The News Matrix: Monday 17 March 2014

16 killed in stampede for government jobs

At least 16 people were killed in stampedes for government jobs when hundreds of thousands were invited to apply for fewer than 5,000 positions. Interior Minister Abba Moro told the official News Agency of Nigeria the applicants “lost their lives through their impatience”.

Thousands protest against fascism

Thousands of people have protested against fascism in south-western Sweden, calling for dialogue and tolerance following violence in the city of Malmo last week, when four people were injured in a fight at a feminist demonstration on International Women’s Day.

Salmond has a plan B for the pound

Sharing sterling after independence is the best option for Scotland, but that there is a plan B, C, D, E and F, First Minister Alex Salmond has claimed. The Scottish Government favours a formal monetary union, but this has been ruled out by George Osborne.

Regime fighters capture rebel town

Syrian government troops and Hezbollah fighters have captured a strategically important town near the border with Lebanon, ousting opposition fighters from their last stronghold on the vital supply route. Yabroud was a major smuggling hub for the rebels. MORE

Honey could help you beat infections

Honey could be key in the battle with antibiotic resistance. Scientists say it has a combination of weapons to beat infection, including hydrogen peroxide, acidity and high sugar concentration, all of which kill bacteria.

Teen boy dies after rescue from lake

A 15-year-old boy has died after getting into difficulty in a park lake. West Midlands Ambulance Service said emergency services rescued the boy from a lake at Arrow Valley Country Park in Redditch, in Worcestershire, yesterday, but he later died in hospital. Two other teenage boys were also rescued and treated for minor injuries at the scene.

Patient details sold to marketing firm

A database containing details of every NHS patient to enter the hospital system has been sold to a marketing consultancy firm. The company describes it as Europe’s most powerful patient data “warehouse”. The information contains age, postcode condition and place of treatment for over a billion people in England.

EU-friendly party wins landslide poll

The ruling centre-right party that has vowed to overhaul the nation’s struggling economy and push for membership in the European Union has won a landslide victory in parliamentary elections yesterday. The result will see party leader Aleksandar Vucic become prime minister.

Fake ‘Prince Harry’ cons workman

A Facebook user posing as Prince Harry has conned an Austrian floor fitter out of thousands of euros. The fake prince offered the workman a million-euro contract to renovate floors at Buckingham Palace, getting him to transfer funds to “set up a UK firm”.

UK will search for ET in deep space

Britain has signed up for an £800m mission to seek out extraterrestrial life on planets outside the Solar System. The European Space Agency’s Plato project will see a huge observatory housing 34 telescopes launched into space.

Family could help talks with Korea

The parents of a Japanese woman abducted by North Korea in 1977 have just met their granddaughter, aged 26. The meeting could help talks to resume between the countries.

Working up a sweat stops the sweats

Taking part in vigorous exercise – such as running, fast cycling or rugby – cuts the risk of catching flu by around 10 per cent, research suggests.