‘Best job in the World’ winner says he’ll miss his mum

October 12th, 2009 LONDON - An American man has won the 'golden spurtle' after he emerged victorious in the world porridge-making championship in the Scottish Highlands on Sunday. Matthew Cox, who travelled all the way from Milwaukie in Oregon for the contest, impressed judges in Carrbridge, Strathspey, with his version of the traditional oatmeal dish.

August 13th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Tourism Queensland has decided to extend its 'Best job in the World' campaign, and provide four friends to Ben Southall who would help him in exploring the Great Barrier Reef. Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor and Premier Anna Bligh have launched their "Best Experience in the World" campaign that will provide free flights for four friends from anywhere in the world and island accommodation for a "couple of months", reports The Courier Mail.

July 22nd, 2009 LONDON - A huge row started after it emerged that the winner of the Miss England contest, Linford Christie's niece Rachel, had won just nine public votes. Rachel, 20, a heptathlete, had won the title after a panel of six judges deemed her the best of 15 shortlisted beauty queens.

July 10th, 2009 KUALA LUMPUR - Critics are demanding that Miss Singapore Rachel Kum be stripped of her title, after offensive pictures of her have surfaced on the Internet. In one of the pictures, Kum is seen simulating oral sex with a birthday cake shaped like an erect penis.

July 10th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Responding to Sarah Palin's resignation from the post of Alaska Governor, former Miss USA Shanna Moakler has said that the former Republican Vice-Presidential candidate can still do "so much more". The reality star has said that Palin certainly has the potential to really make an impact.

July 2nd, 2009 MELBOURNE - 'Best Job in The World' winner Ben Southall and his girlfriend Breanna Watkins had a bit of a mishap on the first day on the job. Southall's first task as "caretaker" of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef was a visit with a large media pack to the jewel of the Whitsundays, Whitehaven Beach.

June 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Lawyer of Carrie Prejean, who was stripped off her Miss California crown, has accused Miss California officials of fabricating claims. She came under the media glare for all the wrong reasons because of her answer to a question about gay marriage two months ago in the Trump-owned Miss USA pageant, in which she was the runner-up.

June 11th, 2009 LONDON - 'Best job in the world' winner Ben Southall, who's set to begin his tryst in Hamilton island, says he'll miss the British summer and its festivities. "Despite the weather, I love summer in Britain - the festivals and outdoor activities," the Sun quoted him as saying.

May 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has defended controversy laden Miss California Carrie Prejean against "the liberal onslaught of malicious attacks." Carrie was speculated to have lost the Miss USA crown after she spoke against same sex marriages while responding to a question during the competition. The 21-year-old, who bagged the first runner-up title on April 19, had evoked a mixed reaction for her anti-gay marriage answer, with some crying out for her title to be stripped off her while conservatives hailed her as a star.

May 8th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian cricketers Nathan Bracken and James Hopes will miss the second edition of the Indian Premier League due to knee injuries. The two were among the six Australians who were to fly to South Africa after their side's final match against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Thursday.

May 1st, 2009 MELBOURNE - As Tourism Queenland's 'best job in the world' campaign enters its final stage, Taiwan's wild card entry Clare Wang has been touted as the winner of Great Barrier Reef's much-publicised caretaker job. An interpreter by profession, Wang made it to the competition by securing more than 150,000 votes from across the world last month.

April 30th, 2009 NEW YORK - Miss California Carrie Prejean got a boob job done six weeks before competing in the Miss USA competition. Miss California pageant directors told 'Access Hollywood' that Prejean was gifted with a new pair of knockers before the beauty pageant, reports the New York Daily News.

April 26th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Carrie Prejean may have lost her shot at becoming Miss USA, but she has surely won the hearts of conservatives. Miss California has been blasted since the Miss USA competition, when she said on national television - much to the dismay of celebrity blogger Perez Hilton - she believes marriage should be between a man and a woman.

April 21st, 2009 LONDON - The British Police is investigating allegations of racist abuse against the newly crowned Miss Black Britain. Nigerian-born medical student Helen Lawal (23) from Pickering, North Yorkshire, was threatened in a phone call to event organiser Vivienne Lee.

April 5th, 2009 LONDON - Jade Goody's beloved sons have paid tribute to their late mum in their own special way, by tucking in 'miss you' messages in a bottle and launching it into the ocean from Australia. The Brit reality TV star's five-year-old Bobby and four-year-old Freddie, on vacation with dad Jeff Brazier, marked their mum's funeral on April 4 by writing messages and drawing her pictures.