Model, 28, who tried to steal £1,000 worth of designer goods from Harrods is let off with a slap on the wrists after a magistrate said she was a woman of 'considerable talents'

A model who tried to steal £1,000 worth of designer goods from Harrods was let off with a slap on the wrist after a magistrate said she was a woman of 'considerable talents'.

Natalia Sikorska, 28, a business management student, attempted to make off with a Markus Lupfer jacket, a pair of Claudie Pierlot shoes, a Pinko handbag and the silver knife on 5 July.

But she was stopped before she left the Knightsbridge, London, store with the haul worth £959.59. 

After she admitted theft Westminster Magistrate Grant McCrostie gave the Polish model and actress a conditional discharge for 12 months. 

He said: 'You are a newcomer to this county, you are a student with a place at university.

'You are obviously a woman of considerable talents, you are obviously intelligent.

'Taking goods from any store, including Harrods is wrong.

'Your future has been put at risk by these actions.

'Because of the fact that you pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and you do have a potentially bright future, we will deal with this more leniently than we should have.

'It will be a conditional discharge for a period of 12 months.'

Mr McCrostie said if Sikorska, who is currently studying business management and economics at the University of Westminster, stays out of trouble for that period she will not face any further punishment.

'You have been given another opportunity do not abuse the opportunity we have given you, stay out of trouble,' he said.

Trump, frustrated by Afghan war, suggests firing U.S. commander: officials

By Steve Holland and John Walcott

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's doubts about the war in Afghanistan has led to a delay in completing a new U.S. strategy in South Asia, skepticism that included a suggestion that the U.S. military commander in the region be fired, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

During a July 19 meeting in the White House Situation Room, Trump demanded that his top national security aides provide more information on what one official called "the end-state" in a country that the United States has spent 16 years fighting against the Taliban with no end in sight.

The meeting grew stormy when Trump said Defense Secretary James Mattis and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford, a Marine general, should consider firing Army General John Nicholson, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, for not winning the war.

"We aren't winning," he told them, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

In addition, once the meeting concluded, Trump's chief strategist, Steve Bannon, got into what one official called "a shouting match" with White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster over the direction of U.S. policy.

Some officials left the meeting “stunned” by the president’s vehement complaints that the military was allowing the United States to lose the war

NEW MUSIC: Masterkraft X Wizkid – Odoo

Super music producerMasterkraft teams up with Starboy and rave of the moment – Wizkid, to bring us another fiery collaboration titled “Odoo“.

Still on the #PonPon trend, the tune is smooth as smooth can be. Add to your playlist asap.

Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD CLICK HERE

Typhoon injures more than 80 people in Taiwan as another storm approaches

Taiwan's first typhoon of the year left 81 people injured and coastal towns flooded as the island braces for a second tropical storm.
Much of Taiwan came to a standstill after Typhoon Nesat made landfall in eastern Yilan county, whipping up massive waves of over 50-feet and dumping rain of up to 23 inches in the southern region of Pingtung.
As Nesat moved away from Taiwan, tropical storm Haitang churned towards the south of the island.

India's coast guard has made a record-breaking 1.5 tonne heroin bust worth $500 million

Ahmedabad (India) (AFP) - India's coast guard announced Sunday it had seized 1.5 tonnes of heroin worth almost $550 million from a merchant ship in what maritime authorities are calling their largest-ever drug bust.

The ship was intercepted Saturday off the western state of Gujarat, the coast guard said in a statement.

"This is the largest single haul of narcotics seized till date," it said, adding the drugs were worth an estimated $545 million.

An undisclosed number of suspects were detained for questioning by coast guard officials, police and intelligence agencies.

Anyone caught smuggling or possessing narcotics is remanded in custody without bail under Indian law.

Daughter Of Former Jigawa State Governor, Hadiza Lamido Dies At 38

Hajia Hadiza Sule Lamido, the second daughter of immediate past Governor of Jigawa State, Dr. Sule Lamido, has died. She died in an Indian hospital on Saturday morning, July 29th, after a brief illness.

Born in 1979, late Hadiza is survived by husband and three children. A family source said the funeral arrangements will be announced as soon as her remains arrives Nigeria. May her soul rest in peace, amen.

War Against Drugs: Police Gun Down Philippine Mayor, His Wife And 12 Others In Drug Raid

Authorities in Philippine have fatally shot a city mayor, who was among politicians linked to illegal drugs, and 13 others in a gunbattle that erupted Sunday morning when they reportedly resisted arrest, officials said.

Chief Supt. Timoteo Pacleb, the Northern Mindanao police chief, said elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) were serving six search warrants against properties of the Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr, his daughter, who is the vice mayor, and four other officials of Ozamiz city for drugs and firearms when they were met with violent resistance at about 2:30 a.m in San Roque Lawis in Ozamiz City.

Okra can lead to infertility in men – Research

Okra, though very nutritious, can lead to infertility in men of reproductive age, Dr Ochuko Erikainure, a Senior Research Officer at the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), Oshodi, Lagos, has warned.
Erukainure, also a nutritionist and biochemist, gave the warning on Saturday in an interview in Lagos.
According to him, too much consumption of okra, especially its seeds can lead to infertility in men of reproductive age. An online publication, www.medicalhealthguide.com says Okra, known in many English-speaking countries as lady’s fingers, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. “Okra is an annual herb that is widely cultivated for its edible green seed pods in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate climates. “Okra is a hardy plant that can grow even with less water and in hot conditions.’’ Erukainure said that okra has a unique substance called “GOSSYPOL”. “Gossypol inhibits sperm production and motility by blocking several enzymes that are highly important in energy metabolism in sperm and sperm producing cells.

Trump to sign bill imposing fresh sanctions on Russia

US President Donald Trump will sign into law a bill imposing new sanctions on Russia, the White House says.

Both houses of Congress backed the bill, which also includes measures against Iran and North Korea, but it was thought Mr Trump might veto it.

Russia has already retaliated by ordering cuts to US diplomatic staff and barring the use of some properties.

The sanctions are over Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and alleged interference in the US election.

Iran and North Korea are being penalised over their ballistic missile tests.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Mr Trump would sign the bill, but only after having negotiated "critical elements" of it. She did not specify what those elements were.

"He has now reviewed the final version and, based on its responsiveness to his negotiations, approves the bill and intends to sign it," she said.

Chinese woman undergoes plastic surgery to evade £2.8 million debt

A 59-year old woman from the central Chinese city of Wuhan transformed her appearance through plastic surgery in order to avoid 25 million yuan (£2.8 million) of personal debts, state news agency Xinhua said.

In a case highlighting the challenges facing China as it tries to establish a "credit society", police officers were reported to be "astonished" after apprehending the woman, who fled to the southeastern Chinese city of Shenzhen after a court in Wuhan ordered her to pay off her debt.

China and Russia have 'responsibility' for North Korea nuclear threat, says US

The United States has accused China and Russia of bearing “unique and special responsibility” for North Korea’s “belligerent” pursuit of nuclear weapons, after Pyongyang tested its latest ballistic missile.

North Korea conducted its second intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test late on Friday in what it called a warning to the “beast-like US imperialists”. It came less than a month after its first such experiment, on 4 July.

“If the Yankees brandish the nuclear stick on this land again despite our repeated warnings, we will clearly teach them manners,” KCNA warned.The test-launch sent “a grave warning to the US” that it “would not go scot-free if it dares provoke” the North, Pyongyang’s official news agency, KCNA, said in a statement.

Baby dies after days 'strapped in a car seat without food'

A young mother has been arrested after her son died after allegedly spending days strapped to a car seat in her home without food.

Lovily K Johnson has been charged with felony murder and first-degree child abusefollowing the death of her son Noah Edward Johnson at their apartment in Wyoming, Michigan.

Police said Johnson had arrived at the local hospital last week with Noah who was already “clearly deceased and had been for some time”.

In a statement the force said: “Johnson . . . admitted that Noah was under her care and no one else’s care for the last four days.

“Johnson admitted to being at home multiple times a day during that time frame.

“She knowingly and intentionally deprived him of the necessities of life by not feeding him since Monday evening.

“During this time, Noah remained buckled in a car seat on the upper floor of Johnson’s apartment with no air conditioning.’’

Did you know that it is illegal in Equatorial Guinea to name your newborn 'Monica'?

Laws exist in order to regulate society; to protect people; to enforce rights and to solve conflicts.

However, some countries make laws that are deemed outlandish and whose intentions remain unclear. In some cases, these laws are dictatorial and go to show just how much control governments have in such countries.

From banning imports of fruits, mineral juice to not being allowed to call your new born 'Monica', here are some of the strangest laws in African countries:

• Madagascar

It is against the law for pregnant women to wear hats in Madagascar.

• Swaziland

A woman that is seen wearing pants/trouser in Swaziland, can be punished by having the pants ripped off of her, and torn into pieces by soldiers. In fact, a Swazi woman was banned from being nominated to stand as a member of parliament because she was wearing trousers at the nomination centre.

Brand New Ferrari Burns To A Crisp Just One Hour After It Was Bought (Photos)

According to a Facebook post by South Yorkshire Police, a driver watched his newly-bought Ferrari 430 Scuderia go up in smoke after he crashed the supercar just an hour after collecting it.  

The luxury motor veered off a highway and "burst into flames". Photos of the incident's aftermath show the burned-out remains of the car smoldering on grass.

South Yorkshire Police say they were surprised to see that the driver had escaped the blaze mostly unharmed, adding that he was "very lucky" to walk away from the crash with only "minor cuts and bruises"

Justin Bieber Officially Banned From Performing in China for 'Bad Behavior' Until He Matures

Justin Bieber has been banned from performing in China over "bad behavior."
The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture published a statement on its website Tuesday explaining why the 23-year-old pop star would not be allowed to perform in the country as part of the Asia leg of his Purpose world tour, according to the New York Times.
"Justin Bieber is a gifted singer, but he is also a controversial young foreign singer,” the bureau reportedly wrote. "In order to maintain order in the Chinese market and purify the Chinese performance environment, it is not suitable to bring in badly behaved entertainers."
However, the bureau also expressed hope that the ban can one day be lifted: "We hope that as Justin Bieber matures, he can continue to improve his own words and actions, and truly become a singer beloved by the public."The statement didn't cite any specific instances of "bad behavior," but Bieber was arrested in 2014 for driving under the influence and drag racing.