News Headlines - 24 July 2012

▽AFP: China censors coverage of deadly Beijing floods

Beijing authorities have reportedly ordered Chinese media to stick to positive news about record weekend floods, after the death of at least 37 people sparked fierce criticism of the government. Censors also deleted microblog posts criticising the official response to the disaster in China's rapidly modernising capital, which came at a time of heightened political sensitivity ahead of a 10-yearly handover of power.

▽116 dead in Iraq attacks | guardian.co.uk

Two bombs killed nine people in Iraq late on Monday, police and hospital sources said, taking to 116 the death toll in a string of co-ordinated bomb and gun attacks against mostly Shia Muslim targets.

▽BBC News - Paying tradesmen cash in hand morally wrong, says minister

Treasury minister David Gauke has said it is "morally wrong" to pay tradesmen such as plumbers, builders and cleaners in cash in the hope of avoiding tax.

▽Phone hacking: Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks charged - Telegraph

Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks, the former News of the World editors, are among seven former staff members who have been charged in connection with the phone hacking scandal.

▽Mortgage approvals slump to 15-year low - Telegraph

Mortgage approvals slumped to their lowest number in at least 15 years last month, a high street banking report said on Tuesday. There were 51,610 mortgage approvals in June worth ￡6.5bn, the lowest number of approvals the British Bankers' Association (BBA) has on its records, which stretch back to September 1997.