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The News Matrix: Friday 4 July 2014

 

Thursday 03 July 2014 22:26 BST
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More clashes amid rage over killing

Jerusalem remained tense as Palestinian mourners waited for the return of the body of 16-year old Mohammed Abu Khdeir. The body was held by Israeli authorities as they carried out a post-mortem examination as part of their investigation. MORE

Karzai helicopter hit by Taliban rockets

The helicopter of Afghan President Hamid Karzai was hit by two rockets fired by the Taliban yesterday. The President was not near the craft which was parked at Bagram airfield near Kabul, one of the most heavily guarded areas in the country. Only one of the two rockets exploded.

E-fit image of murder suspect

Police investigating the murder of Saudi Arabian student Nahid Almanea, 31, in Colchester, Essex, on 17 June, have released an e-fit image of a man they want to interview.

National minimum wage becomes law

There is now a national minimum wage for the first time ever in Germany. This move was approved by the German parliament, and will see that the wage will be set at 8.50 euros (£6.80) per hour, a rate higher than its equivalent in the UK and US. REUTERS

Cameron told his A&E claims wrong

MPs were misled by the Prime Minister over A&E waiting times, say critics, according to the House of Commons Library. The neutral body said his claim that average waiting times had more than halved under the Coalition was based on “a simplistic reading of the data”. Labour labelled the claim a “cynical spin”. MORE

Google ‘stirring up censorship anger’

The European court’s “right to be forgotten” ruling has been misinterpreted by Google, critics say, to encourage anger against “censorship”. Links to articles about singer Kelly Osbourne and a former Merrill Lynch banker were among the first to be removed. MORE

Two die as World Cup bridge collapses

Two people were killed and 15 injured when a concrete flyover in the World Cup host city of Belo Horizonte collapsed onto a bus and other vehicles yesterday. The incident took place on a road that was expanded as part of the World Cup infrastructure plan. MORE

Cocaine hidden in banana boxes

Portuguese police have seized 237kg of cocaine found inside boxes of Columbia bananas. The fruit, apparently employed to hide the drug destined for a European market, was accidently shipped to supermarkets in northern Portugal. Police say they will find the “criminal organisation responsible”. REUTERS

Air passengers get a watery scare

Passengers on a double-decker Qantas A380 plane from Los Angeles to Melbourne were horrified when the aisles began filling up with water whilst flying over the Pacific. It was reported that a pipe carrying drinking water burst during the flight. The pilot turned back to LA to sort out the problem. AP

Fewer object to sex and violence on TV

Attitudes to sex, violence and swearing on TV have become more tolerant, according to regulator Ofcom. The number of viewers who feel there is excessive violence on our screens has fallen from 55 per cent five years ago to 35 per cent today. Ofcom pointed to a change in attitudes among older viewers.

Sherlock screening ‘to encourage change’

A screening of Sherlock was held in North Korea in 2012 in the hope of “encouraging change” in the country, it has been revealed. The BBC TV drama was shown at a film festival in the capital Pyongyang, by the British Government, who said it was a bid “ for the country to be more open to the outside world”.

British artists top Billboard chart

Ed Sheeran has scored his first US number one album, topping the Billboard chart with X. With Sam Smith at number two, it is the first time the US top spots have been taken by British solo artists since Eric Clapton and Sting in 1993. Sheeran’s album sold 210,000 copies last week, while Smith’s debut album sold 67,000.

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