In The Independent today:


STEM CELLS: THE FIRST HUMAN TRIAL
People suffering from a form of incurable blindness could soon become the first patients in the world to benefit from a new and controversial transplant operation using stem cells derived from spare human embryos left over from IVF treatment. By Steve Connor.


ASHCROFT ASKED QUESTIONS IN LORDS ABOUT TROPICAL IDYLLS
Michael Ashcroft has asked a significant number of questions in the House of Lords about British policy in a region of the Caribbean where he has extensive business interests. Half the questions he has put to ministers since late March have concerned Belize or the Turks and Caicos Islands. By Andy McSmith.


WHAT IF HENRY HAD DONE THE DECENT THING?
The French captain's handball that cost Ireland a place in the World Cup finals has sparked an almighty row. But would the rest of us have owned up to the crime? By Cahal Milmo.

In The Independent today:


WE DID IT TO AVENGE OUR FALLEN COMRADES
A former soldier who had kept his silence for six years broke ranks yesterday to accuse his superior officer and former comrades of the brutal beating and torture of Iraqi prisoners which ended in the killing of an Iraqi civilian. By Robert Verkaik, Legal Editor.



YOU CAN BE BEAUTIFUL AND STILL BE A FEMINIST
Girls who spend time making themselves beautiful are not betraying any feminist principles and should be allowed to "have fun" and be taken seriously, the leader of Britain's top private girls' schools said yesterday. By Richard Garner, Education Editor.



AND FINALLY: ANTI DEPRESSANT HAILED AS 'VIAGRA FOR WOMEN'
One of the world’s oldest controversies - over the nature of female sexual desire - is set to be reopened today by the discovery of a drug described as “Viagra for women”. By Jeremy Laurence, Health Editor.

In The Independent today:



THE GENERAL IS RIGHT. LIAM FOX IS WRONG.
The Taliban are able to present themselves as battling for Afghan independence, says Patrick Cockburn



RICKY RETURNS WITH NEW WORKPLACE COMEDY
HIs latest project, Phoneshop, airs tonight. By Ian Burrell, Media Editor



VICTORY FOR 'THE INDEPENDENT' AS SECRET COURT OPENS ITS DOORS
Judge rules that media organisations should be able to attend hearings at the Court of Protection. By Chris Green

In The Independent today:



HAS CAMERON DONE A DEAL WITH MURDOCH?
Lord Mandelson's attack shines spotlight on Tory leader's links with media mogul . By Andy McSmith



SECRET STRUGGLE WITH DEPRESSION OF GOALKEEPER DRIVEN TO TAKE HIS OWN LIFE
International footballer was worried about losing adopted child, wife reveals. By Tony Paterson in Berlin



THE CRIME EXCHANGE: "WE'RE JUST FIGHTING A FAILED DRUG WAR"
Five days into The Independent's crime exchange with The Baltimore Sun and the series has elicited a remarkable response from readers of both papers. Here we publish a selection – of both good and bad.

A wee lecture about the history of the brand, that's been paid for by a brand trying to reinvent itself (Black Magic), but it's quite interesting nevertheless. Although it does seem to insist that brands are manufactured, that is, that they are based on physical products. In the world this brand (The Independent) is in, its more about the intangible nature of our brand - less about the physical newspaper, and more about its presence in less tangible, digital arena.

Still worth a watch, the man cares.

 Interesting to see that The Telegraph has taken down what was the main story in their newspaper this morning from the home page of their website .

 

The story claimed that Government was planning to ‘spy’ on every email, text message and website visit via a huge big brother database.

 

Anyone comparing the story with the front page of The Independent at newsstands this morning would be confused. Our story said the database was being cancelled.

 

So who was right? Well The Telegraph story was right – but only in October last year when The Independent first reported it.

 

What happened yesterday was that the government announced it was withdrawing the measure from the Queen’s Speech – delaying the database for at least a year and for far longer if, as expected, Labour lose the next general election. Privately ministers admit that the database is “in the very long grass”.  None of this is reflected in The Telegraph story.

 

In general those of us in glass houses should not throw stones. But The Telegraph story was disingenuous – as anyone following the story knows.

In The Independent today:



'BIG BROTHER' DATABASE CANCELLED BY MINISTERS
Plan to store details of every phone call and email 'kicked into long grass' after furore. By Nigel Morris and Robert Verkaik



SCIENTISTS DEVELOP APPLE THAT WON'T ROT
Disease-resistant variety of fruit can be kept out of the fridge for a fortnight without going off. By Chris Green



THE TRIALS OF 'BALTIMORE'S BORIS'
In the latest instalment of our crime reporter Mark Hughes' job-swap with his counterpart at 'The Baltimore Sun', the combustible relationship between politicians and the police force in the Maryland city comes under the microscope.

 

In The Independent today:


JOHNSON: WE NEED A DEBATE ON IMMIGRATION
The Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, is to launch a drive to convince the public that immigration is a "good thing" for Britain as Labour goes on the offensive ahead of the general election. By Andrew Grice.



HAUD MEA CULPA, DOMINA! (AS THEY SAY IN PRIMARY SCHOOL)
Canis studia domestici devoravit. Dog-based excuses for the non-delivery of homework are to become more erudite in state primary schools as Latin makes a comeback. By Richard Garner and Lewis Smith.



189 HOMICIDES THIS YEAR - THIS IS THE WIRE, ONLY REAL
In our week-long job-swap the Independent's crime correspondent, Mark Hughes, finds himself amid the action in Maryland city's drug wars. Baltimore's Justin Fenton, however, embarks on a rather "slower night" in the ganglands of Greater Manchester.

In The Independent today:



THE CRIME EXCHANGE: MARK HUGHES IN BALTIMORE
Today marks the first part of a "The Wire"-inspired, unique collaboration between The Independent and The Baltimore Sun in which our crime correspondent, Mark Hughes, swaps places with his counterpart, Justin Fenton.



ROBERT SALAAAM: ONE MAN'S ACTIONS WILL AFFECT LOYAL U.S. MUSLIMS
The American Muslim blogger on the Fort Hood killing spree



SCHOOLBOY CONFRONTS GRIFFIN AT MEMORIAL
BNP leader argues with a 13-year-old at WWI monument to Indian troops. By Chris Green and Tom Peck

In The Independent today:



BRITAIN RULES OUT CLIMATE TREATY AT SUMMIT
Officials say major powers too far apart for legal deal in Copenhagen next month. By Michael McCarthy, Environment Editor



CASH CRISIS THREAT TO VICTIMS OF HONOUR VIOLENCE
Government pulls funding for groups that tackle forced marriage and murder. By Jerome Taylor



LOST CHAPLIN FILM DISCOVERED IN $5 CAN BOUGHT ON EBAY
Rare footage – and possibly unknown work – found in nitrate film container from 1916, writes Kaleem Aftab

In The Independent today:


SLAUGHTER RAISES AFGHAN FEARS OF THE ENEMY WITHIN
Five British soldiers are shot dead by a rogue policeman at the same base where five Afghan officers were killed recently in a roadside blast. Kim Sengupta reports, while here Patrick Cockburn argues that this latest attack calls the whole Afghan strategy into question.

CAMERON BACKS DOWN ON EU TREATY REFERENDUM
Any "cast iron" guarantee is well and truly rust now. David Cameron has declared that he would not allow his premiership to be dominated by a "massive bust-up" with the European Union as he shelved any Europe referendum for at least five years. Is this the Conservative Clause IV moment? By Andrew Grice.


AND FINALLY: HAS FIREWORKS NIGHT LOST ITS SPARKLE?
With just hours until bonfire night begins, Jonathan Brown asks whether our fixation with health and safety has killed the traditional British bonfire party.

 

Uni-Q is a new online show - best described as ‘Question Time’ meets ‘TFI Friday’ - providing a forum for 16-25 year olds to pose questions to MPs and other high profile figures. Created by a group of University of Hull politics graduates as a way to engage young people in politics, Uni-Q is the first programme of its kind to tour universities and colleges across the UK. And it's being backed by the Independent, which is nice.

The first edition include former Communities Secretary Hazel Blears in her first media appearance since her rather controversial departure from the government earlier in the year.

More on how to join in with future UniQ programmes here.

Here is a brief – and terrifying - glimpse into the world of those people who spend time commentating on the Daily Mail’s website.

 

This morning the paper posted a story about a paedophile who is to be beheaded and then crucified in Saudi Arabia under the country’s Sharia law (not normally a Mail favourite).

 

So far the story has attracted nearly 300 comments. To gauge the tone of the debate we decided to look at the top rated comments and then the worst rated.

Very instructive.

Here they are:

TOP RATED

Sounds reasonable to me.

- mike randall, worcester england, 4/11/2009 9:14

In The Independent today:

GREEN BELIEFS WIN LEGAL PROTECTION
Employees who raise concerns about their company's environmental practices won the right to legal redress yesterday after a judge ruled that green beliefs deserved the same protection in the workplace as religious convictions. By Robert Verkaik and Michael McCarthy.


LABOUR'S CAMPUS REVOLUTION
Plans for the biggest shake-up of universities for decades, including the first charter of rights for students, have been unveiled by the Government. By Richard Garner, Education Editor.


THE A-Z OF CONFLICTING HEALTH ADVICE
For years we were told a daily aspirin was good for us, then yesterday doctors revealed it was dangerous for many. So when can we trust expert guidance, asks Jeremy Laurance.


 

You wouldn't believe the tension, the bitching, the glee and the misery as I unveil the top ten most read bloggers on the Independent for last month. And you'd be right to, because it wouldn't be true - but our bloggers pay more heed to this than they would admit.

The usual melange of the serious, the frivolous and the kinky. These are the top ten most read stories on the Independent website last week.

In The Independent today:


MILIBAND: THIS IS MY AMBITION FOR EUROPE
David Miliband has issued an impassioned plea to the European Union to "get our act together" or risk being sidelined by America and China as he stepped up the campaign to elect Tony Blair as its first president. But Nigel Morris asks if his pro-EU speech was actually a job application?


HATE FILLED AND BIGOTED
That's how Paul Haggis, the Oscar-winning film maker, handed his resignation into the Church of Scientology in an explosive letter that damned the organisation's attitude to gay marriage. By Guy Adams in Los Angeles.


FRENCH TO ELECT THE MEMBER FOR SOUTH KENSINGTON
It has a French language school, French consulate and French cultural institute, now South Kensington is to get its own representative in the French parliament after a law was passed in Paris meaning that French nationals living abroad will be able to elect their own MPs. By Kevin Rawlinson.

GOOD MORNING, AFGHANISTAN
British Forces radio has hit the airwaves in Helmand. Terri Judd reports



RESTAURANT CRITIC GILL DELIGHTS IN KILLING A BABOON
The backlash begins as critic AA Gill shoots a baboon in Tanzania. By Kunal Dutta



KISS AND TELL: THE 2011 CENSUS WANTS TO KNOW YOUR SLEEPING PARTNER
Survey already criticised for level of intrusion, with more questions than ever about citizens' domestic arrangements By Andy McSmith