A recent scientific study revealed that children whose parents go through a messy divorce are three times more prone to endure a lifetime of colds as adults. Trials conducted on over 200 adults exposed to the cold virus revealed that stress faced early in life affect a person's immune system and increase the chance of inflammation. Psychology postdoctoral research associate at Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Michael Murphy said, “Early life stressful experiences do something to our physiology and inflammatory processes that increase risk for poorer health and chronic illness. This work is a step forward in our understanding of how family stress during childhood may influence a child's susceptibility to disease 20-40 years later.”
Man jailed for hiding dead girlfriend
Andrew Reade, 43, has been sentenced for four years and four months in jail for hiding the body of dead girlfriend in an airing cupboard of their flat for over a year. Reade wrapped the body of Vicky Cherry, 44, in a duvet and plastic sheeting after her death in October 2015 and concealed it at their address in Bolton. The crime only came to light after the police investigated the first-floor flat, three months after the deceased's family filed a missing person report. While her cause of death could not be ascertained as it was decomposed, a pathologist concluded that Cherry may have died as a result of strangulation as injuries to her neck were detected. Reade claimed to have panicked when he woke to find his girlfriend dead after they took a cocktail of illicit drugs.
British sees surge in legal profession
Latest figures from the Law Society show that the legal profession in the country has expanded following a surge in the number of lawyers in the past decade. Figures reveal the number of solicitors in England and Wales in July last year was 175,160, almost a third more than the total of 2006; 136,176 of these had a practising certificate. Marking a difference, there were 35,770 practising solicitors in England and Wales in 1979, 52,399 in 1989, and 115,475 in 2009. Also, women now account for over 62 per cent of the total figures, as compared to 53 per cent ten years ago.
Ramadan prompts plunge in number of Uber drivers
Cab-takers are finding it increasingly difficult to book an Uber late in the evening as Muslim drivers stop work at sunset to break their Ramadan fasts. Users have raised eyebrows at the lack of cabs and subsequent “surge pricing” when they try to book a car after around 9 pm. Several of the taxi app's drivers are Muslim and the company said it has asked all drivers to consider the consequences of the holy month which will end on June 24. An Uber spokesman said non-Muslim drivers were advised of extra work in the evening as their colleagues take a pause to break their day-long fasts.
Surge in hate crimes against Muslims
The number of hate crimes committed against British Muslims in the week after the Manchester terror attack has risen by five times. Tell Mama, an organisation that records such crimes received reports of a total of 139 cases of “anti-Muslim hate” in seven days, as compared to 25 in the previous week. Repercussions of the attack are so severe, a seven-year-old girl was amongst one of 61 victims of verbal abuse.
Sainsbury misleading shoppers by replacing Fairtrade logo
Popular supermarket chain, Sainsbury's is reportedly misleading shoppers by replacing Fairtrade labels on tea with its own ethical brand. Charities warned that it is all set to adapt its own-brand produce by trying out a new 'Fairly Traded' logo on tea boxes. Bosses of seven charities have asked Sainsbury's to reconsider the move, claiming it would undermine 25 years' of progress towards fairer treatment of producers. “The standards are unclear, and farmers and producers may no longer be able to decide themselves directly how money raised is spent to help their communities,” they said in a statement. Sainsbury's said it was looking to move away from the Fair Trade Foundation, hinting that its business model was two decades out of date and failed to consider the impact of climate change on farmers.
Property prices in the UK hit new low
Experts warn that the UK may be heading towards a major property recession as prices fell by 0.2 per cent across the country between April and May. Marking the third consecutive monthly fall, the slump is the longest since 2009. Nationwide Building Society found that average property price was £208,711 in May, indicating that while average house prices are up 2.1 per cent year-on-year, price growth is slowing. Buying agent Henry Pryor said, “We are in that phase of the market where people are concerned that what they pay for today may be cheaper tomorrow. What happens in London ripples out to the country. It might be this time next year before it hits Shropshire and Norfolk, but what is going on in central London matters.”
Rogue Surgeon Ian Paterson sentenced to 15 years in jail
The court was packed with “mutilated” victims of rogue breast cancer surgeon Ian Paterson, as he was sentenced to 15 years. The 59 year old was convicted of carrying out a raft of needless operations, leaving patients disfigured and scarred. Judge Jeremy Baker said the doctor was driven by his “own self-aggrandisement and the material rewards which it brought from your private practice.” His seven-week trial heard evidence from nine women and a man, treated between 1997 and 2011 at Little Aston and Parkway hospitals in the West Midlands. Paterson was convicted of 17 months of wounding with intent and three of unlawful wounding.
