The News Matrix: Friday 14 November 2014

Prison staff quizzed over abuse claims

Seven former prison workers have been quizzed by police in one of the biggest investigations into historic sexual and physical abuse ever carried out in Britain. More than 900 men have come forward alleging they were abused when they were sent to Medomsley Detention Centre as teenagers. Up to 100 former staff, according to reports, could eventually be questioned.

Salmond steps down as First Minister

Alex Salmond yesterday ended his seven-year reign as Scotland’s First Minister claiming he had delivered “substantial achievements”. Mr Salmond is expected to stand for Parliament next year.

Isis leader recording released after raid

A speech supposedly recorded by Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called for attacks in Saudi Arabia and summoned “volcanoes of jihad” yesterday. There have been contradictory accounts about whether Baghdadi was wounded in a US air strike last week.

Far-right group faces censure over crown

The leader of a far-right political group is being investigated by a unit of police officers over the unauthorised use of the monarch’s crown on merchandise. The leader of Britain First, Paul Golding, is expected to be questioned over the next few weeks.

Police seize £146m of drug chemicals

Chemicals that could make €184m (£146m) worth of crystal meth have been seized, and 15 people arrested, in a raid involving Czech and German police. The record haul of 2.9 tons of chloroephedrine fuelled worries about drug trafficking from the Czech Republic.

Mantel: Coalition worse than Cromwell

Coalition policies towards the poor and immigrants are more stringent than the action taken by Thomas Cromwell in Tudor times, according to bestselling author Hilary Mantel. She attacked a “mood of harshness” that pervades in Britain today.

Death threat for anti-Mafia judge

Security for Italy’s most at-risk prosecutor has been stepped up after claims that Mafia bosses plan to assassinate him. Palermo magistrate Nino Di Matteo has strengthened his guard.

Measles making a global comeback

Progress towards wiping out measles worldwide has stalled, with deaths from the highly contagious disease rising last year and poor vaccine coverage leading to large outbreaks, the World Health Organisation has said. More than 145,000 people died from measles in 2013.

No sex please, we’re Chinese...

China’s censors have reportedly ordered video websites to cut scenes in television dramas that feature one-night stands and extramarital affairs. Foreign television dramas are often streamed in China, but new rules mean they will be stripped of scenes with “too much physical contact”.

Half of motorists would fail test

Half of experienced motorist would fail the driving theory test, according to a new survey. In a mock test of long-qualified drivers, half failed the multiple-choice part of the test while a third failed the hazard perception part. Drivers had the most trouble identifying road traffic signs.

Star Wars museum angers locals

Opponents of George Lucas’ plan to build a museum along Chicago’s lakefront have a message for the Star Wars creator: this is not the spot you’re looking for. A parks group filed a lawsuit to block the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art from being built by Lake Michigan, arguing that it would breach planning rules.

‘Godfather’ mansion on market for £1.8m

Don Corleone’s Staten Island mansion has been put on the market for $2.9m (£1.8m). The house was the fictional headquarters of Marlon Brando’s and later Al Pacino’s crime family in The Godfather series. The house was gutted and renovated in 2012 after having been a family home for six decades.

Now it’s the Ali and Dec show

I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! host Declan Donnelly has got engaged to his manager, Ali Astall. The presenter, currently in Australia for the new series of the reality show, is expected to marry next year.

Band Aid song to air on ‘X Factor’

The new Band Aid song will get its first airing on Sunday’s X Factor – just a day after stars including One Direction, Chris Martin and Ed Sheeran (above) team up to record it. The single will be available to download from 8am on Monday, raising funds for the fight against the spread of the Ebola virus in west Africa.