Fresh News Now

The father of 22-year-old backpacker Grace Millane took part in a blessing ceremony on the site where her body was found in New Zealand.
Her body was formally identified on Wednesday, and her family will return her to the UK this weekend.
David Millane said that Grace was “forever a Kiwi” and that he hopes “what has happened to Grace will not deter even one person from venturing out into the world.”
Police are still appealing for information about a red shovel they believe was used in the murder.

The father of murdered 22-year-old backpacker Grace Millane took part in a Maori ceremony at the place where her body was found in New Zealand.

David Millane flew to New Zealand on Friday and took part in a traditional Maori blessing ceremony where her body was found on alongside Millane’s uncle and members of the New Zealand Police. The Maori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand.

He described it as “a lovely and peaceful experience” in a statement from the family issued by the police.

Millane, from the town of Wickford in southeastern England, was last seen in a hotel in Auckland on December 1. Police found her body on Sunday. A 26-year-old man charged with her murder appeared in court on Monday.

Millane’s body was formally identified on Wednesday, the police said. Detective Inspector Scott Beard said that her body had been returned to her family, who are preparing to take her home this weekend.

Thousands gathered across New Zealand in candlelight vigils for Millane on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Grace is ‘forever a Kiwi’

Millane’s father issued a statement on behalf of her family on Wednesday, where he thanked the people of New Zealand for their “outpouring of love, numerous messages, tribute, and compassion.”

“Grace was not born here and only managed to stay a few weeks, …read more

Source:: Business Insider

      

…

…read more

Source:: AOL.com

      

Amsterdam’s first female mayor in the city’s 700 year history says she wants to protect and reform the city’s famous red light district.
Mayor Femke Halsema said: “Too often now we see vulnerable foreign women behind windows being booed by hordes of drunken tourists,” in an interview with Bloomberg.
The district hosts outlets for legal prostitution with many late-night bars and clubs, which facilitate the behavior Halsema criticizes.
Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands as long as it involves sex between consenting adults.

Amsterdam’s first female mayor in the city’s 700 year history says she plans to reform the city’s famous red light district to protect workers from the “hordes of drunken tourists.”

Five months into the job she took up in June, Mayor Femke Halsema committed in an interview Bloomberg to tackling problems directly related to the district, which is one of the most famous attractions in the Dutch capital city.

She said: “Too often now we see vulnerable foreign women behind windows being booed by hordes of drunken tourists.”

There are 370 windows displaying women in the district, belonging to 86 brothels, Bloomberg said. These windows serve as a prominent tourist attraction, often attracting late night crowds.

Due to the districts’ abundance of bars and clubs nearby, drunken and disorderly behavior by tourists is commonplace.

Halsema said: “Our inner city is one of the oldest in Europe with an enormous culture historical significance, which is obviously deteriorating. We would like tourists to see the cultural value.”

Read more: The iconic ‘I amsterdam’ sign has been removed for being ‘too individualistic’

One huge issue for Halsema and Amsterdam is over-tourism, as Amsterdam is a small city of 850,000 residents and around 18 million annual visitors.

To combat this, Halsema said she may spread some brothels outside of the district in an effort to ease gongestion and revive the …read more

Source:: Business Insider

      

LONDON — Downing Street fuelled speculation on Wednesday that Theresa May could resign before the next election, a move that could shore up support ahead of an imminent vote on her leadership.

Ahead of Wednesday evening’s confidence vote, a spokesperson for the prime minister said: “This vote isn’t about who leads us into the next general election.”

“It is about whether it is sensible to change leader at this point in Brexit negotiations.”

“She believes it’s her duty to serve as long as her party wants her to.”

The news will be interpreted as a hint that Theresa May is prepared to stand down before the next general election, scheduled for 2022, if Conservative MPs back her premiership tonight and allow her to deliver Brexit.

This is a developing story.

SEE ALSO: https://www.businessinsider.com/live-theresa-may-leadership-contest-no-confidence-vote-2018-12?r=US&IR=T

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A Harvard psychologist reveals the secret to curbing your appetite

…read more

Source:: Business Insider