Written by Ben Fenton | 12 September 2006 | in news - Politics

Citing research by King's College, London showing that 11-year-olds measured in cognitive tests were "on average between two and three years behind where they were 15 years ago" a number of leading academics, child experts and authors have made a strong attack on the combination of junk food, marketing, over-competitive schooling and electronic entertainment.

In a 110 signature letter to the Daily Telegraph, which includes Philip Pullman, author of the soon to be major film His Dark Materials, Jacqueline Wilson, the children's laureate, her predecessor Michael Morpurgo, Baroness Greenfield, the director of the Royal Institution and Dr Penelope Leach, the child care expert, they claim the combination is a major contributing factor for a significant increase in childhood depression and behavioural problems.

Written by Nic Wistreich | 24 July 2006 | in news - Politics

Caoimhe Butterly, an Irish social justice activist and one of Time Magazine's Heroes of 2003 is heading to the Lebanon next week. She is aiming to get more impartial and unbiased reportage from the ground of the desperate situation in the country, amidst western indifference and what she describes as 'sanitised' reporting in the mainstream media.

Having spoken with people she had met in Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut and the South of Lebanon last year over the past few days, she has listened with "growing frustration to their accounts of the disparity between what they are witnessing as the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon intensifies, and the mainstream media's sanitised, biased reporting of the situation". The Guardian reports that Caoimhe has regularly stood in the line of fire between Israeli tanks, and Palestinian civilians. In November 2002 she was hit by an Israeli bullet as she tried to lead a group of Palestinian children to safety.

Written by James MacGregor | 06 May 2006 | in news - Politics

Edinburgh's Filmhouse Cinema is showing a short season of films to coincide with the International Press Institute's World Congress taking place in Scotland's capital city. The cinema will screen four films showing the inside world of journalism and its ability to stand up to corrupt politicians and expose the truth. The IPI's World Congress is being held between May 27 and May 30.