Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 21 Nov 2011

1. SAIF GADDAFI A 'BARGAINING CHIP'

The tribal militia holding Saif Gaddafi in the western town of Zintan are refusing to hand him over to Libya's transitional government in Tripoli. It is thought the 39-year-old has become a bargaining chip in a bid by the Zintan militia to get control of the defence ministry when positions in the new government are allocated this week.

2. CAIRO PROTESTERS DEFY JUNTA

There have been more clashes at Tahrir Square in Cairo as security forces continue to try and clear protesters from the area. A crackdown by the ruling junta's police has left at least 20 people dead and hundreds injured across the country since the weekend. There are fears the generals plan to keep their grip on power even after elections due to start this month.

Tahrir Square: Egyptians come back for a second revolution

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

3. HUGH GRANT: 'MAIL ON SUNDAY HACKED ME'

Hugh Grant has linked a non-Murdoch newspaper to the phone hacking scandal for the first time. Giving evidence at the Leveson Inquiry into media standards the actor claimed that a Mail on Sunday story written about him in 2007 could only have been obtained by intercepting his voicemails.

Hugh Grant claims Mail on Sunday hacked his phone

4. NEW YORK ARRESTS 'LONE WOLF' TERRORIST

Jose Pimentel, 27, a "lone wolf inspired by al-Qaeda", was arrested in New York yesterday on terrorism charges for plotting to bomb post offices and attack US soldiers returning from Afghanistan, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced. He showed a video of a car being blown up by a bomb constructed by police from Pimentel's plans.

5. LLOYDS SHARES FALL AMID FEARS OVER CEO

Shares in Lloyds bank fell to their lowest level for more than two years amid reports that its Portuguese chief executive, Antonio Horta-Osorio, would not return from extended leave due to stress. The bank said Horta-Osorio was "making good progress", but also revealed that it had lined up a second replacement CEO should he not return in January.

Stressed Horta-Osorio takes Lloyds break. Will he be back?

6. CHELSEA MANAGER 'TOO EXPENSIVE TO FIRE'

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas said yesterday his job was safe despite the club's 2-1 defeat by Liverpool at home, its worst start to a season since Roman Abramovich took over. He claimed that it was not a matter of "patience" because Abramovich "did not pay €15m to get me from Porto just to pay another fortune to get me out".

AVB feels the heat as Glen Johnson downs Chelsea

7. UK SEVERS FINANCIAL LINKS WITH IRAN

The UK has severed all financial ties with Iran amid concerns about the country's nuclear programme. The move was announced by the Chancellor, George Osborne, and means that from today all British credit and financial institutions are required to cease transactions with banks including the Central Bank of Iran.

8. ADELE LOSES OUT TO TAYLOR SWIFT

Adele, widely tipped to win artist of the year at THE American Music Awards in Los Angeles last night, lost out to country music singer Taylor Swift. The British star still won three other awards – favourite female artist, adult contemporary artist and album of the year in the pop/rock music category for her smash hit 21.

Adele loses out to Taylor Swift in artist of the year surprise

9. AI WEIWEI FANS POST NUDE PICTURES

Supporters of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei have been posting naked pictures of themselves on a blog after the Beijing authorities accused him of spreading pornography because of nude photographs he worked on with another artist. The blog is entitled 'Listen, Chinese Government: Nudity is not Pornography'.

Chinese strip in solidarity after Weiwei porn quiz

10. HOT TICKET: BOB DYLAN AT THE APOLLO

Tonight is the last chance to catch the iconic Bob Dylan on his current visit to London. The times may be a-changing, but the remarkable and often irascible Dylan can still draw a crowd for his unique blend of mumbled love laments and poetic protest songs. Closing at the Hammersmith Apollo.