The News Matrix: Thursday 24 March 2011

Libyans ‘plotting revenge’ on Britain

Supporters of Muammar Gaddafi may attempt to carry out a terrorist attack on UK soil in revenge for military action in Libya. British security services have intercepted conversations between British-based Libyans suggesting such a strike. MORE

Ex-minister accused of fixing mobile deal

A former Irish government minister has been accused of fixing the award of a multi-million pound mobile licence. Michael Lowry was found by a judge to have given “substantive information” to Denis O’Brien who made donations to the Fine Gael party. MORE

Alan Rickman cast in ‘Gambit’ remake

Alan Rickman has added his name to the illustrious cast-list of a remake of the 1960s classic comedy-heist thriller Gambit. The actor will join Colin Firth in the remake.

Nuclear infection reaches Tokyo water

Spreading nuclear contamination has reached the water supply of the world’s largest metropolis, prompting the government to advise against giving tap water to babies. Yesterday’s warning by Tokyo authorities sparked a run on bottled water in the stores. MORE

Police pinpoint last calls of missing girl

Police are resuming the search for Sian O’Callaghan this morning, using specialist dog teams to focus on Savernake Forest in Wiltshire after new technology identified it as the source of the final signals of her mobile phone on Saturday morning. MORE

Bomb attack at Jerusalem bus stop

People in Jerusalem reacted with a mixture of anger and resignation after a bomb exploded at a crowded bus stop yesterday afternoon, killing one Israeli. The blast, the first of its kind in Jerusalem for seven years, tore a hole in the side of a bus, killing a 59-yearold woman and injuring more than 30 people. MORE

Patients lose out in ‘patchy’ treatment

Patients are being affected by inconsistent quality of GP care, says a report by the Kings Fund. Variations were found in cancer referrals and care for patients affected by stroke and long-term conditions such as arthritis due to late referrals and delayed diagnoses. MORE

Woman finds dog ‘lost’ in fire

A woman who thought her dachshund was gone forever after a fire destroyed her Boston apartment a month ago has found the pet living in the wreckage. She had returned to the flat to turn off a vehicle alarm.

Exodus from the home of Motown

Long-battered Detroit has suffered a new blow with the release of the 2010 census showing its population shrunk by 25 per cent over the last decade. Little more than half a century ago, the Motor City was the fifth largest in the US – now it barely scrapes into the top 20. MORE

‘Offensive’ gay-cure app pulled by Apple

Apple has withdrawn a free app which claimed to “cure” gay people after 140,000 people signed an online petition in protest. An Apple spokesman said the product had been removed from the iTunes store because it was offensive.

Artificial sperm is grown in laboratory

Researchers in Japan have successfully grown mammalian sperm in a laboratory for the first time. Artificially developed mice sperm was used to produce healthy, fertile young, replicating the development cycle of sperm and offering hope for therapies for infertile men. MORE

Midsomer producer resigns in race row

Brian True-May, producer of Midsomer Murders, whose controversial comments about ethnicminorities and English villages sparked anger and an internal inquiry, will resign at the end of the new series, the 14th, which started last night. MORE

Murdoch ousted from ‘richest’ slot

Rupert Murdoch has been supplanted as Australia’s wealthiest businessman by an iron ore magnate, Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest (below). The 49-year-old, little known outside Australia, has amassed a fortune of $6.2bn (£3.8bn), which tops Mr Murdoch’s estimated $5.7bn. MORE