Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 29 Sep 2011

(Image credit: Getty Photos)

published 29 September 2011

Germany approves EU FUND expansionGerman MPs have voted overwhelmingly to approve new powers and more money for the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) - the main bailout fund for eurozone countries on the verge of default. The vote was seen as a test of Chancellor Angela Merkel's authority - and is essential to prop up the Greek economy. Germany ups EU bailout fund – but is it enough? RIO FERDINAND LOSES PRIVACY BATTLEManchester United footballer Rio Ferdinand has lost his High Court privacy action over a 'kiss and tell' story in the Sunday Mirror about his private life. The England international sued the paper for misuse of private information over an article in April 2010 in which Carly Storey gave an account of her 13-year relationship with Ferdinand, but lost. DSK COMES FACE TO FACE WITH BANONDominique Strauss-Kahn has come face to face with his accuser Tristane Banon, a French writer who says he tried to rape her in 2002. They met at a Paris police station as part of the inquiry into her complaint. The former IMF chief is said to have admitted making "an advance" but denies her allegations and is suing for libel. Tristane Banon vows to sue DSK on French TV CHINA LAUNCHES FIRST SPACE LAB China has launched its first space laboratory, called Tiangong-1, from Jiuquan spaceport in the Gobi Desert. The 10.5m long cylinder was carried into space by a 'Long March' rocket and will go into orbit 350km above the Earth. The unmanned satellite is due to dock with other craft and eventually the Chinese hope to establish a space station. IRAN RAISES THREAT LEVEL WITH NEW MISSILES A day after it said that it will station warships off the coast of America, Iran announced last night that it is beginning large-scale production of a new cruise missiles capable of striking Israel and US military bases in the Persian Gulf. Gerard Araud, French ambassador to the UN, warned Iran that it would face a military strike against its nuclear facilities. Crispin Black: An Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear plant will be costly Oi, Ahmadinejad! 9/11 was us, says angry al-Qaeda TERROR SUSPECT PLANNED 'DRONE' ATTACK ON DC Rezwan Ferdaus, 26, a US citizen with a physics degree, was charged yesterday with plotting to attack the Pentagon and the US Capitol with 'drones' made from large model airplanes packed with explosives, the FBI announced. Ferdaus was arrested in a 'sting' by agents posing as al-Qaeda members, who had supplied a guided model of a Navy jet and explosives. KNOX 'VERY CAUTIOUS' OVER VERDICTAmanda Knox is "very cautious" about the verdict expected in Perugia on Saturday on her appeal against conviction of murdering Meredith Kercher, because "she doesn't want to get crushed", her sister Deanna Knox told the BBC. Deanna complained that the Kercher family lawyer had shown death pictures to the jury for "the shock factor". Hollywood waits in wings for Amanda Knox verdict KING STOPS WOMAN DRIVER'S LASHINGKing Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has overturned a court decision to sentence a woman called Shema to 10 lashes for breaking a ban on female drivers. The king's decree was tweeted by a Saudi princess: "Thank God, the lashing of Shema is cancelled." The court sentence was handed down only two days after the king announced women would be allowed to vote from 2015. Saudi women 'get the vote' - but will it really happen? JACKSON CHILDREN WATCHED HIM DIEMichael Jackson's children watched weeping as frantic efforts failed to revive the singer from a fatal overdose of propofol, the court hearing the manslaughter case against his doctor, Conrad Murray, was told yesterday. Jackson's assistant testified that Murray had wanted to remove "some cream that he would not want the world to hear about" from the bedroom. SHARK ATTACK BRITON SAVED BY TOURNIQUETMichael Cohen, 42, lost his legs yesterday when he was attacked by a Great White shark while swimming 50 yards off Cape Town's Fish Hoek beach. He had been warned about sharks, and his life was saved by a wetsuit used as a tourniquet. Last month, British honeymooner Ian Redmond was killed by a shark in the Seychelles.