The News Matrix: Wednesday 15 April 2015

President says girls may never be found

Nigeria’s President-elect Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to make every effort to free more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram militants a year ago, but admitted it was not clear they would ever be found. A spokesman said: “All known Boko Haram camps will be taken out.”

£13m compensation for disabled siblings

A woman whose two children were both left brain damaged after errors by Sharoe Green Hospital in Preston when they were born has urged other parents not to give up hope in fighting for compensation. Paula McKay’s daughter Natasha Jackson, now 23, was awarded £7m, her brother Patrick, 22, £6m.

Councillor’s son held on terror charge

The son of a Labour councillor was arrested yesterday at Birmingham airport on suspicion of terrorism. Waheed Ahmed, 21, was detained in Turkey earlier this month, along with eight of his relatives as they allegedly tried to cross the border into Syria. Shakil Ahmed thought his son had been on a work placement.

Perkins quits Twitter after death threats

The TV presenter Sue Perkins has left Twitter following death threats after it was reported she could replace Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear. Perkins, who has 574,000 followers, said the reports about replacing Clarkson were “utterly fabricated”. One user said they hoped she would “burn to death”.

Militants kill 10 in government attack

Al-Shabaab Islamist militants attacked a government building housing two ministries in the Somali capital yesterday, setting off two big blasts before gunmen stormed inside, killing at least 10 people, police and the rebels said. Fighting raged around the building before security forces retook it.

Bond star in mission to eliminate mines

The United Nations yesterday gave actor Daniel Craig, known for playing James Bond, a “licence to save” by appointing him as the first global advocate for the elimination of mines and explosive hazards. He will raise awareness for the UN Mine Action Service as well as political and financial support.

Obama to remove Cuba from terror list

Barack Obama told Congress yesterday that he plans to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism – a key step in his bid to normalise relations between the two countries. The White House said Mr Obama had submitted a report to Congress that is required under law.

400 feared dead in migrant boat disaster

More than 7,000 migrants have been plucked from the Mediterranean in the last four days, according to the latest figures. Survivors of one capsized migrant boat off Libya told the aid group Save the Children last night that an estimated 400 people are believed to have drowned.

Health apps ‘may lead to anxiety’

Health apps that monitor our activity levels are “untested and unscientific” and could end up doing more harm than good, a leading GP has warned. Wearable devices that monitor users’ health may lead to “extreme anxiety”, Dr Des Spence wrote in the British Medical Journal.

Sheikh, rattle and roll on £420k piano

A Swarovski crystal-covered piano worth £420,000 has been created by a British firm following a request from an unnamed buyer described as an “influential Sheikh” in Doha, Qatar. Goldfinch, a Cambridge-based piano maker, took six months to build it, with each of the half a million crystals applied by hand.

Pope Francis’s iPad put up for auction

An Apple iPad which belonged to Pope Francis was set to be auctioned last night at an asking price of around $20,000 (£13,500) with proceeds going to a school for the poor, the auction house, Castells said. “May you do something good with it,” Uruguayan priest Gonzalo Aemilius was told by the Pope.

Murray’s mum: this trumps Wimbledon

Andy Murray’s mother has said that her son’s wedding to girlfriend Kim Sears made her prouder than the tennis star’s Wimbledon win. Judy Murray said: “It was the perfect day despite the hailstones and the snowstorms that we had during the morning.” The couple, both 27, wed in Dunblane Cathedral on Saturday.

Chimp destroys spy drone in enclosure

A £1,440 drone was destroyed by a chimp when it got too close to her. Officials at the Dutch Burgers’ Zoo sent a drone over the enclosure to see better how the group of 14 live. But when it came too close to 23-year-old Tushi in a tree she hit it with a branch and it crashed. A zoo spokesman said: “She’s very handy with sticks.”