London
CNN anchor questioned: British investigators questioned CNN interviewer Piers Morgan this week about his possible connection to the phone-hacking scandal that has enveloped the country’s tabloid newspaper industry. Morgan, the longtime editor of the Daily Mirror, has denied knowingly running any story based on hacked information, but his memoir contains allusions to illegally obtained material, and he once admitted having heard a private voice mail left by Paul McCartney for his ex-wife, Heather Mills. Morgan was also once editor of the Rupert Murdoch–owned News of the World, which closed this year because of revelations that reporters routinely hacked into the voice mail of celebrities and crime victims. At least 12 journalists have been arrested in the hacking investigation.
Paris
Breast-implant recall: French authorities have warned some 30,000 women to get their breast implants removed because the manufacturer used a potentially harmful kind of silicone. The Poly Implant Prothese company, now out of business, used cheap, industrial silicone rather than medical-grade material; its implants are prone to rupture, and are likely to cause serious health problems when they do. Several cases of cancer have already been blamed on the implants. The government said it would cover the costs of implant removal and reconstruction. PIP implants were also sold in other European countries, including Britain and Spain.
Munich
No booze on the subway: Munich has become the latest German city to ban drinking on its subway and commuter trains. The night before the ban took effect this month, thousands of revelers crammed S-Bahn stations for a last binge, hanging drunkenly out of train doors and singing in the tunnels. Several trains had to be taken out of service after they were thoroughly vandalized. Berlin, which has seen a spate of alcohol-fueled subway brawls, is considering a similar law, although some lawmakers point out that an alcohol ban would be redundant since eating and drinking on the trains are already forbidden. Berlin police, meanwhile, said they didn’t have the resources to enforce a ban anyway.
