The News Matrix: Thursday 7 March 2013

UK workers hit by biggest fall in wages

Workers in the UK have seen the biggest fall in real wages anywhere in the world's top 10 developed economies, according to a new study. The TUC said that between 2007 and 2011 real wages fell by 4.5 per cent, higher than in countries such as Italy and Japan, while they rose in Canada and Australia.

Wild deer 'should be culled'

More than 750,000 deer should be culled annually, ecologists have recommended. Soaring populations of deer are causing serious damage to wild flowers and birds, and their numbers are greater than at any time since the end of the last Ice Age. Deer eat woodland shrubs, damaging the habitat of woodland birds. MORE

Nurse's family denied legal aid for inquest

The family of Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse believed to have committed suicide after answering a hoax call at the hospital where Duchess of Cambridge was staying, have been denied legal aid for her inquest. Her relatives now fear they may never find out the circumstances surrounding her death. MORE

King hits out at Osborne's RBS plans

The Royal Bank of Scotland should be split into a “good bank” and a “bad bank” before being sold back to the private sector, the Bank of England governor has sensationally claimed. Sir Mervyn King called on the Chancellor to “face up” to the fact his existing plans to sell the majority state owned RBS back to the private sector in one piece are failing. MORE

Olympic pair set to face off with Tarrant

Olympic boss Lord Coe is to be a contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, teaming up with former middle-distance running rival Steve Cram. The pair will take part in a “best of friends” special of the ITV quiz to be screened this month, which will also feature another Olympic star, Louis Smith.

Hallowed be these hits . . .

The UK's first official weekly Christian music chart will be unveiled on Monday following a surge in popularity for holy tunes. The Official Christian and Gospel Albums Chart Top 20 is expected to feature breakthrough stars such as Friar Alessandro, a monk with a major record deal. MORE

Kenya: UK charged with election meddling

Britain has been forced to deny a “shadowy” involvement in a row over election results. The coalition of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta accused the British High Commissioner of making “suspicious” efforts to get a decision made on how rejected ballots should be counted. MORE

US: Drone strikes 'could be used on US soil'

The US Attorney General Eric Holder has said he cannot rule out the use of drones on American citizens on US soil if the situation required it. He said such use of unmanned military aircraft was not anticipated, but he did not rule them out in circumstances akin to the 11 September attacks.

China: Couples divorce to beat new house duty

Officials at a marriage registration centre in Shanghai divorced a record 53 couples in one day as couples rushed to avoid tougher tax laws. Beijing has announced a 20 per cent capital gains tax on profits from residential property. But couples with two homes who divorce and assign a different name to each avoid the tax.

Russia: Dancer confesses to Bolshoi acid attack

A Russian ballet star who recently played Ivan the Terrible at the Bolshoi has confessed he organised the acid attack on the theatre's artistic director. Pavel Dmitrichenko, 29, admitted he masterminded the assault on Sergei Filin, who suffered burns to his eyes and face. MORE