Muslim leaders raise concerns
Extremism among British Muslims has increased since the September 11 terrorist attacks and the gap between Muslims and non-Muslims has widened, community leaders said yesterday.
Muhammad Abdul Bari, of the Muslim Council of Britain, said that Britain was “one of the best places to live as a Muslim” but that British foreign policy could be fuelling radicalisation. Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, of the Muslim Parliament, criticised Muslim communities for failing to root out “militant jihadist ideology”.
Doctor shortage
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A shortage of specialist sports doctors to test and treat athletes for drugs could leave the UK unprepared for 2012 Olympics, it is feared. Charles Galasko, of an Edinburgh sport and exercise medicine faculty, said that 30 such doctors would be needed but only three were registered with the General Medical Council.
Motorway deaths
Four people died in a pile-up on the M6 involving at least ten vehicles, two of them lorries. The accident happened on the northbound carriageway close to junction 11a, near Great Saredon, Staffordshire, last night, less than an hour after another fatal collision on the same motorway.
Afghans ‘need aid’
A British aid agency has given warning that millions of Afghans face starvation. Christian Aid says that farmers in the worst affected areas in the west and north west of Afghanistan had lost 100 per cent of their crop after the rains failed last winter and spring.
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Orchestra’s pod
A British orchestra is copying the example of Arctic Monkeys by moving into cyberspace. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s first podcast will go live today. The orchestra is also introducing online music, interviews and discussions. The 30-minute podcasts will include interviews with soloists and conductors.
Naval memorial
A memorial service has been held to honour 130 Royal Navy sailors killed in their sleep during the First World War. The ratings were at HMS Pembroke in Chatham, Kent when a Gotha bomber struck on September 3, 1917.
Stolen bones used by NHS
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Bones stolen by the body-snatchers who took the corpse of the broadcaster Alistair Cooke and others were imported into Britain and used on NHS patients (Lewis Smith writes).
Up to 77 patients had grafts or implants of sections of potentially contaminated bone imported from the US after being stolen from funeral parlours. The operations involved up to 20 primary care trusts, which were urged several months ago to notify patients and offer them screening for a range of diseases. All the patients had the imported bone fragments implanted or grafted to their hips or jaws to fill holes in their own bones.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said that medical authorities had acted immediately when the gang’s activities were discovered.
Balloon crashes
A man aged 48 and a boy aged 12 suffered facial burns when their hot air balloon hit live overhead power cables and burst into flames near the village of Ruyton XI Towns in Shropshire. A witness said that the balloon was trying to land when it hit the cables. The two casualties were taken to hospital.
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Beach attack
A 61-year-old woman from Portsmouth who went for an afternoon stroll at Hope Beach on the Isle of Wight was in critical condition after she was pushed 12 feet down concrete steps. Police said they were treating the attack as an attempted murder and were seeking a young, stocky male with cropped hair.
Salmon ‘snub’
The Prince of Wales has been accused of snubbing Scottish salmon. His company, Duchy Originals, is producing smoked salmon from fish caught in North America. A spokesman said Alaskan salmon had been chosen because they were part of the Marine Stewardship Council’s approved sources of sustainable fish stocks.
Fatal beating
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Police arrested 21 men after a man was beaten to death at a South London pub. Detectives are investigating whether Duncan Frame, 52, from Plumstead, southeast London, died in clashes between supporters of Tottenham Hotspur and Charlton Athletic football clubs at the Cutty Sark pub in Thamesmead.
Archers in fashion
Zandra Rhodes, the fashion designer famous for her outrageous outfits, will have a cameo role as herself in The Archers. Rhodes, 65, will be guest of honour at a fashion show. Rosemary Watts, the episode’s director, said it was a great pleasure to work with her. BBC Radio 4 will air the episode on September 22.