The News Matrix: Tuesday 4 June 2013

Anti-extremism measures planned

A new government anti-extremism drive was announced yesterday by the Prime Minister, following the court appearances of the two men accused of murdering Lee Rigby. In a drive to prevent the “conveyer belt of radicalisation,” David Cameron has asked senior Cabinet members to come up with plans to address the “poisoning” of young minds. MORE

Charity Commission is quizzed over fund

The Charity Commission will face an enquiry over its handling of a £176m trust now under investigation as a tax avoidance scheme. MPs published a damning report on the commission’s handling of the fund for “children and young adults”, which was based in the British Virgin Islands.

UK and Israel ‘spy ring’ captured

The Iranian government claims it has captured a “spy ring” working for Israel and Britain which had planned to carry out “sabotage and assassinations” to undermine the country’s elections. Secret documents connected the 12 supposed agents to the UK and the Jewish state. MORE

PM: tensions are no sign of ‘Arab Spring’

Turkey’s Prime Minister yesterday denied tensions were a sign the country was undergoing a version of the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011 as thousands of protesters took to the streets of Istanbul and cities across Turkey for the fourth day of anti-government demonstrations. MORE

Technology leaders to hold airborne talk

A summit of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs addressing the use of technology in dealing with international emergencies will be held aboard an 11-hour flight. The journey from San Francisco to London will see 100 of the industry’s finest minds discuss a “humanitarian super highway”. Touching down, they will propose their ideas to the United Nations. MORE

‘Poundland’ Banksy sells for £750,000

A Banksy mural that disappeared from a wall in north London in February has sold at auction for £750,000. “Slave Labour”, left, originally adorned the side of a Poundland in Wood Green.

Drug smuggling OAP ‘was victim of set-up’

Lawyers working for a British pensioner who is facing execution in Egypt for smuggling three tonnes of hashish in his sailing boat say their client was the victim of an elaborate international set-up and has been left “psychologically destroyed” by his ordeal. Charles Ferndale, 74, was sentenced to death yesterday.MORE

Judges ‘in cahoots’ with prosecutors

Silvio Berlusconi’s lawyer accused prosecutors of being in cahoots with judges during closing arguments yesterday at the Italian ex-premier’s trial on “bunga bunga” sex and corruption charges. Prosecutors have called for the tycoon to be jailed for six years for allegedly paying for sex with an underage exotic dancer. MORE

German Scrabble fans curse EU change

The longest word in the German language – rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz – will no longer be used. The word, which relates to the “law delegating beef label monitoring” was introduced in 1999 as part of EU measures against mad cow disease, but is no longer needed.

Charles takes a bite out of Transylvania

Prince Charles is reported to have bought a fourth property in the Transylvania region of Romania. An official says he made the purchase while visiting the country on official duties. The Prince has a well-documented love for the area and claims he is a descendant of Vlad the Impaler – the inspiration for Dracula.

Grumbleweeds star Walker dies at 68

Graham Walker, of comedy band The Grumbleweeds, has died at 68. After appearing on Opportunity Knocks, the group had a Radio 2 sketch show that aired for 15 series between 1979 and 1988. Walker, who also acted in the likes of Emmerdale and Heartbeat, was diagnosed with cancer in 2011.

Mob veteran, 83, due to stand trial

A veteran mobster will appear in court today accused of 19 murders, racketeering, trafficking and extortion. Once a jury is sworn in, the trial of James “Whitey” Bulger, 83, will give America a history of organised crime in Boston for much of the second half of the 20th century, with a cast of characters to match. MORE

Children confused over origins of food

One in four UK primary pupils think that fish fingers come from chicken or pigs, a survey from the British Nutrition Foundation has revealed. It also found that a third of children think cheese is made from plants and 19% do not know potatoes grow underground.