Media update

National news

BBC news - Paper's brothel photo bid fails
"A newspaper has failed to use freedom of information (FOI) law to force police to hand over surveillance photos of men visiting a west Wales brothel."

The Register - Yahoo! boosts Freedom of Information awareness
"The UK's Cabinet Office is using paid-for search engine placements to promote public awareness of the Freedom of Information Act.Directgov, the government’s central internet portal, has been using Yahoo!’s Overture sponsored links service to direct web users to its FOIA page."


Regional news

Eastbourne Today - Only one in six dgh workers has had flu jab
"Figures show that 524 people employed at the hospital have had the inoculation, out of a total workforce of 2,900. The number has been released under the Freedom of Information Act and includes both medical and support staff."

Doncaster today - Alarming figures show young teens prescribed morning after pill
"THIRTY-FOUR girls aged 13 or under were given the morning after contraceptive pill by the NHS in Doncaster last year.And 14 other girls in the same age group were put on the pill by health professionals between January and December, figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show."

Yorkshire Post - Park accused of shunning views of trail bikers and 4x4 drivers
"The group says information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act shows the recording of complaints has been haphazard, with no attempt to validate them or filter those from known anti-vehicle activists."

Overseas FOI

Independent - Details of Camp Delta inmates released to public
"The US government has been forced to release documents giving details of those being held at Guantanamo Bay after years of refusing to do so. The 5,000 pages of transcript were handed over by the Pentagon on the order of a judge in response to legal action brought under the Freedom of Information Act by the news agency Associated Press."

NY Times - US/Ger - Flare-Up Over Vast Nazi Camp Archives
"Tempers are flaring over a United States demand to open to scholars and researchers a huge repository of information about the Holocaust contained in the files of the International Tracing Service at Bad Arolsen, Germany.Based in part on documents gathered by Allied forces as they liberated Nazi concentration camps, the stock of files held by the organization stretches for about 15.5 miles, and holds information on 17.5 million people. It amounts to one of the largest closed archives anywhere."

Zambia news - Govt still consulting on Freedom of Information Bill-Mwaanga
"Information and Broadcasting Minister Vernon Mwaanga says government is still undertaking consultations on the Freedom of Information bill so as to avoid problems when the bill is enacted.Mr. Mwaanga said that the ministry has to be wise so that the country does not fall in the same trap as other countries that enacted the freedom of information act."

Asia media- PAKISTAN: Changes to Freedom of Information law sought
"Islamabad --- A non-government organization has written to the Cabinet
Division to make changes to what it called "Flawed and Restrictive Rules
(2004) for the Freedom of Information (FOI) Ordinance 2002".