The News Matrix: Tuesday 22 November 2011

Reducing deficit will be long job, says PM

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, has admitted that reducing Britain's deficit would take much longer than expected. He told the CBI's annual conference: "Getting debt under control is proving harder than anyone envisaged." MORE

Financial markets tank after poll win

Mariano Rajoy's Partido Popular (PP), the triumphant centre-right party in Sunday's election, was immediately thrust into the country's financial crisis yesterday after markets responded badly to its overwhelming victory. MORE

Judge studies deals that cost millions

A judge is to investigate controversial tax deals which cost the Exchequer millions of pounds in lost revenue. The judge will examine the private accounts of Goldman Sachs and Vodafone to establish whether senior inspectors wrongly "let them off" multimillion-pound demands. MORE

Officials in tug-of-war over Gaddafi's son

The capture of Muammar Gaddafi's hated son has turned into a test of the authority of the Libyan authorities after the local council in Zintan, where he is being held, expressed their wish to try him locally. The country's transitional government wants to bring Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who was seized on Saturday, to Tripoli to face trial there. MORE

Executive wages at 'stratospheric levels'

The High Pay Commission reveals the pay of top executives has soared by more than 4,000 per cent in 30 years, undermining productivity and "damaging" trust in British business. The inquiry concluded executive pay is at "stratospheric" levels. MORE

Child paracetamol dosages updated

Parents have been advised to cut the amount of pain relief medicine they give to children. Instead of 40ml of liquid paracetamol per day, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency advises dosing infants with no more than 10ml.

Plans to increase use of full-body scans

The Government has announced plans to make more air passengers undergo full-body scans or be banned from their flights. Justine Greening, the Transport Secretary, said most travellers accepted the need for such checks. Trials of body scanners will be rolled out nationally. MORE

Rivals dismiss 'faster than light' claims

A study showing that sub-atomic particles can travel faster than light must be wrong, according to a rival team of physicists. Scientists thought they had overturned a law of physics that had stood for more than 100 years. But the rival group says it has found flaws in the experiment's methodology. MORE

Fight fans greet Putin with boos and jeers

Vladimir Putin was shocked when he entered a wrestling ring to congratulate the winner – only to be booed by the crowd. The unprecedent jeers for the Prime Minister, who is generally thought popular, were swiftly dubbed over in footage broadcast on Russian TV. But the uncensored version went viral online. MORE

Baths may be better for conserving water

New research has poured cold water on the theory that a shower is better for the environment than a bath. Some power showers use nearly twice as much water as the average bath – and up to 136 litres of water in eight minutes, a study by Unilever, which looked at 2,600 showers in 100 households, found. MORE

A Swift blow for missing Adele

Taylor Swift, below, and Adele were triumphant in the American Music Awards, but the US country singer just edged her British counterpart after she took the artist of the year prize. Adele, who was the night's leading nominee in four categories, had to miss the event because she is recovering from recent throat surgery.