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The News Matrix: Friday 25 March 2011

Friday 25 March 2011 01:00 GMT
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Lord Moynihan in profit-sharing row

The London 2012 Organising Committee has suspended the British Olympic Association chairman, Lord Moynihan, and chief executive Andy Hunt from its board over a legal dispute about sharing profits from the event. MORE

‘Orphans’ used to elicit donations

The UN says that most of the 12,000 children living in Cambodian orphanages have at least one living parent. It suspects those running the homes are enticing parents to give up their children, and charging tourists to visit and make donations. MORE

Gun licences issued to children under 10

Police have defended the provision of shotgun licences to children as young as seven after a Freedom of Information request revealed that 13 children under the age of 10 had received them over the past three years from Gloucestershire, West Mercia and Cumbria forces. There is no minimum age to receive a licence. MORE

Radiation fears at nuclear plant

The search for bodies and survivors of the earthquake and tsunami is being hampered by growing fears of radioactivity leaking from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant, where workers are battling to prevent a disaster. MORE

£8.2m donation for British arts

The philanthropist daughter of Charles Clore, Dame Vivien Duffield, has donated £8.2m to arts organisations nationwide, including The National Theatre, the Tate in London and the Museum of Liverpool. MORE

British bus stop bomb victim named

The British woman killed by the bombing of a bus stop in Jerusalem on Wednesday has been named as Mary Jane Gardner. The 59-year-old, who was studying classical Hebrew in the city, was the sole fatality of the blast that injured at least 30 others. MORE

French grandmasters accused of cheating

The world of top chess has been thrown into uproar by accusations of cheating against three French players, including two grandmasters. The trio, who deny the charges, are accused of using coded text messages and body signal to convey advice from a remote computer program. MORE

Radio 4’s gardeners take to the road

Regular panellists on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time such as Chris Beardshaw, Bob Flowerdew, Pippa Greenwood and Bunny Guinnesswill take part in live garden demonstrations in theatres around the UK this autumn. They will uproot from their usual village hall settings.

Artificial cloud hangs over World Cup 2022

Qatar has developed artificial clouds to provide shade for the 2022 World Cup. Qatar University produced the lightweight carbon structures, which are moved around by solar-powered engines via remote control.

Gaga asks Malaysia to be gay-friendly

The flamboyant pop singer Lady Gaga has criticised Malaysian radio stations for censoring lyrics in her gay anthem “Born This Way”. She urged Malaysians to speak out to encourage acceptance of homosexuality in a country where it’s taboo.

Website gives ratings for beaches and pools

Beaches and swimming spots in England and Wales have been rated and their details put on the internet. Bathers can go online to check on around 500 sites, including cleanliness, photographs and maps. For more information click here.

Liz Taylor portrait could fetch £18m

A rare portrait of Elizabeth Taylor is expected to fetch up to $30m (£18.4 million) at an auction in New York on 12 May. It was painted by the American artist Andy Warhol in 1963. MORE

‘Acupuncture is no better than a placebo’

Acupuncture is no better than sham “placebo” treatments at controlling pain and may even be harmful, a study has found. At least five patients are known to have died after undergoing the ancient Chinese needle therapy, while dozens of others suffered infections and trauma.

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