The News Matrix: Tuesday 10 July 2012

'Appalling' one-hour queues at Heathrow

Labour MP Keith Vaz was "appalled" by the hour-long immigration queues at Heathrow airport during a morning spot check yesterday. He called for Immigration Minister Damian Green to explain why half the immigration desks were empty despite the queues.

Two-child families need £37k to survive

A lone parent with one child needs £23,900 to afford an adequate standard of living, while families with two children need £36,800 a year to live comfortably, a report has found. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation study showed the cost of "getting by" had risen by a third since 2008. MORE

British animated films 'lack heart'

British animated films are failing to deliver the same emotional punch as their big-budget Hollywood counterparts, the Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park has claimed. He told the Radio Times that "we don't wear our emotion on our sleeves".  MORE

Brits 'most obsessed with celebrity'

British people consume less news and current affairs than those in the US and many European countries, according to a Reuters Institute report. But when it comes to an obsession with celebrity culture, Britain leads the pack, with 21 per cent interested in celebrity news.

Bus staff offered bonus during Games

Bus staff in London have been made an offer for working during the Olympics, raising hopes further strikes can be avoided. Members of the Unite union staged a 24-hour walkout last month over a claim for a £500 bonus. However, the threat of a strike on July 24 remains.

Peep show at the National Gallery

The Turner Prize-winning artist Mark Wallinger has set up a classically-inspired peep show in the middle of the National Gallery. The work, called Diana, is inspired by three Titian paintings.

Cameron 'incensed' by Clegg briefings

David Cameron has become "incensed" by briefings from Nick Clegg's aides saying the vote on House of Lords reform is a test of the Prime Minister's leadership. Mr Cameron told his deputy that the Lib Dems had created "bad blood" and provoked a backlash among Tory MPs by derailing plans to redefine constituencies in such a way as to gain 20 extra Tory seats.  MORE

Obama calls for end to Bush tax cuts

Barack Obama's re-election campaign continued to cast Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee, as a candidate bent on protecting the rich yesterday as Mr Obama called for an end to Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy, while extending them for the middle-class. MORE

Flash flood alerts 'were inadequate'

Authorities failed to properly warn residents in the Black Sea region of floods that killed at least 171 people and left others scrambling for safety, Russia's Emergencies Minister acknowledged yesterday. It added to public outrage fuelled by widespread mistrust of the government.

Abu Hamza appeals against extradition

Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza has lodged an appeal against his extradition from the UK to America on terror charges. Hamza's extradition is on hold while a panel of judges decide whether the European Court of Human Rights should hear his appeal.

Mladic trial hears harrowing evidence

The first witness in the trial of former Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic testified yesterday, describing a harrowing escape and scenes of horror in his village – despite a motion by defence lawyers to adjourn the case for six months. MORE

Pamplona bulls gore three

Two Britons and an American were gored on the third day of Spain's famed running of the bulls through the cobblestoned streets of Pamplona, the most gorings for one run so far this year. They were gored by one bull that broke free from the pack before entering the city's bullring.

Body of missing fan found in a canal

The body of a man who went missing following a reunion concert of The Stone Roses has been found in a canal in Salford. Christopher Brahney, 22, had not been seen since attending the show at Heaton Park, Manchester, on 29 June. Police have confirmed the identity of the body.

Punk protesters are denied bail

Members of the female punk band Pussy Riot have been denied bail by authorities in Russia, days after they went on hunger strike ahead of their trial for staging a protest against the President, Vladimir Putin. A Moscow court rejected an appeal from the three women.

Batman could fly but not land

Batman could fly, but he wouldn't survive the landing because his wingspan is too short, according to researchers. Four students from the University of Leicester have calculated that using his cape to glide would result in him hitting the ground at life-threatening speeds.

Oceans' acid levels rising, expert warns

Oceans' rising acid levels have emerged as one of the biggest threats to coral reefs, acting as the "osteoporosis of the sea" and threatening everything from food security to tourism, said Jane Lubchenco, the head US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Man is jailed for 17 years for £34m fraud

A man who stole £34m in PAYE employee tax has been jailed for 17 years – one of the longest fraud sentences in British criminal history. Thomas Scragg, of Hockley Heath, West Midlands, was convicted of three separate fraud charges at Birmingham Crown Court.

Yasser Arafat 'may have been poisoned'

The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has given permission to exhume the remains of Yasser Arafat, after a Swiss institute reported finding elevated traces of a radioactive substance on the late leader's belongings. The findings revived speculation Arafat was poisoned.

MP pulls gun in debate on live TV

A Jordanian lawmaker is being investigated after pulling a gun on his opponent in a live TV talk show, prosecutors said yesterday. Mohammed Shawabka pointed his pistol at Mansour Seif-Eddine Murad during a prime-time television debate on Thursday covering Syria's uprising.