The News Matrix: Wednesday 21 May 2014

Ex-SAS sniper loses appeal over weapon

Former SAS sniper Danny Nightingale has lost his latest bid against his conviction for illegally possessing a gun and ammunition. The 39-year-old, from Crewe, Cheshire, hoped to lodge an appeal against the two-year suspended sentence imposed by a military court last July. He was found guilty of having a 9mm Glock pistol and over 300 rounds of ammunition in his shared army house.

Pope to fly into Holy Land controversy

Pope Francis will face a diplomatic minefield on his two-day visit to the Holy Land on Sunday. Yesterday, the Pope came under fire from Palestinian activists for his plans to make the first-ever visit by a pope to the tomb of Theodor Herzl, the founder of Zionism. MORE

Scotland Yard faces undercover scandal

Scotland Yard is facing a fresh undercover policing scandal which could overturn the conviction of three corrupt former detectives. Derek Haslam, an ex-police officer, is alleged to have reported privileged defence material back to his handlers at the Met. MORE

PM will not quit if Scots vote ‘yes’

David Cameron has dismissed suggestions he would have to resign if Scotland votes to break away from the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister’s comments are designed to prevent wavering voters backing independence as a way of ousting the Prime Minister from No 10.

Investment banker ‘committed suicide’

An investment bank worker threw himself to his death from the top of his company’s London headquarters, an inquest heard. The body of Gabriel Magee, 39, who had worked for JP Morgan for 10 years, was found on a protruding ninth-floor roof of the building in Canary Wharf in January.

CIA will no longer use vaccination ploy

The US will no longer use vaccination programmes as cover for covert operations, the White House has announced. The CIA said that operations, such as one that was designed to ensnare Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, had been criticised by public health officials.

Glass could prove a headache for Google

Google glass devices are yet to hit the streets, but there are already claims that wearing them can cause severe headaches because the screen is in the least comfortable spot for the wearer. MORE

Bomb blasts hit bus terminal and market

Dual explosions hit a bus terminal and market frequented by thousands of people in the central city of Jos yesterday. The number of casualties was unknown last night. The cause was also not immediately known but they come amid a bombing campaign by Boko Haram.

College dropout in bomb-threat ploy

A Connecticut college dropout has been arrested after admitting calling in two bomb threats to keep her family from learning that she had quit Quinnipiac University. Danielle Shea made the threats after arriving at the graduation ceremony in a cap and gown with her mother, who did not know she had dropped out.

The happiest homes are in Harrogate

Harrogate has been named the happiest place to live in Britain for the second year running. The Yorkshire spa town retained top spot in the Rightmove Happy at Home index, compiled from 50,000 respondents, pipping Inverness. Neighbourliness was cited as an important factor. MORE

You shall go to the ball: but not with me

A high school student in Connecticut asked Joe Biden, the American Vice-President, to her prom but instead had to make do with a handwritten reply excusing himself. Talia Maselli asked Mr Biden months before the event. The Vice-President’s office said he was touched by the invitation.

Sumo suit wrestler is a knock-out

A man wearing an inflatable sumo wrestler suit knocked himself out bouncing off a similarly attired work colleague. The 40-year-old from Southampton, who was at an event with workmates in Gloucestershire, was airlifted to hospital.

Sherlock Holmes at home in London

Benedict Cumberbatch’s coat is to go on show in an exhibition at the Museum of London celebrating the “third character” in the Sherlock Holmes stories: London. Alex Werner, head of history collections at the museum, said: “You can’t have Holmes without Watson and you can’t have the two of them without London.”