Named and shamed: the 16 barred from UK
Tuesday, 5 May 2009

The article says that sixteen people from all different countries are not allowed to enter the United Kingdom anymore. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith certified to make the names of those who were banned since October official and public. People have to know what kind of behavior Britain will not accept. If you have difficulty by living the rules of the country you are not allowed to be in the country and your name will be made public and everyone will know why you are not welcome anymore. On the list there are only names of people who do something that is not allowed or accepted and whose behavior is against the rules and values, or when there is the thought of cause violence or inter-community tension.

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When I started to read this article I thought that the steps this Home Secretary takes are a bit extreme. I thought she wanted to put all people on the list who just have got different opinions. While reading I discovered this was not the case. She only puts people on this list who are overstepping the mark when there is the thought of causing violence or inter-community tension... One of these people on the banned list is Michael Weiner, also known as Michael Savage, the radio talk show host. I agree with this measure of the home Secretary. The people who are on the list of least wanted are people who have extreme ideas and thoughts. If you let them do what they want they can cause very bad things, like hate or violence, which is not good for the society. People deserve to have peace and calmness and if that is only reachable by taking this kind of measures, well then so be it...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/named-and-shamed-the-16-barred-from-uk-1679127.html

The Mirror's Carol Ann Duffy "honoured" to be named Poet Laureat

In 341- year history, 53-year-old Carol Ann Duffy is the first woman who is formally chosen as national poet. Duffy is also best known for her collection, "The World's Wife." Duffy, who corrects and adapts articles for publishing in the Daily Mirror’s weekly Poetry Corner column, said she felt "very honoured and humbled" by her appointment. She already wrote many columns and she looks forward to write a lot of other columns. Duffy is the next person after Andrew Motion to have his position. Andrew Motion was held the post since 1999. Duffy says she sees the appointment as a knowledge of the value or skills of the great woman poets. For that reason she decided to accept the appointment for the next ten years. Part of the Laureate's job is to write poems to commemorate major state occasions and events involving the Royal Family.

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Wonderful to hear that for the first time in 341 years of history a woman is designated to this function on national level. Carol Ann Duffy is a Scottish poet, playwright and freelance writer who is now holding the position Britain’s poet laureate. A Poet Laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for State occasions and other government events. I know that this is not an easy task, maybe that is the reason why men were always appointed , which I do not understand. Women are as smart as men, even smarter. By desiganting a woman it seems like the tradition has now changed, which I experience as good. Duffy has proved us that women are able to do anything they want as long as they work hard for it. I have to say that I am very proud of this lady. She really has got talent otherwise she would not have come this far...

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/05/02/the-mirror-s-carol-ann-duffy-honoured-to-be-named-poet-laureate-115875-21324945/

Rape by Baby P man sparks inquiry Saturday, 2 May 2009 10:57 UK


One of the two men, who caused the death of Baby P, is also found guilty of raping a girl who at the time was only two years old. Baby P was only 17 months old and he died in August 2007 after having suffered more than fifty injuries. It is about the 32-year-old boyfriend of baby P’s mother. The evidence information in this case came to light when baby P’s mother and her boyfriend were arrested for his death. The name of this child was also on the north London council’s child protection list. According to some officials child protection systems are still not working. The agencies responsible for child protection are now making plans to improve children’s services.

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Lord… I really do not know what to say about this article. I am speechless. I cannot imagine that a person can do such a horrible thing to a child. Children are holy and you have to stay away from them. No one has got the right to damage a child like that. It makes me speechless but also very angry. There are agencies responsible for child protection, but most of these agencies are not taking their responsibilities to protect children. I cannot understand that when a child is on a council’s protection list it is not being protected against these things. Now the officials and agencies are making plans to improve children services, but how are they going to reach that goal when frontline staff is not even trained well enough to protect children because of the fact they do not have enough experience???
I really think that this could have been prevented. I think it is too easy for agencies to say that there is something wrong with the child protection services. Even after the death of Victoria Climbie, six years earlier, they nowadays still make the same mistakes in protecting children. Children issues are sensitive so there have to be well trained people in those agencies to offer them all the necessary protection and help in critical situations.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8030299.stm

Man charged with murder of Defoe's brother Tuesday, 28 April 2009

A man called, Christopher Farley, is accused of maltreatment in a street attack on Jade Defoe, the half-brother of England footballer Jermaine Defoe. The attack took place near High Road, Leytonstone. Five days later Defoe died in hospital because of his injuries. Christopher Farley will appear tomorrow in custody at Red Bridge Magistrates’ Court because he is charged with murder. The cause of death, which was given, was a head injury. Because of his lost, footballer Defoe could not play for Manchester United last Saturday. Jade Defoe was very popular as MC on the urban music scene. Hundreds of fans joined a tribute page created on Face book.

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There are always news articles or news items, which have got to do with crime. Crime seems to be appearing more and more and it becomes almost a matter-of- course and unthinkable. In spite of this I think that violence, and especially meaningless violence is not normal. I mean, come on, if there is a problem with someone you should have to talk about it and you should discuss it, but you cannot just hit someone or do things that are worse... When I read this article I was shocked. I really do understand that people sometimes get angry with each other but I also think that you should be able to have control over your feelings and emotions. I really think that there is a serious problem going on in society, because nobody has got the right to beat someone to death. Of course it is not reachable to offer each person behavior therapy, but fact is that people are getting more and more impatience and they are not able to control these kind of feelings the way it should. It seems like moral code is diminishing, which is a big shame.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/

Three new swine flu cases in UK BBC News,

Wednesday, 29 April 2009 15:12 UK

After four adults had been infected with the swine flu, a twelve year-old girl is now also infected with the swine flu; the swine flu victims' number is five in the UK. All of these people became ill with swine flu after visiting Mexico, where the swine flu started. All of them have mild symptoms and in all of those cases the victims are undergoing treatments with anti viral drugs.
According to Prime Minister Brown the swine flu patients are responding well to this treatment. Because of the fact that there is one death reported in the US, the United Kingdom is taking their responsibility to do everything to protect their people by taking necessarily precautions like airport checks. The government is also expanding the anti-viral stocks, they are ordering extra face masks and they distribute information leaflets for every family.

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The swine flu started in Mexico and now the whole world is throwing into confusion. The symptoms seem to be innocent but the consequences are disastrous. I do not believe that this disaster could have been prevented because a disease is a disease, but I am in the opinion that every government has got to take their responsibilities to keep the damage as limited as possible. I think the government in the United Kingdom is taking its responsibilities well to protect people from such things like taking doing airport checks and increasing their budget for the anti viral drugs, ordering extra face masks and give people all the information they want and need on this subject. The more the people know about the symptoms the better it will be to take measures against it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8024690.stm