Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 1 Jun 2010

A child cools off under a tap in Allahabad

published 1 June 2010

Avoided the news all weekend? Used the Sunday papers to light the barbecue? Didn't realise it's June already? The First Post's catch-up service, posted at 8.0am, is designed to help... ISRAEL ACCUSED OF 'MURDER BY STATE' Israel was roundly censured at an emergency session of the UN Security Council last night following the deaths of at least nine pro-Palestinian activists who tried to beat the blockade of Gaza in a flotilla of ships carrying aid. The Israeli decision to board some of the ships was described by the Turkish foreign minister as "tantamount to banditry and piracy. It is murder conducted by a state." In their defence, the Israelis claim they were attacked by activists wielding knives, clubs and other weapons when they boarded the ships. Israel's defence... DAVID LAWS REPLACED BY DANNY ALEXANDER David Laws, Chief Secretary to the Treasury in Britain's new coalition government, resigned on Saturday following the disclosure by the Daily Telegraph that he had claimed a total of £40,000 in expenses for money paid in rent to his gay partner, James Lundie, against Commons rules. His job was immediately filled by another Lib Dem, Danny Alexander, who remains in place this morning despite accusations that he used a loophole to avoid paying capital gains tax when he sold his taxpayer-funded second home at a profit in June 2007. The Mole... ENGLAND BEAT JAPAN - JUST In their final preparation before flying to South Africa for the World Cup, England managed a 2-1 victory over Japan in Graz, Austria. But it took two own-goals by the Japanese to achieve the win. Meanwhile, the USA, England's first opponents in the World Cup finals, managed to beat Turkey 2-1, suggesting they will not be the the pushover some expected. World Cup Fever... OIL SPILL: BP TRIES AGAIN After admitting that its 'top kill' plan had failed, BP is attempting a risky new procedure to collect the oil spilling from its damaged Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico. The operation could increase the flow of oil by up to 20 per cent, but the vast majority of it should be funnelled to a tanker on the surface of the ocean. Meanwhile, the drilling of two relief wells to plug Macondo for good won't be finished until the end of July, by which time the Deepwater Horizon disaster will be the second worst oil spill in history. More... INDIANS DIE IN HEATWAVE Hundreds have died in northern India (including Allahabad, above) as record temperatures make it the hottest summer the country has known since records began more than 100 years ago. In Gujarat, where 48.5C was recorded last week, 300 people a day are being treated for heat-stroke and food poisoning. In Delhi, the temperature has reached 45C. The death toll is expected to rise with 50C forcast in the coming weeks. BRADFORD MURDERS: 'TOOLBAG' FOUND Police frogmen searching for more evidence in the Bradford murder case have found what has been described as a possible 'killer's toolbag' containing hacksaws, knives and razor blades. The black canvas bag was found in the River Aire, near where remains of one of three female victims, Suzanne Blamires, were found last month. Stephen Griffiths has been charged with the murders. Asked his name when he appeared in court on Friday, he replied: "The Crossbow Cannibal". ROW OVER DENNIS HOPPER ESTATE A bitter legal battle over Dennis Hopper's estate is looming, following the actor's death from prostate cancer on Saturday. He had sought a divorce from his fifth wife, Victoria Duffy, in order to disinherit her - but the divorce had not been finalised by the time the Easy Rider star died. More... BREAST CANCER VACCINE TRIALS A team of American scientists have developed a vaccine that could one day prevent breast cancer in adult women. Dr Vincent Tuohy, an immunologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, says his team has already proved that breast cancer can be stopped from developing in mice. The vaccine targets a protein found in most breast tumours. Trials of the drug on humans could start within two years. "If it works in humans the way it works in mice, this will be monumental," said Tuohy. "We could eliminate breast cancer." BA-UNITE TALKS RESTART The conciliation service Acas is to host new talks, starting today, between British Airways and the Unite union who have threatened further industrial action in July, to follow the current series of three five-day stoppages. Unite is continuing to demand that BA reinstates the travel perks of striking workers. BA has offered to reinstate the perks - but only as part of a final agreement. GOOGLE MAPPED YOUR WI-FI NETWORK The black camera cars used to photograph every street in Britain two years ago and produce Google Street View had an ulterior motive: they were mapping every household's private wi-fi network, too. It is thought the data is used for commercial purposes - in an 'app' that uses wi-fi networks to pinpoint a mobile phone user's location and suggest, for example, local cinemas or cafes. Despite criticism from privacy campaigners, Google point out there are already wi-fi maps publicly available for commercial use.