The News Matrix: Thursday 1 May 2014

Ukip took cash from ‘unpalatable’ backer

Ukip faces fresh embarrassment over links to a businessman after leader Nigel Farage was forced to abandon campaigning due to protests. The party has received cash from Demetri Marchessini despite describing his views as “eccentric and unpalatable”. MORE

Botched execution leaves man writhing

A post-mortem has been carried out on a US death row inmate who writhed and clenched his teeth during his execution, in which a new drug cocktail was used. The man later died of a heart attack. The incident has intensified the debate over lethal injections. MORE

Major crimes not recorded by forces

A fifth of crimes could be going unrecorded by police, a damning report has found. An inspection of 13 forces found 14 rapes were among offences not recorded by officers, including an allegation made by a 13-year-old autistic boy written off as “sexual experimentation”.

Ban on e-cigarettes has been considered

Health officials have considered banning the use of e-cigarettes in public places in England, according to documents from a Public Health England board meeting in February. The proposal was to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes in “workplaces, educational and public places to ensure their use did not undermine smoking prevention and cessation by reinforcing and normalising smoking”.

EU troops take over security at airport

EU peacekeepers are in charge of security at the country’s main airport, easing the burden on French and African troops who are struggling to contain months of sectarian slaughter. Thousands have taken refuge in a settlement beside the airport in the capital Bangui.

Boy, 15, charged with murdering teacher

A 15-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of Spanish teacher Ann Maguire, 61, the CPS said yesterday. Mrs Maguire was stabbed to death at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds on Monday. The boy, who cannot be named, will first appear at Leeds Youth Court today.

Mass protest over abducted schoolgirls

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Nigeria’s parliament yesterday to call on security forces to step up their search for 200 schoolgirls abducted by Islamist militants over two weeks ago. MORE

Half of big firms use zero-hours contracts

Almost half of the UK’s biggest businesses are using zero-hours contracts to employ 1.4 million workers, according to official figures. The use of such contracts is widespread in major companies, a survey by the Office for National Statistics has found. MORE