The News Matrix: Saturday 14 July 2012

Scores dead in village massacre

Bashar al-Assad's troops rained rained artillery shells on a poor farming village before gunmen moved in, leaving scores of people dead in what rebels claim is one of the worst single days of bloodshed in the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's regime. MORE

Three killed as private jet crashes

A private jet crashed and burst into flames as it landed near Saint Tropez yesterday, killing its three American crew members. The Gulfstream jet had left the city of Nice when it went down at Le Castellet airfield, near the resort, hurtling into a wooded area where it caught fire.

Police promise to make further arrests

Police pledged to make "significant" arrests after officers were attacked with petrol bombs in Belfast on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, the Parades Commission defended the decision to allow loyalist and republican marches to take place in the same area.

'Cannibal sect' held over murders

Twenty-nine people accused of being part of a cannibal cult were arrested by police in connection with the murders of seven suspected witch doctors. The cult members, operating deep in the jungle, allegedly ate their victims' brains raw and made soup from their penises. MORE

Shafilea's father says she lied about abuse

A father accused of murdering his daughter told a jury she was lying when she complained of violence and being forced into marriage. Iftikhar Ahmed, 52, and his wife Farzana, 49, are accused of killing Shafilea Ahmed in 2003. The couple deny murder. MORE

Avalanche like being in 'washing machine'

Survivors of an avalanche in France that killed nine climbers including three Britons said they felt like they were tossed around "in a washing machine". Victims Steve Barber, 47, pictured, and John Taylor, 48, from near York, were climbing Mont Maudit in the Alps in aid of a hospice. MORE

Lords rebels plan to stay in touch

Tory rebel leaders are planning to stay in touch over the summer break to ensure they are not outmanoeuvred by the Government in the battle over Lords reform. Opposition on David Cameron's backbenches is growing, with a total of 145 MPs having stepped out of line. MORE

Tighter controls on civil rights groups

The Russian government yesterday rushed through parliament a law which will tighten controls on civil rights groups. The measure has strained relations with the United States, which fears a crackdown on opponents of President Vladimir Putin's regime. MORE

PC died of single bullet to chest

An off-duty police officer shot as he tried to stop a gunman attacking his neighbours was killed by a single bullet to the chest, an inquest heard. PC Ian Dibell, 41, intervened in a row near his home in Clacton, Essex, on Monday. Suspected killer Peter Reeve, 64, later killed himself.

Attenborough fears for mankind's future

Sir David Attenborough, the veteran wildlife broadcaster, is less than optimistic about the future of mankind, he tells i in an interview today. He also wishes that we would stop being so obsessed by the weather – a preoccupation he described as "an English disease". MORE

Suicide bomber kills five at mosque

A suicide bomber killed five people at a mosque in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri yesterday, the latest attack in a region plagued by Islamist insurgents. The Boko Haram militant group has killed hundreds of people this year as it seeks to carve out an Islamic state.

Month's rain in few hours predicted

More flood warnings have been issued as downpours are forecast which could see a month's rain fall in just a few hours. The Environment Agency said central and eastern England should remain on alert for possible floods as heavy thunderstorms are forecast for many areas.

Muslim Brotherhood to boycott elections

Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood said it will boycott parliamentary elections in protest over changes to election laws. A boycott would deal a blow to King Abdullah II and his reform campaign, which has aimed to stave off the type of protests that have toppled other Arab leaders.MORE

Lemurs are the most endangered primates

The lemurs of Madagascar – known for their haunting cries and reflective eyes – are the most endangered primate group on Earth, because they are losing their forest habitat, the International Union for Conservation of Nature said yesterday.

Chicago set for its last razzle dazzle

Chicago, one of the longest running musicals in the West End, is set to bring down the curtain on its 15-year run in the autumn. Barry Weissler, the producer of the show that has grossed £120m in London, said yesterday that the show was "going out with our heads held high".

Poet laureate Duffy wins new accolade

The poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy has won the Pen Pinter Prize for outstanding literary merit. "She comments on contemporary events directly in a way we do not believe a poet laureate has done before," said Lady Fraser, widow of Harold Pinter, after whom the prize is named.

Designer sues Jay-Z over Roc-A-Fella logo

A New York City clothing designer says Jay-Z, below, and his former Roc-A-Fella record label partners owe him $7m (£4.5m) in unpaid royalties for designing their label logo. Dwayne Walker said in a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court on Thursday that he created the Roc-A-Fella design. The lawsuit says the Bronx designer came up with the logo in 1995 when Roc-A-Fella was just starting out.

Blur return with concert on BBC

Blur are to play a gig which will be broadcast live on Radio 2 and Radio 6 ahead of their comeback gigs later this summer at Hyde Park in London. The indie band, who aired two new tracks earlier this month, will play songs spanning their 21-year career at 8pm on 31 July.