The Edge #1

SEPTEMBER 2015

STRICTLY SPECIAL

PARTY’S SCRAMBLED SIGNALS

Tess a cha cha chocaholic

SEE PAGES 6 AND 7

THIS PAPER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

HAS LABOUR LOST IT? Digital generation turning off LABOUR LEADERSHIP - EDGE EXCLUSIVE: SEE PAGES 4 & 5

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September 2015

OUR generation hates tabloids.

But the reputation is unfair.

Young people shouldn’t be confined to self-indulgent and dry broadsheets.

We want to start fresh, making news accessible, digestible and enjoyable.

This paper is brought to you by a diverse team of young journalists from across the UK. We’re united by our passion for finding the angle that you can’t get anywhere else.

WELCOME TO

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

We want to cleave through the or winding up politicians. noise and get to the point. We News doesn’t have to be boring. want to talk about young people, Let us prove it. whether they’re flinging themGeorge Harrison & Shakeel selves into the freezing Thames Hashim, Associate Editors

The EDGE

Burnham’s blagging Glamorous Daly Rise of the female DJ Fashion tips Women’s football O’Neill reveals all

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT

The EDGE

Star . . not great Dane

Benedict not to be

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT

EDGE

BENEDICT Cumberbatch’s much hyped Hamlet has been a flop with critics.

Despite the actor’s best efforts to portray Shakespeare’s hero, The Guardian’s Michael Billington slammed the show as “dismal”, while The Mail’s Quentin Letts said it was a “patchy, occasionally puerile, production”.

However Cumberbatch’s mum, Wanda Ventham, declared her son was “a bloody good Hamlet” — so, the rest are silenced.

Hamlet will be broadcast live in cinemas around the world on October 15.

World NEWS

5000

3,083

4000 3000

SHANGHAI STOCK EXCHANGE

2000

By EUGENE SMITH, JULIA PAMILIH and TOBY CRAVEN

EDGE Culture Art attack . . . boy tumbles A LAD aged 12 punched a hole through a $1million painting after stumbling into it.

“Flowers” by Italian master Paolo Porpora was on display in Taipei.

Exhibit organiser David Sun said the boy’s family will not face any punishment.

BROKEN

CHINA’S stock market crash sent jitters through global markets.

Share prices in the Shanghai index fell 8.5 per cent on August 24 — and two days later were around 16 per cent down.

It has sparked fears of a downturn in the world economy. Below, we explore the background to the crisis and what it means for the rest of us.

Is this a complete disaster?

Prof Richard Jackman of the London School of Economics insists: “The financial consequences seem unlikely to be as serious as in the 2008 crash.”

But because China is the world’s No2 economy, their financial problems mean financial problems for the world.

Why should we care?

Because global markets, particularly the UK, rely on China’s strength. China is our second biggest import origin (£34bn) after the US and seventh biggest export destination (worth about £10bn).

Why did this happen?

1. China’s growth is slowing. It has

What shares crash means for us declined from its 9 per cent per year peak — however, the Chinese government is known to change figures, so the true growth rate is probably lower.

2. In mid-August, China devalued the yuan. That made its exports cheaper for foreign countries. But the fact its government felt the need to devalue the yuan creates doubts over the state of its economy.

3. China’s stock market is flawed.

Unlike in the West, Chinese investors are generally individuals, not financial

institutions. People who invest life savings are more likely to panic and sell shares in a crash.

4. The Chinese government didn’t intervene to stop the crash. Its central bank usually bulk-buys shares to stabilise the market, but this time it waited three days before it acted.

What does it mean for the future?

World markets appear to have bounced back from China’s Black Monday.

But we can expect more Far East

KNOW NOW

EDGE Sport

UK NEWS

AUG

POINT

THE STORIES EDGE Comment YOU NEED TO

SPOTLIGHT ON FAR EAST CRISIS World NEWS APR MAY JUN JUL

TO THE

drama. In the 1980s, China enjoyed an economic boom, but it only created its leading Shanghai index in 1990, making it one of the world’s least established stock markets.

Its economy has developed quickly but on shaky foundations. Now that growth is slowing, the cracks show.

Some see this slump as a correction of an over-inflated market, others as the precursor to a full-blown recession.

Either way, China’s rise to the world’s top table has hit trouble.

GAMBLING giants Paddy Power and Betfair are merging.

Betfair chief Breon Corcoran will run the new company, which has a predicted revenue of £1billion.

A GUNMAN has killed a reporter and cameraman live on TV. Victims Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, were in the middle of a TV interview in Moneta, Virginia, when the attack occurred. Gunman Vester Lee Flanagan killed himself after the shooting.

FILM-maker Oleg Sentsov, 39, has been sentenced to 20 years of hard labour by a Russian court.

He was arrested shortly after Russia annexed Crimea. He believes he was prosecuted for supporting the revolutionary movement that ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich.

A SHOOTING at a Roma camp killed four people — including a six-monthold baby and a police officer.

The motive of the attack in Roye, north-east France, has not yet been established.

A TEEN shocked mourners after apparently waking up in her coffin a day after being buried.

Neysi Perez’s husband claims he heard screams and scratching before the family broke into her tomb. He is said to have found her dead inside but with new injuries.

© NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPERS Ltd, 2015. Published and licensed for distribution in electronic and all other derivative formats by News Group Newspapers Ltd, 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Printed by News Printers (Broxbourne) Ltd, Great Cambridge Road, Waltham Cross, EN8 8DY.

September 2015

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ONE DIRECTION

THE

Pictures: HENRY KENYON

Three Thames a lady . .

Felicity is The Edge’s underwater reporter

Story of our strife

‘Swimming in a pool is like running on a treadmill’

STROKE OF GENIUS

Outdoor swimming is making a splash WHY would anyone want to throw themselves into freezing water and swim until their hands go blue?

I wondered this too until I tried Open Water Swimming — the “trend sport of 2015”.

The sense of freedom and achievement you feel after a bracing dip is addictive.

People have braved the chilly waters since 36BC when the Japanese — notorious for extreme sports and wild stunts — frequently held open water races. In Britain in the Middle Ages, knights had to swim in full armour as an initiation.

Fast forward to the 2008 Beijing Olympics — where the 10km Mara-

By FELICITY CHALLINOR

thon Swim inspired tens of thousands to dive into frigid rivers, lakes, reservoirs and even the sea.

This July, London welcomed its newest OWS venue. Right in the heart of the city it’s hard to imagine somewhere so peaceful, especially when it’s home to the pandemonium of Victorian London trade — the London Docks.

I went to test the waters out for myself.

“Swimming in a pool is like running on a treadmill,” one enthusiast told me before diving in.

With countless safety precautions in place, this location is perfect for swimming safely and in style. The iconic backdrop creates a fascinat-

ing view while swimming. With lessons for newbies and pros, everyone can blossom and the courses of three distances (400m, 750m and 1500m) suit all abilities.

OWS is on the crest of a wave with National Open Water Coaching Association lakes alone numbering 22 — with 20 more planned next season. More prestigious challenges, such as swimming the English Channel, let competitors push themselves and achieve greatness.

So next time the thought of manoeuvring through the crowded lanes at a noisy public pool fills you with dread, head down to your nearest supervised lake or river.

It is not easy — but as Captain Matthew Webb, the first person to swim the Channel, once said: “Nothing great is easy.”

PALOMA FAITH INTIMATE GIG

SEE PAGE 6

No Direction . . . the boys in happier times with Zayn

SPLIT TEARS & JEERS

By FLORRIE ANDREW

IT was abominable news to some, excellent news to many.

The recent shock that One Direction will go on hiatus after the release of their fifth album has divided the country.

Within minutes of the story breaking, social media was inundated with horrified cries from Directioners.

Drama is something that definitely isn’t hard to come by in 1D’s fandom.

Last year, a video clip of Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson smoking Class B drug marijuana emerged, with many parents outraged at the example the pair were setting.

It was also recently disclosed that 23-year-old Tomlinson is expecting a baby after a short fling with personal stylist Briana Jungwirth, 22.

However, the news that caused the most turmoil was back in March, when it was revealed that Malik was leaving the band “to be a normal 22-year-old”.

With news of the boys becoming a quartet still raw, this latest announcement has certainly caused some chaos. But what do the good people of Great Britain make of the news?

The Edge hit the streets of London to investigate . . .

6Who?!... That’s a shame7 Unemployed yes.

OH, Londoner John hadn’t heard of the world’s most famous boyband of all time.

Not a devout Directioner then, John?

6Everybody likes them7 DEBATABLE, considering our findings, but distraught 15-year-old Directioner Shannon thinks that everyone has a hidden admiration for the 1D boys.

6 I could not give a hoot7 EVIDENTLY, entrepreneur Aaron won’t be mourning the (hopefully temporary) loss of the band in March 2016 — unlike hysterical fans everywhere else.

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September 2015

September 2015

ANDY BURNHAM ON RACE FOR PARTY LEADERSHIP

Gauke of the town . . . MP

Gauke’s backing youth in politics

By THEO DAVIES-LEWIS

TOP Tory David Gauke believes young people need to “learn or work, or learn and work”.

Mr Gauke has been at the heart of government for the past five years.

Now Financial Secretary to the Treasury and part of the Chancellor’s inner circle, he is helping deliver the first all-Tory budget since 1996.

Some 1.3million apprenticeships were delivered in the last Parliament. Mr Gauke firmly believes successful economies need a “skilled workforce”.

He explained: “At every level of education, training is important, whether it is in schools, universities or apprenticeships.”

The living wage is seen as an opportunity to raise living standards, but under-25s don’t receive it.

But the minister believes young people need to put work at the heart of whatever they do.

He outlined the Government’s message of balancing the budget, “making work pay”, as well as his own role in the tax system and making sure it works effectively.

Mr Gauke is eager to see “people from different backgrounds and ages” in politics, saying youngsters need to be encouraged at a grassroots level.

He also blasted the politics of division, insisting opposition debate is no excuse to abuse one another.

He added: “There is sometimes a note of intolerance that the other side are terrible — they are just wrong.”

Cor? Blimey

By GUY BIRCHALL

WHY are so many of my peers behind Jeremy Corbyn?

He’s 66, lacks Barack Obama’s charm and will reopen the coal mines.

Some policies target the young. Reinstating maintenance allowances in England, axing uni fees, voting at 16 and a higher minimum wage are all popular.

Yet these policies have never won an election. Perhaps it’s because young people tend not to vote.

More likely, they’re just unworkable.

Maybe youthful rebellion is behind Corbyn’s appeal. But if young people want to be taken seriously, we must compromise a little. And vote.

WHO DO 18 TO 24 YEAR-OLDS THINK WOULD BE THE BEST LEADER OF THE LABOUR PARTY?

ort

Race is on . . . Burnham rallies supp By

EUGENE SMITH Political Correspondent

AMONG a 500-strong crowd, only a handful of teenagers wait outside a rain-speckled church for the appearance — 45 minutes overdue — of Labour leadership hopeful Andy Burnham.

These are the young people unconvinced by “Corbynmania” — which has seen the veteran left-winger catapulted from the party’s lower ranks to the forefront of the election contest.

While one of them acknowledges Jeremy Corbyn is “exciting”, they soberly add: “Most things that are exciting are not good for you.”

For these young supporters, Mr Burnham can “lead the party to victory in 2020”, particularly by appealing to lost voters in the South East.

It is only after he has made a boisterous speech, answered a longwinded Q&A and taken umpteen selfies with pushy strangers at the London rally, that we get to speak to the man himself.

Unsurprisingly, he is worried about his party’s apparent decline in popularity. So what’s going wrong?

He explains: “I think there is a general sense that Labour’s been out of touch for too long.

“That lies behind the problems in Scotland, but it also lies behind why people have gone to UKIP.” The party, he believes, is too “Westminster-centric”.

The Shadow Health Secretary’s statements are consistently accompanied by a serious nod and a blink of his (admittedly luscious) eyelashes.

The well-rehearsed routine continues as he answers the question of what he would do on his first day as PM.

‘Bonkers health act will destroy the NHS’ Choosing not to contest the likelihood of his gaining the position, Mr Burnham launches into his plan for “day one in Downing Street”.

He explains: “The first thing I would do is repeal the Health and Social Care Act 2012. If it stays in place, we will not have an NHS.” The 45-year-old has spent the three years since the Act was passed opposing it in Parliament, and his commitment to “remove it from the statute book” seems sincere.

He is determined to “put back the ethos of patients before profits”.

But this bleeding heart mentality is arguably a far cry from his apparent stance on welfare budget spending.

As Mr Burnham went on to blast the Tories’ new welfare policy for “terrorising disabled people”, one heckler shouted: “Why didn’t you vote against them, then?”

The Leigh MP — who abstained from July’s vote on the welfare bill — quickly hit back that he acted out of a “duty” to the Shadow Cabinet.

With that, Mr Burnham’s press man tries to usher the leadership hopeful away. After all, he still has people to see, hands to shake and selfies to

SOURCE: YouGov

ANDY BURNHAM

4%

6Labour has been out of touch for too long7 take. But there is one more question, something that might reveal another element to his character — who is his favourite Prime Minister?

His answer, it turns out, is rather predictable.

After a pause, he resolves: “Clement Attlee. I talk about his post-war government a lot.

“It had a vision for the country. It had policies that spoke to everybody and the sad thing about Labour in recent times is we have retreated to certain parts of the country, maybe we have become more urban folk.”

He adds that he wants to “revive that spirit of 1945”.

We’re left pondering that as he once again returns to posing in front

of the iPhone of a beaming thirtysomething party volunteer.

One face that will be lacking from the photo libraries of the volunteer army is that of staunch Burnhambacker Sir John Prescott.

The ex-deputy PM left the rally at St Pancras Parish Church early, having caused a stir with his previous comments that evening.

Warming up the stage for Mr Burnham, the opinionated Labour veteran found room between booming lefty rhetoric to address heckles and even take a couple of swipes at senior Labour

Labour pain . . . Prescott

figures. He first took aim at Tony Blair, branding his quip advising Mr Corbyn’s supporters to get a “heart transplant” a “stupid remark”.

He later blasted Stoke MP Tristram Hunt, who pulled out of the leadership race and said he would refuse to serve in a Corbyn cabinet. Prescott advised Hunt that he “should have stayed at university”.

Prezza did have praise for Blair’s New Labour government.

But he was quickly shot down by a lone voice from the back of the room — who simply exclaimed the word “Iraq”.

LIZ KENDALL

6% YVETTE COOPER

NHS Burnham demands we put “people before profit”

WELFARE Tory reforms are “terrorising disabled people”

EDUCATION Schools have become “exam factories”

9% NONE OF THESE

16% JEREMY CORBYN

21% DON’T KNOW

ELECTABILITY

VISION

Labour is too “Westminstercentric”

Burnham wants to “revive that spirit of 1945”

44%

A proper Northern charmer By

HOLLIE SMITH Backing Burnham DESPITE the misery of a gloomy evening, Andy Burnham gave an energised and refreshing insight into the race for the sought-after title of Leader of the Opposition.

He rallied supporters with his heartfelt Northern charm — and the help of a more-than-enthusiastic John Prescott.

The leadership hopeful began the evening in good humour, referencing boyband One Direction’s recent split and assuring supporters: “I won’t let the same thing happen to the Labour party.”

He handled each question thrown at him with confidence and clarity.

And when challenged over his commitment to future generations, he reaffirmed his continued stance on the betterment of young people.

The Shadow Health Secretary said his party should “give people hope” so that they can “dare to dream”.

As the night progressed, it became clear that Andy Burnham is a real Northern powerhouse.

Rally was a crash & Burnham By

NICK LLOYD Against Andy LEADERSHIP contender Andy Burnham’s rally may have been in a packed church, but I saw no saviour for the Labour Party.

Mr Burnham joked that the race to become party head had been so long, he could “just about remember being the front runner”. But after his performance at the rally, the MP is slipping further away from pole position.

Everything he said seemed too polished and lacked spontaneity. Mainly because the vast majority of it was plucked word for word from his manifesto, which he then repeated to an irritating extent.

There was a blatant and predictable rhetoric to his speech which came across as insincere.

And he was incredibly cocky and complacent when he stated: “When I am the next Labour leader . . . ”. Not to mention he turned up 45 minutes late to his own rally.

To finish off, Burnham promised: “I’m not going to become someone else.”

Perhaps he needs to.

5

EDGE Culture

September 2015

Forgetful Paloma’s Faith in her fans

THERE are at least two Strictly fans she wants to impress — her daughters.

The singer and Loose Women star, 34, says: “I told them I was doing Strictly and they laughed as dancing’s not my forte. I want to end their teasing.”

FIRST

REVIEW

K NEWS

Cha cha changes . . . Tess and Bruce, centre, Caroline Flack, left, and Steve Backshall, right

By ABBEY MACLURE and ROSIE CATCHESIDE

High note . . Paloma at gig nor’s Nothing Compares 2 U. Twins Paige and Paris Tompkins, from Leicester, are huge Paloma fans who have attended near to a hundred of her gigs.

“This was by far the best,” said Paige.

“We’ve never been this close to her before.”

Paloma wanted the gig to be “like a jazz club night”. What really made the show was her liveliness and personality.

She regularly stopped to talk to her audience and openly confessed to her hatred of capitalism, despite the event being organised by MasterCard.

“She totally filled the room,” said Oonagh, a fan from London. “We always knew she had a great voice, but what a great personality as well.”

In January you can catch Paloma as a judge on The Voice UK, a subject which was clearly uneasy for the singer.

She asked the crowd: “Are you all excited to watch me completely nosedive my career on The Voice?”

Paloma’s gobby mouth may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But The Edge thinks her honesty and openness will be a huge hit on the show.

lI wish I could dance like that lCake is what life’s all about..

Ready and eager for her shoot, the Strictly star greets everyone as her best friend, and if you aren’t already, you wish you were.

With interviews, clothing choices and hair and makeup, a photoshoot means an early start for a celebrity.

You may think all this preparation would result in Tess being exhausted by shooting time but, ever the professional, Ms Daly stayed on top form.

With Strictly Come Dancing returning to screens, Tess was bubbling with excitement about the new BBC series.

This will be her second year presenting alongside Claudia Winkleman, after Bruce Forsyth retired from the main show in 2013.

The presenter was unrestrained in praising her contestants, gushing: “I often look on in admiration wishing that I could do that!”

But Tess is already a modern day super-mum. On top of looking after her two daughters — Phoebe, ten, and Amber, five — she is a patron of Great Ormond Street Hospital and does various charity work for Help for Heroes. It’s hard to see where she finds the time.

Hosting the show has been her main priority since it all began in 2004. The nation became hooked and now awaits the return of Strictly each year to get their Saturday night dose of

Two to tango . . .

Tess and Claudia

By

MEGAN HILL & ADAM PAKE Showbiz Correspondents

glitz and glam. This series will be no different.

But the ratings battle with rival X Factor is more intense than ever.

The two programmes overlap for the first time, with Strictly cutting off the first twenty minutes of X Factor. The ITV show will have to quickstep to keep up.

Tess, 46, doesn’t appear dazed by the prospect of even more viewers’ eyes on her.

While Strictly focuses on contestants, X Factor is concerned with the judges, many of whom have come under scrutiny.

The spotlight is particularly focused on X Factor veteran Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, with her weight relentlessly examined in the build-up to the Saturday night face-offs.

Simon Cowell is making sure everyone knows about his judges’ eating habits — and insists Cheryl “eats like a horse”. Meanwhile Tess indulged in a healthy lunch filled with vegetables, joking “my body is a temple” while scoffing what she called “rabbit food”.

She admitted she can’t live without cake, adding: “I always want a KitKat, that’s the problem!”

Tess looked stunning throughout the shoot.

Her outfit encapsulates the upcoming autumn-winter trend: Victoriana-gothic with black-and-white material, textured lace and stunning neck bows accompanying a variety of heels and boots.

Loose hair

DOES the Beeb weather presenter forecast she will breeze through? Carol, 53, says she would love to reach the final but has to be “a realist” over her chances.

AINSLEY HARRIOT WILL the Ready, Steady, Cook chef find the recipe for Strictly success? Ainsley, 58, says: “The only type of salsa I know of is the one in my recipes, so I look forward to the challenge. Bring it on!”

was the order of the day, the gorgeous blonde locks as the only dazzling hint of colour — a change from Tess’ glittering gowns on Strictly.

Photographer Elizabeth Hoff explained: “There’s going to be movement, elements you wouldn’t see in Victorian portraits.”

She emphasises that despite the inspiration, “it’s a picture for 2015”.

Hoff, who has worked with Tess before, knows all the tricks of the trade for shoots. When asked about how hard it can be to photograph different trends, she mentioned: “I think a lot of people are very surprised at how much prep goes into a shoot like this.

“There’s a lot of research on new boards and clothes and the kinds of looks that we want to put together, the kind of lighting that will suit Tess and that we all think is going to be dramatic enough to get that nod to darker Victorian times.”

In Victorian times photographs showed their subjects, and their fashion, in strict and uncomfortable settings. Of course for bubbly Tess, Hoff was having none of that.

She revealed that when shooting a celeb “you have to respect who they are and what they’re comfortable with”.

A model from the age of 18 — when she was scouted outside a McDonald’s — Tess seemed totally at ease in front of the camera.

As Hoff says, “she’s a very strong woman” and “up for it”. There’s also a personal connection. “We get on quite well, we’re both mums, we’ve both got kids and got that common ground there as well.”

Tess’s touch-ups, hair fluffing, nail painting and eyelash extensions continued alongside lunch, all the while courting interviewers: all in a day’s work for the Queen of Strictly.

ACCESS

X NO

CAROL KIRKWOOD

THE boyband star, 25, says his dancing is poor despite his fame in The Wanted.

Jay jokes: “We were as coordinated as a sack of frogs.”

He admits that he fears going “completely blank” with stage fright.

STRICTLY IT’S 11am on a dull London morning. Then Tess Daly waltzes in and brightens the bare studio.

ANITA will swap her wellies from her day job fronting BBC1’s Countryfile for the glitz of the dancefloor.

The 37-year-old vowed: “I am so excited.

Hopefully I’ll learn some mean moves in the process. Let’s get our groove on!”

JAY McGUINESS

PALOMA FAITH AT THE SAVOY HOTEL

WHY memorise lyrics when you have dedicated fans to help you?

At an intimate gig of 200 people, Paloma Faith forgot the words and had to rely on her front row fans to help her out.

The Can’t Rely On You star froze while performing at the exclusive Savoy Hotel in the Strand, Central London, to winners of the MasterCard Priceless Surprises competition on Wednesday August 26.

Paloma made light of her gaffe, joking: “This surprise is absolutely priceless, ie: you wouldn’t want to pay for it!”

Despite the slip-up, the performance was a big hit with the competition winners.

Paloma delivered a mix of upbeat numbers such as Trouble With My Baby and Changing, to the heartfelt Only Love Can Hurt Like This and a cover of Sinead O’Con-

ANITA RANI

JAMELIA

orld NEWS

7

September 2015

THE LINE-UP

EDGE 6

KELLIE BRIGHT

GEORGIA MAY FOOTE

EASTENDERS star Kellie, 39, says Strictly “appeals to the little girl in me”. She reckons she may even do a bit of “trotting around Albert Square”.

KATIE DERHAM THE BBC presenter, 45, might be one to watch as she comes to the show with a musical background.

The mum of two — a violinist — fronts the Beeb’s Proms coverage and has hosted the Classic Brit Awards show.

JUST IN HELEN GEORGE IWAN THOMAS KIRSTY GALLACHER THE Call The Midwife star, former sprinter and Gladiators presenter have been added to the list of celebs. This year’s line-up is getting even better!

PETER ANDRE THE pop star, 42, admits he’s “nervous” — but he already knows who he wants to be paired with.

Peter adds: “I’ve met Ola Jordan a few times.

We always joked we’d partner up.”

DANIEL O’DONNELL IRISH crooner Daniel, 53, says at least one part of his career has prepared him for the show.

He jokes: “I’ve worn a few jackets with sequins on down the years. In moderation, I’m game.”

GEORGIA, 24, says her sole preparation for Strictly has been viewing “YouTube clips of all the types of dances”.

The ex-Corrie star hopes her acting skills will rescue her if she comes unstuck.

JEREMY VINE THE Radio 2 presenter, 50, says he signed up to improve his moves. He said: “I’ve got to start dancing properly.”

Little wonder that bookies Coral have written him off as a 66-1 outsider.

ANTHONY OGOGO COULD the Olympic medal-winning boxer, 26, be as big a hit on the dancefloor as he is in the ring? He admits: “Dancing and Anthony Ogogo don’t go hand in hand.”

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September 2015

September 2015

Wrong to degrade exam joy

Devastation . . in Syria

Temple is destroyed ‘by ISIS’ in rampage

MEET THE 20 STUDENTS OF Toby - not Toby?

By EUGENE SMITH, THEO DAVIES-LEWIS and HOLLIE SMITH

‘700 Brits have fought for ISIS’ In mid-August the group’s attempts to locate and destroy antiquities in the Palmyra region resulted in the beheading of archaeologist Khaled al-Asaad. Reports suggest al-Asaad was murdered by the Islamists because he refused to cooperate with their search.

If confirmed, the Baalshamin temple demolition would be the second archaeological attack in Palmyra. In early July, ISIS also destroyed a 15-ton lion statue.

Before the civil war, Palmyra’s heritage sites attracted 150,000 tourists a year. The Baalshamin temple was converted into a Christian Church in the fifth century AD. ISIS are also notorious for their razing of ancient cultural centres in Iraq, including the Mar Behnam Catholic monastery.

Around 700 British people have fought for ISIS since 2012. There are calls for the British military to retaliate against ISIS in Syria.

Meanwhile, some activists are urging David Cameron to wait until the Chilcot Report is published before holding a vote on intervention.

As yet, this inquiry into the Iraq war is without a proposed final deadline.

Razed . . . the temple

Pitch Perfect

Taking Note

Show the Biz

AILSA is frozen by Annaother Disney joke as the team O-laugh at her.

SHOWBIZ supremo Dan Wootton gives our young journos the latest 1D goss.

MEGAN and Florrie hatch a plot for culture’s big splash.

18 2

10

6

4

14

8

16

12

20

1

Well earned . . . pupils get results at Dominican College, Belfast

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Picture: HENRY KENYON

ISIS has destroyed a 2,000-year-old Syrian temple in the jihadist group’s latest act of terror.

The militants revealed the destruction on social media, posting images of the bombed Temple of Baalshamin on Tuesday August 25.

The UN’s cultural organisation UNESCO labelled the attack a “war crime”.

Irina Bokova, the director-general of UNESCO, also claimed ISIS were acting out of a desire to “deprive the Syrian people of its knowledge, its identity and history”.

The images are yet to be verified. However, a caption declares the pictures show “the complete destruction of the pagan Baalshamin temple”.

The photographs are adorned with a logo previously featured in ISIS propaganda footage.

YEP, definitely Toby. Contemplating another meal for his rower’s physique.

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A-LEVELS AREN’T EASY

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THE A-level pass rate rose to 98.1 per cent this year, with 25.9 per cent of students getting A* and As.

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It’s an incredible achievement for students — yet it has again sparked questions over whether the exams are tough enough.

1 Guy Birchall, 24, Stoke: The News Academy has been the most worthwhile experience in journalism I have ever had. Truly invaluable.

2 Julia Pamilih, 17, Guildford, Surrey: I have had an amazing time learning from experienced journalists and getting behind-the-scenes access to an Arsenal match.

3 Felicity Challinor, 16, Twickenham, South-West London: It has been an incredible opportunity and I have learnt so many invaluable lessons from all of the top professionals.

4 Megan Hill, 20, Addlestone, Surrey: Learning from some of the best journalists in the business has made this week the most inspiring of my life.

5 Rachel Mains, 17, Glasgow: It has been an amazing week that will be unforgettable. I have met so many new people and it has only made me want to pursue a career in the press even more.

6 Nick Lloyd, 16, Harlow, Essex: It has been phenomenal. There hasn’t been a dull moment, and I didn’t want it to end.

7 Rosie Catcheside, 18, Sunderland: It is amazing to get an insight into the world of newspapers at the News Academy summer school. It has been an exciting week with some fantastic people.

8 Eugene Smith, 18, West Byfleet, Surrey: I am very grateful for having the opportunity to learn from my mistakes in the Academy rather than making them in my later career.

9 Ailsa Cowen, 17, Egremont, Cumbria: Being here has been amazing because it gave me true experience in the journalistic world.

10 Toby Craven, 17, Morley St Botolph, Norfolk: It has been a privilege to learn from so many professionals at the top of their game and getting a taste of producing a paper.

11 Shakeel Hashim, 18, Slough, Berks: It has been a brilliant, if

READ ALL ABOUT IT

By MEGAN HILL

stressful, week. Producing a newspaper to such a tight deadline has been exhilarating and incredibly rewarding.

12 George Harrison, 19, Trowbridge, Wilts: The summer school has been a blast, and it’s been amazing working with such a talented group. I wouldn’t change a thing.

13 Danny De Vaal, 17, Dublin, Ire-

land: It was a good experience working with so many different people and meeting so many who are in the position I one day hope to be in.

14 Alex Hewitt, 17, Clifton, Beds: It has been amazing to truly immerse myself in the world of professional journalism.

15 Abbey Maclure, 18, Ely, Cambs: I have loved working in the amazing

News UK office, rubbing shoulders with top journalists and learning from the best in the industry.

16 Adam Pake, 17, Edinburgh: The Summer School was an emotional rollercoaster, but a great opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade.

17 Hollie Smith, 18, Ruthin, Denbighshire, North Wales: Academy has been a fabulous opportunity to

broaden my horizons, and I’ve learnt so much about writing.

18 Theo Davies-Lewis, 17, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, South Wales: The Summer School was a great opportunity for me, especially interviewing the Treasury Minister David Gauke.

19 Sophie Burleigh, 17, Market Harborough, Leics: The opportunity to meet professionals at News UK has

improved my skills as a journalist no end. I am now much more confident and would encourage any aspiring journalists to sign up for next year.

20 Florrie Andrew, 17, Teddington, South-West London: Academy has given me the fantastic opportunity of developing my skills in areas that I am thoroughly interested in, but haven’t written about before.

ONE of the first things you learn when starting at News Academy is the basis of a story, the “five Ws”.

Who? 20 lucky aspiring journalists aged from 16 to 24. What? Learning how to put together a paper. When?

August 23 to 28. Where? News UK’s London Bridge HQ. Why? Because we love journalism!

News Academy is the media crashcourse that every aspiring journalist wants to take, and we were the lucky few who got the chance.

Under the watchful eye of our Editor in Chief, Irish Sun editor Paul Clarkson, we have produced The Edge in just four short days.

We got some top tips from skilled journalists including Spiked! editor Mick Hume, The Sun’s head of news James Clench, and News UK Director of Communications Guto Harri.

Every day has been packed with activities, proving there is never a dull moment in the life of a journalist.

And whether it was out pounding the pavement for stories, on the phone chasing quotes or interviewing some of the UK’s biggest politicians, everyone has added their own personal touch to our publication.

The Edge aims to cut through the noise of other tabloids, and speak directly to young readers. News Academy has given us a voice and we hope you enjoy hearing it.

As someone who has just finished my A-levels, I can testify that good results don’t come easy.

Students commit to months of coursework, files of notes and more hours of revision (and mugs of coffee) than anyone can imagine.

So it’s frustrating that, after all this, our accomplishments are belittled by assertions that stupendous results are down to easier exams.

This is far from the truth.

We have all seen example GCSE and A-level questions that adult experts can’t figure out.

These circulate the internet for a while but are forgotten as soon as results day rolls around.

It is especially infuriating for stu-

JUMP AROUND

By ROSIE CATCHESIDE

dents to see their efforts ridiculed by adults who — as education and exam systems have changed vastly over the past two decades — have no idea what A-levels are like now.

It is easy to say exams were “much harder in my day”. But how many of these critics have attempted a present day A-level paper?

A major grievance of the “exams are too easy” camp is that many people are achieving the best grades.

But why should there be a cap on how many can secure top grades if they are willing to work for them?

In a country with one of the world’s best education systems, a pass rate of close to 100 per cent should be what we are aiming for.

So this year’s pass rate should be cause for celebration.

Exams are NOT getting easier.

Students, recognising that competition for university places is intensifying and the job market narrowing, are simply working harder than ever before. And we deserve credit.

NO matter how old you are, a room full of trampolines sounds like great fun, writes FLORRIE ANDREW. As a gymnast I was eager to try the trampoline parks, where people are literally bouncing off the walls.

Oxygen Freejumping is home to 150 trampolines and is London’s mecca for a good time.

September 2015

BLAGGERS’ DISCOUNTS AND DEALS GALORE

K NEWS

orld NEWS

Shopping blag . . store

By MEGAN HILL

BLAGGING discounts is no longer just for markets or back alleys. Here are our quick tips on how to blag your way into celebs’ high-street shoes . . . literally!

1. Don’t ask, don’t get The only way you will blag a discount is to ask!

What’s the worst that could happen?

2. Aim high You could have the most persuasive voice in the world, but using your charms on the store cleaner is a losing battle.

The higher up the person, the more likely they have authority to grant your bargain price.

3. Discount a discount Haggling for an already discounted item may seem pointless, but it’s actually the best way.

The store has given up on the full price so will be more open to further cuts.

Plus it’s usually last season’s stock they need to shift. And fashion always comes back around.

4. Make-up marks When you purchase an item, stores have to fulfil their side of the deal. So if items are damaged or stained, take advantage.

That foundation stain will disappear in the wash anyway . . .

5. Style’s not just in the clothes Always approach blagging with style. You’re being cheeky, so be aware. The hard sell rarely works, and polite charm is likely to get you much further. Good humour equals good style.

Teen car £2k cost

By GUY BIRCHALL

TEENAGE drivers are facing huge insurance costs, with the average 17-year-old paying £1,960.

The Sun reports that some insurers quote up to £17,000.

On top of the cost of the car, driving lessons, tax and fuel, driving is fast becoming unaffordable for many teenagers.

Defoe up for a job?

By TOBY CRAVEN

JERMAIN Defoe wants a PA to “create a global brand for the Jermain Defoe name”.

The 32-year-old footballer, who earns £60,000 a week, advertised online for an “Executive Personal Assistant” with a salary of £50,000 to £60,000 per year. Defoe scored just four league goals for Sunderland last year.

Spin city . . . Emily shows her skills By

ABBEY MACLURE Features reporter

EMILY Rawson is one of the hottest British DJs of the moment.

Her renowned hip-hop and RnB club night Supa Dupa Fly is gaining momentum and she has played at festivals around the world — including Lovebox, The Great Escape, The Camden Crawl and Rise Festival in the French Alps.

But when Emily began her career as a DJ, women in the industry were undermined and ignored, often patronised by other male DJs. “In the early 2000s when I initially broke into the industry at 18, I had a lot of guys lean over me and fiddle with the deck while I was DJing.

They were rude and sometimes intimidating,” she says.

London-based DJ Fearney, named as one of Flavour Mag’s top 15 female DJs in the UK, shared a similar experience. “A male DJ who was lined up after me started playing with the knobs during my set,” she says. “I thought, ‘I’m actually a better DJ than you, so you can f**k off!’”

Fearney and Emily agreed that the lack of successful women in the club industry was the main reason that female DJs weren’t taken seriously.

The individual successes of radio DJ Annie Nightingale and trance DJ Sandra Collins were rare cases, and the industry was heavily male-dominated.

Women were only likely to succeed if they fit the niche of a “model DJ” — girls who looked the part at the deck but often relied on male DJs to press the buttons for them. DJ Fearney explains the novelty appeal of a female DJ — “a lot of girls thought they could do it but were awful DJs!” She feels girls were judged on appearance and sex appeal, rather than their talent as a DJ or producer.

But over the past five years success stories have become more common.

From deep house producers Maya Jana Coles and B.Traits to more commercial DJs such as Charlotte Devaney, women are making a big impact on many areas of the industry.

“As I’ve grown as a DJ, people’s responses to me have been much better,” says Fearney. “It’s less of a novelty thing to have a female DJ. I’ve been lucky enough to play abroad at Rise festival and done a warm-up gig for my idol, Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox.” Female DJs and producers are now present across the dance genre and have been credited on their knowledge and talent. In August British deep house producer Hannah Wants was featured on the front cover of Mixmag magazine, and has been headlining club nights in Ibiza throughout the summer.

“The only time I have a problem with being a female DJ is when I play abroad,” says Emily Rawson.

“Relationships with men and women are often very different in other countries!” This has made Emily more

EDGE Culture

September 2015

6When a woman is assertive she’s called a bitch... when it’s a guy he’s the main man7 SAYS SUPA DUPA FLY’S

Rawson is turning the tables for female DJs It’s all hands on decks for our Disk Jockey divas

photographers,” says Emily. “We were clear on our stance from the off — we’re all about women.”

Similarly, in 2012 former Hed Kandi and Ministry of Sound DJ Krystal Roxx launched Superfoxx, a brand that runs events all over London featuring a female-only line-up.

“Superfoxx is an immersive event brand which positively promotes women as role models to a future generation of men and women,” explains Simon, Krystal Roxx’s manager. “Our events feature the finest female talent from the mixologist, chef and visual designer to the DJ.”

Emily Rawson has found the club promotion industry far from accommodating, showing the need for brands like Superfoxx that promote women to all areas of the industry. “[The club promotion industry] is really tough, there are literally no female promoters around,” she says.

“The industry is completely male dominated and I’d say that 90 per cent of promoters are men.”

When asked why she thought this was, Emily links the lack of female promoters to stereotypes on “pushy” women. She says: “When a female is assertive, she’s called a bitch. But if

BUSKERS SOUNDED OUT IN CAPITAL

Down the Tubes . . . Underground musician

Blight of by-laws HeRnB . . . girls are taking over club

s

Fearne up the volume . . . DJ Fearney

N O S W A R Y L I M E

By SOPHIE BURLEIGH

grateful for the support and acceptance she has received in the UK. Organisations and club nights that promote female DJs and producers are partly responsible for their rise.

Emily Rawson created Rock the Belles to bring together the most successful women at defiant events she dubs “celebrations of the girls who are making their mark in music”. Big names such as Ms Dynamite, Little Boots and Yasmin have all played at Rock the Belles events.

“The first launch was crazy, we had six different female DJs play at the event, and a full female team of

11

Picture: HENRY KENYON

BIBLE EDGE 10

a guy is the same, he’s the main man.”

With the creation of Rock the Belles and Superfoxx, the industry is likely to see not only a larger number of female DJs, but also of women in music production, club promotion and visual design.

“Only when women have an equal line-up to men on major music events will Superfoxx host the first male DJ at its parties,” says Simon.

Through the work of Emily and other pioneers for female DJs, this may soon be a reality.

“THE Hunt” is the new, free fashion aid app set to burst on to mobile devices.

The app offers a chance for users to post their outfit choices and receive feedback through public polls.

It allows clothes buffs to upload a celeb snap and match their style to garments available on the high street and on the internet.

“It would be nice to see what other people are cur-

Fashion hunt...

rently wearing and get ideas for my own style,” says Seeta Shah, 22.

Molly Windust, 16, says: “The app is really useful for finding out where you can buy clothes you see people wearing in the street. How-

IT has a proud busking history and is one of the capital’s most rock ’n’ roll districts thanks to its many gig venues.

But buskers in Camden, North London, have been silenced over the past few years by a series of drastic restrictions introduced by local council chiefs.

Despite the area’s long musical history, it now has some of London’s toughest by-laws against street By DANNY DE VAAL and musicians.

ROSIE CATCHESIDE There are two types of this to arrest four perbuskers’ licences operatin Leicester ing in the area. And formers musicians who play with- Square in May last year.

A number of street out obtaining one run the risk of having their musicians told us these equipment seized and curbs were now damagbeing fined up to £1,000. ing their livelihoods.

One busker on the Is this red tape destroying the freedom of Tube’s Victoria Line said: wardens are London’s buskers? Those “Council always the most finicky we spoke to believe so.

One Camden musician, and try to move us on.”

He stressed the imporwho gave his name only as Danny, revealed he tance of being “familiar with the laws”. had his speakers seized.

With buskers facing so He had to hand over many rules, authorities £100 to get them back.

However, even when a risk killing the tradition’s licence is not required, passion and unique vibe.

However. a High Court musicians fear that their right to freedom of judge has backed Camden’s restrictions as “lawexpression is still being ful”. In a March 2014 denied in the capital.

That is because cops ruling, Mrs Justice Patare prosecuting street terson said: “It is both a performers under an necessary and proporarchaic Metropolitan tionate response to the Police Act. They used issue of busking.”

ever, if the garment is from a larger retailer like Topshop it can still be hard to track down.”

The app proved a hit with the stylish Camden pedestrians. The celeb style-finding function was praised for its originality, however some found the results of their garment search to be vague or in some cases non-existent.

Try the free app at iTunes and tweet us your opinion at @the_newsacademy

Sound of underground . . . busker on London Tube

September 2015

Scarf Print Tee £36

ORPHAN BLACK (2013) THIS fast-paced Beeb sci-fi follows hustler Sarah as she becomes entangled in a dark plot after witnessing her doppelganger’s suicide. Morals and ethics are challenged as Tatiana Maslany amazes as Sarah. Cliffhangers galore will have you inching to click “Next Episode” through all three seasons.

BY

SOPHIE BURLEIGH

Dorothy Perkins

Truck tuck . . . our Abbey at Street Kitchen

A great eat?

Can’t beat a street treat

Rust Longline Mac £49

Turban Headband Asos £8

Topshop Super-Soft Cape £28

Pinstripe Kickflare Trousers £32

Black Leather-Look Biker Jacket £34.99

Long Sleeve V-Neck Top £12

St Lawrence, Toronto

Super Markets

By FELICITY CHALLINOR

WE have selected our favourite markets from around the globe, catering for everyone from foodies to vintage lovers.

Browse the specialist stalls, take in the sights and culture, and marvel at the abundance of clothes, jewellery, music and local treats.

Oversized Holdall-Topshop £36

=

Rust Corduroy Button Front Skirt £19.99

Miss Selfridge

TINA Fey’s latest comedy, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, offers sugar-coated positivity while probing gender issues. Kimmy, recently released from a “doom” cult, decides to reclaim the adulthood stolen from her in New York. This feelgood series leaves you with a warm glow.

Picture: HENRY KENYON

Cat Eye Sunglasses Miss Selfridge £3

+ +

Khaki Green Wrap Cami £26

KIMMY SCHMIDT (2015)

High Waisted Denim Shorts £19.99

Finishing touches.. .

13

By ABBEY MACLURE

BLOODLINE (2015) THIS dark Netflix thriller delves into the underbelly of family life. It seems lost between the releases of Netflix favourites Orange is the New Black and Pretty Little Liars.

But shot stylishly with dark humour, it has an addictive whodunnit quality ideal for lazy sofa days.

SLOT

These high street pieces will kickstart your weather-wise wardrobe. Our fruit machine offers outfits that will make a statement whatever the weather.

A food paradise with coo

New Look

WITH the boom of Netflix and Amazon, it’s easy to question why we have DVDs. Streaming sites offer instant access and an unlimited amount to watch at your fingertips.

It’s a casual relationship with no commitment, as long as you can remember your password. In the words of Dan Jolin, Features Editor at Empire Magazine: “Streaming has replaced the old video rental shops.”

It’s painfully clear that, like the VHS before it, the DVD may be doomed to extinction.

However, many forget the cons of streaming: limitations of availability (Netflix does not have every film); and the need for fast wifi — lest you’d rather watch buffer screens instead of the newest OITNB. Technology needs to advance for streaming to be truly instant.

That’s where DVDs come in. VHS was left in the dust, but as Dan noted: “The vinyl has survived decades after people predicted it would be extinct.”

Like vinyl, DVDs offer sentimentality that streaming services never achieve. For hardcore film fans it’s about collection and status symbols. For others, it’s being able to watch that favourite movie whenever you want.

While movie lovers welcome the accessibility of streaming and students the flexibility, the desire to own those classic DVDs may never die.

H&M

The DVDeparted?

n o i h s YOUR fa

New Look

Culture Reporter

Topshop

RACHEL MAINS

River Island

By

September 2015

Topshop

12

kery classes

Delevingne CARA rocks a layered look cropped, a with leather biker jacket and burgundy dress.

As she roams the London streets she is ready for rain or shine while still looking cool and casual.

Djemaa el-Fna, Morocco

Leather Ankle Boots Asos £50

Incense, spices and handcr afted items

Feria de San Pedro, Argentina

go dancers

ludes tan This cultural must-see inc

TIRED of Starbucks’ continental breakfast? Why not find an alternative to your traditional latte and croissant combo.

Grab a bite to eat at a street food vendor, who offer diverse and delicious grub for your morning commute.

We travelled across London in search of the best breakfast street food. Be sure to give these vendors a visit or look out for street food near you.

Head to the BUNNY CHOW truck or its store in Soho to taste its award-winning take on an English breakfast, which is served up in a South African brioche loaf. (www.bunnychow.com) Fresh juices are also on offer — the “North Beach” blend of coconut and elderflower is one of its most popular.

For a lighter breakfast, the STREET KITCHEN truck outside Liverpool Street Station offers a range of healthy bites, from soft poached eggs with smoky tomato compote to smoked salmon and crème fraiche. The kitchen was founded by two London chefs committed to making gourmet food accessible for all. (www.streetkitchen.co.uk) The Old Spitalfields Market branch of the MR COFFEE chain is also worth a look. Among the croissants and pastries are some gems, such as the fried pastry cannoli bites filled with Nutella or a pistachio paste. (www.mrcoffee.com) Mobile coffee bar BEAN ABOUT TOWN is committed to keeping coffee independent, sourcing beans from independent roasters. Its espresso has a rich flavour, and the vendors can tell you all about its origin. (www.beanabouttown.com) The franchise has five mobile bars around London including Kentish Town and Kensington.

Camden Lock Market Quirky London fave has surprises for everyone

Chow wow . . . Bunny’s brekkie fry-up is a big hit

14

September 2015

Chatting with England superstar Fran Kirby...

RAM-PAGE . . Ramsey, who had goal ruled out, tussels with Gomez

ARSENAL..0 LIVERPOOL..0

Blank Cech saves ‘arrogant’ Arsene ARSENAL and Liverpool fought out a tense draw at the Emirates — although the Gunners were grateful for Petr Cech’s brilliance to earn them a point.

A Liverpool goal seemed inevitable but for a string of heroics from new keeper Cech.

The August 24 clash provided an early-season glimpse at both teams’ title credentials. Chelsea and Manchester City have

By JULIA PAMILIH kept the Premier League trophy in their grasp in recent seasons — and this But both teams ultimately encounter did little to lacked clinical bite.

Sky pundit Gary Neville prove Arsenal or Liverpool are set to challenge. claimed Arsenal’s inability Liverpool dominated to sustain a title challthe first half as Arsenal enge is due to Arsene “arrogance” in suffered heavily from an Wenger’s the transfer market. unsettled back four.

Wenger may have Liverpool striker Chris- rejected Neville’s accusatian Benteke was a con- tions — but the Gunners’ stant menace, but missed need for a top striker a golden chance to hand remains clear. his club an early lead.

While Reds boss BrenAaron Ramsey joined dan Rodgers called his the calls for video tech- side “outstanding”, nology after his strike was Wenger was left ruing a incorrectly ruled offside. “very average” start.

GUNNER BE A GOOD GAME . . . Julia and Ailsa tour Emirates

Sky’s the limit.. we go behind scenes THE Edge had a behindthe-scenes tour at Sky’s mammoth live coverage operation at the Emirates.

Masterminded by production director James Breadlin and his 95-strong team, set-up begins eight hours before the game.

First, the team park the trucks and rig up 20km of broadcasting cables.

In the production gallery director Jenny checks

15

September 2015

GIRLS THIS IS YOUR TIME

O’NEILL Continued from Back Page

FRAN-TASTIC . . Kirby scores for England

By

Ailsa Cowen Sports Reporter

THE world has been graced with a year full of fantastic football — but it’s arguably the women’s game that has taken the greatest strides.

The expansions within the FA Women’s Super League and the almighty Women’s World Cup have made a vast impact on the women’s game.

The expectations for girls to play with skipping ropes in the playground could be dying out as more and more youngsters kick a ball around.

England and Chelsea star Fran Kirby did exactly that with her brother when she was younger. She said: “I remember dragging him out into the road to play football with me.”

From June 6 until July 5 Canada hosted the seventh Women’s World Cup. This was the focus of any female footballer’s year.

Twenty-four teams from around the globe competed. The first tournament back in 1991 only featured twelve.

This year’s tournament meant a lot to our Lionesses as their World Cup history is not fantastic. They have reached the quarter-final stages three times, lost to Germany in 1995, the US in 2007 and France on penalties in 2011 — which hit the camp hard.

In 2013 the Lionesses gained a new manager, Mark Sampson — previously Head Coach at WSL team Bristol Academy. Under his coaching the girls grabbed a bronze medal in the 2015 World Cup. He’s also responsible for picking WSL League 2 star Fran Kirby for the senior squad, who Sampson has coined the ‘mini Messi’.

She was the first League 2 player to receive this recognition. Fran agreed more girls should have the opportunity to represent their country, saying: “I’m proud to be the first to receive that recognition of being called up to the senior team.

“Me getting picked is definitely heading in the right direction and it should keep progressing so more girls get the opportunity.”

Sampson was a true asset — his fresh ideas and understanding of the game gave the Lionesses a new lease of life. He made them

MESSI . . . as good as Fran?

World Cup competitors and they beat Germany in the third place play-off.

Winning bronze not only meant a huge amount of pride and glory for the Lionesses — it was also the best performance by a senior England football team in decades.

I asked Fran if she believed the publicity for the World Cup has developed the women’s game. She replied: “Oh, definitely. I didn’t realise the impact we were having until I got back. I grew up watching professional footballers, now it’s great to hear young girls saying they want to be like me.”

I also asked if she felt the positivity around the tournament has changed the view on the female

game.

She said: “There are always going to be some people’s opinions you can’t change — but the record in attendance for the WSL after the World Cup is evidence things are changing.”

With the constant developments within the female game, I asked Fran about earlier in her career. She told me if she could go back she would tell herself “to enjoy the game more . . . I put a lot of pressure on myself”.

She also told me about her transfer to Chelsea Ladies from hometown club Reading. Fran said:

eligible to play for Ireland. Former Nottingham Forest ace O’Neill said: “We need to find the net and to create more opportunities in our final four Euro qualification games.”

On Ireland qualifying, he said: “It’s still in our hands” — and added: “We might have to beat the world champions Germany to qualify.” He felt that if Ireland secured wins in the coming weeks, it would put them in a good position. O’Neill said: “We have to win against Gibraltar, we also have to win against Georgia to give ourselves a chance of qualifying — and if we could win those two games, we would go into the Poland and Germany games with great heart and enthusiasm.”

After a disappointing World Cup for England, O’Neill is sure they will want to put on a better performance next year in France. He said: “They seem to have enough talent in their squad that a big tournament wouldn’t be beyond their reach.

“It is an opportunity for younger players to perform in France and do well on the big stage.”

The 63-year-old boss hopes to meet England in the finals if both teams qualify. O’Neill said: “The way things are going, if we could qualify, it would be difficult to avoid a team from Britain.”

O’Neill admitted it “would be nice” to meet England in the finals.

But he added: “I wouldn’t want Scotland to qualify at Ireland’s expense.”

Jack Grealish’s international future still hangs in the balance — with the 19-year-old midfielder able to choose Ireland or England.

Grealish has represented Ireland since he was 14, and O’Neill remains hopeful the GREALISH . . in demand Aston Villa starlet will be wearing a green jersey when he makes his senior international debut.

O’Neill said: “Jack is still in consideration.

Jack is English, so he has an affiliation with England. Whatever decision he makes, we will all need to abide by that.

“We would like him to be involved with us because he has class. It would be easier for him to get into Ireland’s team rather than England because they [England] have an abundance of midfield talent.”

“It was a really difficult decision. I had really good friends at the club.

Sometimes your career has to come first and you need to push yourself.”

Coverage of the women’s game is exploding. In total 1,353,506 attended the Women’s World Cup and nine million people tweeted #WWC15 throughout the tournament.

I asked Fran how it feels to have achieved so much at the age of 22.

She said: “It’s crazy actually — I mean a couple of years ago I

was playing in low divisions and now I’ve played in the Women’s World Cup. It is absolutely bizarre.

“I have pushed myself to be bigger and better. I love winning and I hate losing so it’s definitely the right experience for me.”

The women’s footballing world is rocketing upwards and is showing no signs of coming down anytime soon.

Girls, this is definitely your time.

Determination will get you to where you want to be — which Fran knows all too well.

“I remember going to watch an England game with my parents and saying I wanted to play for England one day,” she said. “And now it’s happened.”

Get back on track for athletics’ future

all 20 cameras work. Next door the team picks out the best live stats. They receive the embargoed line-ups and work out formations. After fierce debate over Liverpool, finally they settle on 4-3-3.

The graphics operator sets up player walkthroughs while the video tech truck makes preparations for replays. Then we’re ready for kick-off . . .

AT a time when we should be basking in the legacy of London 2012, athletics is enveloped in a cloud of doping allegations.

WHAT U-SAIN? . . . Bolt narrowly beats Gatlin in 100m final

The Sunday Times reported a third of medals in athletics

By ALEX HEWITT

Championships between 2001 and 2012 were won by athletes with suspicious blood tests — including 55 golds.

It is also claimed this was not followed up by the International Association of Athletics Federa-

tions. True, these allegations don’t “prove” doping. But this is a grey area too big for the IAAF to bury their head in the long-jump sandpit, and for president Sebastian Coe to deliver empty “declarations of war”.

Now, good-guy Usain Bolt, with his 100m and 200m World Championships victories over two-time drugs cheat Justin Gatlin, is claimed to

have “saved his sport”. But ignoring Bolt, the top 20 100m times are by men who have served doping bans.

Parallels can be made between the track and the bike. Spearheaded by Lance Armstrong, cycling’s descent into mistrust has created an environment where athletes cannot have their talent celebrated without suspicion.

As the controversial reports con-

tinue, the next Usain Bolt could be treated the same as Chris Froome in this year’s Tour de France — with hostile scepticism rather than awe.

The growing confusion surrounding athletics needs to be addressed for the sport to survive. Without heroes they can trust, will fans continue to buy into the sport?

Will young athletes still be

attracted to a sport in which raw ability seems no longer enough?

Transparency and resilience are the only cure. Lessons can be learnt from the hard-line attitude of the London Marathon — banning former winner and doper Liliya Shobukhova.

Give out lifetime bans and be transparent with records. Then we can get back what truly is a great sport.

LANCASTER . . . Fiji clash

A New Zeal for Kiwis in the Cup

By TOBY CRAVEN

THE Rugby World Cup starts on September 18, when England play Fiji at Twickenham.

Stuart Lancaster’s men lost a key warm-up game against France 20-25.

They need to overcome their World Cup curse — in 2011, they flopped out in the quarter-final.

Two days later overwhelming tournament favourites New Zealand take on Argentina.

Here are three more games to look out for: South Africa v Scotland, St James Park, October 3: The Scots could have a torrid time against the Springboks if their Six Nations form continues — they lost every game.

Bryan Habana against Stuart Hogg will be a key battle.

England v Australia, Twickenham, October 3: This is a real grudge match: the Aussies are desperate to win back bragging rights after being clobbered in the Ashes. George Ford and Quade Cooper will pull the strings.

France v Ireland, Millennium Stadium, October 11: Ireland won the last game between these two 18-11 during their Six Nations victory earlier this year — nobody knows which way this tight match will go.

£240m buys Neymar

By GUY BIRCHALL

MAN United are preparing to part with £240million to bring Barcelona superstar Neymar to Old Trafford.

The Brazilian striker is said to be interested, recognising he will never outshine team-mate Lionel Messi.

United Chief Executive Ed Woodward has visited the Nou Camp three times in the past two months. A £130m buyout clause and tax add-ons push the transfer fee up to a record breaking £165m, while wages make the total cost £240m.

NEYMAR . . .

United bound?

WORLD CUP GLORY IS JUST THE START SAYS STRIKER FRAN

By AILSA COWEN

LIONESSES striker Fran Kirby is on a never-ending quest for triumph.

She had a taster of World Cup glory this summer, Chelsea Ladies are flying high in the FAWSL League and she’s itching for more.

Fran told The Edge in an exclusive interview: “Sometimes your career has to come first and you need to push yourself.”

Full interview — Pages 14 and 15

WENGER . . . struggle

Gunners misfiring but Petr isperfect

By JULIA PAMILIH

KEEPER Petr Cech saved Arsenal as they struggled to kickstart their season against Liverpool with a goalless draw.

Pundit Gary Neville accused Arsene Wenger of “arrogance” with transfers, while Gunner Aaron Ramsey joined calls for video technology after an offside decision denied him a goal.

Match report — Page 14

BURGESS . . . Cup squad

Sam the man as Cipriani chopped

By TOBY CRAVEN

SAM Burgess has been called up to the England Rugby World Cup squad after playing for just a year — while Danny Cipriani failed to make the cut.

Burgess, 26, switched codes at the start of this season, and has just one cap for the rugby union team.

Rugby World Cup top games — Page 15

EDGE SPORT EXCLUSIVE

BRING ON ENGLAND O’Neill reveals his ‘dream’ Euro clash

By DANNY DE VAAL

IRELAND manager Martin O’Neill has told of his dream of meeting England in the Euro 2016 finals.

In an exclusive interview with The Edge, the Republic boss tipped Roy Hodgson’s Three Lions to go far at the tournament in France next summer.

He also revealed his hope that Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish would declare himself

Continued on Page 15