Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 19 Jul 2011

published 19 July 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. NEWS OF THE WORLD WHISTLEBLOWER FOUND DEADSean Hoare (above), the former News of the World journalist who made phone-hacking allegations against the paper, was found dead at his home in Watford yesterday. He had told the New York Times and the BBC that hacking was "endemic" and that former editor Andy Coulson had asked him to hack phones. Police said his death was "unexplained". NotW whistleblower Sean Hoare was ‘lovely man’ YATES: PM's ADVISER DECLINED PHONE HACK BRIEFINGFormer Met Police assistant commissioner John Yates has claimed Ed Llewellyn, David Cameron's chief of staff at No 10 Downing Street, turned down the offer of a briefing on the phone hacking scandal. He made the claim while giving evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee. Earlier former commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson denied taking a "swipe" at the PM in his resignation statement. Murdoch hearing suspended after pie thrownThe Commons media committee hearing on phone hacking at the News of the World had to be suspended this afternoon after a protester threw a custard pie at Rupert Murdoch. The media mogul's wife Wendi Deng managed to land a punch on the activist before he was hauled off by police. Earlier, Murdoch said he could not be held responsible for the phone hacking scandal, claiming he had been let down by "people I trusted". Video: ‘Charlie’s Angel’ Wendi Deng avenges Murdoch Was Rupert Murdoch’s ignorance all an act? MERCURY PRIZE SHORTLIST ANNOUNCEDThe shortlist for the annual Mercury prize has been announced, with British singer Adele nominated for her album 21, which has topped the charts in the UK and America. However, the favourite to win the award is PJ Harvey for Let England Shake. Former winners Elbow have also been nominated, as have urban artists Tinie Tempah and Katy B. Space shuttle begins final journey homeSpace shuttle Atlantis has undocked from its berth at the International Space Station and will undergo an inspection of its heat shield before heading home. It is the final mission for Nasa's reusable spaceplane programme. After Atlantis lands at the Kennedy Space Center, the ISS's only link to earth will be Russia's Soyuz rocket. In pictures: Space shuttle's final mission TIGER WOODS' MISTRESS RETURNS SETTLEMENT CASHRachel Uchitel, a former mistress of Tiger Woods, has returned most of the $8m she received from the golfer after his lawyers claimed she violated the confidentiality agreement that went with the cash, it was reported by TMZ last night. She is now in dispute with lawyer Gloria Allred, who brokered the pay-off hours before Uchitel was to meet the press. US OFFICIALS MEET GADDAFI AIDESUS officials held face-to-face talks in Tunisia with representatives of Col Gaddafi's inner circle to demand that he step down, the US state department confirmed yesterday. Officials said that they had given a "clear and firm" message that he had to go, but Gaddafi spokesman Moussa Ibrahim called the talks a step in "repairing relations". ARMY RESERVISTS TO BE FUNDED FOR FRONTLINE ROLEDefence Secretary Liam Fox told the House of Commons yesterday that the government will spent £1.5 billion over the next 10 years on building up the Territorial Army into a frontline force. Reservists would make up 30 per cent of a 120,000-strong British Army by 2020, as the ranks of full-time regulars are cut by about 19,000. TWO MORE MET POLICE OFFICERS INVESTIGATEDThe Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) confirmed last night that it had received two more hacking scandal 'referrals' from the Metropolitan Police Authority. They are former Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman and Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke. Home secretary Theresa May announced a police corruption investigation. ROMANIAN MISSILE WARHEADS STOLEN FROM A TRAIN More than 60 Romanian missile warheads were stolen from a train taking them across the border to neighbouring Bulgaria, despite an escort of paramilitary police, Romanian officials confirmed last night. The warheads were for Cold War-era 'Stalin's Organ' Katuska rockets, officials said, and were probably stolen for "scrap value".