The News Matrix: Friday 27 May 2011

Alcohol-related hospital visits top 1m

The number of alcohol-related hospital admissions in England has exceeded one million in a year for the first time. Figures compiled by the NHS Information Centre for the year 2009-10 showed 1,057,000 hospital visits in relation to alcohol – a 12 per cent increase on the previous year and more than double the amount recorded in 2002-03.

NHS reforms to go back to Commons

NHS reforms will be delayed by months to give MPs a chance to scrutinise the proposals, Nick Clegg suggested. The Deputy PM admitted it would be impossible to pursue the changes without going back to the House of Commons. MORE

Amnesty video shows atrocities

Video coverage that purports to show attacks by Syrian security forces against protesters has been released by Amnesty International. The violent footage appears to show the bodies of people that have clearly been shot in the head.

South urges North to leave oil-rich region

South Sudan has called on the North to withdraw from an oil-rich disputed region. North Sudanese forces seized control of the Abyei region on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands to flee. Analysts fear a North Sudanese land grab could spark a full-blown war.

Kim Jong-il talks of special relationship

North Korea’s Kim Jong-il ended his visit to China yesterday, vowing the alliance between the two nations was “sealed in blood” and will pass on to their successors. China this week also welcomed Burma’s Prime Minister and Iran’s Foreign Minister. MORE

Strauss-Kahn’s luxurious detention

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former IMF head, is living in a $50,000-amonth luxury Manhattan home until a court decides whether he sexually assaulted a hotel maid. MORE

Labourer gets life for two double murders

A farm labourer has been jailed for life for murdering four people in Pembrokeshire. He had been on the run for more than 20 years. John Cooper, 66, shot siblings Richard and Helen Thomas in 1985 and Peter and Gwenda Dixon in 1989. MORE

Dozens killed in street battles

Dozens of people were killed during pitched battles on the streets of Yemen’s capital Sana’a yesterday as fighting aimed at ending the 32-year rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh threatened to push the nation into civil war. MORE

Surge in migrants from Eastern Europe

David Cameron’s promise to cut immigration significantly by the next election was in doubt yesterday following a surge in East Europeans heading to Britain for work. The Home Office announced net migration had reached a five-year high of 242,000. MORE

Lord Sugar in trouble for prejudicial tweet

Lord Sugar was told to remove a Twitter message speculating on whether a peer on trial for expenses fraud would be cleared because he was a Conservative. A judge ordered the Labour peer to take down the post during the trial of Lord Taylor, who was convicted, in case it unfairly influenced jurors.

Record number of laws made in 2010

Labour’s rush to get its legislation on to the statute book before last year’s general election resulted in a record number of laws being made in 2010. In total, 3,506 were introduced in the UK last year – up 41 per cent on the previous year and the equivalent of 13.8 being passed every working day.

For sale: poky flat, belonged to oligarch

If you want to get your hands on a bit of property fit for an oligarch, now’s your chance. A former residence of Roman Abramovich’s is on the market – a poky studio flat in Moscow, being sold by his first wife. MORE

Disney abandons ‘SEAL’ trademark bid

Disney has withdrawn its application to trademark the term “SEAL Team 6”, the name of the elite unit that killed Osama bin Laden, after the US Navy moved to protect its rights and the studio was criticised for an application that included Christmas stockings and snow globes. MORE

Eurotunnel to power the UK from France

Eurotunnel has unveiled plans to run an electricity link through the tunnel as part of efforts to bolster UK power supplies. The proposed cable from France will help to smooth out supply volatility due to offshore wind power, meaning energy generated from windy areas can be shared. MORE

Briton completes Seven Summits at 16

A British teenager became the youngest climber in the world to conquer the Seven Summits when he reached the peak of Mount Everest yesterday. George Atkinson, 16, realised his dream at around 3.30am when he made it to the top of the world's highest mountain.