The News Matrix: Saturday 28 July 2012

Barclays faces new inquiry by watchdog

Barclays is embroiled in another investigation by City regulators. Four past and present senior staff at the bank, which is still reeling from the rate-fixing affair, are being investigated by the Financial Services Authority over fees paid under deals made in 2008. MORE

Assad prepares to unleash onslaught

President Bashar al-Assad's artillery pounded rebel-held areas in Aleppo yesterday in preparation for an onslaught on Syria's biggest city where the United States has said it fears a "massacre" may be imminent. Opposition sources said the shelling was to cut off rebel supplies. MORE

Judge sees funny side of tweet

A man found guilty of sending a menacing tweet has won his challenge against conviction. Paul Chambers, 28, was fined and ordered to pay costs in May 2010 after being convicted of sending the tweet. He said he sent it after an airport in South Yorkshire was closed by snow.

Worst drought since the 1950s worsens

The most severe drought to hit the United States since the 1950s is set to continue intensifying, a new report has warned. The US Drought Monitor said 20 per cent of the country is now in the two worst stages of drought. In all, two-thirds of the US mainland is now affected.

Seven die as typhoon triggers landslide

Seven people, including three from a single family, have been killed and another three are missing after Typhoon Vicente triggered landslides and flash floods in Vietnam. Landslides buried a 28-year-old woman, her five-year-old daughter and four-month-old son as they slept.

Bezos donates $2.5m to gay marriage push

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, left with his wife Mackenzie, is giving $2.5m to a campaign to defend Washington state's gay marriage law before it goes to a public vote in November. "It's a game changer for us," said Washington United for Marriage campaign manager Zach Silk.

New alarm over whooping cough

Cases of whooping cough in England and Wales this year are already double what they were in 2011. To the end of June, the Health Protection Agency recorded 2,466 cases of the infection. In comparison, a total of 1,118 cases were identified during the whole of last year. MORE

Muslim extremists kill 12 army soldiers

Day-long clashes between al-Qa'ida-linked Muslim militants and Philippine troops on a southern island have killed 12 army soldiers and four rebels. Violence in the south continues despite efforts by Philippine forces to put an end to decades of bombings by Muslim extremists.

Google ordered to hand over data

Search engine giant Google has been ordered by the Information Commissioner's Office to surrender personal data collected from unsecured UK wifi networks amid claims it "appears" to have breached a deal to delete material collected by its Street View vehicles prior to May 2010.

Missing woman 'may be an escort'

Detectives looking for missing oil executive Carole Waugh are considering the possibility she may be an escort. Waugh, 50, from Durham, has not been seen by her family since April and concerns are growing after a fraudster tried to sell her London flat by posing as her brother. MORE

Protest at TV station over vote coverage

Thousands of protesters have blockaded the studios of Mexico's most popular TV network, accusing it of biased coverage of the 1 July presidential election. Shouting "Tell the truth," the demonstrators stopped employees entering the offices of Televisa.

€5m aid package is suspended

The Netherlands has suspended €5m in aid to Rwanda over its reported support for rebels in Congo, hours after the African country said a similar move by the US was regrettable. The Dutch reaction came after a report from the UN saying Kigali was backing insurgents in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Four new cases of Legionnaires' found

Four more cases of Legionnaires' disease have been confirmed in Stoke, taking the total to 15. Health officials said a man in a critical condition had been sent to Glenfield Hospital, Leicester. Another is at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire with 13 other patients.

Christie's told to hand back £1.5m

A judge has told auctioneer Christie's to return the £1.5m a wealthy art collector paid for a painting thought to be the work of a Russian artist who has been compared with L.S. Lowry. Mr Justice Newey concluded that the painting was probably not created by Boris Kustodiev.

Zoo gorilla hanged itself by accident

A gorilla has died in Prague Zoo after accidentally hanging himself with a climbing rope. Five-year-old Tatu was found with a rope around his neck yesterday. Mammals curator Pavel Brandl said another gorilla, Kamba, appeared to be trying to help Tatu when zookeepers arrived.

Wrestling giant undergoes surgery

The Indian-born World Wrestling Entertainment star The Great Khali has undergone surgery to remove a pituitary gland. The tumour caused excessive amounts of growth hormone, leading Dalip Singh to grow to more than 7 feet and almost 25 stone.

Doctor Who covers new ground in US

Television hit Doctor Who appears to be conquering the US even further after landing the cover of an influential magazine. The BBC sci-fi series is thought to be the first British television show to be granted an Entertainment Weekly cover. Matt Smith is featured in the cover image.

Madonna gig quicker than a ray of light

A Madonna concert intended to celebrate France's tolerance instead tested it, drawing boos and cries of "Refund!" when she left the stage after 45 minutes. National Front leader Marine Le Pen earlier threatened to sue the singer for depicting her with a swastika on her head.