Gair Rhydd

Cat puts railway back on track

A stray cat is helping to improve the popularity of a loss-making railway station in Japan.

The Wakayama Electric Railway had been gradually declining in profit, which resulted in the company greatly reducing the number of staff at the station.

Crime Continues

Poor student security leads to spate of house robberies in Cathays and Roath

Thieves are walking freely into residences in Cathays as students are continuing to leave their houses unsecured.

Police are urging students to lock their windows and doors after seven burglaries took place on streets including Harriet Street and Ninian Road last bank holiday weekend.

The Not-So-Leaning Tower of Pisa

The leaning tower of Pisa is reported to have stopped moving for the first time in its 800-year history, according to engineering experts.

A team of engineers have been working on a project to stabilise the famous tourist site for more than a decade.

Med students made homeless

Medical students last week staged a protest against Government plans to end free housing for junior doctors.

The demonstration, which was one of several taking place around the country, happened outside Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales (pictured left), with more than 20 fourth and final-year students armed with placards.

Fake Skulls

Cardiff University researchers have discovered that two giant crystal skulls featured in the latest Indiana Jones film are likely to be fake.

The skulls were initially thought to be genuine Aztec artifacts, originating from Mexico.

Student book success

Cardiff University student Nia Wyn has been shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year 2008.

Her book, Blue Sky July, has won huge critical acclaim and is now being distributed worldwide.

Scriptwriting award

A Cardiff University student has won a drama award for his first attempt at scriptwriting.

Huw Alun Foulkes, from Bethel, was awarded the Drama Medal at the Urdd Eisteddfod at Llandudno.

Call for “constructive” Union plans feedback

Students are continuing to join external petitioning groups in high numbers, but are not emailing their views on the new Students’ Union (SU) plans to SU President Jonny Cox with the same velocity.

Three weeks have passed since the publication of the redevelopment plans for the Union.

Support for diploma

More than 100 higher education institutes have issued statements supporting high school Advanced Diplomas, says the University and College Admissions Service (UCAS).

The industry-based qualifications are currently being introduced to England’s schools and colleges as an alternative to A Levels.

Engineers wanted

British businesses are thought to be in crisis over a slump in the number of manufacturing and engineering graduates coming out of UK universities.

The director general for the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Richard Lambert says that major UK companies are already struggling to recruit the engineers they need.

MA degrees:“poor quality”

British MA students may struggle to find jobs abroad because their degrees are too short

MA students seeking employment overseas could face “real danger” due to claims that UK Masters degrees lack credibility.

According to a report from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) international recruiters believe UK Masters degrees to be too short.

Province renamed

Government plans to change the name of a previously English territory in Pakistan sparks debate among local tribes

Pakistan is to rename a province called the North West Frontier in the belief that its title is neither historically or chronologically fitting.

It is hoped that the measure will bring an end to “British colonial anachronism”, as the current name was chosen by British troops in the early 1900s as part of an effort to suppress aggressive Pukhtun tribes.