Blog | Westminster World

Apr262023 by Titus D'souzaNo Comments

West Ham thrash Arsenal 5-1 to clinch FA Youth Cup

Image credit: Titus D'souza West Ham United defeated London rivals Arsenal to win their first FA Youth Cup since 1999 in what turned out to be a one-sided contest at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal, coached by former star Jack Wilshere, took the lead early in the first half. Omari Benjamin opened the scoring for the Gunners in the seventh minute in front of a crowd of 34,124 fans. However, West Ham quickly turned the game around. The Hammers drew level with a goal from George Earthy in the 17th minute. The goal gave West Ham a spring in their step, and soon, the rest of the first half was dotted with two more goals from Callum Marshal (19’) and Gideon Kodua (42’) giving Kevin Keen’s side a comfortable lead going into the second half. In the second half, Arsenal looked like th

Dec122022 by Hera KrujaNo Comments

France is predicted to win the World Cup semi-final

Breaking News, Explainers, Sport, Sports

Londoners believe that Mbappé is the best player of France and that he will play an important role during the next match. https://youtu.be/OGNNO1oo2Kc France reached World Cup semi-finals. Londoners comment about the performance of France. Video credits: Hera Kruja. France made it to the World Cup 2022 semi-final in Qatar and it will face their former colony Morocco. The match between the two countries will start at 19:00 on 14th December 2022. Pubs in central London have been packed by football supporters to watch the matches. French fans were celebrating in pubs, as well as the streets, joyfully jumping, dancing and singing. While comparing the two teams that will play during the next semi-final, Londoners seem to believe that France will win. Barr Kroter, 25,

Dec122022 by Elfredah Kevin-AlerechiNo Comments

‘It became super heavy and now, this is insane’–Seeing snow for the first time

Climate, Explainers, Worldnews

We woke up to see our balcony covered in ice and our streets covered in ice, and the only way is to drop my kids' scooter because walk to school. Adi Misra/ Photo Credit: Elfredah Kevin-Alerechi The United Kingdom is currently experiencing heavy snow with the England temperature of -1 degree Celsius. In typical winters, snow is rarely observed in England; but, this winter, the Met certifies that this night was the coldest of the year. While some UK residents don't find snow weird, others who have never experienced snow told Westminsterworld that the snow is ridiculous and has made the already chilly weather even colder. Adi Misra, who had never experienced snow, told WestminsterWorld that the nighttime fog and snow made his room much chilly and made it difficult to ...

Apr52022 by Luke SevernNo Comments

Conversion therapy – What is it?

Breaking News, Culture, Explainer, Explainers, Explainers, Gender, UK news, Worldnews

In 2018 the British government pledged to ban conversion therapy across the nation. However, now in 2022 the situation surrounding the practice has become a more difficult to understand. The latest on conversion therapy in the UK. Credit: Luke Severn Legislative timeline: 2018 Theresa May's government pledge that it would completely ban all conversion therapy practices in the UK as part of its LGBT equality plan. Many charities and activists were happy to see that the government had recognised the situation and were making plans to change it. 2020 In the summer of 2020, now under Boris Johnson's government, it was stated that plans were due to be brought forward to get start outlining legislation to ban conversion therapy. 2021 In March of 2021, three governme...

Mar212022 by Ollie CoxNo Comments

Londoners hit with hikes in living costs

Breaking News, Explainers, London, Media

Since October last year, the cost of living has soared in the UK. With London having some of the country's highest living expenses , Westminster World took to the capital's streets to find out about how inflation is impacting its residents. See our live blog here: https://westminsterworld.com/live-blog-2-cost-of-living-crisis-2022/ Keeley Reed, from The Dragon Hall Trust, who run a food bank specialising in helping families in need of food in Covent Garden, has said that “people are always taking from it”. She also added that people are taking more food post-pandemic. Capital in Crisis. Credit: Viola Yu, Skyler King, Ting Lei This Wednesday, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak will present the Spring Statement for this year. The pandemic took up most of t

Why is the ‘Trojan Horse’ scandal being called a hoax?

Explainers

The Muslim Council of Britain, an umbrella body of UK Muslim organisations, recently demanded an independent probe into the ‘Trojan Horse’ affairs after around nine years. This is an explainer on what is the Trojan Horse Scandal and Why is it being called a hoax now? An image to symbolise the scandal (Credit: Flickr) The Trojan Horse scandal had a long-lasting impact in the UK. It has played a crucial role in shaping the counter-terror policy of the government which resulted in many people losing their careers, a particular community being targeted, and their children who were allegedly stigmatised. The ‘Trojan Horse’ scandal In November 2013, an anonymous letter describing a Muslim plot to Islamise schools in Birmingham appeared on the desk of the

How Fast Fashion is impacting Chile’s Atacama Desert

Breaking News, Climate, clothes, Environment, Explainers, Fashion, Worldnews

Fast Fashion is having a negative impact on the environment more than ever as popular online brands grow to keep up with the latest fashion trends. This explainer dives into the consequences that fast fashion is having in Chile and what we can do to minimise those consequences. Original Article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-60249712

Feb122022 by Madi ApthorpeNo Comments

Jimmy Carr’s Holocaust Joke Explained

Celebrity, Culture, Entertainment, Explainers, Explainers, Media, Racism

Jimmy Carr, a comedian often known for his outrageous comedy, has stirred up controversy following his recent Netflix special, His Dark Material. Roma Holocaust, History Today, 2010. Source: Galerie Bilderwelt What did he say? In a Netflix special that came out on Christmas Day 2021, Carr said: “When people talk about the Holocaust, they talk about the tragedy and horror of 6 million Jewish lives being lost to the Nazi war machine. But they never mention the thousands of Gypsies that were killed by the Nazis. No one ever wants to talk about that, because no one ever wants to talk about the positives.” Carr has defended his words by saying it's educational, and he is in fact poking fun at the fact that most people don’t know about GRT (Gypsy Roma Travellers), homosexual, d

Everything you need to know about new universal credit rules and changes

Breaking News, Charity, Explainers

Unions called for an increase in minimum wage and benefits to offset inflation. The ongoing pandemic pushed an extra 1.3 million workers on universal credit which forced the government to bring in new rules. The government on February, 7 announced that Universal Credit, child benefit and statutory pension are among the payments that will be increased in April to keep up with the energy and food price cap. Benefits usually go up each year to keep up with the rising cost of living and in April universal credit claimants will see a 3.1% rise in payments. CREDIT: Marca What is Universal Credit?Universal Credit is designed to support people over 18 who are either on a low income or out of work. This law was legislated in 2012 helped claimants with the cost of housing, children and ...

The rising tide of plastic: How bacteria can sustainably eat plastic waste

Explainers

Will science save our seas? Meet the microorganisms that live off plastic. Scientists have discovered a microorganism that can breakdown plastic and essentially, eat it. A microorganism is a living bacterium that can only be seen under a microscope. They can cluster and live in colonies, made up of many microorganisms. Humans have always been mass consumers of plastic, but the issue is on the rise. In 2020 alone, we produced 367million tonnes of plastic, says Plastics Europe. This is a huge change compared to 2017, with a global production of a mere 8.3million tonnes of plastic. It is the mixture between mass production and single use wastage that has led to massive problems, with plastic waste cluttering our oceans. Credit: Rachelle Townley ...

How will the government level up life expectancy?

Breaking News, Data Journalism, Explainer, Explainers, Health, Obesity, Science

We have now received the highly anticipated Levelling Up white paper, which will set out how the government will level up those parts of the country left behind. What does this mean, and how will it tackle the issue of geographic differences in life expectancy across the UK? The phrase used by politicians to refer to the process of fixing this issue is ‘levelling up.’ Behind the rhetoric are very real issues severely impacting people’s lives. Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, visits Grimsby. Credit: Simon Dawson (CC) What does levelling up mean? The House of Commons Library defines a left-behind area as somewhere with "low pay and employment" that leads to "low standards of living." As a result of these factors, the health of a region may also be impac

Dec132021 by PP JaseemNo Comments

Julian Assange can be extradited, UK High Court rules

Explainers

The UK High Court reversed the judgement of the District Judge that Julian Assange, Wikileaks founder, cannot be extradited to the United States of America. The UK court ruling comes as the US gave diplomatic assurance on his safety in prison. Julian Assange (Image: Wikipedia) The government of the United States of America won its appeal over the extradition of Julian Assange. Pronouncing the judgement, the High Court judges, led by Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett, said: “The court is satisfied with the assurances given by the US on the safety of Julian Assange in a Diplomatic Note dated 5 February 2021.” Mr. As

Mar82021 by Mengqi ZhangNo Comments

World’s first coronavirus Human Challenge study conducts in UK from 8th March

Explainer, Explainers

UK starts world's first coronavirus "Human Challenge" study from 8th March. Volunteers between 18 and 30 years old are deliberately exposed to the Covid-19 environment. The aim of the "Human Challenge" experiment is to give doctors a greater understanding of how the virus works and support them respond to the pandemic by aiding vaccine and treatment development. Chirs Chiu, the leader of this experiment, answers questions that people are concern about: 1.How to ensure the safety of volunteers? 2.Would it be less effective to use the March virus? 3.How the result applies to all age groups? 4.Why is this experiment still necessary as the UK is moving very fast with the current vaccines? https://youtu.be/FxtUkxVDW4k

Dec42020 by Talia PuttermanNo Comments

Reforming public transport after the pandemic

Explainers

The case for a complete rethink of our public transportation system was highlighted in the aftermath of Covid-19. An investigation into reforming public transport will begin by the all-party parliamentary transport select committee on Wednesday. New Civil Engineer The HS2 was designed to offer the UK a state-of-the-art, high speed train line critical for the UK’s low carbon future. Its intent is to hold a large capacity of people to bring them across Britain’s 10 largest cities, serving over 25 stations. As the first major railway connecting the Midlands and the North for over a century, the high-speed railway presents a genuine opportunity to balance and reshape our economy. Boris Johnson approved the construction of HS2 between London, Manchester, Birmingh

Foreign students staying in London for Christmas break express why

brexit, Christmas, Covid-19, Education, EU talents, Explainers, London, Student, virus

The end of the lockdown approaching did not convince some foreign students to travel back. Seven out of ten interviewed told Westminster:World their decision to stay. Two of them have accepted to be featured on this article. Safety as the first priority Credit:Naima Tazergha "My father is not well and it is crucial to protect him from covid-19, and there is always a risk for me to catch the virus while travelling and submitting it to him." Charlotte is from Stockholm in Sweden. She moved to London this Autumn to study her first year of Interior Design at Regent's university. As the government reached to students to encourage them going back home between the 3rd and 9th of December, some don't even consider thinking about it. She is young but knows the risk- the one of c...

Free School Meals: Necessity amidst Coronavirus?

Breaking News, Celebrity, Charity, children, Education, Food, Politics, UK news, UK Political parties, Worldnews

Marcus Rashford has persuaded the government to invest a large amount of money into the Free School Meals (FSM) scheme. Photo credited by Halima Ahcene Djaballah UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson called Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford to donate more than £400m for low-income families from early Christmas. So what is the FSM scheme exactly? FSM is a deal for children to receive free school meal vouchers for out of term time. This is thought to help financially deprived households through these challenging times. As well as free meals, the vouchers also consist of health start, education and holiday clubs. How will this affect hard-hit families due to Coronavirus? Omar Farooq (29), a teacher of a school in North West London, told Westminster World how he fe

Apr142020 by Editor2No Comments

How influencers make money on social media? || Explainer video

Celebrity, children, Entertainment, Experience, Explainer, Explainers, Explainers, Instagram, Media, Social media, Technology, trends, Video

You probably already heard about influencers and them earning cash by being active on social media. You perhaps also follow at least one of them. But did you ever wonder how they do it? And if you can be one as well? Then let's look at our explainer video to find out more! https://youtu.be/Dn05IOFAziU

Apr132020 by Natalia ReppasNo Comments

Understanding your skin: Acne explained.

Breaking News, Explainer, Explainers, Health, LifeStyle, Medical, News

Acne is one of the most common skin conditions, with 80% of people aged 11 to 30 being affected according to the NHS. Almost 8 in 10 teens have acne. Although it is considered a normal part of puberty, it’s not always easy. To understand acne, you need to learn your own skin. Do you know your skin type? Infographic: Natalia Reppas. Chances are you've experienced acne at some point in your life, if you are not currently experiencing it. How did that spot get there? Did I not wash my face enough? And more importantly, how do I cover it up? You're not alone. Bad skin can affect your confidence and make you feel less than your best. We are often left with spots that we have no explanation for in areas like our cheeks or forehead and we have no idea where they cam

Apr132020 by Editor2No Comments

Five common coronavirus myths: what might you be getting wrong?

Breaking News, Covid-19, Explainer, Explainers, Health

Illustration: Veronica Sofia Nitu These past few weeks you’ve probably been overwhelmed by pretty scary images and reports about the ongoing pandemic, so I totally wouldn’t blame you if you never wanted to hear the word “coronavirus” again. But there is a lot of misinformation out there and it’s important to know how to spot it. I’m sure you’ve noticed that newspapers and media outlets have played a big part in how people have been reacting to what’s been going on in the world. False information has always been a big problem, but in this case it can literally mean the difference between life and death, so you need to be careful about what sources you trust. There have been a lot of claims about what you can do to keep yourself safe, and it’s useful to have a look at these mis

Apr122020 by Kuheli BiswasNo Comments

The History of Jazz

Explainers, Music, musicians

At one point in history, Jazz was considered so appalling that Serbian villagers used it to scare away bears, other stories say that a celebrated conductor had a heart attack on hearing the music. The genre itself became a huge discussion on whether it could be considered as proper music or not. In the 1924 issue of ‘The Etude,’ a popular magazine dedicated to music wrote that jazz “In its original form it has no place in musical education and deserves none.” However, no one can deny that the spontaneity of jazz that The Etude called ‘sloppy’ is the reason it remains, even today, a popular style of music. Image Credit: Kuheli Biswas So how and where did this interesting style of music start? Going back to the 19th Century, America as a new world full of opportunities attracted p

Dec162019 by Devyn MolinaNo Comments

UK divided: the huge intergenerational gap in the 2019 general election

Explainers

Vote ballot. (Image: El Paso County Vote Archives) This year’s election results bring to the light the very clear political divide amongst the generations, changing the British electoral map completely. On the morning hours of Friday 13 December, the general election results were revealed to the public with Boris Johnson and the Conservative party winning with 365 seats to Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour party’s 203 seats. The Conservative party exceeded the number of seats needed for the majority, leaving the Labour party with a loss that was considered one of the most devastating losses since the 1935 election. Since the 2016 Brexit EU Referendum and the 2017 general election, there had been a spike in younger voters and their involvement in politics over the years. While th

The ‘unaccounted for’ waste is the real Grinch this Christmas

Breaking News, News

Every year millions of Britons generate large amounts of waste during Christmas that goes unrecycled. From early December a Christmas season centered around the early festivities takes over the city of London. Celebrating the most wonderful time of the year in London is a dream, but the hangover of waste it generates is often a nightmare for the city. From hunting the crisp mince pies to shopping for the perfect Pinterest-inspired decorations, the future of the cute wrapping papers is hardly a matter of concern. About 9,000 tonnes of waste are created per year from unusable Christmas trees that end up in landfills. It can take decades to decompose and release 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane adding to the ever rising carbon footprint. The be

Jul162023 by Sayan BoseNo Comments

“This is my home and I am going to fight to keep it until the very end,” says gentrification activist continuing her vicennial-long protest.

Explainers

A banner from the recent gentrification protest against Southwark Council. Image Credits: Sayan Bose Once home to 7500 people, the Aylesbury estate in Elephant and Castle is now a ghost town. The demolition plan of one of the biggest housing estates in Europe has made almost all the residents move out. However, one woman is determined to stay till the very end. When Aysen Dennis moved to the Aylesbury Estate in 1993, things were quite different. “It was more vibrant and homely,” she says while recalling her past days. After facing several racial abuses because of her Turkish ethnicity, Dennis finally realised that the multicultural estate was somewhere she belonged. She describes the entire living arrangement as “living in a big family together” where everyone knows each other

Jul162023 by Sayan BoseNo Comments

The AI revolution has arrived and this is what young Londoners think about it.

Explainers

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution has taken the whole world by surprise with its unimaginable capabilities. What used to be a far-fetched idea in the world of technology has now become a thought-provoking reality. Be it any industry, AI is reshaping the workflows of millions of companies, and even individuals- empowering them with accurate, efficient, optimised output and human-like decision-making capabilities. From billion-dollar tech giants to healthcare systems and students, AI has managed to build its presence in everyone’s work lives, making tasks way more simpler and efficient. With this massive revolution taking place in today’s day and age, everyone has a perspective on it. We asked young Londoners what they think about AI and its implications. This is

Apr242023 by Hera KrujaNo Comments

Riviera Maya uncovered: The guide to authentic adventure travel

Entertainment, Environment, Experience, LifeStyle, Travel, youth

Mexico, better known for its thousands of pyramids, Maya, Aztec, cenotes, postcard-perfect beaches, mezcal, and fiesta-like entertainment, is considered one of the most culturally rich and diverse countries in the world. Hera Kruja is in Riviera Maya to help visitors experience real Mexico while guided by locals. Cave at XPlor park, Riviera Maya. Photo credits: Hera Kruja Of all the things that could have gone wrong, this was the only unexpected one. It is April and I am in Playa del Carmen, located along the Caribbean coastline of Mexico. I have my camera on, searching for the most fantastic spot for that click. As I walk, I sense a gentle breeze on my face while the sparkling white sand feels like fine, soft powder. The coconut palm trees, the hibis...

Apr182023 by Sayan BoseNo Comments

Sudan conflict explained: Why is the RSF fighting the country’s armed forces?

Explainers

Image credits: justiceinfo.in Sudan’s powerful paramilitary force is clashing against the country’s army. As of now, 56 people are dead as a direct result of the military confrontation. The escalation began when the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)- the paramilitary faction of Sudan’s army began to attack important government sites, especially in the area of Khartoum. While the Rapid Support Forces are led by their leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the Sudanese armed forces are loyal to their de-facto ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Both the leaders and their respective followers are now claiming their control over major sites such as the presidential palac

Apr182023 by Titus D'souzaNo Comments

Nadhim Zahawi: A fall from grace

Explainers

Nadhim Zahawi made history when he became the first Iraqi-Kurdish politician in the United Kingdom back in 2010. However, fast forward to 2023, and the Conservative party leader saw himself mired in controversy surrounding his tax affairs. Zahawi's tax issues eventually led to his dismissal by PM Rishi Sunak after an investigation. Click on the link below to learn more about Zahawi's life and his exit from office in detail. https://youtu.be/HOaq99jFmOg

Apr152023 by Editor2No Comments

Online safety bill: explained

Explainer, Explainers, Explainers

The Online safety bill has passed its third reading at Parliament, with a final due in the Lords before it can become law. The proposed legislation has widespread implications for our online worlds, handing government and corporations huge powers over our speech. Westminster World explains just how the bill may affect you as an individual, and our democracy as a whole in the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKK_gKY70oE Source: Nicholas Dunning

Apr92023 by Editor2No Comments

Explainer: Emojis, a brief history and why they are important.

Explainers, Social media

Photo Credit | Tyler Hewitt | Flickr. A brief history - 1977 - 2023 The 17th of July is the unofficial 'World emoji day' - mark your calendars guys!. This is a day of acknowledgement invented by one Jeremy Burge. To get a picture of just how relevant and inclusive a celebration it is - check out the Unicode emoji set, for the most complete selection of human activity, hand gestures and facial expressions, of which an estimated 92% of the world population use in their day-to-day digital and online interaction. About 5 billion emojis are used every day on Facebook and Messenger alone. The term “Emoji”, is a Japanese invention, a word that translates to “picture or pictograph”. It entered the social scene back in 1997 when a Japanese Tech-investment company, SoftBank, cre

Feb202023 by Editor2No Comments

How will the Online Safety Bill affect our freedoms?

Explainers, Explainers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKK_gKY70oE The Online Safety Bill has passed its third reading in the Commons and is on its final reading in the Lords. We skim the bill and summarise the arguments for and against to explain the potential ramifications.

Feb102023 by Francesco FioriNo Comments

Giorgia Meloni: when ideology comes before the good of a country

Explainers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWx5qUQa0CQ Video Credit: Nove youtube Channel "I think Mussolini has been a good politician and he has done what was the best for Italy and for Italians." https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMY63Cgjp/ Italy has always been one of the most beautiful countries in the world, but in this historical context, it is split in half thanks to a corrupted government. It has been around 100 days since prime minister Giorgia Meloni has been managing the country, with her ideology that makes part of the population unhappy. Ideologies that go against the regulation for human rights decided by the European Union. As she shared in a French TV program in 1996, her admiration for Mussolini has been expressed clearly, saying that he has been a perfect politician of t...