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Israeli soldier arrested over shooting of Briton An Israeli solder has been arrested over a shooting that left a British peace activist brain-dead. (Ananova, 31 Dec 2003) Body found in wheel compartment of BA jet The body of a man has been found in the wheel compartment of a British Airways plane that had flown from Heathrow to New York. (Ananova, 31 Dec 2003) Proscribing alternative press publications repressive Attorney General Amos Wako's purported order to six publications of the alternative media not to be sold on the streets is a flagrant abuse of the law that should not go unchallenged. (Daily Nation, readers' letter, 31 Dec 2003) See Press freedom in Uganda. Epic trip for 'alternative' car A car that runs on just hydrogen and solar power has completed a journey through Australia - the first crossing of a continent for a car of this type. (BBC, 27 Dec 2003) In minutes, Bam's 2,000 years of history and its hopes for the future were left in ruins For two millennia the tawny walls of the ancient citadel at Bam rose from the vast Dasht'e Kavir desert, drawing traders and pilgrims towards the lush oasis. (Guardian, 27 Dec 2003) Pump up the volume A newspaper headline caught my attention recently. It read: "Museum grants tied to rise in ethnic minority visitors." The article beneath it reported that Britain's most famous museums and art galleries might lose their government grants unless they managed to "attract more visitors from ethnic minorities and low-income families". (Guardian, 27 Dec 2003) CRE inquiry may call racist police officers exposed on TV The racist police officers exposed in an undercover television programme may be called to testify before an official inquiry into racism in the ranks, the Guardian has learned. (Guardian, 23 Dec 2003) 2,500 will die unnecessarily this week, Met Office predicts More than 2,500 people will die unnecessarily in England and Wales this week as a direct result of the cold weather, according to a forecast yesterday from the Faculty of Public Health and the Met Office. (Guardian, 23 Dec 2003) MP seeks safeguards for youth volunteers VOLUNTEERS involved in adventure expeditions and sports clubs would receive greater protection against being sued under a Private Member’s Bill to be introduced by a Tory MP. (Times, 23 Dec 2003) Italian government to bail out dairy giant The Italian government has approved an emergency measure aimed at bailing out dairy giant Parmalat. (Ananova, 23 Dec 2003) Couple with no gas found dead A coroner is to call for a change in the law after an elderly couple were found dead in their home weeks after their gas supply was cut off, due to the non-payment of a £140 bill. George Bates, 89, and his 86-year old wife Gertrude were found in a decomposed state in October in the south London house they had shared for 64 years. (BBC, 22 Dec 2003) Government resisted IMF's calls to fire 1,000 public servants - Jagdeo Removing the security on employment tenure and sending home another 1,000 public servants were two of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) conditions, which the government had to get a waiver on before it could have secured the recent $81B in debt relief. (Stabroek News, 21 Dec 2003) Murdoch gets green light to buy US satellite giant US regulators have given media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation the go-ahead to take over America's largest satellite TV provider, in a £4.4bn deal. (Ananova, 20 Dec 2003) Kick them where it hurts Consumer boycotts cost big brands £2.6bn a year. On the face of it, this statistic - courtesy of a new survey from the Co-operative Bank - looks like a triumph for quiet activism. (Guardian, 19 Dec 2003) Court rulings threaten Bush's war on terror Two key court rulings in the US have challenged the Bush administration's policies towards the detainment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in a move which could have ramifications for the US government's war on terror. (Guardian, 19 Dec 2003) Coca-Cola plant must stop draining water Coca-Cola has been ordered to stop drawing ground water for a bottling plant which supplies most of southern India after a court found that it was ruining the environment. (Guardian, 19 Dec 2003) IMF and World Bank Support US$334 Million Additional Debt Relief for Guyana The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) have agreed that Guyana has taken the steps necessary to reach its completion point under the enhanced framework of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Guyana becomes the ninth country to reach this point, joining Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Mali, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Benin. (IMF Press Release, 19 Dec 2003) New drive to change lifestyles as latest count shows more than 1 in 5 are obese A bleak future in which children regularly die years before their parents because they are too fat was predicted yesterday as official figures confirmed England's growing notoriety as a nation of chubbies. (Guardian, 19 Dec 2003) Hollinger faces £10m lawsuit Conrad Black's woes escalated today after it emerged that his Hollinger group was being sued for more than £11m by the Canadian newspaper group that bought his National Post newspaper two years ago. (Guardian, 19 Dec 2003) 'Sickening' Mail on Sunday under fire Police chief Brian Paddick today launched a scathing attack on the Mail on Sunday for seeking "sickening levels of detail" about his private life in two "kiss and tell" articles, following an out-of court settlement that will cost the paper an estimated £350,000 to £450,000 in costs and damages. (Guardian, 19 Dec 2003) Q&A: Europe's fishing crisis EU ministers believe they have secured a deal to save fish stocks without endangering fishermen's livelihoods. (Guardian, 19 Dec 2003) UK's peak population is forecast to be 65m - but too few will be working The UK population will increase more rapidly than previously expected and peak at more than 65 million in 2051, according to forecasts yesterday from the government. But almost all the growth will be among older people and the working-age population will start to decline within the next 20 years, leaving the country increasingly dependent on immigrants to maintain its economic vitality. (Guardian, 19 Dec 2003) OpenOffice CDs live for lending in Scottish libraries OpenOffice CDs are becoming available for lending at 415 out of 507 public libraries in Scotland, and the activist responsible, Bob Kerr, is busily packing up more CDs to send to what he estimates represents around 60 per cent of libraries in the UK as a whole. (The Register, 18 Dec 2003) Schoolboy's murderer to serve at least 20 years A policeman's son who led a gang into a savage attack on a schoolboy before deciding he should be strangled and his body butchered into pieces has been jailed for life. (Ananova, 17 Dec 2003) Half of UK 'getting digital TV' Digital television will be in at least 50% of homes by the new year, it has been predicted. (BBC, 16 Dec 2003) New inflation measure brought in The Chancellor's new measure of inflation, which will see the UK move below target, has come into force. The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which excludes housing and council tax costs, is being brought in. (BBC, 16 Dec 2003) Key points: the aviation white paper The following are the key points of the government white paper that sets out the framework for the future development of air transport in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. (Guardian, 16 Dec 2003) Viewers treated like 'morons' Award-winning documentary maker Molly Dineen has attacked broadcasters for failing to commission proper documentaries, preferring instead to treat viewers like 'morons' by serving them with a constant diet of reality TV. (Guardian, 16 Dec 2003) ITV shown red card over football trailer The television watchdog has upheld more than 200 complaints about an ITV football trailer in which a young boy is shown flicking mashed potato at his grandmother in a ploy to be sent to his room so he could watch television. (Guardian, 16 Dec 2003) Pledge on council homes 'will be missed' The government is failing to meet its manifesto pledge to bring all council homes up to a decent standard, the chief housing inspector Roy Irwin told MPs today. (Guardian, 16 Dec 2003) Electricity suppliers called to account British consumers are getting a "very poor deal" on electricity prices, and suppliers should be subjected to price caps, the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee said today. (Guardian, 16 Dec 2003) Tax relief for high-rent tenants London councils have welcomed government moves to help people on low incomes living in expensive accommodation with their council tax bills. (Guardian, 16 Dec 2003) Tories attack supreme court plans A senior Conservative MP urged lawyers today to fight "Labour's mindless actions" that will see the creation of a supreme court in place of the law lords. (Guardian, 16 Dec 2003) Prison system 'shamed by racism' The head of the Prison Service has spoken of his "shame and horror" after a report unveiled a catalogue of racism in jails. (Ananova, 16 Dec 2003) Hewitt wants internet access for all by 2008 The government yesterday pledged itself to one of the most stretching technology targets in Europe, saying that every home in Britain will have access to online services within the next five years. (Guardian, 16 Dec 2003) Tests for media takeovers issued The government yesterday set the regulatory battleground for the acquisition of the Telegraph Group as it issued guidelines on the new public interest test for mergers and acquisitions in the media sector. (Guardian, 16 Dec 2003) Glaxo revises executive deals after 'fat cat' revolt GlaxoSmithKline has bowed to shareholder pressure and unveiled revised pay and rewards contracts for executives. (Ananova, 15 Dec 2003) Housing projects to be destroyed, replaced with homes James E. Scott Homes, the storied Liberty City housing project where hundreds of black families saw joy and pain for more than five decades, will, if all goes as planned, meet the wrecking ball Monday. (Miami Herald, 14 Dec 2003) Reports Saddam captured Reports are coming in that Saddam Hussein has been captured in Iraq. (Ananova, 14 Dec 2003) Constitution talks fail after major stand-off Efforts to forge a landmark constitution for Europe have failed after a major stand-off in Brussels over the share-out of power. (Ananova, 13 Dec 2003) Royal Mail cuts 3,000 managers' jobs The Royal Mail is to cut up to 3,000 managers' jobs under plans to reduce costs and improve efficiency. (Ananova, 12 Dec 2003) Man put in cell for refusing to carry shopping basket A Dutchman spent half an hour behind bars because he refused to carry a shopping basket around his local supermarket. Carst Kijlstra, 32, from Assen, had popped into his local Eddah shop just before closing time to get some veal for his evening meal. (Ananova, 12 Dec 2003) Voting machines need a paper trail This week marks the third anniversary of Bush vs. Gore, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that halted the Florida ballot recount. The 36-day impasse exposed the cracks in the state's electoral infrastructure. (Miami Herald, 12 Dec 2003) M&S offering self-build houses Marks & Spencer is to sell do-it-yourself houses from £40,000. (Ananova, 12 Dec 2003) Report blames Britain over Iraqi civilian deaths Britain's use of cluster bombs and its failure to secure munitions dumps led to scores of civilian deaths and injuries during the Iraq war, according to a human rights group. (Ananova, 12 Dec 2003) 'Less salt could save 52,000 lives a year' As many as 52,000 lives could be saved if consumers dramatically reduced the amount of salt in their diets, according to new research. (Ananova, 12 Dec 2003) Australia extends Pacific power Armed police and senior officials from Australia are preparing to shore up Papua New Guinea in another intervention in a South Pacific state. (Telegraph, 12 Dec 2003) Blunkett threatens to quit Amnesty The shock was not that David Blunkett threatened to resign from Amnesty International yesterday but that the man many believe is Britain's most hardline Home Secretary for years was a member at all. (Telegraph, 12 Dec 2003) French headscarf ban recommended Muslim girls in France could be barred from wearing headscarves in schools after an expert commission recommended a ban on "conspicuous" religious signs. (BBC, 11 Dec 2003) DSuriname already has a database on slavery and indentureship I read with interest (21.11.2003) that the Anton de Kom University of Suri-name is organising a conference on Globalisation, Diaspora and Identity Formation to be held at the Stardust Hotel in Paramaribo from February 27-29, 2004. (Stabroek News, reader's letter, 10 Dec 2003) Sing for your UK citizenship Immigrants will have to sing God Save The Queen before they are given British passports, it was announced yesterday. (Mirror, 10 Dec 2003) Exclusive Stars demand UK backs treaty POP stars, footballers, and actors will today call on the UK to clean up its trade in weapons to some of the world's most dangerous countries. (Mirror, 10 Dec 2003) DWorld Bank barely softens governance crisis report - dialogue recognised as key to breaking deadlock The World Bank in its final review of Guyana's development policy has stuck to its guns on its views that Guyana suffers a crisis of governance; that the government is seen as indecisive; and that the business climate has to be radically improved to foster economic growth. (Stabroek News, 10 Dec 2003) Brown reveals £37bn budget deficit Chancellor Gordon Brown has announced that public finances are set to plunge £37 billion into the red this year. (Ananova, 10 Dec 2003) Policing Bush's visit 'cost £4.1m' Policing George W Bush's state visit to London cost more than £4.1 million, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens has revealed. (Ananova, 9 Dec 2003) Millionaire cleared of killing threatens to sue 'everybody' Multi-millionaire Nicholas van Hoogstraten has threatened to sue "just about everybody" involved in his prosecution after being formally cleared of killing a business rival who was suing him. (Ananova, 9 Dec 2003) World's population to increase to nine billion by 2300 The world's population will be around nine billion by 2300, the United Nations has forecast. (Ananova, 9 Dec 2003) Government squares up to exploitative lenders Consumer bodies have welcomed the government's plans to crack down on unscrupulous lenders, announced in today's consumer credit white paper. (Guardian, 8 Dec 2003) Electoral Commission rules out e-voting High-tech methods of voting via email and text message should not be used in next year's elections to local councils and the European parliament, a report warned today. (Guardian, 8 Dec 2003) Moves to halt profiteering on council homes The government has acted today to close a loophole in the right to buy rules that has allowed private companies to rake off millions of pounds of profits from former council homes. (Guardian, 8 Dec 2003) Fees would raise £500m from immigrants HOME Office plans to raise £500 million from immigration applications mean that 900,000 foreigners coming to Britain to work or study each year face paying an additional £500 per application. (Times, 8 Dec 2003) MSP takes time out of 'macho' parliament Rosie Kane, the member of the Scottish parliament who swore allegiance to the Queen with "my oath is to the people" scrawled on her palm, has had to take a month off from what she dubs the "macho boys' club" of Holyrood to recover from clinical depression. ...She battled her lifelong shyness to become one of the leading organisers of the protest against the M74 linking Ayrshire with Glasgow - even standing as an anti-motorway candidate in a council byelection, before becoming active in the Scottish Socialist party. (Guardian, 8 Dec 2003) Mugabe quits Commonwealth ZIMBABWE declared last night that it had quit the Commonwealth after the organisation extended the African country’s suspension. (Times, 8 Dec 2003) Home Office figures on detention of children inaccurate Figures from the Immigration and Nationality Department showed that 300-400 children were detained at detention centres. However, recent revelations indicate the figures are much higher. (Glasgow Herald, 8 Dec 2003) Consumers embrace ethical sales, costing firms £2.6bn a year A new generation of consumer activists is emerging in Britain, with more than one in two people boycotting the products of companies that they regard as unethical, according to a study. (Independent, 9 Dec 2003) Ethical consumers extend their influence Boycotts by ethically-minded consumers cost big brands £2.6bn last year, with 52% of people claiming to have avoided at least one product, a report claimed today. (Guardian, 8 Dec 2003) 'Anti-gay' singer cancels gigs Gay rights activists claimed victory yesterday after a reggae star who is accused of singing songs advocating violence against homosexuals cancelled gigs in London and Birmingham. (Guardian, 8 Dec 2003) UN condemns Afghan child killings The UN has called for a swift inquiry into the "profoundly distressing" deaths of nine children in a US bombing in Afghanistan. (BBC, 7 Dec 2003) Overpriced, overhyped, over here Margaret Thatcher famously expanded the number of 'quangos' (quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations), outfits financed by government with members appointed by government but acting independently of it. New Labour goes in for something called 'agencies', which are like quangos but without even nominal independence of their paymasters. Let us call them equangos, with the 'e' standing for 'emasculated'. Becta (the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency) is an equango. (Guardian, 7 Dec 2003) NZ urged to cut refugees' support Anti-immigration politicians in New Zealand have called on the government to reduce welfare payments to refugees and migrants. (BBC, 7 Dec 2003) Are school tables worth having? Do you remember the Citizen's Charter? It was one of the "big ideas" of John Major's government. (BBC, 6 Dec 2003) Greens urge air travel tax hike Environmentalists have urged the government to increase the tax paid by air passengers to make up for the pollution they generate. (BBC, 6 Dec 2003) No action against Blunkett David Blunkett will not face any action over comments claiming that a man arrested under anti-terrorism laws had connections with groups linked to al-Qaida. (Ananova, 5 Dec 2003) Europe presses Africa on migrants Most of North Africans try to reach Europe across the Mediterranean European leaders have called on North African countries to stem the huge flow of illegal immigrants to Europe. (BBC, 5 Dec 2003) 'Employing only one teacher could cut school costs' A Government official has suggested that schools could be staffed by just one qualified teacher to keep education spending under control. (Ananova, 5 Dec 2003) How to stage a revolution Slobodan Djinovic watched Georgia's "rose revolution" from his home in Serbia. (BBC, 4 Dec 2003) EC backs away from total cod fishing ban The European Commission has backed away from a total ban on cod fishing despite expert advice warning that stocks are about to be wiped out. (Ananova, 4 Dec 2003) Ultimatum to informal Press Attorney-General Amos Wako gave the alternative Press until next Tuesday to comply with the laws that govern newspapers and other publications. ...Mr Muiruri listed the papers as the Citizen Weekly, Independent, Kenya Confidential, The Patriot, the Monitor and Dispatch. (Daily Nation, 4 Dec 2003) See Press freedom in Uganda. Cincinnati death blamed on police The coroner in the US city of Cincinnati says a struggle with police caused the death of black man whose beating was videotaped on Sunday. The coroner said Nathaniel Jones, 41, suffered obesity, heart problems and had illegal drugs in his blood. But he gave a homicide ruling, saying the stress caused by the struggle directly led to Jones's death. (BBC, 3 Dec 2003) Migrants lost as boat capsizes Spanish air-sea rescue services were searching waters around the Canary island of Fuerteventura yesterday after 15 illegal immigrants from Africa fell overboard while being transferred from a fishing boat to a rescue launch. (Guardian, 3 Dec 2003) People the law forgot It is almost two years since the Guantanamo prison camp opened. Part two (Guardian, 3 Dec 2003) Plinth charming A statue of Mahatma Gandhi would be the perfect counterpoint to Trafalgar Square's imperial heroes. (Guardian, 3 Dec 2003) Italians rally against media bill Critics of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi have rallied in protest at a bill allowing the tycoon to strengthen his hold on the media. (BBC, 3 Dec 2003) Rwandans jailed for 'Hate Media' Three Rwandan media executives have been found guilty of inciting violence during the genocide of 1994. ...Ferdinand Nahimana, who was sentenced to life in prison, and Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza, who got 35 years, helped set up a private radio station - Radio Television Libres des Mille Collines (RTLM) - which urged Hutus to "exterminate the cockroaches". ...Hassan Ngeze, who was sentenced to life, was the editor of an extremist magazine called Kangura. (BBC, 3 Dec 2003) Jobs fears as rail enquiries call centre to close Union leaders have raised fears of hundreds more jobs being lost to India after hearing that a call centre dealing with rail enquiries is to close in the New Year. (Ananova, 3 Dec 2003) Bush urged to end Guantanamo 'charade' Amnesty International has called on the US government to "end the charade" of Guantanamo Bay. (Ananova, 3 Dec 2003) Burma sentences nine to death for treason Nine people, including the editor of a sports magazine, have been sentenced to death for high treason in Burma. (Ananova, 3 Dec 2003) Eighteen jailed for Rwanda church massacre A Rwandan court has convicted 18 people for their role in the killing of 20,000 people sheltering in a church compound during the 1994 genocide. (Ananova, 2 Dec 2003) Attack on teaching of adult learners Adults unable to read or write are being taught by poorly qualified teachers because of beliefs that sympathy and a "positive attitude" are more important than good teaching, a government adviser says today. (Guardian, 2 Dec 2003) BBC to plug Coca Cola Coca Cola is to get weekly plugs on the BBC after signing a multi-million pound sponsorship deal for the music charts. (Ananova, 1 Dec 2003) |
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updated:
24 Jul
2004