Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 11 Nov 2011

1. MURDOCH'S EVIDENCE ON HACKING 'DISINGENUOUS'

James Murdoch's testimony to the Commons culture committee was denounced as "disingenuous" last night by Tom Crone, the former News International lawyer who informed MPs that he told Murdoch of wider involvement in phone hacking three years ago, although Crone could "perfectly understand" the need to "discredit" him.

2. ARMISTICE DAY: TWO MINUTES SILENCE AT 11AM

Today is Armistice Day. Across Britain, two minutes silence will be observed at 11am today to mark the end of World War One and remember those who have fought and died for their country. The row over England footballers' rights to display poppies on their shirts in Saturday's match against Spain has been resolved.

3. FRANCE PLOTS EUROZONE 'BREAKAWAY GROUP'

France is drawing up plans to create a breakaway "mini-Union" of eurozone countries within the EU, with its own treaty, parliament and bank, The Daily Telegraph reports from Brussels. The idea has support from Germany, which warned David Cameron of a split if Britain stalls EU banking and tax reforms to tackle the debt crisis.

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4. PERRY RUNS ON DESPITE MEMORY GAFFE

Texas governor Rick Perry last night defied calls to abandon his presidential campaign following the televised debate in which he forgot the name of one of the three government departments he planned to close (energy), telling CBS News that "all of us make mistakes". His campaign manager declared the gaffe a "stumble of style, not substance".

5. PRINCE WILLIAM DISPATCHED TO FALKLANDS

The Duke of Cambridge will be separated from his wife for six weeks when he is posted to the Falkland Islands next February and March, the Ministry of Defence announced yesterday. His posting will be the "latest stage" of his training as an RAF helicopter pilot. He will be back in time for the Diamond Jubilee.

6. OSCARS GO TO COMEDIAN BILLY CRYSTAL

Comedian Billy Crystal, who has hosted the Oscars eight times, said last night that he has been summoned back to rescue the 2012 show from the fiasco of Eddie Murphy and Brett Ratner quitting following controversy over Ratner's "rehearsals are for fags" remark. At 63, Crystal will be oldest host since Bob Hope.

7. MARIO MONTI EXPECTED TO LEAD ITALY

If new austerity measures are passed by both houses of the Italian parliament, Mario Monti is expected to be named prime minister of Italy as early as Saturday. His reputation as a sober technocrat means he has little in common with his scandalous predecessor, Silvio Berlusconi, except his birthplace – both men were born in Lombardy.

8. BRITISH TROOPS END GERMAN 'OCCUPATION'

The Defence Ministry will today announce that all 20,000 British troops will be withdrawn from Germany by 2020, with 1,800 marching home by January and another 8,200 withdrawn by 2015. The withdrawal under the Strategic Defence and Security Review ends a continuous presence on the Rhine since war ended in 1945.

9. JIMMY SAVILE GETS LAST 'FIX IT' WISH

Sir Jimmy Savile was buried in the seaside resort of Scarborough yesterday with one last 'Jim'll Fix It' wish granted by cemetery officials as his casket was lowered feet first to come to rest at a 45 degree angle to "enable him to see the sea" as he had asked. Hundreds lined the route as the funeral cortege drove along the seafront.

10. HOT TICKET: WUTHERING HEIGHTS

The latest film adaptation of Emily Bronte's classic gothic romance opens today. Andrea Arnold's sparse retelling recasts the gypsyish Heathcliff as a black orphan (James Howson) who falls in love with a farmer's daughter (Shannon Beer) in the remote Yorkshire moors. The Guardian calls it "a daring raid behind the lines of heritage English Lit".