The News Matrix: Wednesday 16 January 2013

Horse meat found in Tesco beefburgers

Beefburgers being sold in UK and Irish supermarkets have tested positive for horse DNA, Ireland's food safety authority has said. One sample from Tesco, where the offending products were pulled from the shelves, contained 29 per cent horse meat. A sample was also found in an Iceland store. The FSAI said the horse meat burgers did not pose a health risk to the public. MORE

Sit-in staged as court orders arrest of PM

Pakistan's highest court has ordered the arrest of the Prime Minister over corruption allegations after tens of thousands of protesters arrived in the capital demanding the dismissal of the government. Supporters of Tahir ul-Qadri staged a sit-in against the leader Raja Pervez Ashraf. MORE

Relations with Whitehall 'turn sour'

Relations between Cabinet ministers and senior Whitehall officials have descended into "mutual scapegoating" based on "half-truths and myths" which is damaging the Government, a new report by the independent think tank the Institute for Government claims.

Paris appeals for support in Mali

Paris has appealed for more logistical help from America and Europe and financial support from the Gulf as it continues its intervention in Mali. The French minister Alain Vidalies complained that aid from other European countries had been "somewhat minimal". MORE

Some children 'can grow out of autism'

Psychologists have claimed that some children diagnosed with autism can later grow out of it. Researchers identified 34 children and young adults who were considered to be on a par with their peers, and said identifying what helped those children could lead to new therapies. MORE

Dozens killed in attack on university

At least 52 people have been killed and dozens more wounded by two blasts near the halls of residence at the university of Aleppo on the first day of exams, Syrian activists have claimed. Activists blamed missiles fired by warplanes but authorities said terrorists were responsible.

Brown in bid to save factories in Fife

Gordon Brown spoke in the Commons last night in a bid to save to Remploy factories in Fife. He claimed to have found buyers for the facilities, which employ disabled workers, but claimed they needed government support.

Paedophile gang 'groomed' girls

A gang of paedophiles in Oxford "used and abused" vulnerable girls as young as 11 for their own sexual gratification, the Old Bailey heard yesterday. The nine men, aged between 24 and 38, are accused of grooming the six girls and plying them with drugs. MORE

Havana suffers huge cholera outbreak

The capital is suffering from its biggest cholera outbreak in decades, health ministers have announced. There are now 51 confirmed cases in Havana, where doctors have been going from house to house checking for symptoms. The source is said to be a food vendor.

Eurosceptics to outline demands

Tory Eurosceptics will today list their demands for the "new settlement" with the EU promised by David Cameron. Fresh Start is expected to call for the UK to regain control over social and work laws, agriculture, fisheries and regional policies. MORE

Pilot of missing plane did not have a licence

The owner of the plane that disappeared over Venezuela this month with the CEO of fashion house Missoni on board didn't have a certificate to operate, claim officials. The National Air Safety Agency said the pilot's licence had expired in November.

£30,000 reward for food-safety snitches

China is offering a reward of £30,000 to people who report on others who violate food-safety laws. Repeated campaigns to crack down on the problem have failed, with reports referring to fake eggs, cooking oil being recycled from drains and carcinogens in milk.

Snowball warning from the police

Police in County Durham have taken to Facebook to warn children they could be arrested for throwing snowballs at cars, homes or people who do not want to be involved in games. Crook Neighbourhood Police Team said snowball attacks could be classed as "anti-social behaviour".

Teacher with fear of children sues school

A high school teacher with a fear of young children is suing her old education authority for discrimination after it moved her to a primary school. Maria Waltherr-Willard, 61, had been teaching Spanish and French to teenagers in Cincinatti, Ohio, but was transferred in 2009. She claims that her blood pressure soared, forcing her to retire.

Advert banned over Kunis claim

An advert for a Rodial body cream that suggested those who used it would get a body like the Hollywood actress Mila Kunis has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ASA ruled "Robust evidence was not presented" to back the claim.

Tatler pooch makes a sad exit

Staff at the high-society magazine Tatler are in mourning after their in-house dachshund came to a grisly end, killed by the office revolving doors. Alan, a hound often ferried in the best designer handbags, bolted towards the doors and got his neck caught. MORE

Fears of mass wolf attacks prompts hunt

The vast Russian Republic of Sakha has sanctioned a three-month wolf hunt over fears that the predators are devouring reindeer in increasing numbers. "The population is more concerned than ever about mass wolf attacks on farm animals," Sakha President Yegor Borisov said.

Peace gives Shankly a chance after Clough

The author of The Damned United, about Brian Clough's brief spell as Leeds United's manager, has written a book about the legendary Liverpool boss Bill Shankly. David Peace's novel tells how Shankly transformed the club. "I've had enough of the bad men and the demons," said Peace.

We did not drop dead donkey, says Google

Google denied killing a donkey after photos taken for its Street View app in Botswana showed it lying on the ground after the firm's car went by. "Our teams take the safety of people and donkeys seriously," it said. "A review of our imagery confirms we did not cause any harm to the donkey." MORE