Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 16 Aug 2011

published 16 August 2011

Our popular news catch-up service is posted Monday to Friday at 8.0am. You can rely on it to keep you up to date through the working day with the main news talking points. HACKING 'WIDELY DISCUSSED' AT NOTW, SAYS GOODMANThe Commons select committee investigating phone hacking has published a damning letter from News of the World reporter Clive Goodman claiming that hacking was "widely discussed" at the paper when Andy Coulson was editor. It could lead to the recall of James Murdoch to give more evidence. MP Tom Watson said the letter was "absolutely devastating". Goodman letter says phone hacking ‘widely discussed’ GERMAN ECONOMIC RECOVERY GRINDS TO A HALTThe future of the eurozone recovery has been thrown into doubt after figures showed that the German economy has almost ground to a standstill. The economy grew by just 0.1 per cent between April and June and was weaker at the start of the year than previously thought. Overall growth in the eurozone has fallen to 0.2 per cent. Time to recapitalise EU banks on a massive scale MET 'STOPPED' RIOTS IN OXFORD ST AND OLYMPIC PARKHome secretary Theresa May has told police in England and Wales they can use tough tactics against rioters. Her comments came after Tim Godwin, the acting head of the Met, rejected claims his officers were "timid" and said they prevented attacks on the Olympic site and London's Oxford Street. Yesterday, David Cameron declared "all-out war" on gangs. What rioters face if MPs plans are implemented PM bows to pressure for post-riots inquiry NPOWER PUTS UP ENERGY PRICESNpower has become the fifth of the big six power companies to raise its gas and electricity prices in recent months. The company, owned by Germany's RWE, said gas prices would go up 15.7 per cent and electricity by 7.2 per cent from 1 October. It will add £134 a year to the average bill. GRAND NATIONAL COURSE TO BE TAMED FOR SAFETYThe three deadliest fences of the Grand National course at Aintree will be tamed for 2012 following a review of April's race in which two horses died, it was announced last night. The landing drop of Becher's Brook will be reduced by four to five inches, the drop at the first will be lessened and the fourth fence will be trimmed two inches to 4ft 10in. Twenty horses have died on the course since 2000. Changing Bechers Brook spoils the Grand National JERSEY KNIFE KILLing: 'WIFE WAS LEAVING'Damian Rzeszowski, a 30-year-old Polish immigrant, has been named as the suspect in the Jersey knife rampage which killed his wife, son, daughter, father-in-law and two family friends in St Helier. As police wait to interview him following surgery for self-inflicted wounds, it is reported that his wife had told him she was leaving, and was pregnant by another man. RAIL TICKETS TO RISE BY UP TO 13 per centCampaigners protesting about rail fare increases demonstrated outside Waterloo station in London this morning. Commuters will face ticket rises of eight per cent and more next year, after inflation hit five per cent. Train companies have been given the leeway to put fares up by three per cent more than inflation, but some tickets could go up by as much as 13 per cent. PALESTINIAN REFUGEES FLEE BOMBARDMENT IN SYRIABetween 5,000 and 10,000 Palestinian refugees based in camps in the Syrian port city of Latakia are reported homeless after fleeing the bombardment of anti-regime protestors, which has included shelling from naval gunboats. Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has rejected an offer of asylum from Spain, says the UN. Message to Bashar Assad: it’s the economy stupid OBAMA SETS OFF ON 'MAGICAL MISERY TOUR'President Obama yesterday set off on in an enormous, all-black armoured 'stealth' coach with blacked-out windows and no lettering, which immediately had his attempt to drum-up votes labelled the "magical misery tour". He drove through Minnesota and Iowa blaming economic doldrums on George Bush's wars and Congressional Republicans. Barack Obama shows off his ‘Megabeast’ bus REMBRANDT DRAWING STOLEN FROM CALIFORNIA HOTELA Rembrandt drawing, valued at £153,625, was stolen from the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Marina del Ray in a "well executed theft", the Los Angeles County Sheriff reported yesterday. The Judgement, 11in by 6in, was on show in an exhibition mounted by an art gallery. Police said it disappeared as a visitor "distracted" a curator.