At the beginning of the week, teachers belonging to the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teaching union, voted for a pay strike, which is to happen Thursday. According to the angry teachers, their pay is not compatible with other teachers’ pay and they want a pay increase. They also claim that with the inflation, the money they make does not allow them to live comfortably because they cannot afford the living costs.
The teachers’ strike did occur Thursday and in addition to the NUT teachers, more than 100,000 civil servants and 30,000 college lecturers also protested. As a result, one third of the schools in England and Wales, roughly 8,000, and an estimated guess of one million students were affected. Some schools were closed completely, while others only closed partially for the day.
This story is newsworthy because it has timeliness; it is happening now. Day by day, the story is unfolding before our eyes, including the students and parents who are being affected by the teachers’ decision to strike. Students who are supposed to be in school are being turned away because of this and people need to know what exactly is happening. (The Guardian 4/24/08)
The most interesting story of the week was reading about the arrest of former police detective, Sid Fillery, for the murder of a man he once investigated himself. Fillery was one of six London men arrested for alleged involvement in the axe murdering of Daniel Morgan. In 1987, Morgan, a detective himself, was found dead in a car park with an axe in his head. Also believed to be involved was Morgan’s partner, Jonathan Rees, with whom Morgan was having issues with. For twenty one years the case had gone unsolved. Maybe now, with the help of Morgan’s brother Alastair, who has been fighting all along for justice, information that could help solve the case will surface. (The Guardian 4/21/08)
Despite common belief that vitamin supplements increase life expectancy, according to a review by Cochrane Collaboration, they actually may cause premature death. (The Guardian 4/16/2008)… Scientists discover that heavy drinking and smoking could be the cause of Alzheimer’s disease in younger people. (The Guardian 4/17/2008)… “Bionic eyes” enable two previously blind men to identify objects for doctors in London. (The Guardian 4/22/08)… At the United Nations, Pope Benedict XVI urges respect for human rights in his speech. (The Guardian 4/19/08)… Research shows that there may be a link between calorie intake and the sex of the child in pregnant women. (The Guardian 04/23/08)
