Latest News
KEY STAGE SUCCESS FOR SUNDERLAND YOUNGSTERS
SUNDERLAND 11 year olds are celebrating their best ever results in the national Key Stage Two tests.
The results, just published, show across the board improvements in all subjects in 2007.
Lynda Brown, Head of Standards in the City Council's Children’s Services, said: "There have been improvements across all subjects in 2007. Children are performing best in Science, with 88 per cent achieving level four, which is the expected average for 11 year olds nationally.
“Forty-five per cent achieved level five. Maths results continue upwards: 76 per cent achieved level four, a 2 per cent increase on last year.
“These improvements mean young people in Sunderland are improving at faster than the national rate.
"Most pleasing is a return to an upward trend in English, with 79 per cent at level four – 4 per cent up from 2006.
“Staff in schools have been focussing hard on reading and writing skills this year and those efforts have paid off. Boys in particular have performed well and we are steadily closing the attainment gap between boys and girls in English."
Cllr Pat Smith, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, said: “This is great news for the City. The improvement in standards continues thanks to dedicated staff in schools, supportive parents and, most importantly, the young people themselves. I congratulate everyone on their success."
LIONS OF ZULULAND PROWLING SUNDERLAND
A DANCE TROUPE is lending a definite African flavour to primary school assemblies in Sunderland as part of an education outreach programme.
' The Lions of Zululand ' are visiting primary schools around the city on a ten-day cultural exchange tour, performing traditional dances in national costume as the schoolday begins, and then staying with the children throughout the day with music and dance workshops to prepare the children to give their own performances to parents and classmates at the end of the day.
While the music provides the main focus of the day, the twelve strong group use it to help the primary school children look at the art and literature which defines Zulu life and culture as part of their history and citizenship studies.
Stephen Auster, City Music Co-ordinator said: " The group are based in Durban, South Africa and have become very popular touring schools and arts centres across the country since 2005 promoting the culture of the Zula nation.
" They are also very well regarded in America where the group have worked with both the infuential Smithsonian Institute and the Centre for African American History, so we are delighted that they have agreed to perform in ten of our primary schools.
" The Lions of Zululand are made up of twelve very energetic and enthuisiastic singers and dancers, and the format of each day is tailored to meet the needs of each school so the children can the most out of the day, while the visits have also been organised post-SATS and pre-half term so lessons aren't disrupted."
One of the schools the ' Lions ' have already visited is Hill View Infants in Grangetown whose headteacher Wendy Angus said: " Our children throughly enjoyed it, as did our staff, and it was the kind of day our youngsters will remember forever.
" The children were all a little nervous to begin with when the performers first appeared in full costune, but the performance was absolutely breathtaking and the children then had the opportunity to work with the group as individuals in small workshops where they learned more about the Zulu language and culture.
" Out in the playground at break you could see how the visit had really caught our youngsters' imaginations, and the whole experience has been very worthwhile for the whole school."
www.sunderlandschools.org/citymusic
22/05/2007
PHOTO CALL
Friday May 25, New Silksworth Junior School, Blind Lane (553 6230) 9.15 - 10am. The Lions of Zululand will be performing in full costume in front of the entire school
For further information please contact:
Kevin Douglas,
Tel: 0191 553 1139
Fax: 0191 553 1138
Email: kevin.douglas@sunderland.gov.uk
Could psychiatric drugs be trigger to Virginia shootings?
In the wake of the recent shooting rampage at Virginia Tech by gunman Cho Seung-Hui, state legislators, civic and human rights activists are asking why the US Congress has failed to investigate the link between psychiatric drugs and school violence.
According to breaking news from investigators, Cho may have taken depression drugs—documented by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to cause suicidal behaviour, mania, psychosis, hallucinations, hostility and “homicidal ideation.”
If Cho Seung-Hui’s psychiatric drug use is confirmed, it would bring the total to 61 killed and 77 wounded by psychiatric drug-induced school shootings, it is alleged.
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) - a mental health watchdog that initially discovered the psychiatric drug connection in the Columbine shootings, and first brought the violence and suicide-inducing side effects of antidepressants before the FDA in 1991 - warns that the psycho-pharmaceutical industry will once again try to obscure the violence-inducing nature of psychiatric drugs in order to protect the billions in profit from drug sales.
CCHR says Congress must demand a full investigation into the link between senseless acts of violence and psychiatric drug use in the wake of recent FDA warnings on the documented drug risks.
In September 2005, following confirmation that Red Lake Indian Reservation school shooter Jeff Weise was under the influence of the antidepressant Prozac, the National Foundation of Women Legislators, together with American Indian tribal leaders, called for a Congressional investigation into the correlation between psychiatric drug use and school massacres.
To date there has been no response to this request - despite documentation that at least eight recent school shooters were under the influence of psychiatric drugs at the time of the shootings. In other instances, the shooter’s medical records were never made public and their psychiatric drug use remains in question.
- September 28, 2006: Bailey, Colorado. Duane Morrison, 53, entered Platte Canyon High School and shot and killed one girl, and sexually assaulted six others. Antidepressants were found in his vehicle.
- March 21, 2005: Red Lake Indian Reservation, Minnesota. Sixteen-year-old Native American Jeff Weise was under the influence of the antidepressant Prozac when he shot and killed nine people and wounded five before committing suicide.
- April 10, 2001: Wahluke, Washington. Sixteen-year-old Cory Baadsgaard took a rifle to his high school and held 23 classmates and a teacher hostage while on a high dose of the antidepressant Effexor.
- March 22, 2001: El Cajon, Californian. Jason Hoffman, 18, was on two antidepressants, Effexor and Celexa, when he opened fire at his California high school wounding five.
- March 7, 2000: Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth Bush, age 14, was on the antidepressant Prozac when she blasted away at fellow students in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, wounding one.
- May 20, 1999: Conyers, Georgia. T.J. Solomon, 15, was being treated with a mix of antidepressants when he opened fire on and wounded six of his classmates.
- April 20, 1999: Columbine, Colorado. Eighteen-year-old Eric Harris was on the antidepressant Luvox when he and his partner Dylan Klebold killed 12 classmates and a teacher and wounded 23 others before taking their own lives in the bloodiest school massacre to date. The coroner confirmed that the antidepressant was in his system through toxicology reports while Dylan Klebold’s autopsy was never made public.
- April 16, 1999: Notus, Idaho. Shawn Cooper, 15, fired two shotgun rounds in his school, narrowly missing students; he was taking a mix of antidepressants.
- May 21, 1998: Springfield, Oregon: 15-year-old Kip Kinkel murdered his own parents and then proceeded to school where he opened fire on students in the cafeteria, killing two and wounding 22. Kinkel had been on Prozac.
For more information, contact the Citizens Commission on Human Rights on 01342 313 926 or email info@cchr.org.uk
Pete Docherty Rehabilitation Update
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Pete Docherty off drugs
but not cigarrettes |
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Rocker Pete Doherty is back in court again - but for a change he's not in trouble this time.
The Babyshambles frontman attended a review of his drug treatment order and was praised by the judge who said the star was "more than co-operating" in the fight to beat his addiction.
Doherty also seemed optimistic about his progress. He said: "I'm quite keen to show a negative test as soon as possible really."
Despite the star arriving late, District Judge Jane McIvor told Doherty: "There's no obligation for you to turn up to the reviews. The fact you've turned up shows co-operation - more than co-operation - and there is no risk of you breaching this order."
Meanwhile, there is bad news for Libertines fans who were hoping for a reunion after former bandmate Carl Barat joined Pete on-stage last week for a rendition of their old classics.
Carl has now dismissed reports of reforming the iconic band because he is happy working on new material with his group Dirty Pretty Things.
City plans new links with China
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| China's Growing Industry |
SUNDERLAND is looking to expand trade links with China.
China's contribution to global GDP has increased 10 fold since 1980. China is now responsible for 5 per cent of global GDP.
Spurred on by the recent success of both Britain and the European Union in increasing the export of goods and services to China, the City Council believes the time is right to develop partnerships with the growing superpower.
Preliminary discussions have already taken place between officials in the Chinese city of Harbin and partners in Sunderland. Now the City Council's Cabinet is being asked to back further exploratory talks with a view to establishing a formal partnership.
Cabinet is also being asked to give its backing to a delegation of partners to attend the annual International Trade Fair in Harbin in June.
A city of 9.7 million people, Harbin is the provincial capital of Heilongjang Province in North East China. Despite its much larger population the city is similar to Sunderland in terms of its local significance.
Developing links with Harbin - which boasts 33 universities and an economy which is growing at a rate of more than 10 per cent annually - could offer huge opportunities for Sunderland businesses in the medium to long term.
Harbin's annual International Fair for Trade and Economic Co-operation is seen as an important opportunity for assessing that potential in more detail.
There is also the potential for student exchange programmes between the University of Sunderland and Harbin's many universities. These could include co-operation in research and development and other initiatives such as the delivery of University of Sunderland and City of Sunderland College programmes overseas - not to mention the possibility of developing links with some of the Chinese city's 3,000 schools.
The Cabinet may also authorise officers to explore how the City Council can best support the University of Sunderland in the ongoing links it has with another Chinese city. Liuzhou has enrolled 60 students on a masters programme here over the last three years and is committed to sending two further groups of students this year and next.
Council Leader, Cllr Bob Symonds, told Sunderland Life, "China is a rapidly growing world power with a wealth of business opportunities to explore. We want to be certain that we are in a position to take advantage of these when they arise."
A comeback year for Harrison Ford
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| Harrison Ford |
Harrison Ford is currently dusting off his adventurer’s hat and practicing cracking that bullwhip for a year to remember. This June, Ford will begin shooting for the long awaited fourth instalment of the Indiana Jones series. He is also starring in a period action adventure film due for release later this year. And somewhere in between he’ll be celebrating his 65th birthday in the summer. The question is: can an ageing Indiana keep up the pace?
It has been an incredible 18 years since Ford’s last outing as adventuresome archaeologist Indiana Jones. Indy will now look more like his father, played in 1989 by Sean Connery.
Indiana Jones became a success to rival that of his introductory role into Hollywood as Hans Solo in the Star Wars trilogy. He first donned Indiana’s hat for Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, followed by The Temple of Doom in 1984 and The Last Crusade in 1989.
Filming for the new epic adventure starts this June with the film expected to be released in May 2008.
Commenting on the new film, director Steven Spielberg said, “George (Lucas – producer), Harrison and I are all very excited. We feel that the script was well worth the wait. We hope it delivers everything you’d expect from our history with Indiana Jones.”
We know what you are thinking: you are expecting Indy to be as reckless and adventuresome as he was almost two decades ago, topped off with his ranger-style outfits and trademark hat.
Ford hopes to satisfy viewers’ expectations, confirming that he can “bring the same physical action” to the role.
He added, “I’m delighted to be back in business. I don’t know if the trousers still fit, but I know the hat will.”
Though Lucas has managed to get out three Star Wars prequels in the last decade, he and Steven Spielberg have spent an entire decade finalising the script for the new Indiana film. Lucas, for one, has promised it will be “the best one yet”. He describes the film as a “character” piece with “very interesting mysteries”.
Many are hoping that the new Indiana film will breathe a new lease of life into Ford’s somewhat waning career. In recent years, he has been criticised for appearing in commercially disappointing movies like Random Hearts (1999), K-19: The Widowmaker (2002), Hollywood Homicide (2003) and Firewall (2005).
In what can only be called poor judgement, Ford declined the opportunity to take the lead in the thriller Syriana, a role that would later earn George Clooney an Oscar and a Golden Globe. Ford later admitted that he “made a mistake” in declining that role. He also turned down leading roles in the critically acclaimed films Traffic, A History of Violence and The Patriot.
Up until September 2006, Ford enjoyed the position as the top star of the combined highest-grossing films in Hollywood, but has since been overtaken by Tom Hanks. He also enjoyed the position as the richest living Hollywood actor, but recently lost that to Mel Gibson. Ford must be hoping that the new Indiana film will reaffirm his status in Hollywood, even if he doesn’t need it to boost his bank balance.
Ford’s film release for 2007 is Manhunt, based on the book Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James L Swanson. It tells the story of Colonel Everton Conger, who led the hunt for Abraham Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth, who shot Lincoln in a Washington theatre in 1865.
MoD names soldier killed in Iraq
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| Private Michael Tench |
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A British soldier killed in southern Iraq after his Warrior patrol vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb has been named as Private Michael Tench.
The Ministry of Defence said the 18-year-old served with A Company, 2nd Battalion The Light Infantry.
Private Tench, from Sunderland, was described by the MoD as a "young man with so much promise".
Four soldiers were injured in Sunday's attack on the routine patrol in Basra. One remains in a "serious condition".
Private Tench was part of a Warrior patrol that had set out from the Shaat Al Arab Hotel, a British Army base in the north of the city, when the attack happened near the districts of Al Hadi and Al Jezaizah.
About 7,000 UK troops are in Basra. The government says it hopes to transfer security to Iraqi forces this year.
Private Tench's colleagues and senior officers have paid tribute to the teenager, describing him as "always happy" and a competent soldier who "liked a laugh".
Company Commander Major Andrew Ward said: "He had the exemplary character that we have come to expect from the British infantryman - he was tough, resilient, liked a laugh, cheeky, but above all a professional.
"What struck me most about Michael was that he was 'up for it' and there was no job too tough."
He added: "It is a tragedy that we have lost a young man with so much promise."
'Popular'
Private Craig Swan, also of A Company, said Private Tench would be missed.
"He was always happy and enjoyed having a laugh with his mates - he was a bit of a joker," he added.
"He often spoke about his family and how he was happy that he had joined the Army and made something of himself."
Private Tench was born in March 1988 and went to school at Hylton Redhouse Comprehensive School in Sunderland.
In his spare time he was a keen and talented boxer and regularly trained at Marley Potts Gym in Sunderland.
He joined the Army in the spring of 2005, completing his training at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick.
He left for Iraq with A Company on 4 September last year.
Defence Secretary Des Browne said his thoughts were with Private Tench's family.
He added: "I understand from those who knew him that he was an outstanding and popular soldier."
A total of 130 British troops have died in Iraq since March 2003, of whom 99 are classed as having been killed in action.
