Max Clifford 'Claimed He Slept With Diana Ross'

By Tom Parmenter, News Correspondent, Southwark Crown Court

A former model has told a court that Max Clifford claimed he had slept with US singer Diana Ross.

The woman, who cannot be named, was giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court about a meeting she had with the celebrity publicist in the early 1980s.

She explained how she was an aspiring 17-year-old fashion model who came to London from the north of England and was told Clifford could help her career.

She said: "I was trying to follow my dream."

Inside his New Bond Street offices, the woman said Clifford showed her framed newspaper front pages and pictures of celebrities on the walls and then claimed "he had slept with Diana Ross".

Clifford clearly shook his head in the dock when the allegation about the American superstar was made.

The former model told the court: "For me, Diana Ross was a very beautiful, famous woman, I couldn't imagine why she would sleep with him."

The woman claimed Clifford then said: "I need to see your figure ... I need you to take your dress off."

She said she eventually did take her dress off despite reservations about the underwear she was wearing.

She alleged Clifford quickly became excited about the holes in her tights and she claimed he started saying: "Oh my God, what a turn on, what a turn on."

Clifford said he slept with Diana Ross, claimed an alleged victim in court

The woman said he groped her chest area and arms, adding: "At this point I'm feeling utterly stupid, totally in shock, I'm just not doing anything."

The publicist then performed a sex act while he took a telephone call from his wife, the ex-model added.

Unlike other earlier witnesses the former model said she remembered Max Clifford as "well endowed."

Her detailed descriptions of the sex acts led to several jury members collapsing in laughter in court prompting an adjournment.

After they had composed themselves the judge told them he understood their outburst but asked them to "settle down and remember where we are and what we are dealing with".

Following the alleged sex acts, she claimed Clifford insisted she should come to dinner with his wife and American film producer Cubby Broccoli.

Clifford allegedly told her that Broccoli could get her a role on a James Bond film if she performed sexual favours for him.

The woman told the court she "loathed" the Bond movies and had simply wanted to be a fashion model.

She added that she later ignored multiple phone calls from the publicist to go to the dinner and only reported her allegations to the police when she saw Clifford had been arrested in December 2012.

Clifford is accused of 11 counts of indecent assault against seven women and girls.

He denies all the charges and his trial continues.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Claudia Lawrence: Dad's Grief On Anniversary

By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent

The father of missing York woman Claudia Lawrence says her five-year absence is "like a cancer" that "just gets worse and worse".

Peter Lawrence, speaking at a news conference to mark the fifth anniversary of his younger daughter's last known contact with anyone, appealed for people who know what happened to come forward.

The 67-year-old said he often wonders: "Where are you Claudia? Are you safe? Is someone holding you? Have you been hurt? Even, of course, are you alive?"

He added: "It's actually, I suppose, a bit like a cancer and it just gets worse and worse because there is no resolution until we know what happened to Claudia."

Ms Lawrence, 35, was reported missing after failing to turn up for her shift as a cook at the University of York on the morning of March 28, 2009.

North Yorkshire Police believe she was murdered, but a long-running investigation which focused on her relationships with men drew a blank and a new team of detectives launched a cold case review in October.

The terraced home where Claudia lived alone in the Heworth area of York has been re-examined by forensic experts, and her family and friends have been re-interviewed.

In the most personal and emotional of the many briefings Mr Lawrence has given since 2009, he made a direct appeal to whoever is responsible.

"Please, please, do realise what it is doing to us," he said. "It just eats into you like a hole and it is torture."

Mr Lawrence, a solicitor, praised the thoroughness of the new police team which is understood to have uncovered new leads.

Last week, Claudia's 70-year-old mother Joan told Sky News she believes the investigation, led by Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, will end the mystery.

"I think if they don't (solve the case), they will have tried their utmost," she said.

"They're working so hard on it. I don't think they'll give up easily."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Childcare: £2,000 Boost For Working Parents

Working parents are to get up to £2,000 of tax-free childcare in a move to target families who are "running to stand still".

The scheme will be worth up to £2,000 per child per year when it launches in autumn next year - £800 more than the £1,200 originally proposed last year.

The Deputy Prime Minister told Sky News the move would target hard-working parents who were "going out to work just to pay the nursery fees" saying many felt they were just "running to stand still".

It was only expected to apply to children under the age of seven, but parents will now be entitled to the money until their son or daughter's 12th birthday.

David Cameron and Nick Clegg will unveil details of the childcare scheme

Nearly two million families could benefit from the scheme - twice as many as the present voucher scheme, which is only available where adopted by an employer.

However, it has been criticised for excluding couples where one parent does not work and for applying to richer households with incomes of up to £300,000. Those where one parent earns more than £150,000 will not be able to take advantage of the scheme.

Speaking to Sky News Nick Clegg denied the scheme was unfair and said families on Universal Credit would now have 85% of their childcare costs met.

Mr Clegg said: "If you have two children and you have to pay their childcare costs then it's (the scheme is) worth up to £4,000 to you."

David Cameron said the policy, which effectively covers 20% of childcare costs up to a maximum of £10,000 a year, would help "hard-pressed families" and "provide financial security for the future".

Asked by Sky News whether he would be taking advantage of the tax-free childcare scheme for his children he replied: "I won't be taking it up." His salary crosses the £150,000 limit.

Earlier this month, the Family and Childcare Trust said parents now spend more on part-time childcare than their mortgage repayments.

How it works

However, Labour's Lucy Powell, the shadow minister for children, said the proposals were "too little, too late".

"Mr Cameron has cut support for children and families by £15bn since he came to office," she said.

"This Government has done nothing in this Parliament to help parents experiencing a cost-of-living crisis."

As well as the childcare tax break, the Government is to give an extra £50m to nurseries looking after the most deprived three and four-year-olds.

Families claiming Universal Credit will also have 85% of their childcare costs met, up from 70%.

The announcement comes as the Chancellor prepares to unveil this year's Budget.

George Osborne, who will set out the Government's spending plans for 2014-15 next Wednesday, has warned of "difficult decisions" to come.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Claudia Lawrence: Dad's Grief On Anniversary

By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent

The father of missing York woman Claudia Lawrence says her five-year absence is "like a cancer" that "just gets worse and worse".

Peter Lawrence, speaking at a news conference to mark the fifth anniversary of his younger daughter's last known contact with anyone, appealed for people who know what happened to come forward.

The 67-year-old said he often wonders: "Where are you Claudia? Are you safe? Is someone holding you? Have you been hurt? Even, of course, are you alive?"

He added: "It's actually, I suppose, a bit like a cancer and it just gets worse and worse because there is no resolution until we know what happened to Claudia."

Ms Lawrence, 35, was reported missing after failing to turn up for her shift as a cook at the University of York on the morning of March 28, 2009.

North Yorkshire Police believe she was murdered, but a long-running investigation which focused on her relationships with men drew a blank and a new team of detectives launched a cold case review in October.

The terraced home where Claudia lived alone in the Heworth area of York has been re-examined by forensic experts, and her family and friends have been re-interviewed.

In the most personal and emotional of the many briefings Mr Lawrence has given since 2009, he made a direct appeal to whoever is responsible.

"Please, please, do realise what it is doing to us," he said. "It just eats into you like a hole and it is torture."

Mr Lawrence, a solicitor, praised the thoroughness of the new police team which is understood to have uncovered new leads.

Last week, Claudia's 70-year-old mother Joan told Sky News she believes the investigation, led by Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, will end the mystery.

"I think if they don't (solve the case), they will have tried their utmost," she said.

"They're working so hard on it. I don't think they'll give up easily."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lenny Henry Attacks Britain's 'White' TV

Lenny Henry is calling for a reversal in the "paucity" of ethnic minorities on British television and comedy programmes.

The comic first spoke about improving diversity in film and television in 2008 but described his frustration that so little has changed to an audience at a Bafta lecture on Monday night.

Just 5.4% of the broadcasting industry is made up of black, Asian, minority and ethnic (BAME) people, he said.

"The evolution of BAME on TV seems to lurch one step forward and two steps back."

Henry said he had been "very blessed" but was speaking on behalf of 2,000 people who have left the industry due to a lack of job opportunities.

He compared US and UK programmes and how well they represent BAME talent.

Henry met the Queen at Buckingham Palace last month

While there is a "paucity" of black talent in British "high-end drama and comedy" such as Miranda and Broadchurch, the US has invested and nurtured talent which is evident in shows such as Scandal, Grey's Anatomy and Elementary.

Actor David Harewood, who has starred in the hit show Homeland, has been vocal about how few jobs he is offered in the UK.

Using Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream" speech as inspiration, Henry said he has a "screen dream" and wants to hold executives and commissioners to account over their decisions.

"I have a 'screen' where the actors of the future are cast not by the colour of their skin but by their talent alone," he said.

Henry is taking a proposal to ring-fence budgets for BAME productions to the BBC director general Tony Hall and Ofcom today.

He said executives must meet two out of three criteria that 50% of on-screen and production staff are from an ethnic minority and that 30% of the company is controlled by black people.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Max Clifford 'Claimed He Slept With Diana Ross'

By Tom Parmenter, News Correspondent, Southwark Crown Court

A former model has told a court that Max Clifford claimed he had slept with US singer Diana Ross.

The woman, who cannot be named, was giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court about a meeting she had with the celebrity publicist in the early 1980s.

She explained how she was an aspiring 17-year-old fashion model who came to London from the north of England and was told Clifford could help her career.

She said: "I was trying to follow my dream."

Inside his New Bond Street offices, the woman said Clifford showed her framed newspaper front pages and pictures of celebrities on the walls and then claimed "he had slept with Diana Ross".

Clifford clearly shook his head in the dock when the allegation about the American superstar was made.

The former model told the court: "For me, Diana Ross was a very beautiful, famous woman, I couldn't imagine why she would sleep with him."

The woman claimed Clifford then said: "I need to see your figure ... I need you to take your dress off."

She said she eventually did take her dress off despite reservations about the underwear she was wearing.

She alleged Clifford quickly became excited about the holes in her tights and she claimed he started saying: "Oh my God, what a turn on, what a turn on."

Clifford said he slept with Diana Ross, claimed an alleged victim in court

The woman said he groped her chest area and arms, adding: "At this point I'm feeling utterly stupid, totally in shock, I'm just not doing anything."

The publicist then performed a sex act while he took a telephone call from his wife, the ex-model added.

Unlike other earlier witnesses the former model said she remembered Max Clifford as "well endowed."

Her detailed descriptions of the sex acts led to several jury members collapsing in laughter in court prompting an adjournment.

After they had composed themselves the judge told them he understood their outburst but asked them to "settle down and remember where we are and what we are dealing with".

Following the alleged sex acts, she claimed Clifford insisted she should come to dinner with his wife and American film producer Cubby Broccoli.

Clifford allegedly told her that Broccoli could get her a role on a James Bond film if she performed sexual favours for him.

The woman told the court she "loathed" the Bond movies and had simply wanted to be a fashion model.

She added that she later ignored multiple phone calls from the publicist to go to the dinner and only reported her allegations to the police when she saw Clifford had been arrested in December 2012.

Clifford is accused of 11 counts of indecent assault against seven women and girls.

He denies all the charges and his trial continues.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Saturated Fats And Heart Disease: No Link Found

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

A massive international study of 600,000 people's diets has found saturated fats like butter may not be as unhealthy as first thought.

For decades, health advice has been to cut down on saturated fats - found in butter, biscuits, fatty cuts of meat, cheese and cream.

And instead people were urged to eat polyunsaturated fats - found in olive and sunflower oils and other non-animal fats.

However, research led by Cambridge University scientists, indicates there is no evidence to support current guidelines which restrict eating saturated fats to prevent heart disease.

The team collated results from 72 unique studies from 18 different countries and also found "insufficient support for guidelines which advocate the high consumption of polyunsaturated fats (such as omega 3 and omega 6) to reduce the risk of coronary disease".

The findings are at odds with decades-old advice on how to eat healthily to take care of our hearts.

Current NHS guidelines say a diet high in saturated fat can raise the level of cholesterol in the blood and increase the risk of heart disease.

For decades, health advice has been to cut down on saturated fats

Men are not recommended to eat more than 30g of saturated fats and women no more than 20g.

However, most of us eat 20% more than this, which is considered to be unhealthy.

Dr Rajiv Chowdhury, the lead author of the research, said: "These are interesting results that potentially stimulate new lines of scientific inquiry and encourage careful reappraisal of our current nutritional guidelines.

"In 2008, more than 17 million people died from a cardiovascular cause globally.

"With so many affected by this illness, it is critical to have appropriate prevention guidelines which are informed by the best available scientific evidence."

The British Heart Foundation, which commissioned the research, says the findings could mean it is time to look into this accepted wisdom.

The organisation is calling for more studies to clarify what is good and bad for our hearts.

But is stresses that the findings do not mean it is fine to eat lots of cheese, pies and cakes.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Childcare: £2,000 Boost For Working Parents

Working parents are to get up to £2,000 of tax-free childcare in a move to target families who are "running to stand still".

The scheme will be worth up to £2,000 per child per year when it launches in autumn next year - £800 more than the £1,200 originally proposed last year.

The Deputy Prime Minister told Sky News the move would target hard-working parents who were "going out to work just to pay the nursery fees" saying many felt they were just "running to stand still".

It was only expected to apply to children under the age of seven, but parents will now be entitled to the money until their son or daughter's 12th birthday.

David Cameron and Nick Clegg will unveil details of the childcare scheme

Nearly two million families could benefit from the scheme - twice as many as the present voucher scheme, which is only available where adopted by an employer.

However, it has been criticised for excluding couples where one parent does not work and for applying to richer households with incomes of up to £300,000. Those where one parent earns more than £150,000 will not be able to take advantage of the scheme.

Speaking to Sky News Nick Clegg denied the scheme was unfair and said families on Universal Credit would now have 85% of their childcare costs met.

Mr Clegg said: "If you have two children and you have to pay their childcare costs then it's (the scheme is) worth up to £4,000 to you."

David Cameron said the policy, which effectively covers 20% of childcare costs up to a maximum of £10,000 a year, would help "hard-pressed families" and "provide financial security for the future".

Asked by Sky News whether he would be taking advantage of the tax-free childcare scheme for his children he replied: "I won't be taking it up." His salary crosses the £150,000 limit.

Earlier this month, the Family and Childcare Trust said parents now spend more on part-time childcare than their mortgage repayments.

How it works

However, Labour's Lucy Powell, the shadow minister for children, said the proposals were "too little, too late".

"Mr Cameron has cut support for children and families by £15bn since he came to office," she said.

"This Government has done nothing in this Parliament to help parents experiencing a cost-of-living crisis."

As well as the childcare tax break, the Government is to give an extra £50m to nurseries looking after the most deprived three and four-year-olds.

Families claiming Universal Credit will also have 85% of their childcare costs met, up from 70%.

The announcement comes as the Chancellor prepares to unveil this year's Budget.

George Osborne, who will set out the Government's spending plans for 2014-15 next Wednesday, has warned of "difficult decisions" to come.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lenny Henry Attacks Britain's 'White' TV

Lenny Henry is calling for a reversal in the "paucity" of ethnic minorities on British television and comedy programmes.

The comic first spoke about improving diversity in film and television in 2008 but described his frustration that so little has changed to an audience at a Bafta lecture on Monday night.

Just 5.4% of the broadcasting industry is made up of black, Asian, minority and ethnic (BAME) people, he said.

"The evolution of BAME on TV seems to lurch one step forward and two steps back."

Henry said he had been "very blessed" but was speaking on behalf of 2,000 people who have left the industry due to a lack of job opportunities.

He compared US and UK programmes and how well they represent BAME talent.

Henry met the Queen at Buckingham Palace last month

While there is a "paucity" of black talent in British "high-end drama and comedy" such as Miranda and Broadchurch, the US has invested and nurtured talent which is evident in shows such as Scandal, Grey's Anatomy and Elementary.

Actor David Harewood, who has starred in the hit show Homeland, has been vocal about how few jobs he is offered in the UK.

Using Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream" speech as inspiration, Henry said he has a "screen dream" and wants to hold executives and commissioners to account over their decisions.

"I have a 'screen' where the actors of the future are cast not by the colour of their skin but by their talent alone," he said.

Henry is taking a proposal to ring-fence budgets for BAME productions to the BBC director general Tony Hall and Ofcom today.

He said executives must meet two out of three criteria that 50% of on-screen and production staff are from an ethnic minority and that 30% of the company is controlled by black people.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Saturated Fats And Heart Disease: No Link Found

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

A massive international study of 600,000 people's diets has found saturated fats like butter may not be as unhealthy as first thought.

For decades, health advice has been to cut down on saturated fats - found in butter, biscuits, fatty cuts of meat, cheese and cream.

And instead people were urged to eat polyunsaturated fats - found in olive and sunflower oils and other non-animal fats.

However, research led by Cambridge University scientists, indicates there is no evidence to support current guidelines which restrict eating saturated fats to prevent heart disease.

The team collated results from 72 unique studies from 18 different countries and also found "insufficient support for guidelines which advocate the high consumption of polyunsaturated fats (such as omega 3 and omega 6) to reduce the risk of coronary disease".

The findings are at odds with decades-old advice on how to eat healthily to take care of our hearts.

Current NHS guidelines say a diet high in saturated fat can raise the level of cholesterol in the blood and increase the risk of heart disease.

For decades, health advice has been to cut down on saturated fats

Men are not recommended to eat more than 30g of saturated fats and women no more than 20g.

However, most of us eat 20% more than this, which is considered to be unhealthy.

Dr Rajiv Chowdhury, the lead author of the research, said: "These are interesting results that potentially stimulate new lines of scientific inquiry and encourage careful reappraisal of our current nutritional guidelines.

"In 2008, more than 17 million people died from a cardiovascular cause globally.

"With so many affected by this illness, it is critical to have appropriate prevention guidelines which are informed by the best available scientific evidence."

The British Heart Foundation, which commissioned the research, says the findings could mean it is time to look into this accepted wisdom.

The organisation is calling for more studies to clarify what is good and bad for our hearts.

But is stresses that the findings do not mean it is fine to eat lots of cheese, pies and cakes.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More