The News Matrix: Thursday 24 April 2014

Mother is held on suspicion of murder

A doting mother who provided around-the-clock care for her three severely disabled children has been arrested on suspicion of their murder. The mother, who has been named locally as Tania Clarence, 42, was the full-time carer for the children, but had been under immense pressure while looking after them, according to acquaintances. MORE

Favela clashes spill out over man’s death

An actor who played a man killed by police in a Brazilian favela has been found dead – and his family blame the police. Violent clashes spilled into Copacabana after reports that Douglas Rafael da Silva Pereira, 25, may not have fallen to his death as first suggested by officials. MORE

Three out of four free schools not full

Three out of four free schools failed to fill their places on opening and, two years on, 70 per cent were still not full, according to research published today. As a result, the government is over-funding the project with enough to pay for the schooling of 1,500 more pupils. MORE

Mass graves dug up in hunt for war dead

Excavations have begun on a mass grave in Serbia believed to contain at least 250 bodies of ethnic Albanians killed during the 1998-99 Kosovo war. The government official dealing with the wartime missing said the excavation, in Rudnica, near Kosovo, will take about 60 days.

Primark targets US in expansion effort

Primark is attempting to boldly go where many British retailers have failed before by trying to crack America. The retailer, which also reported a 26 per cent jump in first-half profits, will set up shop in Boston in 2015 and could have as many as six stores by 2016. MORE

Army furious at TV channel’s accusation

The army is demanding that a news channel should be shut down for accusing the intelligence service of shooting its leading presenter. Press freedom advocates decried the move against Geo News TV, whose popular talk-show host Hamid Mir was wounded last Saturday.

WikiLeaks source is renamed ‘Chelsea’

A judge has granted a request to formally change the name of the soldier convicted of leaking classified US security documents to WikiLeaks from Bradley Edward Manning to Chelsea Elizabeth Manning.

Spending power soars in north-east

Families’ spending power is growing almost twice as fast in the north-east as it is in London, a report has found. Across the UK, households had around £7 a week more in discretionary income in March than they did a year ago, according to Asda’s latest income tracker.

Badgers, pigeons and snails top claims list

A trapped badger bashing its way out of a shed and a pigeon causing £8,000 of damage after flying down a chimney are among the most bizarre but successful claims insurance provider RIAS has seen recently. In another incident, a snail chomped its way through £78 worth of carpet.

Uri Geller fronts army’s security ads

Celebrity psychic Uri Geller is the new face of Israeli disaster-readiness, starring in army-sponsored TV and internet advertisements on how to take shelter from missile attacks or earthquakes. Launched yesterday, the campaign marks Geller’s return to Israel from Britain.

Jodie Foster weds her girlfriend

Oscar-winning actor Jodie Foster has married her girlfriend, the photographer Alexandra Hedison. The couple have been dating since the summer.

Mayor bans marijuana cafés

Amsterdam has won court permission to ban marijuana cafés in its red-light district. Mayor Eberhard van der Laan says the district’s brothels and coffee shops generate criminality.

Male Y chromosome ‘not endangered’

The male sex is not at risk of being wiped out after all, say scientists. Studies have failed to find evidence to support the theory that the male Y chromosome is endangered. MORE