The News Matrix: Monday 13 April 2015

Ethical shopping worth £32bn to UK

A boom in ethical shopping has contributed £32bn to the UK economy, with sales of low-emission cars reaching £4.9bn and sales of free-range food climbing by 19 per cent. Ethical Consumer magazine’s annual report says changes to tax rules could account for some of the spike in sales.

Toddler dropped into cheetah pen

A two-year-old boy was almost eaten by cheetahs after his mother accidentally dropped him into their pen at a US zoo over the weekend.

The boy fell roughly 10ft, landing in the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo pit where he was ignored by the animals, before he was retrieved by his parents and zoo officials. AP

Cubans hoping for a sales revolution

Cuban artists are hoping the imminent agreement between US leader Barack Obama and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro will open the floodgates for their art. Under a previous agreement, a limited number of Cuban artists have been able to build a relationship with US institutions.

Turkey angered by ‘genocide’ comment

Pope Francis’ description of the 1.5 million Armenians killed during the First World War as the “first genocide” of the twentieth century has provoked a furious response from Turkey. Turkey’s foreign minister took to Twitter to denounce the Pontiff’s remarks, posting that they “cannot be accepted”.

Author and childbirth expert Kitzinger dies

Natural childbirth expert and anthropologist Sheila Kitzinger, who authored more than 25 books, has died aged 86. Her publisher, Pinter & Martin, said she died on Saturday at her home near Oxford after a short illness. Her husband Ewe, 87, told i “she passed away very calmly last night in her own bed”.

Lansbury heads Olivier winners

Blithe Spirit’s Angela Lansbury and Wolf Hall’s Nathaniel Parker were among last night’s winners at the Olivier theatre awards, hosted by Lenny Henry. The event in London saw the 89-year-old Murder She Wrote star beat competition from Lydia Wilson, who played Kate Middleton in King Charles III.

Big rise in number of new building firms

The number of new construction firms has increased by almost 5,500 in one year, the first time the industry has seen a rise since the financial crisis, according to a new report. Almost 40,000 companies opened in 2013, said the accounting firm NoPalaver Group.

Women with cancer ‘put off first GP visit’

Nearly a fifth (17 per cent) of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer put off seeing their GP for more than a month after first spotting one of the symptoms, a survey has suggested. Breast Cancer Care said more needed to be done to encourage women to go to their GP as soon as possible.

Protesters flood city streets for second day

Thousands took to the streets yesterday in the second day of anti-government protests in a month, less than four months into President Dilma Rouseff’s second term. She is grappling with an oil-company scandal, a faltering economy, political infighting and a rapidly depreciating currency.

‘French Spider-Man’ climbs Cayan Tower

A 52-year-old Frenchman, relying on just chalk and the strength of his fingertips, has scaled one of Dubai’s highest buildings. Alain Robert, who is known as “The French Spider-Man”, climbed the 1007ft, 75-storey high Cayan Tower in just 70 minutes yesterday without the use of a harness. AP

Spring is in the air after penguin birth

Keepers at a Scottish safari park are celebrating the arrival of its first Humboldt penguin chick in two years. The two-week-old chick is doing well after hatching at Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling. The baby is being looked after by foster parents, after its biological parents abandoned the egg.