I change my clothes at least eight times a day because of the condition of my skin

A five year-old girl has been diagnosed with
a one in seven billion condition that has
never been seen before anywhere in the
world. Brave Madison Hunt has confounded a
series of experts with a long list of crippling
symptoms. Her skin is so delicate her clothes have to be
changed eight times a day to avoid irritation
and her brain has only developed to that of
an eight month-old baby. She also has epilepsy, autism and double-
joined, hypermobile limbs. Doctors at London's Great Ormond Street
Hospital eventually diagnosed an
abnormality with the nineteenth
chromosome of Madison's DNA. Her condition has never been seen before
anywhere in the world and could be named
after the youngster. Her parents Kelly and Mark, who provide her
with round-the-clock care at their home in
Basildon, Essex, have no idea what her life
expectancy is. But Kelly, 32, says she enjoys every day with
her "one in seven billion" little girl. She said: "She's not even one in a million,
she's one in the whole world - one in seven
billion. "It has crossed my mind that the worst could
happen and she could die but I'm not going
to let myself think about it. "We just have to enjoy Maddy and make the
most of her while we have her." She added: "When you brush her hair or
touch her, it's like having razors brushed
over your skin. "We're still trying anything and everything to
get around these problems, whatever suits
her is fine to us. "She's an amazing little girl, I don't know how
she does it. I wouldn't be without her, I'm so
proud to be her mum. "It must be so difficult for her, not being able
to understand anything that's going on. "It's like being put in another country where
you don't understand anyone who is talking
to you. Kelly's pre-birth scans all came back normal
and when Madison was born her family had
no idea she was so poorly. But at nine months she was unable to sit up
and by the age of three she was not walking
or talking. Despite celebrating her fifth birthday last
May, Madison's brain is only as developed
as that of an eight month-old baby. She is still in nappies and her parents have
no way of properly communicating with her. Her parents can cuddle her but her ultra-
sensitive skin means prolonged contact with
fabric leads to painful rashes developing on
her body. Loving: Madison with her mum Kelly said: "I realised there was something
wrong with Madison when she was about
two or three weeks old. "She wasn't doing the things she should
have been in terms of her movement and
awareness. "It was not until she got to 12 months that
doctors realised she had hyper mobile limbs. "This means she is double jointed and her
muscles take more time to form. "Doctors have checked all the databases all
around the world to see if there's anyone
slightly similar to Madison to help us
understand more about her. "But so far they've not found anyone and we
just have to live day to day. "She will never move out. She might, one
day, get to a level where you can sort of
understand her but there's no promise of
that. "But we love her no matter what." Madison is not the only disabled child cared
for by Kelly and Mark, aged 33. Her older sister, Bethany, ten, has arthritis
and learning difficulties although three year-
old Lola, the couple's youngest child, is
developing healthily. Kelly added: "It is very challenging having
two disabled daughters. I've not had a
proper night's sleep for ten years. "I suffer from stress and my husband had to
quit his job as a chef and take two cleaning
jobs to support us. "But I would not swap my girls for the world." Kelly and Mark are now desperately trying to
raise £5,000 to build a sensory room for
Madison. Meanwhile the youngster is helping doctors
at Great Ormond Street research chromosomal disorders by undertaking
tests. They hope Madison's help will find a cure for
herself and other children who develop
similar probl

Nokia out with their X family android phones

Nokia have set tongues wagging with their X
family range of smartphones unveiled on the
stage at the World Mobile Congress. The Nokia X, X+ and XL are the first range
by the manufacturer to use Android
operating software. Executive vice president of Nokia Steve Elop introduced the "new family" of smartphones at the technology event in
Barcelona. He explained users will "benefit from the
Android apps and ecosystem, but we have
differentiated." The Nokia X range also uses parts of Asha
and Windows Phone to create an operating
system of formidable power alongside
Android. And the phones are not pricey - the X is
$125 (£75), $135 (£81) for the X+ and $150
and (£90) for the XL. Nokia chief executive Elop told the Congress the X range will be "broadly available globally". Three way: Nokia's chief executive Steve Elop
at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Several apps will be available for the Nokia
X, such as Facebook, LINE, Skype, Twitter
and Viber and a variety of games. In a first for Nokia customers BBM,
BlackBerry's messenger service, will be
available on the X family devices in addition
to Windows Phone. David Proulx, senior director, BBM at
BlackBerry, said: "BBM continues to provide
a best-in-class mobile messaging platform
with productivity, collaboration and
community-building as cornerstones. "We continue to see great enthusiasm for
the BBM experience around the globe and
we are thrilled to work with Nokia to preload
BBM on devices beginning with Nokia X in
select markets. "We welcome Nokia X users to the BBM
community."

 CNN axes Piers Morgan Live due to falling
ratings Piers Morgan, whose career also spanned
his editorship of The Mirror newspaper in
Britain, will soon be no longer the nighttime face
at CNN Piers Morgan, whose career also spanned his
editorship of The Mirror newspaper in Britain,
will soon be no longer the nighttime face at CNN By DAVID USBORNE Monday 24 February 2014 From the very start it seemed a brave if not
entirely rash move by CNN when three years ago
it hired a British news man known only to
Americans for a tabloid talent show to take the
primetime spot on its network that for more than
a generation had been occupied by the iconic but retiring Larry King. Now it is admitting it was an
error. Piers Morgan, whose career also spanned his
editorship of The Mirror newspaper in Britain,
will soon be no longer the nighttime face at CNN,
or least not in the chair vacated by Mr King.  He
and the network confirmed to the New York
Times what many in the industry thought had been a long time coming - he will be leaving the
show soon, perhaps as soon as next month. And truth is all too evident that the dwindling
crew of Americans who were still watching the
programme will not much mourn his departure.
Or not many among them. He will be remembered
by his critics notably for his repeated excoriations
of American’s gun-owning culture that possibly played well with the liberal audiences of the east
and west coasts but infuriated the belly of what
should have been his audience in Middle America. That he stumbled is not something he himself
apparently feels the need to disguise. “It’s been a
painful period and lately we have taken a bath in
the ratings,” he told David Carr, the media
columnist for the Times. He portrayed the
decision by him and his bosses at CNN to terminate his 9pm gig has having been calm and
mutual. He is also suggesting that he may retained at CNN
and given new roles.  His existing contract for the
programme he is relinquishing does not run out
until September.  In his eye that might mean more
occasional appearances either when important
world news is breaking or interviewing celebrities whose views matter or garner real interest. Exactly how CNN president Jeffrey Zucker plans
to rest the table is not clear.  If the 9pm hour is to
remain interview-based, there is no word if they
have someone in the wings to replace Morgan.  Of
one thing you can almost be certain, however –
that it will not be anyone from the British Isles however compelling they might be. Mr Morgan is aware of how his anti-gun lectures –
from a foreigner, no less - rubbed many up the
wrong way and won’t be easily forgotten. “Look, I
am a British guy debating American cultural
issues, including guns, which has been very
polarizing, and there is no doubt that there are many in the audience who are tired of me banging
on about it,” he said. “That’s run its course and
Jeff and I have been talking for some time about
different ways of using me.” Mr Morgan, 48, had privately telling friends for
some time that while he had periods when he had
been energised doing the show, called Piers
Morgan Live, but usually only during times of
gripping and breaking news that his interviews
were tapping into.  During long periods when not much was happening on the American news
waterfront, he felt he was often treading water
with sub-par guests who bored him and
presumably the viewers also. The travails of Mr Morgan had become more than
just a problem for him, however.  It was also a
rotten fruit at the centre of CNN’s evening spread
of primetime programming.  His ratings had for
many months been an embarrassment to himself
and executives and a lead weight on the network as a whole.   They regularly trailed far behind the
Fox News Channel, owned by Rupert Murdoch,
and the other main rival MSNBC. It’s proving a tricky winter for Mr Morgan.  Earlier
this month he admitted that in December he had
willingly submitted to questioning by police in
London in relation to the ongoing phone hacking
investigation connected to his time at the Mirror,
where he was editor-in-chief from 1995 to 2004.

Woman kills lover over 50.000 naira

— EBONYI State Police Command,
weekend, arrested a middle aged woman, Uzoamaka
Dorathy Nworie, an indigene of Nzashi Echara in Ikwo Local Government Area of the state, for
allegedly killing her lover, Mr. Duniya Philemon
Tabat, over unresolved business transaction
involving the purchase of Sienna bus.
Briefing newsmen at the command’s headquarters in
Abakaliki, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Chris Anyanwu, disclosed that the deceased, who
hailed from Dutsen Makaranta in Nasarawa State,
was discovered in a refuse dump in December 25,
2013, in Onuebonyi junction, the outskirts of
Abakaliki metropolis.
He said the command swung into action after the traditional ruler and his cabinet members reported the
case of an abandoned corpse to the police. The
corpse was later deposited at the Federal Teaching
Hospital, Abakaliki, FETHA.
He said: “According to the suspect, the victim was
her lover who arrived her house on December 23, 2013 with a Sienna bus with number plate DV 815
AAA which she had earlier ordered in July 2012 with
a part payment of N350,000.
After showing her the vehicle, the deceased
reportedly told her that the price of the car was
N700,000 and demanded a balance of N350,000 from her to seal the transaction.
“Uzoamaka, whose business, according to her, had
been bad and could not afford such amount, agreed
that the vehicle should be sold so that the proceeds
would be used to offset the cost.
Accordingly, on December 24, 2013, she took him to one Ituma Omokwu, a native doctor residing at
Azuebonyi Echara, Ikwo Local Government Area
who later bought the car at the cost of N750,000 with
an instant payment of N700,000 cash, promising to
pay the balance of N50,000 on December 30, 2013.
“On their return home, Uzoamaka demanded her initial deposit of N350,000 but was given N300,000.
The deceased promised to pay the balance when he
visits again on December 30, 2013. This
development was not acceptable to the woman;
hence, a fight ensued.
“In the process, Uzoamaka hit him at the back of his neck and he fell face down and died.”
The spokesman who stated that the suspect, in a bid
to avoid being linked with the death, decided to dump
the corpse in a nearby refuse dump.
He said following the frantic effort by the Homicide
Detectives of the command, the vehicle in question was later recovered at the native doctor’s shrine in
Ikwo.
He noted that efforts were in top gear to contact the
relatives of the deceased in Nasarawa State while
the suspect will be arraigned soon.”

Woman, 98, leaves fortune to
window cleaner - not nephew Julie Spalding, who died in September 2008, cut out
her relative Cecil Bray in favour of the labourer Albert
Pearce (pictured) who she named as her sole heir Picture: Nevile Ayling Twitter Facebook Share Julie Spalding, who died in September 2008, cut out
her relative Cecil Bray in favour of her window cleaner
Albert Pearce A 98-year-old woman left her entire £300,000 fortune
to a window cleaner, sparking a legal challenge by her
“favourite nephew”, the High Court has heard. Julie Spalding, who died in September 2008, cut out
her relative Cecil Bray in favour of the labourer Albert
Pearce, who she named as her sole ....Mrs Spalding, who was described as "spirited but
stubborn", had drawn up previous wills that left the
bulk of her estate to Mr Bray, 82, his barrister
Constance McDonnell told the court. The pair had a long-established understanding that he
would inherit her fortune, the lawyer said, as Mr Bray
had sacrificed much of his free time to "devote
himself to her needs". However, in 2005, Mrs Spalding suffered a major
personality change after a fall, and "excommunicated
Mr Bray from her life" leaving him with no option but
to stay away, Miss McDonnell said. The court heard Mr Bray was given his "marching
orders" during a visit to his aunt's home in Hendon,
north London, during which he met Mr Pearce for the
first and only time. Later that year Mrs Spalding "radically changed her
testamentary instructions" by telling her solicitors that
she wished to leave her home to Mr Pearce, who she
said she had known for 30 years. The court heard Mrs Spalding, who was twice married
but childless, was notoriously "obsessed" with her
will, and signed three successive documents between
2005 and December 2007 - with Mr Pearce named as
"sole beneficiary" in the final one. The case reached court with Mr Bray challenging the
validity of his aunt's last three wills on the grounds
that she either lacked legal "capacity" to make them -
or that Mr Pearce "procured each of the disputed wills
by undue influence". Mrs Spalding's estate consisted of about £60,000 in
cash, plus a bungalow in Great North Way, Hendon. Outside court Mr Pearce said he had always done his
best to care for Mrs Spalding, who he described as
"cantankerous but fun". "I was never interested in her money," he added. Mr Pearce insisted he had stepped into the breach
after Mrs Spalding's family failed to keep in touch
with her between 2005 and her death. But Mr Bray said he had visited his aunt up to four
times a week before she turned him out in 2005 and
had wrongly assumed she would apologise for her
outburst. Miss McDonnell said Mrs Spalding was becoming
increasingly frail and vulnerable by 2007, with medics
having diagnosed a possible "paranoid" condition. She also said there was "circumstantial evidence"
supporting the undue influence claim against Mr
Pearce. "He appears to have been the only person who had
any kind of regular contact with Mrs Spalding from
mid-2005 onwards - to the exclusion of any carers",
she argued. "He exhibited a controlling attitude and a desire to
exclude external assessment of Mrs Spalding." Judge Murray Rosen QC reserved his ruling at the
end of the two-day case.

Prank turns deadly

A 15-year-old girl in Little Rock, Arkansas, is dead, police say, because of a prank that went
horribly and tragically wrong. Adrian Broadway was shot in the head and died
early Saturday morning. She was with a group of teenagers who had gone
to a house to do a "retaliation" prank on another
teen who'd done a prank on them on Halloween,
according to the Little Rock Police Department. The teenagers told police they had thrown toilet
paper, eggs and mayonnaise on a car parked
there. As they were leaving, a man came out of the
house and opened fire. Broadway was struck in the head and died. Another teenager, the driver, suffered injuries to
his right arm. He was transported to a hospital,
where he was treated and released. Police have identified the shooting suspect as 48-
year-old Willie Noble. He was charged with one
count of first-degree murder, one count of a
terroristic act and five counts of aggravated
assault, they said. Noble appeared Saturday morning in Little Rock
Criminal Court, where bond was set at $1 million. "I got the news from my mom who said that
Adrian had got a gun wound to the head, and I just
dropped the phone immediately and started
crying," Broadway's friend, Laguyia Bland, told CNN affiliate KARK. "They was trying to be teenagers," Bland said.
"As you know, teenagers make mistakes, and this
was one of those mistakes."

Generous

 A disabled boy meets the paralysed man
who gave up his dream of walking again in
order to help the youngster take his first
steps. Selfless Dan Black – who was left in a
wheelchair by a 2009 cycling accident – has
given £20,000 to Brecon Vaughan, five. The money, raised over the last four years,
was supposed to pay for pioneering stem
cell treatment that could have helped Dan,
25, get back on his feet. However, after reading about the plight of
Brecon, who suffers from spastic diplegia
cerebral palsy, Dan decided the boy had a
better chance of walking so handed the
money to him instead. Brecon’s parents have described Dan’s
generosity as “phenomenal” and a huge
boost towards the £60,000 needed for an
operation which will allow their son to walk
unaided. Dan, from Chepstow – the same Welsh town
as Brecon – said: “For me, things are not
getting better soon. "I wanted to help someone whose life could
get better. If I can help someone to walk, I
will. Brecon can walk if he has the surgery.” Brecon, who uses a walking frame, was born
with the rare disease which causes stiffness
in his legs. Before Dan’s gift, the family had managed to
raise £11,000 for the US operation. The boy’s mum Ann, 44, said: “What Dan
has done is brilliant. It is a phenomenal gift.
He clearly understands the frustrations our
son has.” Dad Rob, also 44, added: “It’s heartbreaking
that Brecon can’t play with his friends. “Dan has taken us well over half way to our
target. How do you even start saying thank
you for something like that?”

Dog ate my baby's head

A six-day-old girl was killed this morning
after being bitten by an Alaskan malamute
dog at her home. Police today named the baby as Eliza-Mae
Mullane as a horrific account of her death
emerged from neighbours. One neighbour said that the girl's mother,
Sharon John, 42, screamed "The dog ate
my baby's head" after discovering her body
next to the dog called Nisha. Sharon was shaking in terror when she
spoke to neighbour Patricia Punter just
minutes after police were called to her home
in a quiet Welsh country village at breakfast
time. Patricia, 71, said: "It was terrible - I've never
heard anything like it. Sharon was in a state
of shock and just screaming. "She just kept on saying: "The dog ate my
baby's head. He's blaming me for it - the
baby's gone." Sharon had the Husky-like Alaskan
Malamute called Nisha after her partner
Patric Mullane, 33, brought it home from a
night out at the pub. Mrs Punter said: "They'd had the dog for a
few months because Pat is really soft for
dogs. "He brought it home from the pub because
someone had told him they were going to
get rid of it. "Nisha was about five or six years old but
looked older. I think it may have badly
treated in the past. Click here to follow our live blog "God only knows what has gone on in there.
But Sharon was in bits - she was with a
policeman and they wouldn't let her back
into the house. "She came into my house to use the toilet
and that's when she told me what happened
to the baby. "She'd only brought the baby home in the
last week. It is just awful - they loved their
dogs as much as their children." Sharon has two other children Harley, five,
and Lily-Rose, three, in their terraced house
in the village of Pontyberem, near
Carmarthen, South Wales. The family also have another pet dog, a
terrier called Roxy, who was later being
looked after by Mrs Punter. Scrap metal dealer Patric and Sharon were
taken away from their home to be
interviewed by police. Nisha was seized by police investigating the
tragic death. Police are refusing to confirm whether the
girl died as a result of a dog bite, but
ambulance service sources have said that
the child suffered "terrible injuries". Neighbour Jennifer Brown, 66, told how she
caught the dog after the attack as it
wandered the street - and handed it over to
police. Mrs Brown said: "I looked outside my front
window and saw the dog by the ambulance. "The dog was just walking about and I went
out and caught it and handed it to the police. "It's a big dog and white around the mouth -
but I didn't see anything that caught my eye
to say anything had gone on. "It walked along the pavement and I thought
it was strange because people don't
normally let their dogs wander the street. "I hadn't seen the dog on the street before
but I called it over from the ambulance. "It came to me and I said: "Go home" but
instead it went to our neighbours porch and
ate their cat's food. "I got it to come back out and led it down to
house where all the police were and handed
it over to them. "They put it in the back of the police car." The dog, an Alaskan Malamute - which is
not a banned breed - has been seized by
police as part of the inquiry. Officers were called to a property in New
Road, Pontyberem, in Carmarthenshire,
around 8.30am this morning. The baby was airlifted to hospital. Chief Inspector Ieuan Mathews said this
afternoon: "As you know we are investigating
the sudden death of a baby at a property in
New Road, Pontyberem. "The baby girl was just 6 days old. "We were called by the Welsh Ambulance
NHS Trust just before 8.30am this morning,
and the baby was taken by heli-med to the
Heath Hospital. Sadly she was later
pronounced dead at University of Wales
Hospital in Cardiff. "The family dog – an Alaskan Malamute has
been seized by Police in connection with the
ongoing enquiry. I can confirm that this dog
is not listed under the Dangerous Dogs Act. "Clearly, our sympathies are with the family
at this tragic time and we have specialist
officers who are supporting them. All I would
ask is that you give them time and space to
grieve. "As far as our enquiries are concerned, the
investigation is still at an early stage." A neighbour who lives near the scene said
they heard sirens before seeing lots of
emergency vehicles arrive. Ann Williams said the dog vehicle went there
at about 9.30am. She told the BBC: "We didn't know what to think - there was so many police, so many
vehicles. We obviously thought something
was radically wrong. "We are shocked and saddened; what else
can you be? We have grandchildren of our
own. You don't expect to have this in your
own street." Alaskan Malamutes were originally bred as
sled dogs for work in the Arctic, but are now
popular as family pets. The Alaskan Malamute Club of the United
Kingdom describes the breed as a
"affectionate, friendly, loyal, devoted
companion" on its website. An ideal Alaskan Malamute is "heavily
boned, powerfully built", it says. A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesman
said: "We were called at 8.26am today,
Tuesday February 18, to a medical
emergency at a property in Pontyberem. "We sent a paramedic in a rapid response
vehicle, an emergency ambulance and the
Helimed helicopter to the scene, and a baby
was airlifted to the University Hospital of
Wales." Alan Lewis, chairman of Pontyberem
Community Council, said: "We are only a
village of 2,500 to 3,000. "It is a huge shock for the particular
community. Our thoughts go to the family
involved, obviously. "From what I understand, the police are still
continuing their investigations and the area
is cordoned off." Mr Lewis described Pontyberem as a "an ex-
mining community village". The death comes barely a week after 11- month-old Ava-Jayne Corless was killed
by a dog as she slept. The girl was in bed at a house in Blackburn
last Monday when she was savaged by the
pit-bull terrier. The girl's mother, Chloe King, 20, and her
partner, Lee Wright, 26, were held on
suspicion of manslaughter and subsequently bailed. Get the very latest on the developing
situation in Pontyberem on our live blog
here

Brave

A four-year-old boy separated from his
family while fleeing Syria has been found crossing the desert alone. Clutching a plastic bag containing his
possessions, Marwan makes his way across
the border into Jordan. The brave youngster was helped by United
Nations staff who managed to reunite him
with his worried family. He is just one of over a million Syrian
children who have been forced to leave their
homes because of the war. Andrej Mahecic, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said: "The journey across the desert can
take one day or several weeks. "It's very dangerous because there is still
fighting going on and it's the middle of winter
so it can be freezing cold at night. "The journey is long and exhausting, so it's
impossible for a four-year-old to cross the
desert by himself. "We think Marwan may have got lost during
the night. At the moment we don't know
anything more." On Sunday night Marwan entered Jordan
near the sprawling Za'atari camp, which is
home to over 100,000 refugees. The heartbreaking picture was taken by
Andrew Harper - the UNHCR's rep in
Jordan. His team were helping scores of refugees
cross the desert when they spotted Marwan. The UNHCR say there are hundreds of
thousands of children in a similar situation. Andrej added: "The Syria conflict has now
been going on for three years and at the
moment we are dealing with 2.4 million
refugees. "The important statistic is that over one
million of these refugees are children. "Because they miss out on education we are
calling them the 'lost generation' of Syria. "Unfortunately there are lots of Marwans out
there." The UNHCR - a UN agency which helps
refugees, believes 425,000 kids under the
age of five have been displaced. And they have identified over 8,000 child
refugees who have been separated from
their immediate family.

Craigslist Murder Suspect Says
She Killed 22 Others ......The FBI says it is willing to help investigate claims
by a 19-year-old woman charged in a Pennsylvania
murder case that she killed more than 20 other
people. Carrie Adamowski, spokeswoman for the FBI in
Philadelphia, said Monday the agency has been in
contact with local police in Sunbury and will offer
any assistance that they request. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for
Miranda Barbour, and her husband Elytte Barbour,
who are charged with killing a stranger they
allegedly lured through a Craiglist ad. Attorneys for
the couple are seeking psychiatric evaluations for
their clients. Miranda Barbour told The Daily Item in Sunbury in a
jailhouse interview that she had previously killed
more than 20 people across the country as part of
her involvement in a satanic cult.

Inmate breaks
out of jail for
Valentine’s Day
date ....... An Arizona jail inmate who
escaped by climbing two walls and crawling
through razor wire and was reportedly
meeting his sweetheart on Valentine’s Day is
back in custody. The Pinal County Sheriff’s office says in a
release that inmate Joseph Andrew Dekenipp
was caught a few hours after he escaped
Friday from the county detention center. The office says he would undergo treatment
for serious cuts he got from the wire before
being returned to the lockup. The Arizona Republic reports that the 40- year-old Dekenipp was arrested without
incident after he arrived at a Coolidge saloon
and grill where he was to meet his girlfriend.
Coolidge is about 35 miles southeast of
Phoenix. Dekenipp has been in jail since his arrest Jan.
10 on suspicion of vehicle theft, trafficking in
stolen property, unlawful flight, and driving
on a suspended license. Officials say he is now facing an escape
charge.

Luke Batty stabbed and beaten to death with
cricket bat by father in front of horrified
children and parents The father of the boy was later shot by
police and later died in hospital Luke Batty died at the scene in Melbourne,
Australia, despite paramedics attempting to treat
him for massive head injuries By ROB WILLIAMS Thursday 13 February 2014 Australia has been left shocked by the death of an
11-year-old boy stabbed then beaten to death with
a cricket bat in front of other children and their
parents. Luke Batty died at the scene in Melbourne,
Australia, despite paramedics attempting to treat
him for massive head injuries. The father of the
boy was later shot by police and died in hospital. Horrified parents and children watched as Greg
Batty attacked his son last night during the cricket
club training session at Tyabb, on Victoria’s
Mornington Peninsula. The Australian reported that Greg Batty had led a 'tragic' life with mental health issues. The boy's
British mother, Rosie Batty, told the newspaper that Luke had trusted his father and she believed
he was safe. “It’s just a little cricket practice. There was people
there,’ she told the paper. She also spoke of her
grief at the boy's death and added that both she
and the boy's father loved him very much. "What triggered this was a case of his dad having
mental health issues," Ms Batty told Channel Nine. "He was in a homelessness situation for many
years, his life was failing, everything was
becoming worse in his life, and Luke was the only
bright light in his life. "No one loved Luke more than his father. No one
loved Luke more than me - we both loved him",
she told the broadcaster. According to reports police attempted to reason
with Mr Batty after his attack on his son, before
discharging pepper spray at him and shooting him
once in the chest. A police officer at the scene told Sky News the boy's injuries were "quite brutal" and described
the scene as "horrific".

Nude Church

 White Tail Chapel invites all worshippers to
come as they are-- exactly as God made them. White Tail Chapel The church, located on the grounds of the
White Tail Resort in Ivor, Virginia, focuses on
casting off material concerns, including
clothes. White Tail Resort describes itself as a
"Family Nudist Community," where visitors
can enjoy all manner of activities, including spiritual worship, completely au naturel. White Tail Resort: Family Nudist Community Pastor Allen Parker told ABC 13 that many of
Jesus' most important moments happened
while he was naked. "When he was born he was
naked, when he was crucified he was naked and
when he arose he left his clothes in the tomb
and he was naked," he said. "If God made us that way, how can that be wrong?" Katie and Robert Church even got married
here-- with Robert saying his vows in the nude.
The couple told NBC 12 that White Tail Chapel
lacks the "pretense" sometimes found at other
places of worship. "People are more open as far as hearing the
word of God, and speaking the word of God,"
said Robert. He explained that nudity is a
great equalizer, as it becomes impossible to
judge someone based on their expensive or
shabby clothes if they simply aren't wearing any. "I consider this a gift and a privilege God has
given me," Parker told ABC 13. "They're
caring, they're understanding, and they're
community and family oriented. We have one
of the most involved chapels anyplace around.
I'll put our church up against others around." So if you're inspired to worship the way God
made you, head over to White Tail Resort.
First-time nudists get a free pass.

I saved my gay best friend’s life —
by marrying him By Liza Monroy February 10, 2014 | 9:44pm Terrified that her gay best friend would be sent back to the Middle East and
victimized after his student visa expired, Liza Monroy went to extreme lengths to keep him in America. Here the 34-year-old writer, whose memoir, “The Marriage Act: The Risk I Took To Keep My Best Friend in America, and What It Taught Us
About Love,” will be published Tuesday, tells her extraordinary story of love and law-breaking to The Post’s Jane Ridley. Emir* and I had been married for more than a year, but it wasn’t until the morning of his green
card interview that we finally got around to exchanging rings. We’d bought them in the Diamond District a week earlier, but Emir had taken them to be
engraved, as a special surprise for that day. My inscription said: “L&Em-Vegas-Frvr.” His, even cheesier, read: “99toEternity-im-Yrs.” “Cute,” I said, sliding the gold band onto my wedding finger. “Are you nervous?” According to Section 274 of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act, the maximum
punishment for alien smuggling is a fine of $25,000 and 10 years in jail. For the alien, the penalty
is immediate deportation. And we were about to take the risk. We first met in film class at Emerson College in Boston, in 1999. I’m the only child of a single
mother and, from the very start of our friendship, Emir became the brother I never had. We had
this connection because we both considered ourselves “international students” — outsiders, if
you will. He is from the Middle East and, though I’m American, most of my childhood and teenage
years were spent abroad because of my mom’s job in the Foreign Service. Emir was out of the closet to our friends in the US, but not to his family back home. In his
country, homosexuals are seen as an abomination, less than human. He told me how, when he
was in high school, he’d heard about gays being beaten up and left to die by the highway, with
nobody batting an eyelid. Before he moved to America, his mother had confronted him about, what, in her words was, “a
phase.” She begged him to never reveal that side of himself to his father. He was the typical
Muslim patriarch and, according to his mom, would have disowned Emir on the spot and even
divorce her, too. “I knew that if I stayed, I would always be one of those married men with children who still go
looking for boys online and on street corners, fooling myself and not living my life,” explained
Emir. In Boston, Emir could be himself. And when we spent our last semester in Los Angeles, he was in
his element, interning from sun-up to midnight for a studio producer. The trouble was that his
student visa was about to expire in December 2001. He’d religiously entered the green card
lottery every year since he was a freshman, but he had about a 1 percent chance of being among
the 55,000 people randomly chosen as winners. Then 9/11 happened. Suddenly, it was even harder for Emir to find work because of his Arabic
name and the way he looked. “Who will hire me after this?” he said. “If I go back, I’m required to
enlist in the mandatory military service. Can you imagine what they’ll do to me in there?” Over the previous year, I’d told Emir many times that I would marry him if he ever had any visa
issues, so he could get a green card. I loved him, not in any sexual sense, but like a member of my
family. But he never took my offers seriously. I don’t think I’d meant them seriously. But now, with the
increasing likelihood of him being sent home, I was convinced it was the only solution. So, at a
West Hollywood party on Halloween night 2001 — me dressed as a cat and Emir as Harry Potter
— I took a gulp of my cocktail, hopped off the bar stool and got down on one knee. “Will you
please agree to be my blushing bride already?” I asked. There was absolutely no way we could tell my mom what we were planning. At the time, she was
based out of a consulate in Europe. I didn’t want to put her in the position where she became part
of the conspiracy or felt duty-bound to report us. The wedding, on Nov. 17, 2001, was presided over in Las Vegas by an Elvis impersonator. “Do you
promise to walk each other’s hound dogs?” he asked. It was fitting for who we were and what our
marriage was about. We shared our first — and only — kiss on the lips as The King jiggled his hips. After that, Emir and I had to live together for the minimum two years it took for the green card to
become permanent. The challenges we faced as a “couple” were strangely typical, even though the marriage was so
different. There were the usual issues about whose turn it was to cook and who did the
housekeeping. He’d get irritated because I’d leave a mess. I’d get mad that he often seemed to be
out partying with his friends without me. Five months later, we moved to Manhattan.  We settled into a two-bedroom apartment in the
East Village and, newly armed with his employment permit, Emir edited movies and I got a
position at a talent and literary agency. It was a fun, carefree time because, in New York — the city
of immigrants — we felt anonymous. That said, there were screw-ups, mostly by me. I tried not to tell other people about our
“arrangement,” but I got cavalier about it. I was 22 and obviously wanted to date guys. The odd
time I really liked someone, after a few dates, I’d drop in the fact that Emir and I were married. It
was a litmus test. If they freaked out about it, I didn’t want to be with them. Emir, meanwhile, was much more cautious about telling anyone. He had a lot more to lose. The green card interview was in August 2003. Although I was nervous, I didn’t think it would be
too much of a big deal. We had bought the wedding bands, our photo album, our documents and
all our ducks were in a row. I thought they’d look at our bank accounts and, like in the movie
“Green Card,” ask us about the color of our toothbrushes. In fact, the experience was terrifying. I began to sweat the moment we passed through the metal
detectors in the building in Federal Plaza. After an interminably long wait, our names were called. The agent sat behind his desk, piled high with files and folders. He asked how we met and the date
of our wedding. “So soon after 9/11,” he responded. Then he delivered the bombshell. “Why is there a note in your file regarding a call to our tip line
about you two having married solely for the gentleman’s green card?” My heart started racing. It could have been any number of people who knew Emir and I were
married but he was gay. I tried to hide my panic. “Probably an ex-boyfriend with a personal
grudge,” I said, thinking on my feet. “Are you aware that taking shortcuts to get a green card is illegal?” said the agent. Next, he asked us how often we had sex. “We love sex,” Emir replied. Well-phrased, Emir, I
thought to myself. We did love sex, we just didn’t have it with each other. It was all a matter of
semantics. But the agent took Emir into a separate room and, five minutes later, returned alone. He looked
me directly in the eye. “Tell me,” he said. “Is your husband circumcised?” I totally blanked. In our years of friendship and marriage, Emir and I had never seen each other
naked. We were very conservative, always changing in our own rooms and dressing at least in
shorts and T-shirts in the communal area of the apartment. I’d never walked in on him when he
was in the bathroom. Tears welled in my eyes. “Is that a legitimate question?” I stammered. When I refused to answer, the agent got up and left the room. That’s it, I thought. Emir is getting
deported, I’m about to be arrested and my mother is going to find out. Then the agent came back in. Emir was with him. To my relief, he wasn’t handcuffed. “We’re going
to do an investigation,” the agent announced. “You’ll have to come back for another interview.” Crushed, we left the INS in silence. It was the middle of the day, but we went to a dark bar and
ordered two Cosmopolitans. “I am f - - ked,” said Emir. But he wasn’t. Just three weeks after our disastrous interview, Emir checked his e-mail. “What?
No way! This can’t be real!” he shouted. He had won the green card lottery. That 1-in-1,000
gamble had paid off. We no longer had to prove our marriage was real. He had gotten into
America legitimately, so the investigation was scrapped. It was an incredible relief after going through all the emotions, ranging from desperation to fear.
We actually stayed married and lived together in the East Village for another year. It was a safe,
comfortable place for us to be. Inevitably, though, it was time to move on. Towards the end of 2003, my mother agreed to help
me buy an apartment in Chelsea. We had to submit paperwork to the co-op board and, to my
horror, I remembered that Emir’s name was all over my tax returns. The board needed to know
he didn’t have rights to the property. We had to get divorced. Telling Mom about the sham marriage was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I called her up
and, trying to keep my voice calm, came clean about everything. “How could you do this to me?”
her voice boomed through the receiver. “It’s not something I did to you,’ I said. “I did it for Emir,
and for me.” Eleven years on, it seems Mom has forgiven me. She retired from the Foreign Service in 2008.
I’m happily married and working at a university in California. Emir is now a US citizen, a
successful screenwriter and settled in New York City with his longtime partner. Looking back, I don’t regret what we did for one second. It was an act of true love.

Twins seperated at birth

Imagine growing up as an adopted child, and at age 25 getting at
Facebook message from a stranger who looks exactly like you. That's what happened to Samantha Futerman, an actress living in
Los Angeles. "On February 1st, 2013, I got message on Facebook from a girl in
London," Futerman said. "It said she had seen me in  YouTube
video, then after looking my name up online, saw that we were both
adopted, and born on the same day, in the same city. When I saw her profile, it was crazy. She looked just like me." The girl who had sent the message was Anais Bordier, a French fashion designer in London. "When I looked at the video, I --  it was, like, shocking ...," Bordier said, explaining her reaction to
seeing Futerman's YouTube video. "You can't imagine that you might have a twin sister somewhere
that you don't know about." So she sent the Facebook message. Bordier and Futerman would discover that they were both born in Busan, South Korea. It begged the question: were they twins who were separated at birth? They decided to chat via Skype.  Both women speak English, although French is Anais' first language. In an interview with "Good Morning America" co-anchor Josh Elliott, Futerman described looking into Bordier's face and seeing a mirror of her own features. "It was weird, but I feel like there was a strange calm and comfort as well, and something that I can't
really explain," she said. "We talked for three hours." They shared their life's stories, talking about baby pictures, allergies, boys and food. "And then, she's, like, 'I have to pee.  I've got to go.'  I was, like, 'Me, too.  I've got to go, too,'" Futerman
recalled while laughing. When they met for the first time in London, Bordier poked Futerman's head to make sure she was real. The met again in Los Angeles, where they enjoyed the beach, baseball and some In 'N Out Burger. And
they united again in Manhattan. They had their DNA tested to erase any doubt. The result proved what their faces told them all along: they were sisters. Bordier said she had always felt as though something was missing in her life. She never knew that,
after she and her sister were born, they were each placed in separate foster care agencies and adopted
separately. "I did feel like I missed something," she said. "I had an imaginary friend when I was a kid.  It happens to
a lot of kids, but I had an imaginary friend and she was called Anne ...  I needed that comfort, I
guess,"she added. Asked how knowing the truth had changed her, Bordier replied: "I think I feel a lot more confident
knowing. It's like, yeah, I've found my second half back." Futerman has two adoptive brothers, while Bordier is the only child in her family. The sisters have decided to make a documentary about their experience, and they say they've already heard from many other adoptees who are thankful to them. Click HERE to learn more about the documentary. "It makes me really emotional, because as a kid you have dreams of wanting to change the world.  It's
something-- it's something that feels too far away ... it's an overwhelming thing to know that two little,
tiny, Asian hobbits can, you know, make a difference," she said, laughing. For Christmas, Futerman got necklaces that say "Best Friends Forever" for her and her sister. Bordier
appreciates it. "It sounds really cheesy, but I think we need those little kid's moments and those cheesy moments
together," Bordier said. Futerman described finding her sister like "that feeling on Christmas when you open up the presents,
the one you were asking for, it's that -- that pure feeling of joy ... that's how I always feel."

SSS Deputy Director
Sues Wife For
Damaging Girlfriend’s car....A Deputy Director of the State Security
Service (SSS) serving in Oyo State, Mr
Edward Magaji has given an oral
evidence at a Yola Chief Magistrates’
Court 5 presided by Magistrate Abubakar
Bako, accusing his wife for violence, claiming that she destroyed the
windscreen of his girlfriend’s car. Magaji insisted that his wife with whom
he has four children was wrong to have
damaged the car belonging to his
mistress, saying the action was
tantamount to taking the law into her
hand. The SSS director told the court that his
wife had been a pain in the neck since he
assisted his girlfriend, Miss Natasha
Aminu Danbaba, a nurse with Specialist
Hospital, Yola, with some token to buy a
car in Ibadan, adding that his wife had been terrorising Natasha, calling her all
sorts of names to the extent of going to
her work place to fight her. He added that his wife committed the
action in his presence while he was in
Natasha’s house and engaged them in a
fight resulting to the breaking of the car’s
windscreen. When the counsel to the wife, Barrister
Binanu Eston asked Magaji to define the
relationship between him and the
girlfriend, Magaji simply said he was tired
of his wife and could not answer such a
question as he has since divorced her for her many troubles. The Judge later adjourned the case to
Monday, February 17, for further hearing.

Too bad

The children of Syria’s
bloody Civil War Yahoo News - 10 hrs ago Five-year-old Sara dreams nearly every night
that she is slowly surrounded by snipers who
then open fire, shooting her again and again
until she finally dies. Her older sister Farah, just
eight years old, can calmly tell the difference
between a rocket and a tank shell, based solely on the sound it makes when fired close to her
home. The sisters—featured in a documentary called
“Children of Aleppo” airing on Frontline Tuesday evening—live in a rebel-controlled part of the ancient Syrian city that is under near
constant siege from dictator Bashar al-Assad’s
regime. More than 11,000 children have died in
Syria’s bloody civil war, which is stretching into
its third year, and another million have been
driven from the country as refugees. Assad is fighting both moderate rebels who
want to set up a Democratic society and al-
Qaeda linked terror groups who have co-opted
the revolution from the original rebels. The first
segment in the two-part Frontline documentary, called "Syria's Second Front," focuses on how the jihadis have taken over much of the north of
the country, terrorizing civilians. The United
States resumed delivering non-lethal aid to the
rebels this December, but stopped short of
providing weapons or body armor. Photojournalist Marcel Mettelsiefen, who’s
traveled to the front lines of the country more
than 20 times since the conflict began in 2011,
filmed Farah and Sara and their family for three
days last September, as a way to spotlight the
plight of children there. The children live in a once middle class suburb
that now is bombed out and barren, filled with
piles of shrapnel and abandoned homes. Their
father, Abu Ali, commands a regiment of 300
rebel fighters who are working to topple the
Assad regime. The family lives just two blocks away from the regime-controlled part of the city,
and are thus at the front lines of the fight. The
children’s mother, Hala, said she at first gave
her children cough syrup so they would sleep
through the constant shelling. Then, she told
them the bombs were fireworks. Finally, she just told them the truth. Now, her four children—Sara, Farah, 13-year-
old Helen, and 14-year-old Mohammed—are
used to beating a hasty retreat inside their
apartment when the shelling sounds get louder
or their father tells them to. They even help
their father make bombs. “When they threw a missile on that house over
there, I died a big death,” five-year-old Sara
tells Mettelsiefen. “I died and then lived again.” The sound of a rocket launch interrupts her
sister Farah describing what it was like to see
the corpse of a fighter in the street by her
house. “That was close by,” Farah says, fear in
her eyes. “It didn’t explode. It didn’t explode.
That was a rocket. No, a tank shell. But it didn’t explode.” Their older brother, Mohammed, tells the
filmmaker that he doesn’t have “any feelings left
anymore.” Mettelsiefen said in an interview with Yahoo
News that he was touched by the children’s
resilience. “Children are children in every environment,”
Mettelsiefen said. “They have a tremendous
way to adapt and cope.” But it was easy for him to see that these four
children were being changed forever by the war
raging around them. “You could tell by the things they say, the
dreams they have,” he said. “I think the real
effect and outcome of this trauma will be seen
in a couple of years.” The children seem to have more hope than
their parents that the conflict will end one day.
In one poignant scene, the sisters sweep and
clean a besieged and abandoned home, in
case peace is ever restored and the occupants
return. It’s been difficult and extremely dangerous for
journalists to travel to the country and report on
the conflict. The Committee to Protect
Journalists estimates that 30 journalists are
currently missing in Syria, many believed to be
kidnapped by al Qaeda-linked rebel groups. Mettelsiefen was only able to film the girls for
three days in September, before it became too
dangerous for him to stay. One of the subjects
he was filming—the older brother of a young
rebel activist—was kidnapped by terrorists just
days after Mettelsiefen was with him. The filmmaker described the family at the heart
of the documentary as “tremendously liberal.”
They named their three daughters Farah, Sara
and Helen to represent Islam, Judaism and
Christianity. The jihadis in the country, who
have co-opted the largely secular and democratic uprising against Assad, have stolen
the attention away from the moderates, he
says. He wanted to correct that in a small way
by telling this family’s story. “This revolution is not a revolution any more; it’s
a civil war,” Mettelsiefen said. “The ones who
are suffering most are civilians.

Woman allegedly faked pregnancy, stole sister's baby

 An hour after a woman reported her newborn son missing from a
Wisconsin home, police were questioning her step-sister — found with a prosthetic pregnancy
belly, baby clothes and a stroller, but no baby, according to court documents. It was more than 24 hours after Kayden Powell went missing before authorities discovered the
infant, less than a week old, in a plastic storage crate outside an Iowa gas station, miraculously
alive and well despite frigid temperatures. Kristen Smith of Denver had pretended to be pregnant, went to Wisconsin and stole her step-
sister’s baby from his bassinet as his parents slept, court documents say. Then, as police closed in
on her, she allegedly abandoned the infant, who was swaddled in blankets. Federal prosecutors in Madison charged Smith with kidnapping Friday afternoon, hours after an
Iowa police chief found Kayden. “He’s strong,” the newborn’s great-uncle, Mark Bennett, said of the boy. “I’m glad that baby is still
living instead of in a ditch somewhere on a strange highway.” The discovery of the infant shortly after 10 a.m. Friday capped a frantic search that involved
police officers in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa. It began after the boy’s mother, Brianna Marshall, called police around 4:30 a.m. Thursday to
report her newborn had vanished from Bennett’s home, where she and the baby’s father, Bruce
Powell, had been staying, according to police and the affidavit. Marshall said Smith had left the house a couple of hours earlier to return to Colorado. While
police were at the house, Smith called on her cellphone. She told police that Marshall and Bruce
Powell were planning to move to Denver on Saturday to live with her and she had Kayden’s
clothes in her car but didn’t have the boy. Police told her to pull over for questioning. An officer met her at a Kum & Go gas station near
Interstate 80 in West Branch, Iowa. She was arrested about 5:30 a.m. on an outstanding Texas
warrant, but she denied any knowledge of Kayden’s whereabouts, the affidavit says. A search of her cellphone revealed emails in which she said she gave birth on Feb. 5, according to
the court document. A search of her Facebook page turned up postings in which she claimed she
was pregnant. Smith didn’t appear pregnant, according to the affidavit. A pregnancy test that was administered
while she was in custody came back negative, U.S. Attorney John Vaudreuil said. Meanwhile, dozens of officers began searched for the child at possible stop-offs along Smith’s
route from Wisconsin to Iowa. West Branch Police Chief Mike Horihan decided to check the area
around a BP station about 500 yards from the station where Smith was arrested. He heard a
baby’s cries and discovered Kayden in a closed storage crate alongside the building. The newborn
was responsive and healthy, the chief said. “I had tears in my eyes,” BP station manager Jay Patel said, recalling his reaction to the police
chief telling him that the infant had been found. “It’s good news, but it’s sad, too.” Temperatures in West Branch, about 180 miles southwest of the Town of Beloit, dipped below
zero Thursday night into Friday. They were still in the single digits when the baby was found. “Surprisingly with the weather the way it was, he was surprisingly healthy,” Horihan, the Iowa
police chief, said. “To be honest with you, that’s not what I expected.” The baby was taken to an Iowa City hospital, where he was reunited with his parents and released
Friday evening. Online court records didn’t list a defense attorney for Smith. She faces life in prison if convicted. Police interviewed Smith again after Kayden was discovered, the affidavit said, and she admitted
she had taken the baby and left him at the BP station. Bennett, the baby’s great-uncle, told The Associated Press he first met Smith on Thursday night,
when he came home and found her, his mother and the baby’s mother and father in his house. He
said his mother later explained to him that Marshall and her step-sister had the same father but
different mothers. He went to his room in the basement. When he woke up, the baby and Smith were gone. He said he kept telling Marshall that Smith had to have taken the child, but Marshall refused to
believe it. The baby’s bassinet was 2 feet from the parents’ bed and he found a paring knife on the
ground next to it. “I could have woke up to a bloody mess,” Bennett said. He said he hopes Smith gets locked up for life. “You stole him like you’re stealing something from the grocery store,” the great-uncle said.
“Nobody in their right mind should have thought of that.” Smith appears to go by multiple names and has had run-ins with the law in multiple states,
authorities said. The Texas warrant stems from a felony indictment charging her with tampering
with government documents late last year while she was in jail in Colorado. A spokesman for the Arapahoe County, Colo., sheriff’s office declined to discuss the details of her
arrest there. A spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office in Tarrant County, Texas, said it’s
not clear why Colorado authorities released Smith instead of sending her back to Texas.

Advice from a dying father

Tom Attwater has a terminal brain tumour
and a short deadline. He is leaving his stepdaughter Kelli a
poignant legacy of fatherly advice he won’t
be around to give – and is vowing to raise
£500,000 to save her from cancer. After surviving the disease twice, Kelli, five,
may need pioneering treatment in the US
because she is likely to relapse. Thanks in part to generous Mirror readers , who raised £40,000 when we told his story in December, Kelli’s appeal stands at £210,000 – that’s 42% of the target. Businessman Tom, 31, who lives with
fiancee Joely, 26, in Sutton Coldfield, West
Midlands, says: “My tumour is growing and I
don’t have any chances left, but there’s still
so much to do for Kelli’s appeal.” As part of his drive to help her, Tom is
sharing his heartfelt words of guidance... Darling Kelli I’m so sorry I will not get to see you grow up
as I so want to. Please don’t blame people
or the world for this. A lot of life is simply luck
and mine is running out. I wish I had the words to make you feel
better. I wish I didn’t have cancer and you
didn’t have to see me in pain as you often do
now. I wish so many things were different
but they are not. Most dads and daughters have decades to
chat around the kitchen table, their hands
warmed by mugs of coffee, as the dad
dishes out advice and their girls no doubt roll
their eyes. We don’t have that time. I won’t
be able to drop you off on your first day at big school, pick you up after your first date,
hold you when your heart hurts or cheer
when you graduate. But while your old dad is still around I
thought I’d try to give you some life advice in
one go. I hope it gives you some comfort. I
hope cancer never returns so that your life is
long, fulfilled and happy. School Everyone will say it’s vital to work hard at school. Hopefully you’ll always do
your best. I did well at school but did it do
me much good in life? Not really. School
work IS important, but make sure you have
fun too. Boys At the moment you don’t make much distinction between girls and boys and see all children as friends. That’s typical of your sweet nature. But Kel, that will change as you get older. You might see them as stinky, pesky classmates in a few years’ time. But, probably at secondary school, you’ll realise they can be quite nice. You’ll have boyfriends when you’re older –
MUCH older hopefully! – and I won’t be here
to grill them about their intentions. So here’s
some advice from your old man. It’s very
hard to describe how it feels to really be in
love. You might remember seeing me and your mum laughing together and cuddling on
the sofa, and once the love hearts and
flowers fade that’s what real love looks like.
Have fun finding it. Always choose boys with gentlemanly values, manners and respect. Imagine them having tea and a chat with our family around our table and if you think they’ll fit in, you have found a decent young man. Sadly, you will have your heart broken one day. It hurts like hell and will feel like the end of the world. But you will get over it. And even if a romance doesn’t work out, try to be kind. Boys have feelings too. Lastly, if you have a special boy pal who is always there for you when boyfriends come and go, don’t take him for granted. Don’t overlook him. He might really care for you. Marriage I often dreamt about your wedding day and imagined filling up with tears as I
walked you down the aisle before giving you
away. I won’t be able to do that Kelli. Sorry
sweetheart. But I will be looking over your
shoulder on that day, proud and happy you
have found a special someone to love you and care for you. I wonder if you will play what you call “the
family song” (which is really I’ll Be There by
The Jackson 5). It meant so much to me and
my brother and sister growing up, and I
know it does to you too. I’ll be there on your
wedding day in spirit. Mummy You and your mum will argue at times, especially when you’re a teenager.
Please remember she adores you and wants
the best for you. Give Mummy a hug when
she is feeling sad and help each other get
through any horrible times when I am gone.
When you’re a teenager you might think your friends are right and your mum is
wrong. But she has to make hard decisions
for you and, more than any friend you’ll ever
have, has your interests at heart. Treat her
well. Family Nothing is more important than family and the values they give us. Nothing. Friends Treat people as they treat you. Be nice to anyone who helps you, always.
Bullying is horrible – never become one. Christmas & birthdays On your first Christmas without me, I’d love if you and
Mummy would light a candle and remember
me for a few minutes. It would be great if
you two did the monkey dance together.
Jumping around shaking our bottoms always
made us laugh. That’s something to make me smile from up above. I’d also love if you
visit my parents on Boxing Day. They will be
hurting too. I’ve given Nanny Sue presents for all your
birthdays. I wish I could be there to see you
open them. Hopefully you will like everything
as it’s hard to imagine you at 10, 15, 20. I
wonder if you’ll still like One Direction. I
wonder if they’ll still make you dance around the living room. Career You were two when you told me you wanted to be a “princess astronaut” so you
could wear nice dresses and find new
planets. You might now realise that’s not
possible. But so many things ARE possible
for you, darling. Do what makes you happy
and that you enjoy. If you do so, life suddenly becomes much, much easier. You may need to start a few different
careers to find the one you enjoy, but so be
it. One life, one chance. Manners Always remember your please and thank-yous. The reason Mummy and I drum
manners into you is because they will help
you throughout your life. Always be
courteous, especially to elders. Never put a
knife in your mouth. Remember to write
thank-you letters for gifts of kindness as it is always nice to act with grace and gratitude.
(And please note that poo jokes are only
funny when you are five, you cheeky girl!) Learn to drive Most dads teach their daughters to drive and usually fall out in the
process. Make sure you learn how to drive
as soon you can – it opens up the world for
you. Also, make sure Mummy doesn’t teach
you (just joking, Joely). Travel abroad It’s a cliche to say travel broadens the mind, but it’s true. See as
much of the world as you can. But never on
a motorbike (too dangerous). Be happy You never laugh at 50%: you always laugh at 100%. Your laugh takes
over your whole body and is highly
infectious. I hope you never lose that. There
is no point in asking you not to be sad when
I go. I know you will be, princess. And I wish
I could be there to wrap my arms around you and snuggle you until you smile again.
Remember the Eeyore teddy I bought you
from a charity shop? You said you’d keep
him safe and cuddle him when you miss me.
That’s a great idea. You can feel sad and
use it as a driving force throughout your life. Or you can just be sad. You know which one
I hope you choose. Be charitable Please give to charities. Charities have been good to you and I. You’ll
probably always remember our trip to
Disneyland. But I’ll never forget the sacrifices
people made to pay for your healthcare if
ever cancer returns. Elderly people sent
prayer cards and £10 notes they couldn’t afford. Heads were shaved, miles were run,
thousands were raised. All for you. It’s
important to pay back. Doing good deeds
uplifts the soul. Never forget there are
people worse off than you who you can help. Remember your life motto Always keep trying. You might remember that I taught you
to say “giving up is for losers”. I failed a number of times in my life but never gave up. Kelli, never give up. Believe in yourself In life, many people will say you cannot do things. You make up your mind. Can you? Do you want to? Big challenges involve risks so make smart choices. Those who told me I couldn’t do certain things didn’t want me to do them. If you want something, it is nearly always possible, so do your best. I’m sure there’s a hell of a lot you can achieve! I know you will make me proud and do
something great in my memory. I know you
can do it – so let’s start now. And finally... Thank you for being you, Kelli. Thank you for paying me the biggest
compliment of all time by calling me Daddy.
Having you as my daughter is the greatest
honour of my life. Thank you for teaching me
more about love and happiness than any
other person. Enjoy your life. Don’t rush through it. I will be
waiting. All my love, always, to you princess and to
Mummy, Daddy xTom Attwater has a terminal brain tumour
and a short deadline. He is leaving his stepdaughter Kelli a
poignant legacy of fatherly advice he won’t
be around to give – and is vowing to raise
£500,000 to save her from cancer. After surviving the disease twice, Kelli, five,
may need pioneering treatment in the US
because she is likely to relapse. Thanks in part to generous Mirror readers , who raised £40,000 when we told his story in December, Kelli’s appeal stands at £210,000 – that’s 42% of the target. Businessman Tom, 31, who lives with
fiancee Joely, 26, in Sutton Coldfield, West
Midlands, says: “My tumour is growing and I
don’t have any chances left, but there’s still
so much to do for Kelli’s appeal.” As part of his drive to help her, Tom is
sharing his heartfelt words of guidance... Darling Kelli I’m so sorry I will not get to see you grow up
as I so want to. Please don’t blame people
or the world for this. A lot of life is simply luck
and mine is running out. I wish I had the words to make you feel
better. I wish I didn’t have cancer and you
didn’t have to see me in pain as you often do
now. I wish so many things were different
but they are not. Most dads and daughters have decades to
chat around the kitchen table, their hands
warmed by mugs of coffee, as the dad
dishes out advice and their girls no doubt roll
their eyes. We don’t have that time. I won’t
be able to drop you off on your first day at big school, pick you up after your first date,
hold you when your heart hurts or cheer
when you graduate. But while your old dad is still around I
thought I’d try to give you some life advice in
one go. I hope it gives you some comfort. I
hope cancer never returns so that your life is
long, fulfilled and happy. School Everyone will say it’s vital to work hard at school. Hopefully you’ll always do
your best. I did well at school but did it do
me much good in life? Not really. School
work IS important, but make sure you have
fun too. Boys At the moment you don’t make much distinction between girls and boys and see all children as friends. That’s typical of your sweet nature. But Kel, that will change as you get older. You might see them as stinky, pesky classmates in a few years’ time. But, probably at secondary school, you’ll realise they can be quite nice. You’ll have boyfriends when you’re older –
MUCH older hopefully! – and I won’t be here
to grill them about their intentions. So here’s
some advice from your old man. It’s very
hard to describe how it feels to really be in
love. You might remember seeing me and your mum laughing together and cuddling on
the sofa, and once the love hearts and
flowers fade that’s what real love looks like.
Have fun finding it. Always choose boys with gentlemanly values, manners and respect. Imagine them having tea and a chat with our family around our table and if you think they’ll fit in, you have found a decent young man. Sadly, you will have your heart broken one day. It hurts like hell and will feel like the end of the world. But you will get over it. And even if a romance doesn’t work out, try to be kind. Boys have feelings too. Lastly, if you have a special boy pal who is always there for you when boyfriends come and go, don’t take him for granted. Don’t overlook him. He might really care for you. Marriage I often dreamt about your wedding day and imagined filling up with tears as I
walked you down the aisle before giving you
away. I won’t be able to do that Kelli. Sorry
sweetheart. But I will be looking over your
shoulder on that day, proud and happy you
have found a special someone to love you and care for you. I wonder if you will play what you call “the
family song” (which is really I’ll Be There by
The Jackson 5). It meant so much to me and
my brother and sister growing up, and I
know it does to you too. I’ll be there on your
wedding day in spirit. Mummy You and your mum will argue at times, especially when you’re a teenager.
Please remember she adores you and wants
the best for you. Give Mummy a hug when
she is feeling sad and help each other get
through any horrible times when I am gone.
When you’re a teenager you might think your friends are right and your mum is
wrong. But she has to make hard decisions
for you and, more than any friend you’ll ever
have, has your interests at heart. Treat her
well. Family Nothing is more important than family and the values they give us. Nothing. Friends Treat people as they treat you. Be nice to anyone who helps you, always.
Bullying is horrible – never become one. Christmas & birthdays On your first Christmas without me, I’d love if you and
Mummy would light a candle and remember
me for a few minutes. It would be great if
you two did the monkey dance together.
Jumping around shaking our bottoms always
made us laugh. That’s something to make me smile from up above. I’d also love if you
visit my parents on Boxing Day. They will be
hurting too. I’ve given Nanny Sue presents for all your
birthdays. I wish I could be there to see you
open them. Hopefully you will like everything
as it’s hard to imagine you at 10, 15, 20. I
wonder if you’ll still like One Direction. I
wonder if they’ll still make you dance around the living room. Career You were two when you told me you wanted to be a “princess astronaut” so you
could wear nice dresses and find new
planets. You might now realise that’s not
possible. But so many things ARE possible
for you, darling. Do what makes you happy
and that you enjoy. If you do so, life suddenly becomes much, much easier. You may need to start a few different
careers to find the one you enjoy, but so be
it. One life, one chance. Manners Always remember your please and thank-yous. The reason Mummy and I drum
manners into you is because they will help
you throughout your life. Always be
courteous, especially to elders. Never put a
knife in your mouth. Remember to write
thank-you letters for gifts of kindness as it is always nice to act with grace and gratitude.
(And please note that poo jokes are only
funny when you are five, you cheeky girl!) Learn to drive Most dads teach their daughters to drive and usually fall out in the
process. Make sure you learn how to drive
as soon you can – it opens up the world for
you. Also, make sure Mummy doesn’t teach
you (just joking, Joely). Travel abroad It’s a cliche to say travel broadens the mind, but it’s true. See as
much of the world as you can. But never on
a motorbike (too dangerous). Be happy You never laugh at 50%: you always laugh at 100%. Your laugh takes
over your whole body and is highly
infectious. I hope you never lose that. There
is no point in asking you not to be sad when
I go. I know you will be, princess. And I wish
I could be there to wrap my arms around you and snuggle you until you smile again.
Remember the Eeyore teddy I bought you
from a charity shop? You said you’d keep
him safe and cuddle him when you miss me.
That’s a great idea. You can feel sad and
use it as a driving force throughout your life. Or you can just be sad. You know which one
I hope you choose. Be charitable Please give to charities. Charities have been good to you and I. You’ll
probably always remember our trip to
Disneyland. But I’ll never forget the sacrifices
people made to pay for your healthcare if
ever cancer returns. Elderly people sent
prayer cards and £10 notes they couldn’t afford. Heads were shaved, miles were run,
thousands were raised. All for you. It’s
important to pay back. Doing good deeds
uplifts the soul. Never forget there are
people worse off than you who you can help. Remember your life motto Always keep trying. You might remember that I taught you
to say “giving up is for losers”. I failed a number of times in my life but never gave up. Kelli, never give up. Believe in yourself In life, many people will say you cannot do things. You make up your mind. Can you? Do you want to? Big challenges involve risks so make smart choices. Those who told me I couldn’t do certain things didn’t want me to do them. If you want something, it is nearly always possible, so do your best. I’m sure there’s a hell of a lot you can achieve! I know you will make me proud and do
something great in my memory. I know you
can do it – so let’s start now. And finally... Thank you for being you, Kelli. Thank you for paying me the biggest
compliment of all time by calling me Daddy.
Having you as my daughter is the greatest
honour of my life. Thank you for teaching me
more about love and happiness than any
other person. Enjoy your life. Don’t rush through it. I will be
waiting. All my love, always, to you princess and to
Mummy, Daddy x

How chemistry decides the success of first dates

THE GLANCE Looks aren't everything but love, it would seem,
is far from blind. Across cultures and sexes, some features hold greater appeal. "More symmetrical faces do seem to be rated more
attractive," says Tamsin Saxton, a senior
lecturer at Northumbria University and part of
the evolution, perception and behaviour
research group. "The theory goes that your
genes provide a template for symmetrical bodies, symmetrical face. [When] there's some
sort of problem – you get ill or you encounter
some problem with the environment – that can
sometimes throw the symmetry off a little bit,"
she says. "So it might be that if you are picking a
symmetric partner then you are actually picking somebody whose genes are fairly well suited to
the environment around you." And while striking faces may sometimes be drop-
dead gorgeous, studies have shown we are
generally drawn to Mr or Ms Average, whatever
our culture. According to scientists including
Professor Randy Thornhill from the University
of New Mexico, average features could be a sign of genetic diversity and good health. But is there such a thing as a "type"? Women
with feminine features, such as a smaller chin
and fuller lips, tend to be deemed more appealing by both sexes, Saxton tells me, but preferences for male features are far from clear- cut. "When women are more likely to be able to conceive that seems to be the time when they are liking more masculine facial features [in men] and also more masculine bodies, voices and male
behaviour," says Saxton. So a disaster date
might genuinely be a case of right person, wrong
time. But it is possible to disrupt the trend. "There's a good deal of evidence that use of the
hormonal contraception pill is associated with greater preference for more feminine male facial
features." And it isn't only chemicals sloshing
around inside that can tip the balance. "Women
seem to prefer more masculine male faces in
countries where health prospects are poorer," Saxton says. It seems the suggestion of heroics could also fuel
a romance. A study conducted by researchers at Liverpool and Stirling Universities recruited 115
women and 64 men, asking one group to assess
images of the opposite sex with digitally added
facial scars while another group viewed blemish-
free mug shots. The upshot was that women
rated slight scarring in a man's face marginally more attractive when considering a short-term
fling – men viewed scarring in women with
indifference. The researchers say that scarring
may be read by women as a sign of masculinity,
courage and strength. But whether or not you are looking for Indiana
Jones, good health is a key quality and once
again there may be subtle, chemical cues. In
2009 researchers at St Andrews University asked 54 people to digitally tweak the hue of a
selection of male and female Caucasian faces to
make them look "healthy", finding that a light
yellow tint and pink flush is perceived to be
indicative of the hale and hearty. Follow-up
collaborative studies supported the view that yellow colouring is deemed more attractive
across cultures, and suggested that an increase in the intake of carotenoid pigments, such as
those found in fruit and veg, may increase this
yellow tint, although other influences can't be
ruled out. But, hot or not, your date has only
just begun and it's time to make that opening
gambit. THE CHAT How well the conversation flows is an indicator of whether people will click. Photograph: Jamie Grill/
Getty Images/Tetra images RF It turns out, that it is not just what you say, but
the way that you say it that flags up a successful
date. One such indicator appears to be the use of
function words such as personal pronouns,
articles and conjunctions. "The more you use this group of words, called
function words, similarly, the more you like each
other," says Molly Ireland a psychologist at
Texas Tech University. Ireland and her
colleagues studied how such words are used by heterosexual men and women by examining 40
speed dates, using special computer programs to
analyse the speakers' language. The study found
that speed dating couples were more likely to
mutually wish to see each other again if their
language style matched better. "When two people are matching each other's use of, say,
personal pronouns and articles, that means that
they are on the same wavelength in terms of how
they are connecting their thoughts and how they
are thinking about the situation," she says. So if your date is speaking in a detached fashion,
using "the", "it" and "that" often but you are
throwing in plenty of "I" and "we", then chances
are there is no point swapping numbers. "It's a
very strong predictor," says Ireland. And while talking a lot may point to a good date,
Ireland says their study showed it wasn't the
strongest factor. "If you are on a date with
somebody who is relatively quiet and maybe you
are a relatively quiet person, too, that doesn't
matter as long as you are using similar speaking styles," she says. According to Ireland it isn't an
easy effect to fake – not only is it difficult to
consciously pick up on function words but it is
also tricky to deliberately manipulate them. Speed-dating also threw up some interesting
observations for researchers at Stanford
University who studied more than 900 heterosexual dates to work out what makes
people click. "Dating is just a great way to study
what are the linguistic signs more generally of
people creating a bond," one of the authors, Dan
Jurafsky, explains. "Men tend to choose skinny
women and women tend to choose tall men, but you'll be happy to know that even after
controlling for these physical characteristics,
people's language is still an excellent predictor
of whether they clicked." After analysing voice-recordings from the dates,
they found that for couples who reported
"clicking", both the men and the women seemed
excited. The men varied their volume and
laughed more; while women changed both their
loudness and pitch. "By contrast, people feeling awkward use more qualifiers – they say "kind of"
and "sort of" and "a little bit" a lot," says
Jurafsky. "It's as if they are feeling so
uncomfortable with the date that they can't even
commit to their sentences." Interestingly,
however, Jurafsky and colleagues found it was only when the woman felt uncomfortable that
both parties failed to report clicking. And while women preferred men who spoke
loudly, sympathised with them and interrupted
them, both men and women preferred it when
the woman made herself the focus of the
conversation. But perhaps it is best to avoid
grilling your date. "We found questions were used by women to keep a lagging conversation
going, and they were used by men who had
nothing to say," the authors wrote. And bad news chaps – if you're looking for a lady
it could be tough. Women were found to report
clicking less frequently than men. "The women
are the empowered party," says Jurafsky. THE LATE NIGHT SMOOCH Chinese Kissing Fish know how to do it. Photograph: Aly Song/Reuters/Corbis If the date works out, a kiss may be on the cards.
It's a crucial moment that could fan the flames or
snuff out the spark. "Each of these stages involves closer and closer
spatial relationships so you get in close enough
where you can actually smell the person,"
explains Robin Dunbar, Professor of
Evolutionary Psychology at the University of
Oxford. And the clues you are picking up, he says, are
genetic. "Your smell and your taste are all
determined by a particular complex of genes
that determine your immune system." These major histocompatibility complex (MHC)
genes are vital in determining how resistant you
are to diseases, and have been found to
influence the odour of fluids such as saliva, urine
and sweat. In a study conducted by Claus Wedekind from the University of Lausanne,
nearly 50 female participants were asked to sniff
T-shirts worn for two nights by men and rate the
attractiveness of the whiff. The results showed
that the women preferred the odour of T-shirts
worn by men with a dissimilar MHC type. While you may look for similarities with your
date, when it comes to MHC genes, genetic
variety is the spice of life as offspring are likely
to have a wider diversity of immune-system
genes, enabling them to fight of a host of
maladies. But how can you tell all this from a kiss? "You
don't go, 'oh yes that tastes like a different major
histocompatibility complex to me'," explains
Dunbar. "What you sense it as is you enjoyed it
or you didn't enjoy it." Once again oral contraceptives can cause
confusion, with studies including those by Craig Roberts at Stirling University showing that
women taking the pill seem to prefer men with
similar MHC type. "This is a disaster," says
Dunbar. "Women's judgment about how much
they like a prospective partner or the smell of a
prospective partner is completely derailed." Kissing or sniffing can also help you pick up on
other signals. "One of the other cues it is giving
you is health, because that is really strongly
affected in both your odour and your taste," says
Dunbar. While kissing is common to many cultures other
customs, such as "rubbing noses", can also yield
such crucial information. But, Dunbar says, the
description is misleading. "What they actually do
is put their nose next to the other person's nose
and breathe in deeply. They are smelling the smell." But don't worry if your date is doused in
perfume or aftershave. A study of 137 men and women by Wedekind and Manfred Milinski
found that preference for certain scents appears
to be correlated with the wearer's MHC
genotype. "Everybody assumes you buy
perfumes to cover up all your horrid unwashed
smells, it's absolutely quite the opposite," Dunbar explains. "You buy the ones that match
and enhance your natural smell signature." And the sizing up process doesn't stop there.
Waist-to-hip ratios in women, waist-to-shoulder
ratios in men and even hairiness are all being
judged over the evening. But if your chemistry
clicks, your mouse may never need to click again

Police stopped fire rescue

 Saudi Arabia's religious police stopped schoolgirls
from leaving a blazing building because they were
not wearing correct Islamic dress, according to Saudi
newspapers. In a rare criticism of the kingdom's powerful
"mutaween" police, the Saudi media has accused
them of hindering attempts to save 15 girls who
died in the fire on Monday. About 800 pupils were inside the school in the holy
city of Mecca when the tragedy occurred. According to the al-
Eqtisadiah daily, firemen
confronted police after
they tried to keep the
girls inside because they
were not wearing the headscarves and abayas
(black robes) required by
the kingdom's strict
interpretation of Islam. One witness said he saw
three policemen "beating
young girls to prevent
them from leaving the
school because they were
not wearing the abaya". The Saudi Gazette quoted witnesses as saying that
the police - known as the Commission for the
Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice - had
stopped men who tried to help the girls and warned
"it is a sinful to approach them". The father of one of the dead girls said that the
school watchman even refused to open the gates to
let the girls out. "Lives could have been saved had they not been
stopped by members of the Commission for
Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice," the
newspaper concluded. Relatives' anger Families of the victims have been incensed over the
deaths. Most of the victims were crushed in a stampede as
they tried to flee the blaze. The school was locked at the time of the fire - a
usual practice to ensure full segregation of the
sexes. The religious police are widely feared in Saudi Arabia.
They roam the streets enforcing dress codes and sex
segregation, and ensuring prayers are performed on
time. Those who refuse to obey their orders are often
beaten and sometimes put in jail.

Hijab;- religious police made 15 school girls burn to death

During an interview that aired on Egyptian Dream2 TV January 10, Saudi journalist Nadin Al-Badir relayed horrific instances of abuse and murder — including forcing over a dozen school girls to perish
in a fire because they were not wearing traditional
Islamic head coverings — carried out by the
country’s religious police or, the “Authority for the
Promotion of Virtue.” The journalist also revealed
that most of these police are “ex-cons who used to be drug users or drug dealers.” Al-Badir explained that, “Even Sheik Abd Al-
Muhsen Al-Abikan, advisor to the royal court,
suggested that the Authority should be abolished.”
She added, “He said that most of them were drug
dealers, drug users, thieves, and ex-cons who
repented, all of a sudden, and became violently extreme. These people, according to Sheik Al-
Abikan, should not be allowed to have such
authorities, because they use it in inappropriate
ways.” At the opening of the segment, Al-Badir told the
story of 28-year-old Hassan Nabil Hmeid, who was
ultimately beaten to death for growing his hair long. “At the end of the day, all the matters they pursue
are superficial ones.” Al-Badir said of the Authority. “What matters is that this young man’s life came to
an end because of backward, reactionary people,
who would like to take us back hundreds of years in
time. I don’t think the situation back then was as
bad as they would like it to be.” Al-Badir also relived a heinous incident in which
a fire broke out in a girls’ school in Saudi Arabia but
all of the female students inside were forced to
remain in the building and burn to death simply
because they were not wearing their hijabs
(traditional Islamic head coverings). ADVERTISEMENT “It would have been easy to extinguish the fire
without any girl getting hurt,” a pained Al-Badir
began. “But members of the Authority for the
Promotion of Virtue stood at the door of the school
and prevented any student from leaving, because
the girls were not wearing the hijab.” “How were they supposed to get a hijab when the
school was going up in flames?” she asked
incredulously. “They prevented the fire brigade from entering to
extinguish the fire, and they prevented the parents
from going in…” “But it is a duty to save them from death,” the
interviewer attempted to reason. “Who cares if they
are wearing the abaya or not?” “Their mission is to save you from the Hellfire, not
from death,” Al-Badir responded. “They believe that
you are martyred in such a case. I don’t know what
was going through their minds at that moment.” Al-Badir continued: I’m talking about 13-year-old girls, not
university students. These were
schoolgirls. 15 girls from the school died –
because of the Authority for Prevention of
Vice and Promotion of Virtue, and not
because of the fire. They could easily have been rescued. Has any member of the
Authority been placed on trial? Not that
we’ve seen. The department of girls’
education was annexed to the Education
Ministry, but the Authority is never held
accountable. It punishes, but is never punished itself. You can never get justice.
Even if they stab or kill you, nobody can
hold them accountable. Al-Badir said that complaints filed against the
Authority are futile, as no court action is ever taken
in victims’ defense. She also noted that the rate of
“all forms of sexual harassment is the highest it
has ever been.” “The Authority is the enemy of society. How can it
protect it?” Watch Al-Badir relay these chilling accounts below.
Video and translation courtesy of the ever-vigilant

Woman dies after medics stopped from entering female university in Saudi Arabia

The family of a female Saudi student who died
from heart failure said authorities at her
university prevented medics from getting to her in
time because of rules barring men from entering
the women-only part of the campus, Saudi media
has reported. Al-Arabiya television's news website quoted Fahda
Bawazir, the sister of Amena Bawazir, as saying
that the ambulance arrived at a campus gate
shortly after her sister became ill at around 11am. "But the medics were not allowed to enter the
campus until 1pm", she said, and instead
university authorities prevented them from
entering, making them wait outside until a gate
was secured in a way "that did not allow the (male)
medics and females in the building to mix." The King Saud University in Riyadh, where the
girl was studying for a Master's degree, has
strenuously denied the accusation and said Ms
Bawazir, who had a history of heart disease,
received rapid medical attention after suffering a
stroke last Sunday, causing her heart and lungs to stop functioning. A university spokesman said campus medics
attended the girl and when they failed to revive
her they called in medics from a local hospital,
according to the sabq.org news website. It quoted the spokesman, Ahmed al-Tamimi, as
saying those medics arrived at the scene at 12.45
pm, ten minutes later and transported Amena to
the university hospital where she was pronounced
dead at 13.39 pm. "As the university issues this correction, it asserts
its responsibility towards all male and female
students and its serious efforts to preserve their
lives and safety," Tamimi said. Saudi Arabia adheres to the strict Wahhabi
interpretation of Islam, which forbids mixing
between men and women and requires sexes to be
segregated at all Saudi universities. Women's
movements are restricted, often requiring the
permission of a male guardian. Women also have separate seating areas and even
separate entrances in "family" sections of
restaurants and cafes where single males are not
allowed to enter. It was not until September last year that Saudi Arabia's cabinet passed the passed a ban on
domestic violence and abuse against women for the first time in the Kingdom history. The incident echoes the 2002 tragedy that saw 15
girls die inside a school in the holy city of Mecca
when police prevented them from leaving the
burning building because they were not wearing
appropriate Islamic dress.

The Jewish fear of intermarriage

 Intermarriage - when Jews wed non-Jews - has
been called a threat to the future survival of the
Jewish nation. So what happened when there
were reports that the Israeli prime minister's son
was dating a Norwegian non-Jew? The Norwegian daily Dagen last week reported that
Norwegian Sandra Leikanger and Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu's son Yair are a couple, to
which the office of Mr Netanyahu has responded -
according to Israeli media - by insisting they are
only college classmates. But the damage has already been done. Leikanger is not Jewish, a fact that has sparked
outrage in Israel, a Jewish country which since its
inception has fought to have its Jewish character
recognised throughout the world. While Judaism is
not a proselytising religion, Leikanger, like any non-
Jew, does have the option of converting should she wish to become Jewish. Intermarriage and assimilation are quintessential
Jewish fears and have been called a threat to the
future survival of the relatively small Jewish nation.
According to Jewish law, the religion is passed
down through the mother, so if a Jewish man
marries a non-Jewish woman, their children would not be considered Jews. The chance that children of a mixed couple would
keep or pass along any Jewish traditions to future
generations is radically diminished. As today's rate
of intermarriage among Diaspora Jews stands above
50%, many are worried that the nation that survived
persecution, pogroms and the Holocaust could eventually die out of its own undoing. The anxiety was
expressed in an open
letter to Yair
Netanyahu by the
Israeli organisation
Lehava, which works to prevent assimilation, in
a post on its Facebook page, which warned him that his
grandparents "are
turning over in their
graves… they did not
dream that their
grandchildren would not be Jews". The issue of intermarriage has largely been one for
Diaspora Jews - the Jews who live outside Israel.
Inside Israel, Jews (75% of the population) and
Arabs (21%)rarely marry, but with an influx of
foreign workers and globalisation of the Israeli
community, in recent years the phenomenon has come to light. "God forbid, if it's true, woe is me," says Aryeh Deri,
leader of the Ultra-Orthodox Shas party, to a local
radio station, lamenting the news that the prime
minister's son was dating a non-Jew. "I don't like
talking about private issues… but if it's true God
forbid, then it's no longer a personal matter - it's the symbol of the Jewish people." Over the weekend, Eretz Nehederet, the popular
Israeli satirical television show, aired a parody
showcasing infamous historical oppressors of the
Jews including the biblical Pharaoh and the Spanish
inquisitor. The show culminated with Yair
Netanyahu's non-Jewish girlfriend, whom they called the "newest existential threat". She sang about a
shikse, a derogatory term for a non-Jewish woman,
sarcastically crooning that she is "worse than
Hitler". But jokes aside, even the prime minister's brother-
in-law, Hagai Ben-Artzi, spoke out strongly on their
affair, warning his nephew that if he doesn't end his
relationship with Leikanger, it is as if he is spitting
on the graves of his grandparents. "From my point of view, if he does such a thing, I
personally won't allow him to get near their graves,"
he told an Ultra-Orthodox website. "This is the most
awful thing that is threatening and was a threat
throughout the history of the Jewish people. More
awful than leaving Israel is marriage with a gentile. If this happens, God forbid, I'll bury myself I don't
know where. I'll walk in the streets and tear off my
hair - and here this is happening." Anyone who's watched Fiddler on the Roof, where
Tevye says his daughter is dead to him for marrying
a non-Jew, knows the issue has always been a
sensitive one among Jews. Another of Tevye's daughters, Hodel, finds love with
a Jewish man, Perchik But Dr Daniel Gordis, an author and expert
commentator on Israel and Judaism, says that has
changed in the past few decades, especially in the
Diaspora Jewish community. Whereas once it was greatly frowned upon for a Jew
of any stream to marry a non-Jew, today, among
unaffiliated (no synagogue), non-denominational
(those who don't identify with any movement),
conservative or reform Jews, it is not the taboo it
once was. The intermarriage rates of non- denominational Jews approach 80%, he says. But among Orthodox Jews and in Israel, it is still
much more controversial. "It's not a racial issue, it's not a superiority issue,
it's not a xenophobia issue," he says, explaining
that there are two reasons for the opposition to
intermarriage, one of which is that it is simply
forbidden in Halacha, or Jewish law. "The other thing is that Jews have come to see that
the only real way to transmit powerful Jewish
identity to their children is for them to be raised by
two Jewish parents. Kids raised by one Jewish
parent and one non-Jewish parent have more tepid,
more fragile, thinner Jewish identities than their Jewish parents did. "They are statistically more likely to marry non-
Jews. There's no guarantee, but statistically it's
almost impossible to create a child with the same
sense of Jewish passion that the older generation
has if he's raised by someone who doesn't share
that story." The result, he adds, is that in America, "there's a
rapidly eroding sense of Jewish commitment, a
complete collapsing of Jewish literacy, and a
thinning of Jewish identity". So Israelis are petrified, says Rabbi Dr Donniel
Hartman, head of the Shalom Hartman Institute of
Jewish studies, because since intermarriage is so
rare there, when an Israeli marries a non-Jew they
view it as if he is leaving Judaism. "When you're a small people and you lose your
constituents it makes you quite nervous. We are 14
million Jews in the world, that's it," he explains.
"What's changed in contemporary Jewish life
outside of Israel is that a Jew marrying a non-Jew
doesn't necessarily mean leaving Jewish life anymore." This is a new phenomenon in Judaism, and Hartman
says Jews must rise to the challenge. "The battle against intermarriage is a lost battle. We
are a people who are intermarried - the issue is not
how to stop it, but how to reach out to non-Jewish
spouses and welcome them into our community," he
says. "Our outreach has to be better, our institutions have
to be better, our Jewish experiences have to be
more compelling, we have to start working much
harder. "Living in the modern world requires you to be
nimble. Things are changing, I don't know if it's for
the worse or not, that will depend on what we do.
But the world is evolving, and we have to evolve
with it."