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| Charities watchdog releases Simon Singh libel campaign complaints The Charity Commission has handed the Guardian the complaints it received – and dismissed – concerning the campaign by Sense about Science in support of Singh's legal battleThis summer, Britain's charity watchdog received complaints about the pro-science charity, Sense about Science. The complaints were quickly dismissed.At the time, the only information released about the incident was the correspondence between the charity and the watchdog. We've now got the other side of the conversation: the correspondence between the Charity Commission and the complainant, and I include the text here in case it's of interest.The complainant thought the charity was "acting beyond the spirit of its charity status" over the prominent and mind-numbingly depressing libel case that rolls on between Simon Singh and the British Chiropractic Association. You can read up on the details of the case here and here.The complaints concerned a campaign, Keep Libel Laws out of Science, that Sense about Science launched this year. The aims of the campaign are clear: to reform English libel law, which unquestionably stifles free and open discussion about scientific issues. Since the charity's raison d'etre is to promote "good science and evidence in public debates", it is clearly proper ground for them to be fighting on.Sense about Science published their correspondence with the Charity Commission earlier this year.The Charity Commission has now released, under the Freedom of Information Act, redacted versions of the correspondence it had with the complainant. I've included the full text here in the interests of having the details out in the open as much as possible.Simon Singh isn't the only one affected by libel laws and science reporting. Prominent science magazines are threatened with legal action regularly and are forced to publish articles they wouldn't dream of running otherwise. It's not a good time for science reporting.Click here for background on the Keep Libel Laws out of Science campaign. To receive up-to-the-minute science news from the Guardian, follow us on Twitter.Controversies in sciencePseudoscienceIan SampleSimon Singhguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Atom-smasher back in business The world's biggest atom-smasher, shut down after its inauguration in September 2008 amid technical faults, has restarted, a spokesman for the European Organisation for Nuclear Research said. abc.net.au |
Scientists discover a new star in Big Dipper constellation The Big Dipper still has a few secrets, astronomers reported Wednesday, despite its status as the night's best-known stellar constellation. rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Climate deal 'satisfies' Saudis The world's largest oil producer says it is satisfied by the outcome of UN climate talks, but warns of tensions ahead. news.bbc.co.uk |
4-legged animals emerged earlier than thought LONDON (AP) -- The water-dwelling ancestors of modern-day mammals, reptiles and birds emerged onto land millions of years earlier than previously believed, researchers reported.... hosted.ap.org |