Author: Emma Åsberg

By Emma Åsberg On Thursday October 31, students in UK universities waited in vain for their lecturers, as they protested against low pay offers in the largest strike for years. University staff were offered a pay increase of just 1% which means that the real-time cuts have been 13% since 2008, what Will Hutton of The Guardian calls “one of the largest sustained wage cuts any profession has seen since the Second World War”. Geoff Edkins, regional organiser for Unison said over 200 people employed by Bangor University are earning below living wage, struggling with raised gas,…

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North Wales Police and Gwynedd Council launched the Marine Watch on the 22 January. The scheme aims to raise awareness of marine crime, assist those already affected and increase safety. PCSO Caryl Thomas at Bangor Police Station, who is leading the roll-out, said “Essentially it’s about the theft of boats or equipment from them or boat yards so I’d like to see as many owners of marine craft join the scheme as possible. By joining ‘Marine Watch’ owners can register their vessel and be kept alert of any suspicious activity in the area.” Marine Watch will be using a well…

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A 55-year-old driving instructor accused of inappropriate sexual behavior towards his pupils escaped immediate jail today. Judge John Rogers QC gave the defendant a nine month prison sentence suspended for a year, and an additional three month curfew between 7pm and 7am. Also, he will not be allowed to act as a driving instructor with any lone woman in the next ten years. Defendant Robert Delabertouche told a middle-aged woman that she had been a “naughty girl” and that he would put her over his knee and spank her. He was also accused of having put his hand on woman’s…

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Further snowfalls up to three inches are expected  across the UK on Sunday and Monday. According to the Met Office the snow and icy temperatures will continue to affect the UK, with a band of more snow spreading north across parts of south-east and east England and the Midlands. A yellow warning has now been issued, urging drivers to be extra cautious. The snow is expected to be worst in the West Midlands and the east. Wales has been heavily affected by the snow, with many roads and hundreds of schools closed down. The Met Office recommended that people only…

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Most of us here at Seren can’t wait for Christmas, and I suspect it’s the same for most of our readers…but what does Christmas celebrations look like on the other side of the world? Join us for a peek into five different countries’ celebrations. Sweden Christmas in Sweden is celebrated on the 24th of December, not the 25th. On a typical Christmas day people would wake up, have a long breakfast together and give each other their stocking gifts, for children in particular – to occupy them while the adults are cooking and preparing. Most of the day is then…

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An explosion hit the Syrian capital as President Bashar al Assad was beginning peace talks with UN peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. The number of dead and wounded is currently unclear. The British based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports ten dead and dozens wounded, while pro-government television reported seven dead and fifteen wounded. Many newspapers report thirteen dead and dozens wounded, but the source of these figures is unclear. A reporter at the scene revealed how there was blood on the street, on the walls and on the pavement. Several shop windows were shattered and at least four cars burned…

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