: “He Was Always Very Protective of Me”

More than two decades after How the Grinch Stole Christmas became a holiday classic, Cindy-Lou Who and the Grinch are back together again. Taylor Momsen, now 32, reunited with her Grinch co-star Jim Carrey, 63, at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on November 8 — marking their first in-person meeting since the film’s release in 2000. And according to Momsen, the moment was both joyful and deeply meaningful. “I just love that he was very protective of me,” she told PEOPLE. “He was always very kind. And just the entire experience of filming Grinch and getting to know him so well, even in all the makeup, was just wonderful.” Momsen was just five years old when she stepped into the role of Cindy-Lou Who, starring alongside Carrey’s green-furred, Christmas-hating Grinch. Though his face was always covered in prosthetics and yak hair, Momsen said his warmth and care always came through. “To me, he was always Jim and he was always in makeup,” she said in a recent episode of Call Her Daddy. “He was very kind, super funny, super animated, absolutely awesome.” In fact, she didn’t even know what Carrey actually looked like until the movie’s premiere. “Someone had to point him out to me and go, ‘That’s Jim,’” she recalled. “And I went, ‘Oh, Jim.’” Now the frontwoman of the rock band The Pretty Reckless, Momsen said the experience of watching Carrey work — even at such a young age — left a lasting impression on her as an artist. “As a young person watching an artist at work and taking their craft so seriously, that left a really powerful, lasting impact on me as an adult now,” she said. “And I’m excited to be able to tell him that as a grownup.” For fans, The Grinch has become a holiday staple, returning each December to deliver the same message of love, community, and personal growth. Momsen said she understands exactly why the film continues to resonate after 25 years. “I think that people love The Grinch just simply because the core of the story is so sweet and it’s so heartwarming and it has such a good message,” she said in a 2020 interview with Today. “That no matter what age touches your heart, I think that’s an amazing thing to be a part of.” Carrey agrees. Speaking to Extra in 2024, he said he’s “so gratified” that the film has become part of the seasonal tradition for so many families. “When it pops up every year, I’m really happy about it,” he said. “It’s one of the yule logs people go to.” And now, a quarter century after The Grinch brought them together, it’s clear that the bond between its stars — much like the film itself — hasn’t faded with time.

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Photographer's Viral Images Capture Animals Upside Down; Elephants May Be Next

For the past decade, Lithuanian photographer Andrius Burba has been flipping the camera — and the perspective — on the animal kingdom. His long-running project Underlook features animals photographed from directly underneath, using a specially designed glass panel setup. The result is a series of images that are equal parts whimsical and revealing, offering a rarely seen view of cats, dogs, reptiles, insects, and even horses from below. "We often think we know what things look like, but in reality, we only see them from one angle — the one that’s familiar and ordinary," Burba said in an email to PEOPLE. "The world from underneath is also part of our reality; we’ve just never had the chance to see it before." The idea for Underlook came to him after he saw a photo of a cat lounging on a glass coffee table. The way the feline’s paws tucked beneath its body intrigued him. It sparked a simple but profound question: What else have we never noticed? Burba took his first photos using this method in 2015 at the International Cat Show in Vilnius. Since then, he’s expanded his portfolio to include a wide range of species — from sleek dogs to hairy horses — capturing animals with their fur splayed, limbs curled, or bellies fully exposed. It's a view that feels strangely intimate, sometimes funny, and often disarmingly beautiful. Each shoot, especially with larger animals, comes with its own set of challenges. To photograph a horse from below, Burba worked with an engineer to design a reinforced underground setup, including a custom-built glass surface strong enough to support the animal's weight. Lighting, reflections, and even ceiling backdrops are all carefully considered to make the shots work. His images have gained him a devoted following online, along with two published Underlook photography books. But Burba isn’t done yet. He’s already acquired three plots of land near Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, where he plans to build photography studios tailored for even bigger projects. His next dream subjects? Cows, tigers, and elephants. He hopes the unusual perspective will help people reconnect with the wonder in everyday life. “When you look at a tiger from underneath, you might notice for the first time that its belly fur is white — and start to ask why,” he said. “It’s those small discoveries that open our minds and make us see the world differently.” Through Underlook, Burba isn’t just photographing animals. He’s turning the camera on our assumptions — and asking us to look again.

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New Fragrance Launched For Those Who Prefer Scent-Free Living

In a beauty industry known for going bigger and bolder, Victoria Jackson and Kim Wileman are betting on something different: stillness. Their newest launch, No Fragrance Fragrance, is a quiet revolution in a space that usually speaks loudly. It doesn’t cling. It doesn’t overwhelm. And it doesn’t announce itself before you walk into a room. Instead, it adapts — to your pH, your skin, your environment — creating a scent that’s less about wearing perfume and more about reflecting who you are. Already named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things of 2025, the product is described as a “Fragrance Essence,” a new category coined by the duo behind No Makeup Makeup. Jackson and Wileman are the same pair who brought back minimalist beauty with products that enhance instead of cover. Now, they’re bringing that same ethos to fragrance. At the heart of No Fragrance Fragrance is FlexScent™ technology, a formula that changes with your chemistry. What you get is a lightweight veil of soft musk, peony petals, pink pomelo, and lily of the valley — but no two wearers will smell exactly the same. “It’s less about wearing a scent and more about embodying one,” Wileman says. Jackson’s approach is deeply personal. After decades of requests from fans, she wanted her return to fragrance to be about more than smell. “I wanted to create a scent that grounds you… one you truly feel,” she says. Inspired by her favorite meditation poem, My Shadow, she imagined a fragrance as a daily ritual — something that calms the mind, not just perfumes the skin. The bottle itself mirrors that idea: a smooth, sculptural object with no defined beginning or end. A small tactile divot is carved into its side, designed to rest between your fingers — a gentle prompt to pause and breathe. It retails for $75. Formulated with sensitive skin in mind, the essence is also microbiome-friendly, developed with My Z-Biome™ technology from Givaudan’s Custom Essence fragrance house. That means it works with your body’s natural chemistry rather than fighting it — no irritation, no synthetic overload. And while it’s not a traditional perfume, it’s already finding fans across generations and industries. Meghan Markle is a longtime supporter of Jackson’s minimalist beauty line and recently used the brand’s Blush & Lip Color during a trip to New York. Oprah Winfrey, a new fan, says it’s the only fragrance she wears. “I almost never wear fragrance—I like the fresh scent of just stepping out of a shower—but this one won me over,” Oprah said. “It’s light, clean, and somehow becomes your own.” The product’s sold-out launch on QVC suggests she’s not the only one feeling that way. For a brand built on the philosophy that less can be more, No Fragrance Fragrance feels like a natural next step. It doesn’t try to be everything — just the right thing. A personal, grounded scent in an industry that usually chases drama. “It’s not meant to sit on your vanity,” Jackson says. “It’s meant to live with you.”

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Breakthrough Chemotherapy Treatment Eliminates Side Effects And Is 20,000 Times Stronger

A team of scientists at Northwestern University has redesigned a weak chemotherapy drug into a powerful, precision-targeted treatment that could dramatically reshape how cancer is treated. In a study published this year, researchers re-engineered a poorly dissolving chemo agent into a nanomedicine that delivers a 20,000-fold increase in potency — without damaging healthy tissue. The findings, described as a major step forward in precision cancer therapy, mark a potentially transformative moment for oncology. “If this translates to human patients, it’s a really exciting advance,” said Chad A. Mirkin, the study’s lead researcher and a professor of chemistry, biomedical engineering, and medicine at Northwestern. “It would mean more effective chemotherapy, better response rates, and fewer side effects. That’s always the goal with any sort of cancer treatment.” A smarter, safer chemo Traditional chemotherapy has long been plagued by its scattershot approach — attacking both cancerous and healthy cells, which leads to harmful side effects. One of the biggest limitations is poor solubility: some drugs are so chemically unstable that less than 1% dissolves in the body, making treatment inefficient and often ineffective. The Northwestern team tackled this by creating a nanoparticle delivery system that keeps the chemotherapy drug stable and directs it to leukemia cells. In lab tests on mice, the drug homed in on cancer cells in the blood and spleen, releasing the payload directly where it was needed. Healthy cells were left largely untouched. “Instead of overwhelming the whole body with chemotherapy, it delivers a higher, more focused dose exactly where it’s needed,” said Mirkin. “Our structural nanomedicine preferentially seeks out the myeloid cells.” AI and nanotech push cancer treatment into a new era This isn’t an isolated breakthrough. Across cancer research, artificial intelligence and nanotechnology are converging to reduce toxicity and improve outcomes. A 2024 MDPI study found that AI can help doctors predict when chemo patients are most likely to experience side effects — giving healthcare teams a chance to intervene early. Another paper, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, pointed to improved tumor targeting and delivery using nanotech, resulting in reduced damage to surrounding tissues and more effective treatment. Researchers are also rethinking how existing drugs are used. A National Library of Medicine study last year found that in cases of gastric cancer, combining targeted immunotherapy with optimized treatment timing led to better results. Rather than inventing new drugs from scratch, scientists are increasingly focused on smarter ways to use the medicines we already have. “Looking ahead, integration of molecular biomarkers, multidisciplinary care, and international collaboration will be key,” the study concluded. A shift in cancer treatment is underway According to a 2025 article in Oxford Academic, targeted therapies and immunotherapies are likely to replace traditional chemo as first-line treatments in many cancers. These therapies are designed to attack specific genes or proteins that fuel cancer growth — a sharp contrast from the blunt force of standard chemotherapy. The Northwestern study fits squarely into that trend, showing how old drugs can be given new life through precise delivery and molecular redesign. While many of these innovations haven’t yet reached widespread clinical use, researchers say the direction is clear. Multimodal approaches — combining surgery, radiation, immunotherapy, and now smarter chemo — are rapidly becoming the standard for comprehensive cancer care. For now, studies like this one offer something rare in cancer treatment: real, tangible hope. “It’s not just about killing cancer,” Mirkin said. “It’s about doing it better, faster, and safer than we ever could before.”

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Spanish Zoo Celebrates Birth Of First Southern White Rhino Calf

A zoo in Spain was celebrating the birth of its very first southern white rhino this week, sharing footage of the long-awaited moment and more videos of the adorable calf and first-time mom Kwanza. BIOPARC Valencia said the birth on Tuesday, November 4, “represents hope” for the near-threatened species that is targeted by poachers hunting for rhino horn. “Both the delivery and the first few hours are progressing normally,” the zoo said. “The mother gives him all the attention he needs and the ‘baby rhinoceros’ is lively.” “The baby got up within minutes of being born and moved around, following its instinct, seeking refuge and warmth from its mother,” the statement continued.

Gary Sinise Helps Turn Abandoned Nashville Church Into a 24-Hour Arts Center For Healing

In Nashville, a boarded-up church once forgotten since 2017 is coming back to life — and this time, it’s for veterans. The man behind the transformation is Richard Casper, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and founder of CreatiVets, a nonprofit that helps veterans heal through the arts. His vision? A 24-hour creative hub where veterans can come when PTSD hits hardest — often late at night, when their only options are bars or isolation. “This will be a place to go when the PTSD hits,” said Casper. “To turn all that pain into something beautiful.” The idea was personal. After losing a close friend in Iraq and suffering a traumatic brain injury himself, Casper struggled to be in public — except when he was listening to live music. That experience shaped CreatiVets, which launched in 2013 and has since helped veterans across the country through songwriting, painting, theater, and sculpture. So when CreatiVets bought the abandoned church earlier this year, it felt like a full-circle moment. But within weeks, it was vandalized. The building had been untouched for six years. The damage, especially to its stained glass windows, felt targeted — a message, Casper feared, that he and the veterans he serves weren’t welcome. “I almost just left,” he said. “It put me in a weird headspace.” But instead, he stayed. And he asked for help. Help came quickly. Within weeks, volunteers — led by CreatiVets’ Art Director Tim Brown — began learning how to make stained glass to repair the windows. Brown said many came not just to give back, but because the creative work had already helped them in their own healing. Actor and veteran advocate Gary Sinise was already a major supporter. His foundation donated $1 million to help purchase the building. Two other donors followed his lead. “In the military, you’re trained to kill, to contain any emotion and be strong,” Sinise said. “Those skills are important in war, but they take a toll. Acting out what you’re going through can be very, very beneficial.” Sinise has championed art therapy for years, inspired in part by his Oscar-nominated role as Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump and the success of his own Lt. Dan Band. When the new center’s performance space was named in honor of his late son Mac, who died last year after a long battle with cancer, it became even more meaningful. “Mac was a great artist,” Sinise said. “He was a quiet, creative force… If he’d survived, he’d be one of our young leaders here, composing music and helping veterans.” To honor Mac, Casper took pieces of the broken stained glass and turned them into new works inspired by Mac’s music, including tracks like Arctic Circles and Penguin Dance. “I told you we’re going to go above and beyond to make sure everyone knows Mac lived,” Casper said, handing Sinise the handmade panes. “Not that he died, but that he lived.” Sinise, visibly moved, replied, “My gosh, that’s beautiful. I’m honored that we’re going to have this place over there and that Mac is going to be supporting Richard and helping veterans.” One veteran who knows that impact firsthand is David Booth, a retired U.S. Army master sergeant who served 20 years as a medic and counterintelligence agent. After years of declining invitations, Booth finally joined CreatiVets’ songwriting program in September. He flew from Florida to Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry to meet with hit songwriters Brian White and Craig Campbell. Together, they wrote What’s Next, a song based on Booth’s experiences — including the 2006 IED blast in Iraq that nearly killed him, the months of rehab, the fused spine, the chronic pain, and the nightmares that still haunt him. Booth also recalled snipers targeting children who surrounded American troops, hoping soldiers would break cover to help. “Things like that stick in my head,” he said. “How do you get them out?” For Booth, music helped more than traditional therapy ever had. “For me, this was more important than the last year and a half of counseling,” he said. “It has been so therapeutic.” Now, he hopes the song will be released on streaming services to reach others who need it. Since 2020, CreatiVets has partnered with Big Machine Label Group — Taylor Swift’s former label — to release songs written by veterans. Sinise says it’s exactly the kind of work more Americans should support. “I think citizens have a responsibility to take care of their defenders,” he said. “One of the ways to do that is through nonprofits like CreatiVets.” The new center in Nashville will be open 24/7 — a safe, creative space for veterans to write, paint, sing, or just sit with others who understand. For Casper, it’s not just about making art. It’s about making sure no one feels alone when the darkness sets in. And with the Mac Sinise Auditorium at its heart, the center will continue to be a place where creativity, connection, and healing can flourish — any hour of the day or night.

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She Was Diagnosed With ADHD At 36 — Now, She's Sharing Her Journey With Millions

Rox was 36 when she found out she had ADHD. It came as both a relief and a revelation. Now 41, the musician from Southampton says the diagnosis transformed the way she sees herself. “It’s like there’s life before and life after,” she told BBC Radio Solent. “I blamed myself and thought I was a bit of an idiot, a bit of a loser, very behind in life.” Before her diagnosis, Rox spent years silently struggling with what she now understands were ADHD symptoms — chronic forgetfulness, a wandering mind, trouble with directions, low motivation for everyday tasks, and a constant feeling of falling short. Things like timekeeping and laundry, she said, felt impossible. “What other people call basic things.” For much of her adult life, Rox says the result was a mix of depression, poor self-esteem, and alcohol use. “The diagnosis was the removal of all that self-blame and hatred,” she said. “It’s led to a much happier and nicer life.” She isn’t the only one who benefited. Her partner, Rich, from Basingstoke, admits he used to get frustrated — particularly when Rox forgot dinner dates or birthdays. “I knew very little about ADHD before,” he said. “But since the diagnosis you just come to accept it. You start to treat things with curiosity rather than judgement.” Together, the couple now run ADHD Love, a fast-growing Instagram account that explores what it’s like to be in a relationship where one partner is neurodivergent and the other is neurotypical. Their honest, often humorous posts have resonated with millions online. The pair have also written books tackling ADHD misconceptions, with chapters named after the labels Rox used to hear — “lazy,” “inconsistent,” “disorganised.” Their message is clear: ADHD isn’t something to “fix.” It’s something to understand. “We’re not trying to fix people,” said Rich. “It’s about acceptance.” Rox says the hardest part is thinking about the time lost before she knew what was going on. “Sometimes it’s sad to look back on all of that unlived life,” she said. “But maybe we didn’t have to give ourselves such a hard time.” That grief is common among adults diagnosed later in life, especially women, who are often overlooked. Rox says she’s encouraged to see more children being supported early. “It’s amazing,” she said. “But for people my age, it’s coming late.” Since her diagnosis, Rox has focused on therapy and embracing what she’s good at: creativity. She continues to perform as a musician and recently spoke ahead of a gig at Southampton’s Guildhall. For her, the diagnosis wasn’t the end of the story. It was a second chance. And if she has one message for others who suspect they may be neurodivergent — or are waiting on a diagnosis — it’s this: “You get to be kind to yourself now.”

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Brave Boy, 4, Overcomes Cancer, Swims For The First Time

For nine months, four-year-old Dzemil wasn’t allowed near a bath, let alone a swimming pool. After being diagnosed with stage four brain cancer shortly after his second birthday, any contact with water carried a dangerous risk of infection — one that could have led to sepsis. “He was just sponge-washed, which was difficult for a two-year-old who likes to splash,” said his mother, Hope. Born with a rare genetic condition, Dzemil’s cancer diagnosis marked the beginning of an intense medical journey: three brain surgeries, 12 rounds of chemotherapy, and proton therapy. He’s now in remission, but his doctors have warned the risk of relapse remains high. So when the charity Make-A-Wish offered the family a holiday at Center Parcs in Nottinghamshire, it meant more than just time away — it meant Dzemil could finally go for a swim. “For five days, he could swim to his heart’s content or splash,” said Hope. “I think other visitors must have thought, ‘Are we doing anything else while we’re here?’” The trip gave Dzemil and his six-year-old sister Amal the chance to explore outside of hospitals and treatment rooms. They went on an aerial adventure in the Sherwood Forest woods — an unexpected highlight. “He was quite hesitant at first wearing a harness,” Hope recalled. “But I think him seeing the other children in his group doing it, he started to copy them and then towards the end, it was like watching a different child.” She said the moment moved her to tears. “To see him gaining that confidence, when he was off the ground and walking on a narrow bridge, it was just really nice to see him being able to do that.” For the family, the weeklong break wasn’t just about fun. It was a rare chance to hit pause on the hospital routine and enjoy a stretch of normalcy. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity as a family to make memories,” Hope said. “Just seeing them together, being away from hospital appointments for a week, not having to open any letters from the hospital, and just kind of be a normal family — it was just amazing.”

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‘I Committed Assault – Kindness Saved Me’: How One Man Turned His Life Around After Hitting Rock Bottom

On his 34th birthday, Darren found himself in a police station, alone and terrified. He had just been arrested on suspicion of assault. That moment, he says, was a “massive wake-up call.” “I remember thinking, ‘how has it got to this point?’” he said to BBC News. “I got really panicky and upset, but I also felt this is something I need to address immediately. I was at a dead end.” For Darren — not his real name — the incident wasn’t just a brush with the law. It was the culmination of grief, illness, and a growing sense of hopelessness. He had recently been diagnosed with cancer, and was still reeling from the deaths of several family members. His actions, he says, were rooted in frustration, but he never made excuses. “I knew I’d have to live with the consequences for the rest of my life.” But help came from an unexpected place — inside the police station itself. While he sat alone in custody, a staff member from Plan B, a crime reduction program run by the Sheffield-based charity Causeway, came to speak with him. That conversation changed everything. Plan B works with people who’ve been arrested or come into contact with the criminal justice system. The goal is to break the cycle of reoffending by addressing the root causes, whether that’s addiction, homelessness, mental health struggles, or trauma. Helen Ball, CEO of Causeway, said the charity has helped more than 100 people like Darren over the past year. “Causeway is about supporting people who, for various reasons, find themselves on the wrong pathway,” she said. “That might be because they've been a victim of crime or because they’ve been a perpetrator. It could be a number of other reasons. But our role is to meet that person where they’re at, and walk alongside them until they find the right path to move forward on.” Ball is quick to point out that the real effort comes from the individuals themselves. “Yes, we’ve supported Darren, but so much of it is about them and how they choose to engage with us,” she said. “Despite setbacks and circumstances that have delayed him getting where he wants to be, he hasn’t lost that determination. We’ve been alongside him, but he’s the one who’s done the work.” Now 38, Darren says that support helped him navigate the criminal justice system — he was fined for the offence — and get his life back on track. With Causeway’s help, he found stable housing, a job, and a creative outlet. He started to feel like himself again. “They really helped me get back on my feet when I was at zero,” he said. “I don’t really know what would’ve happened without their intervention, but if I’d carried on the way that I did then, I’d probably either not be here or be somewhere worse.” But the most meaningful change, he says, was getting access to his daughter again. “I’m building that relationship back up, and that’s really been the driving force,” he said. “When I was diagnosed with cancer, the hardest thing wasn’t the treatment — it was not seeing my daughter.” He says having that connection back in his life gives him a reason to keep going, even when things get hard. “Every day is a new day,” Darren said. “And you have to work forwards rather than backwards, or you’ll stay in the past.”

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