The News Matrix: Monday 17 November 2014

Poppy design team to be honoured

Paul Cummins, the designer of the ceramic poppies which made up the hugely popular First World War memorial at the Tower of London, is to be recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List. Tom Piper, who helped come up with the idea will also be honoured.

State Department emails suspended

The State Department has shut down its entire unclassified email system as technicians repair possible damage from a hacker attack. An official said yesterday that “activity of concern” was detected around the same time as a previously reported hacking at the White House.

Wettest winter for 30 years forecast

This winter could be the wettest for more than 30 years, Met Office research suggests. Its three-month outlook to January shows heavy rain and storms over the Atlantic moving over Britain because of the jet stream. There is currently a severe flood warning in Exeter.

British students’ Atlantic drift

More UK students than ever before are going to study in the United States, figures reveal. There’s been an 8 per cent rise in British youngsters crossing the Atlantic to continue their education, the biggest year-on-year rise for more than a decade.

Female MP survives suicide attack

A female Afghan MP who opened a girls school during the era of Taliban rule, has survived a suicide attack that killed three others. Shukria Barakzai said she survived “because of my people’s prayers”.

Rise in older women treated due to alcohol

Nearly one in 10 of those starting treatment for alcoholism is now a woman aged 60 or more, which compares to 6 per cent five years ago. In contrast, women beginning treatment for alcoholism between the ages of 18 and 29 have fallen – from 18 per cent five years ago to 14 per cent, according to latest figures from Public Health England, quoted by the Priory Group.

Television guru Larson dies, age 77

Glen A Larson, writer and producer behind several 70s and 80s hit shows, including Battlestar Galactica, Quincy and Magnum PI, has died aged 77. Mr Larson also co-composed the theme songs for some of his shows, including the oft-sampled tune from Knight Rider.

Defence workers to strike over pay

Hundreds of defence workers are launching a four-day strike in a dispute over pay. Members of the Unite union at the Defence Support Group (DSG) will walk out today in protest at an offer of 1 per cent. The Group maintains and repairs military equipment for the MoD.

Hats off to Boney at £1.5m auction

A South Korean collector paid €1.9m (£1.5m) for one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s hats at an auction in France yesterday. The black felted beaver fur bicorne, sold by Monaco’s Grimaldi family, fetched nearly five times its estimate.

BBC comedy to be based on Assange

A comedy based on the plight of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is to be created for BBC4. Asylum follows a whistleblower trapped in a London embassy.

‘Children In Need’ song tops the charts

The BBC Children In Need charity single, featuring an all-star choir led by Gareth Malone, has topped the charts with a choral version of Avicii’s “Wake Me Up”.