Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 29 Sep 2010

published 29 September 2010

Our popular news catch-up service is posted Monday to Friday at 8.0 am, and on weekends at 11.0 am. You can rely on it to keep you up to date with the main news talking points... AL-QAEDA TERROR PLOT FOILEDSecurity forces have foiled a terrorist plot to attack cities in Britain, France and Germany. It is understood commando-style teams of jihadi militants aimed to seize and murder hostages across the three countries in suicide attacks similar to those in Mumbai two years ago when 166 people died. The al-Qaeda plot is said to have been unearthed following drone attacks on militant bases in Pakistan. Robert Fox: Al-Qaeda terror 'threat' suits army argument nicely Is terror plot revenge for CIA drone strikes? CHEF CRITICISED BY RAMSAY KILLS HIMSELFA New Jersey restaurateur whose cooking Gordon Ramsay called "boring, tasteless and bland" on the first US series of Kitchen Nightmares has been found dead. It seems certain Joseph Cerniglia, owner of the Campania in Fair Lawn, killed himself by jumping off the George Washington Bridge across the Hudson River. Ramsay told him during the 2007 TV show: "Your business is about to fucking swim down the Hudson. Why did you become a chef-owner if you haven't a clue how to run a business?" Chef found dead in the Hudson River David Miliband Quits labour frontbenchDavid Miliband has quit the Labour frontbench, leaving the spotlight to his brother Ed, to whom he lost the race for the party leadership at the weekend. David said in a letter to his constituency chairman that he feared if he remained in the shadow cabinet the "perpetual, distracting and destructive attempts to find division where there is none and splits where they don't exist". The Mole: David Miliband quits Labour frontbench Ed Miliband needs to lose the 'Red Ed' tag fast Neil Clark: Why Ed Miliband must be like Harold Wilson JIMMY CARTER IN HOSPITALFormer US President Jimmy Carter, 85, spent last night in hospital in Cleveland, Ohio after being taken ill on the way to a book-signing for his memoir White House Diary. President Obama phoned him from Air Force One to check on his progress. "He is resting comfortably and is expected to resume his book tour this week," said his grandson, Jason Carter. MEXICAN MAYOR STONED TO DEATHThe latest horror in the Mexican drugs war has emerged with the discovery of the body of a small-town mayor who had been stoned to death. Gustavo Sanchez, 29, had agreed to be mayor of Tancitaro, in the southern state of Michoacán, only after all his colleagues refused, fearful of the driugs cartels. Sanchez is the fifth municipal leader to be murdered in the past six weeks, but the first to be stoned instead of shot. NORTH KOREA SUCCESSION BATTLENorth Korean dictator Kim Jong-il, said to be in poor health, has made it clear he wishes the leadership of the communist state to stay in the family by making his youngest son, Kim Jong-Un, a four-star general and having him appointed to two key Workers' Party posts - vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and a seat on the central committee. However, a further key appointment has muddied the waters: Kim also made his 64-year-old sister, Kyong-hui, a four-star general. Who will succeed Kim Jong-il? MYLEENE KLASS 'OFFERED SEX CONTRACT' TV presenter and M&S postergirl Myleene Klass has started a guessing game after telling Now magazine that she was propositioned for sex by a newlywed A-list Hollywood actor she went to interview for her CNN show, The Screening Room. He even had his PA prepare a confidentiality contract. Who can he be? Recent interview subjects include Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Johnny Depp and Robert De Niro - but none of them is a newlywed. CHELSEA, ARSENAL WIN IN EUROPEEnglish clubs Chelsea and Arsenal both won their Champions League games last night. Chelsea beat Marseille 2-0 at Stamford Bridge while the Gunners secured a 3-1 win over Partizan Belgrade in Serbia. The latter match featured a stand-out performance from much-maligned Arsenal keeper Lukasz Fabianski, who saved a penalty and eased fans' fears over the state of the club's goalkeeping resources. Fabianski shines in Belgrade BERLUSCONI GAMBLES ON CONFIDENCE VOTEThe Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi could be out of power if he loses a confidence vote in parliament today. The billionaire tycoon has taken a huge gamble in submitting his government to the vote. The numbers suggest his Freedom People movement can only secure an absolute majority if a rebel group led by Gianfranco Fini supports him. Watch this space. Fidel Castro in rude health for speechFormer president of Cuba, Fidel Castro has delivered a speech marking the 50th Anniversary of the creation of Cuba's Committees for the Defence of the Revolution. The speech, attacking US imperialism, lasted just 74 minutes, but it was his longest since illness forced him to hand over power to his brother Raul in 2006. "We haven't even been here two hours, but I'm leaving now," Castro joked as he left.