Nobu does not specify on its menus which species of tuna it serves. Requests for the information by campaigners have been met for several years with a terse "no comment".

Although it is not illegal to serve Atlantic bluefin, also known as northern bluefin, many chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, have dropped it because of concern that fishing is at higher levels than stocks can withstand. At Nobu Berkeley St, which has one Michelin star, investigators asked for Atlantic bluefin (hon maguro in Japanese) but staff told them the restaurant did not stock it. However, DNA tests proved that the fish they were given was indeed Atlantic bluefin.

[A] second dish they ordered, described only as "o-toro", the fattiest belly meat, was Atlantic bluefin. At Nobu London, a waitress told the investigators that a dish on the menu was hon maguro. The fish that was served tested positive as Atlantic bluefin.

The lack of clear information about the species of tuna on sale at Nobu could land the restaurants in trouble. A spokesman for Westminster city council said that falsely describing food was an offence.

Willie Mackenzie of Greenpeace said: "Nobu and Robert De Niro are clearly making a great deal of money serving up endangered fish." The restaurant declined to comment. [Telegraph]

Sacco: "Bungalow 8 London is more like the sophisticated European sister of New York."

Reviewer: "damn right! There are many worthwhile ways to spend your £350 in London - this isn't one of them. You've read the reviews - they are accurate. It is nothing like Bungalow 8 NYC which was so much fun a few years ago..."

Sacco: "And the downstairs opens at eleven o’clock, Tuesday through Saturday, and it’s much more of a clubby vibe than we have in New York."

Reviewer: "I'm a fair person....So I tried EVERY night in the week at Bungalow 8, and I'm talking weekend, early, midnight til late.... and it was a DISASTER....spent over £500 each night on champagne. Waste of money if you ask me."

Reviewer: "The place is very disappointing time after time. Specially compared to other clubs I have membership with. The music is cliche and dull. The members are like a bunch of estate agents, the place itself is like a corridor and the drinks are overpriced. A lot of hot air. I would rate the club lounge at Heathrow Airport higher than this place."

Etc.

[BlackBook, View London]

one problem was for a place that easily charges the highest prices in London (10 quid for a tiny bottle of water...you are having a laugh) it doesn't offer much in terms of entertainment except if you get a kick out of spending crap loads of money and getting little back in return.

We are regulars at Bungalow 8 and on Wednesday evening we went down at 10pm for our usual champagne eve. The waitress took our order twice and came back saying they did not have this and that bottle in stock! The third time we ordered a bottle which was around £100-£150 on the menu approximately. I know because I checked it on the menu. Two bottles later we got a bill for £485. We are not the type to complain or make any sort of fuss, but we were all very disappointed and appalled at the fact that they would deliberately overcharge, thinking just because you can afford it, its ok to do that.

I'm personally very disappointed...

Last night my fiance dragged me down Bungalow 8 for a few drinks, as she has recently received her membership. My god, I was appalled by the manners of the lanky doorman - the tallest door person there with dark brown hair. I can't believe they get away with having staff like that at a reputable club. Anyway, drinks were great, the music was ok, on and off, but the no. of freaks there were the entertaining part of the evening!!We were told it was an A-listers club and considering the membership fees of £300 and the hassle of being 'shortlisted' for the membership, it was a load of K*K.

[Ratings via The View, London. Related: what is this "K*K"?]

"'It's a very good idea. It's like a deterrent. It's going to make me feel safer, much safer, yes it will. It's a good idea,' said commuter Patricia Knight Williams." CBS doesn't mention whether she's a high-functioning autistic but we can infer from her statement that she is, at the very least, an idiot.

New York is inching its way toward becoming London, with closed-circuit surveillance cameras (some of them talk to you!) on every street corner and in any subway station, the threat of national ID cards, and shit like this. Not to mention the high prices and early pub closing!

The increasing paramilitarism of domestic police officers is a cause often taken up by cranks and nuts, but the more serious ones have good research and arguments that should make even the most government-happy liberal nervous. Here's a nice little map of botched SWAT raids by police departments across the nation, often carried out against nonviolent offenders, always using high-powered weaponry and violent tactics.

"Torch Teams" "toting MP5 submachine guns and M4 Carbine rifles that are used by Navy seals" investigating every station and car every day seems a bit more Baghdad than "serving and protecting."

And we just don't trust cops. They arrested Sheila! (The dogs are cute, though.)

First, Grainge Googles Bruni and is blown away by her photos. He offers to walk her around his neighborhood! For journalistic purposes.

"Modelling is using the body and only the body."

Which is my opportunity to say: "And you have a beautiful one, I might add."

"Thank you," she stutters, laughing. I'm clearly a sleazebag. Professionalism is dwindling. She then compares making music to the process of attraction.

"When you're attracted to someone, it's hard to explain, you can say you're attracted to this girl 'cause she is pretty, intelligent and charming..."

"You have all those qualities, Carla," I interrupt to gush. "Thank you, I'm liking this interview very much," she says. "You're almost like an Italian man."

Yes, a sleazy Italian man. The interview is cut short, and Bruni calls back 15 minutes later.

I dive straight in. "Your album cover is you sitting on a cushion reading a book in a frock. Were you wearing any knickers at the time?"

Way to get to the bottom of the situation, haha! Or should I say, way to get to the vagina of the situation, haha. Grainge's entire story reads like a buddy telling you how much that stripper really liked him at the strip club last night. At the end, Bruni gives him her number, but somehow, a romance never flourishes:

Unfortunately, Carla never did call. And when I texted her she didn't reply. The next thing I heard she was going out with the President of France.

Which City Is a Bigger Terror Target? [NYM]

Among the 140 guests were Ian McKellen, Geri Halliwell, Rufus Wainwright, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Monica Lewinsky.

Alan Cumming, boyfriend make it official [AP]

Rocker Pete Doherty Spared Jail Time [AP]
[Photo: Getty]

Earlier: If It's Sunday, Pete Doherty Must Be on Crack

Rocker Pete Doherty Released on Bail [AP]
[Photo: Getty]

No details on exactly who got enthusiastically blotto on recent trips to Al Jazeera's Doha HQ — Sir David, how could you — but supposedly several British staff spent so much time in the hotel bars that the Emir ordered them to undergo "cultural awareness" seminars while in the otherwise boozeless country. One presumes that patronizing the population of Bangladeshi prostitutes is also frowned upon. Nevertheless, while it appears that only the satellite-based Dish Network will carry Al Jazeera International in the United States (or is at least "willing" to carry it), tomorrow's relaunch of the Al Jazeera English website will stream the channel for free, in real time. Get ready to choose your next Anderson Cooper.

Al-Jazeera opens in London [SA]
Britons at Al-Jazeera TV station rapped for 'drinking binges' [ThisIsLondon]
Who Will Broadcast Al Jazeera? [NYM]
Al Jazeera English all set to launch [Al Jazeera]
[Photo: Getty]

Earlier: English-Language Al-Jazeera Debuts This Week

Look east [Guardian]

Naomi assault rap 9th in 8 years [Sun]

The endlessly parodied and nevertheless nifty Sony ad from last year that featured thousands of superballs bouncing down a San Francisco hill gets yet another go-round with the above clip. This bouncefest takes place in London's Portobello Road and is sadly and obviously a mere animation. The twist — it's for the "Sphere" sex toy by luxury eroticist Myla. A ripoff it may be, but the image of a horde of cootchie-balls tumbling blissfully through a public space makes it all worthwhile. Perhaps they'll do a follow-up tribute to the new, more phallic Sony ad.

Sony ad sexed up in new spoof [Guardian]

Fashion week told to ban size-zero models or lose grant [Daily Mail via Agenda Inc]

On the superiority of London, Brown explains:

It's [London's] nightlife, its demographic. It's an adventurous, talented town. New York has become more of a middle-aged town. London has become affluent in many ways. New York has become about money. In London you can be cool without having money.

So says the 53-year-old woman whose recent New York activity has revolved around protecting the garden wall of her three-story co-op.

New York's Queen Lauds London as Capital of Cool [Observer UK]

We have it under good authority that Time 100 honoree Sean "Puffy" Combs is house-hunting in London today. Specifically, he's looking at the property pictured above, located in the Holland Park area, right next door to Richard Branson. The asking price? $65 million — a small price to pay for the transformation from questionable American talent to grotesque English gentleman.

More pics of offensive luxury after the jump.

There are reports of smoke on the bus, police say some sort of fire is involved but no explosions; a newscaster reports, "People are walking around, trying to get to their destinations." Translated from the Queen's English, this roughly means, "We know nothing."

While you work on keeping your emotional terror levels away from vermillion, rest assured that most Londoners are probably rolling their eyes. These people have been to hell and back, so this sort of stuff must be slightly irritating.
Update: Scotland Yard is telling CNN that it's just an engine fire. False alarm, etc. Yes, you can be annoyed at the jumpiness, even if it is understandable.

Meanwhile, a reminder to leave your drugs at home — it's the first day of NYPD's random bag searches at all subway stations. As non-commuters, we're waiting for your reports as to how this all goes down. Was Officer Johnson a bit rough with your Fendi knockoff? Talk to us. We're listening.
Update 7:17 Bernard Kerik is discussing threats to our public transportation right now on Fox News. Apparently no one else would have him.

Man Shot Dead by Police on Tube [BBC]
NYPD to Search Subway Riders [Gawker]

University College Hospital has apparently been flooded by police, possibly because a suspect's gone in there for treatment. Police tape up all over the place.

The Warren Street tube is getting reports of a guy's backpack making an exploding noise (possibly while still ON HIS BACK), splitting, and then smelling awful. Then the train pulled into the station and they all ran for it.

The 26 bus had a backpack left on the back seat, and some people are saying that the windows are blown out at the back of the bus.

Oval, it sounds like some guy made a run for it, leaving a rucksack behind?

Shepherds Bush, no idea, but I live about a minute away and we're getting no sirens or ambulances or anything. It's the Hammersmith and City branch of Shepherds Bush, though, NOT the more active hub on the Central line. Above ground, though.

The Tube workers are apparently getting some sort of message that the explosions are due to nail bombs which had detonators (hence the loud noise) but no explosives, so it just sounded like a firecracker and then smelled horrendous. They're saying "dummy nail bombs".

There are general reports of panicky-looking young asian men (late teens, early 20s) being chased out of tube stations by fellow passengers?

That's about it. Let's do this again, shall we? In a fortnight, then. Bah.

We feel so news-y right now. Maybe we really are in the bizarro 8th dimension!

Breaking: More London Bombings? [Gawker]

American outlets are quick to say that all the "action" is still underground, so not much is confirmed other than the closings of three stations. If the three stations and one bus were attacked, it would mirror the suicide bombings occuring in London two weeks ago. And so the international freak-out justifiably continues.

Update 8:41 Hammersmith, Victoria, and Northern lines are closed right now. More confirmations that near Kings Cross/Warren Street, a young man was seen wearing a rucksack, which then exploded.
Update 8:46 Early BBC report is up, but giving less details than the Today show. Katie Couric and Matt Lauer are redeemed for one day.
Update 8:49 Drudge still has a polar bear claw, but UK authorities are confirming that there are "suggestions of bombs." Yeah, we'd think an exploding backpack would suggest that sort of thing.
Update 8:55 NBC London correspondent says "one injury," 2 minutes later Katie Couric says "one death." She corrects herself 1 minute later. It's like a scary game of telephone.
Update 9:07 Drudge finally acknowledges London, doesn't remove polar bear picture. AP begins reporting.
Update 9:20 A witness on the Oval Line reportedly saw a man run into the car, throw a black bag which then began making "popping" noises, and then run away. Nevertheless, this incident thankfully seems to be on a smaller scale than that of July 7; our man in London says things "don't look that bad."