The News Matrix: Thursday 26 July 2012

Patients refused at night and weekend

Hundreds of doctors' surgeries have stopped seeing patients in the evenings and at weekends since the Government launched its overhaul of the NHS, Labour claimed. The party argued that the cutbacks were linked to steep rises in admissions to A&E units and waiting times.

Primary school violence rising

More than 2,000 four and five-year-olds were excluded from school last year for committing acts of violence or disrupting lessons, according to new figures. The statistics add to growing evidence of poor and often violent behaviour creeping into the primary school classroom. MORE

Family tributes for victim of landslide

Family and friends of a landslide victim have paid tribute to a "genuine, warm and funny young woman". Charlotte Blackman died after being crushed by rocks during a trip to a beach in Dorset. The 22-year-old, from Heanor, Derbyshire, died when part of a cliff-face collapsed.

Risk-based checks should return – MPs

Risk-based checks at the UK's borders should be brought back to help ease airport queues, MPs say. A pilot scheme could help process large groups of low-risk school children through immigration more quickly, a report by the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee said.

Assange enlists help of top investigator

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, left, has enlisted the help of famous Spanish human rights investigator Baltasar Garzó* to fight extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over rape allegations.

All children to be offered flu shot

All children aged from two to 17 are to be offered the flu vaccine. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley announced the move after experts said it would save lives. Sally Davies, the Government's chief medical officer, claimed if even 30 per cent of the nine million eligible children were vaccinated, around 2,000 deaths and 11,000 hospitalisations a year might be avoided. MORE

Boy, 11, flies to Rome alone with passport

Ministers have launched an investigation after a security breach at Manchester airport which saw an 11-year-old boy fly alone to Rome without a passport or boarding card. Liam Corcoran evaded five security checks en route to boarding the Jet2.com flight.

Notebook 'detailed Batman killings'

The man accused of killing 12 people at a screening of the new Batman film in Denver last week sent a notebook "full of details about how he was going to kill people" to a university psychiatrist before the attack, according to Fox News. The package reportedly sat unopened in a post room for up to a week before it was found. MORE

12 indicted for mafia crimes

Prosecutors in Palermo have indicted 12 men for alleged mafia crimes, including two recent heads of Costa Nostra and a former interior minister, in a case that has turned the spotlight on the relationship between politics and organised crime. The move follows a suspected gangland shooting in Rome this week. MORE

Aleppo braced for all-out battle

Aleppo was braced for an all-out battle last night as regime tanks and columns of soldiers began to mass on its outskirts and rebel forces poured in. Thousands of army soldiers were said to be moving towards Syria's most populous city last night after being pulled from positions in the surrounding countryside. MORE

Brother files for Jacko's children

Michael Jackson's brother Tito filed for temporary guardianship of the late singer's three children yesterday. The court hearing came after days of family bickering, speculation about Jackson's mother Katherine being reported missing, and a public confrontation between members of the family that remains under investigation.