Blog 6 Husband 'plotted S.Africa honeymoon murder'

Source

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-11937170

 

Summary

A woman was murdered during her honeymoon in south-Africa. They were ambushed at night and the woman was later found death with a bullet wound and all of her jewellery was stolen. The taxi driver who confessed to have murdered the woman says now in court that he was paid 1500 pounds by her husband to do so. What started as seemed to be a fairy-tale Hindu wedding ended with the death and these dramatic allegations. The taxi driver is charged with murder and locked up in jail. The allegations he made against the husband will be tested in court.

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I think this is really shocking news. A young woman murdered during her honeymoon. I think it is really odd that the taxi driver says her husband has plotted this murder. I wonder if he had something to gain by having her killed or why the taxi driver would lie about this if it isn’t true.  In this news item you only see the family of the husband telling the allegations are ludicrous, but you don’t see any relatives of the wife saying something about this situation. You only see her father grieving in court. I think this is a really weird and scary situation it also shows the dangers of going to some places in other countries. As a tourist you are not always aware of the problems and dangers when you are on a holiday in another country.

Small daily aspirin dose 'cuts cancer risk'

Source

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/health-11930988

Summary

An aspirin a day reduces chances of getting cancer with 25%. Aspirin was already known to cut the risk of heart attacks and strokes, but a study now done with 25,000 patients shows it reduces the risk of a range of common cancers. Even if the patients stopped taking them the chance of getting cancer was still less than normal after 20 years. The aspirin does either repair the faulty DNA in the new cells or makes them demolish themselves. However experts warn about the side effects such as an increasing risk of stomach and gut bleeds and especially elderly should go to their GP before starting to take the 75 mg a day.

Reaction

I think it is positive news that an aspirin could help reduce the chance of cancer. Especially for people who have families in which cancer is common and have a high risk of getting it. However the risks are also very big because of the side effects. I think there should be more studies done on these side-effects and see if there is maybe some way to help preventing the side effects. I also think that there can be a lot done, maybe even more with reducing the risks by healthier living like exercising, the right food, stop smoking etc. I think this should be promoted more than taking some pill that can cause internal bleedings.

'New law needed' to stop bullying, says charity

Source

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/11746126

Summary

The charity says that there is a need for a Cyber bullying Act and a School Safety Bill that would to protect children who are being bullied trough social networks, texts and other social media and in schools.  Around 750,000 people are supporting this statement in a virtual petition online.

Nick Gibb, the schools minister, thinks there are downsides to passing this new law, because it criminalizes young children for bullying another child. He thinks the problem should be solved in school itself.

Supporters of this new law say that this isn’t sufficient anymore, maybe it is for name-calling, but not when it comes to threatening, steeling, beating and sometimes harassing a child so much that it sees no other way out than to end his life.

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In this article they take a child who hung himself as an example for why this law should be accepted, but although of course things like this happen, I think it’s an extreme example.  I do think that this is a very important issue and bullying can ruin someone’s childhood, but you need to remember that the children who did this were also children and probably were not out to kill someone and most children are not so unstable that they hang their selves over being bullied.  

I recently saw an American anti bullying program “challenge day”* that they did in a Dutch high school it was very very impressive. I think making children aware of what their behavior is causing and getting to know each other better is a much stronger way to stop the bullying before it is too late.  

* http://beta.uitzendinggemist.nl/afleveringen/984475

Blog 3 Keeping elderly care in the family

Source

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11642518

Summary

Now that the people live longer and the government provides less and less help for these people. Some people take care of their own relatives when they are not able to do so their selves.

For some of these people taking care of these elderly sometimes interferes with their work and for other people it takes up most of their time so it’s not even possible for them to have a job.

This social caring in families is something that has always been the case, what is different today is that they receive less support from the government.

In Asian families it is quite common to live with more generations in one house, but Prof Victor says this might change over time, because they and their families will have lived longer in the UK where it is more common for different generations to live in separate households.

Reaction

I’m not sure what to think about this. In the Netherlands it is normal that when you are not able to take care of yourself anymore, you live in an old peoples home or at least a place you can get help when you are in trouble. However I do have one friend and her grandma lives with her and her parents in one house. Her grandma used to help her mother with the farm and the household so it only seems fair she gets the help she needs now in return. But I have to say she’s still quite capable of doing most things herself.  I do think it’s wonderful to see your family regularly when you are getting older and the most important thing is that there is care and attention whether that is in the family or not I think is less important.  

Blog 2 'Fees keep universities public', Vince Cable says

Source

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11762430

Summary

Mr. Cable wants the government to increase the tuition fees of England’s top universities. He says that by doing so it will prevent the universities from going private.  The universities have already made a lot of financial arrangements with the government and Cable says they cannot continue to do that. The new fees that will be allowed to charge up to £9,000 will have to keep the universities from going broke or going private. Two universities have already rejected the claim of them wanting to go private and a lot of students are going to take part in demonstrations against these plans.

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I think proper education has to be available for everyone, but in today’s difficult financial times concessions have to be made also. It’s very hard to say what is fair or not. I do think that education is one of the last things you want to cut back on. A good education reachable for everyone helps to create a more financial stable future for the whole of the UK. Cable claims that the only possible way to finance that is by taking this measure, but I think he has to look at other options first. Like maybe universities can cooperate more with commercial enterprises in their area of expertise or with more advertisement in their university buildings or renting out university buildings after school hours for other purposes.

Blog 1 Murder row judge 'told by CPS' of Jonathan Vass threat

Source

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-11717647

Summary

After being charged for raping his ex-girlfriend, Jonathan Vass murdered her while on bail. The judge claims he had no idea this would happen. But the CPS now says they informed the judge about the violent hazard this man would be for the 26 years old Jane.  Bail was granted with a couple restrictions to keep the victim save, but nevertheless he stabbed her to death. The victim's parents claim that the judge is to blame, because he did not order to keep Vass in custody.  

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I recently saw a similar case like this on the Dr. Phil show.  A judge let a man have unsupervised contact with his son, though there was a lot of evidence of him threatening to hurt himself and this child. The mother of the child tried time after time to convince the judge of this by showing the evidence, but the judge wouldn’t believe her and the man ended up killing himself and his son leaving his ex-wife devastated.

Now reading this same type sort of story it scares me that this happens more often. Of course mistakes are made and also the other way around, but in this case I think someone who’s convicted for a crime like rape shouldn’t be out on bail and the victims should be the first ones to be protected by the law and the judges.