Ten films everyone talking about

entertainment reporter,London(wp/es):
2015 was, in every sense of the word, a blockbuster year for cinema. Spectre, Star Wars, Jurassic World, a new Hunger Games, 50 Shades of Grey: there’s a reason you didn’t have enough money for Christmas presents this year.
2016 looks to bust open the box office once again, although in part it looks like the year of the remake, with a number of old favourites subjected to a 21st century update, because – Hollywood logic – if it ain’t broke, remake it.
It’s also a big year for franchises: Captain America returns (“Civil War”), Batman will be facing off against Superman, there’s a new X-Men adventure (“Apocalypse”), Fast and Furious director Justin Lin takes over from JJ Abrams with Star Trek: Beyond and even Bridget Jones is making a comeback.
Children’s films are set to be bigger than ever, too. As well as those listed in the gallery above, look out for Stephen Spielberg's take on Roald Dahl’s gorgeous The BFG, which stars Mark Rylance as the giant.

man found dead in Woolwich flat

crime reporter,London(wp/es):
Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was found dead in a storage area at a block of flats in south east London.
Police were called to reports of an injured man in Jessup Close, Woolwich, at 12.20pm on Tuesday, December 29.
The man was found to be unconscious and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from London Ambulance Service.
The man has not yet been identified and his next of kin are yet to be informed of his death.
A post-mortem examination gave a cause of death as blunt force

 trauma to the head and chest.
A 45-year-old man and a 46-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently in custody at separate south London police stations.
Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are continuing to investigate.


 Anyone with any information should call the incident room on 020 8721 4805 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

Man fighting for his life after attack outside KFC

crime reporter,London)wp/es):

 pic: near the junction with Huntingdon Road

A man is fighting for his life after being stabbed outside a KFC restaurant in a busy north London road.
Police, paramedics and air ambulance doctors were called to Finchley High Road, near the junction with Huntingdon Road, at 3.10pm.
Scotland Yard said a man, thought to be in his 50s, was taken to hospital with stab injuries.
His condition is described as critical.
 Brian Schwartz, co-owner of Black Gull Books opposite the KFC, said police had set up a crime scene across the road where the man was injured.

He said: "I was on my break at the time but someone told me a customer had come in to say there was a stabbing.
"A police officer came in to ask me if we had any CCTV but unfortunately we aren't able to help them. They cordoned off the pavement outside KFC and have set up cameras there."
George Sessions, 22, was being treated at Finchley Memorial Hospital when the victim arrived with his injuries.
He told the Standard: "I was in the hospital being seen by a nurse when she had to rush off because somebody had been stabbed.
"I overheard somebody say 'it looks really bad'.
"I know that an air ambulance was needed and landed at the hospital whilst I was there to take him somewhere else."
 The Met is appealing for anyone who saw the stabbing to call 101 and ask for Barnet police, or phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
No one has been arrested over the attack.
Police in Barnet said the man was injured outside a KFC restaurant.

Labour MP Simon Danczuk suspended for texts to teenager

political reporter,London(wp):

 

 Labour MP for Rochdale, Simon Danczuk and Sophena Houlihan

Labour MP Simon Danczuk has been sexting a 17-year-old student telling her she was "cheeky" and that he wanted to "spank" her 

Simon Danczuk MP has been suspended by the Labour party after he allegedly sent messages to a teenager asking her in one of them if she wanted him to spank her.

The 49-year-old allegedly sexted the 17-year-old girl in July after splitting up from his wife 'selfie queen' Karen Danczuk.

The pair contacted each other over a period of months after Sophena Houlihan, now 18, contacted him about a job in his constituency office.

The anti-child abuse campaigner then sent the student a number of flirty messages, telling her she made him "horny". 

A Labour source said that the party’s whip had been removed from Mr Danczuk, which means that he will no longer sit as a Labour MP in the Commons.
Mr Danczuk, a long time critic of party leader Jeremy Corbyn, now faces an immediate investigation by the party's ruling National Executive Committee. 

A Labour Party spokesman said: “The General Secretary of the Labour Party has today suspended Simon Danczuk's membership of the Party, pending an investigation into allegations published in the media today.
"A full investigation will now take place under the authority of the National Executive Committee, which will be responsible for determining any further action."
Mr Danczuk said on Twitter: "Today's Sun story, while not entirely accurate, refers to an extremely low point in my life."
He added: "My behaviour was inappropriate & I apologise unreservedly to everyone I've let down. I was stupid & there's no fool like an old fool." 


Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn denied that Mr Danczuk’s suspension was linked to his previous trenchant criticisms of the Labour leader.
Mr Corbyn, who is visiting flood victims in York, told The Telegraph: “It is today's incident, nothing else. Simon has had his membership of the party suspended. He will now be investigated by the national executive.
“The decision was made this morning. The reasons are his conduct, which will now be investigated. I don't want to say any more than that because I don't want to prejudice the independent investigation.” 

Miss Houlihan told the Sun: "When I first got in touch I never expected the messages to get so graphic. At the time I played along with it, but now I feel like he duped me.
"I enjoyed the attention. There is something about him that I was attracted to."
She said she had hoped for a career in politics and was in "awe" of him.
Miss Houlihan, of Rochdale, claims she posted a picture of herself in a dress on Instagram and he messaged her telling her she "looked great", days later she claims he asked her to send him a picture of her and she sent one of herself in a revealing body suit.
He sent messages telling her she was "cheeky" and that he wanted to "spank" her.
The revelations come days after his new partner Claire Hamilton, a Labour concillor in Leyland, ended their relationship on Twitter.


She told the paper: "I have no idea how many women he's been messaging on Twitter. I would not be surprised if it was a lot more."
Detectives from Greater Manchester Police have investigated the case to ensure the student was not being "harassed".
A spokesperson said: "On 29 December 2015, Greater Manchester Police received a report from a member of the public that a man from the Rochdale area had been communicating inappropriately with a teenage girl.
"This matter was looked into and it has been determined that no offences have been committed."
A source close to the MP told the paper the pair are "two consenting adults".
His relationship with Miss Hamilton ended just hours after the couple were criticised for a series of selfies while constituents struggled to cope with floods.
He had faced a Twitter backlash after Miss Hamilton tweeted about going for a "romantic" Boxing Day curry with the MP. 

Meet the amazing LGBT women who defined 2015

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Earlier this year, the Independent on Sunday came out with their 2015 Rainbow List of the 101 most influential LGBTI people in the UK. I was number 100, meaning I have slightly less influence than, say, the phenomonally talented actor Rebecca Root, but more than Conservative MP Crispin Blunt (although he would beat me in a list of ‘people whose names sound like slang for marijuana’).
It ticked an item off my bucket list unexpectedly early – next up is ‘become the new Doctor Who’ so watch out, Peter Capaldi. But it also got me thinking about the LGBT women who have defined my 2015. Here they are:

Lea DeLaria

DeLaria (left) with Natasha Lyonne in Orange Is The New Black

 Lea DeLaria has been flying the flag for fat butch dykes for years, but the third season of TV show Orange is the New Black gave her the biggest platform yet.It was the turn of her character Big Boo to get an entire episode dedicated to exploring her backstory. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when she turned to her disapproving parents and told them “I refuse to be invisible.”

 

Carrie Brownstein

 The Portlandia star and Sleater-Kinney frontwoman brought out her hotly anticipated memoir Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl this autumn.

 Carrie Brownstein performs with Sleater-Kinney at the Roundhouse in London

 Recounting her early years raised by an anorexic mother and a closeted gay father through to life as a key figure in the riot grrrl movement, it’s one of the best books about music, queerness and feminism in recent years.

 

Mhairi Black

 The political success story of the year, if not the decade, Black swept to victory as the SNP candidate for Paisley, displacing Douglas Alexander from what was once a Labour stronghold before she’d even finished her degree. At 21, she was the youngest MP elected in 350 years.

 

Mhairi Black Credit: Allan Milligan 

 

She got a first and went on to become one of Scotland’s favourite public figures after her maiden speech in the House of Commons went viral. Props.

 

Caitlin Stasey

 Not content with starring in hit feminist costume drama Reign (think The Tudors but with less nudity and more female empowerment than a Women’s Studies lecture) queer actress Caitlin Stasey made headlines in January when she launched Herself.com.

 

 Caitlin Stasey, the creator of herself.com

 

 The website interviews non-famous women about sex and body image, and is packed to the rafters with non-exploitative, un-airbrushed images of naked women that she describes as “female form in all its honesty without the burden of the male gaze.” On top of that, she’s a gifted actor and her Twitter account bristles with righteous anger.

 

courtesy: THE TELEGRAPH

 

 

 

 

Kate Middleton's year of fashion

watch the London New Year's Eve Fireworks

staff reporter,London(wp/es): 2016 is almost here and as ever, the best way to see it in is with a bang. The spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks simply aren’t the same from behind the screen, and tickets for the main viewing spots have long sold out. Still, you can’t charge for looking up the sky (yet), so below are the best places to enjoy London’s glorious celebrations for free. Remember, travel costs nothing on New Year’s Eve and be sure to plan the best way to get home after your evening out. Fields Though many of these sit a little further away from the main display, the views they offer across the city mean you’ll take in all the private displays cracking across the skyline. Parliament Hill and Hampstead Heath Parliament Hill offers some gorgeous views, even if the spectacle is a fair way off. Still, it’s a beautiful spot and there’ll be plenty of folks with their own fireworks, too, so you’ll be spoiled for choice. Or wonder further into Hampstead Heath, which holds its own as a haven away from the city. Looking for a drink before hand? The Bull & Last, The Roebuck, The Magdala and The Southampton Arms are all solid options. Primrose Hill At 76m up, the top of Primrose Hill offers near unrivalled views across London, so even before the fireworks kick off, grab a hipflask and a bottle of champagne, and enjoy London all lit up. Get there early as it gets very busy. If you’re looking for somewhere to pop in beforehand, try the The Sir Richard Steele (a little walk away), The Princess of Wales or The Lansdowne (who are running a set menu for the evening). Last year, crowds left behind a significant amount of litter, ruining New Year's Day for the park workers. Don't be that person – take home whatever you bring, Hilly Fields Again, it’s a little further out, but Hilly Fields in Brockley are a pleasant spot. There are local fireworks happening too, if you want something closer. For a drink nearby, try The Talbot or The Ladywell Tavern. Nearest tube: Get the train instead, and head to Ladyfield, Brockley or Crofton Park. Bridges The iconic Tower Bridge has a stunning view of all the snap, crackle and pop, with a marvellous, cheery atmosphere, but it gets increasingly busy year on year. Southwark Bridge and Millennium Bridge are closer and offer better views, but expect them to be rib-crushingly packed other side Cannon Street and the east side of Monument both sit close by to the official, ticketed viewing areas, so you’ll get most of views without shelling out. Expect them to be very busy.