Welcome to the morning news alert from SocietyGuardian.co.uk
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Today's top story - Alcohol code to call time on happy hour drinking culture
Home Office ministers are determined to bring an end to irresponsible drinking promotions in city-centre pubs
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MORE NEWS
· Mental health: Suicide link to sleep problems
People who have trouble sleeping more likely to attempt suicide, researchers in US and Poland find
· Blood scandal: Health officials may be forced to testify
Legal powers may be used to force reluctant witnesses to appear over contaminated blood scandal
· Rural communities: South Downs gain national park status
Southern England's South Downs to become a national park, the UK government has announced
· Smoking: Anti-smoking ad 'could frighten children'
Government ad showing girl who fears her mother will die should not be aired before 7.30pm, rules ASA
· Governing London: Mayor to halve environmental team
Leaked proposals to cut 20 jobs at city hall call Boris Johnson's commitment into question
· Child health: School sports draw pupils by including alternative games
Pupils now enjoy cheerleading, skateboarding and country dancing - but it has little impact on obesity
· Public sector staff: Public sector pay rises announced
Doctors, dentists, senior civil servants, senior NHS managers and judges get 1.5%, while teachers awarded 2.3% rise
· NHS performance: NHS failing to tackle race discrimination
Trusts in England are failing to meet their obligation under race equality legislation to produce accurate and up-to-date ethnic workforce data
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FEATURES AND COMMENT
· Regulation: Duty bound
The chief executive of the new health and social care regulator tells John Carvel that to continue her life's work to improve services for vulnerable people, she is best placed standing outside the system looking in
· Community cohesion: Mixed blessing
As America's first black president makes a historic visit to the UK, Tom Clark looks at what effect increasing ethnic diversity has on social harmony this side of the Atlantic
· Local government: A day for leaner local government
The more efficient, slimmer council systems that begin today will bring benefits for residents, says local government minister John Healey
· International aid: Save the Children warns G20 of global food crisis
Charity urges world leaders to act on the growing problem of rising food costs, which is having a dramatic impact on families in Africa
· Prisoners' rights: The law should stand up for prisoners too
The right of prisoners to be involved in the electoral process was established by the European court of human rights, writes Eric Allison
· Social history: Shedding light on Tyneside heritage
The new art installation on the river Tyne celebrates the area's industrial heritage, writes David Batty
· Mental health: Fritzl is not a monster - and that makes the horror worse
Generally, survivors of abuse are acutely aware that their abuser is a human being, writes Clare Allan
· NHS scrutiny: Running out of patience
The Stafford general hospital scandal confirmed fears that local public watchdogs don't have the clout to hold the NHS to account. Mark Gould reports
· Youth crime: Be mindful of society, not the child
Violent crime is not best tackled by 'fixing' children's brains with drugs, writes David King
· Sexual health: 'Family planning is so easy, yet so little is invested in it'
Dana Hovig of Marie Stopes talks to Emine Saner about the struggle to de-stigmatise abortion
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