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Letter: Identity in South Africa Nearly two years ago, the story of Happy Sindane hit the headlines in South Africa. Happy claimed he was a white boy who had been abducted when he was a toddler by a black woman. (BBC, 28 Feb 2005) Malaysia migrant deadline expires Thousands of illegal workers have been rushing to leave Malaysia, as a deadline to get out of country expired. (BBC, 28 Feb 2005) Somali warlords veto troops plan A group of Somali cabinet ministers and MPs has denounced government proposals to deploy foreign peacekeepers. (BBC, 27 Feb 2005) Woman banned from jumping in the river A woman who attempted suicide four times has been banned from jumping into rivers and canals, or from going on to railway lines. Magistrates in Bath issued an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) against Kim Sutton, 23, which also forbids her from going alone to multi-storey car parks. (Telegraph, 26 Feb 2005) Call to get job back for black officer A councillor is demanding officials "stop stalling" and reinstate a black union representative after he was unfairly dismissed. Councillor Lydia Serwaa has tabled a motion at Lambeth's full council meeting tomorrow calling for Alex Owolade, a former homelessness officer and Unison representative, to get his job back. (25 Feb 2005) Home Office launches e-mail alerts A virus watchdog that warns businesses and home computer owners about serious e-mail threats has been launched by the Government. (Telegraph, 25 Feb 2005) itsafe.gov.uk Solutions to net security fears Fake bank e-mails, or phishing, and stories about ID theft are damaging the potential of using the net for online commerce, say e-business experts. (BBC, 25 Feb 2005) Minimum wage increased to £5.05 The minimum wage will rise in October, benefiting more than 1m people, the government has announced. (BBC, 25 Feb 2005) CCTV 'fails to cut crime or make people feel any safer' Most CCTV schemes fail to cut crime and cannot be shown to make the public feel safer, according to a study released yesterday by the Home Office. (Telegraph, 25 Feb 2005) DUnpaid overtime bill put at £23bn Employees are putting in £23 billion of unpaid overtime, according to a report released today by the Trades Unions Congress to highlight the UK's long hours culture. (Scotsman, 25 Feb 2005) 'Blacking up' festival-goers face police race inquiry Organisers of a centuries- old Cornish festival known as Darkie Days, in which locals "black up" and tour the town of Padstow singing minstrel-style songs, could be prosecuted for an offence under the Race Relations Act. (Telegraph, 25 Feb 2005) World population 'to rise by 40%' The world's population is expected to rise from the current 6.5 billion to 9.1 billion by 2050, the UN says. (BBC, 25 Feb 2005) Poor pupils 'go to worst schools' Many pupils from poor families are going to the worst schools regardless of where they live, a study says. (BBC, 25 Feb 2005) The privatised train now arriving at Platform 1 is 11,000 years late Rail passengers have wasted more than 11,000 years on delayed trains since the railways were privatised eight years ago, a study has found. (Times, 22 Feb 2005) Deadline on ethnic quota in the ranks is impossible, say the police Police chiefs want to renegotiate targets for the number of black and Asian recruits because forces cannot meet the Government's deadline. Under figures that were set out by the Home Office after the Stephen Lawrence inquiry, 7.7 per cent of the 150,000 officers in England and Wales are meant to be drawn from ethnic minority backgrounds by 2009. (Times, 22 Feb 2005) NHS poaching staff from Africa Kids in Africa are dying because their local doctors and nurses are being looted by Britain to work in the NHS, a damning report warns today. (Sun, 22 Feb 2005) Raleigh statue ignites row An anti-smoking group has protested at a tobacco company paying £30,000 to erect a statue to the Elizabethan adventurer who popularised smoking. (Times, 22 Feb 2005) Rubbish dump landslide wipes out village homes At least 40 people were killed and 76 were missing after heavy rains in Indonesia sent tonnes of rubbish from a makeshift dump crashing into homes yesterday. (Times, 22 Feb 2005) Newest EU members underpin growth The European Union's newest members will bolster Europe's economic growth in 2005, according to a new report. (Times, 22 Feb 2005) Chavez says US plans to kill him Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said he believes the US government is planning to assassinate him. (BBC, 21 Feb 2005) Ex-industry workers 'on benefits' One in five people in some of the UK's old industrial heartlands depends on state benefits, new research says. (BBC, 21 Feb 2005) Q&A: Incapacity benefit Misunderstanding Malcolm X On 21 February 1965, Malcolm X was gunned down in broad daylight at a political rally at the Audobon Ballroom in Harlem, New York. (BBC, 21 Feb 2005) Released Palestinians return home The largest release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel in a decade brought emotional scenes as the newly freed men were reunited with their families. (BBC, 21 Feb 2005) Spain voters approve EU charter A clear majority of Spaniards have voted in favour of the European Union constitution in a referendum. (BBC, 20 Feb 2005) Disquiet over Sri Lanka town plan It is a slow process, fixing the damage on the boats. Here in Hambantota, they are lined up at a makeshift yard where houses once stood. (BBC, 20 Feb 2005) Rich pump cash into property The number of new property millionaires in Britain has risen six-fold over the past seven years, creating housing "hot spots" in the north while underlining the strength of London and the south-east. (Guardian, 19 Feb 2005) Clarke hints at rethink on house arrest Charles Clarke today hinted that he was considering allowing judges, rather than politicians, to approve the house arrest of terror suspects. The home secretary ruled out, however, allowing phone tap evidence in terrorism cases. (Guardian, 18 Feb 2005) Information overload The government's plan to create an electronic file on every child in England continues to meet opposition. Under the Children Act 2004, local authorities are required to set up databases allowing doctors, teachers, social workers and other professionals to record and share "concerns" about children and families. (Guardian, 18 Feb 2005) Workers 'to back pensions strike' Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers will strike if a row over pensions changes is not resolved, Britain's biggest union has warned. Unison chief Dave Prentis said he had "no doubt" 800,000 members would vote to strike on 23 March. If other unions join in, 1.4m people will walk out. (BBC, 18 Feb 2005) Togo ends political rallies ban The authorities in Togo have lifted a ban on public rallies imposed after the death of President Gnassingbe Eyadema almost two weeks ago. (BBC, 18 Feb 2005) Call centre users 'lose patience' Customers trying to get through to call centres are getting impatient and quicker to hang up, a survey suggests. (BBC, 17 Feb 2005) Ethnic minority women face 'massive inequalities' Black and minority ethnic women are poorer, less healthy, less educated and significantly worse represented in the corridors of power than both white women and the rest of the UK population, according to research published today. (Guardian, 17 Feb 2005) Hunts ban passes the last hurdle as appeal dismissed The Government's ban on hunting with dogs in England and Wales will go ahead at midnight after the Court of Appeal dismissed a claim by the Countryside Alliance yesterday that the Hunting Act 2004 was not a valid Act of Parliament. (Telegraph, 17 Feb 2005) Government urged to back 'social tourism' Britain lags behind mainland Europe in helping families on low incomes to afford holidays, new research released today shows. (Guardian, 16 Feb 2005) WorldCom director admits to lying The former chief financial officer at US telecoms firm WorldCom has admitted before a New York court that he used to lie to fellow board members. (BBC, 16 Feb 2005) Kyoto Protocol comes into force The Kyoto accord, which aims to curb the air pollution blamed for global warming, has come into force seven years after it was agreed. (BBC, 16 Feb 2005) Fahrenheit 9/11 had no effect, says Carlyle chief The Carlyle Group, the American private equity firm whose former Saudi links were highlighted by film-maker Michael Moore, yesterday reported its "best ever" year and said it returned $5.3bn (£2.8bn) to its investors in 2004. (Guardian, 15 Feb 2005) Tories plan HIV tests for migrants The Conservative party raised the political heat on immigration yesterday by demanding that anyone seeking to come to Britain for more than a year should undergo compulsory health tests including screening for HIV and TB. (Guardian, 15 Feb 2005) 'Cannibals' round on Disney film The chief of Dominica's Carib Indians has attacked plans to portray the group as cannibals in the Disney sequel to the 2003 blockbuster, Pirates of the Caribbean. (Guardian, 15 Feb 2005) Workers' skills 'frustrate' firms The number of firms finding it hard to recruit skilled workers has risen by 50% in a decade, figures suggest. (BBC, 15 Feb 2005) £610m exam bill 'tragic waste' England's school exam system costs more than £610m a year to run, a report for the examinations watchdog has found. (BBC, 15 Feb 2005) Germans mark bombing of Dresden Germany has marked the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Dresden, one of the most controversial Allied operations of World War II. (BBC, 13 Feb 2005) Schooling beyond the curriculum What is school for? Is it just about teaching and learning or is it about preparing healthy, active, socially-aware young citizens? (BBC, 12 Feb 2005) Born to be a slave in Niger Slavery continues to blight the lives of many millions around the world. Although officially abolished in some countries two centuries ago, people trafficking, bonded labour and child labour still exist. (BBC, 11 Feb 2005) Italians mark war massacre Over the past few days millions of Italians have been watching dramatic scenes of ethnic cleansing on their television screens. Between 1943 and 1945 thousands of Italians living in Trieste, Gorizia and the Istrian peninsula were tortured, shot or pushed to their deaths in rocky chasms by communists determined to cleanse Yugoslavia of its Italian population. (Guardian, 10 Feb 2005) Prescott pledges action on sink estates Homes on some of Britain's worst sink estates are to be offered for sale and rent to higher income groups as part of a plan to tackle areas of concentrated poverty, the deputy prime minister, John Prescott, pledged today. ...The scheme, part of Mr Prescott's five-year plan for sustainable communities, will initially be tested in three areas: Harpurhey in Manchester - the most deprived area in England; Gipton in east Leeds; and Canning Town in Newham, east London. (Guardian, 9 Feb 2005) Child database could be new IT fiasco, says Hodge The children's minister, Margaret Hodge, today admitted she was worried that a controversial database of every child in England could become another IT fiasco. (Guardian, 9 Feb 2005) The migrants who prop up our services For many people, restrictions on immigration and asylum seekers is understood to mean "no more dark-skinned, thieving, lying, cheating foreigners" (Seeking a system fairer to UK and migrants, February 8). (Guardian, 9 Feb 2005) Three hands, one moment of history In the history of political handshakes peace can rest on the touch of a palm or the clasp of the elbow. When Mahmoud Abbas clasped the hand of Ariel Sharon yesterday the gesture carried with it the hope of millions that this time the years of bloodshed would be over. (Guardian, 9 Feb 2005) Europe faces 20m workforce shortfall The EU's active labour force will be 20 million short of the levels required to sustain growth and pay for an ageing population by 2030 even with substantial inflows of migrant workers, Vladimir Spidla, the employment and social affairs commissioner, said last night. (Guardian, 9 Feb 2005) Livingstone strikes budget deal with Greens Ken Livingstone is to fund the protest campaign against one of his most cherished regeneration schemes, the building of a new bridge in east London. (Guardian, 9 Feb 2005) Migrants found off Canary Islands Police in the Canary Islands have intercepted one of the largest groups of would-be immigrants ever to reach Spanish waters from Africa by boat. ...A Moroccan immigrant workers' association says about 4,000 would-be illegal immigrants have drowned making such journeys in the last five years. (BBC, 7 Feb 2005) Clarke unveils immigration plan A new points system that aims to ensure migrants wanting to work in the UK have the right skills is at the heart of the government's new immigration strategy. (BBC, 7 Feb 2005) Iraq bombings kill more than 25 At least 25 people have been killed in two separate insurgent bombing attacks in Iraq targeting the police force. (BBC, 7 Feb 2005) Denial over population plan clash Claims of clashes between London and Edinburgh over First Minister Jack McConnell's Fresh Talent drive have been denied by a UK minister. (BBC, 7 Feb 2005) Ceasefire brokered in reggae lyrics war A deal has been struck between reggae's dancehall artists and gay rights organisations to prohibit violently homophobic lyrics. (Guardian, 5 Feb 2004) Immigrants face fees to curb asylum abuses Immigrants who appeal against a refusal to allow their families to join them in Britain could face financial penalties under plans to curb abuse of the asylum system. (Telegraph, 5 Feb 2005) Morecambe Bay: One year on A year ago 23 Chinese people lost their lives as they harvested cockles, against a rising tide in Morecambe Bay. (BBC, 5 Feb 2005) Consumers attack Boots over lower doses in its supplements Britain's largest chemist was accused yesterday of "watering down" its vitamin and mineral supplements without clearly warning its customers. (Telegraph, 5 Feb 2005) Moroccans recall torture and terror as they confront 'the black years' The triumphant ululating that resounded across the meeting hall was forbidden under the rules of the commission. But after 30 years of silence Rkia Ouhabou's family could not suppress their relief at hearing her speak publicly of how they were imprisoned and tortured by police in 1973 and subsequently condemned as outcasts by their own village. (Telegraph, 5 Feb 2005) DR Congo's Leopold statue removed A statue of the Belgian colonial king, Leopold II, has been taken down just hours after it was re-erected in the Democratic Republic of Congo capital. (BBC, 4 Feb 2005) Gang master convicted over 'slave' workers A Ukrainian gang master, who earned more than £5m exploiting illegal immigrants through their work in British food factories, was yesterday found guilty of breaching money laundering and immigration laws. (Guardian, 4 Feb 2005) US pensions revolution 'repeats Thatcher's bungle' President Bush's ambitious scheme to privatise part of the government pension system stole the headlines in the United States yesterday. (Guardian, 4 Feb 2005) Call to turn tide on building beside London waterways Few underestimate the importance of the river Thames to London. From the well-heeled suburbs of the west, snaking past the political hubs in the middle and bisecting the new developments in the east, the Thames brings coherence to a city born of chaos. (Guardian 3 Feb 2005) UK's Kenya envoy in fresh attack Britain's high commissioner to Kenya has launched a fresh attack on corruption there, alleging the "massive looting" of public funds. (BBC, 2 Feb 2005) European Museums Go Corporate as Governments Cap Handouts Every year, 1.5 million people marvel at Sandro Botticelli's ``Birth of Venus'' as they snake through room after Renaissance room of Florence's Uffizi Gallery. (Bloomberg, 2 Feb 2005) Rice warns EU over China arms ban Condoleezza Rice is about to make her first official trip abroad US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has warned Europe against sending "the wrong signal" to China by ending an arms embargo on the country. (BBC, 2 Feb 2005) We don't want our vibrant city to end up like London Paris approved a series of measures yesterday to prevent la Londonisation of the French capital by encouraging small shops and key workers to stay in the city. (Times, 2 Feb 2005) The price of sugar In January 1804, a small island in the Caribbean became the world's first black republic. The African slaves toiling on its sugar plantations overthrew their French masters and declared independence. (Telegraph book review, 2 Feb 2005) Swept Into the World Nine days after giant waves struck Little Andaman island, a child was born in a soccer stadium and the Onge tribe of hunters and gatherers took a step away from extinction. The rain forest that surrounds the tribe, along with traditional Onge wisdom, saved it in a catastrophe that killed more than 150,000 people across southern Asia. Now some experts fear that the tsunami's aftermath will prove more dangerous than the waves. (Latin American Times, 2 Feb 2005) Burglar defence guidelines issued Householders who injure or even kill intruders are unlikely to be prosecuted - providing they were acting "honestly and instinctively", new guidelines say. (BBC, 1 Feb 2005) Guidance: Householders and the use of force against intruders Blair targets incapacity benefit Prime Minister Tony Blair has outlined plans for getting more people off incapacity benefit and into work. (BBC, 1 Feb 2005) Terror suspect freed from UK jail A foreign terror suspect held in the UK without trial or charge since December 2001 has been freed from jail. (BBC, 1 Feb 2005) Gipsy site row to face inquiry A planning enquiry into a Gypsy site near Minety, Wiltshire, has begun in Chippenham. An eviction has been stayed pending the outcome of the inquiry where Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott will make the final decision. (BBC, 1 Feb 2005) Ikea's ultimate flat pack - a flat in a pack for first-time buyers The first "flat pack" homes to be built on a large scale in Britain are to go on sale next month through Ikea. (Telegraph, 1 Feb 2005) |
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updated:
7 Mar
2006