According to reports and figures, the state of youth unemployment in the UK has reached an all time low with those aged 16-24 being some of the worst affected. The unemployment rate has slowly risen since the 90s and has sped up since the recent recession from 54,000 to 1.03million; making it the highest unemployment rate for 17 years.
The statistics also include 286,000 young people who are in full time education and wanting part time work and Employment Minister Chris Grayling is asking for the way statistics is gathered to be changed as he feels it is unfair and 'distorts' views to include those who are in education. He says to include those "who are clearly not unemployed in the way we would all understand simply makes no sense." However it doesn't take away from the statement according to website poverty.org.uk which shows that 1 in 5 people under the age of 25 fall into the unemployed category.
"Today's figures are a wake-up call for Britain. It is critical to help young people into work for the future of our economy and society." says Martina Milburn from The Prince's Trust, a charity set up to help young people in the UK. It seems that it would be especially hard for those who have been out of work for a long time or have never had a job because employers are reluctant to employ those who are inexperienced. This is causing a somewhat lose-lose situation among the young as if no one is willing to employ them, they'll never get the experience they need to gain further employment.
Some have said that the unemployment situation among the young in Britain can be dangerous not only financially but possibly mentally. The Prince's Trust charity conducted some research which showed that the lack of jobs available to those aged 16-24 could have a heavy impact and the organisation described the crisis as "a mental health hazard", UK economist Samuel Tombs suggested that the crisis would "raise fears of a lost generation".
Some reports state that the situation may be pushing young people into desperate circumstances with BBC News doing an story about students who have felt the need to get a job in the sex industry to help fund their studies. One 18-year-old student said that the threat of her EMA being cut led to her making the decision to join a friend's escort agency. She stated that the job "sounded more desirable" and did it so she could "go to university" and believed it would have a positive affect on her life.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-16157522
http://www.poverty.org.uk/35/index.shtml
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2062477/UK-youth-unemployment-hits-1m-foreign-workers-UK-jobs.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/dec/14/uk-unemployment-jobs-market-stabilising?newsfeed=true
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/latest/2011/12/14/jobless-total-reaches-17-year-high-115875-23635557/
Wednesday 14 December 2011
Shocking Video Questions China's Morality
A shocking CCTV video showed a 2-year-old girl get run over by a van and lay in a pool of blood whilst nearly 20 pedestrians walked past ignoring her. The footage has made a number of people question the moral values of China and ask why so many people were reluctant to help the youngster.
The incident took place in China in October of this year and depicts toddler Yue Yue, who was standing along a road of a busy market, unattended, when a van runs her over. The child is laying on the floor bleeding whilst 18 people pass her, on foot and in vehicles, and for 7 minutes no one comes to the aid of the child. She is even run over once again by another van and there is a small spark of hope when a man stops appearing to help, but instead he dumps the child on top of some rubbish to move the child out of the way of further vehicles. The toddler was eventually helped by an elderly woman who was scavenging in the rubbish and was then taken to hospital but has since died as a cause of her injuries.
It turns out that one of the men who ran over the little girl was on his mobile phone whilst the incident occurred and was reported to have said, "I was on the phone when it happened, I didn't mean it." then went on to say, "when I saw that she was already bleeding, I decided to just step on the gas pedal and escape seeing that nobody was around me."
The reaction of the public to the dying child and of those who caused her death has sparked debate in and around China. Some have suggested that the public's unwillingness to intervene comes as a result of China's compensation culture. In 2006, a man who helped an elderly woman who had fallen was taken to court and made to pay a sum of money after the family of the woman blamed him for her fall. The judge ruled in the family's favour, suggesting that seeing as he came to her aid, he must of been the cause of her fall. This has led to a hesitance in the Chinese society to intervene in certain situations. One comment regarding Yue Yue's accident on a Chinese social networking site stated, "They didn't ignore the girl, they just didn't dare help her." The man who initially ran Yue Yue over is said to have offered the toddler's father a sum of money just before he was arrested.
It has also been suggested that China's rapid economic growth and widening gap between the rich and poor has led to a society that is more concerned with material goods than morality. A local Communist urged China to do some soul-searching and take "active and effective steps to raise the moral standards of the entire society." A group of lawyers have come together to push for a Good Samaritan law, making it mandatory for people to help anyone in need.
Tuesday 13 December 2011
Tottenham Bounces Back
London Borough of Haringey launched their very own Winter Wonderland to rival that of Hyde Park's on the 10th December. Organised by Nicky Price, the chair of the Tottenham Carnival Commitee, the event promised to bring a Christmas extravanganza to Haringey complete with a Santa's grotto, a Christmas market and a festive parade.
The week long event started with a 2 hour parade through the streets with street entertainers, carol singers and organiser Nicky Price dressed as Santa giving out gifts to children along the way. There was also a funfair and various Christmas markets - which are on until the 17th - which gave local traders the opportunity to buy and sell at a bustling event. UK rapper Chipmunk also went down on 25th November to turn on the Christmas lights saying: "Tottenham is a beautiful place and it doesn't matter where you come from, if you believe in yourself you can make it happen."
The Winter Wonderland comes as part of a 'Rebuilding Tottenham' and 'I Love Tottenham' scheme which was set up to restore the community after August's incidences, which led to the cancellation of Tottenham carnival. The 'Rebuilding Tottenham' scheme aims to regenerate not only affected residents but also local traders and businesses. The Winter Wonderland takes place right next to Tottenham High Road - a few hundred yards from where the peaceful protests concerning Tottenham man Mark Duggans death took place, which led to unrest and then the riots. Along with other projects, the festival is hoping to provide a boost for local businesses and create community spirit as well as help to create a positive feeling after Tottenham was where the riots earlier this year first sparked.
As well as holding events to bring the community together, the local council has been offering support to residents and business in Tottenham with projects such as offering employment advice, business rate relief and a High Street Fund set up to restore affected businesses. Meanwhile an inquest into Mark Duggan's death during a police arrest is due to take place at North London Coroner's Court in Barnet.
http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/topstories/9412494.Tottenham_Winter_Wonderland_Parade_set_to_launch_carnival/
http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/9414611.Christmas_parade_launches_Tottenham_Winter_Wonderland_market/
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/housing_and_planning/rebuildingtottenham.htm
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/news_and_events/latest_news/winter-wonderland-coming-to-tottenham.htm
http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/9414432.Coroner_s_Court_hearing_into_Mark_Duggan_death/?ref=mr
The week long event started with a 2 hour parade through the streets with street entertainers, carol singers and organiser Nicky Price dressed as Santa giving out gifts to children along the way. There was also a funfair and various Christmas markets - which are on until the 17th - which gave local traders the opportunity to buy and sell at a bustling event. UK rapper Chipmunk also went down on 25th November to turn on the Christmas lights saying: "Tottenham is a beautiful place and it doesn't matter where you come from, if you believe in yourself you can make it happen."
The Winter Wonderland comes as part of a 'Rebuilding Tottenham' and 'I Love Tottenham' scheme which was set up to restore the community after August's incidences, which led to the cancellation of Tottenham carnival. The 'Rebuilding Tottenham' scheme aims to regenerate not only affected residents but also local traders and businesses. The Winter Wonderland takes place right next to Tottenham High Road - a few hundred yards from where the peaceful protests concerning Tottenham man Mark Duggans death took place, which led to unrest and then the riots. Along with other projects, the festival is hoping to provide a boost for local businesses and create community spirit as well as help to create a positive feeling after Tottenham was where the riots earlier this year first sparked.
As well as holding events to bring the community together, the local council has been offering support to residents and business in Tottenham with projects such as offering employment advice, business rate relief and a High Street Fund set up to restore affected businesses. Meanwhile an inquest into Mark Duggan's death during a police arrest is due to take place at North London Coroner's Court in Barnet.
http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/topstories/9412494.Tottenham_Winter_Wonderland_Parade_set_to_launch_carnival/
http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/9414611.Christmas_parade_launches_Tottenham_Winter_Wonderland_market/
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/housing_and_planning/rebuildingtottenham.htm
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/news_and_events/latest_news/winter-wonderland-coming-to-tottenham.htm
http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/9414432.Coroner_s_Court_hearing_into_Mark_Duggan_death/?ref=mr
Monday 12 December 2011
Internet: The New Police?
A 34-year old woman has been arrested after a YouTube video her on a tram in Croydon making racist remarks shocked people not only in the UK, but also worldwide. The publicity of the video, named "My Tram Experience" soon led to the woman's - now identified as Emma West - has been charged with intentional harassment, alarm or distress.
The two and a half minute video shows West holding a small child on her lap shouting obscenities at her fellow passengers, stating that Black people were not British and complaining about the amount of Black and Polish people in Britain.
The controversial video went viral racking up 12 million views and within hours, "My Tram Experience" was trending on Twitter, sparking worldwide discussions and encouraging reaction response videos on YouTube, with the likes of Piers Morgan tweeting "Britain is so much better than that vile bigoted creature."
"My Tram Experience" and the outcome of the video is not the first of its kind. In a world where almost everyone is on the internet, videos showing members of public committing offences that previously would have gone relativity unnoticed has seen a rise in an internet policing system. A home CCTV video of Mary Bale dumping a cat into a wheelie bin posted by the cat's owner in 2010 also spread across the world. Although police suggested that Bale did not actually commit any criminal offence, her actions caused an outrage with the RSPCA and the general public with YouTube comments and Facebook pages dedicated to people expressing their disgust at her actions.
The British Transport Police have stated that they will "not tolerate racism in any form on the rail network."
http://thedrum.co.uk/opinion/2011/11/28/racist-tram-lady-caught-through-internet-manhunt
The two and a half minute video shows West holding a small child on her lap shouting obscenities at her fellow passengers, stating that Black people were not British and complaining about the amount of Black and Polish people in Britain.
The controversial video went viral racking up 12 million views and within hours, "My Tram Experience" was trending on Twitter, sparking worldwide discussions and encouraging reaction response videos on YouTube, with the likes of Piers Morgan tweeting "Britain is so much better than that vile bigoted creature."
"My Tram Experience" and the outcome of the video is not the first of its kind. In a world where almost everyone is on the internet, videos showing members of public committing offences that previously would have gone relativity unnoticed has seen a rise in an internet policing system. A home CCTV video of Mary Bale dumping a cat into a wheelie bin posted by the cat's owner in 2010 also spread across the world. Although police suggested that Bale did not actually commit any criminal offence, her actions caused an outrage with the RSPCA and the general public with YouTube comments and Facebook pages dedicated to people expressing their disgust at her actions.
The British Transport Police have stated that they will "not tolerate racism in any form on the rail network."
http://thedrum.co.uk/opinion/2011/11/28/racist-tram-lady-caught-through-internet-manhunt
Monday 5 December 2011
Police Looking For Needle Attacker
Harringay Police are looking for a Mediterranean man who has attacked two women with a needle in the area.
The first attack was on 18th November 2011 in Green Lanes where a 24-year-old woman was stabbed with a needle. It happened at 9:30am as the victim waited at the W5 bus stop near Harringay Rail Station when she was jabbed with a sharp object by the suspect who then fled the scene in the direction of Wightman Road
A similar attack took place at 2:30pm on 23rd November 2011; just 5 days after the first one and Harringay police believe it was committed by the same suspect. It happened again at different a bus stop, where a 29-year-old woman was stabbed with a sharp implement whilst waiting for the bus.
The suspect has been described as being of Mediterranean heritage, around 6ft tall and wore a baseball cap and dark jacket in both attacks and appears to hang around before seemingly picking a victim and attacking.
The police have urged anyone with information to come forward whilst also warning residents of the area to beware.
Detective Constable Ben Jefferd, the leading investigator in this case has said the assaults “obviously cause great distress to the victims” and none of the victims have suffered any major injuries. They have however had to undertake a series of medical tests to determine whether they have contracted any infections, with test results taking a number of weeks to return.
sources:
http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/9399979._Needle_attacker__still_wanted_by_police/?ref=mr
http://www.tottenhamjournal.co.uk/news/police_warning_after_women_stabbed_with_needle_in_haringey_1_1137528
Monday 28 November 2011
Are The Building In Green Lanes Safe?
On Friday 28th September 2011, passers by on Green Lanes had a lucky escape as part of a building's brickwork fell on to the high street below.
It happened at 3.30pm at the junction near Cavendish Road when a quarter of a tonne of bricks fell from the fourth floor of the building above Rose Bakery. Though Green Lanes is quite a busy stretch of road and it was a busy time of day, no one was hurt.
Police closed off the area to investigate the cause of the deterioration and though they have not come to a conclusion of a cause, it is suspected to be a result of damp or the age of the buildings - as some have been standing for over 100 years.
It happened at 3.30pm at the junction near Cavendish Road when a quarter of a tonne of bricks fell from the fourth floor of the building above Rose Bakery. Though Green Lanes is quite a busy stretch of road and it was a busy time of day, no one was hurt.
Police closed off the area to investigate the cause of the deterioration and though they have not come to a conclusion of a cause, it is suspected to be a result of damp or the age of the buildings - as some have been standing for over 100 years.
Versace at H&M Causes Worldwide Mania
Queues stretched for roads as shoppers lined up outside H&M stores as Versace for H&M launched in Europe and Asia on 17th November 2011. In the UK , Beijing , Moscow Regent Street West End which drew in the biggest crowds with shoppers camping outside
H&M from 8pm the night before.
H&M from 8pm the night before.
However, it wasn't the shops alone that were experiencing an overwhelming amount of interest. Online shoppers also suffered from the frenzy when trying to buy some of the Versace collection online but unfortunately were met with the message: "We're sorry! We are experiencing large numbers of visitors at the moment. Please try again later." prompting shoppers to make orders over the phone instead.
Whilst the hype might be slowly dying down for now it may not be for too long. It’s not the first we’ve seen from top designers collaborating with the fashion chain; in 2004 Karl Lagerfeld was the first designer to collaborate with the Swedish retailer and being the face of Chanel, similar chaos was seen.This collaboration trend was followed by the likes of Stella McCartney, Jimmy Choo and Roberto Cavalli. It also won’t be the last we will see with Donatella Versace already hinting that she may join forces with H&M again with another collection next year and Marni signing a deal which is due to launch in Spring 2012.
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