BBC News January First 2013

A few outtakes from the BBC News: However a new year often means a new diet, a growing number of people has lost control of their weight in the UK. Obese starts at younger ages, so if nothing is done, the problems will become worse. Right now, 25% of the adults have obese, but if it will go on this way, in 2050 it will be 50%. The costs are already 5 billion pounds a year, but would raise to 10 billion.

In east-London there started a project for compulsory licensing of landlords to try to improve the conditions of the houses and decrease the monthly payments. This project will probably be stretched out to the rest of London.

My opinion

I think that obese is a very bad thing. It’s really a welfare disease which can be prevented easily. There must be more education, so that people know about the dangers of it. Especially children must become aware of this, because they are the future of the nation. If they hear about it and learn to sport a lot, the problem can be solved easily.

The other interesting item was about licensing landlords. Many people pay too much rent for their houses and live under bad circumstances. It’s a good thing to license the landlords and to check the houses on their safety. I think there must come health and safety standards for the rented houses.

Have I Got News for You Series 45 Episode 9

Several thing were discussed in this program, all with lots of humour of course. I will describe a few of them. The first interesting thing was the item about gay marriage in France. This was the first legal gay marriage in France, but the homophobic reactions just raised because of it. Another item was about someone’s  (Bruce - don’t really know who he is, actually) opinion about  Britain’s Got Talent. He said that young children shouldn’t be on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’. These two things were the most interesting.

My opinion
It is difficult to have a serious opinion about these subject, because everything is said in a very humorous way. Although, I do have opinions about these subject. The first subject was about gay marriage, and the way people reacted on that. I think gays should have the same rights as other people. On the other hand, I understand that some people don’t think so about this. They should be respected as well. Sometimes it looks like that gays are respected more and more, but people who think different about this are just respected less. The other thing, young children in talent shows, is also interesting. Personally, I don’t like talent shows, but I think that it is no problem for children to involve in those shows.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mq1nJhFKEI

Labour plans student-style ‘salary loans’ for the unemployed

The political party Labour proposes to reform the system for unemployed people. Since the financial crisis, many people get into (financial) trouble, especially when they lose their jobs. Therefore it is crucial to respond to this trend and prevent the people from falling off the ‘financial cliff edge’. Labour proposes that  jobless receive up to 70% of their previous income, so they don’t get into financial problems. This will last for a period up to six months and it must be refund when they have found a new job.

My opinion

It is a good thing to help people to not fall off the financial cliff edge. So I think this measure is a good respond to these problems. The time, six months, are also well chosen, because most people return to work within six months. However, this measure is not enough to solve the problem of unemployment. There must come more jobs, otherwise this measure won’t work.  

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/apr/20/labour-plans-student-style-salary-loans-unemployed

PM wants web firms 'action' on child porn

David Cameron wants web companies to take action to remove pictures of child sex abuse. He says that internet companies and search engines have ‘extraordinary technical abilities’ in categorising the web and calls for more action to root out those disgusting images. In a reaction, Google declares that it has a zero-tolerance attitude on child abuse images. Several internet companies, including Google, have been summoned to a meeting with i.a. the Culture Secretary on June 17.

My opinion

I think that a zero-tolerance attitude is very good when it is about child abuse images. Those images must actively be removed from the internet. However, from time to time we hear about someone who abuses children and has pictures of child sex abuse on his computer. The question is, where does he get them from? I think companies as Google must act more actively against those pictures, because it is extremely disgusting and above all, dangerous for the children: they are the victims of this. To protect them, we have to root out all those images on the internet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22831219

Burqa gang stole watches worth £1m from Selfridges

In London, a gang consisting of six members targeted the Selfrigdes store and stole £1.000.000 worth of luxury watches. They were dressed in burqas to disguise themselves. A burqa is a religious dress, in which you are completely unrecognizable. When the moped crashed where they fled with, two suspects were arrested. Onlookers stopped them from leaving. One holdall containing 41 watches was recovered. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Noyes thanks the onlookers for their brave actions: “Their quick thinking and brave actions have helped our investigation” Afterwards, more items were recovered, such as two motorbikes and a black BMW. 

My opinion
This robbery was successful, because the robbers were unrecognizable. They were wearing burqas, so no one could see who they were. For me, this is an example why burqas have to be forbidden in our society. It is impossible to see whether the person in a burqa is really a religious Islamic woman, or, just like this robbery, someone else who takes advantage of this dress. Maybe it is too radical to say that wearing of a burqa must be forbidden, but I think it is too dangerous to let this happen again.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/08/burqa-gang-watches-selfridges

Queen's portrait defaced with spray paint in Westminster Abbey

A few weeks ago, a member of Fathers 4 Justice defaced a painting of the queen which was displayed in Westminster Abbey. “In  an incident at lunchtime today, a visitor to the abbey sprayed paint on the Ralph Heimans portrait of the queen (...),” declared a spokesman for the abbey. The painting has been removed and is not on public view anymore. Fathers 4 Justice said that this was not a an official protest, but that one of their members did this on his own initiative. This organisation stands for fathers who do not have access to their children. They want improved right for those fathers, and with Fathers Day this Sunday it is always a very emotional time. “This protest was desperate plea for help.”

  

My opinion

This protest of Fathers 4 Justice, or at least a member of them, is very understandable. They want recognition and improved rights, and do not see another way to get into the picture of the government. However, I am always a bit sceptical towards such demonstrations. I don’t think this protest will lead to improved rights for fathers without access to their children. Actually, I think this organisation will be in bad light now, because of this demonstration. This protest will work counterproductive in their fight for better rights. I think this organisation must have a look at their methods and the results of their protests: they will probably see that this doesn’t have a positive influence on the effects of their negotiations.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22892297