The News Matrix: Tuesday 10 April 2012

Lobbying firm faces fresh allegations

Bell Pottinger, the lobbying firm at the centre of an undercover investigation last year, faced fresh questions last night when it was named as one of two firms that apparently offered to help prospective clients hijack a scheme designed to involve ordinary people in EU law-making. MORE

South decries planned nuclear test

South Korea has accused its northern neighbour of planning another nuclear-weapons test, even as it prepares for the launch of a long-range rocket that has itself sparked condemnation. Authorities in Seoul said they have learned of the test through satellite images. MORE

Rights activists vow to disrupt Grand Prix

Government opponents said they were determined to disrupt the Formula 1 Grand Prix due to be held there in Bahrain in two weeks. Activists and some British MPs have called for the race to be cancelled in protest at the crushing of an uprising by the nation's Shia majority. MORE

Mugabe 'fighting for life in Singapore'

Robert Mugabe, president of Zimbabwe, was said to be fighting for his life in a Singapore hospital last night. There were local rumours, reported in the Tehran Times, that Mr Mugabe, who is 88, had agreed to hand over power to his defence minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Anni Dewani's sister on battle for justice

The sister of Anni Dewani, the bride murdered in South Africa while on honeymoon in 2010, regrets not advising her sister to pull out of the wedding. She tells i of her family's quest for justice. MORE

Cameron expected to visit Burma

David Cameron is expected to become the first major Western leader to visit Burma since the military junta was dissolved last year. The Prime Minister is expected to visit former Burmese capital Rangoon later this week to meet opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He will also meet President Thein Sein in the current capital Naypyidaw. MORE

Britain rejects ban on 'cancer chemical'

Britain, with the Czech Republic, Holland, Italy, Slovenia and Spain, has opposed French plans to ban bisphenol A, a chemical linked to breast cancer, heart disease and obesity, from food packaging. Regulatory bodies around the world disagree on whether BPA is harmful. MORE

Bomb blast outside government building

A small bomb exploded yesterday outside the Greek ministry tasked with cutting 150,000 public-sector jobs by 2015, causing damage but no injuries. Windows were smashed and desks and computers were damaged in the blast at the Administrative Reform Ministry building.

Cruises to set sail for war-torn regions

Cruise holidays are usually known for being sedate, but next year Thomson Cruises will offer tours of more lively destinations. Rather than Gibraltar and Valletta, ships will set sail for Belfast, Beirut and Algiers.

First ladies join in the election fray

The first ladies of the French presidential campaign have been facing off in various magazine interviews in the run-up to the first round of elections in two weeks. François Hollande's girlfriend is furious with President Nicolas Sarkozy. So is his former wife, Cécilia... MORE

Hershey's hit by Aids awareness protest

Demonstrators picketed company properties in major cities over Easter after a boarding school tied to American confectionery manufacturer Hershey's refused to admit a teenager because he was HIV positive. Aids awareness campaigners called for a boycott of the company. MORE

'Lion King' steals 'Phantom' crown

A new king reigns on Broadway. The Lion King has swiped the title of Broadway's all-time highest grossing show from The Phantom of the Opera, new box office data has revealed.

Raf Simons named as Dior's creative head

Christian Dior has appointed Belgian designer Raf Simons as its new artistic director, and says he'll present his first show in Paris in July. His naming comes seven months after the label's star designer John Galliano was convicted by a Paris court for making anti-Semitic insults.

Titanic cruise delayed by winds

Holidaymakers eager to recreate the Titanic's 1912 maiden voyage aboard a new ship must have been wondering about the wisdom of retracing the tragic voyage last night. MS Balmoral was due to deliver its 1,300 passengers to New York on 19 April, but strong winds have brought delays.