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Prescott Launches Communities Initiative Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott today unveiled his new five-year plan for regional regeneration, pledging to get people "more involved in the democratic life of their community". Mr Prescott outlined a comprehensive strategy for empowering local people and helping deprived communities overcome poverty. He was speaking at the start of a three-day conference in Manchester entitled Sustainable Communities: People, Places And Prosperity. (Scotsman, 31 Jan 2005) Judge backs Guantanamo challenge A US judge has ruled that special military tribunals being used to try hundreds of detainees at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba are illegal. (BBC, 31 Jan 2005) Housing plans criticised by MPs "Irreversible environmental damage" will be caused by government plans to build more than one million homes in south-east England, MPs have warned. (BBC, 30 Jan 2005) Environmental Audit Committee report Screen saver weather trial predicts 10°C rise in British temperatures Increased levels of greenhouse gases will have a much greater impact on climate change than previously thought and will lead to a "dramatically different" future, according to the largest ever climate change experiment. (Telegraph, 27 Jan 2005) What every pupil should know about Britain Children up to the age of 16 will be given compulsory history lessons about great British heroes such as Lord Nelson, Sir Francis Drake and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, under Conservative plans to restore respect for the nation's heritage. (!) (Telegraph, 27 Jan 2005) Curators rubbish minister's vision of 'hidden heritage' The Arts Minister published the Government’s long- awaited vision for museums in the 21st century yesterday, only to find it derided by specialists in the sector. (Times, 27 Jan 2005) We need housing for all Fiona Millar rightly draws attention to the link between homelessness and housing need and educational outcomes (Education, January 18), to which we could add health, quality of life and community cohesion. (Guardian readers' letters, 27 Jan 2005) Barbarity is the inevitable consequence of foreign rule Brown has gone further than Blair in the attempt to rehabilitate empire. (Guardian, 27 Jan 2005) Moment of truth The web is now the place to find out about government. Michael Cross uncovers the sites making the most of the Freedom of Information Act. (Guardian, 27 Jan 2005) Oil firms fund climate change 'denial' Lobby groups funded by the US oil industry are targeting Britain in a bid to play down the threat of climate change and derail action to cut greenhouse gas emissions, leading scientists have warned. (Guardian, 27 Jan 2005) Lawyers criticise house arrest plan Senior lawyers last night criticised the home secretary's plan for a new control order to be imposed on British and foreign terrorist suspects and called on him to think again. (Guardian, 27 Jan 2005) Terror suspects face house arrest British terror suspects will face a new system of executive-imposed "control orders" including curfews, tagging and being placed under indefinite house arrest, the home secretary announced yesterday. (Guardian, 27 Jan 2005) US captors' 'systematic torture' While anti-terrorism police were yesterday interviewing the four Britons released from Guantánamo Bay further details emerged of the alleged treatment of the men by their US captors. (Guardian, 27 Jan 2005) Let whites decide who can live here So is this the "real immigration debate" we've been waiting for? Michael Howard's plea to Sunday Telegraph readers has led to reams of newsprint and hours of broadcasting. (Guardian, 26 Jan 2005) Cash grants to boost payroll giving Small businesses are to be offered cash incentives to introduce a payroll-giving scheme enabling staff to make regular donations to charity, the government announced today. (Guardian, 26 Jan 2005) Hospital cleaners 'too rushed to be thorough' Overstretched hospital cleaning staff are being forced to clean as many as four wards in just one hour, according to a report published today. (Guardian, 26 Jan 2005) One in four teenage boys branded a serious offender A quarter of boys aged 14 to 17 can be classified as prolific or serious offenders, according to a Home Office study published yesterday. (Guardian, 26 Jan 2005) Guantanamo four 'need treatment' The lawyer for two of the four Britons freed from US custody in Guantanamo Bay has said they are victims of torture needing treatment and rehabilitation. (BBC, 26 Jan 2005) Terror suspects face house arrest Detention of foreign terror suspects without trial will be replaced with a range of new powers including house arrest, Charles Clarke has proposed. (BBC, 26 Jan 2005) Somalis build mosque on cemetery Somali militiamen have begun building a mosque on the site of an Italian colonial-era cemetery in Mogadishu, which they desecrated last week. (BBC, 26 Jan 2005) Arson probe into India stampede Indian police say fires that triggered a deadly stampede by Hindu pilgrims in which more than 250 died were started deliberately by fellow pilgrims. (BBC, 26 Jan 2005) Prescott plans to help first time buyers Government unveils initiative to help people get on the property ladder and plans to make more housing available. (Guardian, 25 Jan 2005) Slavery 'worse than ever' - Hague There is more slavery now than there was at the height of the slave trade, former Conservative leader William Hague has warned. (!) (BBC, 25 Jan 2005) 'It's the economy, glupi'* When the Government opened the 'floodgates' to immigrants from the 10 new EU countries last year, it was grimly predicted that they would be a grave threat to Britain. Yet, as Ross Clark reports, the effect has been anything but harmful. (Telegraph, 23 Jan 2005) Bank apologises for slavery JP Morgan Chase, an American bank, has apologised for its subsidiaries' involvement in the slave trade over 200 hundred years ago. The bank admitted to accepting slaves as collateral for loans. (Guardian, 22 Jan 2005) Flood aid pours in - many residents still in need of help Flood aid began pouring into the country yesterday with the IDB announcing a $20M grant but many of the worst affected people are still without adequate relief and serious concerns remain over the continuing high water levels. (Stabroek News, 21 Jan 2005) The politics of a phoney Britishness This week the government launched its new community cohesion strategy. But there can be no community cohesion while an entire group of citizens is cast as the enemy within. (Institute of Race Relations, 21 Jan 2005) Home is where the art is Boarded up houses in the west end of Newcastle have been painted with murals to make them look lived in, under a plan to tackle abandonment in the area. (Guardian, 20 Jan 2005) Indonesia's tsunami deaths soar Indonesia's health ministry has raised the figure for the number of people killed by the Asian tsunami disaster to more than 166,000. ...The announcement raises the global death toll to about 220,000. (BBC, 19 Jan 2005) Pilgrims pray during Hajj zenith More than two million Muslims from around the world have prayed on Mount Arafat on the most important day of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. (BBC, 19 Jan 2005) Prescott's urban homes plan too risky for developers, analysts warn Developers are turning against John Prescott's plan to build homes on recycled industrial land in towns and cities, according to research. (Guardian, 19 Jan 2005) Prison attacked for failing to protect suicidal women The prisons ombudsman yesterday criticised a jail where six vulnerable women prisoners died in a 12-month period, saying he was deeply uncomfortable that they had been placed in a segregation unit. Stephen Shaw was speaking at the inquest of Sarah Campbell, 18, the youngest of the six women to die at Styal prison in Cheshire. (Guardian, 19 Jan 2005) Recycling hits 17% national target Rates of recycling and composting of household waste rose 3 percentage points to a record level across England last year, with some councils making dramatic improvements to comply with government targets and avoid fines. (Guardian, 19 Jan 2005) Chinese reformer Zhao Ziyang dies China's purged Communist Party leader Zhao Ziyang has died at the age of 85, after suffering a series of strokes. Obituary (BBC, 18 Jan 2005) Iran rejects US operations claims Iran has dismissed a report in the US media that US commandos are conducting missions on Iranian territory to identify targets for possible strikes. (BBC, 18 Jan 2005) Aceh rebels seek talks as Jakarta's restrictions put aid in jeopardy Indonesia's separatist rebels announced an indefinite ceasefire in the tsunami-hit province of Aceh last night and called for urgent talks with the government to ensure the "effective" delivery of humanitarian aid. (Guardian, 14 Jan 2005) Power to the people No tsunami warning system could prevent another disaster while so many live without electricity. (Guardian, 14 Jan 2005) Harry and Hitler I find it disconcerting that the "outraged", and presumably anti-racist, media commentators seem to have focused on a single theme when denouncing Harry's odious choice of outfit (Royal family caught up in Nazi row, January 13). As an African Briton, I am appalled that both princes attended a party themed "native and colonial". (Guardian reader's letter, 14 Jan 2005) How to help the poorest One aspect of the tremendous Asian tsunami relief operation that has not received publicity is that of caste discrimination, to which India is particularly vulnerable. This affects communities of Dalits, the former "untouchables". (Guardian reader's letter, 14 Jan 2005) Hindus intend to 'reclaim' swastika Hindu groups within the UK intend to expel its Nazi association to prevent a Europe-wide ban of its use. Within the Hindu tradition, the swastika is seen as a sacred symbol for good luck. (BBC, 14 Jan 2005) Aceh rebels urge ceasefire talks Separatist rebels in the Indonesian province of Aceh have called on the government to join their ceasefire. (BBC, 13 Jan 2005) Prince Harry urged to visit Auschwitz Prince Harry was today told he should visit Auschwitz after his apology for wearing a Nazi officer's uniform to a fancy dress party appeared to do little to calm the controversy. (Guardian, 13 Jan 2005) Previous generation paid dearly for its youthful errors For the royal family, any connection with Nazis reopens old wounds and sensitivities. In the 30s, as Hitler came to power in Germany, the young heir to the throne who was to become briefly Edward VIII was fascinated by what was happening there. (Guardian, 13 Jan 2005) Genocide tribunal 'ignoring Tutsi crimes' The international tribunal for Rwanda was criticised yesterday for its failure to charge Tutsis suspected of killing Hutus in the 1994 genocide. (Guardian, 13 Jan 2005) Ethical adviser goes bust One of Britain's biggest firms of ethical investment advisers has collapsed, leaving clients with losses approaching £1m. Ethical Financial Limited, based in Cardiff, closed its doors to business last week, leaving investors with losses ranging from £3,000 to £200,000. (Guardian, 13 Jan 2005) I'm sorry for wearing Nazi swastika, says Prince Harry Prince Harry apologised last night to the Prince of Wales after attending a fancy dress party wearing a red Nazi swastika. (Times, 13 Jan 2005) Tutu calls for Guantanamo release Archbishop Desmond Tutu has called for the release of the remaining inmates at Guantanamo Bay and terror suspects detained without trial in the UK. (BBC, 12 Jan 2005) Police ban flags at Muslim celebrations Police have banned Muslims from carrying national flags at a series of religious celebrations later this month. (Telegraph, 12 Jan 2005) EU arms embargo on China 'to be lifted' The European Union's 15-year-old arms embargo on China will probably be lifted within the next six months, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has said. (Telegraph, 12 Jan 2005) The man behind Sudan's peace deal Relieved and humbled are the words the mediator who brought to an end one of Africa's longest-running civil wars used to describe his feelings as Sudan's government and southern rebels signed their historic peace deal on Sunday. "I feel that God really chose to use me in these negotiations, I feel very humbled," General Lazaro Sumbeiywo, a retired Kenyan general, told the BBC's Network Africa programme. (BBC, 12 Jan 2005) UK residents 'still held in Cuba' Several 'forgotten' British residents remain in custody at Guantanamo Bay as well as the four Britons whose release has been announced, lawyers say. Feroz Abbasi, Richard Belmar, Moazzam Begg and Martin Mubanga are to be freed by the US in the next few weeks. (BBC, 11 Jan 2005) McConnell: 'Come to Scotland' The next stage of the scheme to attract young people to work in Scotland has been set out by the first minister. (BBC, 11 Jan 2005) Olive oil acid 'cuts cancer risk' Scientists in Chicago say they have uncovered why a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil seems to cut the risk of developing breast cancer. (BBC, 10 Jan 2005) Patent law shakes up India's drugs sector India's $4.5bn (£2.4bn) pharmaceutical industry is at a crossroad following the introduction of a new patent regime on 1 January this year. (BBC, 10 Jan 2005) Krakatoa: The first modern tsunami It is not the first time that a major seismic event in Indonesia has made front-page news around the world. In the 1880s, close to the epicentre of this Boxing Day's earthquake, huge waves crashed into countries all around the Indian Ocean. It was the eruption of the volcano Krakatoa. (BBC, 8 Jan 2005) Deforestation paves way in Brazil Soya bean farmers in Brazil are demanding that a 600-mile-long stretch of highway, which runs due north through the Amazon region, should be paved so it can be used in all weathers. But environmentalists are alarmed at the plans to cut through the country's natural assets. (BBC, 8 Jan 2005) Losing the faith in France As secularisation takes an increasingly firm hold over French society, Catholic congregations are disappearing and the country's ageing priests are dying. (BBC, 7 Jan 2005) DUS launches Guantanamo abuse probe United States military officials have launched a new probe into charges of abuse against terrorist suspects being interrogated at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. (Scotsman, 6 Jan 2005) The re-imagining of Britain Life in the United Kingdom, A Journey to Citizenship, published in December 2004 by the Home Office, claims to assist people seeking British Citizenship, to integrate into Britain, by providing a 'better knowledge of our way of life'. In reality it serves up to new Britons a cocktail of reinvented history and mythical nationalism. (Institute of Race Relations, 6 Jan 2005) Italy 'to export nuclear waste to UK' Italy is hoping to export 99% of its nuclear waste to the UK after public demonstrations made it impossible to find a suitable site on Italian soil. (Guardian, 5 Jan 2005) Random drug testing launched in school The first random drugs testing scheme at a state school has started amid fears it could infringe civil liberties and increase truancy. (Telegraph, 5 Jan 2005) Mbeki attacks 'racist' Churchill President Thabo Mbeki has made a withering attack on Winston Churchill and other historic British figures, calling them racists who ravaged Africa and blighted its post-colonial development. (Guardian, 5 Jan 2005) Corrupted defence Mari Marcel Thekaekara reports from Tamil Nadu on claims that beachside development and violations of southern India's coastal regulations magnified the effect of the tsunami on the already struggling traditional fishing villages. (Guardian, 5 Jan 2005) Army restricted ethnic recruits The British Army secretly restricted the number of recruits from ethnic minorities for 20 years, newly released official documents show. (4 Jan 2005) Death toll nears 150,000 Searchers today all but gave up hope of finding more survivors from last week's devastating tsunamis, as the death toll across nearly a dozen Asian and African nations neared 150,000. (Guardian, 3 Jan 2005) US plans permanent Guantanamo jails The United States is preparing to hold terrorism suspects indefinitely without trial, replacing the Guantanamo Bay prison camp with permanent prisons in the Cuban enclave and elsewhere, it was reported yesterday. (Guardian, 3 Jan 2005) How Afghan heroin leaves a trail of ruined lives on its long journey to the west The muezzin's call to prayer rings out across Quetta, the mountain-ringed capital of Balochistan province in Pakistan's south-west. (Guardian, 3 Jan 2005) Right to information becomes law People will have the right to access information held by 100,000 public bodies when the Freedom of Information Act comes into force on Saturday. (BBC, 1 Jan 2005) |
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updated:
5 Nov
2005