The News Matrix: Monday 3 October 2011
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Your support makes all the difference.McGuinness admits IRA ‘murdered’
Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness has admitted that he accepts IRA killings of innocent people could be described as murder. He told i: “I accept that in the circumstances where innocent people lost their lives, it’s quite legitimate for the term murder to be used.” MORE
Army chief: ‘We were not told to open fire’
Egypt’s military ruler yesterday defended the testimony he gave in the trial of ousted President Hosni Mubarak. Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi testified in Mubarak’s trial under amedia blackout. Yesterday, he told Egypt’s official news agency: “We were not ordered to open fire at citizens and we will never do that.”
Kidnapping causes a tourism crisis
Kenya is facing a tourism crisis after a second kidnapping in less than a month on the islands near the country’s border with Somalia. Britain and France have warned citizens to avoid any “non-essential travel” inside Kenya within 150 kilometres of the border with Somalia. MORE
Phone-hacking inquiry kicks off
The Leveson inquiry into phone hacking opens this week by inviting the current editor of The Sun and a former editor of the News of the World to debate the pressures facing newspaper journalists. MORE
Top Iraq veteran to stand for police job
Iraq war veteran Tim Collins has revealed he plans to stand as one of Britain’s new elected police commissioners. Collins, a former colonel, who gave a rousing speech to his troops as they prepared to invade Iraq in 2003, is putting himself forward for selection as a Conservative candidate in Kent, where he lives.
Dead girl’s stepfather arrested over blaze
The stepfather of a girl killed in a blaze has been arrested in connection with the fire. Isobel Dobson, 2, was trapped in a van when fire broke out at a farm near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on Friday. Her mother and stepfather rescued their one-year-old daughter from the vehicle. MORE
Merkel furious at settlement move
Israel has infuriated its most reliable West European ally, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, by announcing expansion of a Jewish settlement in Jerusalem in defiance of a US-backed warning to both parties in the Middle East conflict to avoid “provocative actions”. MORE
Men more at risk from type-2 diabetes
Men have to gain less weight than women to develop type-2 diabetes, research shows. A study carried out by clinical academics found that men developed the disease at a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) than women. The findings help explain why men have higher rates of diabetes in many parts of the world.
Two charged over prisoner’s murder
Two prisoners have been charged with the murder of a fellow inmate who was found dead in his cell on Saturday. A 32-year-old man and a 23-year-old man will appear before magistrates today, charged with the murder of Mitchell Harrison, 23, at HM Prison Frankland, County Durham. A post-mortem found Harrison, who was from Wolverhampton, died from “multiple injuries”.
Children teased for wearing glasses
Many children would rather squint at the whiteboard than be teased for wearing glasses. A study of UK schoolchildren from the optician Vision Express has found that a third of those who wear glasses have experienced teasing or bullying. Many youngsters said they would hide their glasses because they were embarrassed about them (26 per cent).
PM mocked on her own Twitter account
An anonymous hacker yesterday took over the Twitter account of Thailand’s recently elected Prime Minister, mocking her ability to defend the country. Most of the messages accused Yingluck Shinawatra’s government of incompetence and cronyism. Her Pheu Thai party won a landslide election victory in July. MORE
Heatwave fire causes train problems
The sunshine seen across the UK over the past few days caused, as well as many smiles, a headache for train journeys. A rail track fire in Peterborough, thought to be related to the hot weather, forced the closure of one of Britain’s major train routes and caused delay for many trains between Glasgow, Leeds, Edinburgh and London. MORE
Candidate goes for the death metal vote
In an effort to appeal to younger voters, Jedrzej Wijasm, a Polish politician, has hired a death metal band to feature in his latest campaign video. The candidate with the Democratic Left Alliance, who says he is a fan of death metal, mimes to the words: “Enough of the stupid wars, Secular government, Dignified life, Freedom is my goal, Vote wisely.”
Under-25s shun a traditional cuppa
The traditional cuppa could be on the way out unless young people are encouraged to put the kettle on. A survey has revealed just 4 per cent of UK tea drinkers are under the age of 25. People are also ditching the teapot and opting for mug brewed tea instead. MORE
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