The Wardman Wire

Here is todays roundup of stories.

Comment

Richard Adams (Comment is Free) - Slasher flick
US banks have stopped lending and America’s malls feel like the set of a zombie movie - that’s why the Federal Reserve rushed to cut interest rates today

Independent (Independent) - Legal showdown in the court of public opinion
The Bar has reached a critical point in its negotiations with the Government over fees. Robert Verkaik, Law Editor, considers who is winning this trial of wills

Mick Fealty (Telegraph)

- Red, blue and swing boroughs of London
It remains to be seen what effects last night’s documentary on Ken Livingstone has on a finely balanced London electorate. Certainly the news that Ken is given to a snifter or two of whiskey whilst on the job, will come as a surprise to many. But the degree to which the rest sticks is uncertain.

Magnus Linklater (Times Online) - Whingeing oversubsidised luvvies
The Arts Council were right to cut certain theatre grants. Decisions must be made. As soon as Sir Nicholas Hytner called the Arts Council of England’s theatre policy bollocks I knew the council must have got it about right.

Times Online (Times Online) - UK’s Top 10 fish and chips shops
From thousands of entries here’s the shortlist for the 2008 national Fish and Chip Shop of the Year competition

News

BBC (BBC) - ID cards to be delayed
Plans for a wider rollout of identity cards to British nationals appear to have been delayed for two years.

BBC (BBC) - Games may need non-EU workers
A ban on non-EU unskilled workers may have to be lifted if preparations for the 2012 Olympics are running late, a committee of peers has been told.

FT (FT) - FSA to prosecute in Motorola case
The Financial Services Authority launched its first criminal prosecution for insider dealing on Tuesday, toughening its stance in an area in which it has traditionally been considered soft.

Chris McGreal (Guardian) - Congo conflict causes 45,000 deaths a month: study
The effects of a decade of fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo is continuing to kill about 45,000 people each month - half of them small children

Polly Curtis (Guardian) - Top universities fail to spend £3m set aside to attract poorer students
Millions of pounds which could have funded thousands of students through top universities went unspent last year.

Martin Wainwright (Guardian) - Rate cuts expected as governments try to calm markets
Britain was last night pushing for an emergency meeting to calm financial markets as governments around the world tried to reassure nervous investors.

Independent (Independent) - Public borrowing smashes forecasts to hit record high
Britain’s public finances worsened yesterday as record borrowing figures cast doubt on ability of the Government to counter any fall-off in economic activity.

Mail (Mail) - Amazing photos from Nasa probe reveal mystery figure on Red Planet
This photo of what looks remarkably like a female figure with her arm outstretched, was taken on Mars.

Sky (Sky) - Consultancy Deloitte has predicted the big technology talking points for 2008.
It sees LED technology having a big impact as it influences the way we light our homes.

Tom Bawden in New York (Times Online) - Bank of America proftis plunge 95% as the credit crunch tightens its grip
Bank of America reported fourth-quarter net income of $268 million (£136 million) yesterday, down from $5.26 billion a year earlier

Scotland

BBC (BBC) - Study predicts population changes
Some parts of Scotland could see their population rise by more than 20% in the space of 25 years, the registrar general has predicted.

Wales

BBC (BBC) - MP hits out at charity sob-in
Writing in his blog, Paul Flynn - the MP for Newport West - said that Shelter Cymru charity operated a fatwa against good news.

BBC (BBC) - Smacking ban attempt is dropped
An attempt to ban smacking in Wales has been dropped after a wrangle between governments in Cardiff and Westminster.

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