In order to inject a swift (and frugal) splash of couture into your wardrobe, take a cue from the couture Chanel autumn / winter ’11 show, fasten a piece of black lace into your hair for a subtle portrayal of the fetish trend that dominated catwalks everywhere.
A “new Brit School” could be created in the MediaCity area of Salford by 2013, former education secretary Lord Baker says.
The South London Brit School boasts Adele, Leona Lewis and Jessie J among its alumni. And recent research shows that the school’s former pupils have sold 65 million albums worldwide.
It is the only free performing arts and technology school in the country and part-funded by the annual Brit Awards.
Speaking the 20th anniversary celebrations, Lord Baker congratulated the school on its success and said that it would be “very sensible” to create a new centre.
He chose the area of Salford “because the BBC is going there and it’s becoming a big cultural centre.” He hopes to see the school open within two years.
The curriculum will contain half performing arts and half technology subjects. Lord Baker hopes it will help bring together local companies of all sizes and provide a route for talented students in the North.
Sir George Martin, the Beatles producer who helped established the Brit School, attended the anniversary celebrations. He was there for the opening of a recording studio which has been named after him.
Women in the US may have become unintentionally pregnant after the incorrect labeling of the contraceptive pill produced by the Alabama based company Qualitest.
The pharmaceutical company has recalled 1.4 million packets of the contraceptive pill due to a packaging error that has left women taking an incorrect mix of drugs.
This could result in inadequate protection for women taking the contraception pill, leaving them at risk of unwanted pregnancy.
A pharmacist noticed the mistake and contacted the company, who have advised those women taking the medication to switch to a non-hormonal contraceptive whilst the issue is dealt with.
Qualitest is adamant that they will rectify the mistake, but many women aren’t convinced. “I’m not sure how the drug company is going to be able to “rectify” countless unintended pregnancies,” said Lane Moore, writing on the website Jezebel.
New bars in the Fallowfield and Withington areas will face stricter licensing criteria under plans by councillors.
In an attempt to reduce anti-social behaviour in the student areas, new bars may be subject to reduced opening hours. In June this year, as exams were finishing, there were 315 reports of anti-social behaviour within the M14 postcode area, which covers Fallowfield.
The council is attempting to introduce the regulations to reduce the amount of noise and binge drinking.
The number of new bars allowed to open may also be restricted, although there are no plans to restrict the operations of bars currently in the area.
Fallowfield, a large residential area for students, already has around 20 establishments licensed to serve alcohol and has been named as a “problem area” for anti-social behaviour.
The restriction of licensing could follow assessments in the areas most popular with students.
Permanent residents and the owners of bars and businesses in the area will also be consulted throughout the assessment.
The level of crime and disorder in districts such as Fallowfield and Withington are factors in these assessments.
The restrictions are part of a plan to ensure that licensed businesses interact well, making positive contributions to their communities.
The council aims to “encourage a move away from youth-orientated, alcohol dominated establishments” in Manchester.
Three men jailed for trying to recruit Taliban fighters from a stall in Longsight market are set to appeal.
Munir Farooqi, 54, who said that killing British torrps in Afghanistan was an ‘obligation’, was given four life sentences and his accomplices Matthew Newton, 29, and Israr Malik, 23, were jailed for six years.
“We will be visiting them to discuss these issues but I can confirm appeals are under consideration,” said Richard Egan, the lawyer representing the men.
It was reported by the Manchester Evening News that the men are considering challenging the police tactics, which consisted of secretly recording conversations and undercover surveillance.
They believe this was a contravention of their right to a private and family life, protected under the European Convention of Human Rights.
The future of Sure Start – the government initiative which aims to support families with young children – is under threat following proposals by council officials to close all council run nurseries and day care services in Manchester.
If approved, the councils plan would end local authority funding for day care in children’s centres and nurseries across Manchester; resulting in the loss of almost 400 jobs. The news comes just moths after cuts to the council’s funding left 1,600 council workers unemployed.
Initial plans to outsource day care to private and independent providers have been dismissed on the grounds that it would not be “commercially viable.”
Other proposals include increased funding for early intervention and plans for every family with a newborn baby to be visited by an outreach worker coordinated with the NHS, in order to assess the needs of families deemed to be the most vulnerable which would save the council money in the long run.
“We believe our early years proposals will enable us to use our reduced resources to the best effect, supporting those most in need to give them the best start in life. And we believe the emphasis on outreach will help us and our health sector partners to identify those most in need, and start helping them and their parents,” said councillor Afzal Khan executive member for children’s services.
The council intends to reassign 60 positions to its new outreach programme. Children’s services director Mike Livingstone insisted that there would be “no compulsory redundancies” as a result of the proposals.
The plans have been criticised by members of the Save Sure Start campaign for lacking transparency: “We want an urgent meeting with Livingstone and Bernstein to clarify points in these plans which are not clear and are ambiguous,” said Joanne McCann, one of the leaders of the campaign.
Ms McCann’s comments were echoed by Liberal Democrat councillor Marc Ramsbottom, who went on to argue that the council’s plans could force mothers on low incomes to leave employment and become full time child carers. “In focusing on outreach some working parents might slip through the net,” he said.
Scientists in China have successfully cloned a pig who was dubbed a hero after surviving for more than a month under a heap of rubble following an earthquake in 2008.
6 identical piglets have been produced using the DNA of the brave pig, who is known as Zhu Jiangqiang, or “Strong-Willed Pig”, in China.
Zhu became famous after surviving the 8.0 magnitude quake that killed more than 90,000 people in Sichuan province 3 years ago.
“The wonderful pig surprised us again,” said Du Yutao, the head of the cloning project, when speaking to the Sunday Morning Post.
The piglets, will be paired off and sent to a museum and a genetics institute.
