Other News In Brief

4.5m Watch 'Banned' Gaza Appeal

It has emerged that more than 4.5 million people watched an emergency appeal for aid in Gazza last night, even though neither the BBC nor Sky News showed the charity plea. The BBC and Sky chose not to air the three-minute appeal because they feared it would cloud their impartiality, but ITV, Channel 4 and Five all decided to screen it. Media sources revealed that ITV1 was the first to air it at 6.25pm, when 3.7m watched it just before the channel's early evening news bulletin. It then went out at 7.26pm on Five, when 334,000 watched it, and at 7.50pm on C4, when 527,000 saw the appeal.

Firefighters Tackle Flat Fire

Up to 60 firefighters have tackled a blaze in a block of flats under development in Manchester city centre. The fire started in the basement of the building at Jersey Street, off Great Ancoats Street, late on Monday night. Greater Manchester Fire Service said no-one was injured in the fire and investigations are under way. Great Ancoats Street from Newton Street to Old Mill Street has been closed as a safety precaution, as has Old Mill Street up to Oldham Road.

Post Mortem Due For Factory Worker

A post-mortem examination is due to be held later on the body of a 43-year-old man who died after being attacked near his home. Michael Eccles was returning from shops in The Dimbles, Lichfield, when he was attacked in Weston Road at about 2000 GMT on Sunday evening. The factory worker died in hospital in Burton-upon-Trent on Monday. A 20-year-old man and a 15-year-old youth are being questioned on suspicion of murder.

Stratford Station Successfully Lifted

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has announced that the new entrance to Stratford International Station has been successfully lifted into place ready for the official opening in December for high speed domestic services. The new 36 metre bridge was lifted, fully glazed, 13 metres above the domestic service railway lines at the station by a 1,000 tonne crane. The bridge, known as the Eastern Egress, was jointly funded by the ODA, Department for Transport, and High Speed 1. It will form an important part of the interchange between Stratford International, Stratford City and Stratford Regional Station by enabling more direct pedestrian access between the three sites.

New Chief Executive Of Competition Commission Appointed

Consumer Minister Gareth Thomas today appointed David Saunders as the chief executive of the Competition Commission. David Saunders has extensive experience in consumer and competition policy. He has previously worked as Regional Director at the Government Office for the South East and has held a wide range of posts in the Department for Trade and Industry and Department for Business, as well as having worked for a period in the Office of Fair Trading.

Developer Pulls Out Of £500m Town Scheme

Plans to build a 5,000-home new town on the former Monckton Colliery site in Midlothian have been shelved due to the current economic climate. Miller Group, part of Shawfair Developments, a joint venture with City of Edinburgh and Midlothian councils were to build a £500m 350-acre mixed-use development. If the get-out clause in the contract had not been used around 12,000 jobs would have been created. Miller Chief Executive Phil Miller said: "Our interest in the joint venture expired at the end of October 2008 and in view of the general market conditions we concluded that we would not renew our interest. "The project is not viable at the present time and our involvement in the short term would not be required." A new developer for the project is being sought. City of Edinburgh councillor Gordon Mackenzie said the project would face delays.

(JM/BMcC)