Cult of celebrity 'is harming children'

The cult of celebrity is producing a generation that believes education and hard work are not important in achieving success, claims the Association of Teachers and Lecturers.

A survey found that more than 70 per cent of teachers in primary and secondary schools said the cult of celebrity was perverting children's aspirations and expectations.

About 37 per cent of teachers believe their pupils want to be famous for being famous.

They fear that many youngsters do not realise how hard their idols have worked to earn their fame.

"Lost every day"

Meet a Colorado woman with a rare neurological disorder who has no sense of direction, even in her own home.


Many people, myself included, have a gnawing primeval fear of becoming hopelessly lost. This Op-Doc video examines that fear in a most extreme form. My subject is Sharon Roseman of Denver, who gets lost every day — in the streets she’s lived in for 20 years, even in her own house. When she wakes, her walls seem to have moved overnight. Her world can be transformed in the blink of an eye.

To earth with love...

The world's first "social media astronaut" returns to earth as Channel 4 News tracks the story of Commander Hadfield's out-of-this-world tweets.


For source go here.

Margaret Thatcher

James Naughtie considers the lasting influence of Margaret Thatcher, the longest serving Prime Minister of the 20th Century and the only woman to hold the post. Her uncompromising policies and leadership style earned her the enduring nickname "The Iron Lady". She passed away 13 April 2013.

Listen to the 12-minute BBC radio broadcast.




For source go here.
More podcasts from The New Elizabethans programme are available here.

French economy returns to recession

French president Francois Hollande has introduced
reforms aimed at boosting the country's economy

France has entered its second recession in four years after the economy shrank by 0.2% in the first quarter of the year, official figures show.

Its economy shrank by the same amount in the last quarter of 2012. A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

France has record unemployment and low business and consumer confidence.
Separate figures showed that the recession across the 17-nation eurozone has continued into a sixth quarter.

Home gadgets becoming quieter by design to save us from noise pollution

As the number of gadgets and appliances in our homes has increased - so too has the noise level.
Lara Lewington looks at how manufacturers are focusing their attention on technology to make their products quieter.


For source go here.

Angelina Jolie: My Medical Choice

Angelina Jolie, 38, an actress and director, has published an article in today's NY Times telling the story about a preventive double mastectomy she has recently undergone. The actress' decision resulted from learning that she carries a gene that made it extremely likely she would get breast cancer. 

Here is the full article followed by BBC video coverage below.

My Medical Choice
By ANGELINA JOLIE 
Published: May 14, 2013 
My mother fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56. She held out long enough to meet the first of her grandchildren and to hold them in her arms. But my other children will never have the chance to know her and experience how loving and gracious she was.

Ovulation And Pregnancy Test Sales Soar in UK: Is Baby Boom Coming?

Droves of British women have caused a huge spike in the sales of fertility and pregnancy tests in the wake of Kate Middleton’s pregnancy announcement. Is a UK baby boom on the horizon? 

An increase in tests
Clearblue has divulged that sales of home fertility monitors and pregnancy tests have spiked recently -- the increase? As much as 60 percent in the UK.

“We’ve never seen an increase like this before,” said Hugh Ayling, Clearblue UK Brand Manager. “We were pretty stunned when the stats came in and we wondered why it was. Then we worked it back and saw the spike came after Kate made her announcement.”

Why "Liking" Facebook pages can be a bad idea

Facebook pages which say things like "Type ‘move’ into the comments and watch what happens” are usually a scam.



For source go here.

Five Minutes With: Katie Melua

Singer Katie Melua talks to Matthew Stadlen about growing up in Georgia, how power cuts shaped her early musical experiences, why music matters and playing a concert under the sea.



For source go here.

What you need to know about Somalia

On 7 May in London, the governments of the UK and Somalia will hold an international conference on Somalia for the second year running. The conference aims to provide international support for the Government of Somalia as it rebuilds its country following two decades of conflict.
BBC Somali's Farhan Jimale outlines what people need to know about the country.

For source go here.