The News Matrix: Wednesday 23 February 2011

50,000 NHS staff to lose their jobs

50,000 posts are to be shed across the NHS, including doctors, nurses and midwives, health campaigners warned last night. The number dwarfs the previous predictions of redundancies in the service. MORE

MI5 could have identified bomber

MI5 could have identified one of the 7 July bombers four months before the attacks had it acted upon new intelligence, a senior spy revealed at the inquest into the bombing of London’s transport system in 2005. MORE

Met Commisioner’s NOTW dinner dates

Sir Paul Stephenson, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, dined with executives at the News of the World seven times over four years, during which the force turned down calls for the phone-hacking inquiry to be reopened. MORE

Dewani in hospital after drug reaction

Honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani has been admitted to hospital after reacting to medication, his family said, contradicting rumours he had attempted suicide. MORE

Pirates kill four US citizens at sea

Four Americans taken hostage by Somali pirates off the East African coast were shot and killed by their captors yesterday, sparking a fierce battle with US forces trailing the vessel. MORE

Rooney blackmail plot: three arrested

Three people have been arrested by police investigating an alleged plot to blackmail Coleen Rooney. The wife of footballer Wayne was targeted after leaving a camera full of pictures of their son, Kai, in Manchester last year.

New Enid Blyton book discovered

An unpublished book by children’s writer Enid Blyton has been found. Mr Tumpy’s Caravan was discovered among works and manuscripts belonging to the late author’s eldest daughter. MORE

Muslim mob caused train fire, court says

The dispute over one of the nation’s most controversial incidents has been reopened after a court ruled a fire on a railway carriage that killed dozens of Hindu pilgrims was started by a Muslim mob. MORE

NHS sues maker of heartburn medicine

The NHS in England has launched legal action against Reckitt Benckiser, which makes the heartburn medicine Gaviscon. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is leading the action on behalf of health authorities and primary care trusts, the BBC has reported. The Department of Health refused to comment and Reckitt said it had not been served with papers.

Stadium stampede leaves 36 dead

At least 36 people were killed and 112 others injured in a stampede at a religious service in Mali’s capital Bamako. Thousands of people had gathered at the Modibo Keita stadium to listen to a Muslim preacher.

Book reveals Palin hated Governor role

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said she hated “this damn job” prior to resigning barely half-way through her elected term. The revelations in a leaked draft of an unauthorised biography written by a former aide may sully Palin’s image as she ponders whether to run for president. MORE

Telegraph’ follows the example of ‘FT’

Telegraph Media Group, publisher of The Daily Telegraph, is understood to be considering a payment system to charge users for frequent access to its website. The system, similar to that used by the Financial Times, means users who wish to access more than a few articles must pay.

No real benefit from organic vegetables

There appears to be little or no nutritional or taste benefits to organic food, a two-year study by consumer group Which? has suggested. Trials revealed that non-organically grown vegetables were tastier and more nutritious.

New dinosaur found in US with legs to die for

A new dinosaur with enormously powerful thigh muscles has been discovered in America. Scientists, who have named the animal Brontomerus mcintoshi, or “thunderthighs”, speculated that the muscles may have been used for kicking during fights over a mate or to ward off predators.

Oprah’s $250,000 gift for sextuplets

The American talk show host Oprah Winfrey has given the parents of sextuplets $250,000 worth of credit at the Walmart chain after she saw a Facebook picture of Rozonno and Mia McGhee with their children. Ms Winfrey also gifted the couple with a trip to Las Vegas.

TV advert breaks to last longer

Television channels will be able to show longer advert breaks within films under new rules published by broadcast watchdog Ofcom. For a year-long trial period, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 will be able to screen up to 12 minutes of adverts per hour, instead of the present seven minutes.

Eight swans found shot dead in field

Eight swans have been found shot dead in Somerset in what a wildlife rescue group described as “one of the worst incidents” it had seen. Animal charity Secret World said the slaughtered animals, which appeared to have been shot with an airgun, were found in a field near Blackford.