diff --git a/src/calibre/customize/ui.py b/src/calibre/customize/ui.py
index 22885edf24..0c40e7c8da 100644
--- a/src/calibre/customize/ui.py
+++ b/src/calibre/customize/ui.py
@@ -351,6 +351,10 @@ def initialize_plugins():
 
 initialize_plugins()
 
+def intialized_plugins():
+    for plugin in _initialized_plugins:
+        yield plugin
+
 def option_parser():
     parser = OptionParser(usage=_('''\
     %prog options
diff --git a/src/calibre/web/feeds/news.py b/src/calibre/web/feeds/news.py
index 849a5be1ab..0aa2ac25f8 100644
--- a/src/calibre/web/feeds/news.py
+++ b/src/calibre/web/feeds/news.py
@@ -878,6 +878,9 @@ class BasicNewsRecipe(Recipe):
         mi.author_sort = __appname__
         mi.publication_type = 'periodical:'+self.publication_type
         mi.timestamp = datetime.now()
+        mi.comments = self.description
+        if not isinstance(mi.comments, unicode):
+            mi.comments = mi.comments.decode('utf-8', 'replace')
         mi.pubdate = datetime.now()
         opf_path = os.path.join(dir, 'index.opf')
         ncx_path = os.path.join(dir, 'index.ncx')