Berkhamsted may be teeming with great places to eat but if you are looking for good honest Italian food with a contemporary twist in a great setting then look no further than Carluccio’s.
A popular eating out destination for people from across the Home Counties, Berkhamsted has won a number of awards for its high street offering in the past.
Carluccios is the brainchild of the godfather of Italian gastronomy Antonio Carluccio
To that end it has a reputation to protect.
Carluccio’s - the brainchild of the godfather of Italian gastronomy, Antonio Carluccio, may be yet another chain - and yes the high street does need to maintain its tradition of having some great independents - but it doesn’t feel like one and in many respects has local at its heart.
For a start Berkhamsted’s Carluccio’s is nestled away in the Listed Old Town Hall building on the high street, making it one of the best and most interesting settings to enjoy a nice meal.
Cosy and inviting inside, the staff offer as warm a welcome as the table filled with a host of delicious desserts which greets you as you walk in.
Carluccio's Grandioso platter
The menus cater for all ages and are genuinely exciting. It is the sharing platters that steal the show, though. There are meat and veggie versions, the meat version is particularly delicious and boasts succulent freshly sliced meats like Parma ham, salami from Naples and Milan, herb-roasted ham and mortadella. And if you can manage it, the meat is accompanied by olives, caperberries and home baked focaccia.
But don’t miss out on the arancini, a taste sensation which is essentially Italy in a stuffed rice ball. Coated with breadcrumbs and then deep fried, the arancini are balls of gorgonzola and courgette or nduja and buffalo mozzarella, both served with a tomato sauce.
A range of fantastic classic Italian dishes from a hearty traditional lasagne, lobster spaghetti and homemade ravioli, as well as gluten-free pasta, adorn the menu and the mix is just right without offering too much choice that you find yourself overwhelmed. The menu also includes Italian grill dishes of flattened chicken breast topped with Parma ham and mint-marinated lamb cutlets which is a must.
The dessert offering is typical Italian fare with a zesty lemon tart, chocolate cake, tiramisu and meringue to choose from. There is also a collection of Carluccio’s own branded products on offer and you can take some sweet treats home with you if you like too.
Bistecca Di Fesa
Another aspect which gives the chain a local connection is its picnic service.
There are freshly made meat and vegetarian picnic meal platters available at £45 each, which generously feed two people, as well as a children’s version with a mini pizza, cake and juice for £10 and it all comes in a nifty coolbag. So if you are going out to enjoy the fine summer weather we are experiencing at the moment you can place your order over the phone and collect the picnic basket four hours later.
People might ask did Berkhamsted need another chain? Maybe not, but it definitely needs its Carluccio’s.
Traditional, hearty lasagne
Sweet treat: Carluccio's tiramisu

Eating Out: Carluccio’s puts Italian soul into Berkhamsted’s award-winning high street


Berkhamsted may be teeming with great places to eat but if you are looking for good honest Italian food with a contemporary twist in a great setting then look no further than Carluccio’s.


Matt Adcock reviews David Brent: Life On The Road (15)
“I’m gonna roll you over, and rock you stupid, and leave you there just humming...”
David Brent is back. I never thought I’d write those words but here is the middle-aged master loser – on the big screen as a documentary team follow his dream of a ‘rock tour’ to save him from life as a sanitary products sales rep.
The Office was incredible TV, that made you wince and laugh in equal measure, the likes of which we haven’t fully seen since.
David Brent: Life On The Road picks up the potent unfulfilled dreams of Slough’s favourite office manager and presents the full horror of what happens when Brent cashes in his life savings and pensions to finance a tour for his band Foregone Conclusion. The good news is that this the best Gervais has been in years – capturing the brilliant comedy/pathos at the heart of The Office and delivering big time both in the laughs and the cringe inducing awfulness of Brent’s socially awkward overdrive.
This isn’t for those who are easily offended or just after some gentle humour – Life On The Road is a comedy-tragic-em-up that will rip your heart out even while you’re spitting popcorn.
This older Brent is a lonelier than ever, his hired bandmates won’t socialise with him or even let him on the expensive tour bus he’s shelled out for; he even has to pay them to have an after show drink with him at one point.
The expected adoring crowds don’t exactly turn up and the record company scouts are more interested in the genuinely talented aspiring rapper Dom Johnson (Doc Brown) who Brent has guest rap on some of his songs in an effort to make them both ethically friendly and youthful.
The excellent Tom ‘Love & Friendship’ Bennett is great as Brent’s one Lavichem office pal and Diane ‘Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe’ Morgan has a fun cameo as a PR tasked with the impossible job of making Brent ‘cool’.
Doc Brown, though, steals all his scenes with looks to camera of such sheer uncomfortableness that I’d love to see him get his own spin-off movie.
Life On The Road takes mid-life desperation and blows the door off it in fine comic style.
You’ll laugh, you might even cry but be warned you might also very well hurt yourself due to the unsafe levels of cringe.

Review: Cringeworthy David Brent brings tragedy to comedy


Matt Adcock reviews David Brent: Life On The Road (15)


Next month sees the release of a new Beatles documentary, directed by Oscar winner Ron Howard.
The Apollo 13, Da Vinci Code and Rush director has been given the blessing of the surviving band members - Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr - and the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison to produce the film looking at the band’s early years.
As well as archive footage from “the touring years” from 1960-66, The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years will feature fresh contributions from McCartney and Starr and never-before-seen clips shot by fans.
To get yourself warmed up for the film’s release test your knowledge of the band’s hits with our fiendishly tricky lyrics quiz.

QUIZ: How well do you know your Beatles lyrics?


Next month sees the release of a new Beatles documentary, directed by Oscar winner Ron Howard.


A study has found that half of parents with children under the age of 14 allow them to drink alcohol at home.
And, perhaps more worryingly, one in 10 respondents to the Churchill Home Insurance survey allow children between the ages of five and seven to drink alcohol.
While it is not illegal for a child between the age of five and 16 to drink alcohol on private premises, it flies in the face of advice from the Chief Medical Officer whose official advice warns: “Children and their parents or carers are advised that an alcohol-free childhood is the healthiest and best option. However, if children drink alcohol underage, it should not be until at least the age of 15 years.
“Parents and young people should be aware that drinking, even at age 15 or older, can be hazardous to health and that not drinking is the healthiest option for young people.”

Do you think it’s okay to allow children to drink some alcohol at home?


A study has found that half of parents with children under the age of 14 allow them to drink alcohol at home.


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QUIZ: How well do you know your retro games?


Can you get 10/10 in our retro games quiz?


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Additional support for Hertfordshire’s social workers


Newly-qualified social workers are being offered additional support by a countywide scheme.


Motorists now change their car more often than they switch their mattress or even their mobile phone, suggests new research.
The length of time motorists keep a car has plummeted from around five years to two years or less, reveal latest figures.
The data produced by automotive experts, cap hpi, shows that some car makers now see average returns of vehicles in 24 months, and there is evidence of a growing number of 18-month leases in the market.
Mattresses should be changed every seven or eight years to ensure a good and healthy night’s sleep, according to chiropractors, while mobile phone contracts are on average between 18 and 24 months.
Expert say car manufacturers are managing volumes in the used market by varying contract lengths by model and remarketing channels.
Philip Nothard, retail and consumer specialist at cap hpi, said: “What we are seeing is the ‘iphonification’ of the car industry as consumers increasingly pay to drive rather than pay to own their vehicles.
“It’s the same model as the mobile phone industry where people are comfortable paying a monthly fee - only they are now doing this with their vehicles as well as their mobiles.”
He said the growth of personal contract purchase (PCP) and other finance options is having a “profound” effect on the car industry.
Personal Contract Hire (PCH) is also increasing, as motorists increasingly look towards usership rather than ownership.
Around four out five new car sales (80 per cent) are now on finance, according to estimates by cap hpi.
Mr Nothard added: “Not so long ago it was fairly common for motorists to have their cars for a minimum of five years or longer, but that has now changed dramatically and dropped to just two years for millions of motorists.
“After buying a house, the car was usually the biggest outlay for most consumers but now they are far more likely to change their car more often than their mattress.
“Consumer demand remains strong in the used car market and there are lots of used bargains waiting to be snapped up.
“As PCP becomes more popular and accessible in the used market, motor dealers expect its use to double in the future so we’re going to see people changing their cars with increasing regularity.”

Motorists change their car more often than their mobile phone


Motorists now change their car more often than they switch their mattress or even their mobile phone, suggests new research.


Hit musicals, great plays, comedy, opera and music concerts are all on the autumn programme at The Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury.
Little Shop of Horrors, Dirty Dancing and Sunny Afternoon will provide plenty of musical entertainment in the lead up to Christmas, with drama coming from The Woman in Black, and plenty of one night musical shows from UB40, The Hollies and Seventies idols, writes Heather Jan Brunt.
Rhydian Roberts stars in the charming and kooky classic, Little Shop of Horrors (September 13 - 17).
The hilarious show tells the story of lowly flower shop assistant Seymour Krelborn who becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers a strange, exotic plant. He hopes the plant will impress the glamorous colleague he is secretly in love with, but then the plant develops a voracious appetite and life becomes weird for everyone.
Two days later the romantic coming of age story of Baby and Johnny, Dirty Dancing, takes to the Waterside stage with the promise of that iconic lift at the end of the show (September 19 - 24).
Set in early Sixties America, Baby is on holiday with her family when she falls in love with the resort dance teacher.
This is followed by Sunny Afternoon, the multi award winning hit West End musical now on tour (September 27 - October 1).
Telling the story of The Kinks’ rise to fame, the show includes all their hits and promises to be a lively show with the audience up on their feet and a real concert atmosphere.
Save The Last Dance For Me (October 3 - 8) follows two teenage sisters through a holiday to the seaside in the summer of 1963 and includes plenty of hits from the period such as Teenager In Love and Viva Las Vegas.
Ellen Kent’s Opera Festival presents Puccini’s tragic tale of doomed Mimi and her love for a penniless writer in La Boheme on October 20 and Verdi’s equally tragic tale of war, jealousy and revenge in Aida on October 21.
The spine chilling ghost story Woman In Black (November 29 - December 3) arrives just before the pantomime, with the tale of a lawyer obsessed that a curse has been cast over himself and his family.
There are plenty of one night shows to look forward to, with Jane McDonald visiting on Thursday September 8 and the Chinese State Circus dropping in with a show suitable for all the gamily the next night on Friday September 9.
Fans of the Bay City Rollers will be delighted to hear that lead singer Les McKeown will be in town with his band on Sunday October 2 to roll back the years and perform the Rollers’ top hits including Shang-a-Lang, Summerlove Sensation and Give A Little Love.
More nostalgia arrives in the shape of Jimmy Osmond, a member of the Seventies pop family The Osmonds, with his Andy Williams tribute show, Moon River and Me on Friday October 14.
And UB40 fans are in for a treat when the band takes to the stage on Monday October 24, followed by The Hollies on Saturday November 12
Tribute acts to look forward to include homages to Elvis, Abba and Whitney Houston in October and The Carpenters and Queen in November.
And comedy includes visits from Al Murray, Jim Davidson and Sean Lock.
For full details of all shows, dates, times and ticket prices, and to purchase tickets go to www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury
Box office on 0844 871 7607.

Top stage shows give golden glow to autumn programme at Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury


Hit musicals, great plays, comedy, opera and music concerts are all on the autumn programme at The Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury.


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Police are re-appealing for help to trace Michael Mason, who is wanted for failing to appear at court and in connection with allegations of making threats to kill.


The chance to stay in one of the country’s biggest castles with the promise of Knight School, Horrible Histories and huge looming turrets to explore was like music to my eight-year-old audience’s ears.
“So we get to play all day, then have a knights’ sleepover as well?” Even with mum and dad in tow he knew he was in for something special. And I wasn’t unexcited myself.
At over 1,100 years old Warwick Castle offers its 21st century visitors free reign to explore magnificent stately rooms, dungeons and impressive grounds.
And its owners, Merlin Entertainments have brought history to life with a flaming fireball launch from the trebuchet (the largest in the world ), breath taking displays from enormous birds of prey, blood and guts from the Horrible Histories, spooks and ghouls undergrounds, jousting, archery, knights and endlessly more.
But the best part? Now, you don’t even have to go home. When the castle closes its gates the fun is only just beginning as another exciting adventure awaits – the promise of a sleepover in the shadows of kings.
The castle has been home - and imprisonment - to kings and earls, hosted royal banquets and parties and even has links to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. So the latest addition of year-round camping lodges at Knight’s Village really does mean a sleepover steeped in history.
No time to make it round the maze or see the joust? We can come back tomorrow morning after breakfast. The words are like magic to my little knight-in-training. And even mum and dad are tingling to wake up in such magnificent grounds after enjoying an evening by the river and some of the best views you could ever wish for.
An afternoon arrival showed us that a day at the castle just isn’t enough. But once evening arrived there really was a whole new adventure waiting.
Families can banquet in the great food hall where majestic thrones, flags and plates of armour take you right back hundreds of years. But what really grabbed our attention was the entertainment and chance for children to go wild.
The castle’s brilliant staff pulled everything out of the bag for the youngsters. Circus skills, archery, more knight and sword training – it was a summer Kids Club, but one where the grown-ups are elbowing to get involved as well. Though the less interested still get to enjoy a superb evening relaxing on the porch, watching the fun and basking in the last of the sunshine.
But of course, the centrepiece of Knight’s Village - the lodges. They’re great. With everything from mod-cons (plugs, and WiFi) to replica weaponry and armour, there’s something to keep all ages happy.
Unless you go for the premium, they’re on the cosy side. But with hundreds of years of history on your doorstep, there’s certainly no reason to want to cram inside and watch television.
And of course if it’s sunny and you have a taste for something a bit more medieval, you can get yourself booked up for Glamping and take on a huge cloth tent, complete with four-poster beds and a pair of thrones to watch over the evening entertainment as the sun sets.
It was as peaceful and entertaining a night as you could hope for, with happy children and happy mum and dad all looking forward to a return to the banquet for a hearty breakfast and another go at flag spotting.
The best bit about sleeping among the trees where inspiring history once unfolded? Waking up to stunning views in complete tranquillity. Looking out over the new camping village (which prides itself on not harming the historic grounds in any way and that not one tree was felled in its construction), you really can imagine yourself hundreds of years back in time.
And being able to head back through the gates to do it all again for a second day of exploring.
Warwick Castle’s Knight’s Village is as magical as you could expect from a stay in a truly historic location, and with activities continuing well into the night, acres of grounds to explore, and a historic town just metres outside, there’s no reason not to be excited.
Earning an excited thumbs up from mesmerised children, the stay really delivered as the perfect place to enjoy history on your doorstep this summer.
Warwick Castle’s Knight’s Village offers seasonal stays in Glamping tents or year-round accommodation in its wooden lodges. Prices start from £41.30 per person.
Visit www.Warwick-castle.com to book or more information.

TRAVEL REVIEW: Exclusive sleepover at one of the country’s biggest historical castles


The chance to stay in one of the country’s biggest castles with the promise of Knight School, Horrible Histories and huge looming turrets to explore was like music to my eight-year-old audience’s ears.


Matt Adcock reviews Pete’s Dragon, starring Robert Redford
Prepare to believe in dragons once more as the powers that be re-image Disney’s original boy-and-dragon story Pete’s Dragon.
Step this way or an adventure which sees unfortunate orphan Pete (Oakes Fegley) surviving in the wild thanks to his unusual best friend Elliot (a kind hearted furry green beastie).
Pete and Elliot’s worlds are shaken up when Pete runs into Forest Ranger Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) who has somehow managed not to notice the wild boy and his giant green pal living on her patch of forest for several years. He’s whisked off to civilization and introduced to Natalie (Oona Laurence), an 11-year-old girl whose father Jack (Wes Bentley) owns the local lumber mill.
Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs, and the truth about his dragon – while the townsfolk decide to catch Elliot to make money out of him. Can the two mismatched kids and kindly dragon believing old timer Mr Meacham (Robert Redford) - who tells the local children tales of a dragon residing deep in the woods-– find a way to triumph?
Well, without wanting to spoil it, this is a Disney children’s fantasy but it does at least throw in some mild scares, a spot of tension and an impressive fire-breathing finale. This new take on Pete’s Dragon updates the 1977 live-action animation mixture removes lots of the cheese and adds some nice thought -provoking themes. Director David Lowery does a decent job in making the whole tale bounce along with a bittersweet grounding that should appeal to both kids and those who can still find their inner sense of childlike wonder.
Everyone goes about the fantasy fun and occasional peril with good spirit, Redford is the best I’ve seen him in years and the two young leads are very watchable. Howard has strong recent form with giant lizards after Jurassic World, plus there’s Karl ‘Star Trek’ Urban and Wes ‘American Beauty’ Bentley to round out a great cast.
Pete’s Dragon is a family pleaser which stands above the cash in summer kids efforts and is certainly worth a look.

Pete’s Dragon review: Family fun in tale of a fiery friendship


Matt Adcock reviews Pete’s Dragon, starring Robert Redford


Young people across Herts are being offered a meningitis vaccination so that they are protected against the disease.


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House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air - leaving it cleaner to breathe, according to new research.
The study shows certain species act like natural air fresheners - removing harmful chemicals from the air we breathe.
House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air - leaving it cleaner to breathe, according to new research
Research has shown the air in offices and family homes often contains pollutants leading to ‘sick building syndrome’ where people suffer a range of symptoms including headaches, fatigue, difficulties in concentrating and respiratory problems.
It has been estimated to blight the lives of up to three in 10 office workers. A study earlier this year estimates that annually nearly 100,000 people die from the effects of indoor air pollution.
Now new research has found the Scarlet Star (Guzmania lingulata), from South America and a member of the bromeliad family of plants, got rid of more than 80 percent of illness causing compounds.
That performed the best out of five plants tested, although the Dracaena Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans massangeana) soaked up virtually all of a particularly pungent chemical common in nail salons.
House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air - leaving it cleaner to breathe, according to new research
Native throughout tropical Africa, it is grown in many homes and offices within the UK, US and Europe.
Scientists say their findings show picking the right houseplant can clear the air of dangerous pollutants in homes and offices.
Printers and cleaning products give off potentially harmful chemicals known as VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
Dr Vadoud Niri, of the State University of New York, said: “Buildings, whether new or old, can have high levels of VOCs in them, sometimes so high you can smell them.”
House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air - leaving it cleaner to breathe, according to new research
VOCs are compounds like acetone, benzene and formaldehyde that are emitted as gases and can cause short and long term health effects when inhaled. They can come from paints, furniture, copiers and printers, cleaning supplies and even dry cleaned clothes.
Explained Dr Niri: “Inhaling large amounts of VOCs can lead some people to develop sick building syndrome, which reduces productivity and can even cause dizziness, asthma or allergies. We must do something about VOCs in indoor air.”
The most common solution is to install ventilation systems that cycle in air from outside or methods using adsorption, condensation and chemical reactions.
But using plants to remove chemicals from indoor air, known as biofiltration or phytoremediation, is much simpler - and cheaper.
House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air - leaving it cleaner to breathe, according to new research
In addition to carbon dioxide plants can take up gases such as benzene, toluene and other VOCs.
NASA began studying this option in 1984 and found that plants could absorb these airborne compounds via their leaves and roots.
Since then, other studies have looked at how plants phytoremediate specific compounds, such as the cancer causing chemical formaldehyde, in a closed space.
Most of these studies focused on the removal of single VOCs by individual plants from the ambient air.
But Dr Niri wanted to compare the efficiency and the rate of simultaneous removal of several VOCs by various plants.
So his researchers built a sealed chamber containing specific concentrations of several VOCs and monitored the VOC concentrations over several hours with and without a different type of plant in the chamber.
For each plant type, they noted which VOCs the plants took up, how quickly they removed them from the air, and how much was ultimately removed by the end of the experiment.
The researchers tested five common house plants and eight common VOCs, and they found that certain plants were better at absorbing specific compounds.
For example, all five could remove acetone, the pungent chemical abundant at nail salons, but the dracaena plant took up the most, around 94 percent of the chemical.
Dr Niri said: “Based on our results, we can recommend what plants are good for certain types of VOCs and for specific locations.
“To illustrate, the bromeliad plant was very good at removing six out of eight studied VOCs - it was able to take up more than 80 percent of each of those compounds - over the twelve hour sampling period. So it could be a good plant to have sitting around in the household or workplace.”
Dr Niri says the next step in the research is to test these plants’ abilities in a real room, not just a sealed chamber.
He would eventually like to put plants in a nail salon over the course of several months to see whether they can reduce the levels of acetone that workers are exposed to.
The other three plants studied were Jade plant (Crassula argentea), the Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) and the Caribbean Tree Cactus (Consolea falcata.)

VIDEO: House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air


House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air - leaving it cleaner to breathe, according to new research.


A recruitment firm has been named the best company in the UK for work-life balance.
Financial recruiter Goodman Masson took first place in the list by jobs site Glassdoor, based on reviews submitted to its website by current and former staff.
The company, which is based in London and also has offices in Dusseldorf, was praised by staff for its “huge investment” in staff benefits and “great” parties twice a year.
“The attention paid to the wellbeing of staff is at a level rarely matched elsewhere,” said an anonymous employee working in the London office.
In second place was technology firm Cisco Systems, and in third place was insurer HomeServe.
West Midlands-based HomeServe, which employs 1,200 people at its headquarters in Walsall and has 2.1 million customers in the UK, was commended for its attitude towards the treatment of its staff.
“The salary is very competitive and you are rewarded very generously for your hard work and just for carrying out your role. The company has a great framework for career progression and is always looking to promote people internally for job roles,” said a water supply engineer working at the firm.
Greg Reed, chief marketing officer at HomeServe, said: “We believe if you take care of your people, they will take care of your customers. This means creating a culture where people genuinely enjoy coming to work every day because they feel what they do really makes a difference in our customers’ lives.”
Temping firm LOLA and Screwfix completed the top five. Other companies in the top 20 included Apple, American Express Lloyds Banking Group, Unilever and John Lewis.
Google is known for its plush offices, but doesn’t make the top 20 companies for work-life balance. Its new London office has sleep pods so workers can take a nap, although perhaps this is an indication of long hours.
For a company to have been considered, at least 50 work-life balance ratings must have been submitted by UK-based employees in the past year.
The top 20 companies for work-life balance:
1. Goodman Masson
2. Cisco Systems
3. HomeServe UK
4. LOLA Staffing
5. Screwfix
6. American Express
7. BP
8. Peninsula Business Services
9. ARM Holdings
10. Unilever
11.Thomson Reuters
12. Kantar Worldpanel
13. Atkins
14. Téléfonica
15. Credit Suisse
16. Rolls-Royce
17. John Lewis
18. Waitrose
19. Lloyds Banking Group
20. Apple

Revealed: The top UK companies for work-life balance


A recruitment firm has been named the best company in the UK for work-life balance.


Nodding off in the middle of the day may be down to pollution generated by traffic, suggests new research.
The study shows exposure to traffic pollution is a trigger for daytime sleepiness - and may also trigger SNORING.
More than 12,000 adults were included in the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) study.
The findings show that people exposed to high levels of pollution had a 65 per cent greater chance of suffering from daytime sleepiness, compared to those who had no exposure.
Traffic noise in the bedroom was also a trigger - with people 46 per cent more likely to feel sleepy in the day if exposed.
And the research also suggests that people are also 29 per cent more likely to be a habitual snorer if they are exposed to traffic noise while they sleep.
Daytime sleepiness affected one in five people involved in the study, while one in four reported habitual snoring.
Ane Johannessen, an epidemiologist at Bergen University in Norway, wrote the study together with Professor Thorarinn Gislason and other Northern European researchers.
She said: “Exposure to traffic should be taken into account when planning treatment for patients with sleep disturbances, because reducing noise and pollution exposure in the bedroom may have a beneficial effect.
“Reducing exposure through relocating the bedroom away from pollution sources or making the bedroom more soundproof to protect against traffic noise, as well as mapping alternative and less polluted outdoor everyday routes may help patients with their sleep disorders.”
The study also showed that men, older subjects, smokers and those with lower education were more likely to report habitual snoring.
They were usually less physically active, with a higher BMI, and more likely to have a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
Women, older people, smokers, and those with lower education were more likely to report daytime sleepiness.
The new research is due to be presented at the European Respiratory Society’s International Congress in London next month.
Professor Jorgen Vestbo, President of ERS and Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Manchester, said: “The question of who snores may be a running joke in some households but for many snoring is a serious issue, with direct links to physical and mental well being and the same is true for daytime sleepiness.
“We want people to think more about the environment around them and the impact it can have - from the way they sleep to the air they breathe.”
To coincide with Congress, the ERS will be holding some free public lung function testing, starting in Trafalgar Square on September 2 and 3.

Sleepiness linked to traffic noise and pollution


Nodding off in the middle of the day may be down to pollution generated by traffic, suggests new research.


UK motorists have been hit by a near-20 per cent rise in insurance costs in the last year, new figures show.
The average driver now pays £715 a year for fully comprehensive cover, up 19 per cent on the same time last year.
The figures were revealed by the Confused.com car insurance price index, which tracks quarterly and annual trends.
After dropping for several years from a high of £843 in 2011, insurance costs have been rising since the start of 2015. The latest figures, for the period from April to June 2016 show that costs have risen by 6 per cent since the start of the year and drivers are paying an average of £115 more for their insurance than they were in the same period last year.
Northern Irish drivers have been worst hit by the latest rises, seeing their premiums climb 25 per cent year-on-year. They now face an average premium of £863.
Also feeling the impact badly are motorists in parts of Scotland - the Highlands and Islands saw rises of 24 per cent and drivers in the Hebrides were hit with a staggering 42 per cent annual increase.
Conversely, Orkney’s capital - Kirkwall - was one of only two places to see a drop in costs, with a quarterly fall of four per cent. Hereford, in the West Midlands, was the only other place to see a fall in quarterly premiums - down two per cent on the first three months of the year.
While younger drivers might face the highest premiums overall, they have actually escaped the worst of the rises. Drivers aged 17 saw an annual rise of just eight per cent - the lowest of any age bracket - but still face average premiums of £2,013. A the opposite end, 61-year-old drivers saw a 24 per cent rise - the highest of any age group - but still only pay £418 a year.
And the gender gap persists, with male drivers facing annual rises of 21 per cent in comparison with the 18 per cent faced by women. This continued difference means the gap between the sexes is growing as men pay an average of £92 a year more - up from £27 in 2013.
Confused’s motoring editor, Amanda Stretton, said: “We’ve not seen price rises of this magnitude for five years - a 19 per cent annual increase is substantial to say the least. And these price rises are being felt across the board, for drivers of all ages and genders, across all UK regions.
“If prices continues to rise at the rate we’ve been seeing, we could be facing the possibility of average comprehensive premiums reaching a high not seen since 2011. This, combined with rising fuel prices and increased motoring costs across the board, could result in a sizeable dent in drivers’ pockets.”

Car insurance costs soar nearly 20 per cent in 12 months


UK motorists have been hit by a near-20 per cent rise in insurance costs in the last year, new figures show.


The Cola-Cola glass bottle has been voted as the most iconic packaging on the UK’s shelves.
A study of 1,500 Brits exploring the influence of packaging and branding on shopping habits found that one in six people thought the Coca-Cola bottle was the most identifiable in terms of packaging.
Indeed, it was deemed to be just as recognisable without its logo or the product itself.
The research, commissioned by Easyfairs, organisers of Packing Innovations and Luxury Packaging London, found the Toblerone triangular chocolate bar finished as a close runner up, with Marmite’s glass jar rated as third-best-loved product packaging.
Beauty brands, such as the Tiffany Box and the Chanel No.5 Bottle just missed out on the top ten.
Coke’s success has been attributed to its targeting younger audience, with one in five Millennials selecting the bottle as the most recognisable pack product.Pringles’ iconic cylinder tube, fourth on the overall list, was the Millennial’s second favourite.
The study also revealed barcodes as the greatest packaging invention, ahead of more traditional items such as the cardboard box (21 per cent) - although the younger generation, 18-34 years, voted for 3D printing and re-sealable zips as its top two.
Gerry Sherwood, Event Director for the Easyfairs’ Packaging Portfolio, who commissioned the survey, said: “Millennials have officially passed Baby Boomers as the largest generation in history, and are more personally connected to their favourite brands than ever before. It is therefore not surprising to see 3D printing come out top in our poll for this age group.”
Top Ten Most Recognisable Brand’s Packaging
1. Coca-Cola Bottle
2. Toblerone Triangle
3. Marmite Jar
4. Pringles Tube
5. KFC Bucket
6. Heinz Ketchup Bottle
7. Fairy Liquid Bottle
8. Apple’s iPhone Box
9. Walkers Crisp Packet
10. Amazon Box

Coca-Cola bottle ‘most iconic packaging’


The Cola-Cola glass bottle has been voted as the most iconic packaging on the UK’s shelves.


The King of the Fighters is back in full 3D glory and with the biggest roster of combatants ever.
The classic SNK title is out August 26th and is the first main-series game rendered entirely in 3D using 2D backgrounds - like Street Fighter.
KoF XIV should have a good pedigree considering it is being directed by Yasuyuki Oda who has previously worked on Capcom’s Street Fighter IV as well as other titles by SNK.
Developers have introduced the “Rush” system in order to revitalise the series and attract newcomers.
The Hyper Drive system from the last game is no longer present and has been replaced with a new version of “Max Mode” from earlier games in the series.
In Max mode, the player can perform unlimited EX special moves for a short period of time, and the timer changes depending on what position their character is in.
The roster of fighters is the standout stat ahead of launch, though, with 50 ... yes FIFTY ... characters to choose from.
Each will have three types of Supers: the returning “Super Special Moves” and “Neomax Super Special Moves” (the latter of which are only usable in Max mode), and a new type called “Climax Super Special Moves”.
Climax Super Special Moves are the strongest types in the game and will require a total of three power gauges (two with Max mode on). The game also features the “Just Defend” mechanic from Garou: Mark of the Wolves. The HD thrust system now makes the opponent hit the wall and crumple for follow up attacks.
For beginners, there will be the automatic and simple “Rush Combo” while the online lobby has three modes: team VS, single VS, and party VS with up to 12 people able to enter and also spectate.
The roster of fighters is the standout stat ahead of launch, though, with 50 ... yes FIFTY ... characters to choose from. Damien Lucas, gaming columnist
Whether Kof XIV can compete with the likes of the next gen Street Fighter or if it holds enough appeal to UK gamers remains to be seen.
But gameplay footage suggests it is slick, action-packed and should have lots of longevity particularly for those who like to master all fighters.

Console Corner: The King of Fighters lives on


The King of the Fighters is back in full 3D glory and with the biggest roster of combatants ever.


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Shoppers at the Marlowes Shopping Centre are being invited to have their favourite image of Hemel transformed into stunning graffiti art.


It could cost airline passengers £25 for making a complaint, following the introduction of new aviation rules.
Passengers traveling with British Airways, easyJet and Thomas Cook will be charged £25 if any claim they make is unsuccessful, as the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will no longer mediate between customers and airlines.
Previously, the CAA would act as the ‘middleman’ in negotiations between customer and airlines in disputes regarding flight delays and cancellations or missing or damaged luggage.
British Airways, along with easyJet and Thomas Cook, have signed up to the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), which charges customers a £25 fee for unsuccessful claims for compensation.
However, passengers with other airlines, including Flybe and Ryanair will be able to pursue complaints without fear of financial loss as these airlines have signed up with the Retail Ombudsman which does not charge customers to use the service.
Also, Eurowings and Lufthansa will use German company Söp, which similarly does not charge a fee.

BA and easyJet passengers could pay £25 charge for flight delay complaints


It could cost airline passengers £25 for making a complaint, following the introduction of new aviation rules.


A TV company is on the hunt for separated families and parents across the UK, to take part in a new Channel 5 series.
The show, with the working title of The Modern Family, wants to talk to people who would like help resolving any issues they feel are getting in the way of co-parenting, or getting on with an ex-partner for the sake of their children.
Separation affects around a quarter of children in the UK, with the common belief being that being brought up by both parents after separation, where safe and possible, is in the best interests of a child.
“Breaking up with a spouse or partner is one of life’s biggest upheavals,” said a spokesperson for producers Pulse Films. “The difficult part is getting to the stage where separated parents are still able to do things for the sake of the child, like arrange a joint birthday party, or attend a parents’ evening together.”
So the team at Pulse want to film with separated mums and dads who may have moved on to other relationships, and are keen to sort out the issues with their ex for the sake of the children.
Francine Kaye, relationship expert, family mediator and author of Divorce Doctor said: “Kids don’t divorce, parents do. Paradoxically couples need to understand each other more during and after separation, than they did when they were together - in order to parent effectively.”
Working under the guidance of a trained therapist, anyone who has children with an ex and has difficulty with the complicated relationships this has created, can get more information by texting ‘FAMILY’ or call: 07983 640463 / 07555 242 993, by emailing: modernfamily@pulsefilms.co.uk, or by calling Janette Hodds or Lyttanya Shannon on 0207 426 5700.


A TV company is on the hunt for separated families and parents across the UK, to take part in a new Channel 5 series.


Ambulance staff and volunteers have been thanked for their hard work during another busy bank holiday weekend.
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) received more than 9,100 emergency calls during the long weekend (27th – 29th August) – 9% more than the 2015 August bank holiday weekend.
The busiest day of the weekend was Saturday with 3,299 calls across the East. The Trust received 2,776 calls on bank holiday Monday.
Community first responders attended almost 300 medical emergencies over the weekend.
Sandy Brown, Director of Nursing and Clinical Quality, said: “Whilst most people were enjoying a long weekend in the sun, our staff and volunteers were working hard to help patients across the East of England.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their efforts over the weekend.
“We continue to experience an increase in demand, but we coped well to provide the best possible care to patients over the bank holiday.”
County breakdown of number of calls over the bank holiday weekend compared with 2015:
Bedfordshire – 873 (849)
Cambridgeshire – 1,123 (1,095)
Essex – 2,992 (2,626)
Hertfordshire – 1,463 (1,491)
Norfolk – 1,444 (1,301)
Suffolk – 1,276 (1,019)

More than 9,100 calls to ambulance service over Bank Holiday weekend


Ambulance staff and volunteers have been thanked for their hard work during another busy bank holiday weekend.


For anyone who has found the whole process of internet shopping too much like hard work Amazon has come up with a solution.
The online retailer today revealed that it is introducing its Amazon Dash Buttons to the UK.
The dinky little gadgets are a one-touch way to order a host of popular products without all that complicated rigmarole of actually logging onto your Amazon account and searching for them.
The Dash Buttons are literally that, small plastic boxes housing a button, which when pressed will connect via wi-fi to your Amazon account and using one-click buying order your selected products.
Each button is linked to a particular item and there are 40 brands available from launch so you can get everything from cat food to condoms and nappies to NERF ammunition delivered to your door.
Daniel Rausch, director of Amazon Dash, explained the thinking behind the devices: “We’ve all experienced the frustration of running out of something we need - Dash Button and Dash Replenishment Service are designed to make that moment a thing of the past.
“Dash Buttons offer the convenience of one-click shopping from anywhere in the home - they can be placed near those frequently used items you don’t want to run out of, and when you see supplies running low, the Dash Button makes it easier than ever to order more. Just press the button and your item is on its way.”
The £4.99 devices are only available to Amazon Prime customers, which means you’ll have to sign up to the £79-a-year service to enjoy the Dash Button’s convenience. The good news is that you’ll get £4.99 back off your first order of each product.
Alongside the buttons, Amazon also announced the UK rollout of its Dash Replenishment Service.
Like the button this links to your Amazon account but rather than having to do the ordering yourself it allows connected smart devices to order supplies themselves.
This means the likes of washing machines, dishwashers and printers from big-name brands including Bosch, Samsung, Whirlpool and Siemens can monitor your consumables usage and order more before you run out.
If they could just design a button that remotely loads the dishwasher too, they could be onto a winner.

Amazon Dash lets you order your loo roll at the touch of a button


For anyone who has found the whole process of internet shopping too much like hard work Amazon has come up with a solution.


The choice of leaf-based beverages on offer has mushroomed in recent years, from builder’s tea or nothing, to every flavour from peppermint to rhubarb & ginger.
Now, a third generation of teas is brewing. This will concentrate less on exotic new flavours and more on health benefits as producers look to capitalise on a market that remains huge – with 165 million cups of tea consumed in Britain every day – but faces growing competition from coffee.
Tetley has looked into the tea leaves and predicts we are in for a range of “remedy” teas – enriched with medicines, from painkillers to antibiotics – some of which may even be offered as cures for hangovers and remedies for tiredness, the report suggested.
We can also expect tea to be consumed through an array of alternative “delivery mechanisms” such as tablets, jellies, sprays and sorbets, according to a new report Tetley has done with so-called futurologist consultancy Future Foundation.
“Britain’s love affair with tea is enduring. The way we consume tea has gradually evolved since the 17th century, but now we are entering a period of rapid change,” said Laurent Sagarra, head of product innovation at Tetley.
“The way we consume tea has gradually evolved since the 17th Century, but we are now entering a period of rapid change,” she said.
“We’re constantly innovating, grading, blending and tasting and now’s the time to see what’s next for the iconic British cuppa,” she added.
The proliferation of teas will give High street coffee shops a run for their month, the report suggests, with “tea-total” outlets offering a range of exotic tastes and flavours.
Nick Chiarelli, director of the Future Foundation, said: “Our report predicts that exciting and satisfying new tea formats will develop, and that tea will evolve to deliver personalised health benefits.”

New generation of teas could cure hangovers, report suggests


The choice of leaf-based beverages on offer has mushroomed in recent years, from builder’s tea or nothing, to every flavour from peppermint to rhubarb & ginger.


The most popular pet name in the UK is Charlie, according to new research into the names we choose for our animals by Pets at Home.
Pets at Home surveyed more than 800,000 pet owners through its My VIP club and has found the top 50 most popular names for each pet type. Whether the pet is a bird, cat, dog, fish, horse, reptile or small animal, Charlie was the clear winner with almost 34,000 of British pet owners choosing this name for their animal friend, topping the list of most common names for birds, cats and horses.
Poppy also proved to be a popular choice for many pets, particularly canines and felines, ranking at number one for dogs and number two for cats. Other common selections include Alfie, Bella, Billy and Molly.
George also ranked highly across all species with almost 10,000 of those taking part choosing this name within the top 50, again regardless of pet type, suggesting the young Prince’s influence may not end with toddler fashion and toys.
The world of entertainment, particularly children’s cartoons, appear to have had an effect on the names owners select. Bird based film Rio saw the film’s title rank in 10th place for birds, while classic cartoon character name Tweety came in at number 32.
Bestselling book A Cat Called Alfie may have inspired cat owners, with Alfie being the eighth most popular name for cats. Winnie the Pooh fans are meanwhile drawn to Tigger, which ranked at 11 in cat names. Demonstrating that classic films can still influence our decisions, Thumper, who appeared in the 1942 film Bambi, is still the seventh most chosen name for rabbits. Nemo, is the second most popular name for the nation’s fish following Goldie in first.
Gavin Hawthorn, Group CRM Director, said: “It’s interesting to see that just as popular culture and famous faces influence what we name our children, likewise, these trends can help the nation’s pet owners select a name for their animals. It seems likely that children being allowed to name their first animal friend forms a big part of the naming process, particularly among the film and TV inspired monikers.
“However, it also seems that books and even the Royal family are also helping Brits to decide on what to call their pet. Meanwhile Charlie and Poppy scored highly across species, suggesting that cute, traditional names will always appeal when it comes to naming our pets.”
Top 10 names for British pets by species
Top 10 names for dogs
1. Poppy
2. Alfie
3. Bella
4. Charlie
5. Molly
6. Max
7. Daisy
8. Bailey
9. Ruby
10. Lola
Top 10 names for cats
1. Charlie
2. Poppy
3. Molly
4. Bella
5. Oscar
6. Daisy
7. Tilly
8. Alfie
9. Millie
10. Smudge
Top 10 names for small animals
1. Daisy
2. Fudge
3. Nibbles
4. Poppy
5. Rosie
6. Charlie
7. Thumper
8. Fluffy
9. George
10. Harry
Top 10 names for reptiles
1. Spike
2. George
3. Rex
4. Charlie
5. Sid
6. Monty
7. Bob
8. Leo
9. Rango
10. Sheldon
Top 10 names for fish
1. Goldie
2. Nemo
3. Bob
4. Bubbles
5. Fishy
6. George
7. Fred
8. Jaws
9. Dave
10. Tom
Top 10 names for horses
1. Charlie
2. Jack
3. Rosie
4. Molly
5. Harry
6. Alfie
7. Billy
8. Poppy
9. Murphy
10. Lady
Top 10 names for birds
1. Charlie
2. Joey
3. Billy
4. Bobby
5. George
6. Blue
7. Alfie
8. Rosie
9. Sky
10. Rio


The most popular pet name in the UK is Charlie, according to new research into the names we choose for our animals by Pets at Home.


The guarantee by the Treasury that farming will continue to be financially supported by the British government up to 2020 in the wake of Brexit has given much needed clarity to farmers, and this is welcomed by the National Farmers Union (NFU).The news should mean that farmers can count on receiving financial aid for, amongst other things, agri-environmental schemes already in place, to take them through to their conclusion.
NFU president Meurig Raymond said he was extremely pleased to hear the news following his discussions with Secretary of State Andrea Leadsom, her department and the Treasury over recent weeks. He said this was good news for farmers and certainty in the short term now allows time for the industry and DEFRA to formulate a domestic agricultural policy that is fit for purpose.
Mr Raymond said: “ We’ve been emphasising to the government at all levels that the success of the UK’s largest manufacturing sector - food and drink - worth £108 billion to the UK economy, is underpinned by the farming sector. With the agricultural budget now retained and agri-environment agreements honoured, I am delighted that the Prime Minister and DEFRA have understood the importance of farming and food production.”

FARMING MATTERS: Guaranteed support for farmers following Brexit


The guarantee by the Treasury that farming will continue to be financially supported by the British government up to 2020 in the wake of Brexit has given much needed clarity to farmers, and this is welcomed by the National Farmers Union (NFU).The news should mean that farmers can count on receiving financial aid for, amongst other things, agri-environmental schemes already in place, to take them through to their conclusion.


In this job I am frequently sent over exuberant press releases extolling the virtues and talents of various musicians.
So when yet another landed in my inbox telling me about an award winning Elvis impersonator called Ben Portsmouth I didn’t rush to read it, writes Heather Jan Brunt.
That is, until my eye caught the image attached to the press release (see right). The guy resembled Presley to such a degree I was convinced the press officer had actually attached an image of the real Elvis by mistake.
Then I noted a link to a live performance given by Ben at the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Memphis in 2012. Surely a guy who looked this much like the king of rock and roll couldn’t also actually sound like him and pull off a realistic live performance?
Wrong. The link was so impressive, I’m off to see Ben at the Watford Colosseum when he performs there at 8pm on Friday (September 2). If you’re lucky there might be a few tickets left, so get onto the box office right now, 01923 571102 if you are an Elvis fan.
There was only one Elvis, but tribute artists are now the only way to experience a live stage concert, and Ben is seriously close in terms of his looks, voice and on stage charisma. His father was an avid Elvis fan and Ben grew up on a diet of Presley songs. His triple octave vocal range and perfect pitch allows him to hit the most challenging high notes, and his guitar virtuosity enables him to authentically recreate Elvis’s 1968 comeback concert. In 2006 he was voted best Elvis at a prestigious international festival in Wales wear he was the youngest competitor, didn’t need a wig and was wearing the most authentic outfits flown in from America. If you miss out on his date at Watford, take a trip to High Wycombe to see him at The Swan on Saturday September 24. Box office 01494 512000.

Award winning Elvis tribute artist at Watford Colosseum and Wycombe Swan


In this job I am frequently sent over exuberant press releases extolling the virtues and talents of various musicians.


Being stuck in a dead end job by your early 40s is bad for your health.
Having an unrewarding job as you start out on the career ladder makes you more depressed, worried and had more trouble sleeping.
And if you stay stuck in positions with low levels of job satisfaction it affects you not just you mentally but physically too, including catching more colds, having a bad back and poor heart health.
But if you are happy in your job or finally get your dream job as your career progresses your overall health gets a boost.
The study by Ohio State University sociologists found job satisfaction in your late 20s and 30s has a link to overall health in your early 40s.
While it impacts on physical health, its effect was particularly strong for mental health.
Lead author and doctoral student Jonathan Dirlam said: “We found that there is a cumulative effect of job satisfaction on health that appears as early as your 40s.”
The study highlighted the importance that early jobs have on people’s lives.
Associate professor of sociology Dr Hui Zheng said: “You don’t have to be near the end of your career to see the health impact of job satisfaction, particularly on your mental health.
“The higher levels of mental health problems for those with low job satisfaction may be a precursor to future physical problems.
“Increased anxiety and depression could lead to cardiovascular or other health problems that won’t show up until they are older.”
He added the study was carried out before the credit crunch and said: “The recession almost certainly increased job insecurity and dissatisfaction, and that could have resulted in more negative health effects.”
The study used data from 6,432 Americans followed from the ages of 14 to 22 as part of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979.
Researchers examined job satisfaction trajectories for people from age 25 to 39 and their health on turning 40.
Participants rated how much they liked their jobs from 1 - dislike very much - to 4 -like very much.
They were then divided into four groups: consistently low and consistently high job satisfaction, those whose satisfaction started high but was trending down and those who started low but were trending higher.
About 45 per cent of participants had consistently low job satisfaction, while another 23 per cent had levels that were trending downward through their early career.
About 15 per cent of people were consistently happy at their jobs and about 17 per cent were trending upward.
Mental health was most affected by people’s feelings about their jobs with those in the low job satisfaction group throughout their early careers scored worse on all five of the mental health measures studied.
They reported higher levels of depression, sleep problems and excessive worry and were more likely to have been diagnosed with emotional problems and scored lower on a test of overall mental health.
Those whose job satisfaction decreased were more likely than those with consistently high satisfaction to have frequent trouble sleeping and excessive worry, and had lower scores for overall mental health.
But they didn’t see an impact on depression scores or their probability of being diagnosed with emotional problems.
Those whose scores went up through the early career years did not see any comparative health problems.
Those in the low satisfaction group and those who were trending downwards reported poorer overall health and more problems like back pain and frequent colds compared to the high satisfaction group.
But they weren’t different in physical functioning and in doctor-diagnosed health problems such as diabetes and cancer.
As with mental health, no effects were seen on physical health for those trending upward.
The findings was presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Seattle.


Being stuck in a dead end job by your early 40s is bad for your health.


Video game escapism in its purest form.
No Man’s Sky in undeniably a work of art, but have you got time to look around the whole gallery?
No Man’s Sky launched last week after much hype and billed as quite literally the biggest video game ever made.
The self-perpetuating game, which promises to be potentially endless, was four years in the making by a tiny team in game production terms. And you can tell as it will instantly take your breath away.
Make no mistake there has never been anything like this before. As you fly ever deeper into the universe, new planets and solar systems roll silently into view – some will have been seen before, others discovered for the very first time. And you have 18 quintillion of them to choose from...
Each has its own set of flora, fauna and inhabitants. By exploring, players gain information about the planets that they can submit to The Atlas, a universal database that can be shared with other players of the game and for which they are rewarded in currency each time.
Each planet is a work of art you could spend hours studying, analysing and dissecting. These works of art are housed in an endless gallery and for art connoisseurs it will be Manna from heaven.
However, most people’s playing time will be finite.... unless you’re at university and can afford to miss the odd class here and there to squeeze in just one more exploration of a peculiar alien planet.
And that is where one of the game’s key sticking points comes in. As much as No Man’s Sky takes us to Infinity and leaves us wondering what waits beyond, there is also an almost irresistible itch which you can’t scratch because you can never truly “complete” this game in the traditional sense.
But that is very much a personal take on NMS, many people might enjoy jumping on for a couple of hours here and there, discovering lots of different things and logging it to the Atlas, if anything it could be cathartic but many people like a beginning, a middle and an end to their games.
No Mans Sky is undeniably a work of art
The care, thought, time and brilliance that has gone into this utterly original video game is mindblowing and deserves to be experienced by PlayStation gamers.
It is the purest form of video game escapism we have ever seen and should be celebrated as such.
But it will more likely go down as a cult classic than the blockbuster success it’s craft deserves.


Social media can increasingly tell potential burglars information that will make their job much easier.
The culture of posting expensive new purchases, giving out your address and even when you are out of the country and for how long can create an enticing picture for would be burglars. Here are 10 steps you can take to protect yourself and your home during the summer period.
1) Consider taking a vacation from social media while you are on holiday or away for the day. Avoid announcements that you are going to be in another country for the next few weeks and do not check-in on social media at the airport.
2) Share vacation photos after the holiday. The photo could make clear that you are not at home even if you haven’t said where you are.
3) Consider sharing information with friends and not the entire public. At least in the weeks leading to a trip and during it.
4) Do not make details such as address, place of work or previous school public.
5) Put lights on timers during the evenings to give the impression there is someone there. Additionally outside sensors in the garden may deter potential intruders or burglars. In the absence of light, a timer on a TV or Radio could be an effective alternative.
6) Have a relative or a friend collect your mail so there is no build up of evidence to suggest you aren’t home. Don’t leave notes for delivery people suggesting you aren’t in.
7) Consider securing a visible security alarm. When asked burglars suggest the presence of a security system is the biggest deterrent to a potential burglar.
8) Keep any doors or windows, particularly on the ground floor, shut when you are not there. Remember insurance companies will often not pay out if a burglary occurs as a result of an insecure door or window.
9) Don’t forget to secure your garage or shed and if you have any power tools or gardening tools register them for free at http://www.immobilise.com/.
10) If you are going to be away for a period longer than a week it is worth informing the police of the duration of your trip. It may encourage them to actively drive by your home while they are on patrols.
Sources: Hampshire Police and Distinctive Doors

How to avoid making yourself a crime target with your social media posts


Social media can increasingly tell potential burglars information that will make their job much easier.


Pokemon GO players who are found to be cheating will have a permanent ban slapped on them, it has been announced.
The game’s developer, Niantic, has altered the terms and conditions to include the condition that a life ban will ensue for anyone caught using trickery to bag Pokemon.
The new clause prohibits: “Falsifying your location, using emulators, modified or unofficial software and/or accessing Pokemon GO clients or backends in an unauthorized manner including through the use of third party software.”
It has been reported that some users have managed to fool the app into thinking they were at a different location. Some Pokemon are region-specific, although taken to extremes, a player could play the game without leaving their home.
“Our goal is to provide a fair, fun and legitimate game experience for everyone,” Niantic said:
“We will continue to work with all of you to improve the quality of the gameplay, including ongoing optimization and fine tuning of our anti-cheat system.”
Anyone believing that have been unfairly banned can access an appeals system.


Pokemon GO players who are found to be cheating will have a permanent ban slapped on them, it has been announced.


Deus Ex has you spoilt for choice.
Mankind Divided and so am I when it comes to reviewing the latest Deus Ex game after its launch last week.
There is so much to rave about in DEMD and I’m still enjoying it now over a week into the game.
But there are a number of elements which do not quite sit right with me.
Let’s start with the positives, though, and there are plenty of them.
There is layer upon layer in this game all expertly crafted together and beautifully designed.
The gameplay stands up to the high standards set by previous Deus Ex games and goes beyond them in many respects.
This is a game that will suit all types of gamers too.
Looking for a quick blast for an hour, you can jump on and get enough done to enjoy the experience, looking for longer, more involved sessions on your console then the gameplay rewards your patience, curiosity and creativity.
You play augmented human Jensen who is essentially the most deadly Power Ranger on the planet. I mean this guy has everything and would even give Superman a run for his money.
There are so many options to negotiate each scenario
And this is where my first problem lies with DEMD.
Sometimes, dare I say it, there are so many options available to you, so many ways to deal with scenarios and enemies and so much in your arsenal, it actually feels a bit ... easy.
‘Ramp up the difficulty setting!’ I hear you cry.
Well yes there’s that but my point is no matter what level you are playing at, Jensen just has too much at his disposal for his enemies to trouble him.
Sometimes, dare I say it, there are so many options available to you, so many ways to deal with scenarios and enemies and so much in your arsenal, it actually feels a bit ... easy. Damien Lucas, gaming columnist
But don’t get me wrong it’s still great fun entering a room littered with foes and walking out past a pile of them without breaking a sweat.
Another thing that doesn’t quite land for me is the Apartheid type references between the humans (naturals) and the augmented race. It is a poor attempt to give the storyline resonance with real life - for example there are posters dotted around saying things like ‘Augmented Lives Matter’ and it just feels a little frivolous.
I’m being hyper critical, though, and Deus Ex will go down as one of the games of the year of that there is no doubt.
Rating: 8.5/10

Console Corner: Deus Ex Mankind Divided review


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Woburn Safari Park is holding a new fundraising fortnight for charity Tusk with activities that include a rare twilight walk into the Duke of Bedford’s private estate with engendered Asian elephants.
Woburn Safari Park is home to five Asian elephants, a species that is endangered in the wild largely because of human-elephant conflict, habitat loss, deforestation and loss of vital food and water resources.
Endangered Asian elephants will roam the Woburn Estate
The Park has provided us this exclusive video footage of the elephants enjoying a roam around the Duke’s private estate.
Special activities to raise funds for the charity have been organised, with mini VIP trips to see the majestic animals up close and a unique evening event that includes an exclusive guided tour of the park, a twilight walk with a herd of endangered Asian elephants in the woodlands of Woburn’s private estate and a special conservation talk from Charlie Mayhew MBE, the CEO of Tusk.
There will also be daily games and face painting sessions in the Foot Safari, and all profits from the events and activities will be donated to Tusk. HRH the Duke of Cambridge and Lord Robin Russell, the Duke of Bedford’s brother, are also royal patrons of the charity.
Tomorrow (Thursday August 25), the Bedfordshire park will open its gates for a rare evening walk with a herd of Asian elephants in the woodlands of the Duke of Bedford’s private estate. Accompanied by park keepers, guests will enjoy exclusive access to the elephants’ playground, follow the female herd and watch them feed, dust, bathe and play together in a serene woodland environment. There will also be the chance to meet 23-month old elephant calf, Tarli.
Endangered Asian elephants will roam the Woburn Estate
The experience also includes an exclusive after-hours tour of the Road Safari reserves to see the big animals, as well as a conservation talk in the Safari Lodge by Charlie Mayhew MBE, founder and CEO of Tusk. The talk will reveal the charity’s fascinating work behind 50 field conservation projects in 18 African countries. There will then be a delicious barbeque with two complimentary drinks on the terrace, which boasts breath-taking views over the Desert Springs meerkat enclosure and Swan Lake.
And until August 29 special mini VIP Trips will allow visitors to come face-to-face with the animals in the Road Safari or Foot Safari.
For more information visit the website.

VIDEO: Endangered Asian elephants roam Duke’s private estate


Woburn Safari Park is holding a new fundraising fortnight for charity Tusk with activities that include a rare twilight walk into the Duke of Bedford’s private estate with engendered Asian elephants.


Berkhamsted may be teeming with great places to eat but if you are looking for good honest Italian food with a contemporary twist in a great setting then look no further than Carluccio’s.
A popular eating out destination for people from across the Home Counties, Berkhamsted has won a number of awards for its high street offering in the past.
Carluccios is the brainchild of the godfather of Italian gastronomy Antonio Carluccio
To that end it has a reputation to protect.
Carluccio’s - the brainchild of the godfather of Italian gastronomy, Antonio Carluccio, may be yet another chain - and yes the high street does need to maintain its tradition of having some great independents - but it doesn’t feel like one and in many respects has local at its heart.
For a start Berkhamsted’s Carluccio’s is nestled away in the Listed Old Town Hall building on the high street, making it one of the best and most interesting settings to enjoy a nice meal.
Cosy and inviting inside, the staff offer as warm a welcome as the table filled with a host of delicious desserts which greets you as you walk in.
Carluccio's Grandioso platter
The menus cater for all ages and are genuinely exciting. It is the sharing platters that steal the show, though. There are meat and veggie versions, the meat version is particularly delicious and boasts succulent freshly sliced meats like Parma ham, salami from Naples and Milan, herb-roasted ham and mortadella. And if you can manage it, the meat is accompanied by olives, caperberries and home baked focaccia.
But don’t miss out on the arancini, a taste sensation which is essentially Italy in a stuffed rice ball. Coated with breadcrumbs and then deep fried, the arancini are balls of gorgonzola and courgette or nduja and buffalo mozzarella, both served with a tomato sauce.
A range of fantastic classic Italian dishes from a hearty traditional lasagne, lobster spaghetti and homemade ravioli, as well as gluten-free pasta, adorn the menu and the mix is just right without offering too much choice that you find yourself overwhelmed. The menu also includes Italian grill dishes of flattened chicken breast topped with Parma ham and mint-marinated lamb cutlets which is a must.
The dessert offering is typical Italian fare with a zesty lemon tart, chocolate cake, tiramisu and meringue to choose from. There is also a collection of Carluccio’s own branded products on offer and you can take some sweet treats home with you if you like too.
Bistecca Di Fesa
Another aspect which gives the chain a local connection is its picnic service.
There are freshly made meat and vegetarian picnic meal platters available at £45 each, which generously feed two people, as well as a children’s version with a mini pizza, cake and juice for £10 and it all comes in a nifty coolbag. So if you are going out to enjoy the fine summer weather we are experiencing at the moment you can place your order over the phone and collect the picnic basket four hours later.
People might ask did Berkhamsted need another chain? Maybe not, but it definitely needs its Carluccio’s.
Traditional, hearty lasagne
Sweet treat: Carluccio's tiramisu

Eating Out: Carluccio’s puts Italian soul into Berhamsted’s award-winning high street


Berkhamsted may be teeming with great places to eat but if you are looking for good honest Italian food with a contemporary twist in a great setting then look no further than Carluccio’s.


British Transport Police have issued a warning after a gang placed wooden planks across a railway line and watched a train smash into them.
The gang are currently being hunted by police after the incident in Buckinghamshire on August 11, where a group were caught on camera putting large wooden planks across railway tracks.
A member of the public called 999 but before anything could be done, a train crashed into the planks.
The train was badly damaged but not derailed and there were no injuries. However, passengers said they felt the carriage ‘jump in the air’.
Investigating officer PC Jay Townsend used the incident as an opportunity to fire out a nationwide warning.
“This was an incredibly stupid thing to do and it beggars belief that someone would think this was a funny thing to do,” he said.
“Not only is trespassing on the railway extremely dangerous – with trains travelling well in excess of 100mph – but this could have caused the train to derail, and who knows what might have happened.
“We were lucky this time but acts like this can easily have fatal consequences.”
PC Townsend is now hoping to catch the culprits and bring them to justice.
“Although these images are grainy, we are releasing them in the hope that someone comes forward with information,” he added.
“Do you know who might have done this? Have you seen someone bragging about this on social media, or maybe uploading a video of themselves on the tracks?
“If you have any information, please get in touch.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016, quoting 505 of 11/8.

British Transport Police issue warning after train ‘jumps in the air’


British Transport Police have issued a warning after a gang placed wooden planks across a railway line and watched a train smash into them.


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Are you a drill sergeant, a worshipper, a skipper or a teammate? Experts have identified four types of parent when it comes to teaching their children how to DRIVE.


A fresh warning has been issued by Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting body, over iTunes gift card scams.
The iTunes scams first came to light in May this year and, to date, victims have reported almost £520,000 lost to fraudsters.
Apple’s iTunes store sells music, movies and other media via digital download and the vouchers, which can be bought online and are widely available in supermarkets and high street stores across the UK, serve as a popular gift in an era where CDs and DVDs have been surpassed by digital download as the format of choice for many.
Fraudsters have sought to confuse people unfamiliar with Apple’s contactless payment system Apple Pay and trick them into using iTunes gift cards to pay for goods or services over the phone or online.
The criminals don’t need the physical card to redeem the value, and they trick victims into reading out the code over the phone or sending via email. Once they have the code, fraudsters can steal the balance of the card.
Action Fraud has received multiple reports of this approach being used across a variety of scams including loan scams, fake mis-sold PPI scams and schemes urging victims to take action against banking errors.
One victim reported losing £46,000 to scammers via iTunes cards.
A spokesperson for Apple said: “iTunes Gift Cards are solely for the purchase of goods and services on the iTunes Store and App Store. Should you receive a request for payment using iTunes Gift Cards outside of iTunes and the App Store please report it to Action Fraud”.
If you have been a victim of fraud, report it to Action Fraud using their online fraud reporting tool.

Fresh warning over iTunes gift card scam


A fresh warning has been issued by Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting body, over iTunes gift card scams.


Fertility experts are calling for tougher regulations around IVF treatment because the solutions used to grow embryos can influence the birthweight and health of babies.
They want firms a clear list of ingredients for the solutions like those used to regulate food such as peanut butter.
The demand follows the results of a trial that shows that the composition of these laboratory cultures influence the health of the resulting embryos and babies.
The trial found that they affected the numbers of viable embryos created, the rates of successful implantation in the womb, the pregnancy rates and the babies’ birthweights.
The findings were published in the journal Human Reproduction, together with a second paper that reviews what is currently known about embryo culture media.
The second paper concludes: “There is a strong case for demanding full transparency concerning the compositions of and scientific rationale behind the composition of embryo culture media”.
The journal’s editor-in-chief, Professor Hans Evers, called for “urgent action” by industry and regulators in the wake of the findings, saying that, just as with foods such as peanut butter, the exact composition of the culture media should be listed.
He said: “Floating an embryo for only a few days in a culture medium affects the birthweight of IVF children nine months later.
“Small differences in birthweight may reflect more subtle disturbances that only will manifest themselves later in life.
“As of today, not knowing the exact composition of their IVF culture media is no longer an option for clinical embryologists.”
Dr John Dumoulin, the IVF laboratory director at Maastricht University Medical Centre in The Netherlands, and his colleagues recruited 836 couples who were scheduled for IVF or ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) treatment at one of 10 IVF centres.
Dr Dumoulin said: “For the first time, by means of a large randomised controlled trial, we have shown that human embryos that are cultured in vivo are sensitive to their environment and that something is programmed into these embryos during those few days before transfer to the womb that still has an effect nine months later.
“This being the case, we must be aware that David Barker hypothesised that the environment in early life, from foetus to the first two years of life, can have a significant effect on long-term health.
“This means that we should be careful and we should no longer blindly accept new culture media, or other alterations in laboratory or clinical procedures, without first rigorously studying effectiveness and safety.”
In the second paper, a working group of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, led by Professor Arne Sunde, of the University Hospital in Trondheim, Norway, made the same recommendations.
Their research showed that culture media vary widely, their composition is usually unknown by the embryologists, doctors and patients, and figures about the influence of the media on outcomes are conflicting.
Prof Sunde said: “The key issue is that we must know the composition of the culture media we use, since it seems to induce differences in the make-up of the children born.
“We have no information about long-term consequences of this, but we cannot rule out that the composition of the culture media may affect the health of children as they grow up and become adults.”
At present, there is no uniform regulation of embryo culture media. In Europe, the majority of media approved for use carry the CE mark, but other non-CE media can still be used.
Prof Sunde added: “It is not obligatory to declare changes and the information we might get is far from sufficient.
“We want to know in detail what changes have been made and the scientific basis for the changes, including animal and human clinical data backing the change.”


Fertility experts are calling for tougher regulations around IVF treatment because the solutions used to grow embryos can influence the birthweight and health of babies.


Trevor Siemian threw his first touchdown pass of the preseason and tightened his grip on the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback job in a 17-9 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday night.

Siemian solidifies QB job in Denver's 17-9 win over Rams


1:02 Simple steps to 'Pool Safely' and prevent accidents this summer Pause
2:06 Savannah couple gets married underwater
6:21 Muslim in America on the advent of Ramadan: A look at four families
2:08 Internet falls in love with hot dog 'princess'
1:54 Know the signs of heat stress and exhaustion in pets
7:49 How to handle bear encounters
1:47 How to be prepared for a tsunami
2:20 How to treat and prevent acne
1:47 What's your 'eating style', and how does it affect your health?
2:05 Cam Newton helps kids take their dreams to the extreme

Local children’s book store will feature book signing from “Max and Ruby” author


Tickets are now available for story time and book signing with Rosemary Wells at the Storybook Shoppe.


Wayne Rooney's midfield experiment with England is over, with the Manchester United captain set to revert to playing as a deep-lying forward for the national team under new coach Sam Allardyce.

Rooney back as forward for England after midfield experiment


Sometimes we need a story, a singular example that proves greed is not the governing canon of the world, that executives are sometimes willing to surrender profits for the greater good, and that a charitable act can also translate into a smart public relations move.

Ana Veciana-Suarez: Paying kindness forward


0:46 Beaufort rolls at Battery Creek Pause
2:05 Jobs of NASCAR: Meet a NASCAR hauler driver and tour the 'storage space on wheels'
1:11 Can you put into words what it means to be a Gamecocks fan?
1:19 Passion for kicking drives this girl to varsity football
0:41 Football highlights: Hilton Head Christian vs. John Paul II
3:26 Surveillance footage from the night US swimmers allege they were robbed in Rio
2:52 Simone Biles is the world's best gymnast
0:20 Hilton Head High Football Preview: Bryce Singleton
1:02 Ridgeland-Hardeeville Football Preview: Zion Wilson
0:39 Thomas Heyward Football Preview: Justin Davis

Manaea injured again in A's 6-0 loss to Astros


Sean Manaea left in the fourth inning with another injury, and things went downhill after that for the Oakland Athletics.


Turkey's state-run news agency says Kurdish militants have launched a rocket-propelled grenade at a civilian airport in the southeast of the country, causing minor damage and no injuries.

Kurdish militants fire rocket at civilian airport in Turkey


It's late August and the dog needs a bath. Actually, he needs three baths. After his third bath, he needs to be rolled in powdered sugar. He'd still stink, but at least he'd be edible.

Chris Erskine: A family trip that wasn't meant to be


It is official: Turkey's female police officers will be able to wear headscarves as part of their uniform.

Turkey lifts headscarf ban for its policewomen


Francisco Lindor drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning and the Cleveland Indians survived another poor start by Josh Tomlin to beat Minnesota 5-4 on Tuesday, extending the Twins' losing streak to 12 games.

Davis homers, Indians hand Twins 12th straight loss, 5-4


The French tennis federation has provisionally suspended Kristina Mladenovic, Caroline Garcia and Benoit Paire for "damaging" its image at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Mladenovic, Garcia and Paire suspended by French tennis fed


The French tennis federation has provisionally suspended Kristina Mladenovic, Caroline Garcia and Benoit Paire for


Authorities say the husband of Heart lead singer Ann Wilson is being held on investigation of assaulting two relatives during the group's show in Seattle.

Husband of Heart singer Ann Wilson arrested for assault


Grandfather doesn't believe that mother killed baby in fridge
Mom accused of killing baby in fridge denied bond
0:48

McCain’s too ‘weak’ and ‘old’? His GOP opponent thinks so.


Physician Kelli Ward wants to give U.S. Sen. John McCain a gift for his 80th birthday Monday: retirement. But the Arizona Republican holds a big lead over her heading into next week’s primary.


A typhoon is about to barrel into northern Japan, threatening to bring floods to an area still recovering from the 2011 tsunami.

Typhoon threatens to bring flooding to northern Japan


3:11 Pet pig's botched butchering leads to arrest Pause
1:35 Duke football players become "big brothers" to boy in hospital
3:49 'I'm a white male, and I am prejudiced': Caller asks black TV guest how to change
1:18 Miami police officer proposes to girlfriend during award ceremony
0:34 Jasmine Femia guilty of murder and conspiracy
0:49 Degras' family reacts to Femia's guilty verdict
1:14 Dog helps rescue man trapped in hole
1:25 Congressman Clyburn gives chilling advice about police to his grandson

LeapPad inventor wants to turn your eyes into a mouse


The tech industry is looking for a new human-machine interface – this time, one that will make virtual-reality headsets as mainstream as personal computers and smartphones.


The state of Wyoming is scrambling to try to block a federal judge's ruling that the state may not regulate how much air ambulance companies charge for transporting workers who are injured on the job.

Wyoming seeks to block judge's order on air ambulance fees


NBA star Dwyane Wade's cousin was shot and killed in Chicago while pushing her baby in a stroller near a school where she intended to register her children. Wade took to Twitter to lament what he called another "act of senseless gun violence."

Dwyane Wade's cousin fatally shot pushing baby in stroller


NBA star Dwyane Wade's cousin was shot and killed in Chicago while pushing her baby in a stroller near a school where she intended to register her children. Wade took to Twitter to lament what he called another


The number of Germans without jobs dropped slightly in August in seasonally adjusted terms, leaving the unemployment rate in Europe's largest economy unchanged at 6.1 percent.

German labor market strong with unemployment at 6.1 percent


0:46 Beaufort rolls at Battery Creek Pause
1:08 May River High at Bluffton High football
2:05 Jobs of NASCAR: Meet a NASCAR hauler driver and tour the 'storage space on wheels'
1:11 Can you put into words what it means to be a Gamecocks fan?
1:19 Passion for kicking drives this girl to varsity football
0:41 Football highlights: Hilton Head Christian vs. John Paul II
3:26 Surveillance footage from the night US swimmers allege they were robbed in Rio
2:52 Simone Biles is the world's best gymnast
0:20 Hilton Head High Football Preview: Bryce Singleton
1:02 Ridgeland-Hardeeville Football Preview: Zion Wilson

LEADING OFF: Sale vs Verlander, King Felix vs Rangers


A look at what's happening all around the majors today:


0:43 Indiana state troopers lip sync ‘Summer Nights’ at state fair Pause
5:55 Video: What to do in the event of an active shooter
2:08 Tenino vandalism victim discusses racist graffiti
1:32 Clinton, Timberlake hit photo booth; Pence talks media bias — Election Rewind
0:53 Obama declares land from Burt's Bees co-founder a national monument
1:52 Marines show what happens when you get pepper sprayed
0:53 Anthony Ellison testifies in Jasmine Femia trial
1:05 If Trump and Clinton could turn back time, would they change the media narrative? Election Rewind
0:45 Woman charged in Penn State professor's death.

Ken doll dons tiara, pink dress in California bakery cake


The buttermilk-flavored cake, which features a Ken doll with a white tiara and pink dress, was custom ordered at a Sacramento bakery. While some criticized the cake and the bakery on Facebook, others were very supportive.


With printout signs pointing to all the different production areas and roadies hauling gear every which way, Metallica's well-greased tour machine fell right back into action recently backstage at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. It looked like a seasoned army platoon being sent on its latest deployment. You never would have known it was actually the metal icons' first concert in six months until the band members themselves showed up and started giving crew members good-to-see-you-again hugs.

Conversation with Metallica's Lars Ulrich


Students learn more from attractive teachers – even in online courses


A study had students listen to a lecture with a male or female voice and showed them a picture of the instructor. Those who were shown a picture of an attractive person performed better on tests afterward.


Friends and relatives of patrons trapped in a gay Florida nightclub where a mass shooting left 49 people dead asked police dispatchers why it was taking so long for their loved ones to be rescued.

911 calls: 'Gunshots going like crazy' in Pulse nightclub


2:05 Jobs of NASCAR: Meet a NASCAR hauler driver and tour the 'storage space on wheels' Pause
1:11 Can you put into words what it means to be a Gamecocks fan?
1:19 Passion for kicking drives this girl to varsity football
0:41 Football highlights: Hilton Head Christian vs. John Paul II
3:26 Surveillance footage from the night US swimmers allege they were robbed in Rio
2:52 Simone Biles is the world's best gymnast
0:20 Hilton Head High Football Preview: Bryce Singleton
1:02 Ridgeland-Hardeeville Football Preview: Zion Wilson
0:39 Thomas Heyward Football Preview: Justin Davis
0:51 17-year-old spent summer biking from Oregon to Virginia

Josh Gordon shines in preseason debut for Browns


Josh Gordon showed why the Cleveland Browns are so happy to have him back on the field.


It began with a simple birthday wish. Beckham Prescott, who was to turn 4, wanted some football players at his birthday party.

Two Duke players did a favor for a sick boy, and it changed all of their lives


The conversation was about 3-pointers - the shots the Miami Heat lacked last season - but it was as much about the ability to create as convert.

Ira Winderman: Heat looking to Whiteside for an assist


0:48 Christmas gifts from Anastacia Martinez Pause
1:45 In garden that launched his business, Mario Martinez is 'into everything'
1:06 Restoring pillows? This machine makes it easy!
0:58 The insecurity of (internet) things
1:07 Mario Martinez on living and working on Hilton Head
0:38 Riders transfer buses at the Palmetto Breeze Bluffton terminal
2:08 Charlotte waitress goes to feds over Hickory Tavern pay practices
2:27 Meet SC Chef Ambassador Orchid Paulmeier of One Hot Mama's
0:50 New 'Bluffton Buddy' app could be visitors' best friend
0:34 Wait staff to use Clovers at Beaufort's Joe Loves Lobster

Hilton Head company will have appeal heard earlier than expected


ArborNature asked for an extension to town appeal on Monday but will instead be moving through the process a week earlier.


Joey Logano won the pole at Michigan International Speedway — and lately at this track, that's been a pretty good indicator of things to come.

Joey Logano wins another NASCAR Sprint Cup pole at Michigan


A new report calls out Indian authorities for failing to help journalists facing violent threats or attacks for their work.

Watchdog calls out India for failing to protect journalists


0:46 Beaufort rolls at Battery Creek Pause
2:05 Jobs of NASCAR: Meet a NASCAR hauler driver and tour the 'storage space on wheels'
1:11 Can you put into words what it means to be a Gamecocks fan?
1:19 Passion for kicking drives this girl to varsity football
0:41 Football highlights: Hilton Head Christian vs. John Paul II
3:26 Surveillance footage from the night US swimmers allege they were robbed in Rio
2:52 Simone Biles is the world's best gymnast
0:20 Hilton Head High Football Preview: Bryce Singleton
1:02 Ridgeland-Hardeeville Football Preview: Zion Wilson
0:39 Thomas Heyward Football Preview: Justin Davis

Georgia Tech bracing for unusual trip to Ireland for opener


Georgia Tech's unusual opener against Boston College on Saturday in Dublin, Ireland, marks the Yellow Jackets' first game outside the United States.


1:47 Graham says Clinton 'most flawed' candidate and Trump is own worst enemy Pause
1:32 Clinton, Timberlake hit photo booth; Pence talks media bias — Election Rewind
1:05 If Trump and Clinton could turn back time, would they change the media narrative? Election Rewind
1:28 Have we now seen all of Trump? — Election Rewind
1:42 Trump reshuffles campaign staff — Election rewind
1:27 Kaine taunts Trump on tax returns — Election Rewind
1:08 Trump talks about his plans for Guantánamo in exclusive interview
1:21 Trump calls Obama 'founder of ISIS' — Election Rewind
1:27 Kaine taunts Trump on tax returns - Election Rewind
1:48 Trump on taxes and another t-word?! It's the Election Rewind

Will Trump ‘tweak’ on deportation blow over quickly, as ally thinks?


Often called Hillary Clinton's second daughter, Huma Abedin is a deeply trusted aide who is rarely far apart from the Democratic presidential nominee. She's also a confidante subjected to a similar level of attention and scrutiny as her longtime boss.

Longtime aide Huma Abedin like 'second daughter' to Clinton