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TV stations ordered to launch children's channel China has ordered all its provincial-level TV stations to launch a special channel catering for children by the end of 2006, according to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT). (People's Daily, 29 May 2004) Thousands flee Mogadishu clashes Thousands of Somalis have fled their homes in the capital, Mogadishu, following some of the heaviest fighting there for several years. (BBC, 29 May 2004) UK Online goes offline UK Online, the former UK government information website, has been switched off to make way for its successor, Directgov, which has been trialled since early March. (Netimperative, 28 May 2004) Picket lines outside jails Picket lines were being mounted outside prisons because of a 24-hour pay strike by thousands of electricians, plumbers, cooks and gardeners. (Ananova, 28 May 2004) Inquiry over 'race fight' bets An investigation is under way into claims prison officers at a young offenders' institution placed bets on fights between black and white inmates. (BBC, 28 May 2004) Wake-up call over obesity problem The Government and food industry are defending themselves against scathing criticism that they are failing to take the UK's obesity epidemic seriously. (Ananova, 27 May 2004) Thames barge dwellers face the push There were many reasons for the barge owners of Reed Wharf to feel secure about their idyllic existence, moored on the Thames between Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf. (Guardian, 27 May 2004) Safety executive accused of dropping routine cases Routine investigations into deaths and injuries to the public have been quietly dropped by the Health and Safety Executive, according to an internal memo. (Guardian, 27 May 2004) Murdoch's £19,000 for Tories Rupert Murdoch's News International Ltd paid the Conservative party nearly £19,000 after Michael Howard flew to Cancun to address media executives, new figures from the Electoral Commission revealed yesterday. (Guardian, 27 May 2004) Human rights at a 50-year nadir Human rights last year came under the most sustained attack for 50 years, according to the annual report of Amnesty International published yesterday. (Guardian, 27 May 2004) Island flood toll soars to 2,000 The death toll from mudslides and flooding in the Dominican Republic and Haiti soared to around 2,000 last night as rescuers discovered more than 1,000 bodies in a ruined Haitian town. (Guardian, 27 May 2004) Chinese lesson in how to put food in the mouths of millions China offered the world a lesson in how to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty yesterday at an international conference which underlined its emergence as a powerful alternative to the western model of development. (Guardian, 27 May 2004) Abuse of prisoners 'widespread' A secret US Army report into deaths and mistreatment of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan reveals a widespread pattern of abuse involving more American jails and military units than previously known. (Times, 27 May 2004) Parmalat prosecutors want 29 brought to trial Prosecutors investigating the collapse of Parmalat, the Italian food company, have demanded that 29 executives and advisers and three institutions be tried over their involvement in the $14 billion (£10 billion) crash of the international group. (Times, 27 May 2004) Amnesty deplores African rights record Human rights group Amnesty International has produced its annual report, which says the US-led "war on terror" is behind a surge of human rights abuses around the world. (BBC, 26 May 2004) Hispaniola's forest tragedy The island of Hispaniola has lost most of its forest cover over the last two centuries and deforestation continues, notably on the Haitian side of the border. (BBC, 26 May 2004) Poll shows conditional support for more housing Most people accept more homes are needed but still don't want them built in their street, a poll revealed today. Up to 120,000 extra new homes are required every year to cool the housing market, according to a review for the Treasury by economist Kate Barker, which was published earlier this year, and a poll of more than 2,000 people for the House Builders Federation (HBF) has found wide acceptance of her recommendations. (Guardian, 26 May 2004) Home is where the heart is A new exhibition of photographs at the Museum of London highlights the upheaval caused to people's lives when they are forced to leave council houses that are being torn down. (Guardian, 26 May 2004) Wales to pioneer digital switchover Two Welsh villages are to lose their current TV signal completely from the end of this year as the government goes ahead with its ambitious plan to become the first country in the world to switch over to digital TV. (Guardian, 26 May 2004) Inmate murder inquiry opens The inquiry into the murder of a young Asian prisoner - battered to death with a table leg by his racist cellmate - should have the authority to compel witnesses to attend, his family urged yesterday. (Guardian, 26 May 2004) Bloody vengeance or assault on terrorists: can the truth emerge from Rafah's ruins? Rafah's residents are inclined to take Israel's military at its word when it says the assault on the town and refugee camp is not over and the army is just "taking a deep breath". (Guardian, 26 May 2004) Migrants must learn English, Howard New immigrants to the United Kingdom should learn English in order to be able to take part in the national culture, Conservative leader Michael Howard has said. (Ananova, 26 May 2004) Doubts cloud e-government sites The impact of e-government is under the spotlight on both sides of the Atlantic as studies question how much citizens interact with government websites. (BBC, 26 May 2004) Online government gets new chief The UK managing director of Accenture, Ian Watmore, has been appointed as Whitehall's new head of e-government. (BBC, 25 May 2004) Political union should be the EU's next big project, says Prodi report The European Union is in crisis and can be saved only by turning it into a fully fledged “political union”, with a European tax, minimum wage and pan-European political parties, according to a report ordered by the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi. (Times, 25 May 2004) Take note of India’s anti-capitalism vote The election in India unleashed the usual media platitudes about the nobility of the people’s judgment in the world’s biggest democracy. (Times, 25 May 2004) Public bodies try to hide poor performance It's not fiddling, it’s just bending the rules. Creative responses to official requirements caused trouble in the public sector last week. (Times, 25 May 2004) British arms in foreign hands After the United States, Britain is the world's second biggest arms exporter. (BBC, 25 May 2004) Sea turtle decline 'costs millions' Coastal communities around the world are losing millions of tourist dollars a year through the destruction of rare sea turtles, a report claims. (BBC, 25 May 2004) DStudies to stem the flow of skilled migration under way: 900 regional nurses left in 2002-03 Studies are being conducted on the migration of skilled workers from the Caribbean to North America and Europe to quantify the loss of human resources and finances and to find solutions to stem the migration flow. (Stabroek News, 24 May 2004) Oxfam steps up Darfur operations The aid agency Oxfam says it is gravely concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Sudan's troubled Darfur region and is stepping up its efforts to help. (BBC, 23 May 2004) Children 'scared to play outside' All children should have safe open spaces nearby, a report says. Children are afraid of going out of the home because of the perceived dangers of sexual attack, bullying or terrorism, a report says. (BBC, 24 May 2004) 'Wedding video' clouds US denials The video showed decorated vehicles driving in the desert A videotape has been broadcast which purports to show before-and-after footage of a wedding which Iraqis say the US bombed, killing about 40. (BBC, 24 May 2004) Wanted: babies to fund retirement An unexpectedly large increase in birth rates in England and Wales last year is still insufficient to head off a future pensions crisis, according to a new report by the Institute of Actuaries. (Telegraph, 24 May 2004) 200 feared dead as ferry capsizes A river ferry carrying about 250 passengers has capsized during a tropical storm in south-eastern Bangladesh and most of those aboard are feared dead. (Ananova, 23 May 2004) Census shows impact of migration The census found a population increase of almost 26,000 people from 1991 to late 2002, while there were an estimated 165,000 net births in that period. (Stabroek News, 22 May 2004) Judge blocks fruit farm 'blight' The High Court has blocked plans to accommodate more than 1,000 migrant fruit pickers in caravans at a tiny hamlet. Herefordshire Council ... will apply for the removal of building works at the 200-acre former hop farm at Brierley, near Leominster. (Ananova, 21 May 2004) Al-Jazeera man killed in Iraq The death toll of journalists in Iraq rose again today, with the shooting overnight of another newsman from the al-Jazeera TV channel. (Guardian, 21 May 2004) Turkeminstan retreats into despotic shell Secretive and repressive regime sacks professionals for being educated outside the country. (Guardian, 21 May 2004) Union protests against Lloyds job move plans Lloyds TSB shareholders today faced angry protests against plans to move UK jobs to India as they attended the bank's annual general meeting. (Guardian, 21 May 2004) Yet more photos of US brutality published The video begins with three soldiers huddled around a naked detainee, his thin frame backed against a wall. (Guardian, 21 May 2004) Benefit trap Can you spot the odd one out among Amnesty International, Greenpeace and Eton College? Easy: only Eton, the famously exclusive public school for the privileged children of the ultra-wealthy, is a registered charity. Guardian, 21 May 2004) Fast acting The voluntary sector awaits the government's imminent delivery of the draft charities bill with anticipation. (Guardian, 21 May 2004) 400 foreigners stranded in British jails More than 400 foreign nationals are being held well beyond the end of their sentences in prisons in England and Wales, penal reformers have revealed. (Guardian, 21 May 2004) Police are closing in on Brodie The net is closing in on James Brodie. Two hundred posters with his face on it are being placed around the city today. Police want to speak to him about the death of Marian Bates and the racially aggravated assault on Derek Senior. (Nottingham Evening Post, 21 May 2004) Brodie: Was he the fifth man in race attack? Detectives investigating the shooting of jeweller Marian Bates want to speak to 20-year-old James Brodie. And today the Evening Post can reveal Brodie is also wanted in connection with another high-profile case. (Nottingham Evening Post, 20 May 2004) Blair says any differences with U.S. stay private Prime Minister Tony Blair has told his ministers he will never publicly air disagreements with Washington over policy in Iraq for fear it would damage troop morale. (Mirror, 20 May 2004) DJagdeo promises a radio set in every village President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday pledged to provide a radio set to every village in South and Central Rupununi. (Stabroek News, 20 May 2004) Frankly Speaking Rather furtively, (not confident enough?), I join in comment on a grand debate, as well as some related issues which, I hope, will all conclude with us Guyanese fashioning and appreciating an identity of which we can all be proud. (Stabroek News, 20 May 2004) 10 die as Israelis fire on children's march Israeli forces fired shells and a missile at Palestinian demonstrators yesterday, killing 10 people and wounding at least 50, many of them children. (Telegraph, 20 May 2004) MP attacks constitution she helped to draw up The Labour MP who helped to draw up the draft European Union constitution claimed last night that it could encourage dangerous nationalism. Gisela Stuart also condemned ministers for "deluding" the public about its content and "missing the point" in their negotiating tactics. (Telegraph, 20 May 2004) Elvin Jones Elvin Jones, who died on Tuesday aged 76, was among the handful of truly great jazz drummers and a member of the John Coltrane Quartet in the early 1960s; indeed, it is impossible to imagine the music of Coltrane at the peak of his career without the surging energy of Jones's drums - the interaction between them was so intense that there were times when Jones dictated the course of the performance. (Telegraph, 20 May 2004) US attack kills 40 at wedding An American helicopter has fired on a wedding party in western Iraq, killing more than 40 people. (Ananova, 20 May 2004) Protests at arrests death The tragic death of a man as he was arrested by police in Camden Lock on Saturday has sparked demonstrations by distraught friends and relatives. Hundreds of protesters are expected to march from Camden Lock to Kentish Town police station this Saturday afternoon following the death of Kebba Jobe as he was arrested by plain clothes officers on a canal towpath. (Camden New Journal, 20 May 2004) Pupils rush to defend squat against bailiffs’ eviction bid Campaigning pupils swapped their classrooms for the barricades on Monday when they defended squatters facing eviction by bailiffs. Students at Acland Burghley Secondary School were among protesters who defended the squat at the former Grand Banks wine bar, now popularly known as the Occupied Social Centre, at the junction of Brecknock Road and Fortess Road in Tufnell Park. (Camden New Journal, 20 May 2004) DHorror over 'act of revenge' When four men were jailed for a racist attack on Derek Senior, he might have thought his nightmare was over. But today he is recovering after being shot four times. (Nottingham Evening Post, 19 May 2004) Stopping the carnage in Rafah Palestinian leaders have made an urgent appeal to the international community to intervene to stop the Israeli army onslaught on city of Rafah. (Al-Jazeera, 19 May 2004) EU lifts 6-year-ban on GM products The European Union has lifted its six-year moratorium on GM products by approving imports of an insect-resistant strain of sweetcorn for human consumption. (Ananova, 19 May 2004) Labour bids to get more in work A radical shake-up of employment services is set to be unveiled. The plans aim to build on the Government's successes by getting 600,000 more unemployed people back to work. (Ananova, 19 May 2004) Children among 20 dead as Israeli army begins huge crackdown on Rafah Israeli forces attacked Rafah refugee camp yesterday at the start of an operation to crush Palestinian armed resistance, before a planned fresh wave of house demolitions. (Guardian, 19 May 2004) Power and Water Knocked Out as Israel Sweeps Through Refugee Camp Israeli troops stormed homes in the Palestinian refugee camp of Rafah today in an ongoing search for militants and illegal weapons, confining tens of thousands of residents to houses without electricity or water. (Scotsman, 19 May 2004) Race victim shot after attackers jailed A 50-year-old man has been gunned down outside his home in Nottingham in what police believe was in revenge for helping to jail four men who launched an unprovoked and racist attack on him. (Guardian, 19 May 2004) School shut by pupils' walkout in support of teacher A comprehensive was forced to close for the day when pupils walked out in support of a teacher threatened with disciplinary action for telling them they were being denied a proper education. (Guardian, 19 May 2004) Revenge shooting on court witness A Rastafarian has been shot outside his home just days after giving evidence in the trial of four racist thugs who beat him up and ripped off his dreadlocks. (Telegraph, 19 May 2004) Global warming In Kyoto, Japan, on December 11, 1997, a series of rules was drawn up to reduce the global emission of greenhouse gases. (Times, 19 May 2004) Oxfam's fair cup of coffee will leave a bitter taste OXFAM, we learnt last week, is going to back a chain of “fair trade” coffee bars. Meanwhile Gap clothing company has disclosed that many of the factories that it uses in developing countries do not comply with minimum labour standards. For those consumers whose prime concern is Third World development, the proper course is clear: buy clothes at Gap and avoid Oxfam’s coffee. (Times, 19 May 2004) ! EU draft talks hit by UK row Britain has sought to safeguard national sovereignty over several key issues during negotiations to secure a first-ever constitution for the European Union. (Ananova, 18 May 2004) Police chiefs call for stun guns All police forces in England and Wales may soon be given the option of using electrical stun guns if the government accepts the advice of senior officers. (Guardian, 18 May 2004) Nurse wins £20,000 in race case A black nurse suffered racial discrimination when she was banned from taking care of a sick white baby, an employment tribunal ruled yesterday. (Guardian, 18 May 2004) Government urged to make new buildings more eco-friendly All public buildings should be built to a single new sustainability code to avoid a repeat of the environmentally "disastrous" 1960s construction boom, a government taskforce recommends today. (Guardian, 18 May 2004) Butler alarm at No 10's informal procedures Lord Butler, the former head of the civil service who is investigating the role of the intelligence services in the build-up to the Iraq war, has been "horrified" to discover the extent of informal procedures introduced into Downing Street since he retired as cabinet secretary in 1998. (Guardian, 18 May 2004) Treasury accused as cost of information soars The Treasury is being accused of attempting to sabotage the Freedom of Information Act, which comes into force in January, by introducing such big fees to find documents that most people will not have the money to apply. (Guardian, 18 May 2004) Crimean Tatars recall mass exile Thousands of people have gathered in Ukraine's southern region of Crimea to mark the 60th anniversary of the mass deportation of Crimean Tatars. (BBC, 18 May 2004) The drugs don't Wok The gang that supplied drugs from a Chinese takeaway has been caged for a total of 16 years. Two men and a woman were sentenced at Inner London Crown Court yesterday for using the Royal China restaurant in Streatham High Road as a drugs den. (South London Press, 18 May 2004) Parmalat seeks new start by year-end Parmalat, the Italian dairy firm embroiled in a massive accounting scandal, could come out of administration by the end of this year and said earnings had increased in the past four months. (Telegraph, 18 May 2004) Ho Chi Minh worked in London pub The Drayton Court looks like a normal hotel on the outskirts of London - but it has rather an unusual claim to fame. Former Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh once worked in its kitchens, as a cleaner and dishwasher. (BBC, 18 May 2004) Sherpa breaks own Everest record A veteran Nepalese sherpa has broken his own world record by climbing Mount Everest for a 14th time. (BBC, 17 May 2004) Baghdad bomb kills Iraqi president The head of the Iraqi Governing Council has been killed in a suicide car bombing near a US checkpoint in central Baghdad. (Ananova, 17 May 2004) Rumsfeld accused on abuse The US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, personally authorised the expansion of a special programme which ultimately led to the abuses in Abu Ghraib prison, the New Yorker magazine claims today. (Guardian, 17 May 2004) Clwyd attacks US over abuse of prisoners Tony Blair's human rights envoy to Iraq has made a stinging attack on senior figures in President Bush's administration for failing to respond faster to alarming evidence about the treatment of prisoners and their families at the Abu Ghraib prison. (Telegraph, 17 May 2004) New British Rail urged to conquer chaos on the trains and cut costs Ten years after privatisation, the government is to take a historic step back towards virtually recreating British Rail as part of a wide-ranging shake-up to slash costs and boost the dire performance of the railways. (Guardian, 16 May 2004) Tesco axes sick pay to reduce 'days off' cheats Shopworkers union Usdaw backs supermarket giant's plan to claw back time lost to short-term absenteeism. (Guardian, 16 May 2004) Our moral Waterloo Underpinning the argument in support of the invasion of Iraq has been the idea of the moral virtue of the west. (Guardian, 15 May 2004) What do we know about schools? Choosing the best school for your child can be an agonising process. (BBC, 15 May 2004) Oil prices set new record highs The price of crude oil has hit a record high in New York and gained in London as concerns about supply and security persist. (BBC, 14 May 2004) Schools 'racially segregated' Government policies to promote parental choice in education are contributing to the development of racially-segregated schools in some British cities, a report has warned. (Ananova, 14 May 2004) £20m sell-off for public buildings A bumper sell-off of around 80 properties could raise £20million for a cash-strapped council. (South London Press, 14 May 2004) Code spurned on nurse poaching Britain is refusing to sign a code of good practice agreed by 22 Commonwealth countries to stop the poaching of nurses across international borders, it emerged yesterday. (Guardian, 14 May 2004) Muslim groups infuriated by anti-terrorism poster Muslim groups have demanded that police withdraw an anti-terrorism poster, saying it unfairly links Islam to acts of violence. (Guardian, 14 May 2004) Anti-formula backlash given fresh impetus Breastfeeding in the UK began to slip out of fashion in the 1960s and has hardly recovered - we have some of the lowest rates in Europe and within two weeks of birth, half of British babies are exclusively taking bottles of formula. (Guardian, 14 May 2004) Working lives 'must be extended' Employees need to face up to a longer working life and get realistic about early retirement, a group of economic experts said today. (Guardian, 14 May 2004) Voluntary sector warned of 'feeding racial segregation' MPs have warned of the danger of voluntary organisations feeding racial segregation by working with only one section of the community. (Guardian, 14 May 2004) Nanny knows best Considerate to a fault, the Chinese authorities have closed down more than 8,600 unlicensed internet cafes in the past three months to ensure the "healthy development" of the nation's impressionable young minds. (Guardian, 14 May 2004) New EU members flouting controls on weapons trade, says Amnesty The entry of east European countries into the EU highlights how "dangerously ineffective" regulations on the arms trade are, according to a report published today by Amnesty International. (Guardian, 14 May 2004) Oxfam Launches 'Ethical' Coffee Shops ....The Progreso ethical coffee shops, which will probably be located in London, the South East and Glasgow, will also sell a range of fair trade foods such as biscuits and cakes. (Ananova, 13 May 2004) Jail fewer women, says Cherie Fewer women must be jailed to avoid "damaging the next generation of young children", Cherie Booth QC said. (Ananova, 12 May 2004) 'People trafficking' propping up NHS The expansion of the NHS is being achieved by the surreptitious poaching of nurses from developing countries that is tantamount to people trafficking, leaders of the Royal College of Nursing warned yesterday. (Guardian, 12 May 2004) Anger at inquest into fatal blaze The open verdict in the New Cross Fire inquest was greeted with bitter disappointment by bereaved families of the 13 young victims. (South London Press, 11 May 2004) 'Why I came to the UK to nurse' The UK has been relying heavily on overseas nurses to bolster staffing levels. Nearly half of all new registration nurses in the UK come from abroad. (BBC, 11 May 2004) Judge clears way for Iraqi death probes A High Court judge paved the way today for 12 Iraqi families to challenge a refusal by the Government to order independent inquiries into the deaths of loved ones allegedly killed by British soldiers. (Scotsman, 11 May 2004) UK troops 'shot harmless Iraqis' UK troops have killed Iraqi civilians including an eight-year-old girl when they were under no apparent threat, Amnesty International has claimed. (BBC, 11 May 2004) The second industrial revolution The biggest mass migration in the history of the world is under way in China, and it is creating what some are calling the second industrial revolution. (BBC, 11 May 2004) In pictures: Iraqi prisoner abuse Shocking photographs taken inside Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad reveal a range of abuses against Iraqi prisoners by US soldiers. Warning: You may find some of these pictures disturbing. (BBC, 10 May 2004) Drowned cocklers remembered The Chinese cocklers who drowned in Morecambe Bay after becoming caught by the tide were remembered yesterday with a two-minute silence. (Guardian, 10 May 2004) Immigrants held after UK escape bid Illegal immigrants have been arrested for trying to smuggle themselves out of Britain, police said. (Ananova, 8 May 2004) Grey skies over green pleasant land Prescott's plan for 200,000 new affordable homes in south-east faces strong opposition from local villagers. (Guardian, 8 May 2004) British soldiers accused of beating Basra man to death The Red Cross report sent to the US includes an incident in Basra which almost certainly refers to the death in British custody of a hotel receptionist, Baha Mousa, last September. (Guardian, 8 May 2004) Open verdict on New Cross blaze The families of 13 black youngsters killed in a house fire more than 20 years ago were tonight "extremely disappointed" with an open verdict recorded by a coroner holding a second inquest into their loved ones' deaths. (Evening Standard, 7 May 2004) Water bills could rise by £100 Some UK households face a £100 hike in their water bills over the next five years after water companies published details of their business plans. (Ananova, 7 May 2004) 'I will not give up' says Mrs Lawrence "The authorities have given up, but I will not" was Doreen Lawrence's pledge after hearing no one would be prosecuted for her son's murder. (South London Press, 7 May 2004) U.S. tightens grip on Najaf NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. troops have tightened their grip on Iraq's holiest Shi'ite city of Najaf and on the troublesome cleric who has launched a militia army against them. (Mirror, 7 May 2004) Third Brit soldier tells us: I saw PoW beatings Three rogue soldiers got away with spearheading a sickening campaign of abuse against Iraqi PoWs, a British trooper claimed yesterday. (Mirror, 7 May 2004) See Abuse pictures are fakes - Minister Torture's not new, but now it's news John Pilger on how the British wrote the book on military brutality. (Mirror, 7 May 2004) Booze crusade is streets ahead A drive to remove homeless street drinkers from an area where they have congregated for years is working, a report shows. (South London Press, 7 May 2004) DThousands of Maoris march to defend 'their' beaches Up to 20,000 angry Maoris led by bare-chested warriors in flax skirts crammed the grounds of the New Zealand parliament yesterday to protest at government plans to nationalise the country's seabed and foreshore. (Independent, 6 May 2004) The shot seen around the world When Tami Silicio saw the coffins of US servicemen on a cargo plane, she felt compelled to capture the moment. (Independent, 6 May 2004) Cancer charity turns down £1m Nestlé donation A leading British cancer charity has rejected a £1m approach from Nestlé over accusations that the Swiss food conglomerate promotes unsafe baby milk powder in developing countries. (Guardian, 6 May 2004) Scientists claim new evidence of warming Scientists are claiming to have found compelling new evidence for global warming, finally demolishing the argument of sceptics who have denied the phenomenon is real. (Guardian, 6 May 2004) Media blamed for loss of trust in government One of Tony Blair's closest advisers has warned that the government risks losing its legitimacy, partly due to a systematic failure of the media to report the truth. (Guardian, 6 May 2004) Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd The Jamaican record producer Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd, who has died of a heart attack aged 72, nurtured the career of nearly every internationally renowned reggae artist. (Guardian, 6 May 2004) Lessons in hatred Worried teachers say that the BNP is recruiting children as young as nine to its cause. (Independent, 6 May 2004) Darfur's human tragedy In the rocky desert of western Sudan, heat-waves shimmer on the horizon. (BBC, 6 May 2004) The torture victim Iraqi tells how he was stripped, beaten and sexually abused by US military Hayder Sabbar Abd is the man in the hood. He was one of the Iraqi prisoners stripped, humiliated, beaten and abused by American reservists and interrogators at Abu Ghraib prison in what is arguably the worst scandal to engulf the United States military since the massacre of Vietnamese villagers at My Lai in 1968. (Independent, 6 May 2004) Deepening Poverty Breeds Desperation in Haiti The pile of garbage behind the spot where Marie Joseph sells tins of tomato paste started out small, the usual primordial goo that coats this grimy capital's streets, binding a putrid mélange. (New York Times, 5 May 2004) 'No prosecution' on Lawrence murder The Crown Prosecution Service has concluded that there is not enough evidence to mount a fresh prosecution over the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence. (Ananova, 5 May 2004) Deepening Poverty Breeds Desperation in Haiti The pile of garbage behind the spot where Marie Joseph sells tins of tomato paste started out small, the usual primordial goo that coats this grimy capital's streets, binding a putrid mélange. (New York Times, 5 May 2004) Disney 'blocks' Moore documentary Controversial director Michael Moore has said film studio Disney is refusing to release his new documentary, which heavily criticises President Bush. (BBC, 5 May 2004) Vietnam's independence victory Vietnam's struggle for independence from French colonialism culminated in one of history's epic battles - the 56-day-long siege of Dien Bien Phu. (BBC, 5 May 2004) Oil soars despite overproduction Oil prices have hit a fresh 13-year high despite an admission from the oil cartel Opec that its members are still pumping way beyond their quotas. (BBC, 5 May 2004) Graduate debt 'will rise to £34,000' by end of decade Students will graduate from university with debts of nearly £34,000 by the end of the decade, a survey suggested yesterday. (Times, 5 May 2004) Blair promises to set Africa on the path of progress Tony Blair initiated his Commission for Africa yesterday with a pledge to make the plight of the continent the focus of his presidency of the G8 group of industrialised nations next year. (Times, 5 May 2004) Lack of clarity about EU constitution Sir, Neil Kinnock (T2, April 26) says: Far from intensifying centralisation - the draft treaty reinforces member states' powers, provides for extra involvement by national parliaments in the legislative process, and does not add to the powers of the Commission at all. (Times Readers' Letters, 5 May 2004) Trade unions practise what they preach Trade unions have been a part of working life for more than 170 years. Some were seen as wielding massive power, often holding the country to ransom with strikes and other forms of industrial action. (Times, 5 May 2004) 300 killed in 'genocide', says Nigerian leader Nigeria's top Muslim leader said yesterday that 300 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in Sunday's attacks by Christian militia in the town of Yelwa in the central Plateau state. (Sydney Morning Herald, 5 May 2004) 50 former diplomats attack Bush's policies in Middle East More than 50 retired United States diplomats have written to George Bush to complain about his policy in the Middle East, claiming that the president's approach was losing the country "credibility, prestige and friends". (Scotsman, 5 May 2004) Challenge to asylum benefit changes The Government's decision to block state support for asylum seekers from eastern European countries which have joined the EU is being challenged in the High Court today. (Ananova, 4 May 2004) In 1953 he was killed by sarin gas. Tomorrow his inquest opens Ronald Maddison was 20 when he died. A young airman, he had volunteered to go to Porton Down, the Government's secret chemical and biological weapons establishment in Wiltshire, to take part in tests. (Telegraph, 4 May 2004) Leaked UN report says 120 killed by government during Abidjan protest At least 120 people were killed by the government security forces and their militia allies after opposition parties in Cote d'Ivoire tried to stage a banned demonstration against President Laurent Gbagbo in Abidjan at the end of March, according to a leaked report by UN human rights investigators. (IRIN, 4 May 2004) Prescott 'pushing through' 200,000 extra homes John Prescott has begun to push through his plans for building 200,000 extra homes by 2016 in the Midlands and the South East. (Telegraph, 4 May 2004) Abuse photos 'not taken in Iraq' A former commander of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment has dismissed the Iraq abuse photographs as having "too many inconsistencies". (Ananova, 3 May 2004) See Abuse pictures are fakes - Minister Body found near sea tragedy site A badly decomposed body has been washed up near to where at least 20 Chinese cocklers drowned earlier this year. (Ananova, 3 May 2004) 'Lord Sainsbury to quit Government' Lord Sainsbury plans to quit the Government to dedicate more time to the supermarket group founded by his family, it has been reported. (Ananova, 2 May 2004) Migrants push up Scots population Scotland's population is on the rise due to an influx of migrants to the country. (Times, 1 May 2004) DDT: the story of a scandal that has killed millions Michael Crichton, the popular author, recently called environmentalism a religion that has killed millions. Lives - mostly African mothers and infants - were sacrificed at the altar of green political correctness. Strong stuff, just like the pesticide that at the heart of his claim, DDT (dichloro- diphenyltrichloroethane). The story of how DDT - which may have saved more lives than penicillin - became so demonised is worth telling in the week of Tony Blair 's Africa summit. (!) (Times, 1 May 2004) |
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updated:
9 Feb
2004