Newslip Episode 8 01.03.09

Welcome to Newslip. I'm Wesley Gerrard. Today is St.David's Day, Sunday, 1st March 2009. Here are this week's Newslip stories...

Manchester United have lifted the first silverware of the football season after beating Tottenham Hotspur in a penalty shootout in the Carling Cup Final. The match was level at nil-nil after ninety minutes and an extra 30 minutes of extra time could still not separate the sides. Tottenham missed two penalties in the shootout, allowing Anderson to score the winning penalty to win 4-1. It sets Manchester United on their way to a possible quadruple this season.

Missiles fired by US unmanned aircraft have killed seven people close to Pakistan's border with Afghanistan. Two missiles reportedly struck a house in Sararogha, in South Waziristan, and the dead are believed to include suspected militants. Apparently the Taleban were active in the house at the time of the attack. US Drones are part of high tech warfare operations in Afghanistan.

The British film industry had massive success at this year's Academy Awards. Slumdog Millionaire won a total of eight Oscars including best director and best picture. British actress Kate Winslet also scooped best Actress award. In a rare occurence, a posthumous Oscar was awarded to Heath Ledger for best supporting actor for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight.

An Australian surfer has been attacked by a shark at a North Sydney beach, the third such attack in as many weeks. The teenager has severe lacerations to his leg and is lucky as in one of the other attacks the victim lost his limbs. It is believed that a ban on commercial fishing and hence a rise in fish stocks, has attracted the sharks to the area. One of the attacks was at Bondi beach, the first such attack in 80 years.

At Athens' highest security prison, two of Greece's most wanted men have staged a daring helicopter escape. It is the second time in three years that serial armed robber and kidnapper Vassilis Paleokostas and his Albanian sidekick Alket Rizai have fled the prison. They were imminently due to stand trial for their previous attempt. The helicopter used in the raid was fired upon by prison guards. It was left abandonned on a highway leading up to the Greek mountains where it is believed the men have sought refuge.

An international court has been set up at The Hague in the Netherlands to try the suspected killers of assassinated Lebanese Primie Minister, Rafik Hariri. Just after the killing in 2005, 4 pro-Syrian generals were held. It is expected that Lebanon will hand over these suspects for the trial. A bomb blast ripped through Hariri's convoy killing a total of 22 people. The finger has pointed to Syrian involvment which Damascus denies and it is expected that the trial will reveal more details.

Corpus Christi College, Oxford, have beaten Manchester University in the final of University Challenge. However, the BBC are investigating claims that one of their team members was ineligible for the show as he left the college during the summer and works as an accountant after he failed to secure funding for his PhD. The Corpus Christi captain, Gail Trimble, who answered 75% of her team's questions throughout the series, has been making headlines and has been dubbed 'the human google' after her awesome displays.

A government watchdog has questioned the efficiency of many over the counter cold remedies in treating children under the age of twelve. In all 36 remedies have had to withdraw being sold to children under six after the MHRA released its study findings. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said that most remedies had little positive effect on children under the age of twelve and recommended children's colds to be treated traditionally with little more than paracetamol and hot honey and lemon.

The government have revealed controversial plans to part-privatise the post office, breaking part of their election manifesto. Postal unions are up in arms about the decision and have the backing of many labour backbenchers. There is a need for private cash to fill the massive gap in postal workers pensions. It is hoped that foreign companies with experience in privatised postal services will be able to help streamline the inefficiencies that reside in our system. Business secretary, Lord Mandelson, has accused the unions of 'scare tactics'.

And this week's top story...

Conservative leader, David Cameron, was hit by family tragedy this week when his six year old son, Ivan, died. His disabled son suffered from cerebral palsy and an extreme form of epilepsy called Ohtahara syndrome. As a mark of respect, Prime Minister's questions in the House of Commons were suspended. David Cameron paid tribute to the joy his son brought him and paid thanks to the many messages of sympathy he had received. Through his time looking after Ivan, Mr Cameron was given an insight into the running of the NHS and he has become a staunch supporter of the health service.

Thanks for tuning in. That's all for this Newslip. Until next week. Goodbye.