An Oxford student society this week began a campaign to have the BBC World Service extended into North Korea.

Oxford Students for Liberty (OSFL) have launched a petition addressed to Lord Patten, Chancellor of Oxford University and Chairman of the BBC Trust, stating, “Throughout its long and proud history the BBC World Service has broadcast to the most repressed people all over the world, providing a crucial source of objective news and information, giving hope to people who otherwise may have very little”.

Speaking at OSFL’s launch event this Wednesday, Justin Youngchan Choi, operator of the BBC for North Korea Facebook page, cited the example of Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s pro-democracy leader, noting, “She said how helpful the BBC World Service had been, bringing hope and democracy throughout the world”.

Choi explained that the BBC was “quite possibly the most trustworthy news outlet out there. The BBC brand carries much weight. People actually believe the BBC far more than local news”.

OSFL President, Jonathan P. Martindale, told Cherwell, “The BBC World Service is renowned worldwide for its detailed and impartial journalism”.

He added, “We believe this expansion of the World Service would represent not only a possible, but a peaceful way to encourage the flow of information into North Korea and inspire potential grassroots, people-driven change from the inside.”

Choi said that “of course, the obvious criticism is that this puts people in jeopardy. The government will catch them listening, people will die. But the benefit outweighs the negatives.People are dying anyway.”

He added, “We do know that people do have modified radios. If you get found, you go to Yodok [prison camp], you die. But people very often risk their lives to get news from the outside.This was a very consistent pattern in the Cold War”.

North Korea is ranked second-last in the freedom of the press index, published by Reporters Without Borders. Millions are thought to have perished in the famines of the 1990s, while up to 200,000 are today thought to be incarcerated in its concentration camps, which the regime denies exist.

The BBC World Service currently broadcasts in twenty eight languages but not Korean. The service is the world’s most widely distributed international broadcaster, reaching almost 200 million people a week worldwide.

OSFL’s petition expressed deep concern at “the refusal of the BBC to extend its World Service to the Korean Peninsula, and in particular, North Korea”, adding, “We believe that the extension of the service would be a viable and positive move by the BBC”.

One first year geographer told Cherwell, “I will be signing the petition. We should indeed show the world that we care about the situation in North Korea”.

A spokesman for the BBC World Service told Cherwell, “There is a severe lack of media freedom in North Korea and an acute need for more choice and variety of media content. We recently conducted a fact finding mission to South Korea. We found strict controls in the North on what people are allowed to listen to or watch, difficulty in obtaining radios and a complete lack of internet access. Given these significant barriers, we are considering whether it will be cost effective and viable to broadcast existing or new content to North Korea.”

Top scrabble player and Lincoln docotral student Chris May will attempt to set a new world record for the most simultaneous games of Scrabble at Oxford University Press.

On 11th June, from 2.30pm, May will attempt to play twenty eight games
of Scrabble simultaneously against a wide range of opponents drawn from
the UK tournament Scrabble community, as well as staff and students at
the University.

In order to break the record, May will play multiple games of Scrabble against his twenty eight different opponents and must win at least seventy five per cent of the games. The record attempt is expected to take between three and five hours. 

The current world record for “Scrabble – most simultaneous games” was set in India in 2007 by Ganesh Asirvatham, who played twenty five games at the same time.

However, having played Scrabble since he learned to read, May is now hoping to earn his place in Scrabble history. He has played Scrabble in tournaments in nine different countries, coming fifth place at the 2011 World Scrabble Championships in Warsaw, Poland.

The record attempt will be in aid of Assisted Reading for Children (ARCh), a local charity that aims to assist children who are experiencing difficulties with reading. ARCh volunteers use conversation, reading, activities and games, including Scrabble, to help children to become more confident readers.

Chris May commented, “Scrabble was certainly something that got me excited about reading as a child. I’m thrilled to be able to help a wonderful educational charity like ARCh by playing a game I’ve always loved. Breaking the record won’t be easy, but I can’t wait to try!”

Jane Rendle, ARCh Development Manager, said, “We wish Chris all the best in his record-breaking attempt. We are delighted he has chosen ARCh as his charity to support, and hope the event will help highlight the importance of reading as well as show how much fun can be had with words.”

One Lincoln student, who will be one of May’s twenty eight opponents in the record attempt, told Cherwell, “Chris stands a good chance of winning – he holds Grandmaster status and has been playing competitively for fourteen years. I can imagine he’s come up against some tough opponents in that time so he’s used to being put under a lot of stress. I’m not sure how that compares to four or more hours solid of playing 28 different opponents at once though – that’s enough to give anyone a challenge.”

She added, “If there’s enough coverage, I’m sure the record attempt will encourage more people to play, even if those people are limited to Oxford University students. It will probably remind people that it’s an interesting and competitive game, and might prompt them to join the OU Scrabble Society or play a few games in the pub occasionally.”

The event is open to the public.

Oxford will play host to one of the premier events of the feline world this weekend as competitors from the United States and Europe descend on the city for an event being described as ‘Crufts for Cats.’

Traditionally the preserve of dogs, the show is being organised by the International Cat Association with the help of local resident and cat-lover Jeanine Parfitt from Headington.

Hundreds of fans are expected to attend the event next Saturday and Sunday at Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre to watch displays by domestic and household cats, in addition to scheduled appearances by famous cats and a dazzling line-up of rare cat breeds.

Speaking to Cherwell, Ms Parfitt said, “This is going to be great for Oxford and I’m sure it will be a lot of fun as well. “I was overwhelmed by the interest this generated, especially after the event was posted on Facebook. There’s obviously a lot of demand for a unique cat breed show. Catowners can take part in events like the London Pet Show, but they rarely get a chance to compete and show off like this.”

She continued, “Up until now the focus has been on dog shows like Crufts, but there are nearly as many cats as dogs in the UK so I don’t see why they should get all the attention.”

Proving once and for all that Merton freshers aren’t the only pussy magnets in Oxford, stars of the feline world such as Miss Melly, an artistic munchkin cat who paints with paws, peterbald Principessa, the star of the London Pet Show, and cats from last year’s IKEA TV campaign will all appear for photographs between 10am and 5pm at the show next weekend.

Oxford-based vets have also been invited to promote cat and kitten welfare and there will also be trade stalls selling a wide array of feline goods.

One first year Hertford historian commented, “This is clearly one of the most important British events of the past decade, easily on par with the 2012 Olympics. I will be taking time out of my busy schedule to visit the show on both days, as will many other Oxford students if they appreciate like me what a unique and historic opportunity this is. 

“Competition for tickets will no doubt be fiercer than they were for last week’s Champion’s League Final. After all, who would pass up the opportunity to see this kind of ‘cattitude’ in person?”

It remains unclear whether any of the famous Oxford College Cats will be competing at the event this year. A full survey of the cats of Oxford University can be found in Richard Surman’s study entitled College Cats of Oxford and Cambridge (HarperCollins, 1994). A book described by one first-year Lincolnite as, “Proving beyond all doubt the fruitless banality of modern academic enquiry.”

Oxford RAG has raised £90,000 this year for charity, it has been announced.

The society, which runs a range of fund raising efforts across the University, has reported a record fundraising effort from a variety of events ranging from the RAG Ball in Michelmas term to the RAG Casino events across the year.

In particular, the RAG skydiving event raised £9000 alone. Organiser Amy Watson said, “I think this is great – it shows how fun RAG events are and how much interest there is across the University for taking part in something whilst raising money for those who need it most.”

The society is also celebrating its success in helping Oxford to become the most successful University in the country in terms of numbers of people involved in Movember last year, an achievement which one RAG committee member called “bloody marvellous.”

The money raised has been given to both local charities, such as the Oxford Food Bank, and to global concerns, such as Education Partnerships Africa.

A spokesperson for Education Partnerships Africa said “we are truly grateful for, and amazed by, all the money which RAG raises on behalf of Oxford University students.”

“Itʼs an incredible achievement for the society to have raised so much, especially in this economic climate,” he added. “Without such generosity charities like ours could not exist,” he concluded.

The RAG President for this year said, “We are all really proud of the £90,000 raised. Itʼs only come about because of the hard work of a number of people across the University. Florence Avery was RAG President last year and her work should not be forgotten in reaching this incredible milestone.”

“The new committee are all excited to begin fund raising for this year, though, and hope to scale even higher mountains,” he added.

An Oxford imam has made claims in an interview with rt.com that there was no Islamic terrorism in the UK before Iraq.

Dr Taj Hargey was speaking in the aftermath of the Woolwich killing of Drummer Lee Rigby. The British soldier was attacked by men who are believed to be British-born Muslim converts. In a camera-phone video, one of the men claimed the attack was a response to the way “Muslims are dying by British soldiers every day”.

Dr Hargey condemned the murder in the strongest possible terms, but argued that there was “a linkage” between the events in Woolwich and British foreign policy.

The imam of the Oxford Islamic Congregation, claimed that “there was no Muslim terrorism in the United Kingdom until Blair went illegally into Iraq”.

Prime Minister David Cameron said in a media address outside Downing Street that the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby last week “sickened us all” and that the attacks were a “betrayal of Islam… that gives so much to our country.”

Cameron continued, “There is absolutely no justification for these acts and the fault for them lies solely and purely with the sickening individuals that carried out this attack”.

Dr Taj Hargey, who has provoked controversy for inviting the first ever woman to lead and preach at Friday prayers in Britain, and for marrying Islamic women to non-Islamic men, called for the Muslim community in the UK to confront the radical and extremist minority. He said, “Their [extremist] ideology and philosophy must be demolished”.

He also claimed that that Islam is a religion of peace: “You don’t kill someone in the name of God, Islam condemns that… it’s pure blasphemy”.

Zain Iqbal, a first year student at Brasenose College and a member of the Oxford University Islamic society told Cherwell that “under no circumstances do grievances justify bringing terror to our streets.”

He continued, “However, labeling terrorism as Islamic ventures into dangerous territory and is unjustified. Throughout history we have seen terrorism emanating from all quarters and we should remain acutely aware to not label entire communities.”