News In Brief 17 Sept

Man charged over Oldham explosion

A man has been charged with the manslaughter of a 2-year-old boy in a suspected gas explosion in Oldham, Greater Manchester.

Jamie Heaton died while watching TV after the blast ripped through his home and others on Buckley Street, Shaw, on 26 June.

Andrew Partington, 27, who lived next door to the toddler was charged with manslaughter and criminal damage estimated at more than £1million.

Manchester to get 4G by Christmas

Manchester will have super-fast 4G mobile network by Christmas.

Everything Everywhere, owners of Orange and T-Mobile, unveiled their plan to roll out the new service at London’s Science Museum.

4G is five times faster than 3G, and is available on HTC, Samsung, Nokia and Huawei. Industry insiders tip the iPhone 5 to also be compatible.

London, Bristol, Cardiff and Birmingham had 4G ‘switched on’ in early September.

Harvard-Oxford academic new prof at MMU

Professor Jason Powell, an Oxford visiting research professor and Harvard visiting research scholar is the new Professor of Community Practice and Social Justice at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Professor Powell told Times Higher Education he felt “genuine excitement and delight” when he was offered the job and wants to help reinforce MMU’s burgeoning international reputation.

He has previously worked at the universities of Central Lancashire and Liverpool.