The News Matrix: Thursday 01 December 2011

Police clear Occupy Los Angeles camp

A pile of collapsed tents and a mountain of rubbish was all that remained of the Occupy Los Angeles camp yesterday, after police evicted protesters from the space surrounding City Hall,where around 800 members of the so-called “99 per cent” have spent the past seven weeks. MORE

Blair asked Oxford to admit Gaddafi son

Tony Blair’s government attempted to secure Saif Gaddafi a place at Oxford University in 2002. The son of the then Libyan dictator was later accepted by the London School of Economics, a report into the LSE’s Libyan connections claims. MORE

Acid attack leaves girl’s family injured

An18-year-old girl who turned down a marriage proposal with her parents’ support is in a critical condition along with her father after an acid attack by invaders in their home in Afghanistan. Two sisters, 14 and 13, and the girl’s mother received less serious injuries.

Blood ‘found on accused’s jacket’

The bloodstain found on the jacket of a man accused of murdering Stephen Lawrence could have been made when a knife was pulled from the teenager’s body, the Old Bailey heard yesterday. The jacket, belonging to defendant Gary Dobson, was probably stained within minutes of the attack, a forensic scientist said. MORE

More police primed to use baton rounds

The number of police officers trained in firing plastic bullets has increased. The Metropolitan Police’s internal report into the London riots said more officers would work in teams armed with “ baton round” guns – not previously used in mainland public order policing. MORE

BBC World banned for ‘biased coverage’

BBC World, CNN and other foreign news channels have been pulled off the air in protest at their coverage of the Nato strike that killed 24 Pakistani troops on the Afghan border last weekend. Pakistan said its army had been unfairly portrayed.

Dry times in store for parts of England

The Environment Secretary has warned that England could face a drought next year. Caroline Spelman said yesterday that Eastern England and the South-east are at risk unless sustained winter rainfall replenishes the water levels. MORE

Rafferty on the road one more time?

“Baker Street” singer Gerry Rafferty could have a road named after him in his Scottish home town. Rafferty died on 4 January this year, but Liberal Democrat councillor Mike Dillon wants to preserve the singer’s memory by christening a street in Paisley Gerry Rafferty Drive.

Young Question Time to get regular slot

Young Voter’s Question Time could air once a month on BBC Three, the channel’s controller has said. The Question Time spin-off, currently hosted by Richard Bacon, attracted 1.7million viewers for a special about the riots. Zai Bennett said the young people’s show will focus more on social affairs rather than politics.

Writer’s tomb saved from kiss of death

Placing lipstick kisses and messages of adoration on the tomb of Oscar Wilde in the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris has long been a ritual for devotees of the Irish writer. Now grease that threatened to destroy the limestone has been removed and a glass protective screen erected around the tomb. MORE

Race goer fined for President drink spill

A South African businessman found guilty of assault after spilling a glass of whisky over President Jacob Zuma at a horse race was yesterday ordered to pay 8,000 rand (£635) or face prison. Daryl Peense, 34, was convicted of deliberately tipping his drink over a balcony on to the premier. He has claimed the incident was an accident.

Harman attacks BBC over sports shortlist

Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harmanhas attacked the BBC over the absence of women on its Sports Personality of the Year shortlist. She suggested the list might have included swimmer Keri-Anne Payne and hept athlete Jessica Ennis. A Commons motion expressing disappointment has been signed by 15 MPs. MORE

Too much swearing increases pain

For some people, it’s second nature to rattle off a chain of expletives when they get a paper cut or stub their toe, but research from Keele University has suggested the more we do it, the harder the pain becomes to bear. The study showed that frequent users of bad language won’t feel its benefits when they’re genuinely hurt. MORE