The News Matrix: Friday 10 January 2014

Met ‘was infiltrated by criminals’

Scotland Yard was infiltrated “at will” by organised criminals through bribery of corrupt police officers, according to an explosive secret Met report leaked to i. Operation Tiberius found that syndicates such as the notorious Adams family had bribed former and then-serving detectives to provide, amongst other things, live intelligence on criminal investigations. MORE

Snowden will give evidence via video

A group of Euro MPs has voted to invite fugitive US whistleblower Edward Snowden to give evidence via live video link to a European Parliament inquiry into US surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA). The Civil Liberties Committee vote passed 36 MEPs to two.

A&E overcrowding a ‘major incident’

More than 40 patients were left waiting on trolleys during chronic overcrowding at the A&E department of the Royal Victoria Hospital, which was forced to declare a major incident on Wednesday. A union official said scenes resembled “something out of Beirut”. MORE

Bomb blast kills top police chief

A senior police investigator known for hunting down Taliban militants has been killed in a car bombing in Karachi. Chaudhry Aslam, head of the city’s anti-terror operations, had escaped a number of other attempts on his life. The Pakistani Taliban said they carried out the attack. MORE

Parkinson’s therapy ‘showing promise’

A gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease has produced promising results in its first patient trial. ProSavin converts nerve cells into factories for dopamine, which is lost in Parkinson’s patients. The researchers stressed that the results should be “interpreted with caution”.

Red Arrows pilot ‘died in ejection’

A Red Arrows pilot died after his parachute failed to open when ejected up to 300ft in the air from his cockpit, an inquest has heard. Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham, 35, was fatally injured in November 2011. MORE

Governor sacks aide over bridge scandal

The New Jersey Governor Chris Christie yesterday sacked a top aide who allegedly helped orchestrate traffic jams at a commuter bridge to settle a political score. Mr Christie apologised saying he was not aware of the alleged actions. The scandal threatens to tarnish his political reputation. MORE

Top academy’s head arrested over fraud

The founder and principal of a flagship free school has been arrested by police investigating an alleged fraud. Last year, it was revealed that Kings Science Academy in Bradford – visited by Prime Minister David Cameron in 2012 – claimed tens of thousands of pounds in public money which was misused. MORE

Director who broke one-child rule fined

Film director Zhang Yimou has been fined £752,000 for having three children in violation of China’s one-child policy. Investigators said the director of Hero and House of Flying Daggers and his wife, Chen Ting, had the children without approval before they got married. MORE

MPs compete over different sort of cuts

A war of austerity broke out in Westminster yesterday as MPs competed over who had the cheapest haircut. Commons leader Andrew Lansley said his only cost £15 after Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg revealed he spent £20 on his trim. Shadow Work and Pensions Minister Chris Bryant paid just £13.

Owners try to return cat burglars’ hoard

A couple from Essex are attempting to return more than 100 items that were stolen by their pet cats. Brothers Eric and Ernie have brought back clothes, sporting equipment and “a vast number of children’s shoes” to their owners over the years, living up to the name of cat burglars.

Anti-corruption line receives 3,000 calls

An anti-corruption helpline set up to help deal with complaints of bribe-taking, has reportedly received more than 3,000 calls on its first day, local media report. The helpline is an initiative of the new Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party, which governs Delhi, with the support of the Congress party.

Colorado’s dope hits the $5m mark

An estimated $5m (£3m) worth of cannabis products have been sold by stores in Colorado since its sale for recreational use was legalised on 1 January. The money should not only help the local economy, but also bring significant funds into the state’s tax coffers, allowing investment in schools and hospitals. MORE