Redcap inquest to take place
A coroner’s inquest is to be held in April or May for six military police redcaps killed by an Iraqi mob at al-Majar al-Kabir in southern Iraq in June 2003, it was announced.
Having rejected the board of inquiry’s report, which concluded that the deaths could not have been prevented, the families said that they hoped that the coroner would call witnesses who could explain why the six soldiers from the Royal Military Police were allowed into a town known to be volatile with only 50 rounds of ammunition each and no satellite phone.
BBC apologises
Advertisement
The BBC apologised after complaints about the Rev Dr John Bell, of the Iona Community, a contributor to Thought for the Day on Radio 4. He recounted an unsubstantiated story about a Muslim conscripted into the Israeli Army and imprisoned for refusing to shoot Palestinian schoolchildren.
Fit for the record
A former Paratrooper completed nearly 19 hours of non-stop sporting challenges to become the World’s Fittest Athlete. Paddy Doyle, 40, from Solihull, West Midlands, knocked about 21 minutes off the previous record. The challenges included running, rowing, swimming, cycling, press-ups and weightlifting.
Advertisement
Hacking charge
Daniel Cuthbert, 28, of Whitechapel, East London, appeared at Horseferry Road Magistrates’ Court to deny hacking into the website that administers Britain’s multimillion-pound tsunami relief fund. He was released on unconditional bail to appear before the same court on April 7.
Smarties move
The Smarties tube, unaltered in shape since it was introduced by Rowntrees in 1938, is to be superseded by a hexagonal model. Nestlé Rowntree said the decision, which comes into force in the summer, was made because it is thought the new shape will appeal more strongly to modern children.
Three die as car crashes in river
Advertisement
A mother and two young children died last night after the car they were in plunged into a river (David Sanderson writes).
Firefighters cut them out of the car after it landed upside-down in the River Lea in Broxbourne, Essex. Paramedics tried to revive the three, who were in the water for nearly 90 minutes, but the mother was declared dead at the scene.
The two children, believed to be boys aged six and three, were pronounced dead later at hospital.
Fan’s death was unlawful killing
An England football fan who was celebrating with friends in Lisbon after a victory in the Euro 2004 championship died after being stabbed by a vagrant, an inquest was told.
Advertisement
Stephen Smith, 28, from Wolverhampton, was in a bar when he was attacked. His friends chased and caught Vadym Abramov, a Ukrainian, who had been pestering England fans for cigarettes. Abramov has been jailed for 13 years by a Lisbon court. The Wolverhampton City Coroner, Richard Allen, recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.
Xbox burns alert
Microsoft is to replace the power leads of 14 million of its Xbox game consoles after faults caused burn injuries to seven people and smoke and other damage to property in 23 other cases. Xbox owners in Britain should go to www.xbox.com, or telephone 0800 0289276, for details of affected units.
CSA mystery
Opposition parties have questioned why Doug Smith, the head of the Child Support Agency, is still in his post after the Government said that he was leaving. Mr Smith’s departure was announced on November 17, but officials confirmed that he was still in the post despite his job being advertised twice in The Times.
Advertisement
ENO surprise
English National Opera has surprised the world of music by appointing as its music director a man who has conducted one opera sung in English. The company’s ethos is to promote opera in English. Oleg Caetani, 48, who is Swiss-born and conducted Khovanshchina for ENO in 2003, takes over next season.
Teacher in court
William Fraser, 53, a deputy head teacher at Portlethen Academy who admitted purchasing and downloading more than 3,000 indecent images of children, was put on probation for two years by Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
He must do community service and attend a joint sex offenders project.
Appeal success
Stewart Kidd, jointly found guilty of killing a bride’s brother outside her wedding reception in Dundee, won a nine-year fight to have his conviction quashed. The Appeal Court in Edinburgh ruled that Mr Kidd, jailed for 7 years in 1996 when he was 19, was the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
Rankin Bursary
Ian Rankin is supporting the next generation of Scots writing talent by setting up a bursary. The author is handing over £500 to three students a year for three years at the Adam Smith Foundation at Fife College. Communications and media or practical journalism students will be eligible.
Airport delay
A decision on extending Aberdeen airport’s opening hours was deferred. The city council’s planning committee backed a two-year trial to open it 24 hours a day for fixed-wing flights but an amendment — suggesting restricting night flying to delayed flights — means the full council must decide.