The News Matrix: Monday 29 April 2013

 

Sunday 28 April 2013 23:05 BST
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EU to vote on ban for bee-killing pesticide

A landmark step in the campaign to ban a nerve-agent pesticide blamed for causing a massive decline in bee numbers could be reached today following an intensive environmental lobbying battle. Months of furious argument will be decided in a crucial EU vote in Brussels. MORE

Owner of collapsed factory is detained

The fugitive owner of a building that collapsed and killed at least 377 people was captured yesterday by a commando force as he tried to flee into India. At the disaster site, fire forced authorities temporarily to suspend the search for survivors. MORE

Nurse in Kate prank call ‘blamed DJs’

The nurse who fell for a hoax call from two Australian DJs, who were then given details of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge’s health, said they drove her to suicide. Jacintha Saldanha blamed the presenters in a suicide letter found by her hanged body, according to reports.

Two people found dead in hotel pool

Detectives are investigating the deaths of a two people whose bodies were found underwater in the pool of a hotel. The man and women, who have not been named, were staying at Down Hall in Hatfield Heath, Essex, which was packed with families attending wedding parties. MORE

Daft Punk score first UK No1 single

Veteran electronic duo Daft Punk have scored their first UK No 1 single with their funky comeback track “Get Lucky”. The song is a collaboration with Pharrell Williams and Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers.

Debt mountain puts homes on the brink

Residential care for Britain’s most vulnerable elderly people is in crisis, with record numbers of privately owned care homes going bust and cash-strapped local authorities queuing to shut their own facilities, leaving thousands facing rising bills and the threat of forced relocation. Experts say hundreds of providers are on the financial brink as they struggle to service debt. MORE

TV channels lose licences amid unrest

Iraqi authorities announced that they had revoked the operating licences of 10 satellite TV channels, alleging that they are promoting a sectarian agenda as the country grapples with a wave of violence. The move comes as Baghdad tries to quell rising unrest following clashes at a protest camp last week.

Six hurt as inflatable slide ‘blows away’

Six people, some believed to be children, have been injured and taken to hospital after an inflatable slide was blown away. The incident took place on Main Street, in Ripley, North Yorkshire, when strong winds lifted the slide into the air. Five of the injured people were taken to Harrogate District Hospital. MORE

New PM sworn in amid Rome shooting

Enrico Letta was sworn in as the new Prime Minister yesterday and immediately faced an emergency after a jobless man shot two police officers outside his office. The gunman allegedly told investigators he had planned to attack politicians. MORE

Don’t lift weights, just get an arm lift

Admiration for the toned arms of celebrities such as Michelle Obama has fuelled demand for a new type of cosmetic surgery. In the US, upper arm lifts – removing excess fat from so-called “bingo wings” – have soared in the past decade. MORE

Save the reef, says croc hunter’s father

The father of the late crocodile hunter Steve Irwin has launched a campaign to save the Great Barrier Reef. Bob Irwin says the reef is being used as a dumping ground, a claim that has angered the Queensland government. MORE

Suspect held over biggest cyber-attack

A Dutch man arrested in north-eastern Spain on suspicion of launching what is described as the biggest cyber-attack in internet history had a van equipped to let him hack into networks anywhere in the country, officials said.

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