The News Matrix: Monday 29 October 2012

Wave of violence hits Sao Paulo

The metropolitan Sao Paulo area is suffering a wave of violence that has left 28 dead over four days. Police told the Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper that five people died and 12 were injured in shootings between Saturday night and yesterday morning. Police said most cases were drive-by shootings by men on motorcycles.

Airport chiefs call for urgent UK action

Airport bosses have called for urgent action to improve aviation capacity in London. Chief executives from Dubai, Manchester and Bristol airports have called for urgent reforms to ensure Britain doesn't lose out on the economic benefits of easy global travel.  MORE

Spooky day sees sales soar in stores

Shoppers are more interested in Halloween than ever before, stores claim. Waitrose has had a boost in sales this year as Brits show more interest in the spooky day.

New scheme for two-tier road tax

The Government is considering a two-tier system of road tax which will create a "class system on the roads" according to campaigners. The AA criticised the scheme yesterday which would see a basic charge for A-roads with an additional levy on motorways.

Sales drop in 'hundreds of towns'

Hundreds of towns across the UK have seen a drop in property sales by those taking their second step on the property ladder. Research by Lloyds TSB found 374 out of 577 areas saw an annual fall in sales for the first seven months of 2012 for "second stepper" homes.

Test Match Special told to stump up

BBC Radio's Test Match Special coverage of England's forthcoming four-test cricket tour of India could be in danger after the Board of Control for Cricket in India asked the Corporation to pay an extra £50,000 to use facilities at its stadiums. The BBC says the charge is "unreasonable". MORE

Political blond ambition

Madonna drew boos during her "MDNA Tour" in New Orleans on Saturday night when she told the crowd: "I don't care who you vote for, as long as you vote for Obama."

Ballroom good, boy bands not so good

Viewers are hot-footing it away from ITV's Saturday night flagship The X-Factor, with thousands foxtrotting across to the BBC instead. Strictly Come Dancing won the ratings war again on Saturday with 200,000 more viewers tuning in.

In copyright law the past is not dead

The writer William Faulkner's estate is suing Woody Allen, the Washington Post and several others for infringing copyright. In Allen's 2011 film Midnight in Paris, Owen Wilson says: "The past is not dead! Actually, it's not even past." MORE

Air raids and rebel attacks flout 'truce'

Syria's air force fired missiles and dropped barrel bombs on rebel strongholds while opposition fighters attacked regime positions yesterday, flouting a UN-backed ceasefire over a long holiday weekend. The failure to push through a four-day truce has been a sobering reflection of the international community's inability to ease 19 months of bloodshed in the country. MORE

Zuma drops 'rape' cartoon lawsuit

President Jacob Zuma is to drop a lawsuit claiming $600,000 (£372,000) in damages from a cartoonist who depicted him poised to rape "Lady Justice", his office said yesterday.  MORE