Race

Britain, which was the home of the Industrial Revolution which changed the face of the earth, has suffered a catastrophic drop in intelligence levels over the last thirty years, new figures have revealed.

Tests carried out in 1980 and again in 2008 show that the IQ score of an average 14-year-old dropped by more than two points over the period.

Among those in the upper half of the intelligence scale, performance was even worse, with an average IQ score six points below what it was 28 years ago.

The trend marks an abrupt reversal of the so-called ‘Flynn effect’ which has seen IQ scores rise year on year, among all age groups, in some countries such as Japan and Korea.

Professor James Flynn, of the University of Otago in New Zealand, the discoverer of the Flynn effect and the author of the latest study, believes the abnormal drop in British teenage IQ could be due to youth culture having ‘stagnated’ or even dumbed down."It looks like there is something screwy among British teenagers," said Professor Flynn. "While we have enriched the cognitive environment of children before their teenage years, the cognitive environment of the teenagers has not been enriched.He added that previous studies have shown that IQ increases as teenagers move into adulthood, entering university or starting work.

His research, which is presented in a paper published online by the journal Economics and Human Biology, also refutes the commonly held belief that increases in IQ over time are a result of improving nutrition. IQ, or intelligence quotient, is normally expressed as a single numerical score, with 100 being the average.

Professor Flynn’s study was conducted using a respected IQ test known as Raven’s Progressive Matrices. Questions involve matching a series of patterns and sequences, so that even people with no education can take the test.

Dr John Raven, the Edinburgh-based psychologist who invented the test, said he was surprised by the fall in teenage IQ. He said: "IQ is influenced by multiple factors that can be dependent upon culture, but the norms tend to be very similar across cultures even in societies that have no access to computers and television."

Richard House, a senior lecturer in therapeutic education at Roehampton University and a researcher into the effects of television on children, said: "Taking these findings at face value, it appears that there is something happening to teenagers."

None of the researchers have dared to consider the impact of Third World immigration in their reviews.

Daily Telegraph

A Muslim-owned jewellery shop has decided to ban customers wearing veils after being targeted by robbers disguised as Islamic women.

By Matthew Moore Last Updated: 9:58AM BST 28 Apr 2009

Muslim women in a niqab will be encouraged to telephone in advance to ensure that a female member of staff is present during their visit, to confirm their identities. Everyone entering ATAA Jewellers in Glasgow must reveal their faces under planned new rules to protect staff from further attacks. The store owners decided to act after two Asian men wearing traditional Muslim women's clothes – including niqab veils – made away with thousands of pounds worth of jewellery earlier this month. The pair, who were also carrying handbags, pretended to be interested in buying some items but attacked staff with pepper spray when cabinets were unlocked. Now the Sadiq family who run the shop are planning to put up a sign informing customers that they cannot wear any headgear that covers the face.

Any Muslim women who are more comfortable in a niqab will be encouraged to telephone in advance to ensure that a female member of staff is present during their visit, to confirm their identities. "It is our safety that matters as well at the end of the day," Rukhsana Sadiq told the BBC Asian Network. "God forbid anything like this happening to anyone else."

The family said they accepted the policy may offend some Muslims, but expect other businesses to take a similar approach. Criminals wearing Islamic veils have carried out at least one other robbery in the city. Local councillor Hanzala Malik backed the plan. "I know in Scotland that banks will not allow their customers coming in with motorbike helmets, I don't see why it should be different for people wearing the Niqab. It is an issue about identifying people," he said. The disguise potential of traditional Muslim women's dress has been exploited several times in recent years. July 21 bomber Yassin Omar donned a burka as he fled after the failed attacks, as did BBC journalist John Simpson to gain entry to Afghanistan during the 2001 invasion.

Daily Telegraph

Teenager stabbed to death in south London A teenage boy was killed and another injured during a stabbing in south London.

Last Updated: 6:52AM BST 28 Apr 2009

The boy died at the scene at Larkhall Park in Lambeth, the Metropolitan police said. A total of four men have been arrested in connection with the attack, the Metropolitan Police said.

The other teenager was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service where he was treated for stab injuries. He was described last night as being in a stable condition. A Met police spokeswoman said: "At 20.26 police were called to Larkhall Park after two teenage males were seen injured. "Both had suffered stab wounds. One was pronounced dead at the scene. All relevant next of kin have yet to be informed and positive identification to take place." The murder investigation is being led by the Homicide and Serious Crime Command. Police said they were keeping an open mind on the motive for the attack. The death takes the number of teenagers to die violently in the capital this year up to seven. Of these, five have died after stabbings, one has died as result of a shooting and another from an arson attack. Last year 30 teenagers were killed in the capital as police battled a surge in youth violence.

Daily Telegraph

Jermain Defoe's brother Jade Defoe dies after brutal street attack The brother of Jermain Defoe, the England footballer, has died after being attacked on a street in east London.

By David Harrison Last Updated: 4:49PM BST 25 Apr 2009

Jade Defoe was popular on the urban music scene as a rapper Jade Defoe, 26, suffered serious head injuries in a brutal assault on Monday afternoon and died in hospital on Friday night. The attack took place between 4.15pm and 5pm in Leytonstone, east London.

Five police officers arrested over ‘attack on teenager’ in Manchester A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "We do not believe a weapon was used during the assault. We retain an open mind as to any motive and inquiries continue to establish the full circumstances of the incident." A 28-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of perverting the course of justice in connection with the investigation. He was released on bail, but was rearrested on Friday on suspicion of the same offence and remains in custody at an east London police station. A post-mortem examination is due to be held at East Ham mortuary on Saturday. Jade Defoe, who was also known as Gavin and Esco Bars, was a popular on the urban music scene as a rapper who performed a form of hip-hop and garage known as grime. Over 600 friends and fans joined a tribute page created on Facebook. Mimi Murrell wrote: "My heart goes out 2 Stace, who i know is a tuff lady and she will do ur kids n u proud... i miss u already." Sabrina Bertrand, from Jamaica, said: "I can't believe my godfather is gone, love u lots." Darren Germaine added: "Never forget the good ol' Redbridge College days, days prior to that and days after! You were always a joker, popular with the ladies but most importantly a good friend." His half-brother Jermain Defoe did not travel with his Tottenham Hotspur team-mates on Saturday for their match with Manchester United tonight because of Jade's death. Tottenham Hotspur later released a statement, which read: "All at the club wish to extend their condolences to Jermain Defoe and his family following the death of his half-brother late yesterday. "Our thoughts are with Jermain and his family at this sad time. "The club will be giving Jermain both time and support whilst respecting his and his family's privacy."

Daily Telegraph

MP calls for urgent legal action over rubbish dump gipsy site An MP has called for urgent legal action to evict a band of gipsies who have set up home on a rubbish dump.

Last Updated: 2:46PM BST 21 Apr 2009

Six families descended on the site over the weekend and laid hardstanding for half a dozen caravans. They have now applied for retrospective planning permission to stay on the one-acre site, a notorious fly-tipping black spot.

But North Wiltshire District Council has issued a stop notice on the development and is consulting legal experts on its next move. The site between Corston and Hullavington, Wiltshire, is just ten miles from the notorious Minety settlement which was set up using a similar tactic in 2003. Residents there were finally granted permission to stay by the High Court last year after a five-year legal battle.

Now the latest site's Conservative MP James Gray is calling for urgent action to avoid a repeat of the Minety legal saga. He said: "This follows a well-established pattern, started by the illegal site in Minety, and is another worrying example of the way in which planning law apparently benefits one group in society over another. "I currently know of three or four people who are being forced to remove their caravans for breach of planning regulations elsewhere in my constituency. "Presumably, if those people declared themselves to be Romany Gypsies, they would be permitted to remain there, which seems to me to show that there is one rule for the travelling community and another for the settled community."

The gipsies spent the weekend pushing all the rubbish to the edges of the site and laying concrete bases for caravans. On Monday the families made enquiries about securing places at the local primary school half a mile away in Hullavington. The land is owned by the council, which has a legal duty to provide sites for gipsies and currently has a shortfall of pitches for travelling families. One parent on the site, who asked not to be named, said: "We're out of the way and doing no harm to anyone here, so I hope they let us stay. "This place was a bit of a dump before. We took pictures of all the stuff dumped here and we've tidied it up." The gipsy families' spokesman, called Bill, claimed the council has a shortfall of 120 pitches for gipsies. He added: "These families are abiding by the law and by the latest Government guidelines. The council sites are not up-to-date and there aren't enough pitches." A spokesman for North Wiltshire District Council said it is working on a solution to the development.

Daily Telegraph

Boy, 17, arrested over murder of 18-year-old found stabbed to death in east London A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of murder after an 18-year-old was stabbed to death in Walthamstow, east London.

By Alastair Jamieson Last Updated: 2:08PM GMT 14 Mar 2009

The 17-year-old is in custody following the attack at about 11.30pm last night in Prospect Hill, Shernhall Street, E17. Police were alerted by London Ambulance Service paramedics shortly after 11.30pm last night after reports of a stabbing.

The teenage victim, who is black, had suffered multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead en route to hospital. His next of kin have been informed. Police are seeking witnesses to an argument before emergency services arrived on the scene. A post-mortem examination is due to take place today at Queens Road Mortuary in Walthamstow. Detective Inspector Phil Rickells said: "We would like to speak to anyone who may have seen an altercation take place on Shernhall Street prior to emergency services arriving." Police said they were "keeping an open mind as to any motive" for the attack. The stabbing happened only a few streets away from the scene of a similar murder last August. Charles Junior Hendricks, 18, was found stabbed near Selborne Road close to Walthamstow Central bus station. Organisers for the London Olympics had intended to show the closing ceremony of the Beijing Games on a giant screen near the scene, but police cordoned the area off following the stabbing. More than 600 attended his funeral in Leytonstone to hear family members appeal to local youngsters to lay down their weapons.

Daily Telegraph

Teenager shot dead in north London An 18-year-old has been shot dead in north London, the fourth teenage killing in three days.

Daily Telegraph

Last Updated: 1:57PM GMT 15 Mar 2009

The teenager, from Algeria, was found with a single gunshot wound to the chest in Broadwater Road, Haringey, at about 10.20pm last night. His next of kin have been told and a post-mortem examination is due to be carried out tomorrow, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.

Parents grieve for teen stabbed during burglary There have been no arrests and officers are keeping an open mind as to the motive, although it is not believed to be gang-related. The teenager's death follows the fatal stabbing of another 18-year-old in Walthamstow, east London, on Friday night. Outside the capital, Tyler Peter Juett, 17, from Aspley, Nottingham, also died that day after being attacked with a knife in what appeared to be an attempted burglary. And in Hereford officers are continuing to question four men over the murder of Darren Loader, 17, on a disused railway line on Thursday evening.

Robert Henderson
Blair Scandal website:  http://www.geocities.com/ blairscandal/
Personal website:        http://www.anywhere.demon.co.uk