The Ultimate Act of Selfishness: Alps Plane Crash

In what can only be called a tragedy, 150 people were killed in the French Alps due to a plane crash. There have been many aviation accidents in recent years, with this one amongst the worst. Since the crash, there has been intense speculation on what caused the plane to crash – it has been revealed a pilot suicide is the cause, in what is an unbelievably selfish act by a man named as Andreas Lubitz.

On Tuesday Germanwings Flight 9525 set off from Barcelona, Spain to Dusseldorf, Germany. During the flight, the Pilot left the cockpit, leaving the co-pilot in the cockpit,and when attempting to return, was locked out. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t break down the door. The co-pilot was heard to be breathing, meaning he was conscious, as he deliberately brought the plane down. The descent lasted eight minutes, but thankfully, the passengers weren’t aware until the final seconds what was happening. The plane crashed into the alps at almost 400mph.

Details regarding the co-pilot are scarce at this point. But one thing that does look certain is the fact that it was the co-pilot who was responsible for the plane’s crash. If so, this is surely the most selfish thing anyone can do. 150 people died in the crash, that is 150 lives lost, and then you think of the poor families of the deceased – they will never forget this incident and a part of them is gone forever. There are incredible efforts people are going through to identify the bodies, the entire operation is highly costly and uses a lot of manpower.

However the whole thing could have been avoided. It is clear the intention of the co-pilot was suicide. He could have just done so alone, without having to take 149 others with him. It really is a tragedy. It is likely that he was suffering from some sort of mental disorder. Of course it is too early to confirm this, it is just merely a speculative thought, but it also suggests mental health issues need to be looked at further – something already seen as a problem, but there is nothing that can excuse the actions of the co-pilot.

Furthermore, it also says something for the society we live in that the news of Jeremy Clarkson’s departure, coupled with the departure of Zayn Malik from boyband One Direction made for bigger news than the death of 150 people, it is a shame. Suddenly, since details have emerged that it was the co-pilot who caused the crash, there has been much more mainstream reporting of the tragedy.

Overall, whenever 150 lives are lost, it is a real shame. This is a tragic incident which will be remembered for a long time. The circumstances in which the crash took place presents many questions, with none more prevalent than the question over why the co-pilot was so selfish to the others involved. The only way of closing this post is to pay tribute to the 150 people who lost their life in the crash, may they all Rest in Peace.

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Radicilisation in Britain: The Problem

With the proverbial unmasking of “Jihadi John” – now being reported as Mohammed Emwazi, together with the disappearance of three young girls from England to Syria, England, the UK and the world in general continues to become more and more at risk of radicalisation.

The advancement of ISIL would have been near-impossible without the influx of foreign fighters into Syria and Iraq. It has been estimated that 30,000 foreigners have travelled to the war-torn areas to join the so-called caliphate. A few days ago, three schoolgirls based in England fled to Syria. For the families it is horrible, yet you would have to question the motive for anyone who is radicalised. First, to leave a successful life in England for a war-ravaged area would be near unheard of, this suggests that anyone who has done this is leaving little behind. While you could also suggest that there is always a choice in terms of choosing the radical ways of ISIL or staying with Western Values – this suggests people that are radicalised are weak.

As if three schoolgirls fleeing the country wasn’t bad enough, it has been reported that “Jihadi John” is the pseudonym for a man named Mohammed Emwazi. Emwazi was born in Kuwait, though spent many years in the UK, even graduating from the University of Westminster with a degree. It is such a shame, what could have been a highly successful life has turned into a horrible one, with the blood of so many innocent people on his shoulders. Though the real issue is how he became radicalised.

It could be argued that more needs to be done to help people that feel withdrawn from society. The more withdrawn they are, the more likely they are to be swayed by radical messages. However a bridge to that stage would be to shut down public speaking’s from known Jihadists. Incredibly, the University of Westminster were due a talk the very same day as the unmasking of Emwazi from an infamous Islamic preacher. Some would suggest you are just asking for trouble with events like this being held.

Overall, the fact is that radicalisation is not going to stop anytime soon. It is a shame, as in some instances people leave good lives behind to go and fight against freedom. What has happened to Emwazi is a shame, there have been many before him and many after him. Britain and the rest of the world needs to do something to stop radicalization, or things will only get worse.

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Woeful British Justice System summed up: Imran Khawaja Sentenced

A growing problem at the moment is the conflict in the Middle East, where the so-called Islamic State have been claiming large swathes of territory. Thousands of foreign fighters have joined them, many coming from Western countries like England and France among others. A related problem is those very same fighters attempting to return to these countries after spending time in Iraq or Syria. Imran Khawaja is an example of someone who faked his own death before trying to return to England. He was caught – however he has received a shambolic sentence of just twelve years (or 6 as it is England).

Footage of Imran Khawaja holding up severed heads were shown in front of court, with his disgusting acts clear to see for all. The problem with the Islamic State is going to only get worse if there is no deterrent. By handing a twelve-year sentence – what message does this hand out? It means first of all, provided he has good behaviour, he will be released early in 2021. 6 years, how would you feel if you were family of one of the many people shown in the footage, only then to see someone toying, disrespecting the memory, to only receive a short sentence.

While Jordan reacted to the death of their hostage by the Islamic State with their own executions, compare that to England and again, problems exist. A simple “strongly condemn” message does little to harm the Islamic State. This is one of just many gaping holes in the British Justice System – paedophiles, perverts and sometimes even murderers, get highly-lenient sentences, before being released, often re-offending. One would imagine that the Justice System has a duty to its citizens to protect them, but when you see sentences like this handed out, it makes you question the system.

As mentioned there is a danger to the UK, brought on by the radicalisation of many youngsters. However, nothing will help stop this until tougher sentences are handed out. While in other countries Treason is met with the death penalty, in England a menial sentence of six years is handed out, it simply doesn’t work.

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20 Years on: Cantona – the Lasting legacy

It has been an incredible twenty years since the infamous night at Selhurst Park, where Manchester United player Eric Cantona attacked a fan, throwing himself into the stands with a kung-fu kick. Cantona had been sent off and after the 20-year old Matthew Simmons screamed abuse at the Frenchman, Cantona launched into his attack. Despite the incident, Cantona has, and always will be considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. It is testament to the man for the way in which he returned from the incident – 20 years on, he is still a hero.

Enraged by his treatment by Crystal Palace Centre Back Richard Shaw, Cantona was red-carded at the start of the second half, ending his participation in the game. Cantona was known for being easily wound up – while he received a barrage of abuse by opposing fans – with jealousy the cause of this. Since joining Man Utd from Leeds, Cantona had proved the catalyst which led United to claim multiple titles. All of the abuse he received – there is only a certain amount that one can take, he eventually boiled over after Simmons alledgedly insulted his Mother, calling her a “French whore.” The kung-fu kick itself was an act of violence and is hard to condone, though in the end the act only helped to improve the legacy of the enigmatic Frenchman.

As for the fan, Matthew Simmons, his life has hardly hit the heights. Simmons was charged with using threatening behaviour towards Cantona and, after being found guilty, vaulted a table and attacked the prosecuting counsel. It took six officers to drag him away. In 2011 he was charged with grievous bodily harm. While Cantona is a world-renowned footballer, respected by many, it appears Simmons has never done anything meaningful in his life.

Cantona was banned by Manchester United for four months, before the F.A. lengthened his ban to nine months. Subsequently Cantona missed the rest of the 1994-95 season, with his team Man Utd missing out on the title. He returned in the 1995-96 season against Liverpool, where he set up a goal within two minutes, before scoring a penalty later on in the game. Cantona was back – he was then instrumental as he led the Man Utd  rally that saw the Red Devils close down a twelve point deficit to Newcastle United – leading to United winning the league again. The next season another league title would follow, with Cantona then retiring at the end of that season, going out on a high.

After retirement, it was only then that Cantona received the recognition he deserved. Since retirement, Cantona has starred in a number of films, along with being a very markeatable figure, with many endorsements. He is still considered an icon at Manchester United, with his name frequently being sung by their voiceforous support. While his career wasn’t controversy free, you can only admire the man for the way he played football, it is his actions on the pitch that should be remembered. After all, he is an icon, his legacy will live on.

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World Cup 2022: The Possible Solutions

Introduction
The World Cup is one of the biggest sporting spectacles on the planet. Every four years the eyes of the world fall on to four weeks of football, where 32 nations compete to try and claim glory. Hosting a World Cup requires an immense amount of preparation, this includes the infrastructure – building or updating host venues. Because of this the hosting rights are awarded years in advance. However, in an unprecedented move, FIFA awarded the 2022 edition to Qatar. Normally the World Cup takes place in the June-July period. However this is near-impossible in 2022 due to the sweltering heat of Qatar. This now creates a problem, when to host the event? Several solutions have been put in place.

Solution One – May
This is a solution that has the weight of UEFA (European nations) support thrown behind it. This would see the World Cup take place in May. The heat wouldn’t be as intense as it is in the summer and would also cause minimal disruption to the UEFA Champions League – arguably the biggest club competition in football. UEFA President Michel Platini has already stated he would be willing to hold the latter stages of the Champions League in June to accommodate the World Cup being in May.

Solution Two – November/December
Another idea is for the tournament to be held in November and December. Like the May option, it would still be hot, however the temperatures would be a considerable lot cooler, meaning it would be safe for players and fans’ alike. The negative for this would be that it would cause a lot of disruption to European leagues. Considering they start in either August or September, they wont even have chance for half of the season to be completed, it would be highly inconvenient.

Solution Three – January/February
The third idea is to hold the event in January or February. This wouldn’t cause as much disruption to European leagues due to how they would be at least half way through, making it easier to pick up from where they left off. The temperatures would also be playable, making this seem a logical choice. However the downside is that the 2022 Winter Olympics are due to take place during this time frame. Holding two events of this magnitude side-by-side would be difficult, with FIFA going on record to suggest this is perhaps the most unlikely of the solutions.

Conclusion
The World Cup is a worldwide spectacle. Billions of people tune in to watch the 64 matches, ferociously cheering on their nation to succeed. There is to be no easy compromise, however in time a decision will be made. They are doing this the right way in deciding so early. This will leave ample time for leagues around the world to make changes to accommodate the World Cup. Which one looks most likely? The January/February option seems most likely, but that is if they can avoid the Winter Olympics. However the decision is yet to be made, only time will tell.

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