In need of acknowledgment: a young dad reading with his child. Photograph: Wavebreak Media/Alamy

I ANSWERED the phone, wedging it into that underrated nook between jaw and shoulder as I simultaneously washed a baby bottle. “I’m a nurse,” said the lady’s voice. I got that sucker punch of worry in the gut.

I was about to start work, and my boyfriend had taken our baby daughter for her routine injections. “Is the baby OK?” I said. “Oh yes,” she went on. “I just wanted to check you knew she was here. We have to ask.”

I affirmed that it was fine, thought the call was slightly weird, and went back to chiselling what looked like dried Horlicks off the kitchen floor.

It turned out the nurse had seen that the baby’s parents had different surnames, asked why I hadn’t brought her in, and said that she would need to get my permission for the vaccinations because we’re not married. If it had been me who had brought her in, no phone call would have been made to anyone else.

I felt a spike of indignation on behalf of my boyfriend. In terms of childcare, we do 50/50, and he’s a brilliant father. What’s more, we probably will get married at some point. (He says he’ll ask me in the next five to seven years). And then, I thought, I suppose they do have to have some system in place. All those absent fathers rocking up in Volvos, stealing their kids and taking them for knickerbocker glories and vaccinations.

The thing is, couples like us are on the rise. Of my friendship group with babies, approximately half are married and half aren’t. When I was younger, I thought I would definitely get married before having kids, because that’s what society did then. Anyone who broke the rules was sent off to live with nuns, and it wasn’t like The Sound of Music. Yet when it came to the time we wanted a baby, it seemed logical – mentally and financially – to just go for it. I felt secure with my boyfriend – although I’d like a new word for him now we’ve got a little one.

The word “partner” has never felt right for him, although I like the “We’d look out for each other in an apocalypse and share any berries we found” connotation. To me “partner” feels like someone you meet in your 60s: one of you reads a book about bridge by the fireside while the other stresses about a stained cagoule in the kitchen before you share a simple meal of courgettes and potatoes from the garden.
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Actually that sounds quite good. Bagsy the cagoule. The other terms are no better. “Lover” is like we’re trying and failing to be in an Italian film, “better half” is like something a councillor says at a golf club dinner. “Boyfriend” is the most honest word, but now that we’ve got a baby it seems a bit flimsy. There needs to be a new term coined, something in between boyfriend and partner. “Comrade”? Too Orwellian. “Delight”? Too puddingy. “Lifeline”? A bit needy.

I went to a friend’s wedding last weekend. I could already hear the first gauzy whispers of: “When do you think they’ll have a baby?” After that it’s: “When are you going to have grandchildren?” Then, presumably: “When are you going to die?”

“We missed out that baby question by skipping marriage!” I thought gleefully as I changed the baby’s nappy behind a hedge. “In a way it’s not like we’re quite grown up!”

And in a sense maybe that’s what is at the heart of this. We’ve done all the other adult stuff – buying a flat, dealing with a death in the family, starting one of our own – but we’re not quite grown up. As the clock strikes midnight this year, and he reduces the marriage timeline to “the next four to six years”, I might just tell my delightful comrade lifeline to leave it the way it is.

Kim Kardashian

REALITY TV queen Kim Kardashian has revealed doctors could remove her uterus when she delivers her second baby.

While she was pregnant with daughter North, now two, she suffered from placenta accreta, in which the placenta attaches itself to the uterus with blood vessels and is not completely expelled during the birth.

Kardashian, 34, told C magazine: “They think I’ll have placenta accreta again, so if the placenta grows a little bit deeper than it did last time, they are prepared to have my uterus removed, which is a little scary for me.

They think I’ll have placenta accreta again

“I think we’re just go go day by day, see how overwhelming it is, and see how the delivery goes.”
On Keeping Up With the Kardashians she discussed the struggles she and husband Kanye West, 38, had conceiving again, and she told the magazine that during childbirth she had a “couple little operations” in which doctors “created a little hole in my uterus, which I think made it really tough to get pregnant again.”

She also confessed she was hurt by criticism of her weight gain during her first pregnancy, saying: “I couldn’t help it, and everyone would say, ‘She can’t stop eating.'”

She said she went up to 12st 12lbs (81.8kg) not 15st (95.5kg), as was reported at the time, and went on: “It really took a toll after the fact, when I was losing weight.
“I was dedicated, but it changed the way I viewed wanting my picture taken. Before I was always smiling, and so into being out and about.

After I had the baby, I was like, these are the same people that made fun of me

“After I had the baby, I was like, these are the same people that made fun of me, and posted the stories that were so awful, calling me fat for something I couldn’t control.
“I don’t want to smile for them. I don’t want to be out.”

But she is confident that she will not bloat so much in the run-up to the birth of her son in December.

She explained: “I also feel lucky that, as of right now, I don’t feel like I’m going to get pre-eclampsia again,” saying that last time in contributed to “not only the weight but also the swelling.” – Mirror.co.uk

Laura Bates
ALMOST half of British girls aged 17 to 21 have needed help with their mental health, according to findings published today from the Girlguiding 2015 girls’ attitudes survey. The results suggest that mental wellbeing is a major area for concern, with worries starting from as young as seven and escalating as girls get older.

Self-harming tops a list of health concerns for girls aged 11 to 21, closely followed by smoking, mental illness, depression and eating disorders. The results suggest that these concerns have changed dramatically over the past five years. In 2010, girls’ top three health concerns were binge drinking, smoking and drug abuse.

According to mental health charity YoungMinds, between 2001 and 2011 there was a 77% increase in hospital admissions of women under 25 due to self-harm.

The Girlguiding results also suggest that girls may be struggling to find the support they need, with 82% saying adults don’t recognise the pressure they are under and two-thirds of girls aged 17 to 21 saying mental health is awkward to talk about.

I asked Girlguiding advocate Emma Gees, 24, who helped to develop the survey, why this might be. She told me:

There are many contributing factors at play. The world has changed an awful lot in the last 10 to 15 years for children, and there are so many different pressures – pressure to do well at school, pressure to look a certain way, sexual harassment, sexual pressure – they create the perfect storm.

I also think things like social media can play a big part. When I was at school, we didn’t have smartphones, so we could switch off, but now you’re constantly switched on and people are pressured to have a certain persona. I think mental health is a serious issue for girls and boys, but people can be particularly nasty to girls online and, with the pressure to look a certain way in particular, it can be really damaging.

Sexual objectification of women in the media suggests girls are meant to look a certain way and do certain things. If a girl carries a condom, she’s a whore, but if a guy carries one, he’s a stud. There are so many double standards, and girls are confused about what to do and how to behave, and they don’t know where to turn for advice and help.

The survey, which polled 1,500 girls and young women, suggests that worries over sexual harassment and low body confidence are taking their toll on girls’ wellbeing; three-quarters of girls say anxiety over experiencing sexual harassment negatively affects their lives in some way, from what they wear and where they go to how they feel about their bodies. In the past week alone, almost 40% of the girls surveyed had had a demeaning comment made to them about their looks.

Girlguiding advocate Katherine Bradfield, 18, said: “Girls are battling adversity at every corner – because everyday sexism and harassment remains a constant, unwanted presence in our lives. Now we see the damaging consequences of these pressures, as they take their toll on girls’ mental wellbeing.”

The good news, says Gees, is that there are lots of steps we can take to try to deal with the problem.

We need to help children to have more resilience and cope in the face of challenges. It would help to open up discussions so people are happy to talk about mental wellbeing and health. There’s so much stigma attached to it that people can’t talk about it until it’s too late and they’ve reached breaking point.

We also need to have these discussions in a safe environment where girls can ask the questions they can’t ask anywhere else. I think it should be part of the curriculum and people like teachers and frontline staff should have training to know how to talk to young people about these issues.

And in order for girls to be fully supported, that training, Gees believes, needs to include an understanding of societal double standards.

At a school near me, there was a sexting incident, and when the photos were spread around the teachers suggested she shouldn’t have taken the pictures in the first place instead of dealing with the crime.

In visits to schools up and down the country I have met with teenage girls who use the same phrase over and over again: “we can’t win”. They feel pressured to walk an impossible line between being sexy enough without being branded a slut. They are growing up in a world of online porn, sexting and smart phones that sees them pressured to share explicit pictures and videos, but any leak of such material can lead to extreme bullying and accusations that they are a ‘whore’ or a ‘slag’, while the boys involved are labelled lads and players.

These worrying survey results point to an urgent need to update adult thinking to catch up with the reality of teenagers’ lives. We need to be having frank, open conversations about issues like mental health, consent and sexism with young people of all genders. For young men too, the message that it isn’t shameful or weak to reach out for help with mental health is essential.

As Gees says:

Girls are whistled at and shouted at in the street in their school uniforms; it’s just another pressure that makes them conscious of how they’re looking and what they’ve done to get that attention. In fact, it’s not about what they’ve done at all, but they don’t have the confidence to challenge it. What kind of a world is that?

John Obi Mikel does a double

PREMIER League star John Obi Mikel has fathered two secret lovechildren with different women, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.

The Chelsea midfielder, 28, has a four-year-old son who was born after he had a brief fling with the lad’s mum.

He also has a one-year-old daughter by a woman he met in a nightclub two years ago.

Nigeria international Mikel, whose team were beaten at home by Crystal Palace yesterday, is now dating Russian businesswoman Olga Diyachenko and has posted online photographs of the pair together.
The footballer — paid about £80,000 a week — is not named on his son’s birth certificate, but bought a house in the Home Counties where the boy lives with his mother.

Mikel paid more than £500,000 for the detached property in 2013.

He is said to have expressed a desire to play a part in the boy’s life — even though he at first refused to believe he was the dad.

However Mikel is not believed to see his baby daughter, who lives with her 23-year-old mother in the South of England.

Mikel’s current girlfriend, Russian businesswoman Olga Diyachenko

Both women are supported financially by the player, but it is not thought they know about each other.

A source revealed Mikel, a role model to legions of fans of Chelsea and Nigeria, did not believe the boy was his when first told by his mum.
The source said: “They met ages ago when John invited her — and a friend, I think — to an after-party after some London celebrity event.

“She got together with John briefly and ended up pregnant.

“She got in touch with John and told him about it, but he initially refused to accept or believe the baby was his. His name was not on the birth certificate.

“After the baby was born there were some negotiations about it. He then agreed to pay her a decent amount of money. She was allocated money to buy a house.”

The mum moved to the Home Counties after the property purchase. Our source added: “John also agreed to give her tens of thousands a year in upkeep and, I think, agreed to give her a new car every three to five years.

“He said he wanted to play a role in the boy’s life.

Seems like John has had a lot more playing time off the pitch than on it

He and the mum are on friendly terms and she doesn’t harbour any bad feelings towards him, perhaps because he’s looked after her so well.

“When you think about it, it is not that surprising John has not moved away from Chelsea.

“I have read things about him going, possibly abroad, but the people saying that might happen would not know that he has a son and a daughter in the UK.”

When his son was two, Mikel had a short relationship with the mother of his daughter after apparently meeting her at a nightclub in London during 2013.

The girl was born last year, but again Mikel’s name did not appear on her birth certificate.

A friend of the tot’s mother said: “John has provided for her and the girl, but does not seem to want to be involved with the child.

“She is not from a well-off family and does not now earn much, but she drives around in a new car.

“She seems to have come into money since having the baby and is keeping a low profile.”

Mikel, a huge name in his native Nigeria, has spoken previously about his love life and about how difficult it is to find a wife and the importance of his family at home.

Recent photos show him with Olga in his car, while there are also pictures of his two rottweiler dogs Troy and Diva. He is also seen relaxing in his swimming pool and sitting at a kitchen table.

Talking to journalists in Nigeria last October, he said: “I’ve been dating seriously for two years now, I’m in love. I’ve found love.”

However he has denied being engaged to Olga and vowed to reveal if he popped the question.
Mikel, who has a lavish home in Oxshott, Surrey, said: “She is my girlfriend but I have not proposed to her. If that happens it will not be hidden and everyone will know.”

Talking of how jealous women had attacked Olga on social media, he added: “I’m begging Nigerian girls to please leave her alone.”

The star, left on the bench by Chelsea boss José Mourinho for yesterday’s defeat, has played more than 300 times for the Blues since joining the champions in 2006.

In an interview for Chelsea TV, he spoke about the importance of family. Mikel, whose father Michael was kidnapped then freed in August 2011, said: “Never forget where you’re from. I spend lots of time with my family.

“Every time I go back I spend lots of time with them (friends) and spend lots of time with my family.”

Talking about growing up, he added: “When you start growing up you start to think what’s really important to me and my family.”

He added about his father’s ordeal: “My dad being kidnapped was terrible, that was the hardest. My mum was on the phone crying, my brother was crying — I had to be the strong one.”

Mikel and Olga pose in online snap

In an interview last month the player said he wanted to stay at Chelsea because the club felt “like my family”.

A spokesman for the footballer said of the lovechildren: “This is an entirely private matter. John provides for and cares for his children and will continue to do so. He asks that their privacy be respected.”

BABY No1

Sex: Male

Age: 4

Mother: Woman Mikel invited to a party and had a brief fling with.

Home: £500,000 house in Home Counties he bought for the mother.

Upkeep: He gives the mum several thousand pounds a year and a new car every 3 years.

BABY No2

Sex: Female

Age: 1

Mother: Woman he met in a trendy London nightclub in 2013 and had a short relationship with.

Home: Child lives with mother in South of England. Mum is not well off but drives a new car.

Upkeep: Mikel provides for the child but is said to want no contact with her. - The Sun of Sunday

Hayley Doyle, Katie Piper and Raiche Mederick “People assumed I would never get married or have a job” -Katie

KATIE Piper, 31, lives in London. She says: “It’s never easy to live with a disfigurement, but i’m proof there are ways to rebuild your life – and make it better than ever.

In July 2010, just over two years after my ex-boyfriend arranged for a man to throw industrial-strength sulphuric acid in my face, I launched The Katie Piper Foundation.

I wanted to support other burns survivors through their recovery, giving them access to the same cutting-edge care I had experienced. Things like camouflage make-up tutorials, wigs and laser treatment are not always available on the NHS. I also hoped to work with doctors and nurses, as well as other charities, to improve facilities.

I had the idea to set up the foundation after my first documentary was aired on TV in October 2009. Donations flooded in, as well as countless offers of kindness, including being offered an office space in London. And Simon Cowell even pledged to be a patron. I had everything I needed at my fingertips.

In five years, The Katie Piper Foundation has gone from strength to strength, empowering hundreds of burns survivors. We hold monthly workshops around the UK, organising peer support activities, including craft classes and Pilates. We also provide advice on scar care and give people access to free specialist treatments, which is only made possible by our donors.

One woman with scars on her legs, who had worn thick black tights for 16 years, found the confidence to wear a skirt after attending our workshops. Another in her 60s, who had hidden herself away after being burnt as a child, ventured to a workshop and was able to meet other survivors. And a man in his 20s – who’d also been the target of an acid attack – had a weave put in so he didn’t have to worry about his wig blowing off in the wind.

Like other burns survivors, I’ll never forget feeling horrified the first time I looked in the mirror after my attack. On top of dealing with my own self-loathing and fears for the future, I had to fight the perceptions of those around me – even loved ones like my own mother, who has since admitted that she doubted I would ever get married, return to the professional world or become a mum. It’s the ultimate assumption: that once you’re disfigured, those doors are closed.

In those first weeks, I played back memories of all the relationships I’d ever had, trying to relive what it felt like to hold hands and kiss, convinced I would never experience that again.

In August 2008, I travelled to an intensive burns rehabilitation unit in France called Centre Ster, after my surgeon referred me because there was no treatment centre like it in the UK. I had a long period of scar-management therapies, such as deep-tissue massage, which had a remarkable impact on my mental and physical recovery. It was there, while interacting with other burns survivors, that I made the most progress in regaining control of my life. When there’s someone who has had a harder struggle, it teaches you to be tougher. I realised that my life wasn’t over – I still had hope, and that was the most important thing.

Why couldn’t I date and feel sexy again? Why couldn’t I be a trailblazer?

The foundation gave me a purpose in life when I needed it the most and has now boosted the self-belief of other burns sufferers by bringing them together. For the first few years, I lived down the road from the office in Chiswick, but as thousands of emails poured in I started training up volunteers to help out at workshops. One of those is Hayley Doyle, who encourages others to flourish with her infectious sunny attitude. In May, we employed Raiche to manage our volunteers at the Ideal Home Show. She also hit her stride appearing as one of the models with visible differences on my diversity catwalk at the show.

With five members of staff working for me, I now delegate a lot more, but I still do one-to-one mentoring sessions and I’m on hand if anyone needs personal advice.

Since setting up the foundation, my confidence has soared and I’ve been able to achieve other goals, such as finding love with my fiancé James and becoming a mum to my beautiful 16-month-old daughter Belle. I’m determined to help other burns survivors realise their dreams, too.”

A plastic mask formed part of Katie’s treatment; Hayley in hospital soon after the accident

’I WOULDN’T TURN BACK TIME’

Hayley Doyle, 29, is a marketing executive who lives in Manchester with her boyfriend Darren, 29, a sales assistant. She says: “Growing up, I was a horse fanatic and used to spend all my spare time at the stables. One afternoon in September 2000 when I was 14, a little boy playing with matches accidentally started a fire. it raced through the hay, trapping me in the searing heat. I managed to escape by running through the blaze, but sustained third-degree burns all over my face and body, including my neck where my necklace had melted into my skin.

I spent the next six months in Booth Hall Children’s Hospital in Manchester. I didn’t fully appreciate how bad the scars covering my lower face, neck and stomach were, but once I returned to school, there was no escaping it. Wearing a pressure mask over my face, I became the brunt of bullies’ jokes. People laughed and pointed constantly, and some of my old friends ostracised me. It was terrifying and I’d never felt so alone.

While everyone else was off to discos, I was in hospital enduring painful skin grafts, leaving me unable to sit down for weeks after doctors stripped skin from my bottom to cover my scars. At home, I’d often break down in tears, begging my mum to make it stop.

A woolly jacket that zipped over my face became my security blanket and I wouldn’t leave the house without it. With my self-esteem at rock-bottom, I buried my head in my studies.

After school, I was determined to prove myself so I started working as a marketing assistant. It helped me turn a corner and I was resolute my scars wouldn’t stop me reaching my full potential. My confidence increased and I agreed to go on a date with Darren, an old school friend who constantly told me I was beautiful. I had resigned myself to being alone forever, so it was a real boost.

But deep down, I still felt alone. Nobody could understand what it was like to walk into a pub and get stared at, or be called a ‘freak’ and told to leave, which happened more than once. So when in 2013 I read about Katie Piper’s work to help burns survivors, I contacted her foundation. When I met her at a workshop soon after, I was truly inspired by her warmth and courage.

She arranged for me to have a camouflage make-up tutorial and I was amazed at the results. I couldn’t stop examining my flawless face in the mirror – it was the first time I’d been able to stare at myself since the accident. I’ve also had my lips tattooed to give shape to my burnt mouth and I’m having laser treatment to soften my scars.

Speaking to people who understand exactly what I’ve been through is very liberating. I attend monthly social events and, last year, trained as a peer supporter to help others. If I could go back in time and change that day of the fire, I can honestly say I wouldn’t. I’ve grown to love my scars – they’re a huge part of my identity. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without them.”

I was on a life support machine for four months

‘I’VE NEVER BEEN PROUDER OF WHO I AM’

Raiche Mederick, 22, is an events coordinator who lives in Romford, Essex. She says: “I’ve never known anything other than the familiar, disfigured reflection in the mirror. I was just 18 months when a house fire left me fighting for my life with third-degree burns on my face and body.

My brother Tyrel, then three, accidentally dropped a match in my bedroom. The house caught fire and if it hadn’t been for a neighbour dragging us outside, we would have died.

I was on a life support machine for four months, and because all the toes on my left foot had fused together, I had to have them amputated. The accident also left me facially disfigured and with permanent scars on my body. My head was so badly burnt that I’m now partially bald. At school, I covered my scalp with a headscarf, but classmates avoided holding hands with me in PE lessons and refused to sit next to me, which was incredibly upsetting. Strangers stared at me wherever I went and I couldn’t walk down the street without adults gawping, or worse, recoiling in horror.

Their ignorance used to anger me, but Mum has taught me to always hold my head up high. After I finished my GCSEs, I studied media at college and have since been doing work experience in the music industry when I’m not in hospital having skin grafts. I’ve had over 50 procedures, and I will need to have yearly operations indefinitely.

Still, however hard I slog it out, I can’t escape discrimination. I’ve been rejected for interviews and left out of social events, leaving me in tears. Instead of wanting to know the story behind my scars, strangers seem afraid of them. That’s why the work Katie has been doing to raise awareness for burns victims is immeasurable.

In 2012, after watching the Channel 4 documentary Katie: My Beautiful Face, I was so in awe of her courage that I contacted the foundation. Since then, I’ve attended workshops with Katie, where we share tips, such as preparing for dates and how to handle job interviews.

In October 2014, the foundation paid for me to get my eyebrows tattooed on, as well as have a weave made of human hair. I finally feel feminine and no longer have to wear an itchy wig. Last summer, I even wore a bikini on a holiday to Portugal. And in May I modelled on Katie’s diversity catwalk.

I never thought I’d be independent, but I moved into my own flat in June. I haven’t let myself start dating yet, but while I expect plenty of knocks, I know I won’t be alone – there will always be someone who I can talk to at the foundation.

I know now that a successful career and family await me, and I’ve finally learned to accept myself – so much so, that when I was offered laser treatment to soften the scars on my face last May, I declined.

Thanks to Katie, I’ve never been prouder of who I am.” The Sun.co.uk

In a new memoir Chrissie Hynde reveals she was sexually assaulted by a motorcycle gang in Ohio in the early 1970s

WOMEN who walk around drunk and provocatively dressed should expect to be sexually assaulted, Chrissie Hynde, the lead singer of the Pretenders, has suggested.

The former chart topper claimed in a Sunday newspaper interview that scantily clad women were likely to “entice a rapist” and that it is their “fault” if they are attacked.

She discloses in a new memoir how she was abducted and sexually assaulted by a motorcycle gang in Ohio in the early 1970s – but concludes it was “all my doing” because of the way she was dressed and the fact that she was under the influence of drugs.

She also claimed that pop stars who call themselves feminists but use their sex appeal to sell records were effectively just “prostitutes”.

Charities said her remarks highlighted how victims of sexual assault wrongly blame themselves for their ordeals.

Her comments came in an interview with The Sunday Times, which published extracts from her autobiography entitled “Reckless”.

The book details an incident when she was 21 when she was picked up by a motorcycle gang who promised to take her to a party but instead took her to an empty house and sexually assaulted her.

But she said: “If I’m walking around in my underwear and I’m drunk? Who else’s fault can it be? – Er, the guy who attacks you?

“Oh, come on! That’s just silly.

“If I’m walking around and I’m very modestly dressed and I’m keeping to myself and someone attacks me, then I’d say that’s his fault.

“But if I’m being very lairy and putting it about and being provocative, then you are enticing someone who’s already unhinged — don’t do that.”

She added: “You know, if you don’t want to entice a rapist, don’t wear high heels so you can’t run from him. If you’re wearing something that says ‘Come and —- me’, you’d better be good on your feet… I don’t think I’m saying anything controversial am I?”

She went on to argue that many women who describe themselves as feminists were anything but in practice.

Asked whom she meant, she said: “Women who sell what their product is by using sex – that’s prostitution.

“A pop star who’s walking around, parading themselves as a porn star and saying they’re feminists.

“They’re prostitutes.

“I’m not making a value judgment on prostitutes, but just say what you are.” -Guardian.com

Kanye West To ‘Run For President’

KANYE West has said he will run for president in 2020 as he collected MTV’s highest honour at the Video Music Awards.

The rapper made the announcement in a rambling speech at the ceremony in Los Angeles – and after admitted smoking something to calm his nerves.

Watched by his pregnant wife Kim Kardashian, he said: “I still don’t understand awards shows, I don’t understand how they get five people who work their entire life, sold records, sold concert tickets, to stand on a red carpet, to come and for the first time in their life stand on the chopping block and be considered a loser.

“I don’t understand it, I’m conflicted bro. I just want people to like me more but f*** that bro.

“I will die for the art, for what I believe in and the art ain’t always going to be polite. I bet they are thinking right now if I smoked something before this and the answer is yes, I rolled up a little something to take the edge off.”
After holding his head in his hands for an extended period of time, he added: “It’s about ideas, people who believe in truth. And yes, as you probably could have guessed, I have decided in 2020 to run for president.”

West was reunited on stage with Taylor Swift, six years after he famously walked on stage at the 2009 VMAs and interrupted her speech to declare Beyonce the more worthy winner of an award.

Kanye ‘West Wing': I’m Running For President

Announcing West as winner of the Video Vanguard award, Swift called him her friend and said: “I first met Kanye West at this show six years ago and since then we have a had lot of time to talk about a lot of things.

“The whole world knew about our exchange at the VMAs but most people don’t know his album College Dropout was the first album I bought on iTunes when I was 12.”

West, in turn, admitted he had regrets about his stage invasion, telling the audience: “I think if I had to do it all again what would I have done?

“Would I have worn a leather shirt, would I have drunk half a bottle of Hennessy and given the other half to the audience? If I had a daughter, would I have gone on stage and grabbed the mic from someone else’s?”

During the ceremony, host Miley Cyrus was verbally attacked by rapper Nicki Minaj.

Nicki And Miley In nasty Spat

After scooping the prize for best hip-hop video for her hit Anaconda, Minaj blasted Cyrus over an interview she gave to the New York Times last week.

The 22-year-old singer had suggested in the interview that Minaj had reacted badly over the fact Anaconda had not been nominated for video of the year.

After collecting her award and while she was still on stage she turned to Cyrus and said: “And now back to this b*** that had a lot to say about me a lot in the press. Miley, what’s good?”.

Cyrus replied: “We’re all in this industry. We all do interviews and we all know how they manipulate s***. Nicki, congratu-f******-lations.”

Despite the apparent outburst many who watched the exchange live on MTV took to social media to suggest the confrontation was a staged publicity stunt.
During the awards Cyrus delighted the audience at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theatre, changing outfits several times during the show, each time appearing on stage wearing less than before.

She also took the opportunity to announce that she had released a new 23-song album – available for free online. Her website crashed shortly afterwards but the songs were still available on streaming websites.

Cyrus was hosting the VMAs two years after she stole the show with a risque, but memorable performance with Robin Thicke, and a year after winning the top prize for Wrecking Ball.

The 22-year-old surprised photographers backstage at the ceremony by passing round what appeared to be a marijuana cigarette.

Grabbing the microphone, she said: “I’ve been doing this for a really long time, even though I’m not old I’ve been doing this for a while, and because you’re all my friends and my song is sort of about the love of marijuana and the love of humankind, I’ve brought a blunt if anyone would like some.”

Other winners this year included Taylor Swift who won Best Pop Music Video for Blank Space and Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars for Uptown Funk.

The list of celebrities who attended the awards included David Beckham’s son Brooklyn, reality television personality Kourtney Kardashian and rapper Tyga.

Miley Cyrus was verbally attacked by rapper Nicki Minaj

The list of winners

Video Vanguard Award: Kanye West

Video of the Year: Taylor Swift ft Kendrick Lamar, Bad Blood.

Pop Video: Taylor Swift, Blank Space.

Hip-hop Video: Nicki Minaj, Anaconda.
Female Video: Taylor Swift, Blank Space.

Video With a Social Message: Big Sean featuring Kanye West and John Legend, One Man Can Change the World.

Artist to Watch: Fetty Wap, Trap Queen

Best Rock Video: Fall Out Boy, Uma Thurman

Best Direction: Kendrick Lamar, Alright

Best Choreography: OK Go, I Won’t Let You Down

Best Visual Effects: Skrillex and Diplo featuring Justin Bieber, Where Are You Now

Best Cinematography: Flying Lotus (featuring Kendrick Lamar), Never Catch Me

Best Editing: Beyonce, 7/11

Best Art Direction: Snoop Dogg, So Many Pros

Best Collaboration: Taylor Swift (featuring Kendrick Lamar), Bad Blood

Egyptian mummies showed clear signs of fatty buildup in their arteries. Photograph: Print Collector/Getty Images

IN 2008, Greg Thomas, a cardiologist from California, was in Cairo for work. While there, he visited the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities with another cardiologist, Adel Allam of Al Azhar University in Cairo.

They came across the mummy of King Merneptah, a pharaoh who lived 3,200 years ago. The description on Merneptah’s case said he had suffered from atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque on artery walls. Both men were sure this must be wrong. How could an ancient Egyptian have had heart disease, when most of the risk factors for the disease – obesity, unhealthy diet, smoking and lack of exercise – did not then exist? But could they prove it?

Thomas, a professor at the University of California, Irvine and Allam discussed how they could find out more about Merneptah’s arteries. They theorised that any arterial plaques might still be visible on a CT scan, a computerised x-ray technology that produces 3D images. Plaques contain calcium, which degrades slowly – a key reason that bones endure for so long.

After months of negotiation with officials, the pair began scanning the museum’s mummies (ironically, Merneptah was excluded, as Egyptian archaeological officials ruled that royal mummies could not be part of the project). What they found surprised them: many showed clear signs of fatty buildup in their arteries. When the results are adjusted for age (pre-modern people had shorter life-spans, so most of the remains are of people who died in their 40s or younger), the rate of atherosclerosis was about the same as it is for people in modern society, around 40%.

Until then, most researchers had believed that atherosclerosis was largely caused by modern lifestyles. The solution had seemed clear: if we moved more, ate more vegetables and fewer doughnuts, and quit smoking, we would significantly reduce the buildup of the plaques that are a key cause of heart disease.

Thomas and Allam’s results call that view into question. “The evidence that’s emerging is remarkable,” says Thomas. “These results challenge our understanding of the fundamental causes of atherosclerosis.” Since that first study, they have expanded their research, measuring plaque levels in ancient arteries all over the globe – from Egypt, Peru, Mongolia, the American southwest and the Aleutian Islands in the northern Pacific Ocean. All 14 of their “paleocardiology” studies so far have shown that atherosclerosis was common among pre-modern people.

“This work points out that we have had this problem for millennia,” says George Martin, a pathologist from the University of Washington. “So diet and lifestyle may not contribute as much as we thought. That’s a new idea.”

Caleb Finch, a biologist from the University of Southern California, who has also worked on the project, agrees. “Researchers have been confident about the causes of atherosclerosis. Our work suggests we should be less confident.” He says the results suggest that the general process of ageing has more to do with atherosclerosis than previously realised.
Finch is one of more than a dozen collaborators involved in what has become known as the Horus study (the name refers to a major ancient Egyptian deity). The group’s members come from all over the world, and include cardiologists, radiologists, molecular biologists, anthropologists, archaeologists and geneticists. Each week, they gather via conference call to discuss new results and future plans. “It’s a dream team of researchers who really like to push boundaries,” says Thomas. “We’re all doing this for the fun of discovery.”

Since 2008, they have scanned more than 130 bodies. They are now in the midst of scanning remains in Mongolia, and, in a few weeks, will begin looking at Egyptian mummies from the Neues Museum in Berlin. Over the past two years, they have also travelled to the Bolivian Amazon, where they are giving CT scans to members of the Tsimane tribe, a group of largely pre-modern hunter gatherers. Thomas and his colleagues want to gauge atherosclerosis levels among this group, whose way of life likely bears a closer resemblance to that of ancient Egyptians and Peruvians than to people in developed countries. “They are contemporary people living an ancient lifestyle,” Thomas says.

The Horus team in Cairo with a mummy who died between 30BC and 304BC. Photograph: Michael Miyamoto

The research is not simply academic – it has significant public health implications. Atherosclerosis is a major factor in cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in the UK and worldwide; about 73,000 Britons die from it every year, and more than twice that many have heart attacks.
As they continue to expand their work, the Horus researchers emphasise that many key questions remain unanswered – including the origin of the mummies’ atherosclerosis. Thomas and Finch suspect that pre-modern heart disease was caused not simply by genes or ageing, but by another risk factor, one that modern societies no longer face: widespread chronic infection. From tests on tissue samples, they know that many mummies typically had one or more chronic infections, including malaria, tuberculosis, worms or other microbes. One teenage Egyptian mummy had four serious parasites – a level of disease that would be astonishing today.

Such infections can significantly increase levels of inflammation in the body – and, in recent years, researchers have increasingly realised that inflammation can damage the cardiovascular system. In fact, inflammation appears to be the same mechanism through which obesity, unhealthy diet, and sedentary living also cause heart problems. On top of this, pre-modern people probably faced another serious trigger for inflammation: smoke from wood fires used for cooking, heating and lighting. So it is possible that ancient Egyptians, Peruvians, and others had the same illness as modern people – inflammation-induced heart disease – but with different root causes.

Beyond that, Thomas and Finch agree that there are likely to be as-yet-undiscovered reasons behind both pre-modern and modern heart disease, which they are working to discover. “I think there’s something that we’re missing, that could really change our understanding of this disease,” says Thomas. “That’s what is so exciting about this. We could really make a difference.” guardian.com

Singer Taylor Swift

THE  director of Taylor Swift’s latest music video has defended the singer after she was accused of creating a African colonial fantasy in the video.

The video has been viewed more than 15 million times, but some have criticised the scarcity of black people and said it portrays a stereotyped colonial-era view of Africa.

Joseph Kahn said the video for Wildest Dreams does include black people and was produced by a black woman and edited by a black man.

“This is not a video about colonialism but a love story on the set of a period film crew in Africa, 1950,” Khan said in a statement.

“There are black Africans in the video in a number of shots, but I rarely cut to crew faces outside of the director as the vast majority of screen time is Taylor and (actor) Scott (Eastwood).”
Kahn, who also directed Swift’s Blank Space and Bad Blood videos, is Asian.

Watch video for Wildest Dreams

Wildest Dreams shows Swift as an actress who falls in love with her co-star on the set. Black actors are seen in some of the clips from a distance.
Khan said: “The reality is not only were there people of colour in the video, but the key creatives who worked on this video are people of colour. …We cast and edited this video.

“We collectively decided it would have been historically inaccurate to load the crew with more black actors as the video would have been accused of rewriting history.

“This video is set in the past by a crew set in the present and we are all proud of our work.”

The video, filmed in Ethiopia, also features a number of African animals including lions, giraffes and zebra.

Swift is donating all of the proceeds from the Wildest Dreams video to the African Parks Foundation.

The song is the fifth single from her best-selling 1989 album.

She has not responded to the criticism.

Every parent’s nightmare? Miley Cyrus (left) and Nicki Minaj. Rex/Getty Images Photograph: Rex/Getty Images

IT might come as little surprise to discover that British parents have voted Miley Cyrus as the female celebrity they would least like as a role model for their children. In a poll of 2,287 parents with at least one child under 10, 78 percent voted Cyrus the worst example, followed by Nicki Minaj and Kim Kardashian.

Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cambridge – who has, of course, made a career out of marrying a very famous and wealthy man – was ranked the best female role model for their kids. Would Cyrus, an inspiration to plenty of young women navigating their adolescence, sexuality and body hair, care? Probably not.

The 22-year-old, dubbed this week by the New York Times as “a performing tongue with a woman attached” hosted the MTV Video Music Awards last weekend. In an interview with that newspaper, Cyrus was asked about the “the Nicki Minaj controversy” and replied:

“People forget that the choices that they make and how they treat people in life affect you in a really big way. If you do things with an open heart and you come at things with love, you would be heard and I would respect your statement. But I don’t respect your statement because of the anger that came with it. And it’s not anger like, ‘Guys, I’m frustrated about some things that are a bigger issue.’ You made it about you. Not to sound like a bitch, but that’s like, ‘Eh, I didn’t get my VMA.’

“If you want to make it about race, there’s a way you could do that. But don’t make it just about yourself. Say: ‘This is the reason why I think it’s important to be nominated. There’s girls everywhere with this body type.’

“What I read sounded very Nicki Minaj, which, if you know Nicki Minaj is not too kind. It’s not very polite. I think there’s a way you speak to people with openness and love … I know you can make it seem like, Oh I just don’t understand because I’m a white pop star. I know the statistics. I know what’s going on in the world. But to be honest, I don’t think MTV did that on purpose.”

Rowan Blanchard, the 13-year-old Disney star of Girl Meets World, made waves across the internet this week when she took to Instagram to tackle the subject of “white feminism” for her 2.4m followers. In three posts taking in race, intersectionality, police brutality and gender equality, she wrote:

“‘White feminism’ forgets all about intersectional feminism. The way a black woman experiences sexism and inequality is different from the way a white woman experiences sexism and inequality. Likewise with trans-women and Hispanic women.”

Blanchard then went on to quote American academic Kimberlé Crenshaw, as if she were reciting lyrics from her favourite singer, Beyoncé.

“To only acknowledge feminism from a one sided view when the literal DEFINITION is the equality of the sexes is not feminism at all,” Blanchard’s lengthy post ends. “We need to be talking about this more. Discussion leads to change.”

“This is called ‘hitting the nail on the head’,” tweeted Emma Watson, actor and HeForShe campaigner. Guardian.com

Prophet Passion

ZIMBABWEAN prophet Passion Java has broken the record of preaching about 260 times at over 70 conferences around the globe between January and September.
He however still has more conferences lined up as he is scheduled to preach in Spain, England, South Africa, India and Germany before the end of the year.
Prophet Java is the Founder and President of Kingdom Embassy Church World Wide, and is currently running a television station in Africa which has over a million viewership called Kingdom Tv (KTV).
Pastors interviewed in America and Jamaica said this was a “new record”, adding that it was encouraging to see that there are man of God who are willing to take an extra mile to preach the word.
“At this rates it like he preached daily throughout the year,” noted one pastor.

Bishop Noel Jones and Prophet Passion

Passion said he did he preferred not to talk to the media, saying all glory should go to God not him as his (Gods) works are louder and visible for many people to see than him speaking to the media.
“It is not by might nor by power but through the power of Jesus Christ who holds our future. When things look impossible, remember, our God goes beyond the limits of the possible. Allow God to move your past hurts into your divine destiny. Gratefulness brings peace to your life and as such we will continue to preach about the power and goodness of God,” said Passion.
According to information glean from various sources in Jamaica, Zimbabwe, America and South Africa, Prophet Passion has been functioning in a realm of prophesy which has brought about the unveiling of God’s mind to His people on earth.
He prophesied on the death of Nelson Mandela six months before it happened with exact date, time and month. This is one amongst the many prophesies God has fulfilled through the mouth of ‘The Chariot Rider’ as many have named Prophet Passion, because of the way he delivers God’s word for the future.
Apart from being an instrument of God’s grace in this generation Prophet Passion is also a successful business man. He also is an author with 5 books published by Java Publications and has ministered in over 26 nations all over the world such as the USA, the UK, and the Caribeans.

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt with Prophet Passion

He has been established in UK, Australia and Africa and America for three years counting. As today’s World experiences economic meltdowns, and many untold diseases – we witness God’s hand and touch in the life of His Prophet as he functions in a coat of humility and delivering many into God’s destiny for their lives, which has brought him to be affiliated with Gods generals like Bishop Noel Jones, Prophet Uebert Angel, Benny Hinn amongst others.
It is without doubt that the gospel of prosperity has become the talk of the town in Zimbabwe as worshippers rush there in prospects of a better life.
Flamboyance and miracles of all sorts have reigned supreme in these churches with the prophets living like rock stars driving poshy cars – literally living in the fast lane

Harare and the world has been shaken by one Prophet Passion who can tell one’s identity card number without even looking at it and could visit any one’s house using the ‘spiritual chariot’ and then go on to tell about every tiny detail about the house.
This year alone, Passion has travelled across 20 countries around the world spreading the word of God
In Zimbabwe he is often spotted in town distributing freebies to street kids, in a fashion more reminiscent of the biblical ‘manna from heaven’.
Every Sunday his church is filled to capacity that one would mistake it for a political rally. -abc.net

The agreement was co-signed Harrison and McCartney’s fathers

A MANAGEMENT contract that launched the career of The Beatles could fetch up to half a million pounds when it goes on sale later this month.

The document extending an earlier management contract with Brian Epstein was signed in 1962 – four days before the group released their first single Love Me Do.
Gabriel Heaton, Sotheby’s specialist in books and manuscripts, said: “Without this contract, and the relationship it represents, it seems inconceivable that The Beatles could have achieved all that they did.

“It took more than inspired musicianship and song-writing to remake popular music.

The contract included clauses allowing members to be kicked out of the band

“The presentation, direction, and internal harmony of The Beatles all owed a huge amount to Brian Epstein. He was, as Paul McCartney has acknowledged, the Fifth Beatle.”

Paul McCartney and George Harrison were both under 21 when the new deal was struck extending Epstein’s management by another five years, so their fathers acted as co-signatories.
The terms of the deal granted Epstien 10% commission on the group’s earnings up to £400 a week, 20% between £400 and £800, and 25% for anything more.

They also added a clause that stated members of the band could be kicked out “should two or more of them desire to remove one or more of the other Artists with the consent in writing of the manager”.

Epstein died from an accidental overdose in August 1967.

The contract goes on sale at Sotheby’s on 29 September. -SkyNews

Watch video of  the Beatles – Twist and Shout (Live) perfomed  on 11.04.1963 during The Royal Variety Show at Prince of Wales Theatre, London.

One of the injured cadets and a pillowcase covered in blood

A MASSIVE pillow fight at a famous military academy has left at least 30 soldiers injured.

For generations, young cadets at the prestigious West Point Academy have let off steam and built camaraderie with a huge pillow fight to mark the end of summer training.
But this year it turned bloody as some stuffed their pillowcases with hard objects — thought to be helmets.

This resulted in split lips, a broken leg, dislocated shoulders and at least 24 cadets knocked unconscious.

The Academy has insisted that none of the injuries are severe, despite one cadet being taken away in an ambulance, and insists all those involved have returned to duty.
Pictures have emerged from the August brawl showing some cadets wearing body armour as they fought in the central courtyard of the Academy in New York State, US.

And at one point, a smoke grenade appeared to go off.

At least 30 were injured during the fighting

West Point spokesman Lt Col Christopher Kasker said: “West Point applauds the cadets’ desire to build esprit and regrets the injuries to our cadets.
“We are conducting appropriate investigations into the causes of the injuries.”

A female first-year cadet not involved in the fight said: “My friends were really excited. And right after, when we learned how many people had gotten hurt, everyone felt totally hardcore.
“The goal was to have fun, and it ended up some guys just chose to hurt people. I know it looks weird from the outside, but it really bonds us.”

No disciplinary action has been taken against the cadets and there are no plans to end the annual pillow fight which has taken place since at least 1897. -The Sun.co.uk

Zororo Makamba with comedian Carl Joshua Ncube

ZIMBABWEAN talk show Tonight with Zororo is headed to DStv and will make it’s debut on the new Zambezi Magic channel in November.
The announcement was made at the Multi Choice Africa Content Showcase in Mauritius.
Zambezi Magic was launched on June 1 this year for viewers in Southern Africa on channel 161. It’s key territories are Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland.
On this week’s episode of TWZ, Zororo interview comedian Carl Joshua Ncube. They covered a range of topics from his is attempted suicide, stand against piracy and his latest business venture in Kadoma, where he and his wife Nelsy now run the Kadoma Cottage Inn.
The show also see’s cameos from comedians PO Box and Daniel Jenkins performs City Streets on the Coca-Cola Soundstage.
TWZ is a vibrant, current affairs talk show that tackles various issues from the perspective of the young urbanite. Hosted by media personality Zororo Makamba, the first episode of the season was released online at www.twzshow.com.

Daniel Jenkins and Zororo Makamba

Speaking on the decision to go on the web, Makamba said: “The internet is the greatest democracy and this led us to do an independent release online.

“You will be able to stream the show directly on Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms. This will fill a gap and allow Zimbabweans in the diaspora to see what’s happening at home.”

The 25 minute show has three segments; an opening monologue, followed by a one-on-one interview with a person of interest, ending with an acoustic performance on the Coca-Cola Sound Stage.

TWZ is produced by award winning start-up Nafuna TV.

Liz Dziva, Public Relations and Publicity Manager for MultiChoice Zimbabwe

ZAMBEZI Magic, M-Net’s home of local content from Southern Africa, is calling for local music video submissions, in preparation of the launch of the channel’s first two music video shows.

Liz Dziva, Public Relations and Publicity Manager for MultiChoice Zimbabwe said “Zed Top 10 and Zim Top 10 will launch on the channel in October, proof that Zambezi is staying true to its promise of providing the best in local Southern African content by launching its first music shows this October”.

The channel, which was launched on 1 July and is the new home of Southern Africa focused general entertainment, continues to search for and identify relevant new titles that it can add to its developing content line-up, and with music being a huge part of entertainment, Zambezi Magic is looking at beefing up its music offering by giving artists and/ or music producers an opportunity to showcase their craft and talent on the channel.

The shows will also give viewers the opportunity to vote for their favourite music videos via the Zambezi Magic Facebook page and more information will be provided closer to the launch date.

Artistes should ensure that they are registered with royalty collecting bodies such as RISA and SAMRO in South Africa.

Videos can be dropped off at any of the MultiChoice Zimbabwe Offices

This week’s DStv highlights

Tammy airs on M-Net on Sunday 13 September at 20:05 and on M-Net Movies Premiere at 20:30 CAT
Leading lady Melissa McCarthy, who plays comedy and drama with the same aplomb, outshines Oscar winners Kathy Bates and Susan Sarandon in a side-splitting road movie that doesn’t mind veering off the neatly paved tarmac onto the loose gravel, all for a laugh. Tammy loses her job and her husband and decides to hit the road alone, resisting her grandma Pearl’s plea to be taken along. A wad of cash soon persuades her to change her mind, and the two set off on a madcap adventure during which Pearl finds love and cops a stint in jail.

Flex and Shanice

Flex and Shanice S1 airs on Vuzu Amp on Thursdays at 20:30 CAT
Nineties pop sensation, Shanice Wilson, and her husband, One on One star Flex Alexander, were both first generation millionaires who lived the good life with their two adorable children, Imani and Elijah. But suddenly both of their careers came to a halt, and when the cheques stopped coming in, they lost EVERYTHING. Now, as Flex and Shanice struggle to make ends meet, they have to balance being parents and while trying to revive their careers, all while living in a crowded house with nine family members.
Mistresses Season 3 Premieres on Vuzu Amp on Wednesday 16 September at 20:30 CAT
Mistresses is a provocative and thrilling drama about the scandalous lives of a sexy and sassy group of four girlfriends, each on her own path to self-discovery. In this Season 3 premiere we pick up immediately where last season’s cliffhanger left off. Joss’s wedding day make-out session on the beach with Harry is interrupted by the news that the grandmother of the guy she’s supposed to marry has had a stroke. She heads off to the hospital with Scott leaving Harry alone back on the sand. Joss’s prospective in-laws blame her for Grandma June’s fate. After all, she had everyone waiting out in the hot sun.

Mistresses Season 3

Thicker than Water airs on BET every Tuesday at 22:10 CAT
Follow former professional basketball player turned popular gospel singer, recording artist and minister Ben Tankard and his blended family on their journey as they build their legacy and expand the family fortune. From music-producing to NBA life-coaching and motivational speaking, this business-oriented family strives to keep on top of their game, but finds their true passion lies in ministry. On Tuesdays at 10:20 CAT.
Hair Trauma Season 1 airs on Sony Channel on Mondays at 17:40 CAT
Hair Trauma observes the everyday goings-on of famed NYC black hairstylist Ellin LaVar. Ellin has styled some of the most fabulous hair around, and has star clients such as Tyra Banks, Beyonce, Naomi Campbell, Whitney Houston, and has created styles that have been featured in Essence magazine, Ebony, and countless others. Hair Trauma also features Ellin’s co-workers/siblings, Jeffrey LaVar and Kim LaVar. The series brings freshness and laughter to the reality TV genre.
Sports Gone Wild airs on Sony Max on Tuesdays at 18:30 CAT
This is a reality series that consists of various clips from the world of sports. Each episode contains a number of short videos that highlight a number of bloopers, amazing plays, and extreme circumstances. When humans get together for activities or sports that include objects being thrown at high speed, sticks that can be used as weapons, or full-on tests of brute force, then the unexpected is bound to happen and it often does! Luckily the unblinking eye of the camera is there to capture the hilarious, wacky, and zany results for everyone to enjoy.
Best in Bridal Premieres on TLC Entertainment on Friday 11 September at 20:50 CAT
Best in Bridal is set in a colourful corner of Chicago, where two bridal shops wage a ruthless campaign to outwit, outdesign and out-sell each other every day. David runs “Complete Bridal”, a successful salon owned and curated by him and his team of all-straight and all-good-looking young men. Across the street lies “Shelly’s”, an old-school boutique managed by Shelly, David’s rival and former boss. This unique avenue into the aspirational world of weddings will revolve around David and Shelly’s daily duels for clients and cash. But despite their rivalry, they always have the dreams and goals of each woman’s special day at heart.

Disney’s Descendants

Disney’s Descendants Airs on Disney Channel on Friday 18 September at 17:00 CAT
Dove Cameron (Liv and Maddie), Cameron Boyce (Jessie), Booboo Stewart and Sofia Carson star as the teenage sons and daughters of Disney’s most infamous villains, in Disney’s Descendants, a live-action movie that – with a knowing wink at traditional fairy tales – fuses castles with classrooms to create a contemporary, music-driven story about the challenges in living up to parental and peer expectations. Emmy Award-winning Kenny Ortega (High School Musical) directs, choreographs and executive-produces Disney’s Descendants.

Sulumani Chimbetu

WHILE Hollywood was shouting out birthday messages on social media for prophet  Uebert Angel, Zimbabwean musician Sulumani Chimbetu took to the mic to belt out a hit song.

In the song Chimbetu, bemoans the fact that the enemies of the prophet are plotting to kill the man of God yet he has done no wrong. Chimbetu then pleads with these enemies to leave the man of God to his work telling them that the prophet is here to do God’s work.

Chimbetu then asks the Prophet (Uebert Angel) to forgive Zimbabwe for not respecting the prophets. (Major Dzorai moyo mutinzwire tsitsi- you are celebrated in Nigeria, South Africa and America)

Uebert Angel has withstood a torrent of attacks in the media and on social networking platforms such as Facebook and and in particular online publication. Angel continues to rock believers and non-believers alike with a brand of revelatory gospel some describe as very controversial but hugely scholarly and intelligible.

Prophet Uebert Angel

Unlike a drop of water which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, Uebert Angel is not a drop, but the ocean itself. After a raging torrent of negative, malicious and fictional stories which have rained on him for the past couple of years. One would have thought he would have gone under, but he is still going strong.

The overflow crowds showing up to hear Angel, preaching are a testament not only to his current popularity but the practicality of his teachings as he spreads the good news that is the word of God.

The prophet is doing a lot of good work, but it is very hard for people to accept and acknowledge the good that God is doing through his prophet. In the words of Sulu Chimbetu (munhu we nyama hatende…). Zimbabwenewslive.com

Major prophet tell it like it is…watch this video

Ringo Starr

RINGO Starr says the record business is in trouble and it’s very difficult for new bands trying to make it in the industry.

The former Beatles drummer was speaking at the launch of his new photography book, Photograph By Ringo Starr, and exhibition which contains rarely-seen photos of the band and Ringo’s childhood.

He told Sky News the industry is constantly evolving.

“The musicians are good and the music business is good but the record business is going down the dumper,” he said.

“Now it’s very difficult and it’s more difficult for the new bands to get a deal.
“I like the bands who actually just put their stuff on the internet and that can make the star – it’s the new way, it’s just how it is, nothing stays the same”.

After so many years in the limelight, Starr reminisced about the days he and his Beatles bandmates took holidays together in total privacy and what an unlikely concept that is now.

“I don’t think the pressure is any worse (for the bands now) than it was for us. The pressure is on when they’re not working because every moment of their lives someone is filming them.

Beatlemaniain the early 1970s

“You know we could go on holiday, Paul and I could go on holiday, John and I on holiday. The other thing the Beatles did – we always went on holiday together with each other, as if we hadn’t had enough of each other!

“Now I think that it’s harder to have any of that freedom. John and I went to Tobago and no-one bothered us – it was great, we could get away.

“But now it’s hard, if the photographers aren’t taking photos of them, they’re taking snaps of themselves,” Starr said.

Ringo started taking photos in 1959 and took his camera everywhere with him.

The exhibition is taking place at the National Portrait Gallery in London and the musician wants to go further in future by teaming up with the other Beatles for a book collating all their images.

“I wasn’t always snapping away, but I did have my camera with me and John had his camera, Paul had a camera, George, we were all carrying cameras.

“I put the result of my work to use here and I’d love Yoko and Olivia to find George and John’s photos and Paul to go through his and we could put another book out because everything here goes to the Lotus foundation – it’s all for charity.” - SkyNews.com

China has been rocked by the case of a woman allegedly being asked to abort eight months into her pregnancy Photo: ALAMY

THIS week, a series of panicked text messages was published by an online newspaper.

They were sent by an eight months pregnant woman in southwest China and spoke of her being pressured into an illegal late-term abortion so that her husband would not lose his job.

The woman in question, known only by her surname Chen, already has an 11-year-old daughter. Under China’s current version of the one child policy, she and her husband do not meet the criteria to have a second baby (both parents have to be only children themselves).

If their second child is born, Chen’s police officer husband would be sacked, in line with rules that specifically apply to public servants as upholders of Chinese law.

The news report revealed that Mrs Chen had found out that she was pregnant earlier this year and wanted to keep the baby. The screenshots of her text messages begin by saying that her husband’s work unit had found out about her pregnancy and that his boss had visited their home to convince her to abort the baby so that his husband could keep his job.

“I can’t resist any more, his unit gives [us] pressure and then let us self-willingly go and have an induced birth”, one message read.

The induced birth in question refers to a late-stage abortion, followed by a medically induced still birth.

Later messages expressed fears that she would give in and be “taken to the hospital to have the procedure” in the afternoon of the next day.
Unsurprisingly, the case has garnered much attention on Weibo, China’s popular social media platform. It highlights the ongoing conflict between home and state in China – with private family decisions decided by officials, some 36 years after the one child policy was introduced.

Chinese company is to punish unplanned pregnancies Photo: Alamy

Many online users were sympathetic towards the plight of the couple, condemning those who were pressuring the mother into a late-term abortion as ‘murderers’.

Others criticised the one child policy itself, calling it “inhumane”.

One post read: “Are two kids a lot? Is it over the top? [Why] does it have to be a decision between life and death… is a [policy] that persisted over 30 years still suitable?”

For some, the case has evoked memories of what the policy once meant for women who stubbornly refused to consent – extreme cases of forced abortion.

It’s hard to imagine in today’s China, where such practices are illegal under human rights laws, that forced abortions were regularly practiced in the 80s and early 90s.

These were the earlier decades of the policy’s enforcement, when it was at its most strict. Couples who already had one child but found themselves pregnant again would be required to have an abortion in most cases, particularly if you worked for the state.

Family planning bureaus hired local monitors, often older local women, to watch over communities for any signs of growing bellies, or anyone trying to hide their pregnancy.
Many women ran away and went into hiding to escape the authorities. Stories of pregnant fugitives were aplenty – some successful, many not. My mother told me of a woman she knew who fled to the mountains to try to keep her second baby. She was discovered in the later stages of pregnancy and was forced to have an abortion. The induced still-birth that followed, a horrific process where the body expels the dead foetus, resulted in a full-formed child that already bore a full head of black hair.

Due to cultural preferences for male heirs in Chinese society, many families hid a second pregnancy because they were desperate for a son.

If first born was a daughter, they might try to have another – even if it was against the rules. Even today, this way of thinking is prevalent among older generations and some from rural backgrounds.

But forced abortions are now against the law and largely unheard of.

Yet, according to a lawyer I spoke to, there are still cases happening – as this latest text message scandal shows.

One such case, that shocked the nation in 2012, took place in Shaanxi province. A 23-year-old mother was abducted under the instruction of a local family planning official, as she couldn’t afford the fine associated with having a second child.

Pregnant women relax in a coffee shop in Shanghai Photo: AFP/Getty

Pictures of the dead foetus lying next to the young mother were posted online by the family. While her husband disappeared after being branded a ‘national disgrace’ for speaking to the media.

The case demonstrated how abuse of power by local officials in the name of the law – as was deemed case here – can still have devastating consequences.
According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, late stage termination without medical reasoning is “strictly forbidden”.

Furthermore, the one child policy has been relaxed in recent years to allow married couples who are both single children to have a second child (although reports suggest few are taking this up). For those who do not meet the criteria, a state penalty is applied for additional children and is taken out of the parents’ salary.

Public servants – as in the case of Ms Chen’s husband – can face demotion or sacking.

Many in the western media have argued that, despite the law, it’s only possible to eradicate forced abortions by relaxing the one child policy altogether.

The reality is that China no longer has an incentive to control its population.

Many experts and academics think the abolition of the one child policy is long overdue. Scholars argued in March this year that it ought to be done away with as soon as possible. While professors from China’s top universities see rapid action as essential for correcting a series of social problems, such as China’s skewed gender ratio due to the selective abortion of girls, and the burden of an ageing population on its “only child” generation – an inverted pyramid demographic.
According to the latest reports, Ms Chen and her husband will be keeping their baby, despite alleged (and illegal) pressure from local authorities. Health workers have been sent in to ensure her safety.

However, her husband may still face disciplinary action for having a second child – in accordance with the law.

On Weibo, many comments displayed a lack of sympathy towards their case, rebuking the family for trying to become the exception to the rule. “As a public servant he should not be above the law”, said one.

Another read: “They clearly knew the law and consequences yet still chose to disregard them “. Some expressed anger that the police officer was not willing to put his job above his baby.

Whatever academics might say, the one child policy still holds sway over swathes of the country. Its impact over the last 36 years has been immensely complex. Some see it as a clear success, with all the heartache worth it for economic growth. Others think it dictatorial.

The jury may still be out, but this case has shown many in China that the time has come for a new chapter – one where mothers and fathers can determine for themselves what their family should look like. -Telegraph.co.uk

The late Whitney Houston

A HOLOGRAPHIC representation of the late Whitney Houston will tour the world in 2016, it has been announced.

The project is being organised three years after the singer’s death by Hologram USA in conjunction with Pat Houston, Houston’s sister-in-law and president of her estate.

In a statement, Ms Houston said the hologram would be “a great opportunity for her fans to see a reinvention of one the most celebrated female artists in history and to continue a legacy of performances that will not be forgotten in years to come”.

The virtual recreation will perform in “a major US venue” for a show that will be beamed to TVs and computers around the world via FilmOn Studios, a live-stream website and TV app developed by Hologram USA.

After the show’s debut online, the hologram is expected to go on an international tour.

It is not the first time that a hologram of a celebrity has been made posthumously.

Last year, a hologram of Michael Jackson made an appearance at the Billboard Music Awards, mirroring the late King of Pop’s trademark moonwalking dance moves.

Singer Bobby Brown says he thinks Whitney Houston was ready for their daughter, Bobbi Kristina, to be with her “in heaven”.

Meanwhile, Bobby Brown has said he believes things would have turned out differently for his daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown if he had been with her days before she was found unresponsive in her home in Atlanta.

Speaking publicly for the first time since Bobbi Kristina’s death in July, the singer said: “If I could have been there two days before, it wouldn’t have went down like that.”

In the TV appearance on Fox’s talk show The Real, which airs today, Brown became emotional several times while sitting next to his wife, Alicia Etheredge.

Bobbi Kristina, the only daughter between Brown and the late Whitney Houston, died in a hospice in July.

The 22-year-old suffered irreversible brain damage after being found face-down in a bathtub in her Georgia home in January.
Brown said he held out hope for months that his daughter would survive.

“We prayed and hoped for six months, you know, for something better to happen,” he said. “But when God calls you, he calls you.”

Brown said he thinks Houston was ready for their daughter to be with the singer “in heaven”.
“I’m pretty sure her mother was… had a part with like, ‘Come on, let’s get her up here’,” he said. “(Whitney) was not comfortable by herself, I guess. She just called my daughter with her.”

Houston’s death was eerily similar to her daughter’s. She was found face-down in a foot of water in her bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel just before the 2012 Grammy Awards.

Authorities found prescription drugs in the suite and evidence of heart disease and cocaine in her body but determined her death was an accidental drowning. SkyNews.com

The lodge is also the closest hotel to the gates of the Zambezi National Park.

SHORTLY  before the mighty Zambezi River thunders over Victoria Falls, lies a tranquil spot on the riverbank where life takes on a different pace. Here you can experience the river as it really is, under the trees, in harmony with nature.

You can feel as refreshed as the resort itself, at the finest location Victoria Falls has to offer. The spirit of the Zambezi awaits at the A’Zambezi River Lodge where luxury and style become one. The hotel is owned and managed by the Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG)
A’Zambezi River Lodge is located in Victoria Falls, nestling on the banks of the mighty Zambezi river within the periphery of the Zambezi National Park. The imaginative architecture with its sweeping curve of grass thatch blends well with the lash green lawns. A’Zambezi is the perfect retreat to relax and unwind in the quiet ambience of the African wild life and nature, whilst enjoying renowned services.

The A’Zambezi is the only hotel with a river frontage and jetty site in Victoria Falls. On arrival an impressive water feature and teak covered walkway lead you through to the reception whereupon your eyes are treated to a wide view of the Zambezi River. Setting the mood and scene for this great hotel.

The thatched double story A’ Zambezi River Lodge is set in well maintained gardens with sweeping lawns down to the river. The sparkling swimming pool finished in chip tile is very inviting.

Warthogs can be seen roaming the lawns and a local resident hippo comes up most nights from the river to graze.

All rooms have been finished to a very high standard with all the latest mod cons. Highly efficient air-conditioners cool your room in minutes which is very welcome in the very hot summer months. The beds are very comfortable and everything is clean and new. The attractive neutral decor is very appealing.

The spirit of the Zambezi awaits at the A’Zambezi River Lodge where luxury and style become one.

The lodge is also the closest hotel to the gates of the Zambezi National Park.

It’s an excellent family hotel with a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and is an ideal location to spend a few days in Victoria Falls.

A’Zambezi is famed for its African-style design, curvy lay-out, distinctive thatched roof and its perfect blending into the surrounding environment.  Likewise, its accommodation follows the same theme, with thoughtfully decorated river-theme rooms in a variety of options.

All 83 fully serviced rooms enjoy en-suite facilities, with air-conditioning, in-room tea and coffee-making facilities, direct-dial telephone and satellite TV. Our two luxury suites include a lounge and a fully-stocked mini-bar.
A’Zambezi has seven double-rooms and 11 family rooms (a double inter-leading with twin-bedded room), 17 triple-rooms (three single beds) suitable for friends sharing and 47 twin-bedded rooms.

From your base at A’Zambezi, you are minutes from Victoria Falls town (5km) and the mighty falls themselves. A championship 18-hole golf course is just 2km away, while the fascinating Crocodile Sanctuary is literally a stone’s stone (300m) away.  The Victoria Falls International Airport is some 25km away and the Zambian border at Livingstone is exactly 9km from the hotel.

A’zambezi River Lodge Restaurants

Amulonga restaurant

The Award winning Restaurant is situated at the front of the hotel with wrap around deck metres away from the Zambezi River. The open air Amulonga Restaurant is open daily for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Sebastian’s Restaurant

The Newly Added Sebastian’s le cart Restaurant also has magnificent views of the zambezi river. Named after the one of the hippopotami that are seen along the lawns leading to the river bank below the restaurant. The restaurant is intimate 40 seats and open daily for dinners, bookings are advisable.

Bars & Lounge

Amulonga Bar

The main hotel Bar with its stunning deck and views of the zambezi river, a unique features as the A’ zambezi river lodge is the only hotel in victoria falls to build on the banks of the Zambezi River.

No one does it better than RTG…You feel home away from home

Zambezi Cocktail Bar

Situated adjacent to sebastian’s restaurant, the zambezi cock tail bar is the perfect place to relax after a long day exploring the victoria falls area and perfect prelude to a dinner at Sebastian’s.

Pool Side

Relax under the glorious african sun, next to the stunning outdoor swimming pool where waiters will serve you the all day snack menu and an array of cocktails and drinks.

Reading Room

The Reading room is a tranquil setting to immerse yourself in a book, check out friends and family on the internet or catch up with the latest news stories, The menu at the Reading Room includes a selection of coffee, teas and cakes as well as light snacks.