iblog

Kayleigh: Students are annoyed as more and more university tutors are starting to use Facebook and MySpace to contact them. Students feel that their private lives are being invaded and want to keep their academic life and social life separate. Research done by The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) showed that universities are trying to connect with students in new ways, and in recent years social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have become very popular with young people. This is the latest move in the technologically-driven world. Tutors recently started presenting lectures as podcasts and started texting students to give them academic advice. Gareth Ruston, 20, Police and Criminal Investigation student at the University of Central Lancashire, thinks there are good and bad points of tutors being able to contact him in different ways. He said: "I like the fact that i can text my tutor if I've forgot to ask something, but I don't want them looking at my Facebook, it's my private space for me and my friends!" But JISCs head of communications, Dr Philip Pothen says the move is a good thing. "Universities need to have this kind of information.They need to know how today's students learn; how they take in information." One tutor who uses Facebook to contact her students is Gilly Salmon, professor of e-learning and learning technologies at Leicester University. She said: "I'm very interested in it as a potential way for students working together remotely rather than having to be in a physical space." I'm not convinced though, I like it when a tutor contacts me through my university email, but I would certainly not want them contacting me through my Facebook or MySpace, in fact, I'd hate them to even see it. Employers are also looking at it now, which just adds to the worry, one friend of mine has completely changed his Facebook and Myspace because of this revelation!

Kayleigh: Emily Nakanda has resigned from the X Factor after footage on the popular website YouTube emerged showing her beating up another teenage girl in a 'happy slapping video.'

The news was announced on the official X Factor website this morning, after fifteen-year-old Emily was seen to be punching and swinging the girl round by her hair whilst her friend recorded the attack on her mobile phone. Not only this, but she was also shown in another video with a 6-inch knife threatening to cut out a boy's eyes. In the video she says, “I will cut your eyes out! Yeah! Cut you! We’re gonna cut you!” Her mother, Louise Friberg, is said to be horrified by the videos and told press: "As a family we are heartbroken and are very disappointed with Emily's behaviour, we feel that there is no choice but to withdraw Emily from the competition. Emily and all the family sincerely apologise to both Anna, her school and all the fans that have supported Emily. Emily regrets her actions but there is no way, as a family, we can excuse her behaviour. Emily is very sorry to have let the show, Sharon and the viewers down." Emily is the youngest contestant to have ever appeared on the X Factor and was very proud to represent her age group. However, after the stories of the videos had emerged in the tabloids she thought it best to quit the show. Sharon Osbourne, one of the judges and Emily's mentor on the show, told the press: "I am deeply saddened by this whole situation." The videos have now been taken off YouTube.

Rushda: Pro-lifers will be dismayed to hear that Health Minister Dawn Primarolo recently defended the current regulations that abortions are permissible up till 24 weeks, saying there is no scientific evidence to lower this upper limit. The issue has once again become a hot topic, as many are angry at how women who have been pregnant for 6 months can still be allowed to abort their babies at such a late stage. One of the key reasons for keeping the limit as it is, according to the British Medical Association, is that the number of babies capable of surviving at 24 weeks is "extremely small." Any change in abortion laws is most likely to consider medical advances rather than moral issues, and so there is no reason, according to the Health Minister, to lower the limit at this stage. As she explains:

"The medical consensus still indicates that whilst improvements have been made in care that at the moment that concept of viability cannot constantly be pushed back."

And when she was criticised by Conservative MP Nadine Dorries, a former nurse, for not having a fair view towards the act and being far too committed to the liberalisation of abortion, she said that the Department of Health are not supporting delayed abortions and that if they are to be done, the quicker the better. However, she maintains any bid to lower the limit, also saying:

"I am not here to discuss my personal views. I'm here as the minister to answer the questions the committee puts to me about the information the department has."

Ms Dorries also asked the Health Minister:

"If the evidence shows that a foetus could feel pain at 20 weeks or less, would the department consider altering its guidelines or making amendments to the Act?"

However, no specific response has been given to this question except that research would still be continued. Needless to say, many people will be disappointed with what could be described as a very dogmatic stance on such a controversial issue. It certainly seems that there are very few considerations which would cause the regulations of the Act to change in the less liberal direction. In fact, recent news suggests the opposite: that MPs are planning the "most extensive liberalisation of abortion laws for 40 years" by allowing women to have abortions with one doctor's signature rather than two and performing the second stage of the medical termination at home rather than in hospital.

Rushda: Over the last 4 days, wildfires have destroyed many parts of California with a staggering 500,000 people being evacuated from their homes in what is now officially a state of emergency. Though so far the fires have claimed few lives, they have been devastating - 1,500 homes have been destroyed and damage is estimated to be £1bn. As you can see from this video, firefighters are desperately trying to calm the monster but the scale of the disaster is so great that there has been little progress, especially as the strong winds have been sweeping the fires along all the way from Santa Barbara to Mexico. Indeed 400,000 acres have been scorched - "an area bigger than New York City." Thankfully the winds are now slowing down so the fires will be more easy to control in the next few days. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, has praised the efforts of the hundreds of firefighters who are trying to control the fires. Similarly, President Bush has made a speech in which he announced the signing of the disaster declaration for 7 California counties, which will mean government funds will be available to help residents to recover after the fires have died down. He says:

"I will continue to make sure that our efforts are coordinated, and that we are responsive to the needs of people... we offer our prayers and hopes that all will turn out fine in the end."

Let us hope that Californian residents will be able to get their life back together soon after such an unanticipated catastrophe.

Rushda: A new study on education has revealed the worrying result that even young children who are still at primary school experience stress and anxiety, the most popular reason being exams. The government has subsequently been criticised of overly-harsh testing which could account for some of the pressure children feel when having to take their SATs. The research was conducted by Primary Review in Cambridge, where 750 people took part in answering surveys and having discussions. Professor Robin Alexander from the organisation is alarmed by the results:

"What people wanted to talk about was the stress of government tests, then life outside school, road safety, physical dangers, the sense young children are having to grow up too soon."

Many of the children who researchers had discussions with were stricken with all kinds of worries including family breakdown, terrorism, violence, and even mature scientific topics like climate change. Lots of them did not feel safe, even around their own friends. Now most teachers and parents believe that children are being brought up to "grow up too soon" and are worried by how easy it is for children to feel unsafe. For example, a parent has said:

"I'm now thinking that I won't let my child read the local newspaper because, I mean, yesterday there was something in it about someone being stabbed outside the swimming pool where he goes. I don't want him to feel he is not safe."

It is troubling to know that so many children now are not getting the best out of their innocent and carefree childhood - supposedly some of the best years of their lives, and it is difficult to know who is to blame. Some criticise the government for tests too mature for their age, whilst some believe that the problem lies in electronic gadgets and television. Many are simply pessimistic about the state of the world as it is today, and feel that it is unfortunate that children so young are affected by it.

Rushda: A new case in Britain has provoked much controversy - a disabled 15-year-old girl may be getting her womb removed because it is believed that she will never marry or have children and so she should not have to suffer from monthly menstruation. This operation would be the first of its kind in this country, as, strictly speaking, the operation is not medically required but only designed to make the girl's life easier. Surgeons are currently seeking legal approval so that they can go ahead with the hysterectomy at St John’s hospital in Chelmsford. The mother of the girl asked for it because her daughter Katie suffers from cerebral palsy and she does not think it is right that Katie should have to experience periods every month - something that doesn't even make sense to her, let alone be of any use. As the child is not herself in the position to give consent, this must be given on her behalf by lawyers. Phil Robarts, a consultant gynaecologist at the hospital, believes that the mother is justified in asking for an operation for her daughter. He says:

“I think the girl’s mother makes a very cogent argument for proceeding with that course of action, albeit it is rather drastic."

Yes, the operation is serious indeed. But one does wonder why the poor girl, who cannot walk or talk, should have to cope with all the troubles of having a womb. Perhaps one should put aside one's prejudices and realise how much an operation could help the girl - and maybe this will even open a pathway for all those other disabled people who would like to make their lives easier.

Rushda: A new sculpture of a dead Prince Harry in military uniform will soon be going on display at a London Hotel. The controversial statue has been designed to represent "those willing but unable to serve in Iraq" and a picture of it can be seen here. The sculpture shows the young prince lying down with his head on a Bible and a vulture at his feet next to a British flag. It also shows him holding a lock of his mother's hair, and the whole piece is meant to signify how terrible the prince felt when he was told he could not serve. The sculpture has been made by an artist called Daniel Edwards in the light of decisions made to forbid Prince Harry from serving for safety reasons. Edwards produced it in an attempt to highlight the murder of Prince Harry's desire to join the war. He says:

"[the prince's spirit] must have died the day they told him he couldn't serve".

Whatever the intention of the artist, personally I find the idea of the sculpture morbid at best and disrespectful at worst. Surely it is at least a little distasteful given all the news surrounding Princess Diana of late? I particularly feel for Harry's family. After all, no one likes the idea of their beloved dead, and this is even worse as someone has actually gone and produced a sculpture of his corpse.

Rushda: Royal Mail workers walked out at noon today to mark the start of two 48 hour postal strikes which will be affecting the whole of Britain and will end up costing the industry millions of pounds. All customers have been warned that there will be no deliveries until next Thursday, as a second strike is also taking place which means that the Communication Workers Union's 130,000 members will refuse to work from Monday 8th October until Wednesday. The walkouts come as a protest against low pay and also fear of job cuts after no deal was reached between Royal Mail managers and the Communication Workers Union earlier this morning. Royal Mail's offer of 2.5% increased pay is disputed by the workers and they also believe that the new modernisation plans Royal Mail is undertaking will put 40,000 jobs at risk. Royal Mail insist that the modernisation is vital for them to keep in line with the times and say that they have done everything they can to cooperate with the workers. In a statement a spokesperson from the Royal Mail says:

"We continue to urge the CWU to work with us to modernise the business and to help secure a successful future for the company and its people in the competitive market in which we now operate."

The Union, however, believes that its actions are completely justified in light of what has been proposed by Royal Mail and the fact that no resolution has been achieved for the last five weeks. The deputy general secretary, Dave Ward says that the strikes are indeed "a proportionate response to an employer that is completely out of control. Many are understandably very concerned about the strikes as they will disrupt businesses and individuals alike. Having to use couriers instead will seriously increase bills, and lots of people are relying on important mail they need to receive. Royal Mail ask customers to be patient and try not to send any mail over the weekend as this will clog up the system even more. As ever, it is such a shame that because of a dispute quite far removed from any of us, it is still the customers who suffer.

Jeanne: A number of news agencies have suggested that the Zimbabwean people are facing severe shortages of flour and bread. Representatives from the Zimbabwean Ministry of Agriculture have stated that this year’s wheat harvest was a mere 33% of last year’s. As a consequence, the country is now on the verge of famine. The Zimbabwean government has pledged to import some 100,000 tonnes of wheat. However, it is unlikely that this will be sufficient to combat hunger, as the country requires a total of 400,000 tonnes of wheat annually in order to stave off famine. Zimbabwe’s principal bread manufacturer has scaled down its bread production by 80%. The Zimbabwean government has blamed poor harvests on the failed farming techniques of those farmers who have taken over the land of white settlers in recent years. According to Zimbabwe’s Agriculture Minister:

"I am disappointed that our new farmers have proved to be failures since the start of the land reform programme in 2000. In spite of all the support government has been pouring into the agricultural sector, productivity and under-utilisation of land remain issues of concern. I am painfully aware of the widespread theft of stock, farm produce, irrigation equipment and the general vandalism of infrastructure by our new farmers."

However, it is likely that production figures have also been affected by a number of other factors. Unreliable power supplies have left many farmers unable to irrigate their own land. Poor harvests are likely to have a dire effect on Zimbabwe’s already-impoverished farmers. Without a decent harvest, farmers are unable to earn sufficient income to pay off their debts. This is particularly worrying as a large number of Zimbabwean farmers were known to have taken up loans during the winter months. The situation has been worsened by a foreign currency crisis which has resulted in sky-rocketing inflation. However, the Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, continues to blame the West for the situation. In recent months, he has argued that the economic crisis in Zimbabwe was the result of a plot on the part of foreign businessmen to oust him.

Rushda: It may seem a little too Orson Well's Big Brother for many people's likings, but a new law has been passed which means that information from all phone calls and texts made in the UK will be stored for a year due to security reasons. This includes both landlines and mobile phones with all phone companies being obliged to provide the information. The data which is collected from these phone logs will be available to 652 public bodies which includes councils and police, and the aim is to tackle crime. Many people feel threatened by this new law and have criticised the government for increasingly becoming a "surveillance society" day by day. However, the Home Office have insisted that the logs would only be used to tackle serious crimes such as terrorism and would not affect the general public. In fact, it is claimed that none of the actual content of the phone calls or texts would be read - only very basic information about who owns the phone and so on. Tony McNulty, Minister for Security and Counter-terrorism, has explained that there are three levels of information the data will be providing to organisations: the phone owner details, the types of calls made and information about the whereabouts of a particular call. He says:

"Say some old lady has got difficulties with someone who's repaired the gas in her house and has a mobile phone for somebody who's clearly dodgy. The local authorities can just get the subscriber information next to that number. The second level of data is not simply the subscriber, but also the calls made by that phone. And the third level which is purely for the security forces, police, etc, is not just the subscriber information and the calls made, but also the calls coming in and location data - where the calls are made from."

Critics, however, are not convinced that they will not be affected. For example, Shami Chakrabarti, director of civil rights group Liberty, has said that what was particularly concerning was how many people had access to these records, with a possibility of them being abused if something went slightly wrong. She explains:

"There are actually a very broad range of purposes for which this information about who we've been phoning and when can be revealed. It includes, for example, the Gaming Board, the Food Standards Authority and every district and county council in the country. We're talking about a profile that can be built of your personal relationships on the basis of who you've been speaking to and when."

McNulty reassures us all that there is no reason anyone would go "snooping" through the records, and no one has the right to do so without good reasons. The purpose is simply to prevent crime, not find out things about taxes and so on. Personally, I like to think that if I have done nothing wrong, I have nothing to worry about. However, it is certainly a little disconcerting that so many people will be able to find out simple details about who anyone has been phoning. It may be a good system with positive intentions, but like others I am not sure how it will be ensured that the information won't be abused.