Gair Rhydd

A very rude non-awakening

After being stabbed nine times, a US man couldn’t identify his attackers because he slept through the whole ordeal.

The 23-year-old man only discovered he was injured when his girlfriend pointed out that he was covered in blood.

Face-booked

Student uses popular networking website to track down his alleged attacker, leading to an arrest. He claims that the suspected culprit’s housemate attempted to add him as a friend

A Cardiff University student, who claims he was attacked last November, has used the networking group Facebook to identify the potential assailant.

The second-year student had been returning with two friends from a ‘heavy night’ out in Cardiff when he says that a group of three young men set upon him.

Are Aussies going soft?

The Brewer Fosters have decided to relaunch a weaker version of Australia’s biggest selling beer Victoria Bitter (VB), to appeal to the nation’s changing beer tastes.

Previously the favoured drink of students at barbecues and football games, for the first time in 113 years VB will be produced with 3.5% strength instead of five. The distinctive green label will become yellow.

Magic money

Japanese magicians take TV companies to court after they expose the secrets of their tricks

A group of 49 Japanese magicians has filed a lawsuit against two local television networks who revealed the secrets behind a series of magic tricks.

Both Nippon Television Network Corp and TV Asahi Corp have been implicated for broadcasting footage that shows how a series of coin tricks are performed.

Girls dance on thin ice in West Africa

A provocative dance causes upset in Western Africa, as young girls try to fight tradition

Teenage girls in Guinea face being raped by rampaging young men following the emergence of a ‘pornographic’ dance craze.

After a performance by a group from the Ivory Coast, the ‘Wolosso’ dance craze has spread across Guinea’s capital, Conakry.

Sardine students

Overcrowding in universities mean lecturers are few and far between

British universities are being accused of ‘cramming in’ too many students, with staffing levels unable to keep up.

The University and College Union revealed that there were 16.8 students per teacher in 2005-6, an increase on the previous year and above the international ratio of 15.5 students for each staff member.

N-Powering to the top

A team of students from Cardiff University has won the final of the npower Energy Challenge 2007, held at Wembley Stadium last week.

The event, attended by universities from around the country, featured groups of students looking at possible ways of saving natural resources.

Mind out: Cardiff journalists are best of the bunch

Two Cardiff University students have made the shortlist for the BT Mind Student Journalist of the year.

Helen Thompson and Chris White are nominated for the accolade, which is intended to recognise and encourage high-quality mental health writing in student media.

Back to school for lecturers

University lecturers may have to go back to school to learn how to teach their subject.

Calls for tutors to return to the classroom come after experts have said that students need ‘more help’ with their studies.

A farewell to arms?

Cardiff University’s controversial investment into arms could be ended if a new ethical policy is adopted

Cardiff University’s involvement in the arms trade could be ended if it goes forward with a proposal to rethink its ethical investment policy.

In November 2006, gair rhydd reported the University to be among 45 UK institutions that owned shares in arms manufacturers.

Psyched down

Mountaineering club scales down 15-floor psychology building in bid to raise thousands of pounds for charity

Cardiff University’s Mountaineering Club put on a sponsored abseil down the north side of the 55-metre tall psychology building last Friday.

In all, 23 club members abseiled down the building one after the other between 10am and 4pm, all while dressed in fancy dress costumes.

On your flippers

University staff went cycling in their swimwear last week, in a bid to find greener ways of travelling to work.

The campaigners, who live in Penarth, gathered together to mark ‘Leave Your Car at Home’ day.

Tailor-made for Fairtrade?

Cardiff University sent off an official application to be granted Fairtrade status this week, after months of preparation.

A group of representatives from the University, the Union executive, the People and Planet society, the Cardiff Council and a Fairtrade shop have been meeting since January in order to fulfil the conditions needed for an application.

Push the button

Students taste the future of student democracy with trial of new keypad voting

Student Councillors had a glimpse of the future when they tested a brand new keypad voting system last Tuesday.

The first trial of the system, which is set to be introduced from next year, saw votes cast regarding a proposal to support a better bursary scheme for students across the UK.

Monster line-up

The Automatic confirmed to play alongside The Feeling at Cardiff Students’ Union’s biggest annual event

The Feeling will be joined by Radio One DJs and upcoming Welsh band The Automatic at this year’s summer ball.

Most famous for their third single, Solus favourite Monster, The Automatic found success after cutting their teeth on the Cardiff music scene.

What a shocker

International students could soon be helped to settle in to university by a computer game that aims to tackle culture shock.

Academics at Portsmouth University are in the process of designing the game, ‘C-Shock’, which foreign students can install on their mobile phone if they are encountering British culture for the first time on arrival at a UK university.

Are you satisfied...?

Cardiff students tell the Union what it’s doing right and where there might be room for improvement

A recent survey has uncovered what Cardiff University students think of their non-academic experience.

The Students’ Union Satisfaction Survey 2006-2007 gained 3,864 responses, corresponding to 16.8% of the target population, the most recurring comment from respondents was that there was poor communication between the Union and its students.

Tent-up stress

Manchester students forced to sit exam in a tent next to a busy main road after organisation blunder

Students at Manchester Metropolitan University were ‘stunned and disgusted’ to find that their exams were to be held in a tent.

The final-year students were expecting to sit their all-important last exams at the City of Manchester Stadium, but when plans fell through at the last minute, the students were redirected to a tent at the side of a busy road.

Hunt is on for 2007 Honour Roll student

Nominations for the 2007 Honour Roll student have now opened and students are being encouraged to put forward somebody they know.

The award was created to honour a single student who has gone above the call of duty to benefit others during their time at university, or who has overcome personal difficulties.

Very glassy art

A man and woman in China are to live in a glass house for a month as part of a performance art piece.

The 12-square-metre, two-room cell is divided into two sections, one for each person, and is meant to symbolise the relations of couples in modern society: seemingly transparent but separated by an unseen wall.