The News Matrix: Wednesday 21 January 2015

‘Calamitous’ decline in care for elderly

Cuts of £1bn to council budgets have led to a “calamitous” decline in care for the elderly, according to the boss of Age UK. Caroline Abrahams said hundreds of thousands fewer people were getting help than five years ago, leading to increased pressure on the health service.

‘Gary Glitter made me feel dirty’

A woman whom Gary Glitter is accused of trying to rape as a child felt “ashamed and dirty” at the singer’s presence in her bed, but “didn’t want to be rude” by pushing him away, a court heard. Glitter, 70, denies 10 charges relating to alleged sex offences from 1975 to 1980.

Paris attack: first accused in court

Four men have appeared in a French court, the first to face charges over the terror in Paris attacks that left 20 people dead, including three gunmen. France is on a high security alert after the country’s worst atrocities in decades.

Now ScottishPower cuts home gas bills

ScottishPower has become the third major energy supplier to cut gas tariffs in the face of pressure to pass on falling wholesale energy costs. It is cutting prices by 4.8 per cent from 20 February in a move that will affect 1.1 million customers, cutting bills by an average of £33.

Cable warns PM over EU referendum

Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, has branded David Cameron’s plan to offer a referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union by the end of 2017 as “dangerous”.

Woman harassed after Ukip misprint

A Ukip billboard blunder has led to a woman being harassed with hate calls. It comes after the party erected billboards around Surrey slating the Conservatives for not dealing with potholes. After stating that people should “Vote Ukip – let’s get our country back”, the party incorrectly printed a Walthamstow photographer’s number instead of the party’s mobile number.

Russian soldiers blamed for attack

The Kiev government claimed that army units came under attack from Russian regular forces in eastern Ukraine yesterday. It was one of the boldest assertions yet of direct Russian military involvement in the conflict between pro-Russian separatists and government forces.

Fighters enter presidential palace

Fighters from the Houthi rebel group battled guards at the Yemeni President’s private home and entered the presidential palace yesterday as a second day of violence in Sanaa raised fears the country was descending into chaos.

Walk me down the aisle…at Morrisons

A couple are to marry in a supermarket. Rebecca Wooller, 44, and Blake Green, 53, will wed at Morrisons in Cambourne, Cambridgeshire, in March. Ms Wooller was ill when they met and the only “date” they could manage was a meal in the store. “It holds real sentimental memories,” she said.

Two arrested after rites at Lenin’s tomb

Two performance artists were arrested after pouring holy water on the Red Square tomb of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin and shouting “Rise and be gone!”, Russian media reported yesterday. The stunt, filmed on Monday and posted on the internet, was cut short after police detained the artists.

Shetland chip shop is best in Britain

A fish-and-chip shop in the Shetland Islands has been hailed as the UK’s best. Frankie’s Fish and Chips, in Brae, is the most northerly chip shop in Britain. It was one of 10 shortlisted in the national awards organised by Seafish. Frankie’s also won the Good Catch Award for “impeccable sourcing of sustainable seafood”.

‘The Interview’ hits $40m in digital sales

The Interview, the Sony Pictures comedy believed to have triggered a North Korean cyber-attack on the studio, has racked up $40m (£26m) in sales from 5.8 million digital downloads. Michael Lynton, chief executive of Sony Corp’s entertainment arm, called the $40m mark “a significant milestone”.

Researchers read Pompeii scrolls

Ancient texts written on papyrus scrolls that were blackened by the intense heat of the volcanic eruption that buried Pompeii in AD79 have been read without being unrolled and destroyed, scientists said yesterday. Researchers believe the text could be by the Epicurian philosopher, Philodemus.