The News Matrix: Tuesday 10 May 2011

Lansley holds out on hospital doctors

The Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, is resisting a key Downing Street demand to give hospital doctors a greater say in the care that is commissioned for NHS patients. However, he has yielded to a number of other requests over his reforms. MORE

Hundreds dead after migrant ship sinks

A ship carrying 600 migrants travelling to the Italian island of Lampedusa is thought to have sunk. At least 16 victims’ bodies have already been found. Thousands of refugees have crammed into overloaded boats in an attempt to escape conflicts in North Africa. MORE

Happy ending for the man without a face

Three years after suffering horrific facial burns, Dallas Wiens unveiled a new look having had America’s first full face transplant. Mr Wiens, 25, of Fort Worth, Texas, said the biggest reward came when his daughter said: “Daddy, you’re so handsome.” MORE

Prime Minister hits back at Osama critics

Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Yousef Raza Gilani, hit back at mounting criticism about allowing Osama bin Laden to live undetected in Abbottabad for five years. MORE

‘SlutWalk’ protest march set for London

Thousands of provocatively dressed women are to march through London next month in a “SlutWalk”, following similar marches in Canada and the US after a Canadian policeman suggested that women should “avoid dressing like sluts” if they wanted to avoid being raped. MORE

Fight for justice over Doherty party death

More than four years after her son Mark plummeted to his death from a balcony following a row with singer Pete Doherty and his friends, Sheila Blanco will this week hear whether her long fight for justice has been successful. MORE

Carer stole £90,000 to fund bingo habit

A former care home manager faces jail after admitting stealing more than £90,000 from dementia patients to fund her bingo addiction. Jennie Preston, 51, withdrew money from the accounts of patients at the home in Plymouth, Devon.

Plan to ‘time travel’ across the dateline

The South Pacific nation of Samoa is about to prove that one of science’s greatest challenges – time travel – is possible. Almost. The country is to move across the international date line and be the first to greet the new day. Despite being close to Australia, Samoa is 21 hours behind. MORE

Doctors ‘tortured for treating protesters’

Testimony obtained by i has highlighted the abuse suffered by doctors in Bahrain as they tried to treat protesters during rallies against the government. Harrowing accounts of torture, humiliation and intimidation from a medic arrested during the crackdown highlight the lengths the regime in Manama was prepared to go to quell the rebellion. MORE

Call for an end of ‘political policing’

Anti-cuts campaigners are calling for an end to “political policing” as they – along with MPs, artists and activists – endeavour to defend the rights of peaceful demonstrators across Britain. The group says police must be challenged over their role. MORE

English beaches win cleanliness award

England’s beaches are maintaining high standards of cleanliness, it has emerged, after 70 of them obtained the internationally recognised Blue Flag. The award is a guarantee to visitors that the beach has top facilities, is litter-free and has achieved a high standard of water quality. MORE

Aberystwyth opts for full £9,000 fees

Aberystwyth University has voted in favour of becoming the first in Wales to charge tuition fees of £9,000 per year. Its plans were discussed at a meeting yesterday and are subject to approval by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.

Six-year-old novice is a golfing natural

A six-year-old boy from Shropshire has qualified for an international golf tournament, just weeks after taking up the sport. Sam Gwilliams’s ability was discovered when his parents bought him a golf club. He can now compete in the Junior World Championships in San Diego.

Content ruling on Rihanna video

Music TV channels will be issued with new guidance after an unedited version of Rihanna’s S&M video was broadcast before the watershed. Watchdog Ofcom said the video, screened by WTF TV at 11.30am, had a “significant sexual fetish, bondage and sadomasochistic nature”.

Supermarkets cut cost of petrol

Hard-pressed motorists will receive respite today after two supermarket chains announced cuts in fuel prices. Morrisons said it would be reducing petrol by 1p a litre and diesel by up to 3p a litre from today, before Asda announced it was knocking 1p a litre off petrol and 4p off diesel.

No prison term for Cantona kick man

The man who was kicked by footballer Eric Cantona in 1995 has been spared jail for punching another man during a children’s game. Matthew Simmons, 36, attacked Stuart Cooper, the former manager of his son’s football team, but was given a suspended sentence.

Supermodels are still making super wages

Unemployment in the US might still be hovering near 10 per cent, but there’s no need to worry about the supermodels. The world’s 10 top earning models made a collective $112m (£68.3m) last year, a 30 per cent increase from the previous year.

‘The Queen’ meets Her Majesty

Queen Elizabeth II last night met Dame Helen Mirren, star of The Queen, at a reception to celebrate young people in the performing arts, at Buckingham Palace