The Guardian reports today:

The author Hanif Kureishi accused the BBC of censorship last night, after it dropped a radio broadcast of his short story describing the work of a cameraman who films the executions of western captives in Iraq. Radio 4 cancelled a reading of Weddings and Beheadings, one of five nominations for the National Short Story prize due to be broadcast this week, after concluding the timing “would not be right” following unconfirmed reports that kidnapped BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston had been killed by a jihadist group.

Kureishi, whose work includes The Buddha of Surburbia, Intimacy and the screenplay for the film My Beautiful Launderette, said he was angry at the decision, which he described as a result of “stupid thinking” on the part of BBC executives.

“It seems to me that as a journalist, he would be against censorship,” he said of Johnston, who has been missing for more than a month and for whom fears intensified on Sunday when a previously unknown group, the Palestinian Brigades of Monotheism and Holy War, claimed to have killed him.

Composer, producer and tabla player Kuljit Bhamra has collaborated with composer and musician Alwynne Pritchard for an album, titled Subterfuge Invitro, to be released on May 21st. Alwynne is also BBC Radio 3’s ‘Hear & Now’ presenter and teacher of composition at Trinity College of Music London.

Alwynne’s music has been performed by numerous European players and ensembles including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Arditti String Quartet and The London Sinfonietta.

Kuljit Bhamra, known for producing soundtracks for films including Bhaji on the Beach and ‘Bend It Like Beckham, and theatre productions such as The Far Pavilions and Deranged Marriage, recently released his album Himalaya Dawn.

More recently Bhamra and Andy Sheppard performed their music for the Queen and Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey as part of Observance for Commonwealth Day 2007.
www.kuljitbhamra.com / www.alwynnepritchard.co.uk
Media contact: Pat Tynan 01895 636935 / pattynan@btinternet.com

Soul singer Karen David’s debut EP, Alive, has been released through download outlets such as iTunes and Napster. The actress and singer is better known for her parts in Batman Begins, Bollywood Queen and more recently Provoked. She also had part in the West-end hit Mamma Mia and was the lead in Tamasha Theatre’s Strictly Dandiya on its second tour.

She has been focusing more on her music of late. The EP features her often performed song ‘Carry Me Home’ and features AR Rahman, Bombay Dub Orchestra and others. The EP also includes the song ‘Alive’, featured on Provoked.

Karen is working to finish her debut album for an Autumn release this year.
myspace.com/karendavid