The News Matrix: Thursday 19 February 2015

Cost of childcare rises under Coalition

A new study has warned that for many poor families “it simply does not pay to work”. The Family and Childcare Trust has urged the Government to address “growing gaps in provision” after research by the charity discovered that the cost of part-time nursery places for young children has soared to more than £6,000 per year under the Coalition.

Civilian deaths hit a five-year high

The number of civilians killed or wounded in fighting reached a five-year high in 2014, climbing by 22 per cent as foreign troops concluded their combat mission, the UN said.

It documented 10,548 civilian casualties in 2014, including 3,699 civilian deaths.

NHS body ‘does more harm than good’

The NHS rationing body Nice is squandering too much money on new drugs and cutting back in other areas, a study has claimed. Health economists have argued it is doing “more harm than good” for patients and raising mortality rates from cancer and heart disease.

Hip-hop group angry at PM’s use of track

The Jordanian hip-hop group Turabyeh is suing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party after one of its songs was used in a campaign video for Israel’s election. A lawyer said the band were “stunned by Likud’s shamelessness and outright theft”.

Carers plead for more support

The Government, councils and support groups are urged to do more to help carers visit the people they cared for if they have moved into residential care, and also to provide extra support if they are dealing with bereavement, says a report by International Longevity Centre UK.

Government agrees $8bn warship deal

India’s government has cleared an $8bn plan to build the country’s most advanced warships, defence sources said, just months after ordering new submarines to close the gap with the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean.

Manchester boy is accused over toxin

A 16-year-old boy will appear in court today accused of trying to acquire a lethal toxin, police said. The boy was arrested on Monday during an investigation into an alleged attempt to buy abrin, a similar toxin to ricin.

Police find body of missing albino boy

Tanzanian police said yesterdaythey had found the mutilated body of a one-year-old albino boy whose abduction renewed calls for tougher action to halt the killing of albinos for body parts, prized in black magic. A gang snatched Yohana Bahati from his mother on Sunday.

Peer denies green measures raise bills

The claim that green measures have pushed up energy bills is a “fraudulent argument”, a senior Tory peer has said. Lord Deben, chairman of the Government’s advisory committee on climate change, said “by far the major cost” of rising bills was oil and gas prices.

One fish, two fish, red fish, new fish

A recently discovered Dr Seuss manuscript will be published in July. What Pet Should I Get? was likely written between 1958 and 1962 and features the same brother and sister seen in Dr Seuss’ 1960 classic One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.

PM’s suit goes under hammer to raise cash

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dark suit, with its unique monogram pinstripes, went up for auction yesterday in his home state of Gujarat. The money raised will be used to clean up the polluted Ganges river. Mr Modi faced criticism over the estimated 1 million rupees cost of the suit.

Kasabian win best band at NME awards

They were snubbed by the Brits but Kasabian have swept the top prizes at the NME Awards. The Leicester group won Best British Band and Best Album at the music magazine’s ceremony last night, categories from which they were pointedly excluded at the rival Brit awards, held next week.

Divers coining it in after accidental find

Israel yesterday unveiled the largest collection of medieval gold coins ever found in the country, accidentally discovered by amateur divers and dating back about 1,000 years. The find consists of some 2,000 coins, likely swept up in recent storms, from the Fatimid era in the 10th and 11th centuries.