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Adam Farnell Articles

Jail for rapist who attacked student in Halls of Residence

A man was handed a life sentence after being convicted of raping a student at knifepoint. The rape occurred in a Rusholme halls of residence after the man broke in through an open window.Paul Atta, 41, of Roberts Avenue, Rusholme, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday 12 January 2011. Atta was convicted of two counts of rape, one of assault causing actually bodily harm, two counts of burglary and two counts of fraud by false representation. He will serve a minimum of 12 years before being considered for parole.Atta broke into a Halls of Residence on Lower Park Road in Rusholme in the early hours of Monday 19 July 2010, and entered a 19-year-old woman’s bedroom. He demanded a laptop, and threatened the victim with a knife before raping her twice. Atta then forced the victim to hand over her bankcard and pin number, which he used to withdraw cash from a nearby petrol station later that day.

Dover street building temporarily closed after theft of asbestos tainted copper pipes

By Adam Farnell Dover Street building was temporarily closed after the theft of copper piping containing asbestos. On Thursday 3 February, at approximately 1pm, staff members closed the building to for environmental testing and the presence of asbestos. Copper piping had been cut away and taken from a section of the building on the first […]

University imposes ban on disposable cups in Halls of Residence

By Adam Farnell Catering areas in Halls of Residence will no longer serve disposable cups, after a ban from the University of Manchester. Ten FoodinResidence outlets will be affected by the change. A University of Manchester spokesperson described the ban as “just the start if a plan to discourage their use altogether” at the University. […]

Combined Studies students left to ponder their future after the discipline is dropped

Combined studies will no longer be offered as a degree option by the University of Manchester. The course will be phased out, allowing this year’s new undergraduates to complete their final year, but no candidates will be admitted in 2011/12.The course allowed students to study in two separate and otherwise unrelated academic areas. The first year of the course featured a mandatory volunteering project, where students raised money and awareness for charities in Manchester both nationally and internationally.Students were not informed about the possibility of the course being withdrawn until the decision was finalised. In the final weeks of the last academic year, students were shown around the potential location for a new combined studies common room, and encouraged to give their feedback.In July, new and returning students were sent a letter informing them that “following a review of the programme by the Faculty of Humanities[…] Combined Studies will admit its final cohort of first year students in 2010.google

Chemical Intelligence? – Modafinil

An ethical dilemma: Two people take an exam. They are of near equal intelligence and good at their subject. One studies for six hours a day before their exam and gets a 2:1. The other student takes a pill for concentration and revises for 10 hours a day. They get a first. The question is: is it cheating? Does the person with a pill for concentration have an unfair advantage?