Prince Harry likely to return to active frontline service in Afghanistan

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jun/16/prince-harry-service-afghanistan

summary:

Although the ministry of defence has not confirmed it yet, Prince Harry is sure that he will return to Afghanistan to join the British troops. He is now qualified as an Apache helicopter pilot and when he has permission to deploy, it will last until 2012. In 2007- 2008 the Prince was already based for ten weeks in Afghanistan, but he had to return to England because foreign websites had provided  detailed information about his deployment. According to ‘The Sun’, the defence chiefs and the Queen have given their consent for Harry to go to the combat zones. Prince Harry has said that he wants to serve his country just like everyone else.

Reaction:

I think it is a really good thing that prince Harry wants to go to Afghanistan and fight, because he is a royal and he should be there among his people. However, if the enemy would find out where prince Harry is based, they could attack the troops. So it could turn out to be very dangerous. Despite the dangers I think a prince or princess should be allowed to fight for their country, because then you show that you care for your nation and your people. Let just hope he survives and returns safely to England, because I like him better than prince William.

'Man-eating shark' is spotted off Cornish coast

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/maneating-shark-is-spotted-off-cornish-coast-2296993.html

summary:

A man of sixty years old has claimed to have seen a man-eater shark off the coast of Cornwall. He said that when he was fishing, he looked over the side of his boat and the shark slammed into it and rose a foot above the surface. The man told to other people on a boat, before he went to the coast to report what he saw, and they now claim they have seen the shark as well. Cornwall is a popular place for tourists and authorities have told tourists to stay calm, as the shark has not been seen since the fisherman had reported the sight of the shark. Specialists say it is very unlikely for the shark to appear at this coast because the water is too cold. Maybe the man has seen a basking shark, which does live in Cornish waters.

reaction:

I think that people should be very careful with spreading rumours about a shark, because I think a lot of people have seen the film ‘Jaws’ and they would not get in the water if there was a man- eating shark. Furthermore, if all the tourists would stay away than the city would run out of a lot of profit. I think it is good that the authorities have calmed the people down and that specialists have said it is very unlikely for the shark to be swimming in Cornish waters. However, as long as the rumours are there, I think some people (people like me) stay out of the water.

Millions of pupils to be locked out as teachers strike over pensions

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/millions-of-pupils-to-be-locked-out-as-teachers-strike-over-pensions-2297520.html

summary:

The government wants bring changes to the Teacher’s pensions of secondary schools. The contributions will go up from 6.4 per cent to 9.8 per cent. The National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Association of Teachers and Lectures want to organise a strike on 30 June to protect their pensions. The majority of the members have voted in favour of the strike, 92 per cent on the side of NUT and 65 per cent on ATL’s side.

In Total 600,000 thousand teachers will be part of the strike which will lead to closure of both state- and public schools.

reaction:

On one hand I think it is good that the teachers are going to strike to protect their pensions, because everyone  has the right to protest against changes of the government and this is a good way to make the government consider those changes again. On the other hand, it will cost a whole day of school which has some consequences. Children won't get the education they need and some parents will have to take a day off from work to take care of them. However, it is only one day and both the students and their parent are aware of it and have the time to prepare for it. When I am a teacher and my pension is being threatened by the government, I would go and strike as well!

Disabled face increasing hostility from strangers, survey finds

link to the article:

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/may/14/disabled-face-increasing-hostility-strangers

summary:

The government has decided to decrease the number of living allowances for disabled people. Ministers want to perform medical and psychological tests on people with the allowance, to find out if there are people who lie about their handicap to get one.

Scope, a charity for disabled people, which presented the survey, says that the government’s plans  have led to more resentment towards people with a disability.

A lot of invalid people have experienced hostile comments and sometimes even violence from people they don’t even know. Disabled people feel like they are being questioned if they really need a living allowance and accuse the ministers for making them look like liars.

reaction:

I think the goverment is right to investigate if there are people with a living allowance, who don't really need it and can go to work. However, I think it is very severe that disabled people are being treated with hostility and are even physically attacked. Just because the government wants to run tests to see if there are people who cheat on the system, doesn't mean that all people with a living allowance are not really disabled and don't really need it. Maybe the government should say this as well, to give a message to the people to stop questioning the handicap of people with a living allowance.

Tribal voters are a dying breed

More and more voters in the UK say that more than one political party appeals to their choices and needs. Less than five people say that there is only one party that comes close to what their views are and that they don't agree with any of the other parties' views.
Many people vote for their second choice to be tactical, that is called alternitave voting. That is not a perfect elocarol system, but it will make politics more competitive and politicians will be challenged to appeal to a wider section of society. Alternative voting will not lead to a permanent coalition or help the Liberal Democrates.

source: http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/04/19/tribal-voters-are-a-dying-breed/

Vote for what you really believe in.
I think it is very stupid to be a tactical voter, because you only vote for one party to make the other party lose votes. I can understand that people are confused because different parties appeal to their view, but you should choose a party, because you really believe in what that party wants to do. The cause of this alternative voting may be that people do not really know what the parties represent. Yes, some political parties may share some similarities, but I think that parties are different in many of their views. So, maybe if voters should really look into the parties plans and views, they would be able to choose one party because they really believe in what that party stands for.

Libya conflict: UK funds to help trapped workers.

Libya conflict: UK funds to help trapped workers.

The UK is going to help five thousand migrants, who are trapped in Misrata, Western Libya.

The minister has been informed that the situation is very severe, as the shootings from Colonel Cadaffi's followers continue and the city is running out on food, medicine and electricity.
Britain is to give money to support the evacuation of the migrants, workers from South Asia, Africa and The Middle East. They will be transported by ships. More money will be given to the International Medical Corps, who gives medical aid to the people in Libya, who are threatened by violence.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13115874

Saving innocent inhabitans is a country's duty.
I think it is very good of the UK to fund the evacuation of migrants in Libya, because I think it is an other country's duty to help people in danger when their own country has turned on them. The UK is already involved in the mission to send airforces to Lybia to eliminate important places of the Libyian government. However, Cadaffi and his forces are still terrorising cities and shooting innocent inhabitans, so sending help to those inhabitans should be a very important part of the mission as well. That is why I am an advocate of the funding of this evacuation.