Friday 18 March 2005

By Maria Ahmed, Simeon Brody, Amy Taylor and Derren
Hayes

Howard vows to reform or scrap Human Rights Act

The Human Rights Act is undermining British traditions of fairness,
Michael Howard will claim today.

Source:- The Times Friday 18 March 2005 page 2

HIV appeal loss

An asylum-seeker who knowingly infected three women with HIV by
having unprotected sex has lost his appeal against his
conviction.
Feston Konzani was jailed for 10 years at Teeside Crown Court last
year. He is due to be deported to Malawi once he finishes his
sentences.

Source:- The Times Friday 18 March 2005 page 4

Traveller patrols

Police have increased armed patrols at a traveller’s site
after a caravan was set on fire only hours after a murder.

A man was shot and killed on Wednesday at the site in Chobham,
Surrey, which is the subject of controversy over planning
permission. Police believe the arson of the caravan is linked to
killing.

Source:- The Times Friday 18 March 2005 page 9

All night in the nursery with a £45 sleepover

A children’s nursery has developed a service for night-shift
workers that could solve the problem of overnight childcare. The
Bright Beginnings Day Nursery, in Balby,

Doncaster, is offering a teatime to lunchtime service which, it
believes, will get around the problem posed by government
regulations.

Source:- The Times Friday 18 March 2005 page 15

Asylum seekers jailed for having no passport

More than 320 asylum seekers have been arrested and 134 convicted
under new legislation which penalises those who fail to produce a
passport, The Guardian has learned.

They have been charged and prosecuted for “documentation
offences” under a controversial section of the Asylum and
Immigration Act which came into force last September.

Source:- The Guardian Friday 18 March 2005 page 2

First night unit aims to cut jail deaths

An innovative unit designed to save the lives of women prisoners
was opened yesterday at Styal prison, in Cheshire, where six women
died over 12 months between 2002 and 2003.

Source:- The Guardian Friday 18 March 2005 page 5

Travellers trapped by press and politics

Battered by the local council and hysterical headlines,
Brentwood’s Travellers – and their neighbours –
just long for a quiet life.

Source:- The Guardian Friday 18 March 2005 page 5

Girls beating boys in every area before they are five,
study shows

Girls outstrip boys in academic, social, emotional and physical
achievement by the age of five, research has found.

The widest gap was in creative development and the narrowest was in
knowledge and understanding of the world.

Source:- Daily Telegraph Friday 18 March 2005 page 5

Jacob murder case jury fails to reach verdict

The trial of a man accused of murdering his terminally-ill son
collapsed yesterday when the jury failed to reach a verdict.

Andrew Wragg, 37, of Worthing, had denied murdering his 10-year-old
son Jacob by smothering him with a pillow as he slept. He admitted
manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but this
was not accepted as a plea by the Crown.

Source:- Daily Telegraph Friday 18 March 2005 page 5

Rhubard but no custody

A woman who threw three sticks of rhubarb at her 72-year-old
brother was given an anti-social behaviour order and 40
hours’ community service.

She threw the fruit when her brother laughed at her during an
argument at their farm in Newbiggin, North Yorks.

Source:- Daily Telegraph Friday 18 March 2005 page
10

Prescott tells councils to make room for 211,000 new
homes

John Prescott is to order 211,000 new homes on Milton Keynes and
the South Midlands over the next 16 years to hep alleviate the
shortage of houses in London and the South East.
 
Source:- Daily Telegraph Friday 18 March 2005 page
12

Teachers threaten walk-out after deal to cut hours is
blocked

Teachers are threatening to strike after an agreement to reduce
their workload was rejected by headteachers.

Leaders of the National Association of Head Teachers said ministers
had not given schools enough money to implement it.

Source:- The Independent Friday 18 March 2005 page 2

MPs say benefits of choice exaggerated

The government has exaggerated the benefits of giving consumers
access to a wider range of health and education providers,
according to a report by MPs.

The public administration select committee said the rhetoric of
“choice” did not match the reality.

Source:- Financial Times Friday 18 March 2005 page 2

Scottish news

Council forcibly buys land for homes

The shortage of affordable housing in Scotland has led to a local
authority forcibly buying land from a developer.

It is the first time a council in Scotland has used a Compulsory
Purchase Order (CPO) to tackle affordable housing shortages.

Under the order, North Ayrshire Council will take over land on the
west coast of Arran, initially earmarked for luxury homes, and
build local housing association units.

Source:- The Herald Friday 18th March

Strike threat in housing rent row

Unison members at Glasgow Housing Association, Scotland’s largest
social landlord, have voted for industrial action in a dispute over
rent payment facilities. The association has developed a pay point
scheme so that tenants can pay rent at shops, banks, post offices
and building societies leading to the closure of 14 payment
centres. But members say the changes will inconvenience tenants,
especially older people.

Source:- The Herald Friday 18th March

Welsh newspapers

School heads call for better funding

Each secondary school in Wales could afford five times as many
teachers per year if they were given the same amount of money as
they get in England, headteachers said yesterday.

The Secondary Heads Association has produced a report stating that
Welsh schools get £150-£200 per pupil a year less than in
England.

Source:- Western Mail Friday18 March

Teenager guilty of killing boyfriend

An 18-year-old was found guilty of killing her boyfriend with a
carving knife at Cardiff Crown Court today.

Hayley Wallbank, killed Gareth Evans after he told her he had sex
with a friend.

The jury cleared Wallbank of murder but found her guilty of
manslaughter.

Source:- Western Mail Thursday 17 March