The News Matrix: Wednesday 11 March 2015

Scots fear migration as much as rest of UK

Almost half (49 per cent) of all Scottish people are concerned that current levels of immigration are too high – the same proportion as in Britain as a whole, a new poll has discovered. The findings contradict the popular myth that Scotland is more tolerant of immigrants than other parts of the UK.

Women and children campaign ‘a success’

A UN report says a $60bn (£40bn) campaign to improve the health of women and children has led to a decrease in maternal and child death rates in all 49 targeted countries. The report released yesterday cited improvements in the targeted countries, including nearly one million new health workers.

Sports stars killed in helicopter crash

France is mourning the deaths of three sports stars – swimmer Camille Muffat, yachtswoman Florence Arthaud and boxer Alexis Vastine – who were among 10 people killed when two helicopters collided in a remote region of La Rioja in western Argentina during the filming of a reality TV show.

‘Dragons’ Den’ truffle comes to fruition

A plant biologist who won the first series of the BBC show Dragons’ Den has revealed that the first truffle cultivated on British soil has been harvested. Entrepreneur Paul Thomas had been waiting for a decade for the truffle to begin fruiting. The first specimen was found last Thursday.

i’s Cockburn wins top reporting prize

Patrick Cockburn (left), i Middle East Correspondent, was named Foreign Reporter of the Year at last night’s prestigious Press Awards, celebrating the best in British journalism. Judges praised his “outstanding reporting” that was “ahead of the curve, fearless and acute”. It was one of a number of triumphs for i writers.

Science Editor Steve Connor was highly commended in the Science and Health category with judges singling out his “great comfort handling statistics”.

Ian Herbert, i’s Chief Sports Writer, was also commended in the Sports Journalist group. He was described as an “excellent story-getter”.

Pharrell and Thicke to give it up to Gaye

A jury has said Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke copied a Marvin Gaye song to create “Blurred Lines” and awarded $7.3m (£4.85m) to Gaye’s family. The decision came after nearly a week of testimony about apparent similarities between “Blurred Lines” and Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got to Give It Up.”

Wikipedia sues NSA for violating privacy

The US National Security Agency was sued yesterday by the Wikimedia Foundation, which runs Wikipedia, and other groups challenging one of its mass surveillance programmes which they said violates Americans’ privacy and makes individuals worldwide less likely to share sensitive information.

Sexpo and the city: vice girls go to show

Officials in Milan have said the number of sex workers in the city could “grow significantly” during an expo that is expected to welcome a flood of visitors when it opens later this year. There are reports that thousands of sex workers could travel to the city during the 2015 Expo World Fair.

Government ‘failing children in care’

The Government is accused of failing to help the nation’s most vulnerable youngsters. There has been an “alarming reluctance” by the Department for Education to secure better services and results for children in care, according to a report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee.

Clooney answers coffee shop’s call

A British sandwich shop is to welcome George Clooney later this year. Josh Littlejohn, co-founder of Social Bite, which helps the homeless community in Edinburgh and Glasgow through its “suspended coffee” initiative, said he invited the actor to visit the chain and the Hollywood star accepted.

Councillor takes his people for a taxi ride

A town councillor in Georgia is offering people free taxi rides to show them he is serving the public. Zurab Sepiashvili, who sits on the council in the eastern town of Gurjaani, spends each Sunday taxiing people around. He told a local TV channel he wanted “to show people that I am their servant”.

Mumfords leave banjos at home

Mumford & Sons have surprised fans by ditching their banjos in favour of a new rock direction. “It was just the noise we wanted to make and we’ve always followed our noses on that,” Marcus Mumford said during an interview on Radio 1. “The first rule of rock’n’roll is do what you want.”

Write an essay and win a country inn

The owner of an idyllic Maine country inn valued at hundreds of thousands of pounds plans to give it away to the winner of an essay contest. Applicants must be eager to run the business and convey their qualifications in an impeccably crafted 200-word essay, said the owner of the Center Lovell Inn and Restaurant, Janice Sage.