BBC launches new political website, Democracy Live |
| Monday 2 November 2009
00.06 GMT |
Just when politicians thought that they might get some time away from the public gaze, as the electorate grows weary of MPs' expenses, a new watchdog has been born. The BBC today launches a new online service, Democracy Live, which will enable the public to follow political debates more closely than ever before in the months leading up to the general election. |
The site is believed to have cost just over £1m to launch and has been funded from the BBC's existing online budget. Eleven permanent members of staff will run the service. |
Drawing on the success of political sites such as TheyWorkForYou, Democracy Live will provide a one-stop shop of political videos, with eight video streams to watch – including proceedings from Westminster and Strasbourg, as well as debates taking place in Holyrood, Cardiff and Stormont. Read more at www.guardian.co.uk |
Death toll mounts as Philippines hit by third typhoon in a month |
The typhoon death toll in the Philippines rose yesterday as the third storm in a month tore across the main island, destroying homes and sweeping away at least six people in flash floods. |
More than 100,000 people were moved out of their homes ahead of the landfall of Typhoon Mirinae, the most recent of an unusually late and intense burst of storms to hit the archipelago. |
Many of those who moved to emergency shelters in schools and other public buildings had only just returned to their homes after escaping an earlier typhoon, which dumped a month's rain on the islands in one day at the end of September. |
The two cyclones followed similar paths, but yesterday's storm fortunately weakened before it hit Manila, a sprawling capital of 12 million people. Read more at www.guardian.co.uk |
Long-term use of mobile phones 'may be linked to cancer' |
| Published: 8:00AM BST 24 Oct 2009 |
A £20million, decade-long investigation overseen by the World Health
Organisation (WHO) will publish evidence that heavy users face a higher risk
of developing brain tumours later in life, The Daily Telegraph can
disclose.
|
The conclusion, while not definitive, will undermine assurances from the
government that the devices are safe and is expected to put ministers under
pressure to issue stronger guidance.
|
A preliminary breakdown of the results found a “significantly increased risk”
of some brain tumours “related to use of mobile phones for a period of 10
years or more” in some studies.
|
The head of the Interphone investigation said that the report would include a
“public health message”.
|
The Interphone inquiry has been investigating whether exposure to mobile
phones is linked to three types of brain tumour and a tumour of the salivary
gland.
Read more at www.telegraph.co.uk |
Postal union in high court bid to block Royal Mail 'strike breakers' |
The union representing striking postal workers will go to the high court this week in an attempt to stop Royal Mail recruiting 30,000 temporary staff who they allege are being used as "strike breakers". |
A spokesman for the Communication Workers Union said that, after two weeks of evidence gathering, it was now in a position to bring its case against the Royal Mail. The development came amid claims that Jobcentre Plus staff have been told to stop sending applicants for the temporary positions until the legality of Royal Mail's action has been established. |
"We will be in the high court on either Monday or Tuesday, when we hope to stop Royal Mail recruiting more workers being used to break a legal trade dispute," said a spokesman for the union. The case could play a pivotal role in the future of the strike. Read more at www.guardian.co.uk |
Tony Blair makes last-ditch bid to secure EU presidency |
Tony Blair is expected to bow out of the race to become the EU's first permanent president by the end of next week if he fails in a last-ditch effort to win public support from the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. |
Allies of the former prime minister insisted last night that his bid for the top EU job was still alive and that there remained a "decent chance" of success – despite Gordon Brown's failure to win any substantial backing for him during informal discussions at a Brussels summit last week. |
Hinting that Blair might now broaden his campaign and push for talks, in person, with Merkel and others in a final effort to turn things around, supporters said he had yet to lay out a "detailed case" to EU leaders about how he would approach the job and why his talents were needed. Read more at www.guardian.co.uk |
US in new push for Mid-East peace
|
Page last updated at 12:27 GMT, Saturday, 31 October 2009 |
| US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in the Middle East for talks aimed at unblocking the peace process. |
She met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the United Arab Emirates before heading to Jerusalem to see Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking earlier to the BBC, Mrs Clinton said a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians remained a "high priority" for the United States. The US remains committed to plans for a two-state solution, Mrs Clinton added. |
Before Mrs Clinton's arrival in the region, Mr Netanyahu said he hoped for a resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians as soon as possible. However, a key sticking point is Israel's refusal to freeze settlement building on the occupied West Bank. Read more at news.bbc.co.uk |
Royal Mail strikes will get longer, says CWU |
Industrial action by postal workers could escalate into longer walkouts, a union leader has warned as postal workers take to picket lines across the country for a second round of strikes. |
Billy Hayes, the general secretary of the Communication Workers Union, said there was "every prospect" that industrial action would be stepped up. |
"We will be upping the dispute. We will not be scaling it down. There is every prospect that we will increase the action and we could be looking at longer strikes," said Hayes. |
Access to water was part of a peace deal? Outrageous! Access to clean and safe drinking water is a basic human right.
Report: Palestinians denied water
|
Page last updated at 08:58 GMT, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 |
| Israel is denying Palestinians access to even the basic minimum of clean, safe water, Amnesty International says. |
In a report, the human rights group says Israeli water restrictions discriminate against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. It says that in Gaza, Israel's blockade has pushed the already ailing water and sewage system to "crisis point". Israel says the report is flawed and the Palestinians get more water than was agreed under the 1990s peace deal. |
| Israel must end its discriminatory policies, immediately lift all the restrictions it imposes on Palestinians' access to water |
In the 112-page report, Amnesty says that on average Palestinian daily water consumption reaches 70 litres a day, compared with 300 litres for the Israelis. |
It says that some Palestinians barely get 20 litres a day - the minimum recommended even in humanitarian emergencies. Read more at news.bbc.co.uk |
How police rebranded lawful protest as 'domestic extremism' |
| The term "domestic extremism" is now common currency within the police. It is a phrase which shapes how forces seek to control demonstrations. It has led to the personal details and photographs of a substantial number of protesters being stored on secret police databases around the country. |
| Police insist they are just monitoring the minority who could damage property or commit aggravated trespass, causing significant disruption to lawful businesses. Activists respond by claiming this is an excuse that gives police the licence to carry out widespread surveillance of whole organisations that are a legitimate part of the democratic process. |
| Setchell said the "fair proportion" of the intelligence comes from Special Branch officers and police who monitor and photograph demonstrations.Read more at www.guardian.co.uk |
US declares swine flu 'emergency'
|
Page last updated at 16:36 GMT, Saturday, 24 October 2009 17:36 UK |
US President Barack Obama has declared swine flu a national emergency. The White House said the president signed the proclamation concerning the 2009 H1N1 outbreak on Friday evening. It increases the ability of treatment facilities to handle a surge in H1N1 patients by easing the implementation of emergency plans. |
Last week US officials said swine flu activity was widespread in 46 states. More than 1,000 US deaths have been linked to the virus. Health officials say the infections are already comparable to peak season flu levels. |
| The aim of the directive is to remove bureaucratic hurdles, allowing sick patients to receive treatment more quickly and giving health-care providers more flexibility in providing it.Read more at news.bbc.co.uk |
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BBC launches new political website
