The News Matrix: Wednesday 26 March 2014

Hillsborough police ‘refuse co-operation’

Police officers who were present on the day of the Hillsborough disaster are refusing to co-operate with an investigation into an alleged cover-up, it has been claimed. Lord Falconer, who has been advising the victims’ families, told MPs that “significant numbers” of officers are either claiming that they are sick, or are refusing to speak to a police watchdog because they have retired.

Socialists want Premier sacked

French President François Hollande is under pressure from senior socialists to dismiss Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault after the disastrous outcome of the municipal elections last Sunday. Several senior socialist figures are calling for a change of government. MORE

Bad parents ‘given too many chances’

Some neglected children are being left to suffer because their parents are being given too many chances by social care professionals, inspectors have found. A review of cases of neglect found a “mixed picture” in the quality of responses from the relevant agencies, Ofsted said.

US: Russia is just a regional power

Barack Obama described Russia as a “regional power” that had seized part of Ukraine out of weakness rather than strength, in a dig at President Vladimir Putin yesterday.Mr Putin has tried to rebuild Russia’s prestige since the collapse of the Soviet Union. MORE

Now zoo kills two lions and their cubs

The Danish zoo that created an international uproar over the public killing of a healthy giraffe has killed two lions and their two cubs in order to make way for a new male. The four lions were euthanised on Monday after the zoo failed to find a new home for them.

Paltrow and Martin announce split

Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow and husband Chris Martin have announced they are separating after 10 years of marriage. Paltrow, 41, and Coldplay frontman Martin, 37, have two children.

Muslim Brotherhood leader goes on trial

The outlawed Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie and 682 others went on trial yesterday on charges including murder. They are being tried in the same Minya Province court where 529 Brotherhood members were sentenced to death a day earlier for supporting former President Mohamed Morsi. MORE

‘Internet grandad’ dies aged 86

Peter Oakley, also known as the “internet grandad”, whose YouTube channel was once the most popular in the world, has died aged 86. The former Second World War radar mechanic from Bakewell, Derbyshire, uploaded 434 videos to the site between 2006 and 2014. MORE

Cocaine was sent to Vatican post office

A package addressed to the Vatican post office containing thousands of pounds worth of cocaine – hidden in 14 condoms – was found at Leipzig airport by custom officials in January, Bild newspaper has claimed. A spokesman said Vatican police were working with German officials to try to identify the traffickers.

Shopper charged £450 for a loaf

Supermarket chain Asda has apologised to a customer who was charged £450 for a loaf of bread while using a debit card at a self-service check-out. Warehouse worker John Brown, from Wolverhampton, only noticed the store’s error when he checked his bank account.

£240 drain on Ninja barber’s resources

A Newcastle barber has had to shell out £240 after he put joke signs on drain covers saying “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles now hiring, inquire within”. The council did not see the funny side of Patrick Forster’s antics though, and an environmental health officer handed the 31-year-old a fixed penalty notice.

Piece of cake for girl scout selling cookies

A girl scout in Oklahoma has broken the sales record for selling the greatest number of cookies. Katie Francis of Oklahoma City sold 18,107 boxes during a seven-week sales period that ended on Sunday. Elizabeth Brinton, who sold 18,000 boxes in one year, had held the previous record since the 1980s.

Wife says Gove was a needy father

Michael Gove was needy during paternity leave, according to his wife, Sarah Vine. Speaking on ITV’s The Agenda, she said of the Education Secretary: “He hung around the house, eating biscuits and getting cups of tea made for him. When you’ve just had a baby, you don’t really want your husband around.”