News in brief

Star poetry editor dies suddenly

Arts: Publisher, poet and Morning Star poetry editor John Rety died suddenly on Wednesday from a heart attack.

Born in Hungary in 1930 and a former editor of the anarchist newspaper Freedom, he later became a well-loved figure in the world of poetry and helped to nurture and support hundreds of poets.

Morning Star assistant editor Richard Bagley has paid tribute.

"John Rety was a captivating, razor-sharp and caring friend whose sense of fun and energy belied his years. He was without malice or prejudice," he said.

"It has been a great honour to have known John and it is a deep shock to hear of his death. His family's loss is our loss."

Flu service to be stood down

Health: The National Pandemic Flu Service will be stood down in response to the "steady reduction" in the number of cases of swine flu, it has been announced.

In what will be interpreted as a sign that the outbreak in Britain is largely over, the flu hotline and website will be switched off on February 11.

Cases have been falling steadily and most people who have become ill have suffered relatively mild illness, although Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson has warned against complacency.

Cabbies 'must do the knowledge'

Taxis: Any suggestion that London's black cab drivers would no longer be required to learn "the knowledge" must be resisted, peers have heard.

Baroness Gardner of Parkes said she would be "very sorry" if the capital's cabbies relied on satellite navigation devices instead of their memory.

The Australian-born dentist highlighted problems with taxi drivers in her native country, who she claimed relied on map-reading instead.

Steam out of the ears as tea is cut

Work: Anger is brewing over cutbacks by companies providing free tea to their staff, according to a new report.

Research among 1,300 adults showed that one in four complained their employers offered fewer refreshments last year, often changing the atmosphere among workers for the worse.

The study by price comparison firm uSwitchforbusiness.com showed that a third of workers believed free tea and coffee boosted staff morale.

Porn found on PC of Welsh watchdog

Probe: The head of Wales's public spending watchdog resigned after pornography was found on his laptop, it has been reported.

Jeremy Colman stood down as the auditor general for Wales following an internal investigation into his personal conduct after the Western Mail reported that pornography had been discovered on his computer.

His departure caused surprise around Cardiff Bay when it was announced suddenly by Welsh Assembly authorities.

Glasto considers crowd flags ban

Arts: Glastonbury Festival organisers have said that they are consulting fans about whether they want to see flags banned from crowds at the main stage.

The issue has become a hot topic at festivals over recent years, with many people complaining that large flags stop them seeing bands.

Now Glastonbury bosses have put the issue to the test to see if Glasto-goers want to see an end to the flag-waving in front of the Pyramid stage.