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Radio 1 DJ freed from Dubai prison
The legendary BBC Radio 1 DJ, Grooverider, has reportedly been freed from a Dubai jail after serving 10 months of his four year sentence for cannabis possession. He was arrested towards the end of November when he was caught entering the country for a gig carrying 2.16 grams of cannabis. Many believed he would be granted a pardon immediately, as has happened with similar incidents with international artists, but Groove had to sit it out a bit longer.
Grooverider, real name Raymond Bingham, played an instrumental part in Britain's dance music culture, being hailed by many as the 'Godfather' of drum and bass as well as gaining respect for the BBC radio show he co-hosted with Fabio for a number of years.
Official Radio 1 report can be found here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/entertainment/newsid_... The legendary BBC Radio 1 DJ, Grooverider, has reportedly been freed from a Dubai jail after serving 10 months of his four year senten... more -
British comedy legend killed by 3.5T van
Legendary British comedy producer Geoffrey Perkins died in a freak car accident yesterday.
Not sure who he is? Well chances are if you've watched some British comedy over the last 20 years, and enjoyed it, Mr. Perkins probably had a hand in it.
Once a boss at the BBC, he produced the first BBC Radio comedy in stereo; the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, as well as overseeing shows including the Royle Family, Men Behaving Badly and League Of Gentlemen.
Since leaving the BBC, he was involved with Tiger Aspect productions, working on The Catherine Tate Show, The Fast Show and Father Ted for Channel 4, and Benidorm for ITV.
A true British comedy institution who'll be sadly missed. Legendary British comedy producer Geoffrey Perkins died in a freak car accident yesterday. ... more -
BBC to lure Harry Hill for new Generation Game
The BBC reportedly want to sign comedian Harry Hill, who currently works for rivals ITV, "possibly to host the new Generation Game."
Hill is currently on £1m a year at ITV, but the BBC could offer him £4m over three years to revamp the classic family game-show. The BBC reportedly want to sign comedian Harry Hill, who currently works for rivals ITV, "possibly to host the new Generation Gam... more -
Tomorrow's World to be revived
The BBC's former flagship technology show Tomorrow's World is to be revived.
The show is reportedly in the "advanced stages of development", however it will not be called Tomorrow's World.
Way to invalidate my whole story. Hey! Guess What?! Elvis is alive! Only he's not called Elvis, nor does he look or sing like Elvis. The BBC's former flagship technology show Tomorrow's World is to be revived. ... more -
BBC Chinese still accessible
Well, one day since the Games are officially over, and Danwei reports that previously blocked sites such as BBC Chinese are still unblocked since the media fuss at the start of August - here's hoping for a lossening of the reins in future, despite the latest iTunes music store embargo...
And a good point from Danwei:
"To the Net Nanny: note that the sky has not yet fallen." Well, one day since the Games are officially over, and Danwei reports that previously blocked sites such as BBC Chinese are still unbl... more -
China deports US Tibet protesters
China has deported eight Americans detained in Beijing last week for demonstrating about Tibet during the Olympic Games.
The eight left China on Sunday while the closing ceremony was taking place after American officials pressed for them to be released.
Washington had voiced "disappointment" that China had not used the Olympics "to demonstrate greater tolerance".
Two other detainees, a Briton and a German, were reportedly also freed.
The eight Americans were deported by the Chinese authorities at 2100 Chinese time (1300 GMT) on Sunday on a China Air flight to Los Angeles, the White House said.
They had been among dozens of foreigners who evaded security checks to demonstrate in favour of Tibetan independence and were arrested on 20-21 August.
They had faced up to 10 days in custody after hanging a "Free Tibet" banner near an Olympic venue and holding other small demonstrations.
Briton Mandie McKeown is expected to arrive home on Monday.
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown had raised Ms McKeown's case when he met his Chinese counterpart, Wen Jiabao, in Beijing on Friday.
Florian Norbu Gyanatshang, an ethnic Tibetan German, is said by German media to have been released and to be on his way home. - BBC China has deported eight Americans detained in Beijing last week for demonstrating about Tibet during the Olympic Games. ... more -
Criminalising the youth
The government is too quick to criminalise young people for petty offences where informal punishment could be more effective, says a report.
Ex-Youth Justice Board chairman Prof Rod Morgan criticised an "extensive net widening" of the use of summary powers such as cautions and on-the-spot fines.
His report for King's College, London, urged assessment of the development.
The Ministry of Justice said there was a reluctance to bring young people to court unless necessary.
The report for the college's Centre for Crime and Justice Studies said: "There is a good deal of anecdotal evidence, for example, that behaviour, particularly that of children and young people, is being criminalised which arguably would be better dealt with informally (school-related misbehaviour, for example) and in previous times was." It added: "The increased use of pre-court summary justice is one of the most important elements in the government's strategy for modernising the criminal justice system.
"The implementation of the strategy has received virtually no research, inspectoral or parliamentary scrutiny.
"The trend towards pre-court summary justice should more incisively be scrutinised to ensure that justice is being meted out fairly and effectively. We cannot be wholly confident that this is so."
Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve accused the government of "pursuing easy targets instead of going after the real criminals".
"Not only are serious offenders escaping real justice due to the reliance on spot-fines but, as this report shows, many people who should be dealt with informally are being criminalised," he said.
The Ministry of Justice said the government was keen to avoid individuals, especially children, being prosecuted through the courts when an equally effective alternative could be found.
A spokesman said: "The best way to avoid a criminal record is not to break the law.
"The law-abiding majority want to see crimes dealt with effectively, and fixed-penalty notices and cautions are part of this process.
"They allow police to deal swiftly with low-level offending, freeing them up to spend more time on frontline duties and more time investigating violent, dangerous and serious offences."
-BBC The government is too quick to criminalise young people for petty offences where informal punishment could be more effective, says a r... more -
BBC correspondent mobbed by Phelps fans
Steve Parry, is an Olympic swimmer, but he wants you to know that he is not Michael Phelps. Dozens of Chinese Michael Phelps fans, have mobbed the BBC correspondent believing that he is the Olympics Golden Boy, Michael Phelps. Steve Parry, is an Olympic swimmer, but he wants you to know that he is not Michael Phelps. Dozens of Chinese Michael Phelps fans, hav... more
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7/7 bombers were given £20,000... by Children in Need
Children in Need inadvertently handed £20,000 to the 7/7 London bombers, it emerged last night.
The BBC charity cash was given to a bookshop run by Mohammed Siddique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer, who spent it on videos glorifying holy war.
It also funded computers, gym equipment and the rafting trip made by the pair a month before their attacks claimed 52 lives. Children in Need inadvertently handed £20,000 to the 7/7 London bombers, it emerged last night. ... more -
Inbreeding makes pedigree dogs diseased and deformed
Poor doggies! Breeders are "playing God with dogs" in an effort to maintain purebred bloodlines, responding to demands of the dog show circuit. BBC One is airing a documentary on pedigree dogs tonight that exposes the diseases, deformities and suffering that plague many of Britain's five million pedigree dogs. Inbreeding is common practice, resulting in a "legacy of life-threatening ills, from agonising brain conditions to epilepsy, heart murmurs and cancers." The documentary shows some shocking scenes, prompting BBC to consider ending its partnership with Crufts dog show. Do you think there should be rules against inbreeding dogs for shows? Could this be the beginning of the end of parading your pedigree pooch? Poor doggies! Breeders are "playing God with dogs" in an effort to maintain purebred bloodlines, responding to demands of th... more
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Broccoli not curative for diabetes, BBC gets it wrong
A recent story put out by the British Broadcasting Corporation proclaimed that eating broccoli could reverse the damage to heart blood vessels caused by diabetes.
The BBC based its announcement on research showing that sulforaphane, a compound found in broccoli, helps the production of enzymes that protect blood vessels and reduce the number of molecules that can cause cell damage.
It turns out that the BBC was doing a bit of hasty generalizing: Although sulforaphane is found in broccoli, researchers have come nowhere near to saying that eating the vegetable will reproduce the effects they saw in the lab.
Read the whole story here. A recent story put out by the British Broadcasting Corporation proclaimed that eating broccoli could reverse the damage to heart blood... more -
Three female aid workers killed in Afghanistan
Three female international aid workers have been shot dead along with their Afghan driver near Kabul.
The women worked for the International Rescue Committee (IRC). It said one was Canadian, another was British-Canadian and the third was Trinidadian-American.
A second Afghan driver was hurt when unidentified gunmen fired on the group as they drove through Logar province.
Aid agencies are frequently targeted in the Afghan conflict, with convoys attacked and staff abducted or killed.
International aid groups have been unable to operate in many southern provinces for some time because of insecurity. More recently, violence has been spreading to other areas.
Logar - which lies just to the south of the capital - had been relatively stable but has become increasingly violent in recent months.
The BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul says the United Nations now classifies the province as high risk and that violence is encroaching on the capital.
Bodies
The three women and their two Afghan colleagues were travelling from Gardez in the south-east to Kabul when they were attacked.
**Read More** Three female international aid workers have been shot dead along with their Afghan driver near Kabul. ... more -
Tributes paid to BBC TV's Cotton
Sir Bill oversaw some of the BBC's most popular TV shows in the 70s, including Dad's Army and Monty Python. A very dear man and someone I had the pleasure of knowing. Sir Bill oversaw some of the BBC's most popular TV shows in the 70s, including Dad's Army and Monty Python. A very dear man ... more
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BBC Misinformation from Georgia
Pretty much every mainstream media source fails to mention the fact that Russia are present in a peacekeeping capacity (much the same as the US in Iraq/Afghanistan et al.) following the invasion (BY Georgia) or South Ossetia. The majority of casualties have been caused by the Georgian military bombing civilian areas.
The situation in Georgia has been triggered by an increase in Western grooming of the former Soviet satellite state. US and Isreali military personal are known to be in the country, for "training purposes", though this source claims that Israel has stated it has at least 1,000 troops already fighting there. Expect this information to get zero coverage on your news boxes.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&a...
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&a...
More links as I find them... Pretty much every mainstream media source fails to mention the fact that Russia are present in a peacekeeping capacity (much the same ... more -
Renewed violence in west China
Three security staff have been stabbed to death in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang, state media report.
The assailant killed the men at a checkpoint near the city of Kashgar, according to Xinhua news agency.
Sixteen police officers were killed in an attack in Kashgar earlier this month, but Xinhua said there was no evidence linking the two attacks.
(End of excerpt)
Full story at link by BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific Three security staff have been stabbed to death in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang, state media report. ... more -
Stasi theme bar causes uproar
BBC reporter Tristana Moore files this report on a controversial new pub in Berlin called the Stasi Bar named after the former East Germany's secret police. Although it has been nearly 20 years since the collapse of the Berlin Wall -- separating West Berlin from East Berlin -- and the end of East Germany's socialist government, elements of "ostalgie" have emerged in German culture in recent years conveying a sentimental nostalgia towards life in the DDR. The owners of the Stasi Bar, however, may be too provocative for some in Berlin, particularly those who remember the shadowy Stasi police. BBC reporter Tristana Moore files this report on a controversial new pub in Berlin called the Stasi Bar named after the former East Ge... more
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IOC putting 'Olympics highlights' on YouTube
The IOC has announced that it will be putting highlight clips of the games on YouTube in countries where broadcasters have no exclusive rights to the footage. This means that the clips will be 'geoblocked' so that only footage not covered by any of that country's main TV stations can be seen by people in that country. Sadly, we in the UK won't see any of this as the BBC has complete exclusive rights to the games. Let's hope they're generous with the iPlayer... The IOC has announced that it will be putting highlight clips of the games on YouTube in countries where broadcasters have no exclusiv... more
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A shoulder to cry on in Baghdad
The US military says levels of violence in Iraq are at their lowest for four years, but what psychological effect has constant unrest had on ordinary Iraqis? Caroline Wyatt returns to Baghdad after a 10-year absence to find out.
Caroline Wyatt describes how the streets and life of Baghdad has changed over the years. She visits one of the only remaining psychologists who still sees a small sign of hope and meets a soft-spoken UN envoy taking on one of the most dangerous jobs. The US military says levels of violence in Iraq are at their lowest for four years, but what psychological effect has constant unrest ... more -
Parents Forget Child at Airport
Staff at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel have found a four-year-old girl alone in a duty-free shop after her parents accidentally took a plane without her.
The parents boarded the flight to Paris with four of their five children.
The mother and father were sitting in different parts of the aircraft and did not realise their mistake until the captain informed them after take-off.
The girl was accompanied on the next flight to Paris. The parents will be questioned when they return to Israel.
It is understood that the ultra Orthodox family, who were emigrating to France, were late for their flight and carrying a large amount of luggage.
Each parent thought the girl was with the other, but she was instead wandering around the airport's large circular duty free area in tears.
She was able to give her name to officials who spotted her. They tried to contact her parents over the airport's public address system before realising the plane had already taken off.
"She was upset, crying, and asked over and over again for daddy and mummy," said Sarit Ben-Eden, the police officer in charge of the departures hall.
The incident was a reminder of the 1992 film Home Alone 2 in which a large family leave one of their children behind in an airport while rushing off on a Christmas holiday.
The child's grandmother, who had driven the family to the airport, told the Ha'aretz newspaper she did not know how the mistake could have happened.
"We're in shock. They're very responsible and organised, top-notch people. Apparently each one relied on the other and this is what happened," she said.
Friends of the couple have told the Israeli media that they had a lot on their mind.
But a police official told AFP news agency: "It is usual that travellers in a rush forget their luggage but not a child. This never happens."
An Israeli police spokesman told the BBC that they would be keen to speak to the couple on their return to Israel to examine the extent of their negligence.
Separately, the Israeli airline company is investigating how it allowed only six people on board with seven ticket stubs. Staff at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel have found a four-year-old girl alone in a duty-free shop after her parents accidentally took a ... more -
No playing allowed
Children are being denied adventurous play because their parents are nervous about exposing them to risk, a new survey suggests.
The UK-wide poll, commissioned by Play England, found half of 7-12 year olds have been stopped from climbing trees.
It also showed 21% of those surveyed had been banned from playing conkers, and 17% were not allowed to play chase.
The ICM poll interviewed 1,030 children and young people aged 7-16, and 1,031 adults during July 2007.
Play England, which says it promotes free play opportunities, insists that parents "constantly wrapping children in cotton wool" can harm the children's development.
The poll found showed 51% of children aged 7-12 were not allowed to climb a tree without adult supervision, with 49% stopped from climbing trees altogether because it was considered too dangerous.
'Life skills'
According to the research, 70% of adults had their biggest childhood adventures outdoors among trees, rivers and woods, compared with only 29% of children today.
It found children's experiences of adventure are confined to designated areas such as playgrounds (56%), their homes (48%) or theme parks (44%).
Adrian Voce, director of Play England, which is part of the charity National Children's Bureau, said playing was "an essential part of growing up".
"Adventurous play both challenges and excites children and helps instil critical life skills," he said.
"Constantly wrapping children in cotton wool can leave them ill equipped to deal with stressful or challenging situations they might encounter later in life.
"Children both need and want to push their boundaries in order to explore their limits and develop their abilities."
The survey was carried out to mark Playday, the annual celebration of children's right to play, which is co-ordinated by Play England.
Hundreds of events will be taking place across the UK on Wednesday 6 August to celebrate Playday. Children are being denied adventurous play because their parents are nervous about exposing them to risk, a new survey suggests. ... more
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