Kate 'interested' in joining the Women's Institute

The Duchess of Cambridge, née Kate Middleton, could be set to join the Women's Institute. The British royal, who is settling into country life at Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate, has said she is 'interested' in joining Anmer WI, located just a stone's throw from her Norfolk home. According to the Mail on Sunday, president of Anmer WI Dorothy Pulsford-Harris, has had a positive response to a letter she sent the Duchess before Christmas inviting her to join. "I had a very nice letter back from her private secretary saying she was interested," said the 70-year-old retired barrister. "We would be delighted to see her." The Duchess is said to be keen on signing up to the WI. Dorothy's sentiments were echoed by the chairman of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, Janice Langley. "We would be delighted to welcome the Duchess of Cambridge," the Mail on Sunday reported her as saying. "The WI has a long tradition of royal members. The WI is made up of all kinds of women, of all different backgrounds and ages, which is what makes it so special." Indeed, Kate would be following in the footsteps of many British royal ladies if she were to join the 100-year-old organisation. The Queen became a member of Sandringham WI in 1943 and is now the branch’s president, having taken over the position from the Queen Mother. Prince Charles's wife the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Edward's wife the Countess of Wessex are also WI members, while Princess Anne is an associate member. Sophie and the Princess Royal are expected to join the Queen on 4 June to attend the WI's annual meeting – which will also mark its centenary. Should 33-year-old Kate sign up to Anmer WI, she would be one of [the] group's youngest members according to Dorothy. "She would be one of our younger members," she said. "I don't know how old our youngest member is, but I would say early 40s." Hello! Photo

Netanyahu: Jerusalem has and always will only be the capital of the Jewish people

“Only under Israeli rule will there be freedom of worship for all religions in Jerusalem,” says PM. Jerusalem has historically only been the capital of the Jewish people, and so it will remain, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Sunday at the government's official Jerusalem Day Ceremony at Ammunition Hill. “We need to tell the truth, without fear,” Netanyahu said. “This is where we began our path as a nation, this is our home, and this is where we will stay.” Netanyahu, in comments that left no doubt as to whether he would agree to share the capital with a Palestinian state, said Israel will ensure that the city remains an open and tolerant city. “Only under Israeli rule will there be freedom of worship for all religions in Jerusalem,” he said. “Believers pray at their holy sites not in spite of our rule in the city, but precisely because of it.” The prime minister, who recalled growing up in a divided Jerusalem and catching a glimpse of the Old City through binoculars from certain vantage points in the capital, said it would never revert again to being “wounded and split.” “We will forever preserve an undivided Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty,” he said. The Jerusalem Post

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Don’t panic! How to escape a swarm of bees

Towns in southern England are being beset by noisy hordes of honeybees in search of new homes. Here’s what to do if you get caught by the buzz. Bee happy – unless you’re the beekeeper. “The keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams,” said Henry David Thoreau, who clearly knew what he was talking about. Swarms of honeybees have appeared in Salisbury, Marlborough and Chichester, and the growing fashion for amateur beekeeping may be to blame. So, are middle-class novices not looking after their hives properly, causing their bees to go rogue? Bee swarms may look terrifying and trigger memories of a certain scene from the film My Girl, but if you are confronted with a buzzing horde don’t panic: bees stuff themselves with honey before they head off, which makes them particularly docile. These are not “attacks”. “You can be very close to a swarm and they won’t sting you. Honeybees aren’t aggressive anyway,” says Webb.
If you spot a swarm, contact your local beekeeper’s association. In the unlikely event that you are stung, Webb recommends antihistamine cream. The Guardian