The News Matrix: Monday 12 August 2013

Suicide girl’s father hits out at website

The father of a teenager who hanged herself after receiving hate messages on the social media website ask.fm has accused the website of attempting to “cover their backs” after they claimed his daughter posted the messages to herself. The site’s executives are under pressure to explain reports that 98 per cent of the messages were sent from Hannah Smith’s address. Page 7

Employee ordered to show Facebook page

A flight attendant was forced to let her bosses examine her Facebook pages in a dispute over sick leave she took to care for her sister. Gina Kensington, who was sacked by Air New Zealand earlier this year, has won the backing of the Employment Relations Authority. PAGE 22

Councils say pubs are ‘assets of value’

In a move to halt closures, 100 pubs have been registered by as listed assets of value to the community.

Using the new Community Right to Bid powers, local authorities will be given greater ability to allow the local community to bid for a property before it is sold off to developers.

Voters hoping for a road to recovery

Voters trudged through thick red mud in Mali’s rainy capital yesterday to choose their next president, who will be tasked with reconciling the country after a coup, a separatist rebellion and an Islamic insurgency unravelled what was one of West Africa’s most stable democracies.

Sexual liberalism on rise within marriage

Almost 9 out of 10 Britons think having sex with someone other than their spouse is wrong. Research shows that while the acceptance of sex before marriage, same-sex relationships and one-night stands has risen, 18 to 30-year-olds still value monogamy in marriage. page 11

Politician calls Stephen Fry ‘sick’

The roadcaster Stephen Fry was called “sick” by one of the architects of Russia’s anti-gay laws, because of his attempt to take his own life in 2012. Vitaly Milonov also attacked homosexuality on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Missing girl found and kidnapper shot

A week-long search for a missing California teenager ended on Saturday when FBI agents rescued the girl and shot and killed her apparent kidnapper, James Lee DiMaggio, 40, at a campsite in Idaho. Hannah Anderson, 16, appeared to be uninjured and will be reunited soon with her father at a hospital. PAGE 21

Check this out: Asda launches degree

Asda is launching a three-year degree in distribution or retail for 30 staff. Students will learn about merchandising, management and developing people, in 12 days of classroom workshops, work-based assessments and online studies which will amount to a BA. The scheme is in partnership with Middlesex University.

Family flown home after being lost at sea

An Arizona family that was lost at sea for weeks in an ill-fated attempt to leave the US over what they consider government interference in religion flew home yesterday. Hannah and Sean Gastonguay, 26 and 30, were adrift for weeks with their children.

Windermere eels given a ‘leg up’

Critically endangered eels are being helped back into Lake Windermere, Cumbria, by chutes or “eel passes”. There has been a 95 per cent decline in the population since the 1980s, partly blamed on “migration barriers” in rivers and estuaries.

Bumper berry crop – if you wait for it

Autumn will arrive late but bring a bumper berry and fruit crop. Experts say the late spring and warm weather will see crops flourish, which is good news for wildlife.

Doctor tells gay man he has a ‘condition’

A doctor in California defended her decision to diagnose a man with “homosexual behaviour”, saying the issue of homosexuality being a mental illness was “still up to debate.”