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DLondon phone masts cancer scare Scientists are today inspecting mobile-phone masts in an east London road labelled "cancer street", amid fears that they have caused a cluster of cases. (Standard, 28 Feb 2002) Eight city superjails may replace 30 relics A NETWORK of eight superprisons each holding 1,500 offenders should be built to replace 30 rundown jails, an internal Prison Service report recommends. (Times, 27 Feb 2002) In its unilateralist disregard, U.S. is the real 'rogue state' Most people believe that their own country is virtuous and that only others misbehave enough to qualify as international outlaws. But the United States has elevated this popular sentiment to the level of national policy - by designating certain countries, of its own choosing, as "rogue states." (Philadelphia Inquirer, 25 Feb 2002) Also at Common Dreams. Unita leader Savimbi killed by Angolan army The Angolan army has killed Jonas Savimbi, leader of the Unita rebel group's fight for power for more than 30 years, the army and government said last night. (Guardian, 23 Feb 2002) Litter bug dropped rubbish on road that was too clean A man threw rubbish along a road in Japan because he thought his community group would get more government money the more litter it collected. (Ananova, 23 Feb 2002) Power to the psychogeographers The ideas of a group of French radicals are enjoying a revival as planners seek to involve the public in designing their own cities. Simon Parker reports Those who think of the Situationists at all probably associate them with the Paris riots of 1968. This obscure group of artists and drunks were among those who occupied the Sorbonne and plotted revolution. (Guardian, 22 Feb 2002) Fifth of racist crime involves neighbours A study of racial crime in London has found that one fifth of incidents involve neighbours, the Guardian can reveal. (Guardian, 22 Feb 2002) Fluff is not enough - managing responsibility for corporate citizenship Consider this company, which has been widely classified as a great corporate citizen. Indeed, it is one of six companies recently profiled in a report on corporate involvement in economic development by the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship for its innovative programs to help minorities and women. This company won 6 environmental awards in 2000, has widely recognized human rights, environmental, anti-corruption, anti-bribery, and climate change policies. Recognition of its performance, both financially and as a corporate citizenship came in multiple business publications: six years straight recognition as one of America’s most innovative companies, three years’ as one of the 100 best companies to work for, on the ‘all star’ list of global most admired corporations in 2000, and one of the 1000 fastest growing companies. The company has extensively contributed to community organizations such as schools and literacy programs, the United Way, and numerous other causes, encourages employee volunteerism, and employee giving through a matching gifts program. To solidify its corporate citizenship in the public’s eyes, it issued a triple bottom line report covering not only its economic but also its social and environmental performance. The only small problem? You guessed it. The company is Enron. (Ethical Corporation, 22 Feb 2002) Anti-torture watchdog visits jail holding terrorism suspects Investigators from a European anti-torture watchdog have visited a British jail where terrorism suspects have been interned under Home Secretary's emergency powers. (Ananova, 21 Feb 2002) Last Word Looms for Half the World's Languages Half the world's 6,000 languages are under threat of extinction, a new edition of the 'Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger of Disappearing' warned Thursday to mark International Mother Language Day. (One World/Common Dreams, 21 Feb 2002) Give thanks for the rogue police chief of Brixton ... For weeks, Commander Brian Paddick, the chief of the Metropolitan Police's Lambeth division, has been engaged in frank and liberal debate about life, the universe and everything on a Brixton-edited street-culture magazine website, urban75. (Independent, 20 Feb 2002) Revealed: Pentagon's new black propaganda unit The Pentagon is developing a major covert news and disinformation campaign to help Washington win the propaganda war against terrorism in the Islamic world. (Independent, 20 Feb 2002) Best practice for online reporting in corporate responsibility The Internet has become a remarkable platform for corporate sustainability reporting, offering new tools for dialogue and potentially new levels of accountability. Currently there is still a need for paper reports at many, even most, companies. However, more and more companies are also looking to the Internet to provide a level of usability that paper reports just don't offer. (Ethical Corporation, 20 Feb 2002) Camp X-Ray Britons begin court challenge Lawyers for British and Australian captives being held by the US in Guantanamo Bay challenged the legality of their detention yesterday and demanded access to their clients in a petition to a federal court in Washington. (Guardian, 20 Feb 2002) Millions face food shortages in southern Africa The UN says millions of southern Africans are facing severe food shortages after a poor harvest. (Ananova, 19 Feb 2002) Set asylum seekers free, urges firefighters' union The firefighters' union has called for asylum seekers at Yarl's Wood immigration centre to be set free immediately, saying their lives are at risk in the devastated building. (Ananova, 19 Feb 2002) Anarchy 'appeals to' softly, softly drugs police chief The police commander who spearheaded the "softly softly" approach to cannabis has courted further controversy by saying that "the concept of anarchism has always appealed to me". (Ananova, 18 Feb 2002) DElizabeth Filkin: the 'Witch' puts away her broomstick After 40 years of public service, Elizabeth Filkin cleared her desk at the House of Commons on Thursday and said: "I shall have to go down the Jobcentre now." (Independent on Sunday, 17 Feb 2002) Revealed: car fumes give children asthma At last, a clue to the mystery disease that is the curse of modern living. (Independent on Sunday, 17 Feb 2002) Supermarkets accused of not competing on basic food prices TWO of Britain’s biggest supermarket chains have achieved an “understanding” not to undercut each other on the most popular products, according to a former senior director of Sainsbury’s. (Sunday Times, 17 Feb 2002) Refugees on the run after asylum centre is wrecked A CLAMPDOWN on freedoms for asylum detainees is expected after rioters started fires that all but destroyed a £100 million showpiece holding centre near Bedford. (Times, 16 Feb 2002) Labour MPs 'watered down Filkin findings' The Former Parliamentary Standards Commissioner has been speaking about an investigation she says was hampered by Labour MPs. (Ananova, 16 Feb 2002) Expert warns deep sea fishing is 'uneconomic' and 'non-renewable' Deep sea trawling may be causing as much ecological damage as the felling of the rainforests. A new study reports that slow-living deep sea creatures can't recover from the trawling methods now being used against them. (Ananova, 16 Feb 2002) City's crime blamed on three teenagers POLICE in Bath said yesterday that they were powerless to prevent three teenage criminals from committing around a third of the city’s crimes. (Times, 15 Feb 2002) Muti London, 2002. The torso of a five-year-old child has been found in the Thames. A murder investigation is underway. Then evidence emerges of something more sinister still: of ritual killing and mutilation. (Independent, 15 Feb 2002) Casualties of war The internet is a marvellous invention. It has allowed Professor Marc Herold (Letters, February 13) to comb through websites from around the world for information on civilian casualties in Afghanistan without ever leaving his desk in New Hampshire. (Guardian Letter, 15 Feb 2002) Refugee centre torched in mass breakout A £100 million immigration removal centre has been wrecked when asylum seekers facing deportation lit a series of fires during a mass breakout. (Ananova, 15 Feb 2002) Meteorite buyer donates 'sacred' purchase to tribe A man who spent thousands on a piece of meteorite at auction has donated it to the Native American tribe which once revered it. (Ananova, 15 Feb 2002) Britain's energy policy is a welcome contrast to Mr Bush's dismal effort From either side of the Atlantic yesterday came contrasting approaches to energy policy, testifying to two very different sets of national and political priorities. (Independent, 15 Feb 2002) Asylum seekers riot and set fire to new detention centre Europe's biggest asylum detention centre was set on fire after a riot and attempted breakout. (Independent, 15 Feb 2002) As President Bush Calls for New Spirit of Civic Engagement, the Value of Volunteer Time Continues to Climb As Americans heed the call for community service, the value of the time they will give to charitable organizations has climbed to $16.05 per hour, up from $15.39 in 2000. (Independent Sector press release, 15 Feb 2002) Bush puts US on 'new path' after no to Kyoto PRESIDENT BUSH announced last night a "new environmental path for America", his alternative to the Kyoto protocol he summarily rejected last year, to the dismay and anger of European nations and other allies. (Telegraph, 15 Feb 2002) Energywatch attacks Ofgem move on price controls Energywatch has reacted angrily to Ofgem's decision to remove the remaining price controls on domestic gas and electricity suppliers. (Ananova, 15 Feb 2002) Ninety Six probed after learning fraud claims Ninety six people involved in the Government's Individual Learning Account scheme are being investigated following allegations of fraud. (Ananova, 14 Feb 2002) Britain brings forward EU-wide arrest warrants Britain and five other EU nations have agreed to bring forward the introduction of an EU-wide arrest warrant by a year. (Ananova, 14 Feb 2002) Meningitis baby's death a tragedy, says grandfather The grandfather of a baby who died from meningitis after being misdiagnosed by NHS Direct, hopes action will be taken to stop it happening again. (Ananova, 14 Feb 2002) Planning system shake-up 'fatally flawed' A leading countryside campaigner says Government plans for a shake-up in the planning system are "fatally flawed". (Ananova, 13 Feb 2002) Rebellion in the Neighbourhoods Neighbourhood assemblies are springing up in cities throughout Argentina, particularly in the capital and surrounding areas, as a groundswell of people seek to change the political landscape amidst the country's social and economic collapse. (Inter Press Service, 13 Feb 2002) No 10 orders borough to get tough Council chiefs from Lambeth, London's capital of street crime, have been hauled in to be given Government orders to work more effectively with local police. (Standard, 13 Feb 2002) Afghan killing fields Your article on civilian casualties in Afghanistan (The unfinished war, February 12) criticises my study as "incomplete", evidence for which being that I erroneously listed 19 civilians killed in Wazir Akbar Khan hospital on October 7-8. (Guardian, 13 Feb 2002) Tanzania air traffic system sale 'may fall through' The International Development Secretary has spoken about the sale of a military air traffic control system to Tanzania saying it may not go ahead. (Ananova, 12 Feb 2002) Britain says mercenaries should be considered for peacekeeping roles Mercenaries working for private military companies could be hired for international peacekeeping duties according to the Government. (Ananova, 12 Feb 2002) More arrests in new Faslane protests A total of 42 people have been arrested during a continuing protest at the home of Britain's nuclear submarine fleet. (Ananova, 12 Feb 2002) Homeless charities drop merger talks A possible merger of the UK's two best-known homelessness charities is off after talks broke down. (Ananova, 12 Feb 2002) Milkman launches first bacon butty delivery service A milkman is launching what's described as the UK's first ever bacon butty delivery service. (Ananova, 12 Feb 2002) 'Little difference between own-brand food and budget versions' Researchers have found there is little difference has been found between the quality of supermarket own-brand food and their budget alternative. (Ananova, 12 Feb 2002) Afghans are still dying as air strikes go on. But no one is counting Bombing blunders and misleading information on the ground keep the civilian toll rising in Afghanistan. In the first of a three-part investigation Guardian writers ask: How many innocent people are dying? (Guardian, 12 Feb 2002) Pentagon says soldiers justified in barring reporter from attack scene The Defence Department says US soldiers were justified in keeping a newspaper reporter away from the scene of a missile strike in Afghanistan. (Ananova, 11 Feb 2002) Single-faith schools Parliamentary debate and backbench revolt raise the question: do we need faith schools. (Times, 11 Feb 2002) Zimbabwe's only independent newspaper attacked by bombers Zimbabwe's only independent daily newspaper has been attacked by petrol bombers. (Ananova, 11 Feb 2002) Teach us all to be British Citizenship lessons could lead to better integration, but only if we recognise we all need them. (Observer, 10 Feb 2002) 34 more detainees from Afghanistan arrive at Camp X-Ray More detainees from Afghanistan have arrived at Camp X-Ray in Cuba. (Ananova, 10 Feb 2002) Blair backed business deal for Labour donor Tony Blair wrote a letter in support of a £300 million business deal by an Indian-born steel tycoon who donated £125,000 to Labour. Mr Blair's letter was sent to Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase concerning the sale of country's nationalised steel company. (Ananova, 10 Feb 2002) Media campaign planned to promote MMR vaccines The Department of Health is planning a publicity blitz to persuade parents of the safety of the controversial MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. (Ananova, 10 Feb 2002) New "homeland defence force" role for Territorial Army The Territorial Army will be given a new role as Britain's "homeland defence force" in next week's defence Green Paper, it is reported. (Ananova, 10 Feb 2002) Lung illnesses 'account for one third of work absence' Lung-related problems cause more than 25 million working days to be lost in the UK each year, according to a new survey. (Ananova, 10 Feb 2002) UN refuses to help bring Khmer Rouge leaders to justice Cambodia says it is still determined to bring Khmer Rouge leaders to justice. (Ananova, 9 Feb 2002) World Trade Centre death toll levels off New York's official count of those killed at the World Trade Centre is levelling off at around 2,800. (Ananova, 9 Feb 2002) Leader of Algerian rebels killed The leader of one of Algeria's most radical rebel groups has been shot dead in a gunfight with security forces. Antar Zouabri, leader of the Armed Islamic Group, was killed when he was surrounded south of the capital Algiers. (Ananova, 9 Feb 2002) Officials give school computer to village with no electricity Romanian education officials have given a top-of-the-range computer to a Romanian village school with no electricity. (Ananova, 9 Feb 2002) Vocational A-levels to tackle 'culture of snobbery' The Government will this week attempt to tackle the "culture of snobbery" in British society by raising the status of vocational studies in schools. (Ananova, 9 Feb 2002) Britain welcomes PoW rule for Camp X-ray Taliban US President George Bush's decision to treat Taliban soldiers as prisoners of war is being welcomed by the Foreign Office. (Ananova, 8 Feb 2002) Political activist rejects award from shoe firm Reebok, the American sports shoe manufacturer, has been publicly embarrassed by Dita Sari, an Indonesian labour activist who has refused to accept a human rights award from the sporting goods corporation. (Independent, 8 Feb 2002) UK to encourage Islamic mortgages The BBC has learned of moves by the Treasury and the Bank of England to encourage Islamic mortgages, investments and current accounts in Britain. (BBC, 8 Feb 2002) London traffic slowest since the horse and cart The average traffic speed in central London is the slowest since the horse and cart era. (Ananova, 7 Feb 2002) Pentagon admits capturing wrong people in commando raid American forces have determined they captured the wrong people in a commando raid in Afghanistan. (Ananova, 7 Feb 2002) Protesters 'amazed and delighted' by closure of detention centre Campaigners are celebrating the closure of a detention centre for refugees in Oxfordshire they claim is surrounded by 20ft barbed wire fences. (Ananova, 7 Feb 2002) Whose online is it anyway? Last month watchdogs from the National Audit Office (NAO) had been due to bark at the government's online presence. But the NAO has revised its Government on the Web report, the influential study it published three years ago. Then it complained about too many "hard to navigate" and "disconnected" websites and sternly concluded that the government had lost the e-initiative it had shown in the mid-1990s and could do a lot, lot better. (Guardian, 7 Feb 2002) Blunkett unveils immigration reforms People wanting to become UK citizens will have to take compulsory English language tests. (Ananova, 7 Feb 2002) Big business 'has too much influence on government' Big businesses rather than the unions have too much sway over the Government, according to a new poll. (Ananova, 7 Feb 2002) Human-Rights Group to Estimate Civilians Killed in U.S. Campaign With the U.S. air campaign in Afghanistan largely complete and the security situation across the country generally improving, the Pentagon is facing closer scrutiny about the extent of civilian casualties reported since American bombs started falling in October. (Wall Street Journal, 7 Feb 2002 - via Common Dreams) Dyson to sack 800 and move to the Far East JAMES DYSON, the entrepreneur who broke the stereotype of British inventors as bumbling eccentrics, told workers at his Wiltshire vacuum cleaner factory yesterday that he was transferring production to the Far East. (Times, 6 Feb 2002) Government accused of rigging faith debate MINISTERS were accused of trying to stifle opposition among Labour MPs to the Government’s policy on faith schools last night by rigging Commons votes to marginalise a backbench rebellion. (Times, 6 Feb 2002) Blunkett pushes benefits of compulsory ID cards DAVID Blunkett took a major step towards introducing compulsory identity cards yesterday as a way of proving who is entitled to benefits. (Times, 6 Feb 2002) Retiring bishop attacks selfish society PEOPLE in Britain appear happier watching Neighbours on television than acting in a neighbourly manner, a bishop said yesterday. (Times, 6 Feb 2002) World Trade Center Scrap Lands in India It might seem like a tangent to the tragedy of the Sept 11th attacks: the fate of the thousands of tons of steel that formed the twin towers. As with so many other unwanted materials from the US, more than 30,000 tons of steel scrap -- possibly contaminated with asbestos, PCBs, cadmium, mercury and dioxins -- has been exported to India and other parts of Asia. (Corpwatch, 6 Feb 2002) Bid to find Britain's noisiest street A competition to find the noisiest street in Britain is being launched. (Ananova, 6 Feb 2002) Parents 'lie about religion' to get into good schools A newspaper report claims many parents lie about their religion to get children into popular church schools. (Ananova, 6 Feb 2002) Laws bar Census office helping in rapist hunt Police have been told they'll have to wait 89 years to use the 1991 census in their hunt for a serial rapist. (Ananova, 6 Feb 2002) Call for independent watchdog to 'test' charities The Government is being urged to set up a beefed-up independent body to determine which organisations should be granted charity status. (Ananova, 6 Feb 2002) Government says e-voting plans will engage young people Voters in parts of England will be able to vote by mobile phone or internet in this year's local elections. (Ananova, 6 Feb 2002) Shopkeepers get cash boost to improve security Thousands of shopkeepers are receiving cash from the Government to help improve security. (Ananova, 6 Feb 2002) Where the real power is Just as the government struggles to shake off one scandal, it is entangling itself in several more. Almost every day for the past fortnight, Labour has been embarrassed by new revelations about the favours it has exchanged with the disgraced companies Enron and Andersen. And almost every day for the past fortnight, the government has been stocking up future trouble by granting companies even more extravagant concessions. (Guardian, 5 Feb 2002) Vagrants may get own pub A pub for alcoholic vagrants is being considered by Westminster council as a way to clear the streets of homeless street drinkers. (Standard, 5 Feb 2002) Tenants exploit right to buy rules The government is being urged to intervene to prevent hundreds of millions of pounds of regeneration cash from being wasted on paying off former council tenants who are using right to buy rules to buy up homes earmarked for demolition. (Guardian, 4 Feb 2002) Mugging gang faces curfew Thirteen members of the so-called Nunhead Terrorists, believed to be behind a spate of street robberies, face being the country's first subjects of legislation giving local authorities the power to impose curfews between 9pm and 6am. (Standard, 4 Feb 2002) British arms sales to Africa soar The government was facing condemnation from protesters against the arms trade last night after new figures revealed that the value of arms sales to Africa will more than quadruple by next year. (Observer, 3 Feb 2002) Filthy Britain 'a pollution failure' The UK is one of the dirtiest countries in the world, according to a searing indictment published by the World Economic Forum, meeting this weekend in New York. (Observer, 3 Feb 2002) The dark side of capitalism As management crashes go, Enron rates a faultless 10. It has everything, but in reverse. Instead of creating value, jobs, pensions and lives, it has destroyed them. (Observer, 3 Feb 2002) 'Soft touch' plan to end jails crisis Tens of thousands of criminals are to be released from Britain's crumbling and overcrowded jails in the most radical shake-up of the prison system since the Victorian period. (Observer, 3 Feb 2002) War on terror: the next wave THE United States is to begin a military exercise off the coast of east Africa in what may be a build up to strikes on Somalia in the next stage of America's "campaign against terror". (Mirror, 3 Feb 2002) Making history: Unlawful combatants My Lai, a murderous attack on civilians by American troops in Vietnam, has become a byword for the horror of war. (Sunday Times, 3 Feb 2002) Teachers told to instil pupils with ‘white pride’ THE government’s curriculum body has rewritten Britain’s anti-racist education policies to ensure teachers instil their pupils with “pride in white culture”. (Sunday Times, 3 Feb 2002) Son's hunt for father exposes betrayal of war heroes Government documents uncovered during a man's search for his lost father have revealed how thousands of Chinese servicemen who served Britain in the Second World War were forcibly repatriated in a climate of anti-oriental racism. (Independent, 1 Feb 2002) Labour abandons its £1.3m 'hotline to the nation' The people's panel, the giant government focus group set up amid a fanfare of publicity after Labour's election victory in 1997, is to be abolished, ministers admitted last night. (Independent, 1 Feb 2002) How China's scramble for 'black gold' is causing a green disaster Baijigou coal mine, high in the mountains of north-west China, conforms to a vision of hell. Dozens of underground coal fires cause the bare hillsides to hiss and smoke under a shimmering heat haze. (Telegraph, 1 Feb 2002) We should have killed Arafat, says Sharon ARIEL SHARON, the Israeli prime minister, said yesterday he regretted that Israel had not "eliminated" Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, when it invaded Lebanon 20 years ago. (Telegraph, 1 Feb 2002) Filkin successor 'to be picked next week' MPs will pick a successor to Elizabeth Filkin, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, on Monday, it emerged last night. (Guardian, 1 Feb 2002) Wakeham nets annual £1.1m Lord Wakeham's web of business interests earned him income of more than £1.1m last year, dwarfing his old salary as a cabinet minister. (Guardian, 1 Feb 2002) Activists seek end to patents on genes British activists say 500,000 patents have been applied for on genes or gene sequences worldwide. (Ananova, 1 Feb 2002) Poll highlights domestic abuse Almost half of all women questioned in a medical poll have suffered physical violence at the hands of their partner. (Ananova, 1 Feb 2002) Rebuild Democracy with Grassroots Community News Fifty-five million non-voters in the U.S. cynically understand that it takes money to access our two party system and have opted out of the national voting charade. They sense that citizen participation means little in the current political decision making process. (Project Censored, 1 Feb 2002) Review of Jeff Schmidt's Disciplined Minds As an academic laborer, I design subjects, set assignments, mark essays and supervise theses. This seems natural enough. Could it actually be a deeply ideological process? Worse yet, am I unknowingly helping produce graduates who are more conformist than I wish or imagine? (Workplace, Feb 2002) |
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updated:
17 Jan
2003