Brothers in Arms

Every year, we hear how many soldiers are injured coming back from Afghanistan but what are their stories? Myself and two coleagues, journalism students are doing a short current affairs story about injured servicemen. If you have a story that you would like to share that we are hopping filming in the next week – 9th to the 12th February -, please get in contact, we are based at the University of Westminster. We are looking forward to hearing from you…

Anne Lobjoie

P.S: the short film will be made available online.

Rhys Jones’s killer has been sentenced for life

A teenager has been sentenced for life for the murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones who was shot outside a Liverpool pub.

Sean Mercer, 18, of Croxteth, was convicted of the murder after a nine-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

Mercer was 16 when he shot Rhys outside the Fir Tree pub in August 2007 as the schoolboy was going  back to his home after football practice.

He was ordered to serve a minimum of 22 years by trial judge Mr Justice Irwin and was convicted by the jury after almost four days of deliberations

The judge called Mercer a “coward” and described the gang members as “selfish and shallow criminals”.

After the verdict was read out, Rhys’ father Stephen Jones said: “Finally justice has been done for Rhys.”

Madonna gives 5o million to Guy

After seven and a half years of marriage Guy Ritchie is about to receive 50 million from his divorce with Madonna.

He could have gotten 120 million, which represent half of what they have been earning during their life together, but he said he does not want the money.

It didn’t take them long to divorce, but finding an arrangment was not the same story. The amount includes their Wiltshire estate and a cash sum. But one question remain without a clear answear: what will happen to the children?

Bush and the shoe attacker

Outgoing President George W Bush probably received one of his last insult from the Arab world.

He had a pair of shoes thrown at him by a local journalist at a media conference in Iraq.

 The shoe-thrower has been arrested, but  it is unlikely he will be severely punished because most Iraqis have applauded his actions.

Shoes are the dirtiest things a person can throw at another because they are the closest to the ground. In Bush’s case many Iraqis consider that he is responsible for dragging Iraqi society through the dirt. That is  why this action has all its importnce in the muslim world and in many other countries I guess!

A vaccine against AIDS in 4 or 5 years… is it possible?

A French scientist awarded the Nobel Prize for discovering the Aids virus has  predicted there would be a ‘therapeutic vaccine’ for the disease within four years.

25 years ago, Luc Montagnier and his team discovered HIV at the French Pasteur Institute in Paris. They have been awarded the prestigious prize along with other scientists who worked on discovering the root of the virus.

Montagnier, 76, said a treatment could be possible in the future with a ‘therapeutic’ rather than preventive vaccine for which results might be published in three or four years if there is enough financial support.

‘”I think it will be possible with a therapeutic vaccine rather than preventative vaccinations. We would give it to people who are already infected”.

A therapeutic vaccine prevents disease from flourishing after it has taken hold.

The Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute praised their work, saying: ‘The discovery was one prerequisite for the current understanding of the biology of the disease and its antiretroviral treatment.’

Nicolas Sarkozy: “Mugabe must leave power”

 ”President Mugabe must go. The time for negotations are over. There comes a time when a dictator does not want to hear, does not want to understaning…My understanding is that heads of states and governments must end discussions.”

With this statement, President Nicolas Sarkozy made it clear that French govenment and the European Union want Robert Mugabe to leave power. Sarkozy told Mugabe that Zimbabwe has the right to freedom, respect and security. He also added that “Mugabe is holding Zimbabwe hostage”.

While Mugabe is refusing to listen to the world’s demands to quit and refuses to acknowledge any problems, Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate in all spheres. Zimbabwe currently has an inflation of 231%.  As fa as the cholera is concerned here is what the Zimbabwe president has to say:

 “There is no cholera” in Zimbabwe.” he adds  “Because of cholera,  Brown,  Sarkozy and Bush want military intervention. Now that there is no cholera, there’s no need for war,”

As the UN announced that the number of dead people had risen to 783 and prepared for 60,000 cases, Zimbabwe’s autocrat claimed that his country’s doctors, with the help of unnamed “others”, had arrested the epidemic and with it the West’s pretext for regime change.

The man with the ponytail has another unusual idea

No one else has the same look or personality in the fashion industry. When he entered the room to talk about his new creation, the Chanel designer was still his same old self: proud.

 

A grey ponytail, dark glasses and a tie: Karl Lagerfeld talks about something quite unusual for a fashion designer… money!

 

As always, this very charismatic man started the interview on a funny note. ‘There might be less of it, but money can still be beautiful” he said.

 

The 70-year-old German born fashion designer created a set of commemorative coins to mark the 125^th anniversary of Gabrielle Chanel’s birthday (Coco Chanel).

 

There will be 99 gold coins, which cost 5,900 Euros and 11,000 of the silver coins.The coins will feature a portrait of Coco Chanel in one of her bow hats on one side, and the number five on the other.

 

Since taking the control of Chanel design, Karl Lagerfeld has been up to some unusual ideas. We cannot make a list of all the arts initiatives and marketing campaigns he has been up to. But let’s try to remind some of them…

 

What about a tour of Coco’s Chanel’s Paris apartment thanks to the microsite? Coco was a revolutionary figure in her time and she remains a powerful force in the fashion world to this day. Have a look into her apartment is a real pleasure.

 

What is the “Chanel Mobile Art”? It is a travelling exhibition featuring pieces by 20 contemporary and artists, in which the iconic Chanel quilt bag inspires all of the pieces.

 

When Lagerfeld was asked to give his impression on the collaboration Chanel had with Zaha Hadid, here is what he has to say:  “Nobody did that before, eh? Nobody made a museum that can travel. Normally people have to travel to the museum. This time, it is the museum that is traveling. I think that is a very new concept…I think design and architecture are the real art of today.”

 

In a French road safety awareness campaign, Karl Lagerfeld didn’t think about fashion aside while wearing a bright yellow vest with a caption to the side that says: “It’s yellow, it’s ugly, it doesn’t match anything, but it can save your life.”

 

As the Paris based designer said, “Personality begins where comparison ends”. What we know is that he consistently reinvents the program with his own ideas and interpretations.