Sky News 6 March 2005

1. 200 Osama Bin Laden  trained terrorists – former head of Metropolitan Police Sir John Stevens – in the „News of the World“ – unambiguous warning – attacks from NY and Madrid could be repeated in Britain – criticises politicians who block the new bill – there is an undercover army out there risking their lives to protect us -  danger not from foreign born extremists – law lords recently ruled that holding terrorist suspects in British jails without trial was disproportionate and discriminatory – judges need to be reminded that it is also their job to protect society as a whole, not just hard-core fanatics – Prevention of Terrorism Act – (Mark Whites) – how strongly he feels about it – London is a major terrorist target, Britain needs to be on its toes – the law must come rather sooner than later or it will bring comfort to terrorists – change the law as it stands and bring in stricter control orders (Juliet Errington)

 

2. Deputy General Secretary SHA (Secondary Heads Association) Martin Ward will tell a Brighton conference that TV showing footballers swearing, cheating and arguing with the ref makes it harder to control unruly pupils – ban football from TV screens before nine – violence, filthy language, cheating – “This is shown on prime time television making the job of schools – where public expectations of standards of behaviour are much higher than elsewhere in society -  infinitely more difficult – wants to do more to curb the excess of the players (Patrick Horwood) – “Do schoolchildren copy footballers’ bad behaviour? Yes 83, no 17%

 

3. David Sheppard former bishop of Liverpool died of cancer aged 75 – city’s bishop for 22 years – former captain of the England Cricket team

 

4. Diego Maradona has stomach stapled -  44 year old world cup winner – 18 stone – he’s only 5 foot 6 -  one of the finest players of all time – has been treated for cocaine addiction  operation took place in Columbia (one stone equals 14 pounds or 6.356 kilograms)

 

5. Body of Italian security agent shot dead by US troops has arrived in Rome  - Nicola Calipari was killed at a road block after securing the release of Giuliana Sgrena  – American forces claimed that the car failed to slow down – Ms Sgrena said the car was not speeding

 

6. Royal Wedding stamps to be issued – Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles- they’ll marry in over a month’s time, the Queen will not go to the registry office

 

7 Shadow of bitter clash over NHS hanging over Tony Blair and Michael Howard – Lib Dem is the only real alternative to Labour – Lib Dem Leader Charles Kennedy – an unseemly crush – general election date is not public knowledge yet, his speech to the Lib Dem conference sounded a campaigning note – we were the real opposition to the war in Iraq - … to Labour’s increasingly authoritarian instincts - …against student tuition top-up fees (?)  - today the Tory leader’s turn – the conservative’s Welsh conference in Cardiff – attack on government health policy focusing again on the case of Margaret Dixon whose string of cancelled shoulder operations disrupted Labour’s attempts to promote education reform this week – Blair was forced to tackle the subject at the Scottish Labour Conference in Dundee – Chancellor Gordon Brown will speak today – David Blunket paternity saga involving Kimberley Quinn – little hope of controlling the political agenda next week: on Monday the House of Lords resumes debating the Terror Bill (Colin Brazier)