The News Matrix: Wednesday 13 July 2011

Power supply to go climate friendly

Big changes in the way Britain organises its electricity production were announced yesterday by the Government, to meet the triple challenge of climate change, high bills for householders and security of energy supply. MORE

Bodyguard kills Karzai’s brother

Ahmed Wali Karzai, half-brother to the Afghan President and one of the country’s most powerful politicians, was assassinated by a bodyguard, leaving a power vacuum in a crucial province as foreign powers prepare to start withdrawing troops. MORE

Oliver checks out of Sainsbury’s deal

Jamie Oliver is ending his association with Sainsbury’s after 11 years. The celebrity chef has starred in more than 100 television adverts for the supermarket. MORE

BBC is now paying £250k+ to more stars

The BBC has increased the amount of “talent” it employs on salaries of more than £250,000 a year. Details in the Corporations’s annual report showed the number of stars being paid upwards of £250,000 had risen from 47 to 52. MORE

Strauss-Kahn leads Sarkozy in polls

Faced with a straight choice between Nicolas Sarkozy and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, 54 per cent of French voters would vote for the man accused of attempted rape, a poll indicates. The results serve as a vote of no-confidence in Sarkozy. MORE

Parents hear details of their son’s murder

The parents of a murdered honeymooner spent what would have been their son’s third wedding anniversary hearing more details of his death in court yesterday. Marilyn and Cynlais Mullany attended court in Antigua following the murders of their son Ben and his new wife Catherine, who were shot dead during their honeymoon in 2008.

Assange ‘pushed the boundaries’

Julian Assange’s sexual behaviour was “disrespectful, discourteous and pushing the boundaries” but was not rape, the WikiLeaks founder’s legal team has insisted, in a change of strategy they hope will save him from extradition to Sweden, and eventually, perhaps, the US. MORE

Gaddafi ‘ready to step down’ claims

France has received “contacts” from Tripoli indicating that Muammar Gaddafi is ready to leave power, French foreign minister Alain Juppe said before the national assembly voted to continue air-raids. MORE

Hari suspended for two months

Johann Hari, a columnist for The Independent and i, has been suspended for two months while an inquiry is conducted into claims that he embellished his articles with quotes that were made on separate occasions and that he attacked his critics online while using an alias.

Italy and Spain dismiss euro fears

Italy and Spain both insisted last night that their economies, and with them the future of the euro, were secure from the debt crisis that has already floored Greece. MORE

GPs ‘should refuse Facebook requests’

Doctors should not accept Facebook requests from patients, the British Medical Association says. The dangers of breaching confidentiality and risks to doctor-patient relationships are too great, it says. It recommends that GPs and medical students adopt conservative privacy settings online.

Mother and daughter banned from Harlow

A mother and daughter have been banned from every council property in their town. Harlow Council in Essex was granted the injunction after a court heard how Tracey Ayers and her daughter Kayleigh Blunnie terrorised their neighbourhood so it resembled the Bronx in New York.

Rosie now a fan of Burberry cheque

Model and actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has become the face of a new fragrance after signing a deal with the British fashion label Burberry. The 24-year-old, who recently made her film debut in Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, was photographed by Mario Testino for the adverts for the perfume Burberry Body.

Online shoppers buy before they try

Most consumers order multiple sizes of clothes when ordering online, sending back goods worth more than half a billion pounds, a report has revealed. Online shopping comparison website Kelkoo said a lack of standardised sizing was fuelling a “buy before you try” culture.

Fat baby may fit into Texas record books

Texas is known for its super-sized food portions – now the Lone Star state has produced a super-sized baby. JaMichael Brown was born on Friday weighing 16lbs 1oz. He may make the record books as one of the biggest newborns in the state’s history.

Schwarzenegger to star in Western

He promised “I’ll be back” but a messy divorce has hastened Arnold Schwarzenegger’s return to the big screen. The former action star-turned-politician is saddling up to shoot a Western, The Last Stand, after a sex scandal caused him a lot of ridicule.

Guitarist dies of heart attack, 61

The Motorhead guitarist Wurzel has died aged 61, the band has announced. The musician, real name Michael Burston, died at the weekend from a heart attack. He joined the heavy metal band in 1984 after serving in the Army.