The News Matrix: Monday 05 December 2011

Economic concerns trump climate issues

India is now the leading opponent of a new comprehensive global-warming treaty after the first week of negotiations at the UN Climate Conference in Durban, South Africa. The country is refusing to approve anything that might put a brake on its rapidly expanding economy. MORE

Bomb explodes outside UK embassy

A bomb placed on a minibus outside the UK embassy in Manama, capital of Bahrain, detonated yesterday, in the second attack on a UK overseas mission in less than a week. Analysts said the attack could have been inspired by the recent storming of the British embassy in Tehran. MORE

Putin set for election win – but only just

Despite reports of electoral fraud Vladimir Putin's United Russia Party failed to secure a huge win, early results show. With 17 per cent of votes counted, his party had 46 per cent of the parliamentary vote. MORE

Cameron defends patient record plans

Government plans to share patient records and other NHS data with private health companies ran into opposition yesterday from civil liberties campaigners. David Cameron will argue that "opening up" the health service would make it a "magnet" for innovation and boost growth. MORE

One in three children does not have books

One in three children today does not have a single book of their own at home, according to research published today. The figure has trebled in the past seven years, according to the National Literacy Trust, and means 3.8 million UK children do not own a book. MORE

Troop pullout will trigger cash bonanza

The international community is set to declare it will provide financial support for Afghanistan, estimated at billions of dollars, for at least 10 years after Western forces leave. President Hamid Karzai is expected to guarantee his government will take credible measures to combat human rights abuses and crack down on corruption in return for the financial commitment. MORE

Police plea for calm over injured baby

Cases of vigilantism following a highly charged vigil for a seriously ill young baby taken to hospital four days ago would be dealt with robustly, police said yesterday. The baby, believed to be a boy aged one month, was taken to hospital in Gravesend. Police have not given details of his injuries. MORE

SNP: We'd look to Nordic neighbours

An independent Scotland would leave the UK to become a member of the Scandinavian circle of countries, according to plans drawn up by the SNP ahead of a referendum on independence in 2014 or 2015. They include plans for an independent army, navy and air force modelled on its Nordic neighbours. MORE

Financially, nice guys finish last

A team of business experts claim to have proven the notion that "nice guys finish last" where money is concerned. A new study has discovered that a person's "agreeableness" has a negative effect on their earnings, according to the research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. MORE

Genes influence how much sleep you need

The reason some people need more sleep than others is down to genes, scientists have found. A study of more than 10,000 people throughout Europe found those carrying the gene ABCC9 slept longer than the average of eight hours. The same gene also influences sleep patterns in other species. MORE

Cornwall slightly shaken by 2.2 tremor

An earthquake lasting just a few seconds shook houses in Cornwall in the early hours of yesterday. The 2.2-magnitude quake hit Bodmin at 2.40am and lasted just a few seconds, the British Geological Society said. There were no reports of building damage but the tremor could be felt in neighbouring towns.

So much is bad for children, says Jason

Only Fools And Horses star Sir David Jason has hit out at the amount of swearing, violence and sexual images that children are exposed to on television. Sir David, 71, told the Radio Times he found it impossible to protect his 10-year-old daughter from some of the content, because it was so prolific.

Owners seeing red after luxury pile-up

In what may be the most expensive pile-up ever, 14 luxury cars smashed into each other in Japan yesterday as they were being driven from Hiroshima to a supercar event in Kyushu. No one was seriously hurt in the incident, which involved eight Ferraris, two Mercedes and at least one Lamborghini, each worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.