Media update

National news

The Guardian - Universities in move to sponsor academies
"Some of the country's leading universities have been holding discreet talks with the government over plans to sponsor schools in the controversial academies programme, the Guardian has learned....UCL did not wish to comment on its plans, but, according to DfE documents released under the Freedom of Information Act to the Guardian, UCL is "keen to sponsor an academy" in the London borough of Camden, in which it is situated."

Local News
Plymouth Herald - lethal weapons
"Children as young as 10 are carrying knives on the streets of Plymouth. Figures released to the Herald under the Freedom of Information Act show there were nearly 1,000 crimes involving knives during the past three years."

US FoI
Editor and Publisher - Reporters Committee 'Deplores' FOIA Exemptions for Planned U.S. Pandemic Agency
"A proposed new federal agency to strengthen U.S. defenses against natural or man-made disease outbreaks would be the first-ever government operation given a blanket exemption from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) warns."

Ireland FoI
News.com - CIA aircraft 'at Irish airports'
"CIA aircraft landed at Shannon airport in the south-west of Ireland on 38 occasions in recent years, Irish state radio said today, quoting government data. RTE said it had received the data about the flights from the government under freedom of information laws."

Data Protection

EUpolitix - EU heads for data retention deal
"Controversial data retention proposals are set for a first reading agreement in the European Parliament following a meeting of Europe’s justice ministers on Friday."