John and Edward Grimes, better known as ‘Jedward’, were in Christ Church on Wednesday morning.

They were filming their new TV programme, ‘Jedward’s Big Adventure’, to be aired in January.

Once they’d finished filming they went over to watching students, took out a hand held video camera and started asking them questions such as which subjects they took, what they thought was the best thing about Oxford and why no one is allowed to walk on the grass.

One second year History of Art student who was pictured with John, commented, “John grabbed me by the waist in noticing we were wearing the same coat, and said I was his ‘Oxford girlfriend’. Upon leaving, he shouted ‘Bye Oxford girlfriend!’, blew me a kiss then proceeded to do a cartwheel! They were lovely.”

Jake Downs, also pictured with Jedward, added, “They were really sweet; clearly the fame hasn’t gone to their heads. Certainly one of the most surreal moments of my time in Oxford so far!”

Jedward are famous for their stint on the ITV show ‘The X Factor’, and for representing the Republic of Ireland twice at the Eurovision Song Contest.

The development has been attacked for the environmental impact on Port Meadow, a declared a ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) took the case to the High Court, with the support of the Save Port Meadow Campaign, which has held a number of demonstrations in opposition to the development which has cost over £20 million. An online petition against the Castle Mill project attracted more than 3,000 signatures, and the development has also been criticised by UKIP in Oxford.

The High Court judge who ruled against a judicial review this week, Mr Justice Lewis, highlighted the fact that an environmental assessment is being carried out by the University, but rejected Oxford City Council’s demand that the campaigners pay for the council’s legal costs.

The buildings, which opened this term to house 439 graduate students, were approved by the Oxford City Council, a decision which has been heavily criticised by its opponents. According to the Save Port Meadow Campaign, “The buildings vandalise the views of the Dreaming Spires and ruin the tranquil experience of Port Meadow.”

Helen Marshall, Director of Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Oxfordshire, said, “So far, we believe the University has acted very poorly in its supposed role as guardian of the City’s heritage. The pressure is now on for it to step up to the plate and act honourably in fulfilling its promises made in court.”

She added, “Providing the voluntary Environmental Impact Assessment is carried out in the way the Court envisaged, including the full public consultation we were originally denied, there is still hope that we can reverse at least some of the damage done to Port Meadow.”

Jeremy Thomas, head of law and governance at Oxford City Council, stated, “The court refused permission to the CPRE to continue the judicial review and did not find any errors in how the council handled this planning application.

“We will now focus our attention on the voluntary environmental impact assessment which is being prepared by the university and the independent inquiry that is being held which is also under way.”

However, James Rainey, Chair of OUSU’s Environment and Ethics committee, told Cherwell, “The high court ruling is extremely disappointing. A judicial review could have addressed the valid concerns held by those in Oxford and further afield about the validity of the development and the scope for dealing with skyline issues in the planning process. The Castle Mill development has significantly damaged the University’s and Council’s reputations, and it is in their best interest that a similar development is not permitted again.”

A University spokesperson said, “We are pleased with the ruling. We will continue to work with the city council to address concerns about the Castle Mill development.”

This weekend brought an unpleasant surprise for the students of Regent’s Park College when many lower floor rooms were found flooded with an ankle deep layer of a liquid smelling of urine.

Will Yates, a first year student at Regent’s Park, discovered the flood on the morning of Saturday 26 October.

He said that both the mens’ toilets and the laundry room, situated in the basement of the main building, were flooded with a liquid he described as a, “combination of urine and leaked washing machine water”.

This posed a problem for many students who had left their washing drying in the room and also on the floor.

One first year who had left their clothes to dry on the floor of the laundry room was quite irritated, commenting, “They smelled a bit like piss”.

The consensus among students is that the problem was caused by the urinals in the toilet getting blocked, which was then exacerbated by a burst pipe.

One student was keen to stress that the flood didn’t result from “people peeing so much that they flooded an entire floor”.

The problem was apparently due to the main sewers on St Giles Street backing up, which was subsequently dealt with by Thames Water.

According to one student, the liquid within the college was not mopped up until Sunday morning.

Regent’s Park College declined to comment.

By measuring the type of brain activity associated with perceptual awareness in anaesthetised patients, they have discovered the point at which a patient loses consciousness of their surroundings.

The research could lead to patients being given a personalised dose of anaesthetic during operations. Dr. Katie Warnaby, part of the research team based at the Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, said “Anaesthetists [currently] give a dose and will monitor not necessarily the brain, but the heart and vital organs, to see how the anaesthetic is affecting an individual and determine the dose on that basis, but we do not have a point where we know when the patient is unaware.

“This study, by showing that there is a change in the way that the brain processes information under anaesthesia, may define that point or at least get us closer to it.”

The team measured the brain activity of 16 patients under a standard anaesthetic. The time taken to send patients to sleep was extended to allow more accurate measurement of brain activity. Warnaby says, “It usually takes 10 minutes, or even 10 seconds, but we took 45 minutes for this stage so that we could see the exact point at which the patients stopped responding to stimulation.”

She stresses that this would lower the risk of patients being given excessive doses which affect the rate of recovery, saying, “Particularly if you’re older, you can get confusion which could persist over a period of time, and if people have problems with their heart and lungs, too much anaesthetic would put pressure on their systems.”

The current risks associated with general anaesthesia are low; in 2011, there were only 153 reported cases of accidental awareness out of 3 million operations, while deaths occur in the UK in only one out of every 200,000 patients given anaesthesia. However, this research offers a reliable method of ensuring that general anaesthetic would continue to be effective throughout an operation.

The research was part-funded by the Medical Research Council. Professor Hugh Perry, Chair of its Neurosciences and Mental Health Board, is excited by the prospect of safer treatment for vulnerable patients. He stated, “With the growing use of anaesthetics in the elderly and other at-risk groups, understanding the minimal dose required to induce the necessary level of anaesthesia is hugely important. This work… provides an excellent scientific foundation for new ways of treating vulnerable patients.”

It is possible that this research could lower the cost of surgery. Many hospitals have expensive monitors to measure the depth of anaesthesia, but only 2% of the anaesthetists questioned in a large survey conducted by the Royal College of Anaesthetists earlier this year said that they routinely used this technology. This simpler process could reduce the cost of each operation, while shorter recovery times as a result of personalised doses would relieve the pressure on post-operative care units.

Blatter’s remark was in response to the discussion of Manchester City midfielder Yaya Touré, who was allegedly the subject of racist abuse at a Champion’s League match in Moscow this past week. Touré stated, “If we [black footballers] aren’t confident at the World Cup, coming to Russia, we don’t come”. This incident has drawn international attention and speculation, and was a key subject of the debate with Blatter at the Union.

Blatter’s remarks came as part of a litany of self-justification in the face of critiques of FIFA in the public sphere. “Perhaps you think I am a ruthless parasite sucking the lifeblood out of the world and out of football – the Godfather of the FIFA gravy train, an out-of-touch, heartless schmoozer,” he joked with the audience. He later went on to suggest that he and FIFA were “a scapegoat” for larger social problems that come to a head in football matches.

Racism has nevertheless been a virulent issue for FIFA over the course of Blatter’s fifteen-year tenure as president. Over the past few years in England alone, the Premier League has seen drawn-out legal battles like that of Chelsea captain and then-England captain John Terry, who was charged last year for racially abusing former QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, and heated debates about the usefulness of anti-racism campaigns like Kick It Out.

Yaya Touré’s case against CSKA Moscow supporters goes before UEFA’s disciplinary board on Wednesday, and after Blatter’s remarks at the Union is expected to fuel the on-going debate about how to stamp racism out of football. Sepp Blatter’s solution? “We have to take more sanctions that hurt clubs because financial sanctions do not hurt”, he said Friday. “FIFA has taken a resolution and has said after a warning you can have other sanctions and these would mean you could deduct points or expel people from a competition.” Blatter stressed the importance of targeting reputations and ability to compete rather than earnings as lasting consequences for racism.

Blatter’s words at the recent Oxford Union debate have drawn fire from more than anti-racism campaigners in the international football limelight. On Tuesday evening, Cristiano Ronaldo demanded an apology for one of Blatter’s more light-hearted responses in the debating chamber. When asked to compare the Real Madrid star with Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, Blatter declared: “One has more expenses for the hairdresser than the other”. Blatter later called this an “amusing” off-the-cuff statement, Ronaldo stressed in a Facebook post: “This shows clearly the respect and consideration that FIFA has for me, for my club, and my country”. Blatter has since apologised.

Blatter is currently eligible for a fifth term as FIFA president. After Friday’s Union debate, however, one postgraduate student echoed the feelings of many footballers and fans alike: “He should just step down. An innocent and responsible president shouldn’t have to spend that much time explaining why they’re not a disgrace to the game.”

A recent Oxford Fine Arts graduate has won a prestigious contemporary art prize from the Saatchi Gallery and Channel 4.

Jack Stanton, 24, who graduated this year with a BFA from the University’s Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, was awarded the New Sensations Prize, which is open to all BA or MA students graduating in a particular year from a UK or Republic of Ireland art school, for work he was asked to produce as one of four finalists in the competition. In addition to a gallery showing of the winning artist’s work, the prize brings with it a cash award, the amount of which is not made public.

First awarded in 2007, the New Sensations Prize is known by some as the “baby Turner Prize,” a reference to the highly influential Turner Prize, winners of which include contemporary art heavyweights Damien Hirst and Anish Kapoor. New Sensations’ promoters bill their award as “the most important annual prize for emerging artists” in the UK.

Stanton’s winning entry featured an installation called “The Personality Agreement,” in which different “morsels” of sampled video were shown on two large screens while original music by Stanton played alongside. The eight-minute “operetta” explores what the artist sees as contradictory representations of adolescence in the mass media.

In another video made for the project, Stanton explains his process: “I approach my artwork with the mindset of a pop musician… Usually I gather an array of imagery from found material, then I zoom in to isolate whatever it is that interests me, searching for moments that function independently of their origins [and reveal] something of the inner workings of our digital reality… in a camp, dumb sort of way.”

The artist told Cherwell he was pleasantly surprised at his win. “I think virtually everyone in my 3rd year at The Ruskin applied for New Sensations after our degree show,” he said. “Its just something you’re encouraged to do. … I had no expectation of getting through to the long-list, let alone getting a bursary to make new work for the show.”

Elizabeth Price, a fellow of Lady Margaret Hall and Stanton’s tutor during his final year at the Ruskin said she was “delighted, but not unduly surprised” by the news. “I thought he had an exciting future in the profession,” she said. “This high profile Prize confirms his great potential, and will bring him many exciting opportunities to publicly fulfil. It’s great for the Ruskin too – as it builds our reputation as an art school generating innovative, experimental contemporary art.”

Current Ruskin fine artists expressed admiration at Stanton’s achievement, and cited the School as a source of inspiration and encouragement. “Jack Stanton won because he deserved to win and because he was encouraged to win,” said Irina Iordache, a second-year fine artist at Christ Church, “That’s what the Ruskin does for you: it constantly pushes you outside your comfort zone; it makes you want to give your best.”

Stanton also praised the Ruskin School’s approach. “I think the two most valuable things that the school offers are the freedom to explore whatever avenue a student wishes to take, and that this work is then taken so seriously by the tutors,” he said.

The shortlist for the prize, which was revealed in late September and included 20 candidates, included three other recent graduates of the Ruskin school in addition to Stanton: Rhea Storr, James Cross and Finbar Ward. Ruskin graduates made up twenty percent of the shortlisted candidates.

Stanton is currently working on developing a two-person frisbee game with Ward, the court for which they are building in the basement of the Cock ’n’ Bull Gallery, Shoreditch.

Shoppers from across the city have been very positive about how it could give the Westgate shopping centre a much needed facelift. Many shoppers commented on how they were looking forward to visiting the new 10,000 square foot John Lewis.

The proposals also aim to develop a new car park, and hopefully include some new independent shops. As well as this, there are plans to include a cinema, café and a rooftop terrace. At the same time, new homes would be built.

Colin Cook, the city council’s executive development member said, “A decision on the outline planning application is expected to be made early next year, with construction work potentially starting later in the year and the new centre opening by Christmas 2016.

“This is probably the fifth major plan for the redevelopment of the Westgate Centre since it was built and I look forward to examining the detailed proposals in due course.” This would be a two-stage process. After the initial planning application is approved, then a full one will be submitted.

Oxford students expressed differing opinions about the opening store. Many seem indifferent and are not disappointed that it will be opening after their graduation. A second year student from New College commented, “I don’t anticipate that it will add much more, we’ve already got exceptional choice.”

An Economics and Management student stated, “I am not particularly gutted I will have graduated by then. I never really have reason to go into John Lewis.”

Another student seemed more positive about the store, explaining “I am very happy and excited for John Lewis to be opening. It will bring much needed variety to the Westgate shopping centre and will serve as a nice addition to Primark. It is a shame it will be open after graduation.”

The exterior of Clem’s nightclub in St Clement’s is being repainted after an agreement between the owner of the nightclub and Oxford City Council. The graffiti-like design is to be replaced with a different frontage.

The nightclub has already undergone a change to its paint scheme since the large letters spelling the establishment’s name that were originally on show were deemed to require advertising consent by the Council. A report from the Council’s press office stated that the lettering “exceeded the maximum height of 0.75 metres.”

However, the report claims that the second design, featuring cartoon characters which replaced the lettering, “is not in keeping with the surrounding area.”

The manager of Clem’s, Mr Bruno Garcia, is cited on the BBC website as stating, “We had to do what we had to do – we just want to make sure everyone is happy.” He told Cherwell that the new plans are to have an all-blue frontage, although added that “It won’t attract as many customers as before.”

The City Council report notes that the new plans will require neither planning permission nor advertising consent.

Michael Crofton Briggs, Head of City Development at Oxford City Council, said in the report, “Officers organised a lot of meetings with the owner to discuss the changes to the outside of the building.”

“I am really pleased that our hard work has meant that the owner has shown us the colour scheme that he intends to use and that we have agreed it instead of tackling him through the enforcement process. This is a much more effective process for the Council. The work is currently underway.”

Graham Jones, ward councillor for St Clement’s, told Cherwell, “It was pretty obvious that the design, while ingenious and interesting in itself, was out of character with the formal and mannered, mainly Georgian architecture of the buildings around The Plain.”

He added that he began to receive complaints  from members of the public on the same day that the painting appeared.

He said “I must stress that I like urban graffiti very much in surroundings which work for it and vice versa. There’s a great example at the rear of Clem’s in York Place. Another is on the first floor of shops on Cowley Road opposite Manzil Way. Take also the polemical mural on a house in Union Street. The frontage on The Plain wasn’t the right setting.”

He also suggested the idea of a “Neighbourhood Plan, devised locally and put to the people living in the area in a referendum.” He continued, “One thing we could do is to insist that all new building meets more rigorous environmental and sustainability standards than currently demanded by the city. Another is to give Conservation Area rules precedence over Advertising Regulations.”

“That would allow businesses to know in advance if their plans for redesigned shopfronts were likely to be refused for the reasons that led to Clem’s having to remove its graffiti and think again.”

Oxford-based historian and art critic Estelle Lovatt has reportedly defended the artwork in the past, but was unavailable for comment when contacted by Cherwell.

Student responses to the constraint on the artwork included some angry reactions. Timna Fibert of St Anne’s said, “I think it’s ridiculous that personal aesthetic taste is dictated to by the Council. I mean, I think it was pretty ugly but why should my opinion, or even the opinion of a majority, stop people from expressing themselves and what they stand for?”

The constant change was greeted with confusion by students living in the nearby vicinity. Ben Whitman, from St Hilda’s and a resident of the flats above Clem’s, said, “‘it’s really stupid how they changed it and then changed it again. It’s just a waste of money in times of austerity.”

Another second year at St Hilda’s said, “The scrapping of the graffiti is an absolute outrage.   The dreaming spires are all very well and good but it’s a shame the city is so dismissive of contemporary art.”

He added, “Who knows – we might have just got rid of the next Banksy.”

‘Blinds’ are an event whereby second years invite all of their subject freshers to a party where subject related drinking games are played. Tasks and challenges are also sometimes set, with last year’s PPE freshers being asked to entertain the second years with a musical performance (with a drink penalty if it wasn’t satisfactory).

This year, blinds were explicitly banned in an email sent around to all second years by the college Dean, Stephen Payne. The email stated, “‘Blinds’ and other drinking games which put pressure on individuals to consume more alcohol than they would otherwise choose are strictly prohibited.

“Such practices, particularly when used in the context of an ‘initiation’ of some sort, constitute a form of harassment. Any individuals found engaging in these activities will be subject to Decanal sanctions.”

However, Chemistry students had drinks on Tuesday 22 October. In the course of the evening, one fresher fell, hit his head and had to be taken to hospital by a second year student.

PPE and E&M students also decided to hold drinks, yet referred only to a ‘Subject welcome evening’ in invites sent out to freshers. At the event, held last Friday, a declaration was read out to emphasise to all freshers present that they were not required to drink alcohol, and if they did not want to they wouldn’t have to.

However, the event was cut short by the Senior Dean and the two Junior Deans early on in the proceedings. In an email sent to the second year PPE and E&M students, the Dean said, “This is unacceptable behaviour and in clear breach of the college regulations.”

He then imposed three decanal sanctions in a later email, sent after a meeting with the students. It stated, “1. I am issuing a fine of £200, 2. I am reporting the matter in full to your Directors of Studies, 3. I am cancelling this year’s PPE/E+M Black Tie Dinner. Such a dinner will only be allowed to take place in 2014-15 if there is no repeat of ‘blinds’ next Michaelmas Term.”

Chemistry students received similar penalties, yet were fined £25 each instead of the £200 group fine due to the incident with the fresher. 

Sean Ford, Keble JCR President, told Cherwell, “The Dean enforces the college regulations to which we all agree on arrival at the college. Those that were punished knew the consequences of their actions and to this extent it seems only reasonable what has happened. As far as I am aware no one is challenging the decision and therefore everyone seems to have accepted the outcome.”

Ben Rosenbaum from St. Anne’s, in charge of the competition, said, “So far every college except Oriel have signed up a team online. Lincoln won a very close contest last year and it’ll be great to see if they can hold onto their Mo crown.

“Last year over 300 people at Oxford University took part and we raised over £18,500 making us the top fundraising university in the UK by a long way. This year we’re hoping that over 500 people will sign up and we’re trying to raise £30,000.”

He added, “I am a huge supporter of the charity and has high hopes for Oxford this year: Movember is a fantastic initiative… It’s so easy for people to get involved, and is one of the easiest things anyone could do for charity.”

The Mo’ Rep for New College, Dhruv Jayanth, said, “It has really taken off, and is a great opportunity for a few pre-pubescent looking college members to give facial hair a go!”

Lucas Shelemy of St. Catz commented, “I’m really excited for what’s to come in the next month. It’s great to see fellow mo-growers on the street and get the little nod of humiliated acceptance, and also it’s a fantastic way to fundraise and help a great cause fighting men’s testicular and prostate cancer.”

However, Movember is not just for men. Women too can become ‘Mo Sistas’ either by drawing on the occasional moustache, growing body hair or simply just supporting and encouraging their ‘Mo Bros’.

In fact, St. Anne’s JCR recently passed a motion to make the JCR president, Christina Toenshoff, and Charities Rep, Abby Whiteley, wear beards to all formal events throughout ‘Movember’.

Christina commented, “I think it’s a really good idea that the charities’ rep and I – both of us unable to grow a real moustache – will raise awareness by wearing fake facial hair. The beard is a bit annoying when you try to talk, but at least they let me put it down when the food gets served at formal halls.”

“I really don’t mind looking a bit weird if that contributes to charity and as a Mo Sista of our college team, I’m happy to support the guys by adapting to their looks.”

For the fourth year running, Byron Hamburgers is offering every ‘Mo Bro’ and ‘Mo Sista’ who raises at least £25 for the charity a free burger or salad every day from the 8th to the 17th, between 3-6pm. These burgers normally cost about £8 which amounts to almost £80 worth of burgers overall.

‘Movember’ is a global charity which raises funds and awareness for testicular and prostate cancer as well as men’s mental health charities. The charity challenges men to grow a moustache for the 30-days of November. In becoming a ‘Mo Bro’ they not only raise awareness of the cause but also raise funds through sponsorship.