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It could be argued that more needs to be done to help people that feel withdrawn from society. The more withdrawn they are, the more likely they are to be swayed by radical messages.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.

/MF/
(‘042’)

University: Completing the first semester

So after three months of University, I have finished my first semester. University marked the first time that I had left home. Washing, cooking, looking after myself, I have done a lot of growing up in the last few months! I remember how nervous I was coming to University, all the new people, but at the same time I was excited of what lay ahead. I feel overall there have been many good times.

The first week was by far the most difficult! It was very painful to see my parents drive away, that is when things really started to seem real. The next few days I mostly kept myself to myself, just wanting to get used to the surroundings. It was very difficult, but with the help of my family, I made it through the first week, which then marked the start of teaching.

Since then things have gone well – I have met plenty of people and made some good friends. I also wrote my first proper academic essay, and taken an exam in Statistics. There is a lot of hard work involved, but I keep telling myself – even through the bad times – to keep with it, I am at University for four years – I need to make the most of the time here – for the future.

I now get a month off which is brilliant. I do have exams to come after the Christmas vacation, which means I will be doing work over the next few weeks, however I will also be ensuring I rest and make the most of the time off. I am pleased to have successfully negotiated my way through the first semester, I hope for more good times to come in the coming years.

/MF/
(‘028’)

James Bond: 24th Film Announced

The 24th instalment of the James Bond series will be released in November 2015, with the filming of the film starting next week. Named “Spectre”, it will be following up the highly-successful Skyfall. There is nothing quite like James Bond films, with a huge amount of marketing of all-James Bond related products and wide publicity. There is already a lot of expectation from fans and critics alike, with Spectre facing a tough ask to rival Skyfall.

The James Bond series is one of the most successful ones of all time – 23 films and billions of dollars grossed in sales. Skyfall, released in 2012, was one of the most successful Bond films yet – with the film receiving widespread praise. It is of course far too early to suggest if Spectre is going to be a success like Skyfall, but the early signs are good.

Sam Mendes will be directing Spectre, just like he did with Skyfall. James Bond will be played by Daniel Craig for a fourth time. Lea Seydoux and Monica Bellucci will become the latest “Bond girls.” Of course the villain is so often the difference between a good and great film, although no announcement has been made concerning the villain yet. In the coming weeks and months, more details are sure to be released.

With filming set to get underway soon, the countdown has begun, with less than a year to wait to see the end product. As mentioned in the Introduction – there isn’t really anything quite like a James Bond film. We have plenty to look forward to, which will culminate in the film itself in November 2015. Until then, plenty of news stories and eventual advertising will take place, in what has become nothing short of a spectacle.

/MF/
(‘027’)

UK Terror: Arrests made in Cardiff, Barry

Reports on various news outlets revealed that this morning five terror-related arrests were made across Wales, while two others were held in London. It is almost becoming customary to here such news, it is a shame that the UK has become like this. But what is even sadder is the location – Barry – a location that primarily brings laughter and joy – due to the popular program Gavin and Stacey.

The town of Barry has popular connotations – many people associate it with the popular show Gavin and Stacey. Such a light-hearted program, and yet now the town is shrouded in bad news over these arrests. It also shows no location is safe from terror. Sometimes it seems the only locations at risk in the UK are the big cities like London and Birmingham, but these arrests prove otherwise.

In terms of the actual arrests, it is a shame. It does make you wonder what people see in terror – it is beyond me how they think killing innocent people helps in any way, or can be justified by religion. As for what plans the seven people had – they are currently unknown. But there will be more people after them, just like there have been countless before them arrested like this.

It is a shame that the UK continues to be at risk rom terrorism. But then so many countries are – but with the Police and other law enforcement agencies doing their best to keep the public safe, there is hope yet that the UK can remain a safe place to live.

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(‘026’)

Tamir Rice: 12-year old shot dead by USA Police

In a country which is riddled by the on-going debate on gun laws, another tragic shooting has taken place, this time, resulting in the death of a 12-year old boy. Just a few days ago 12-year old Tamir Rice was holding a replica gun, and after allegedly disobeying orders to raise his hands, was shot twice.

The picture above shows Rice, who looks to be just a normal 12-year old boy. The headlines suggest that the Police shot dead an innocent boy, however this isn’t completely fair. An audio recording of the 911 emergency call made by a caller revealed that the respondent said the pistol was “probably a fake”. However what is important is that the Police weren’t told that it was a suspected replica.

The two policeman have been placed on administrative leave – standard procedure in cases such as these. One was a rookie, while the other was a ten year veteran of the force. I feel it is important to put yourself in the shoes of the policemen, they had someone carrying a pistol, waving it about at members of the public. They didn’t just have the publics safety to worry about, they also had their own. When the boy refused to put his hands in the air, two shots were fired, leading to his death. It is a shame this has happened.

Of course many will side with the boy, saying that at the age of 12 he probably felt as if he was just having some fun and that he wasn’t actually doing any damage – it was a replica gun after all. His father said that his son didn’t know what he was doing. It could be suggested as well that shooting a 12-year old twice is a step too far, the shots were fatal.

On the other side of the story imagine what would’ve been the reaction if the police hadn’t shot him, and then boy turned the gun on the public. There was little time to think for the policemen, but in the split-second decision they had to make, they decided to fire the weapon. For all they knew, the gun was real, and when confronting procedure, this was the correct thing to do.

However this case doesn’t just revolve around whether the police should or shouldn’t have shot the boy. It isn’t just looking at the on-going debate in gun laws in USA – it is impossible to escape the idea of race playing a part. There have been several protests in the past in race-related police shootings. This is, of course the same state – Missouri – that saw its police force shoot dead an unarmed black teenager a few months ago. For many, the shooting will be seen as “policemen shoot dead black child.”

Whatever the argument is, it is a tragic event which is something sure to provoke a lot of arguments in the future. The issue of gun-control in USA has been an issue for a considerable length of time, there is no sign that this will change anytime soon. As mentioned though, a 12-year old child has lost his life, his legacy will live on for sure, with something telling me the various debates highlighted in this post are going to be continued for a long time.

/MF/
(‘024’)

Photo of the Year: Worldpress Exhibition 2014

Today I visited the Worldpress Exhibition for “Photo of the Year” in London Southbank. Although I haven’t ever been to such an exhibition as this one, I have to say it was an interesting experience – it also made me think a lot about life in general, having seen the artwork.

The exhibition was made up of 143 award-winning photographs from the World Press Photo. Each year there is much interest in the event, with many descending upon the Southbank to witness the event. The event has been running annually since 1955. This year, there were a record number of 5,754 photographers, representing 132 countries, between them submitting 98,671 pictures. To narrow 98,671 to 143 required much analysis, but also ensured that the images were certainly worth a look.

Many of the images were harrowing – there were images of conflict, despair, homes being destroyed and more. There were also some environmental-based photos which caught the eye. I saw the conflict in the Central African Republic – I wasn’t event aware such conflict was going on. However seeing an event, or set of pictures, like I witnessed today, made me appreciate how fortunate many people are. So many people take for granted menial things, but seeing the emotion of those caught up in the conflicts showed made me realise what a huge difference location makes.

Perhaps the image that was attracting most attention was the one below. An image of a Mother protecting her two children during the Westgate shopping mall attack.

I wonder what was going through the woman’s mind. Knowing that she and her children had a very high chance of death, it is commendable. The three later escaped unharmed, but it was another reminder of what a horrible act the attack was. But there are so many attacks like this one happening everywhere.

Overall the exhibition was a good visit, I learned a lot, was taken back by a lot, and overall, was kept interested throughout the viewing of the 100 plus photos. Anyone who has the chance to visit the exhibition should, I think it makes great viewing. Perhaps what I learned the most was that life needs to be appreciated – so many lives have been lost in the various conflicts, we need to make the most of our lives.

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(‘023’)

R.I.P: Peter Kassig’s full letter to Parents

In sad news, Peter Edward Kassig has been murdered by ISIL militants. He is the fifth Western hostage to have been killed by ISIL, as they continue to murder thousands in acts of depravity and pure evil. Kassig was captured in October 2013, being held for thirteen months. It truly is sickening, that  a man that went to Syria to try and help those affected by conflict, has been murdered for his actions. It once again shows that ISIL have no heart, their acts are evil. Hopefully one day they will be stopped.

Kassig sent a letter to his parents via a released prisoner. Here is the full letter:

It is desperately sad to read the letter. Kassig sounds like he is almost resigned to his fate. It is near-unimaginable what he and his fellow hostages went through in their captivity. Yet ISIL maintain they are doing the world a favour. But their acts, reminiscent of the medieval ages, will hopefully be stopped.

It is also sad for the parents, as well as Kassig’s friends. The parents will not have their son with them ever again, they will be constantly reminded of what their son had to go through. It simply isn’t fair on them. We can only hope that in time ISIL will be defeated, and that his death wasn’t for nothing. It is the fifth time that a western hostage has been brutally murdered by ISIL in recent months, hopefully they are also resting in peace.

I’ll leave you with a final image, one that shows Kassig with his father. The sad thing is, when this photo as taken – seemingly at a happy time for both, no one was aware what was to come.

/MF/
(‘022’)

The Simpsons: Simpsorama

The latest episode from the long-running TV series was “Simpsorama” – a crossover between The Simpsons and Futurama. For 26 seasons now The Simpsons has been running, even to this day it still has a large cult following. This was the 558th episode of The Simpsons, the first to feature a crossover with Futurama. Matt Groening created both series. The episode saw the two sets of characters join forces to save the future of the world.

As a fan of both series, I personally was pleased to here of the two combining with each other for the one-off episode. There were the usual comedic elements that both shows are famed for, while it was also interesting to watch the two sets of characters alongside each other. As mentioned, the Futurama characters had to come back in time to try and put the future back in order. The two sides succeeded together, before the Futurama characters went back to the future. Futurama has finished as a series, but The Simpsons is still going strong.

I also wanted to discuss The Simpsons as a TV program. It is remarkable that after all this time – and well over 500 episodes, that the series is still excelling so well. There aren’t many more programs that have made as many people laugh as The Simpsons has done. They come up with new material every time and although they continue to provide humour for those watching the show. It looks as if there isn’t much stopping The Simspons – it will continue to entertain for years to come. In its 26th season, there is no timetable for it to finish, with the possibility that many more seasons are to follow. Whatever happens, The Simpsons will always be considered one of the greatest TV shows of all time.

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(‘021’)

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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(‘020’)

Suicide: Is it selfish?

In the wake of the death of respected actor Robin Williams, I recently read an article from British newspaper “The Guardian”, stating that his death is a reminder that suicide is not selfish. Suicide is something that is deeply sad, there are people who come to the end of their tether, not wanting to live on anymore. If the person has family, or friends, it is likely they will want to know why – why would the person take their life? This is why it has been said that suicide is a selfish act – however on balance, is it selfish or not?

Robin Williams, a highly-respected actor. RIP

The issue surrounding suicide was highlighted once again by the media in recent days with the death of Robin Williams. Almost 4,500 people take their own lives’ in the UK alone per year. It is a real issue. Suicide can often be linked in with mental problems. Often the reason that people end their lives’ is due to on-going mental problems. Robin Williams was known to suffer from mental problems and it is believed that this was one of the factors leading to his death. I took a quick look around the Internet – a website named debate.org were debating this question as well, opening it up to the public. The results are as follows:

This is an international-based website and the views come from all over the world. Each person who votes gets to write an opinion based on the topic. There are a lot of people both suggesting that suicide is selfish, but the majority suggest that suicide isn’t selfish.

SUICIDE IS SELFISH:

Here are some opinions suggesting that suicide is selfish.

The idea of a “permanent solution to a short or temporary problem” is one that is always used against the idea of suicide. It is also important to take religion into consideration here as well. Many religions are taught that suicide is wrong – it is a waste of life. It can be argued regardless of the situation the person is in – it is still a waste of a life.

SUICIDE ISN’T SELFISH:

On the other hand it can be argued that suicide isn’t selfish. 66% of those who answered suggested that it wasn’t selfish. Here are some answers:

Both arguments put together some very valid points. Many people that suggest suicide isn’t selfish talk about the problem of those in pain. Those who are terminally ill and have no quality of life – is it really loving to keep them alive? It is difficult but sometimes it could be suggested that the most loving thing to do is to free them from pain.

OVERALL

In conclusion personally I would put it down to quality of life. When people who have limited problems yet think that suicide is the best action to take – this is something that is wrong, especially if their quality of life is high. However there are some people who have such a poor quality of life and in the end perhaps the most loving thing to do can be to end their life. On the other hand some will suggest that life is a gift and any attempt to end the life isn’t fair on people around that person. It is a topic that can be debated forever, it is likely there will never be any proper answer to it – like so many other topics – everyone will have their own opinion on this topic, differing opinions too.

/MF/
(‘008’)