The News Matrix: Monday 6 June 2011

Cable threatens anti-strike laws

Business Secretary Vince Cable will warn the GMB union conference in Brighton today that planned strikes could mean Government restrictions on strike action. Up to one million workers are expected to join anti-cuts protests on 30 June. MORE

Silent peers haunt Parliament

Nearly 140 members of the House of Lords have not spoken or asked a question in Parliament for a year. Only 21 of them declared an official “leave of absence”, but they can still use the free telephone, library, subsidised bars and dining rooms. MORE

Tear gas used to end yoga guru’s protest

Police fired tear gas to break up a hunger strike by an Indian yoga guru campaigning against corruption. He and thousands of followers were removed from a tent in Delhi. MORE

Oxfam to investigate ‘financial problems’

Oxfam has launched an investigation into “financial irregularities” in its flood relief programme in Pakistan. The problem was discovered in the southern province of Sindh and an independent external audit, expected to last up to four weeks, is under way.

Call to close women’s prisons

Senior police officers, magistrates, economists and penal reformers will deliver a report today urging the Government to speed up the closure of some women’s prisons and redirect money into community programmes for offenders. MORE

Border shootings leave 20 dead

As many as 20 people were killed when Israeli troops opened fire on pro-Palestinian protesters attempting to cross into the occupied Golan Heights. The violence came as Palestinians marked the anniversary of the 1967 Six Day War, when Israel won a stunning victory over Arab nations and seized the Golan Heights and the West Bank. MORE

Sexy underwear is banned for under-12s

Guidelines published today by the British Retail Consortium will bar shops from producing thongs, black underwear and padded bras for under-12s in favour of “age appropriate” and modest garments. Nine stores including Next and M&S have signed a voluntary initiative. MORE

Real fat cats go on sale in Ohio

An animal shelter in Ohio with an abundance of chubby cats is offering them at a discount, hoping to entice potential owners to take one home. The Capital Area Humane Society says the fat cats are on sale this summer for $15 (£9) each or two for $20.

Campbell shrugs off on-field tussle

The former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell had an unlikely tussle yesterday with The Wanted singer Tom Parker during a charity football match. Campbell later posted on Twitter: “Match tasty in parts” and said the “so-called bust-up” was “all a bit handbags”.

Outrage over new Obedient Wives Club

Women’s rights activists are furious about an “Obedient Wives Club”, set up by about 800 Muslim women, to encourage spouses to obey their husbands and keep them happy in the bedroom. Women’s groups say that the idea is medieval and could encourage domestic violence. MORE

Sore throat ends Adele’s tour

Singer Adele has been forced to cancel the rest of her North America tour due to laryngitis. The possibility of rescheduling the sell-out show is being considered, and Adele has apologised to her fans, saying she is following doctors’ advice. MORE

Party girl gets 1,500 unwanted guests

A teenage girl in Germany, who forgot to mark her birthday party as private on Facebook, fled when more than 1,500 guests arrived and around 100 police officers with horses had to control the crowd. But a police spokesman told the Associated Press that the party “was quite a hit.”

For life, not just the handbag

Animal welfare charity the Blue Cross has put out a plea to all would-be Paris Hiltons that tiny “handbag” dogs are just as demanding as larger breeds, as the number of toy dogs abandoned at Blue Cross centres has soared in the past year.