Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
ISSUE #1
September 2013
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Aspire to be inspired.
Royal Mail
-should it be privatised?
Labour and Conservative viewpoints go head-to-head
A newspaper is a device for making the ignorant more ignorant, and the crazy crazier.
-H.L. Mencken
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Postal service to be sold on stock exchange 10% of profits to employees, 90% sold to investors Is this change good or bad?
p4 How does Milibands unpopularity affect Labour?
PHOEBE FINN
Debating Society
ROOM 204 1:15pm Wednesday
The place to hone your public speaking skills
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POLITICS
HEAD-TO-HEAD POLITICS
This governments cuts and austerity measures have resulted in the near collapse of the NHS, closing down vital A&E units and destroying our beloved libraries in the name of saving money. Now the government wants to sell off a quintessentially British service, Royal Mail. This needs to stop. In Britain, privatisation has never been particularly successful. When we privatised our energy and water supply in the 1990s, the regulatory body OFWAT was set up. OFWATs goal was to regulate price increases, prevent the loss of jobs and stop energy suppliers from exploiting the consumer. Over time OFWAT lost its teeth, and now look: energy prices are unjustifiably high, overseas investment has massively reduced the quality of our services and thousands of jobs have been lost. In its current economic state, Britain cannot withstand a repeat of this disastrous mould of privatisation.
A privatised company will never benefit the public as much as a state-owned service.
Royal Mail in the short-term is likely to increase in value because privatised companies look at the quickest way to increase profits. However, this financial growth comes at a cost. Cuts will be made, thousands will lose their jobs and the cost to use the postal service will soar through the roof. For the everyday consumer, using Royal Mail will be almost unaffordable. This newly privatised company wont be looking out for public interests; it wont try and increase employment opportunities or invest in infrastructure. Instead, it will reduce its costs by hiring cheaper labour, reducing the quality of the postal service and destroying Royal Mails legacy. Public services need to be owned
POLITICS
Treatment of David Miranda has sparked debate over how far governments can go without undermining the global position of free press.
Furthermore, following Downing Streets refusal to comment on the situation claiming it was a police matter, David Anderson to say on BBC Radio 4 that, The police, Im sure, do their best. But at the end of the day there is the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which can look into the exercise of this power, there are the courts and there is my function.
Ed Milibands summer cant have been improved when a poll revealed 63% of the public dislike him.
So while likeability may not be what is most important for Miliband in terms of winning the next election, his partys policies definitely do still matter. At the end of his time at No. 10 in 2007 only 37% of people disliked Tony Blair. However it was the fact that 61% of the public disliked his policies that shifted him out of power. Some argue that no matter what Miliband does he will still always been seen by voters as someone who couldnt make it to the top, but perhaps by making Labours message loud and clear, Ed Miliband will avoid being pelted by eggs again.
Meanwhile the Guardian editor Alan Rusbridge claimed that shadowy Whitehall figures had threatened the newspaper with legal action. This led to, in the words of Rusbridge, two GCHQ security experts overseeing the destruction of hard drives, containing leaked information from Snowden in the Guardian basements. The detention and criminal investigation of Miranda has caused editors of multiple northern European newspapers to write an open letter to David Cameron expressing their concerns about the effect the situation has had on the position of free press across the globe. They went on to say that they were, deeply concerned that a stout defender of democracy and free debate like the United Kingdom uses anti-terror legislation in order to legalise what amounts to harassment of both the paper and individuals associated with it. The treatment of David Miranda continues to spark debate over how far governments can go without undermining the position of free press throughout the world.
FEATURES POLITICS
by the shortage of homes being built. Economists such as Ross Walker, UK economist at the Royal Bank of Scotland, said that while this would be good for homeowners, there is a risk that the Government could create another bubble of artificially high prices just like the one before the crash. Walker said, There is a risk we recreate past mistakes. If all the Government is trying to do is give a little nudge then the effects will be largely minimal. But theyre saying interest rates will be at a record low for some time and borrow as much as you can, well, that sounds very familiar.
In London, house prices have increased at such a rate that some families have been forced out of the capital.
These low interest rates are due to the new Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, making a commitment to make the cost of borrowing stay at 0.5% until unemployment is under 7%. However this is a target that will not be reached until at least the end of 2016. Carney also brushed aside peoples fear of a housing bubble, pointing out that mortgage applications have stayed well below historic averages. The biggest rise has been in London where house prices have increased at a far greater rate than the rest of the country forcing some families out of the capital due to unaffordable prices. Estate agents estimate that around 60% of homes in development were bought by overseas buyers over the past few years, and that of that 60% , three quarters were purchased as an investment to be rented out. The sharp increase, or perhaps in some peoples opinion bubble has most affected central London where prices are 18% higher than they were at their peak in 2008 before the crash. People are desperate to buy these properties and views are increasing at enormous rates. In one borough, Kensington and Chelsea, the average prices of a home if over 1m and this is expected to be the case in a few other boroughs soon. Recently published figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that prices are going to continue to rise steadily.
David Cameron has urged the public to get behind fracking as it would reduce Britains dependence on Russia and the Middle East for gas and, so he claimed, reduce energy bills. Caudrillas chairman Lord Browne said, Domestic gas is more green than imported gas, and we need to explore as much domestic resource as we can. Its a national purpose, its right for our energy security, and, if done safely, we should pursue it. Despite this, thousands of protestors came to Balcombe with banners waving. The protests resulted in a tense standoff with the police and finally Caudrilla agreeing to suspend the drilling. Over the weeks preceding this victory for the protestors 45 people were arrested including the Green party MP, Caroline Lucas. The arrests began when the activists had been told by a senior officer to move as they were obstructing an industrial estate. As Caroline Lucas was arrested, she said, Along with everyone else who took action today, Im trying to stop a process which could cause enormous damage for decades to come. People today, myself included, took peaceful, non-violent direct action only after exhausting every other means of protest available to us. Sussex police have said that policing the protests has, so far, cost over 2m. However it seems that not all of Balcombes residents are opposed to fracking. 60 residents sent an anonymous letter stating the strong disapproval of the recent and continuing protests. They went on to say that they do not believe exploratory drilling or properly regulated further exploitation will unduly damage our environment. Despite this other residents have said that those 60 people, out of a village with a population of roughly 2000 people, are in the minority, and that the majority of the village is still opposed to fracking.
Fracking protests
Earlier this month in Balcombe, a village in West Sussex, the oil and gas company Cuadrilla began drilling for shale, reserves despite major protests. There has been widespread concern about the environmental effects of fracking. The residents of Balcombe and other environmental activists marched on the drilling site in protest which has now led to Cuadrilla halting the drilling on the advice of the police due to fears of further unrest.
The UK needs to step away from consumer spending and focus on industry, investments and export.
Ed Balls, when visiting Washington to launch a transatlantic growth commission with the former US treasury secretary Larry Summers, commented saying, after three wasted and damaging years of flatlining, this is both welcome and long overdue, going on to say that it appeared to be only benefitting higher-income groups and that middle and lower income families were still struggling. During previous recoveries from recessions since 1945 the economy has experienced a brief burst of growth to get it back to its pre-recession level. However, as the ONS warned, this has not been the case this time. Furthermore, despite signs of growth in the output in the major sectors 0f the economy, only the service sector has steadily grown since the 2008-09 recession, and the UKs manufacturing industry had before continued to contract. While things are looking up for Osborne, growth will have to continue to show that Britain has decisively emerged from the recession. Most economists agree that for the rebalancing of the economy to occur, the UK needs to step away from consumer spending that contributed to the most recent boom, and focus more on industry investments and export.
Hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, is when high pressure liquid is pumped underground in order to break up shale rock, thereby releasing gas or oil reserves. Worries have been raised concerning water contamination and small-scale earthquakes, but some say that these have been blown out of proportion by propaganda. There are thousands of fracking sites across the USA and only one has had problems with water contamination. People were also uneasy about the amount of space the fracking sites would take up. However it would only be about the size of two football fields and once the site had been made fracking could take place for years.
NATIONAL
In times of austerity, Mirvis says We have to emphathize with everybody in society who is vulnverable.
His new role is to officially represent the United Synagogue, certainly the largest branch of Orthodox Judaism in the country but not the only one. If he is to appease the many factions of the Jewish community, Mirvis must work for unity between them.
One of the largest challenges facing Mirvis will be the reversal of the decline in Jewish Orthodox membership. The chief rabbi says that it is important to teach everyone in the Jewish community about social responsibility. In times of such austerity, he says, We have to empathize with everybody in society who is vulnerable.. The new rabbi replaces Lord Sacks, who retires after 22 years of service. Rabbi Mirvis will be the eleventh to hold the post after its creation in 1704. Mirvis already has an excellent reputation after his post as chief rabbi of Ireland from 1985 to 1992. He was born in South Africa in 1956, son and grandson to Rabbis, and he later spent his years being educated in Israel, where it obtained is rabbinic ordination. One of the new Rabbis first actions was to tweet a good luck message to Tottenham in their match against Arsenal. Ironically, Lord Sacks is an avid supporter of Arsenal, who would go on to win the match 1-0. Mirvis should hope that this initial misfortune is no indicator of his future role as Chief Rabbi.
results with a mixture of trepidation, excitement and fear. Whilst some are pleased with their marks, others will be disappointed. This year has been no different. However, the number of students disappointed with their marks will be significantly higher after examiners recorded the second decline in results in the examinations 25-year history. After two decades of an increasing overall pass rate, this year follows the last with its waning grades. The number of A*-C grades fell from 69.4% in 2012 to only 68.1% this summer. The percentage of students awarded A* grade passes was also down from last year, falling 0.5% to rest at 6.8%. The grades in all the sciences took a heavy hit after new syllabuses and exams were introduced. In English and maths the results were also down. Only 57.6% of entries scored an A*-C grade in maths, down 0.8% from 2012, and in English 63.6% of students gained an A*-C grade compared to 64.1% last summer. However, every cloud has its silver lining, and entries in modern languages - German, French and Spanish soared after an extended downward trend, going up 16.9%. Not since 2008 have language numbers been this high. The blame for falling grades has been stuck on the ever-increasing numbers of 15-year-olds taking exams early. These students on average get grades 10% lower than older pupils. A drop was only to be expected following a 39% increase in pupils sitting their exams earlier. This trend has been encouraged by schools, with the aim of increasing their standings in the league tables, where schools are rated on the number of pupils attaining A*-C grades in English and maths. Figures also show an increased number of students taking multiple exams in the same subject in the hope of procuring at least one grade C or higher.
Examiners recorded the second decline in results in the 25-year history of GCSEs.
The chief executive of the exam board condemned the practice of putting students in early for exams, saying, These qualifications are designed for 16-year-olds. Following this decline there has been a considerable increase in the number of papers being remarked. There were 275,808 challenges to the exam board this year, up by more than 100,000 since 2011 and accounting for almost one paper in fifty. Those with unsatisfactory results can only hope that their papers will be returned with sufficiently higher grades.
The British Government has been divided on the matters concerning Syria, in what is providing to be one of the most important challenges facing the coalition government so far. The UK debated whether or not to attack Syria on the basis of the countrys use of chemical weaponry. While reports are still not
NATIONAL FEATURES
completely confirmed, it is widely believed that either the Syrian government or the rebels have been using some form of the nerve agent sarin. Sarin is a neurotoxin, twenty times more deadly than cyanide, which works by attacking the nervous system. It can kill within minutes, and the death toll from sarin-induced deaths is estimated at 1429.
While a poll most of the public support the outcome of the parliamentary vote, thanks to the Prime Minister it will be very difficult for the issue to be brought back to Parliament.
The US claims to have proof from hair and blood samples of the use of the nerve agent. However, these claims have yet to be verified. After a humiliating 13-vote defeat, plans for military intervention in Syria were quashed by parliament. This is first time since the midnineteenth centaury that the residing government has lost a vote over matters of military involvement or defense. Though the Prime Minister personally ruled out the possibility of military action in Syria after the failed proposition on the 29th of August, this attempt to save face may be the cause of future issues. While a poll by the BBC shows that around three-quarters of the British Public support the outcome of the parliamentary vote, the Prime Ministers doings will make it very difficult for the issue to be brought back to Parliament. Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, has said that Parliament will not vote again even if firmer evidence of chemical attacks surface. Shadow Defense Secretary, Jim Murphy, has said that if there were significant developments, or if Al-Qaeda were to obtain chemical weapons, then the issue may be brought back to Parliament. In the event of further developments and evidence, Foreign Secretary William Hague agrees, suggesting that the tables might turn, allowing for revote. Americas actions have put further pressure onto the Prime Minister, as the countrys Secretary of State suggests that America will go to war even if Congress will not back it. The UK must decide whether the Syrian issue is worth upsetting its alliance with America over. Unless Labor propose a second vote, it is unlikely that the matter will be returned to Parliament. Either way, the issue continues to divide the House of Commons, and is can be marked down as yet another failure of the coalition government.
Back in 2002 Barri White was convicted of murder and friend Kevin Hyatt convicted of perverting the course of justice. After spending 5 years in jail, White and Hyatt were released and in 2007 both convictions were quashed. It was shown that there was insufficient forensic evidence as reported in the BBC rough justice documentary. White said he was over the moon that the true killer had been brought to justice and said that he hoped that Rachels family would get the closure they deserve.
The academic term begins in a matter of weeks for University students, and with over 1000 subjects with free places, Scottish Universities are looking to give places to students, via clearing, from England, Wales and Northern Ireland who will have to pay up to 9000 a year. Scottish students, however, only have one third of the subject options open to English students and clearing places are very limited. The number of English students going to Scottish universities has increased by 2.5% since last year; the SNP government have been accused of greed by trying to raise more money from fee paying students to pay for free places for Scottish Students (who are effectively subsidised). Without the considerable funding via UK tuition fees, the Scottish government wouldnt be able to afford free university places for its citizens, but if this means that the Scotts will miss out on essential university places, is it worth the financial gain? The SNP admit that there is a cap on taxpayer funded places for Scotts and that university cant go over that quota. This has serious consequences for Scotts who missed out on university places due to lower than expected grades and are desperately applying for a place via clearing. For example, the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow is offering clearing places in 236 subjects for English students and 1 post graduate law course for Scottish students. Another example is Edinburgh Napier University with 162 courses for English students and one for our friends up North.
Miss Manning had been at a 1970s themed fancy dress party in Milton Keynes with Mr White when she became lost at around 2am on the 10th December 2000. Mr White then went to see Mr Hyatt while Miss Manning walked alone to get a taxi home. She was found dead
Scottish students at their own universities only have one third of the subject options open to English students and clearing places are very limited.
The Government have stated that due to a record number of Scottish students being accepted into Universities, fewer students required the use of clearing and it was therefore not necessary to offer as many places.
WORLD
North America
GUN CONTROL
Following the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conn.where 26 people, including 20 children, were murdered in December 2012gun-control advocates immediately sounded the alarm. The Second Amendment to the Constitution, which concerns the right to bear arms, is always a hot-button issue, especially during election season. Gun rights and gun control groups alike have been lobbying Congress for decades to craft legislation in their respective favors. Twice in the past two years the gun issue has reached the nations highest court, but little has been done in the way of taking guns away from American citizens. In a exciting public statement, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin signaled this week hes ready to make another push to pass gun laws in the Senate, but the National Rifle Association immediately put the kibosh on his newest legislation. Durbins bill would incentivize law enforcement agencies to enter all of the guns used in crimes to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms National Tracing Center, a database that is used to detect firearms trafficking and illegal gun purchases. Under current law, prosecutors and police can already put crime guns into the database, but many are not using it as a resource. That, Durbin says, must change. In Durbins home state of Illinois, for example, police only enter about half of the crime guns into the national database. Nationwide, about one-third of law enforcement agencies enter information into the database. Durbin said. [This bill] will aid that fight by encouraging law enforcement to trace every single gun used in a violent crime. However, pro-gun groups like the National Rifle Association say Durbins bill is a solution in search of a problem. And in an era when resources are scarce, groups argue Durbin should leave law enforcement to decide when a gun needs to be traced and when it doesnt. Durbin, while explaining that he was going to do everything he could, told CNN that he didnt expect any significant gun packages to pass the Senate this year unless there was a significant change to political sentiment.
by KATE SULLIVAN
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
Immigration has been both a blessing and a curse for the United States. On the one hand, the country has seen its rich culture and civilization being shaped out by talented, ambitious, and hard-working people from around the world. On the other, though, illegal and disruptive elements have endangered national security. Right now the biggest immigration issue facing the USA is illegal immigration. Illegal immigration to the United States, which refers to the migration of people across the national borders of the United States in violation of US immigration and nationality law, is currently a serious problem. Illegal immigrants are also referred to as illegal aliens, undocumented aliens, undocumented immigrants, undocumented workers, and so on. More than 10 million undocumented aliens currently reside in the U.S., and that population is growing by 700,000 per year. These people are said to have threatened the American social fabric, native economy, national security, and everything else that is American. Illegal immigration to the USA (predominantly from Mexico) occurs through following means: illegal crossing of borders, overstaying after expiry of visa or Border Crossing Card (BCC), drug smuggling, and identity theft. Illegal aliens come to America primarily for better jobs and in the process add value to the U.S. economy. However, they also take away value by weakening the legal and national security environment. When three out of every 100 people in America are undocumented (or, rather, documented with forged and faked papers), there is a profound security problem. Even though they pose no direct security threat, the presence of millions of undocumented migrants distorts the law, distracts resources, and effectively creates a cover for terrorists and criminals. In other words, the real problem presented by illegal immigration is security, not the supposed threat to the economy. Indeed, efforts to curtail the economic influx of migrants actually worsen the security dilemma by driving many migrant workers underground, thereby encouraging the culture of illegality. Overall the illegal immigration issue in the USA is more apparent than ever. While millions of Americans fear a security issue from those in the Middle East and other parts of the world, it could just as easily come from those residing in their borders.
In a pair of major victories for the gay rights movement, the Supreme Court on 26th June ruled that married same-sex couples were entitled to federal benefits and, by declining to decide a case from California, effectively allowed same-sex marriages there. The rulings leave in place laws banning same-sex marriage around the nation, and the court declined to say whether there was a constitutional right to such unions. But in clearing the way for same-sex marriage in California, the nations most populous state, the court effectively increased to 13 the number of states that allow it. The decisions will only intensify the fast-moving debate over same-sex marriage, and the clash in the Supreme Court reflected the one around the nation. The vote in the case striking down the federal Defense of Marriage Act was 5 to 4, and Justice Kennedy was joined by the four members of the courts liberal wing. The ruling will immediately extend many benefits to couples married in the states that allow such unions, and it will allow, on one hand the Obama administration to broaden other benefits through executive actions. On the other it will raise a series of major questions for the Obama administration about how to repair federal programs involving marriage. Justice Scalia noted some of the difficult problems created by the decision in the case. The case before the justices concerned two New York City women, Edith Windsor and Thea Clara Spyer, who married in 2007 in Canada. Ms. Spyer died in 2009, and Ms. Windsor inherited her property. The federal law did not allow the Internal Revenue Service to treat Ms. Windsor as a surviving spouse, and she faced a tax bill of about $360,000, which a spouse in an opposite-sex marriage would not have had to pay. Ms. Windsor sued, and last year the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in New York, struck down the federal law. While the States still has many miles to go to try and legalize gay marriage across the country, this was a huge step for gay couples everywhere in realizing that about 30 percent of Americans will live in jurisdictions where it is legal. It may seem small, but it is a huge step towards a very important conclusion.
FEATURES WORLD
VENEZUELA
South America
by ROSA THOMAS
Due to the 2014 world cup and 2016 Olympics Rio de Janerio has started a massive clean-up act throughout the city; however, it is coming at the expense of some its most vulnerable citizens. To make room for new Olympic venues people in favelas are being forced to leave. They are offered a payoff as incitement, but its nowhere near enough to continue to live in Rio. This means that they either have to borrow money, plunging them into debt, or they have to move out of the city. One citizen said the payoff he was offered, wouldnt even buy a room in a house in Rio. The favela which will suffer the most is Vila Autdromo, 4000 citizens will be evicted so that sections of the favela can become the future Olympic park. For those who refuse to leave their homes, brutal tactics are employed to evict them. The nature of favela homes means that they rely on the houses next to them to remain standing. So when the government destroys the surrounding uninhabited buildings, the homes people are living in become unsafe. Furthermore the rubble left from these demolitions attracts rats creating an inhabitable environment. This is not the first Olympics in which people have been evicted. The Beijing Olympics resulted in the eviction of 1.25 million residents. In 2007 the UN released a report that showed that the Olympics had resulted in the eviction of more than 2million people in the previous twenty years. The Olympics are a fantastic event, but, when it comes at the cost of some of our most vulnerable citizens, perhaps the price is too high. On the other hand, other sources say that this means dangerous favelas will become safer. Many of Rios favelas are notorious for their turf-wars and drug cartels; some even have their own army, for example Red command. Since the beginning of the favela clean-up the government seems to have made headway in tackling this problem, because of this many argue that the clean-up is advantageous to local residents Brazil is also currently enjoying a visit from Pope Francis, the first South American Pope. Since arriving he has done many things, including opening World Youth Day. The visit has however been blighted by troubles as it coincided with protests in Rio. These protests are due to many issues, ranging from the wealth of Brazils social elite to police brutality. After the Popes arrival there were violent clashes between protestors and police, eventually tear-gas was used to dispel the riots. Anonymous Brazil (a protest group) said they wouldnt stop until FIFA was forced to find another venue for the world cup. The Popes visit has also added fuel to the fire, as its costing 34m, a sum which many feel could be spent on more beneficial projects. Despite worries about the Popes safety, the worst situation he found himself in was a traffic issue, where he got stuck in the wrong lane and was trapped in an unbearably long jam.
On July 21st eight people were killed at a graduation party in Venezuela. Eight gunmen stormed into the party and proceeded to execute the victims. Despite investigation there is no reported reason for the shooting. Murders of this kind are a serious issue in Venezuela, a country which has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. In order to try and control the situation president Nicolas Maduro recently signed a firearms control act which demands that citizens register all guns or surrender them immediately. From now on only the army and police will be able to purchase firearms. Illegal ownership will also result in a minimum of a 20 years prison sentence.
BRAZIL
COLOMBIA
In Colombia, violence has restarted between the government and Farc rebels. On the 21st of July 15 Colombian soldiers were killed in an ambush by 70 Farc rebels. This revolutionary guerilla group has existed since 1964. Their goal is to fight against: involvement of the USA in Colombia, the exploitation of natural resources by multinational companies, police brutality, and the prominence of the bourgeoisie in Colombian society. To fund their projects the rebels employ methods of kidnap, and the trade of illegal drugs. This guerilla war has left huge scars on Colombia, with more than 600,000 dead. However, the situation had been improving, as peace talks took place in November in Cuba. This was not the first peace conference, but unlike previous attempts this one was successful. As a sign of goodwill the rebels released a former American soldier they had held hostage. Many worry that this attack will set the peace talks back and spark more violence. The president, Juan Manuel Santos said Hopefully the guerrillas will come to their senses and well get to the end of this conflict as soon as possible. The peace conference will resume in Havana on July the 28th.
PERU
In Peru, a site of archaeological importance has recently been destroyed by real estate developers. A few miles north of Lima in Peru lies the El Paraiso temple which is an ancient pyramid that is suspected to be 4000 years old. It was built before the Inca culture became known in Peru making it one of the countrys oldest temples. It was probably used for religious rituals as a ceremonial fire place was discovered at the site. Offerings would have been burnt here because the smoke was supposed to connect the ancient priests with the Gods. Archaeologists and citizens alike are very angry at what has been done to the site as irreparable damage has now been caused to one of Perus most ancient temples.
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WORLD
Western Europe
FRANCE
Two diamond encrusted rings, an art deco style emerald, diamond necklace and a huge heart-shaped diamond pendant were among the jewels stolen in the 89 million Cannes Heist on July 28 at the Carlton Hotel, which was displaying an exhibition of diamonds belonging to Lev Leviev, a London based Israeli-Russian billionaire. The Jewels were stolen in broad daylight on a Sunday afternoon, carried off by the thief in a briefcase. Lloyds of London are currently offering 1 million Euros for information on the robbery that could lead to the arrest of the thieves. Bribes have previously worked like in 2008; SW associates offered a 1 million euro award for information about a 105 million euro jewel heist from the Harry Winston store in Paris. This plea led to the recovery of more than half the stolen pieces thanks to a bystander coming forward. However often Gems are never returned. Vashi Dominguez, a diamond expert based in Londons Hatton Garden jewellery quarter said you have two to three days to trace the diamonds before they disappear forever. They will be swiftly cut, polished and turned into something different. Its easily done if the thieves have the right connections.
by ANNA BROUGHTON
GERMANY
The owners of dangerous dogs, which attack, have the potential to kill or seriously injure people and are dangerously out of control, could end up with life imprisonment under new proposals in England and Wales. The current maximum prison sentence for these offenders is a 2 years. Under a new government consultation, respondents will be given the right to choose an appropriate sentence for the accused, varying from 7 years to life. Since 2005, sixteen people have been killed by dangerous dogs. The Dangerous Dogs Act currently only covers attacks in public places or private places which the dog is prohibited from. In March 2013, a 14 year old girl, Jade Anderson, was killed after being attacked by four dogs at her friends house. However police say there are no plans to prosecute anyone in relation to her death, as there is no evidence that a crime has been committed under current laws. In July 2013 Jade Andersons parents handed in a petition to 10 Downing Street alongside the parents of John Paul Massey who was killed in 2009 by his uncles Pitbull. The petition called for action against any similar attacks in the future meaning deaths due to dangerous dogs could soon be prevented.
It has been known for decades that communist East Germany encouraged athletes to use performance enhancing drugs to ensure national success. However more recently, a leaked report suggests as part of the cold war rivalry, some government officials in the capitalist western Germany may have been involved in similar wrong doings in certain sporting events. According to the report an unidentified West German minister said Our athletes should have the same conditions and services as the Eastern bloc athletes prompting the idea that the West German government has promoted the use of hormones, anabolic steroids and banned stimulants. The study on the report claims that the drugs have been used for decades and were financed by state funds. According to the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper the study reveals that the West German state officials sponsored research into performance enhancing drugs. The leaks include claims that three West German footballers who competed in the 1966 World Cup Final were found to have traces of a banned stimulant. Since the collapse of the East German states, the reports of doping in the state resulted in what seemed to be amazing sporting achievements to be a farce, could the same be awaiting West Germany in the future?
SPAIN
Spain is considering putting in place a 50 euro (43) border fee with Gibraltar, amid a row over an artificial reef. The Spanish foreign minister said that the proceeds from the border fee will go towards helping fishermen affected by the destruction of fishing grounds. The idea of the proposal came about after the British territory of Gibraltar began working on a concrete reef, which Spain claims infringes the rights of the fishermen in that area. The UK foreign office has voiced concerns over the ministers comments as Britain has governed Gibraltar for over 300 years, while Spain has disputed over UK sovereignty over the peninsula at the tip of Spain. The comments came after work on the artificial reef began resulting in Spain lodging a complaint about the reef to the UK saying that the reef had stopped fishermen fishing in a manner that is contrary to our law. After the complaint was lodged, Spanish authorities increased vehicle searches, resulting in three days of delay at the Gibraltar-Spain border. The delays were linked to Spains anger over the reef which Spain denied. This led to Spains ambassador giving assurances there would be no repeat. The comments of a border fee were announced several days later.
In an 80 minute press conference on board the special Alitalia plane Pope Francis declared that gay people should not be marginalised. The pope struck a much more liberal tone than the traditional Vatican doctrine, which has called homosexuality a deviation and an irregularity that should preclude gay men from becoming priests. If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge? said the Pope during the interview, We shouldnt marginalise people for this. They must be integrated into society. However these comments do not fundamentally change the policies of the Catholic Church, which says homosexuality orientation is not sinful but homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. However Pope Francis signalled that he accepts some priests are gay and that it is acceptable as long as they stay true to their vow of celibacy. On other issues Pope Francis said that women should be given a bigger role in the Catholic Church but refused to consider ordination of women saying that the door is closed on the issue. He also declined to change the Vaticans opposition to gay marriage and abortion saying you know perfectly well the position of the Church.
ITALY
FEATURES WORLD
11
UKRAINE
RUSSIA
President Yanukovych faces a political balancing-act in the coming weeks and months as he is put under increased pressure over the ongoing imprisonment of former President and fierce political opponent, Yulia Tymoshenko. Tymoshenko has been incarcerated since last year, due to a controversial and allegedly illegal natural gas deal she agreed with Russia during her leadership. However it is widely believed that Tymoshenkos imprisonment is mainly an attempt by President Yanukovych to remove her from the Ukrainian political sphere. One Ukrainian diplomat told Reuters that the President wishes her to be politically dead. However, President Yanukovych may be forced to release his political rival; the former President, 53, has been suffering from a long term, and apparently undiagnosed, illness, and has been offered treatment in Berlin. It is not compassion which may force Yanukovychs hand, however; Ukraine is set to negotiate a landmark trade deal with the European Union in November, which is considered critical to the countrys economic growth i n the coming years, as it would offer a free-trade clause that would open up a huge market for exports of steel, grain and chemicals. This agreement carries particular importance given the current economic context. It is likely that the European Union may only offer Ukraine the deal if Tymoshenko is allowed to receive treatment for her illness in Berlin.
Vladimir Putin has recently been accused of waging a cultural war in his acceleration of his anti-gay agenda. There was uproar both within Russia and internationally after a bill which bans the propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations around minors was overwhelmingly supported in Russias Parliament, and was subsequently officially passed into law by Putin. In practice, this act effectively criminalises the public discussion of homosexual rights or relationships anywhere where children might overhear. Opponents to the bill have accused Putin of persecuting the quintessential other in order to strengthen his own political position, and gain support in conservative areas of Russia. The passing of this law prompted responses from various human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch, who issued a statement branding the law as profoundly discriminatory and dangerous, before going on to warn of the increased homophobia which is likely to follow. The group also accused the President of attempting to mask the clear infringement of freedom of expression by claiming the act is intended for the protection of children. There too has been international reaction; the notion of boycotting the 2014 Winter Olympics, to be held in Russia, has become popular in numerous nations. Elsewhere, in the United States, there has been widespread vodka-dumping as bars and clubs avoid the sale of Russian vodka in protest.
MONTENEGRO
The Constitutional Court of Montenegro has found that a decision taken in 2011, ruling that children may be taught in schools in Montenegrin-Serbian, Bosnian and Croatian, in both language and literature, was unconstitutional. The 2011 ruling was itself an amendment of the original Montenegrin constitution of 2007, which was compiled following the nations separation from Serbia. The constitution had originally declared that Montenegrin was the only language to be used in schools. The question of the official national language remains a complicated one for each of the countries, including Montenegro, which was formed as a result of the break-up of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s (Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Srpska, Serbia and Kosovo). Each of these countries, when forming their own constitutions, decided on establishing national languages named after their own country. However, the variation between each of these languages is subtle, with the only differences being dialects and accents. This issue can perhaps be considered simply a small element in the wider problem of national identification in the Baltic region. As in many areas of former Soviet Eastern-Europe, the population of Montenegro are somewhat divided in terms of their self-determined national identity. The census of 2011 found that, of the countrys 620,029 citizens, 45% declare themselves Montenegrins, while 30% define themselves as Serbs. In addition, 34% of the nation speaks Montenegrin, compared to 47% who speak Serbian.
Croatia, as of 1st July, have become only the third former communist nation, behind Romania and Bulgaria, to join the EU; however whether or not this move will cure the countrys financial ills remains an open debate. Croatia is at present in a phase of relative stability, given their short, turbulent history. The country has since recovered from being toiled in conflict only two decades ago and now possesses a stable democracy. The countrys entry into the EU, as displayed by the estimated 1 million euro national celebration, is considered by many to be a vital step, and a key turning point on the way to economic recovery. However, the countrys current state is, in comparison to their new European partners, weak. With rising unemployment already at around 20%, a plunging international credit rating, poor living standards and deep-set political corruption, there are many serious problems remaining. Entry into the EU will not necessarily bring immediate recovery, as competition for domestic firms from their EU neighbours may see them drowned out. In addition, Austria, Belgium, England, Germany, Holland and Slovenia have set up employment barriers preventing Croats from working in their countries for two years. However, the likely creation of jobs and investment opportunities in the country are encouraging.
CROATIA
A military agreement signed between Kosovo and Albania on 1st July has been interpreted by Serbia as an aggressive move towards the neighbouring country. The deal simply obligates each of the countries to remain transparent in terms of their military activities towards the other. This has concerned Serbian officials greatly, as the agreement establishes the legal framework for military personnel and equipment to be passed and transported freely between the countries, potentially leaving Serbia powerless against any military strike from either Serbia or Kosovo. The governments of both Albania and Kosovo have issued statements claiming the agreement is a wholly non-aggressive one, however this did not prevent Serbias Deputy Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vucic, from commenting that the deal was a very serious problem. He also expressed concern for the significant Serbian population currently living in northern Kosovo, claiming they were threatened by the agreement, as did Milovan Drecun, Chairman of the Serbian parliamentary Committee on Kosovo.
SERBIA
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WORLD
ISRAEL
Despite the violence and terror in the Middle East, there are talks of peace being made in Israel. The first direct Israel-Palestinian peace talks in three years have been held in Jerusalem. Both sides have confirmed that the meeting ended on Wednesday 14th August 2013 after several hours. Although no statement was published, a senior Israeli official described the talks as long and serious. Israel had freed 26 Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal, which reignited the stalled negotiations that began hours later. Although this is a big step for the two countries, both sides have been extremely cautious about achieving any breakthrough, showing it will take time to build up trust. These negotiations show a dramatic change from just three days earlier when Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian man who climbed over the border fence separating Israel and the Gaza Strip. The man, who has not yet been identified, was earlier seen digging in to the ground on the Gazan side of the fence, and then clambering over, allegedly carrying a suspicious object. The Israeli Government defended their actions, claiming that the incident took place in an area where Palestinian militants have in the past mounted attacks on Israeli forces. However, this incident does not seem to have hindered developing relations between the Israelites and Palestinians, after a Palestinian said that they had agreed to meet weekly, alternating between Jerusalem and the West Bank town of Jericho.
The ongoing conflict between government forces and opposition rebels continues to cause havoc in this troubled country, after the Syrian district of Khalidiyeh lies in ruins. This district has been a stronghold of the Free Syrian Army, but has been devastated as government forces attempted to reclaim it from the opposition. Shocking footage shows abandoned schools and hospitals, which are now used as fighting posts, with schoolbooks being used as protection against firing from the government forces. Previous primary school classrooms have now been converted in to emergency medical centres, highlighting how this ongoing war breaks all boundaries of society. Further rebel movement has now resulted in hundreds of Alawite civilians being killed, kidnapped or disappearing during an offensive on President Bashar al-Assads heartland province of Latakia. This is the first time that the Syrian rebels have pushed deep in to the coastal Alawite stronghold. A string of villages has been seized in a campaign, which, locals have reported, threatens to expose the area to a full-blown sectarian war. The horrors continue as Sheikh Mohammed Reda Hatem, a religious leader in Latakia claims that, we are still finding people w h o were killed in their homes, and bodies left in bushes. The Syrian rebels push forward, seizing an airbase and Syrian helicopter base, although the Syrian Army refuses to surrender after killing 62 Syrian rebels in a dawn Ambush. As situations grow worse and more violent, the death toll continues to rise.
SYRIA
LIBYA
The American Diplomatic mission in Benghazi was attacked by a heavily armed group of Libyan rebels in 2012, resulting in four American government officials being killed and seven others injured. It can now be revealed that as a result of this attack, the terrorist group Al Qaeda stole 400 American surface to air missiles. When asked if the missiles were in the hands of Al Qaeda operatives, Joseph E. diGenova, founding partner of the Washington D.C law firm of diGenova & Toensing replied, That is what these people are telling us. The USs main concern is that these missiles, now believed to be in terrorist hands, can be used to shoot down airliners. In relation to current oil protests, PM Ali Zeidan has threatened to use force against guards who have been protesting at the countrys main oil ports. The protesters have been striking over pay for several weeks now. The main worry of Zeidan is that the guards will use their position to start selling oil from these ports independently, alongside the fact that these protests have caused a drop in Libyas oil exports and are having a negative effect on the Libyan economy.
The US has condemned the attack on Saturday 10th August, involving bombings and shootings in which more than 60 people were killed. The State department has said that the attacks bore the hallmarks of Al Qaeda in Iraq. It is said that those carrying out the attacks during celebrations which marked the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan were enemies of Iraq and the international community. Ramadan in Iraq is thought to have been one of the most deadly in years as over 670 people had been killed over the course of the religious celebration.
IRAQ
EGYPT
Protest camps have been set up all around Cairo, demanding the reinstatement of President Morsi, who was deposed in June. Over 300 lives have been lost since the removal of Egypts former President, and more casualties are to be expected as violence escalates in these demonstrations. At the biggest camp in northeast Cairo, security forces have been using tear gas to disperse the crowds and helicopters to circulate the area. There have recently been speculations suggesting that the US Government bankrolled Egyptians wanting to overthrow Morsi, although Washington strongly denies these claims. Gen Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, the Egyptian General who helped depose Mohammed Morsi, has accused the US of now turning their backs on Egypt, due to the current unstable situation. Cairo now braces itself for more violence as Muslim Brotherhood calls for a day of rage. The death toll mounts as hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood supporters torch Cairo offices, setting fire to a government building in Giza, near the Egyptian capital. The government claim that 525 died nationwide on Wednesday 14th August, but the final toll is expected to be significantly higher.
FEATURES WORLD
13
by JUSTICE AINA
NIGERIA
Africa
In Damboa, about 52 miles from Nigerias capital Maiduguri, Isalmic militants have murdered at least 11 people in an attack in the past week. On the 11th of August the same group were supposedly responsible for the death of 44 citizens living close to the town of Kambuga. The group were said to have carried firearms and had bombed around 20 homes of the civilians. Farmer Mustapha Aji had asked for more security following these awful series of events but no action has taken place yet. Boko Haram is the militant group held responsible for these series of attacks as they are fighting to establish an Islamic state in Nigerias mainly Muslim north and have been recognised by the locals. Their stronghold is Domboa, in Borno state, a place that has official declared a state of emergency after these attacks. Unfortunately telephones have been down since May, making matters here even worse.
SOMALIA
GHANA
GM (or biotech) foods are genetically modified organisms e.g. crops that have had their DNA changed for specific reasons. In Ghana there is a debate as to whether or not the Council for Scientific and Industrial research should conduct trials in the fields of Ashanti. Some advocates trust that GM crops have significant benefits for the farmers as well as the consumers. Director-General of CSIR, Dr. Abdulai Salifu is a supporter of the biotechnology, believing that it will ensure people secure food. I would prefer to eat a product that is going to kill me in 30 years times [and Im not even sure it will kill me], than to stay hungry and die today, he said to journalists about the GM crops. However, some people argue against the trial and distribution of these crops in Ghana, suggesting that they are more trouble then theyre worth. Chairperson of the organization, Ali Masmadi Jehu-Appiah, says that GMOs have not contributed to major yield increases, nor drought resistance, and have w generated superweeds and superbugs that require increased use of even more dangerous herbicides and pesticides
Polio is something we rarely see here in the UK after wiping it out almost entirely with vaccinations. Sadly, in Somalia, those unfortunate enough not to be vaccinated from this dreadful illness are suffering from the sudden polio outbreak. 105 sufferers have been declared in Somalia, a statistic more than all other places in the world combined. Polio is considered by the World Health organization to be eradicated globally except for Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan where its endemic. These numbers have gone down with only 181 outbreaks this year in total including Somalia. Health Organisations have responded to this horrendous outbreak by vaccination Campaigns. They have managed to reach over 4 million people since May however the militant group al-Shabab have quarters of Somalia under their control and have denied these organisations access. Therefore, around 600,000 children are denied access to vaccinations, which could potentially save their lives. A retired doctor and a Polio specialist, Mohamud Yasin said Its indeed worrying because this comes at a time when the country is still hugely affected by the raging fighting which prevents volunteers from accessing people in need of vaccines. It may take time before we can confidently say we have has a universal coverage of the immunization. Unfortunately the numbers are still rising and the future of the spread of this disease in Somalia is unpredictable.
SOUTH AFRICA
The 95-year-old anti-apartheid politician Nelson Mandela is making a slow but gradual recovery from his lung infection, which had him inducted in a Pretoria hospital for 2 months due to its severity. When he was first brought in, in late June the government declared his condition to be critical. His daughter says Hes fine. Tata now manages to sit up, like now he sits up in a chair for a few minutes in a day, every day you know he becomes more alert and responsive. Tata is determined not to go anywhere anytime soon, I cannot stress this enough, referring to him by the Xhosa word meaning father. Nelson Mandela was the first Black President in South Africa, serving from 1994 to 1999. He is famous for his struggle against the pro- apartheid government and was put in prison for 27 years from 1962 to 1990 for protesting against them. He has spent his life fighting for human rights and against prejudice in South Africa. Today Mandela is welcomed around the world as a great statesman and an inspiration for all who want to fight for justice and equality.
The Somalian militant group al shabab have murdered four policemen at their post near the town of Garissa, Kenya. The attack was carried out by about 40 heavily armed men on Friday the 16th of August. This attack in one of many and began when Kenya moved into southern Somalia to combat the al-shabab troops in 2011. The area Garissa has been a popular site for these attacks in recent months with 8 in April and 5 in January. The al-shabab militant group have also been responsible for a double suicide bombing in Ugandas capital Kampala that killed 76 people. Today it is Mr Aboud Rogo. Tomorrow it might be me, said Mr Mohamed, a man in his 20s. This reflects the far of the people who have to face violence on their doorstep every day. With all this terrorism, the civilians are worried that they will lose tourists in their most popular cities such as Mombasa. They call it a palm-fringed costal paradise which has been used for hundreds of years for trading and civilized leisure among both Muslim and Christian people. The coastline is filled with hotels and resorts for tourists to enjoy the countries beauty. According to the Ministry of Tourism, the number of people visiting Kenya is up by 3% when compared to statistics of 2011.
KENYA
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WORLD
CHINA
The Chengguan are local law enforcers, set up in China in 1997 to assist police in lowering crime levels. Chengguan officers are currently active in over 656 Chinese cities. However, the Chengguan have recently become the fuel for widespread anger and public resentment towards their thuggish behaviour and violent tactics. Sophie Richardson, the China director at Human Rights Watch said that Chengguan forces have earned a reputation for brutality and impunity. Chengguan officers only have the right to fine any violators and have no authority to detain or use excessive force, stated HRW. However, many report violence being used towards them, such as being hit or thrown to the floor, or having their possessions taken. Recently an online game pitting street vendors against Chengguan officials created widespread public anger over abusive officers. More recently, on the 17th July 2013, a 50-year-old watermelon seller was killed by Chengguan officers in Deng Zhengija after being hit with a weight from a scale when he failed to show a valid licence. Protests broke out the same day in Linwo and 6 officers were arrested in connection with the incident, meaning the end of the Chengguan brutality may be in sight.
A plant operator in Japan has recently admitted that radioactive water is leaking from the plant into the sea at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. Steam was first sighted at the plant when the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reported sightings of steam around the fifth floor of housing reactor number 3 shortly after 9am on the 18th July. Steam being sighted is worrying as it means that water is boiling somewhere within the reactor. Despite this, it is still unclear what caused the steam, but radiation levels have changed in the surrounding area. In response, workers continued adding water which was well below boiling point to the reactor in a process known as cold shutdown. The Fukushima plant obtained damaged reactors after an earthquake in 2011. The disaster knocked out reactor cooling systems, which eventually melted down. After previous denials, TEPCO have recently admitted to leaking contaminated water into the sea after experts suspected this was occurring due to high levels of radioactive caesium being found in samples of fish near the plant. The Japanese government says it is taking this issue very seriously, but experts say years of work lie ahead before any problems can be fully resolved. Australias PM, Tony Abott, has called for military action to fight people smugglers as the death toll from an asylum ship which sunk off the Indonesian Java Island on the 24th July rises to 11. Tony Abott has referred to the situation as a national emergency and has said he would ask military commanders to tackle boats if he is elected. The asylum policy has been a big issue in the elections in Australia, after receiving a spike in asylum seekers arriving by boats this year. Boat arrivals have risen dramatically in the past 18 months with most asylum seekers arriving from Iraq, Iran, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. After making their way to Indonesia, asylum seekers head to Christmas Island which is the closest part of Australian territory to Java. Asylum seekers travel in overcrowded boats, which are poorly maintained, resulting in several sinking in the recent month, killing many passengers. Mr Abbott proposes that the Chief of Defence Force should be asked to appoint a commander to lead operations tackling people smugglers and asylum boats. The issue of asylum seekers will be a massive issue in the elections, where Mr Abbots plans will be put into action now he has been voted in.
JAPAN
AUSTRALIA
NORTH KOREA
Over 100,000 performers took part in North Koreas mass games on the 22nd July to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. The Arirang performance was launched in the countrys capital, Pyongyang, to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of hostilities during the Korean War. Known as the mass games to most outside Korea, and known as the Arirang performance described as mass gymnastic and artistic performance to those inside North Korea, it consists of over 100,000 performers partaking in acrobatics, dance and pictorial displays at the capitals May Day Stadium. Performers varied from students and school children to professional dancers and acrobats. The socialist state has had the tradition of staging similar performances since the 1940s. Arirang has been staged every year since 2002 excluding 2006 due to mass flooding. These performances usually focus on commemorating the achievements of the countries founder Kim II Sung. This year particularly focused on the end of the Korean War which is referred to as the fathers land liberation war by those in North Korea, where they continue to celebrate with these large-scale choreographed events, being recognised in 2007 by the Guinness Book of World Records for staging the worlds largest gymnastic display.
NEW ZEALAND
Central New Zealand has been hit by more than 1500 aftershocks in one week as a previously unknown section of afaultline under Cook Strait shakes out the last of its stress. The aftershocks were caused by several large quakes between the 19th-20th July under the capital, Wellington, and Marlborough, resulting in more than 200 quakes a day. GNS seismology team leader Stephen Bannister said that the aftershocks were expected to die off quite quickly and the chance of another magnitude 6 has been lowered to 9%. The largest quake reached a magnitude of 6 on the modified Marcalli Intensity Scale which measures up to 12. This intensity meant the quake would be felt by anyone in the area, making it difficult to walk steadily, and that it could possibly cause non-structural damage to buildings. The earth was displaced approximately 5cm in parts of Nelson, which is very little compared to the two major quakes in Christchurch in 2010 and 2011 where the ground shifted up to 5m. Scientists will now use this new information from the recent quakes to discover whether the stress on the Wellington fault has been relieved, as if not it is possible of creating quakes larger than a magnitude 8.
FEATURES
15
Above > How much effect has the suffragette movement of the 20th century had on modern opinion of women?
nitially, feminism flared into life as a result of anger the kind of quiet, below-the-surface anger born of an oppression that had been present since the dawn of time, the customs of which had been handed down from generation to generation. Now, a hundred years after the suffragette movement, women supposedly occupy a much higher rung on the social and economic ladder than before. Theres no doubt that the situation has improved. Improved so much, in fact, that some people are beginning to wonder whether feminism is even relevant any more. the global population, women hold only 15.6% of elected parliamentary seats in the world. Because women do 66% of the worlds work, receive 10% of the worlds income and own 1% of the means of production. Because men are taught to see women as an aspect of their lives, whereas women are taught to see men as the definition of their lives. Because a woman who has sex is a whore and a woman who doesnt is frigid. Because most women in magazines and on television are stripped down to nothing more than perfect skin and perfect hair and a pair of airbrushed breasts. Because Chris Brown beat Rihanna so badly that At its core, feminism is a she ended up in hospital, and yet desire for equality. hes still a celebrated national icon. Why does it still exist, some Because people still ask what the people wonder? Surely womens victim was wearing. Because one supposed inferiority has been in four women are survivors. When eradicated? Were living in the it comes down to it, for far too twenty-first century, the era of many people the word feminism rights, of equality and freedom conjures up the mental image of a and liberation. In most countries, group of screaming, bra-burning, and certainly in Europe, women man-hating viragos some are are permitted to vote, to have merely whiny, while others are abortions, to choose their own crazy lunatics who may or may professions. They are no longer not be harbouring apocalyptic overlooked and designated to be visions of a world ruled entirely by housewives. They wear what they women, where procreation takes want, they do what they want place via artificial insemination (within the bounds of the law), and and males are castrated at birth they feature prominently in the and kept in cages to be harvested media. Why, then, is feminism still for sperm. As most sane, reasonnecessary? Because the average able people will inform you, this woman earns 73.7% to 77% of what theory is incorrect. For one thing, a man would earn in her lifetime. bras are expensive. However, Because, despite making up half this hyperbolic view has led to a
widespread misunderstanding of what feminism really is, and what it entails. There are many things that feminism is not. It is not the belief that women are better than men, or that we are the dominant sex that will one day rule the earth. Nor is it a synonym for misandry. Feminists are not lesbians, deranged feminazis or over-privileged white girls looking for something to complain about. At its core, feminism is a desire for equality. (Personally, Id like every man who doesnt call himself a feminist to stand up and explain in detail why he believes that women are inferior to men, but thats an unlikely goal, so well move on.) When somebody calls herself or himself a feminist, they are making a declaration, and that declaration goes as follows: I believe that women are equal to men. I believe that it is wrong for women to be objectified and/or exploited. I believe that they should have the same position in society regardless of gender, and I believe that they should have the same rights socially, economically and politically. Its hard to imagine that this innocent and reasonable statement could garner such waves of ridicule, resentment and outrage from the majority of the population and yet it does, in a show of naked hostility that leaves most feminists utterly baffled. As we see it, we have done nothing to provoke this outpouring of hatred. The journalist Helen Lewis
^ Cambridge University students explain the benefits of feminism through their eyes.
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FEATURES
FEATURES
17
by LAURA MAVRIAS
I began working in Bangladeshs garment industry at the age of 12, making just $3 a month. I went to work because my father had a stroke and the family needed money to cover basic living expenses. I worked 23 days in a row, sleeping on the shop floor, taking showers in the factory restroom, drinking unsafe water and being slapped by the supervisor.
- Kalpona Atker, a former child labourer in a garment factory in Bangladesh
There is a lot of verbal abuse. Management call us names throughout the time we are working. They call us stupid, lazy, useless, bastards child. They say You dont deserve any better. There is physical abuse as well. Our ears are often pulled, and managers yell directly into our ears.
We work from 8 am till noon, then have our lunch break. After lunch we work from 1 to 5 pm. We do overtime every day, from 5.30 pm. During the peak season, we work until 2 or 3 am. Although exhausted, we have no choice. We cannot refuse overtime: our basic wage is too low. If we want to rest, our employer forces us to keep working
- Phan, a 22-year-old machinist in a Thai garment factory
new accord on factory and building safety in Bangladesh was drawn up. However Walmart and 14 other American brands refused to sign the accord. In 2011, Walmart also refused to agree to reforms which would improve the safety of workers in Bangladesh due to the extra cost for the retailer. Many UK companies have been encouraged to sign up to the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Agreement, a five-year agreement, which provides specialist third-party inspections of factories, with the findings made accessible to the public. But only two have done so; PVH, which owns Timberland and Calvin Klein, and the German brand Tchibo. However, the founder and CEO of clothing brand American Apparel has specifically spoken out against the slave labour and poor treatment of workers in developing countries, and has proposed a Global Garment Workers Minimum Wage, which if successful, may be the starting point for change within the industry, and more importantly, change for these people.
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FEATURES
There are approximately 4,000 Crisis Pregnancy Centres in the US, 200 across Canada, and, if you believe their advertising, they provide impartial counselling for young mothers who are considering abortion. However, their somewhat innocuous-sounding names, such as Aid to Women and Pregnancy Care Centre, conceal the strongly religious organisation beneath, who are vehemently convincing women all over the country to avoid abortion at all costs often using twisted statistics, emotional blackmail, and computer-generated images to do so. Fake Abortion Clinics such as these arguably pose a substantial threat to womens rights to form free procreative decisions; they are often located beside legitimate hospital clinics, and imply that they are providing a full range of womens health services. Cole McMurphy explained that, It was appalling, literally right down the hall from a cancer care centre very close to college campus, so
by FRANCESCA FORRISTAL
of course students like us would go right to it as a legitimate health centre. Alarmingly, according to a 2008 survey by the Feminist Majority Foundation, 48% of Campus Health Centres include CPCs on their referral lists for students facing unintended pregnancies, thus classing them as a reliable form of medical aid. In reality, Crisis Pregnancy Centres (CPCs) simply provide a pregnancy test, and intense anti-abortion propaganda, but do not offer abortion services, contraception or referrals. Perhaps more disconcerting is the fact that CPCs often provide false information about the effects of abortion and indeed the efficiency of condoms in the prevention of STIs. Indeed, 19-year-old Jennifer Cox from Oklahoma was given leaflets with statistics and research cited from outdated studies in 1970 and 83, claiming that abortion has direct links to breast cancer increasing the risk by 100%, despite national health services proving otherwise. The statistics became more ludicrous, stating that abortion results in an 82%
The fact is that the darker side of religious guilt is being used to influence medical decisions.
This dramatic syndrome is further backed up by leaflets and posters which contain gruesome images of foetuses and particularly horrific abortion probabilities, including piles of dead children titled Human Garbage, blood, and the remnants of a foetus removed by suction abortion all clearly designed to evoke both guilt and revulsion in the pregnant subjects. In addition to emotional guilt, the vast majority of CPCs draw upon religious guilt, incorporating Christian rhetoric and teaching in an altogether unsubtle manner. Perhaps the best example of this is included in a pamphlet from Elizabeths New Life Centre in Ohio, stating that formal cooperation in abortion risks the loss of ones eternal salvation, as well as offering Gods Eternal Punishment to those who do not handle your guilt in Gods way. In 2009 alone, this CPC received 3 million dollars of tax payers money, intended to go towards family planning in the US
is certainly a place for religious aid and guidance to those who seek it, especially in a potentially lifechanging situation. However, the fact that the darker side of religious guilt is used to influence medical decisions distressed Ohio college student Bridget Leising, who said, It made it really uncomfortable for meshocking that my spiritual health was at the foreground of their worries. I felt pressured and guilty. The thought of a young and impressionable girl entering a CPC, seeking legitimate medical advice, is both sad and disconcerting. Because fake abortion clinics threaten womens interests in privacy and decisional autonomy, state attorneys general should challenge them under deceptive business practice statutes. However, operating beneath the murky surface of medical expertise, CPCs have managed to go on unchallenged. One cannot condemn their intentions, as Pro-Life organisations certainly deserve a voice in democratic society; nevertheless, the means by which these clinics spread their views using false information, scare tactics and guilt is certainly not in the spirit of the egalitarian community which they idealise. Perhaps now is the time for governments to take a far more active role in researching exactly what their tax-payers dollars are funding, in the hope of providing young people with a more professional body to turn to in their time of need.
ART
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Free exhibition at the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN, on until 24 November 2013
BETH WOOD writes:
Michael Landy, one of the Young British Artists, became the 8th Rootstein Hopkins Associate Artist of the National Gallery in 2009. Since then, he has been inspired the by the gallerys vast collection of classical paintings to create his new exhibition, Saints Alive, a combination of chaotic collages and huge (up to 12ft tall) interactive sculptures, constructed from recycled objects. Landy isolated several images of Saints from their original paintings to manipulate and pull them apart, in order to address each saints story and how their significance has fallen in society. chopped up parts of the images of the saints and tried to cobble them together. This reworking of the traditional paintings into new pieces although not the most fluid way of bringing the past to the modern day uses the saints in a very different way, which may have seen almost blasphemous if we look at how the original paintings were created. With the use of the plain, monotone backgrounds the saints are totally bare and it feels like were either inside Landys mind or the mind of one of the saints, experiencing the way they see themselves. The way he uses mechanical structures echoes the way his pieces have been formed. Landys sculptures seem to be displaced funfair attractions. Each sculpture features a pedal, a button or a lever to be pressed or pulled by the public. He has involved the viewer with his work, giving them a level of control, but in a slightly sinister way. When you press the pedal or pull the handle, the saints in the sculptures torture themselves in one way or another. When activated, they make uncomfortable, but at the same time entertaining, noises and movements. The sculptures are huge and very dominant and theres something quite Tim Burton-esque about them.
Landy has collaborated meticulously painted images of saints with his own drawings to create surreal artworks.
When you first enter the exhibition, the walls are filled with a vast array of collages and drawings, featuring images directly from the paintings in the National Gallery, but not as you would expect. Its as if you are seeing the artists imagination come to life. He has combined the meticulously painted images of the saints with his own drawings of machine-like structures to create surreal artworks portraying self-destruction. The colours throughout this series of works are neutral - mainly soft brown tones yet this adds to the artworks sense of history, but despite this they are lively and energetic pieces of art. Landys drawings are incredibly intricate with a clear focus on line that juxtaposes the soft, warmer tones with the textures in the paintings. He cleverly weaves his drawings into the photos of the paintings using watercolour and pencil, thus creating obscure combinations of the past and present. The collages seem to come out of a gothic fairy tale; Landy himself described them as Frankensteins monsters. Landy has effectively
the Saint suddenly moves its arm to make sudden, loud pounds to his chest, which contrast greatly with the noise of the mechanical cogs moving against each other. This unusual and original take on interactive artwork interrupts the usual stillness of a gallery space. The anger and built-up frustration that the saints once felt could resemble the artists frustration of today. There is a similarity between Landy as a working artist and his saints, as they all very much secluded characters devoted to their passion.
piece in particular was quite shocking and not exactly what I expected. Saint Jerome apparently used to beat himself with a rock to prevent himself having impure sexual thoughts. The way Landy has addressed this personal disgust is fascinating. Firstly, the sculpture has no head and so to the viewer the figure lacks a recognizable identity. Through this, Landy portrays a feeling that can be understood universally, of self-hatred and destruction, which echoes his most famous piece of work where he systemically destroyed every object he owned Break Down. When Jeromes pedal is pressed,
Landys sculptures seem to be displaced funfair attractions: each features a pedal, a button The abruptness of Saint Jeromes or a lever.
Landy has clearly developed an interest in the way things are built up and broken down, especially considering his sculpture work. Through the process of creating the artworks the full figures were made out of clay and then huge sections were removed. In the show, only parts of the figure were used, and then combined with pieces of rusty metal including cogs, springs, bars, saws and many other used-up objects. This destruction mirrors the saints feelings towards themselves and the way they feel obligated to physically hurt and punish
themselves for their wrongdoings. The negative space becomes more important than if the figure was realistically portrayed in 3D form, as the rusty cogs and wheels replace the figure and portray the way the saints tried to correct themselves. He has stretched the figure and created this hybrid of the old classical style of painting with this more modern, unusual form of sculpture. Yet somehow, the two materials and concepts work in harmony with one another. Both the saints and the pieces of metal have been forgotten about, and so together they create these new, dark monster-like creatures. However, as weird and wonderful as the sculptures are they lack the finesse and quality that the collages have. Furthermore, with the collages the viewer can use their imagination to contemplate how the monsters would move and act, whereas Landy has taken that away in the sculptures and forced them to move in much more static and monotonous ways than the collages suggest. I highly recommend going to see this exhibition; its free, although leave time as there may be long queues. Afterwards you can go and see the paintings in the gallery that inspired Landys work. Its really interesting to see the correlation between them.
20
MUSIC
Dead and Gone, Eternally Missed, or Never Gonna Give You Up?
The impact of classical composers on modern music
by HANNAH KIRWAN
The importance of classical music can be seen everywhere in modern music: firstly, the roots of modern rock, pop, funk, jazz, indie in fact, almost any genre you can think of lie firmly in classical music. In the 1920s-30s, Gershwin began to experiment with the traditional, accepted forms of composition, adding exotic accidentals and twisting the music in ways never heard before. His style was initially dismissed by critics and public alike; it was too different, too hard on the ear, too unusual. Later, this music was to evolve into jazz and blues. Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and many more built on Gershwins experiment in the 50s, popularising it massively.
Popular music has flourished, gaining in status, but never managing to shake off its beginnings in classical music.
The 60s saw Beatlemania. It is a truth universally acknowledged that
the Beatles were strongly influenced by classical music: the use of plagal cadences and Bach-like contrapuntal lines are widely recognisable throughout their music. And, in turn, the Beatles, of course, had their own significant impact on modern music From then onwards, popular music
has flourished, gaining in status, but never managing to shake off its beginnings in classical music. Less obvious at times, admittedly; it does vary, but its there nonetheless. Freddie Mercury of Queen was clearly strongly influenced by his classical predecessors. A fan of opera, Mercury adopted this traditionally classical style into his music, even going as far as to record a duet with opera soprano Montserrat Caball, released on October 26th 1987. This operatic influence is also clearly in evidence in the world-renowned Bohemian Rhapsody. The effect of classical music on David Bowie is easily heard in his vibrato vocals and also on the distinctly minimalist track, Weeping Wall. Matt Bellamy of Muse, a classically trained pianist, was so inspired by classical history that the 2009 album Resistance, features a 3-part symphony and a track called I Belong to You, containing an extract from the opera Samson and Delilah by Camille Saint-Saens.
The upshot is that without classical music, musical culture clearly would not be what it is today. I dont know about you, but music to me is one of the most important aspects of my life. Walking around London, how many people do you see with iPod headphones firmly fixed in (or on) their ears? When youre sitting on the bus or tube, out and about, isnt it music that you use to pass the time? And when youre having a good time, isnt it usually soundtracked to some kind of song? Next time youre listening to the latest Gaga, Muse, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, Rihanna or (god forbid) One Direction, just think. Your favourite artists wouldnt be what you know and love, without Bach, Shostakovich, Mozart and so many others. Ladies and gentleman, next time youre on Spotify, Youtube, Grooveshark or whatever else you use to listen to music, I strongly suggest you have a listen to some of the classical classics. It really will be worth your while.
MUSIC
21
> Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has been the catalyst for a renewed interest in Japanese pop culture in the West.
have worked with stars such as Will.I.Am and have produced a fair few songs together. Their leader CL has recently released a hit single Baddest Female, reaching 23 on UK music charts another breakthrough while their newly released song Falling in Love trended worldwide on Twitter on its release date. Not only that, but Japan is also beginning to take over the world with its pop and rock music. Artist and singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has been the catalyst for a renewed interest in Japanese pop culture abroad since her first single Ponponpon and its video became a viral hit in 2011. The YouTube video has since chalked up a staggering 51 million views. Originally a street-fashion icon and blogger, Kyary has moved on to be the face and voice of the kawaii (cute) generation, and was officially titled as such by the mayor of Tokyos
Shibuya Ward in 2012. Filled with energy, her tour was a massive hit and proved to be very beneficial to her mission on spreading Japans kawaii culture. A Japanese band by the name of One OK Rock are holding European tours with tickets selling out in mere milliseconds, proving the devotion of their fanbase. It may also help that their lead vocalist, Taka, is fluent in English, appealing to more international fans. Whilst producing very catchy music, the majority of their songs are also used in anime (already vastly popular in the Western world), gaining them even further popularity. It must be said that, although we do not realise it, the Easts pop culture influence is starting to greatly impact the Western world, and will only continue to do so in the future.
A K-Pop band by the name of Big Bang have recently held a world tour with revenue of 47,041,000 and on average 800,000 fans (at each city). Their tickets sold out within seconds in America and the UK. It may be worth mentioning that this is the first band ever to reach these parts of the world for a concert, and its even possible to say that this boy band could go beyond Korea and compete with American pop stars. Other popular bands such as 2NE1
Japanese band One OK Rock and Korean band Big Bang, both of which are enjoying huge worldwide exposure.
22
SMUSIC ERUTAEF
DESIGN
23
24
FILM
by MICHAEL HAJIANTONIS
been more hit and miss, but that is to be expected with a company that produces so much variety. Their films range from the downright macabre to the sickeningly childish. This means that they have a huge demographic of fans, but this doesnt mean that Pixar doesnt appeal to all ages as well.
The soundtrack of Spirited Away is the best work that composer Joe Hisaishi has ever produced.
In terms of story, Ghibli definitely excels over Pixar. In, what is my opinion their finest work, Princess Mononoke, the characters are incredibly complex, so much in fact that it makes Pixars look one dimensional. Often in Ghiblis films there is no presence of an outright bad guy, but rather multiple characters competing for conflicting goals. It is impossible to cheer for any one side because
there will always be good and bad consequences, regardless. While Pixars films are still charming in their message and narrative, they lack the drama and weight that a film like Princess Mononoke brings to the table. This is one reason why some of Ghiblis films are less well suited to family viewing as the plot is incredibly rich and sometimes even violent. However, other Ghibli films more suited to this audience work just as well as Pixar in enchanting their viewers and sending the right message. The best in this category is undoubtedly My Neighbour Totoro, a simply adorable and charming fantasy that will capture the heart of anyone of all ages. The topic of visual style can be argued over for days, but in truth both studios bring their own strengths. Pixars visuals are packed with rich detail that Ghibli could never match with traditional animation. Incredibly lifelike and stunningly fluid, nothing can compare to that of Finding Nemo. The sheer amount of detail and colour that explode out of the screen in that establishing shot of the reef is mind blowing. However, in my opinion, Ghiblis lack of detail and life likeness is one of its strengths. When you look at films like Spirited Away, a fantasy unlike any other that oozes creativity from every hand drawn frame, the art style matches it perfectly. Nothing can beat the charm of hand-drawn animation. When you
first view the beautifully crafted views from Ashitakas journey in Princess Mononoke, you cant help but gasp. It is nothing short of a work of art. In short, for realism and detail, Pixar is the studio for you, but for fantastical and art like sequences, Ghibli has the edge. In terms of soundtrack, Pixar is certainly a strong contender. The instantly recognisable and charming music of Toy Story, the Incredibles and Monsters Inc definitely bring back memories and add a lot to the films. But I feel that Ghibli win in this category as well. The beautifully complex and crafted soundtrack that accompanies Spirited Away is definitely the best work that regular Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi has produced. While his work may not always be easily distinguishable from one film to another, it still matches the endlessly creative tones that the visuals and story bring. Overall, taking into account story, visuals and sound design, Ghibli has to take it. The best part about Ghiblis work is its difference. Incredibly hard to predict, creative and beautifully crafted, it makes Pixars work look incredibly bland. The complex plot and characters stand out in my mind more than any of Pixars. While you cannot deny Pixars outstanding visuals and charming stories they are just too formulaic and Hollywood to stand up to Ghibli.
FEATURES FASHION
Across all the A/W 2013/14 haute couture and high end fashion shows around the world, a dominating key trend was prints. Here are a selection of some of the stand out prints, along with much more affordable high street alternatives.
25
Fashion:Autumn/Winter
by LAURA MAVRIAS
TARTAN
River Island 25
WATERCOLOUR
Maxine Simpens 4,695 Topshop 48
ANIMA
Burber
ry 8,6
Moschino 495
75
L PRIN
Pretap
ortobe
llo 20
26
FEATURES BAKING
INGREDIENTS:
140g/5oz plain chocolate 140g/5oz unsalted butter, softened 115g/4oz caster sugar tsp vanilla extract 5 free-range eggs, separated 85g/3oz ground almonds 55g/2oz plain flour, sieved
Sachertorte
by LIVVY RADCLIFFE
This rich dark chocolate cake was said to be invented by the chef Franz Sacher in Vienna in 1832. It uses ground almonds as well as flour to create a denser, fudgier texture. The cake improves if left a day or two and easily serves 12.
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Grease a 23cm (9 in) deep round cake tin then line the base with baking parchment.
Break the chocolate into pieces, melt gently in a bowl set over a pan of hot water, stirring occasionally, then cool slightly. Beat the butter in a bowl until really soft, then gradually beat in the sugar until the mixture is ligh t and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolat e and the vanilla extract and beat agai n. Add the egg yolks, then fold in the grou nd almonds and sieved flour. The mix ture will be quite thick at this stage.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry. Add about one-third to the chocolate mixture and stir in vigorously. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
To make the topping, heat the apri cot jam in a small pan and then brus h evenly over the top and sides of the cold cake. Allow to set.
Make the icing by breaking the plain chocolate into pieces. Heat the cream until piping hot, remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted, then cool till a coating consistency. Then pour the icing on to the centre of the cake. Spread it gently over the top and down the sides, and leave to set.
ut 45-50 Bake in the oven for abo the top at n rise l wel il minutes, or unt lightly en wh k bac s and the cake spring l in coo to ve Lea er. pressed with a fing , out n tur n the s ute the tin for a few min on ling coo sh fini and peel off the paper a wire rack.
For the icing writing, break the milk chocolate into pieces then melt gently in a bowl set over a pan of hot water. Spoon into a small paper icing bag or polythene bag and snip off the corner. Pipe Sacher across the top and leave to set.
Return of TRIB
Once, long ago, Alleyns students rebelled and came up with their own magazine, The TRIB, in tribute to the weighty tome that is THE SCRIB.
Creative, irreverent and imaginative, a past student described it as rather bawdy and very funny.
We are looking for editors, writers, journalists, artists, organisers, photographers and poets from across the whole school to form a fresh, irreverent and creative publication.
See Miss Khachik or Mr Grogan for more information.
Puzzles
Across
Cryptic
1 2 3 4 9 10 11 5 6 7 8
Crossword
12
13
14
15
16
1 Coped with new agenda after start of meeting (7) 5 Place of current conflict (4,3) 10 Residence with no outstanding features (4) 11 Board member? (10) 12 It may hold what has to be laid on the table (3,3) 13 Beginning action, he is misguided (8) 14 Agreed to put a hundred on a dog finished with about five hundred! (9) 16 Possibly a restricted place of call (5) 17 Its not easily carved by one in a confused state (5) 19 Large pieces of major road faulty in the centre (9) 23 Commons vote leads to disagreement (8) 24 Sacrifice made in the interest of selfesteem? (6) 26 Protection on landing for party backing American commerce (10) 27 Repair thats right inside and wrong outside (4) 28 Elementary subject for a university (7) 29 Speech and attire of modern times (7)
Down
17 18 22 23 24 25 19 20 21
26
27
28
29
2 Staff instruction to get a move on (7) 3 Room at the top in rising Italian city (5) 4 Hes broken out of quarters saucy prank! (7) 6 Popular school for cricket, say (6) 7 Column leader, for example (9) 8 Its nice to have scrambled eggs (7) 9 Various men are trained for the sea (13) 15 Carried on unnoticed, perhaps (9) 18 Soldiers ordered to carry kit (7) 20 Silly place to play cricket (7) 21 Looks at with an expression of friendliness (7) 22 Young Tom has to catch up with young Christopher (6) 25 Yet it might be quite a pedestrian clause (5)
Medium
Hard
8 5 8 9 1 6 9 5 7 9 1 4 3 8 1 3 7 4 2 6 1 5 1 8 1 4 3 6 4
Sudoku
7 9 4 6 2 3 2 7 4 5 9 8
7 9 8 5 7 2