Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 16 Nov 2011

1. MERKEL PREPARED TO SACRIFICE SOVEREIGNTY

German chancellor Angela Merkel says she is prepared to give up some national sovereignty in an attempt to rescue Europe. She said she wanted a strong EU and a euro "of 17 member states that is just as strong and inspires confidence on international markets." She believes a stable monetary union can only by created through political union.

Seven alternatives to the EU (in case it all gets too much)

2. SMOKING IN CARS 'SHOULD BE BANNED'

Doctors in Britain want all car drivers to be banned from smoking in their vehicles – even when they are not carrying passengers. The British Medical Association is lobbying for a new law after research showed that the level of toxins in a smoker's car can be up to 23 times higher than in a smoky bar.

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Currently, smoking is banned only in taxis.

In pictures: Smoking ban in cars - goodbye to all that?

3. WITNESS DESCRIBES LAWRENCE ATTACK

An eyewitness to the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence, who was stabbed to death in 1993, has told a jury how a gang of white youths "collided" with him and rained down what looked like punches before walking away "quite casually". Royston Westbrook was the first witness to give evidence at the Old Bailey murder trial of Gary Dobson and David Norris.

Prosecutor describes night of Stephen Lawrence murder

4. UNEMPLOYMENT UP, BANK CUTS GROWTH FORECAST

Youth unemployment in Britain has broken the million mark as the total number of unemployed hits 2.62m, or 8.3% of the population, according to figures out today. Meanwhile Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England has warned that the UK's economic outlook had worsened and cut growth forecasts to 1% until the middle of 2013.

Record jobless figures: time ministers pulled out fingers

5. OCCUPY PROTESTERS RETURN TO NYC PARK

More than 750 Occupy Wall Street protesters returned to Zuccotti Park last night hours after a New York judge ruled that the forcible eviction in the early hours with 200 arrests had been legal as the protesters had no rights to camp or remain overnight. Police maintained a cordon, and were expected to clear the park again at 1am local time.

Occupy Wall Street cleared: a tactical error by police?

6. MARTIN JOHNSON QUITS AS ENGLAND COACH

Martin Johnson has quit his role as England rugby coach in the wake of his side's disastrous World Cup campaign after an RFU review of the tournament. The players underperformed on the pitch in New Zealand and were plagued by scandal off it. Johnson has stood down after accepting responsibility.

Martin Johnson quits as England rugby coach

7. LEVESON TOLD OF DOWLERS' FALSE HOPE

A lawyer representing the alleged victims of press intrusion has told the Leveson Inquiry how Milly Dowler's parents felt "euphoria" when they found phone messages, intercepted by a tabloid paper, had been deleted after she went missing, as it gave them false hope that she was alive. David Sherborne said the press had a "self-serving agenda".

Phone hacking was a cottage industry, Leveson hears

8. MAN SETS FIRE TO HIMSELF IN TIANANMEN SQUARE

The Chinese government has confirmed what is thought to be the first case of self-immolation in Beijing's Tiananmem Square since 2001. The incident took place on October 21 and was witnessd by a reader of The Daily Telegraph, who later gave pictures to the paper. Although hundreds saw the incident there was no mention of it in the Chinese media.

Chinese fail to hide the news of Tiananmen suicide bid

9. PUTIN WINS CHINESE 'NOBEL'

Russia's prime minister Vladimir Putin was yesterday named the winner of the Confucius Prize, China's answer to the Nobel Peace Prize, beating German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese scientist Yuan Longping. The prize was started last year because "Western values are not perfect and needed an alternative to balance them out".

10. HOT TICKET: LANA DEL REY

Described variously as a 'Gangsta Nancy Sinatra' and 'Lolita lost in the hood', New York singing-songwriting sensation Lana del Rey appears at London's Scala tonight. Best known for her song Video Games performed on Later…with Jools Holland, she evokes old-style chanteuse glamour for the YouTube savvy crowd.

Who is internet sensation Lana Del Rey?