The News Matrix: Thursday 11 December 2014

Divorce-fight tycoon impaled in lethal fall

A Dundee property tycoon has died after plummeting four storeys from the window of his luxury London penthouse and impaling himself on the iron railings beneath. Scot Young, 52, had been involved in a long-running battle with his ex-wife, Michelle, who was awarded a £20m divorce settlement at the High Court last year.

Church threatens oil giants over climate

The Church of England is threatening to withdraw its investments from oil giants BP and Shell unless they make a greater effort to combat climate change. The Church says it is targeting them because they have the biggest carbon footprints in the UK.

Europe must focus on saving migrants: UN

Governments must focus on saving lives rather than keeping foreigners out, the UN said yesterday. The High Commissioner for Human Rights said in Europe more than 207,000 people have landed after crossing the Mediterranean since 1 January.

Earth water not from comets, says Rosetta

Results from the Rosetta space mission have thrown into doubt theories of how the Earth became a blue planet with vast oceans of water. An instrument on board Rosetta shows comets are not likely to be the source of the Earth’s terrestrial water.

Pistorius faces new court battle

Oscar Pistorius again faces the possibility of a murder conviction after a South African judge ruled yesterday that prosecutors can appeal against his conviction on the lesser charge of culpable homicide. The case will go to the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Police arrest 54 big ‘green’ mobsters

Police have arrested 54 suspected mobsters in Umbria, where investigators say the southern ’Ndrangheta crime syndicate has infiltrated the solar panel industry and other green businesses. The syndicate has spread out from its base in Calabria.

Man exonerated after 27 years in jail

After exonerating Kwame Ajamu, Judge Pamela Barker stepped down from the bench and gave him a hug. It had taken nearly 40 years, but Ajamu was no longer a convicted murderer.

Blair ordered to appear at committee

Tony Blair has been summoned to appear before the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee investigating Government dealings with on-the-run Republicans. It ordered him to appear, calling him “extremely disrespectful” for not responding positively nine months ago.

Teenager charged for school pot cookie

Police say a Maryland teenager eating a pot brownie in class panicked when his teacher asked him for a piece, and that he is now charged for obliging. The 17-year-old didn’t tell the teacher that the brownie contained marijuana and she became ill and disorientated.

Rowling plots TV crime blockbuster

The BBC today unveiled plans for a television series based on the crime novels written by J K Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. The Cuckoo’s Calling became a bestseller after the Harry Potter author writer was exposed as its author.

The clock is ticking for Napoleon’s hair

Now you can check the time and look at Napoleon’s locks at the same time after the Swiss watch maker De Witt confirmed it has produced a timepiece built around strands of the French emperor’s hair. But you had better be a big fan... each watch is priced at €8,000.

Sutton is Britain’s ‘most normal’ place

Benefit chiefs have identified the “most normal” place in Britain: Sutton in south London. MPs were told it was chosen as the best place to test the Universal Credit service as it has such an average population. Neil Couling of the Department for Work and Pensions was defending the slow pace of implementation of the system.

Dragonflies dance for their dinner

Dragonflies move like aerial ballet dancers when they hunt, displaying a level of brain-body co-ordination on a par with that of vertebrates, scientists have found. Researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in the US used motion-capture technology to track the insects as they intercepted prey.