The News Matrix: Tuesday 22 October 2013

Killer had only been out of jail one day

A violent career criminal has been jailed for a minimum of 40 years after murdering a pensioner while he was on day release from prison. Ian McLoughlin, 55, stabbed Graham Buck in the neck when the 66-year-old tried to intervene during a robbery at his neighbour’s home. The robbery victim had served time in jail with McLoughlin. MORE

Assad plans 2014 re-election attempt

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad might consider running for re-election in 2014, he said. “I don’t see any obstacles to being nominated to run in the next presidential elections,” he said on Syrian television when asked whether he thought it was suitable to hold the election in 2014.

Traveller camp in hospital car park

Hundreds of NHS workers have been blocked from parking at Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport after 14 caravans of French travellers set up camp in the staff car park. Doctors and emergency staff were turned away from the 300-space area, but services have continued as normal.

Two dead in Nevada school shooting

A shooting at a middle school in Nevada has left two people dead and two boys in critical condition. One of the victims was identified last night as maths teacher Michael Landsberry. The suspect is ‘down’, police said, and school officials say there is no further danger. MORE

Health tourism is ‘costing £2bn a year’

Health tourism is costing the NHS up to £2bn a year and at least £500m more can be recovered annually, according to the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt. The new Immigration Bill sets out moves to require temporary migrants to pay a surcharge before being given a visa. MORE

Ministers protest to US over spying

France has summoned the US ambassador to explain why spies secretly checked millions of French phone records. The row came after Le Monde said documents leaked by Edward Snowden show that the US National Security Agency swept up 70.3 million phone records in 30 days. MORE

Hurricane lashes sodden coastline

Hurricane Raymond strengthened to a Category 3 storm yesterday and threatened a part of Mexico’s coast already devastated by last month’s storms. The US National Hurricane Centre clocked winds of 120mph.

Cure for baldness is just a whisker away

An effective treatment for chronic hair loss in both men and women has moved a step closer to breaking a 40-year research deadlock, with a study showing it is possible to grow new hair follicles from human skin cells. MORE