London | Westminster World

Mar32015 by Deeksha SharmaNo Comments

“Would you like a coffee in a lavatory? Yes, please!”

A Victorian lavatory abandoned after the Second World War has been renovated into a café. It is located near Oxford Street amidst some frilly restaurants . By Deeksha Sharma Subeditor Mutave Mutemi In a junction of fancy restaurants, on the street down by the BBC 's Broadcasting House, The Attendant cafe is located. It is called so because the counter of the attendant has been retained from where food is served. Having a latte in lav may sound gross, but in reality the coffee is refreshing with some freshly whipped cream, if that’s how you like it. After the Second World War, many public toilets were left abandoned. But with the encouragement of officials, these were sold off to businesses and were opened up as cafes and warehouses. Under an iron shed are the stairs

Are young Jewish adults at risk of terrorist attacks in London?

News, Opinion, Politics

The UK's terror threat level is currently "severe", and recent Islamist attacks in Paris and Copenhagen have emphasized the sincerity of this threat further. In London, the Jewish Community feels particularly at risk. Kait Borsay talks to young Jewish adults and finds a surprising reaction. Reporter: Kait Borsay @kaitborsay Sub editor: Cynthia Gregoire @modjournalist The UK has recorded the highest-ever number of anti-Semitic incidents in 2014, reports the Jewish protection group Community Security Trust. Compared with the previous year, the incidents more than doubled. The trust urges the Jewish community to maintain a high level of alert after the attacks in Paris and Copenhagen. But how do you live under a constant threat simply for being Jewish? Zoe Hillman is a 19-year-

Instagram #HotDudesReading: Objectifying men or women’s natural instinct?

Culture, Media

A new Instagram account posts pictures (taken secretly) of men reading books on the NYC subway. Reporter Indraja Gugle finds out what London's men who read on the tube think about this phenomenon, and dares to click them too (un-secretly). By Indraja Gugle Sub editor: Cynthia Liza The Instagram account #HotDudesReading, started by a bunch of New Yorkers, became an instant hit this Valentines when it published its first image – an arguably attractive guy with sharp features immersed in his book while the sun bounced off his wavy blonde hair. The caption read “Spotted this scruffy prince on his morning commute. I’m sure he’s reading a collection of post-war Russian short stories, but really thinking of how he made love to his French girlfriend this morning and the gluten free toast the

The West Meets the East: London Celebrates The Chinese New Year in Style

Culture, International, News

Soho's Chinese New Year celebrations were alive and full of colour as they welcomed in 2015: 'The Year of the Sheep' Reporters: Jipsa George @jipsarosey and Li Ying Sub-Editor: Cristiana Ferrauti Thousands of people joined the celebrations in London to welcome the start of a New Year for the Chinese community. The parade started in Trafalgar Square, where handcrafted floats led a procession to Shaftesbury Avenue, followed by dance, music and acrobatics to entertain the crowd. The event is known to be one of the biggest celebrations outside of Asia, bringing many people together despite their cultural differences. Jipsa George reports: The Year of the Sheep The Sheep - also referred to as the Ram or the Goat - is the eighth sign of the twelve year cycle of

Polar Plunge leaves the Ice Bucket Challenge behind

Galleries, Health, Sport, Video

Londoners plunge into icy water to raise money for Special Olympics. Indraja Gugle reports from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Sub-editor: Jipsa George On a Saturday morning in February, as the temperature dipped below 5˚ Celsius, Londoners gathered at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to plunge in icy water for the inaugural Great Britain Polar Plunge. This feat was designed to raise money for Special Olympics. London may be used to its inhabitants jogging in the snow, but a plunge in glacial water goes to show their great support towards inclusive sports like the Special Olympics. Sarah, a participant, was raring to go with her team of eight. “It’s all right so far, although we got more scared when we looked at the pool and there was lots of ice on top. But it’s for

Feb162015 by Nader KaddourNo Comments

Celebrate Pancake Day with our global edition

Culture, Galleries

Good news: For all those who need an excuse when stuffing their face with plate after plate of round, griddle-based cakes, Pancake Day is finally here. Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, is the time to feast before fasting for Lent. Or purely a celebration of the humble pancake enjoyed by people all over the world. Nader Kaddour looks at the international diversity in pancakes, which is mouth-wateringly awesome. Celebrate Pancake Day properly this year with these delicious creations from around the globe, and learn where to eat them in London. Reporter: Nader Kaddour Sub-editor: Edward Lauder Pancakes/Flapjacks USA/Canada Chocolate chip, bananas and peanut butter, blueberry, or bathed in butter and maple syrup, if you can imagine it, it probably exists as a pancake.

Keeping London’s libraries open

Audio, Harrow

Public libraries are closing across London due to cutbacks in local government funding. Cristiana Ferrauti Twitter: @Cristiana16492 meets a volunteer who aims to keep a library open. Sub-editor: Sonal Gupta Paul Lorber, Liberal Democrat leader at Brent Council, is director of the Friends of Barham Library - charity trust for bringing back the community library. The Crabbs House, in Barham Park, was the building hosting the local library. It opened in 1952 and has been active until October 2011, when Brent Council closed it as part of the Libraries Transformation Project During Saturday afternoon, Lorber volunteers at the temporary shop premises in Wembley High Road. It is a library and second hand bookshop opening three times a week. In 2013, another voluntee

Feb142015 by Jipsa GeorgeNo Comments

Female DJs spin just as well as the men

Culture, Music

Kelly Sylvia is one of a few successful female DJs working in London. The co-founder of the online magazine Shejay says that despite the fact there are only a small number of women DJs on the scene, London provides support for those seeking to get into the business. By Jipsa George Sub editor : Edward Lauder “It’s always been a very welcoming place for me and my peers because it really champions the music – no matter who is playing it. It’s always been about the music in the UK,” says Kelly. DJ-ing, once considered to be a boy's only zone, has changed in the recent years with a number of talented DJs and producers emerging in the industry. A survey published in 2010 show that while there is plenty of female artists, the majority (66 per cent) of the people working behind the scen