News Article 38

Prince, singer and superstar, dies aged 57 at Paisley Park

How BBC News represented the story:

The hugely popular, acclaimed and influential musician Prince has died at his home in Minnesota at the age of 57.

Police were summoned to his Paisley Park estate early on Thursday and found his body in a lift. An investigation has been opened.

Prince became a global superstar in the 1980s, with albums such as 1999, Purple Rain and Sign O' the Times.

No cause of death has been stated. A post-mortem investigation will take place on Friday.

His innovative music spanned rock, funk and jazz. He sold more than 100 million records during his career.

"It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died," his spokeswoman said.

My opinion

It is truly devastating that Prince has passed away, he was extremely talented and a very impactful individual. 2016 has not been a good year so far as too many great people have left us but I wish the best for his loved ones and RIP. 

News Article 37

Alton Towers Smiler ride reopens nine months after horror crash

A rollercoaster at Alton Towers has reopened nine months after an accident which left five people with serious injuries.

Some of the first people on the Smiler ride cheered and clapped when it moved off,as crowds arrived for the new season at the Staffordshire theme park. Two women needed amputations after two carriages crashed on the track in June. The park said it had introduced "additional safety procedures" to the way the ride operates.

Jim Harvey and his 14-year-old son Liam, from Bloxwich, West Midlands, were among the first on the Smiler when it reopened.

Mr Harvey said: "It was fantastic, a bit daunting being first on - my son Liam forced me to sprint to be first. "After the terribly sad crash, you have to feel really bad for the people that got hurt but hundreds of accidents happen daily on the roads. "There's not a nice way to say it but accidents happen. Alton Towers have to move on."

Vicky Balch, who along with another passenger, Leah Washington, from Lancashire, had to have a leg amputated, told ITV: "I understand it's a business and it's what they have to do. I just didn't think it'd be so soon. It's only nine months, it's not a very long time." "It feels like the money comes before the people on the ride."

Joe Pugh, of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, Daniel Thorpe, from Buxton, Derbyshire, and Chandaben Chauhan, from Wednesbury, West Midlands, were also seriously injured. In total 16 people were hurt in the incident, which park owner Merlin Entertainments said was due to human error.

My opinion:

This was a terrible accident that happened and 9 months later, the people involved are still affected as this is unfortunately something that will impact/stay with them for life. I understand that Alton Towers re-opened the ride as they probably want to keep their business running and prove it was just down to human error. However, I personally do not agree that they did that, especially only 9 months later, because the accident was so huge and awful that I do not see why anyone would want to ride it but I guess it is the riders personal choice. 

News Article 36

Canada's National Film Board to fund more female directors to combat Hollywood's gender gap

This is how The Independent represented the story:

In an attempt to combat Hollywood's ongoing gender equality problem, Canada's National Film Board has promised that half of its films will be directed by women. The government-funded body says it’s making a 'firm, ongoing commitment to full gender parity'. The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) has promised that at least half of the films it finances will be directed by women.

The country's government-funded film body announced its new gender equality initiative on International Women's Day. 

"There have been good years and lean years for women's filmmaking at the NFB. No more," commissioner Claude Joli-Coeur said in a statement. "Today, I'm making a firm, ongoing commitment to full gender parity, which I hope will help to lead the way for the industry as a whole."

Joli-Coeur said that the NFB is already on course to meet its targets over the next two years. "In our current fiscal year, films directed by women represent half of our total spending on production. In 2016‒2017, the numbers are projected to be well above that," he explained.

The NFB's announcement sends a clear message to the global film industry as a whole, where female directors are still very much in the minority. A study published last October by San Diego State University's Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film found that of 2014’s 700 highest-grossing films, just 13% were directed by women.

My opinion on the news story:

There is definitely no where near enough female directors in the film industry and in general, the industry as a whole is mostly dominated by men. Seeing statistics such as the '13% were directed by women' is quite shocking because the number should be higher than that so I feel that what Canada is doing is a great idea. 

News Article 35

Oscars: The Revenant expected to triumph

Leonardo DiCaprio is widely expected to take home his first best actor Oscar later.

The Revenant, which he is nominated for, is also seen as a strong contender for best picture and best director. The ceremony gets under way at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles at 20:30 PST (01:30 GMT).

But it is being boycotted by some Hollywood figures who are protesting about the lack of ethnic diversity among this year's nominees. All 20 nominees in the best acting or supporting acting categories are white.

Last week, Harvey Weinstein discouraged a boycott, reassuring those concerned that host Chris Rock would "annihilate" Hollywood in his opening monologue at the ceremony.

The black comedian is known for dealing with racial issues in his routines and it is expected he will make reference to the recent controversy.

Earlier this month, director Spike Lee - who was one of the first figures to speak publicly about the lack of diversity - said the boycott had been vindicated by the response from organisers.

The Academy, which hands out the Oscar honours, announced it would double the number of women and ethnic minority members by 2020 after the protests.

My opinion:

I also think it is very likely that DiCaprio will win the Oscar and there has been so much on social media/the news about it that I would be surprised if he didn't. More importantly though, I think it is shocking that all 20 nominees in the best acting or supporting acting categories are white because that is just pure dominant ideology and huge racial discrimination and it deserves to be equal and it makes you think what is the point of these award cermonies if it is just going to be the same every time with all the white males winning everything. The fact they said they will 'double the number of women and ethnic minority members by 2020' doesn't exactly help because they should have done that a long time ago and why wait until 2020. 

UPDATE: LEO DID WIN THE OSCAR 

News Article 34

Boys aged two and three die in house fire in Huddersfield

This is how BBC News represented the story:

Two boys aged two and three have died in a house fire in Huddersfield.

Firefighters were called to a property in Alder Street, Fartown, at about 14:00 GMT on Saturday. They spoke to a woman and a child who said the boys were in an upstairs bedroom, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said. A fire official told the Huddersfield Examiner: "There were firefighters with tears in their eyes and they were obviously shook up."

The boys, thought to be brothers, were taken from the bedroom but were later pronounced dead in hospital. West Yorkshire Police said their next-of-kin had been informed.  A fire service spokesman said the cause of the fire was not being treated as suspicious, but investigations were ongoing.  The fire is thought to have spread rapidly upstairs in the property, he added. It is believed the property had no working smoke alarms.

'Awful experience'

Shaveta Sharma, a neighbour, said emergency services were "really doing their best" at the scene. She said: "It's been absolutely awful, I couldn't sleep last night. It's so tragic, an awful experience." 

Chris Kirby, group manager at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said firefighters battled to save the boys. He told the Huddersfield Examiner: "Afterwards we went back to base to talk, because they comfort in speaking to one another about incidents like this."

Labour councillor Amanda Pinnock, of Kirklees Council, said: "Because of the area, everybody knows everybody.  "They will be shocked by what has happened."

My opinion on the article:

I really find this shocking and it is devastating that incidents like this happen so frequently. It states that the property had no working smoke alarms which really highlights their importance and if they had one, then the situation may have been completely different. This is obviously a hard time for their family and friends so I wish the best for them and may the two boys RIP. Furthermore, I believe BBC News represented the story well, with relevant information, quotes, images and it was not biased. 

News Article 33

Revenant's Inarritu wins top directing award at DGA

Alejandro Inarritu has won the top prize at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) awards for The Revenant, adding weight to his chances at the Oscars.

The Revenant, starring Leonardo Di Caprio as a frontiersman fighting for survival, leads the Oscars race with 12 nominations, including best director. Past DGA award winners have often gone on to claim the best director Oscar and the best film category. Inarritu won the DGA award for Birdman in 2015 and then won the Oscars double.

The DGA is the industry's leading group of film and TV directors and its opinion carries a lot of weight. To date, there have been only seven occasions when the DGA winner has not then won the subsequent Academy Award.

For Inarritu, Saturday night's accolade makes the Mexican the first director to win back-to-back DGA awards. Inarritu has already won the Golden Globe for best director for the Revenant and he is nominated for the directing Bafta.

My opinion:

It it great for Inarritu to win such a well respected prize and this definitely puts him in a good place for the Oscars. BBC News represented the story well, with a good amount of information but they didn't overdo it so the viewer knew what they needed to and there were also pictures to break it down. I have watched The Revenant and all people seem to be talking about is whether it will finally win Leo an oscar but I personally believe that although it was really good, the main thing that stood out to me was the cinematography and not necessarily the performance although it was very effective. I think people are making assumptions that this will win all the Oscars and they want it to but I think films such as Room had better performances and deserve it more. 

News Article 32

Sir Terry Wogan: Veteran broadcaster dies, aged 77

This is how BBC News represented the story:

Veteran BBC broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan has died aged 77, after a short illness, his family has confirmed.

In a statement, they said: "Sir Terry Wogan died today after a short but brave battle with cancer. "He passed away surrounded by his family. While we understand he will be missed by many, the family ask that their privacy is respected at this time."

BBC director general Tony Hall said: "Terry truly was a national treasure." Sir Terry leaves wife Lady Helen and their three children. The couple also had a daughter who died in infancy.

He presented the breakfast show from 1972 to 1984, as The Terry Wogan Show, and then from 1993 to 2009 as Wake Up To Wogan. He built up a firm fanbase, dubbing his audience the TOGs, or Terry's Old Geezers and Gals. When he broadcast at breakfast for the final time, he told listeners: "The years together with you have not only been a pleasure but a privilege. You have allowed me to share your lives with you. "When you tell me how important I have been in your lives it's very moving. You have been every bit as important in mine."

My opinion:

This is just a small part of how the BBC represented this story and I think they did a really good job because they included pictures, videos, information about Terry's life, responses to his death and facts and statistics. Yet again this is another very sad story and it is devastating that yet another important figure is no longer with us. Terry was amazing at what he did and he also will be missed hugely by everyone. RIP. 

News Article 31

Schools ranked by raw GCSE results for last time

Schools in England are being judged on the basis of raw GCSE results for the last time, heralding the end of school league tables in their present form.

Head teachers are welcoming changes that means from next year, schools will be measured on a broader range of results across eight subjects.

The government says schools have risen to its moves to toughen standards.

The number of schools falling below the current floor standard has remained stable at 312.

Secondary schools are "underperforming" if fewer than 40% of pupils get five GCSEs at grade A*-C, including English and maths, and if the school has a below average score for pupils' progress.

The data is based on examinations taken last summer.

MY OPINION

When I was doing my GCSE'S, I found they were more of a memory test rather than testing your genuine knowledge and they didn't really help because I quickly forgot a vast majority of it. I think it is a good idea that they are going to start not using GCSE's alone anymore because success rates will go up and levels of education will improve. BBC News represented the story well, they had interactive diagrams and loads of information so I understood the story very clearly.

News Article 30

ALPS AVALANCHE DEATHS: TEACHER FACES MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE 



How BBC News represented the story:

A French teacher is under investigation for manslaughter after he apparently led schoolchildren onto a closed ski run shortly before a deadly avalanche.

Police are waiting to take the teacher into custody. He was seriously injured in the disaster and remains in hospital. Two pupils and a Ukrainian tourist were killed when the avalanche struck in the Les Deux Alpes on Wednesday.

Warnings were in place after heavy snow in recent days. The two students who died were a boy of 14 and a 16-year-old girl from Saint-Exupery high school in Lyon. The Ukrainian man who was killed was not part of the school group.

"We have to interview the hospitalised teacher as soon as we can," Grenoble prosecutor Jean-Yves Coquillat told reporters on Thursday. "The question is: Why were they skiing on a closed piste?"

A huge rescue operation was launched after the avalanche struck the group of 10 teenagers, their teacher and the Ukrainian, 57, on the Bellecombe piste at about 15:45 local time (14:45 GMT) on Wednesday. The piste, which has the most difficult black rating, had been closed since the beginning of the ski season because of a lack of snow, a manager at Les Deux Alpes told local media.

My Opinion:

I think this is truly shocking and I've heard so many stories about deaths or major injuries occurring during school skiing trips. I think this definitely says something about the safety of them and more precautions need to be taken when planning and on these trips to ensure all the pupils are completely safe. Stories like this may be especially impactful for parents who are considering sending their children on skiing trips because they may find themselves re-thinking the safety of the decision. If it is true what they say and it is manslaughter, then that is absolutely horrible and again, just shows the lack of trust there is in this world. 

News Article 29

DAVID BOWIE DIES OF CANCER AT 69

This is how BBC News represented the story:

Singer David Bowie has died at the age of 69 from cancer.

His son, film director Duncan Jones, confirmed the news and a statement was issued on his social media accounts. "David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer," it said.

"While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family's privacy during their time of grief."

His hits include Let's Dance, Space Oddity, Starman, Modern Love, Heroes, Under Pressure, Rebel, Rebel and Life on Mars. He was also well known for creating his flamboyant alter ego Ziggy Stardust. The singer only released his latest album Blackstar on his birthday on Friday. The album, which includes just seven songs, has been well received by critics.

Tributes have been paid to Bowie from across the world of entertainment.

Brian Eno, who collaborated with Bowie on his albums Low and Heroes, said: "Words cannot express... rest in peace David Bowie".

Rapper Kanye West said: "David Bowie was one of my most important inspirations, so fearless, so creative, he gave us magic for a lifetime."

Comedian and actor Ricky Gervais, who convinced Bowie to star as himself and ridicule Gervais in an episode of 2006 sitcom Extras, wrote simply: "I just lost a hero. RIP David Bowie."

Comedian and writer Eddie Izzard said: "Very sad to hear about the death of David Bowie but through his music he will live forever."

Bowie collaborator Rick Wakeman wrote on Twitter: "As I'm sure you can imagine I'm gutted hearing of David's passing. He was the biggest influence & encouragement I could ever have wished for."

My opinion:

I think it is very sad that David Bowie has passed away, he was a talented man and I still find it absolutely devastating that there is no cure for cancer. BBC news represented the story really well, with relevant information, audience responses and on the website, they had included both videos and pictures which was useful. Clearly, Bowie will be missed greatly. RIP.

News Article 28

Star Wars topples Spectre to become UK's biggest film of 2015 



This is how BBC News represented the story:

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has become the UK's biggest film of 2015 after just 16 days of release, with takings of £94.06m beating Spectre's £93.5m.

JJ Abrams' film has also overtaken Avatar (£94m) as the second most successful film in history in the UK. But Skyfall still reigns supreme as the UK's highest-grossing film of all time with £103m in 2012. The Force Awakens sees the return of original cast members Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill. It also introduced audiences to British actors Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, who have starring roles in the seventh movie in George Lucas's franchise.

At the end of December, Star Wars: The Force Awakens also became the fastest film to take $1bn (£674m) at the global box office. It achieved the feat in 12 days, beating the previous record of 13 days set by Jurassic World in June. But while Jurassic World had the benefit of record takings in China over the period, The Force Awakens had yet to open there when the figures were released.

It still has a way to go before it can compete with the two films which took more than $2bn worldwide - 1997's Titanic ($2.18bn; £1.45bn) and 2009's Avatar ($2.78bn; £1.85bn).

My opinion on the news story:

I expected that Star Wars would do extremely well in the box office because it is a franchise that is greatly loved by so many people and it was anticipated for a long time in the build up to Christmas and the way it was marketed also meant that wide audiences were attracted. I did go to see it and after not really watching Star Wars before, I surprisingly really enjoyed it and I think they made it in a way that it will tend the needs of old fans as well as create a great film for people just watching it as a one-off. However, I have seen better films but I believe the reason it has been hyped up so much is because its an old, famous franchise. 

News Article 27

Banksy work in Calais 'Jungle' shows Steve Jobs as Migrant 



This is how BBC News represented the story:

The graffiti artist Banksy has created a new artwork in the so-called Jungle refugee camp in Calais depicting the late Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple.

The artwork shows Jobs, the son of a Syrian migrant, carrying an early Apple computer and a bin bag of possessions. The work is intended to draw attention to the benefits of migration, Banksy said. The artist, who has never revealed his identity, donated elements of a recent installation to the camp for shelter.

In a rare public statement, Banksy said "We're often led to believe migration is a drain on the country's resources but Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian migrant. Apple is the world's most profitable company, it pays over $7bn (£4.6bn) a year in taxes - and it only exists because they allowed in a young man from Homs."

The work - painted on a concrete bridge in the camp - shows Jobs in his trademark black polo neck and round glasses. He appears to be carrying a bin bag full of his possessions, as if he were a migrant. In pictures posted on the artist's website, the work can be seen near tents and adjacent to another piece of graffiti which reads: "Nobody deserves to live this way!"

The camp in Calais is home to about 7,000 migrants and refugees, the majority from Syria, Afghanistan and Eritrea. While at the camp, Banksy painted several other pieces, including one based on Theodore Gericault's famous painting Raft of the Medusa, but depicting refugees waving towards a luxury yacht.

Banksy recently donated wood and other structural elements from his "bemusement park" installation Dismaland to the Calais camp to help build shelters. The installation, in Weston-Super-Mare, closed in September.

My opinion on the news article:

I thought this was a really interesting story and I have always liked the work of Banksy because there is usually a meaning behind it and I also like the sense of mystery about his work. This particular piece is very impactful as it explores the negative perception of migration and by using Steve Jobs as the subject, it is likely to catch peoples attention and then this issue may start to be seen in a better light. Furthermore, I feel BBC News represented this story very well because they wrote about his piece in detail, including quotations, statistics, contextual information and good images. 

News Article 26

Syria air strikes: RAF jets carry out second mission



Source of the story: BBC News (breaking news flash)

RAF jets have carried out their second set of air strikes in Syria since MPs backed military action against so-called Islamic State in the country.

It is understood the targets were oil fields again, and the mission involved two Typhoons and two Tornados.

On Thursday, four Tornado jets launched the first air strikes, hitting the Omar oil fields in eastern Syria.

MPs backed UK military action against IS in Syria, by 397 votes to 223, after a 10-hour Commons debate on Wednesday.

My opinion on the story:

Since I heard about this story on Thursday, I have been following it and personally, I feel that is a very big risk to take. I just don't understand how paying back violence with violence is going to solve anything? Surely by bombing Syria, we are therefore victimising ourselves to ISIS and they are more likely to attack us. Furthermore, innocent people are very likely to die during these air strikes, and whether it is very few or hundreds/thousands/millions, it is still innocent people dying who have absolutely no reason to. With the votes being 397 to 223, it still shows that a large amount of MPs were strongly against it and I believe they definitely jumped to a conclusion too quick. So overall, I am struggling to see any benefit of our government doing this and I think that it will sadly, only lead to retaliation and then we are caught in the cycle of war.  

News Article 25

THREE CHILDREN DIE IN LANCASHIRE'S CARE SYSTEM



This is how BBC News represented the story:

Three children died during an inspection into a council's "inadequate" children's services, an Ofsted report has revealed.

An investigation into the deaths is ongoing, after "serious failures" were found in Lancashire County Council's child care services. The report said it was "too soon" to establish if the children's unrelated deaths could have been prevented. The council said it was addressing the concerns "quickly and effectively".

The report said all the council's child care services had "significantly deteriorated" since the last inspection in 2012, when the authority was found to be good overall. It said: "During the inspection, three children tragically died in unrelated incidents. "Their families were open cases to children's social care and they were receiving services as children in need."

The report said an investigation into the children's circumstances were at an early stage, but noted that records connected to the children showed inadequacies. "Some of this poor practice was seen in a much larger number of cases where children had not been harmed," the report continued.

The inspectors' widespread concerns include:

• A lack of effective management oversight
• A failure to involve key agencies in discussions at all stages of child protection
• Complex work allocated to staff with insufficient qualifications or experience
• Failure to give some children leaving care the level of support they need to enter adult life successfully

The report praised the council for the way children are listened to, and the way the risks of child sexual exploitation were tackled. The authority said it had begun implementing a number of changes, backed by a new £5m investment.

Matthew Tomlinson, cabinet member for children and young people, said: "The children and young people who need these services deserve the best care and support, and we are very sorry that in some cases they have clearly not been receiving it. "The council must now act quickly and effectively to resolve the problems identified during the inspection."

My opinion on the story:

I personally feel that BBC News represented this story well because they have included as much information as they can at this moment in time and the use of quotations and statistics means the viewer is gaining factual and important knowledge. It is also clear to read with the use of bullet points. My opinion on the actual story is that I was firstly very shocked when I read it because the fact that three children died in one care system shows that something is definitely very wrong and changes need to be made. It is a sad news story to read and to the three children that died, RIP. 

News Article 24

Abandoned James Bond screenplay?




This was a story I found on the Guardian and this is how they represented it:

A “lost” James Bond movie written by Peter Morgan, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Frost/Nixon and The Queen, would have seen Daniel Craig’s 007 forced to kill Judi Dench’s spymaster M in a shock finale, according to a new book.

Morgan’s screenplay for the proposed film, titled Once Upon a Spy, was turned down by Bond producers and director Sam Mendes prior to the release of 2012’sSkyfall. However, the script’s key elements, which included a mistake from M’s past coming back to haunt her and the MI6 bigwig dying at the end, were retained for the $1.1bn blockbuster.

Interviewed for the book Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond Films by Matthew Field and Ajay Chowdhury, regular Bond screenwriter Robert Wade suggested that Morgan’s mistake was to veer too close to the style ofJohn le Carré, rather than 007 creator Ian Fleming.

Once Upon a Spy would have flashed back to M’s days as an MI6 agent stationed in Berlin during the cold war. Her affair with a KGB agent has lasting ramifications three decades later when the man’s son, a Russian oligarch, surfaces to blackmail the spymaster. Bond is called in to tackle the villain, but is forced to kill M at the movie’s denouement.

“[Co-writer] Neal [Purvis] and I are pretty well steeped in Fleming. I think Peter was more interested in Le Carré. It just didn’t work,” said Wade, according to Digital Spy. “We always found [the script] really, really difficult to make credible or satisfying. It was very dark … The only thing that remained was that M’s past comes back to haunt her and she dies at the end.”

Wade and Purvis rewrote Morgan’s screenplay into a script titled Nothing Is Forever, which was finally retitled Skyfall. The latter film went on to be the highest-grossing film so far in the long-running spy series, and received excellent reviews.

My opinion on the news story:

I found this really interesting to read and I never knew there was an alternative narrative and title to Skyfall. It goes to show how much pre-production is involved with film-making and it may take numerous times to get the story 'perfect' and it is crucial to ensure that the script is to the best of the writer's ability. Although this alternative storyline does sound dark, personally I would have liked to have seen it and I think there are some really fascinating elements in there which may have improved Skyfall. 

#PrayForTheWorld

Although I have already posted my news of the week, after hearing about the devastating attacks in Paris, I thought it was invaluable to write about it. 

Key points to note about the Paris attacks:

Here is a video posted by BBC News regarding the response on social media:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34825501

There has been so much support across the world, #PrayForParis has been trending on Twitter, Facebook users can put the French flag over their profile picture. Paris turned out their lights in mourning, however, Cities such as London have been turning on their lights in support for Paris. 



Some responses to the event:

It is not just Paris. These are the devastating events that happened across the world in the same 24 hours. 



To hear all this terrible news is absolutely heart-breaking and I am honestly speechless about how awful it is. My heart goes out to everyone that was affected by these events and together, we need to create world peace because our freedom is under threat and innocent people have died because of evil terrorists and this needs to stop. Rest In Peace to all of those who tragically are no longer with us today. 

#PrayForParis

#PrayForJapan

#PrayForMexico

#PrayForBaghdad

#Pray ForBeirut

#PrayForTheWorld

News Article 23

Four in ten sixth form colleges could close due to education budget cuts?

This is how The Independent represented the story:

A crisis in education funding could see the closure of as many as four in ten sixth-form and further education colleges, according to a new financial analysis. Research by House of Commons library staff shows £1.6billion could be wiped off the budget for colleges next year if the Government goes ahead with 25 per cent cuts to the service. That, according to their analysis, would be the equivalent of closing four in ten colleges - threatening nearly half of England’s sixth-form colleges and one in three further education colleges.

“This is a deeply worrying report and confirms our fears that some sixth-form colleges could be wiped from the map after the spending review,” said James Kewin, deputy chief executive of the Sixth-Form Colleges Association said.

Labour’s Shadow Education secretary Lucy Powell - for whom the analysis was carried out, added: “It is simply not possible to build a 21st century on falling investment in education. Yet this Government is putting post-16 education on a cliff edge for the next generation - and holding our young people and our country back.”

Conservative party sources dismissed the figures as “back of a fag packet” calculations and accused Labour of “scaremongering”. However, one sixth-form college which has already had to make cuts is Barrow-in-Furness where A-Levels have already been scrapped in Spanish, religious studies, design and technology and religious studies. David Batten, its principal, said; “We have made many efficiency savings already: we have restructured management, increased workloads ... and have had to say goodbye to many good colleagues. “We are getting to the point where the funding available for sixth-form students, which is less than that available for a school pupil and far less than that available for a university undergraduate, is simply not enough to offer a good education to students and keep a small sixth-form college running.”

My opinion on the news story:

Firstly, The Independent is a centre-left wing paper and I think this is reflected in this report because when talking about the conservative party, they use negative language such as "dismissed" and then go on to immediately make a counter argument. This can therefore be seen as biased because the reader is not getting a balanced view of the events. Regarding the actual news story, I think this is shocking because 4 in 10 sixth forms is a lot and if this many were to close, it would have very negative effects on our education system. For example, the students would have to leave and join new colleges, which will result in an increase in class sizes which could impact the quality of their learning. 

News Article 22

Teenager in court for the second time regarding the death of Bailey Gwynne 


Bailey Gwynne 

This is how BBC News represented the story:

A teenage boy has appeared in court for a second time charged with murdering 16-year-old Bailey Gwynne, who was stabbed at his Aberdeen school.

Bailey died after the incident at Cults Academy on 28 October. The 16-year-old accused - who cannot be named for legal reasons - appeared in private at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. The boy is also charged with having a blade or point on school premises. He made no plea, was fully committed and remanded in custody. Special assemblies were held on Monday as pupils returned to classes for the first time since the incident. Bailey's family issued a message of thanks for the support they have received.

Here are some pictures below that were shown in the news report that followed his death:

My opinion on the news article:

It is absolutely awful that this has happened and the fact this teenager has been taken to court for the second time, I think, shows that he most probably is guilty. The face that he was carrying a blade on school premises makes me question the safety of some schools and they need to ensure that every pupil is completely safe on school property because that is one of their roles as an institution. BBC news represented this story well however possibly they lacked some detailed information so audiences may not know enough about the story as they probably should. 

News Article 21

It's a box office battle between Star Wars and The Hunger Games!





It's tough competition regarding who will be most successful in the global box office between The Force Awakens and Mockingjay Part 2 but who will rise to the top? This is how The Guardian represented this discussion: 

The hype surrounding the release of both films is almost unprecedented and has seen the share prices of leading global cinema chains rise as analysts predict they are heading for bumper revenues.

Advance tickets for Mockingjay, which stars Hollywood’s highest-paid female star, Jennifer Lawrence, as the teenage archer and hunter turned rebel leader Everdeen, started selling online as far back as the start of October. Given that the previous three Hunger Games films have grossed more than £1.5bn, Lionsgate, the company behind Mockingjay, has spent heavily to ensure that few people on the planet are unaware that the final instalment of the franchise comes out in the UK on 19 November.

But The Force Awakens, which comes out in the UK on 18 December, has already broken previous opening day advance sales records. Cinema chain Imax collected $6.5m from ticket sales in a single day. Imax has never previously sold more than $1m in advance ticket sales in a single day. Many chains are screening a midnight viewing on 17 December, so that fans can see the film as soon it is released. “We’re seeing sellouts across the board – from Hollywood to London, to Sparks, Nevada, and everywhere in between,” Greg Foster, CEO of Imax Entertainment, said recently.

Some analysts believe that The Force Awakens may become the highest-grossing film of all time, eclipsing Avatar, which banked $2.8bn around the world.But Katniss could still be victorious. The Force Awakens has failed to secure a release date for this year in China, where it is not as well known as the Hunger Gamesfranchise, which is enjoying a surge in popularity. The first instalment of Mockingjay brought in $31.4m in its first eight days of showing in China. In contrast, 2012’s The Hunger Games and its 2013 sequel,Catching Fire, both brought in about $28m in China in total.

My opinion on this:

This was a relevant and interesting news article and I believe The Guardian represented it really well because they have included facts, statistics and quotations. Going by the evidence provided by this article, I personally feel that The Force Awakens will be more successful in the box office firstly because it has already broken previous opening day advance sales and also because the franchise started in 1977 whereas The Hunger Games began in 2012 so Star Wars has had a much longer time to build up a wider audience and fan base so there are more dedicated fans who will be guaranteed to watch the film. 

News Article 20

Hollywood actress, Maureen O'Hara dies at age 95

This is how BBC News represented the story:

Irish-American actress Maureen O'Hara, one of the last living stars from the golden age of Hollywood, has died aged 95, her manager said.

She died in her sleep at her home in Boise, Idaho, Johnny Nicoletti said. O'Hara starred in the 1941 multi-Oscar winning drama, How Green Was My Valley, set in a Welsh mining village. She also regularly featured alongside John Wayne, in films such as the Quiet Man. 

Born in Dublin, she moved to Hollywood in 1939 and later became a US citizen. "Her characters were feisty and fearless, just as she was in real life," her family said in a statement. "She was also proudly Irish and spent her entire lifetime sharing her heritage and the wonderful culture of the Emerald Isle with the world." Ireland's President Michael D Higgins said "she will be remembered as an outstanding and versatile actress, whose work especially in film, will endure for many years to come".

Her first credited film was My Irish Molly, her only appearance under her real name FitzSimons. How Green Was My Valley was her breakthrough. It was enormously popular in its day, beating Orson Welles' Citizen Kane to Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. Other well-known works include Miracle on 34th Street, the Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Parent Trap. The Quiet Man was one of five films where she appeared alongside John Wayne, and was the one she said she was most proud of. Her family said she had died listening to music from the film. O'Hara gave up acting for a long period starting in the early seventies, taking over the management from her husband of a commercial airline in 1978 after he died in a plane crash.

Actress Jessica Chastain tweeted: "RIP #MaureenOHara from one tough redhead broad to another. Thankful for the light you shared."

Mia Farrow tweeted: "RIP beautiful, kind, strong Maureen O'Hara."

And Homeland and Supergirl star David Harewood wrote: "Lost in a crowd of greats, not a single Oscar. That's showbiz."

My opinion on the news story:

I think it is very sad that Maureen O'Hara passed away, she was an incredible actress who clearly worked to her full potential and she has impacted the lives of many others in a positive way. BBC News represented the story very well, giving relevant facts, context, images and audience response. I wish the best for her family dealing with their loss and RIP.