Web pirates ready block-busting software

After going into administration, Newzbin was sold to new owners who resurrected it

Usenet indexing site Newzbin2 is readying software it claims will defeat attempts to stop people visiting it. In July, BT was ordered to block access to Newzbin2 after legal action by the Motion Picture Association (MPA).

The MPA said the member-only Newzbin2 site brings together pirated movies and music put on Usenet discussion boards. The block is to be enforced via BT’s Cleanfeed system which is more usually used to stop people visiting sites that peddle images of child sex abuse.

Before the block goes into effect in

BT ordered to block links to Newzbin 2 website

A High Court judge has ruled that BT must block access to a website which provides links to pirated movies. Newzbin 2 is a members-only site which aggregates a large amount of the illegally copied material found on Usenet discussion forums. The landmark case is the first time that an ISP has been ordered to block access to such a site.

It paves the way for other sites to be blocked as part of a major crackdown on piracy. In his ruling, Justice Arnold stated: “In my judgment it follows that BT has actual knowledge of other persons using its service to infringe copyright: it knows that the users and operators of

Batman Live show on track after crash

The show's Batmobile spun into part of the Gotham City set during a rehearsal

The story of Batman has been told on stage for the first time at the premiere of an arena show that could tour the world for the next five years. Batman Live opened in Manchester on Tuesday and appeared to go smoothly after the Batmobile crashed on stage during rehearsals last week.

A spare was brought in from the city centre, where it was on public display. Producers are keen to avoid comparisons with Broadway’s Spider-Man musical, which has been beset by problems. Unlike Spider-Man, the Batman show is not a musical, and the Batmobile’s accident was minor in comparison to the problems that caused the opening of Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark to be postponed six times.