Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 6 Jan 2012

1. MILIBAND REPRIMANDS DIANE ABBOTT

Ed Miliband has given Diane Abbott a “severe dressing down” after her controversial Twitter comment that “white people love playing ‘divide & rule’ ”. Shadow Health Minister Abbott was being interviewed live on Sky News when the phone-call from Miliband interrupted her. She has apologised for her Twitter comment.

Diane Abbott 'whites' tweet: was there a Tory stitch-up?

2. OBAMA SHIFTS FOCUS TO CHINA

Barack Obama sounded a warning to China as he unveiled the biggest military shake-up in a generation. “We’ll be strengthening our presence in the Asia Pacific and budget reductions will not come at the expense of this critical region,” he said. He added that the military remains "agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats".

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3. TEACHERS 'CON OFSTED INSPECTORS'

Schools are cheating Ofsted inspections using a variety of tactics including bribing misbehaving pupils to play truant, displaying outstanding art work by pupils from other schools and rehearsing lessons prior to inspections, whistleblowers claim. Ofsted will now carry out inspections without the usual three-day warning.

4. MEN 'MOST WORRIED ABOUT BODIES'

More men than women worry about their body image, research claims. A study by the University of the West of England found 80.7% of men talk about perceived flaws in their appearance compared with 75% of women. 38% of men would sacrifice at least a year of their life in exchange for a perfect body, again a higher percentage than women.

Starting a New Year diet? Save yourself the money and pain

5. EVE ARNOLD DIES AT 99

Eve Arnold, the legendary photographer famous for portraits of Marilyn Monroe and the Queen, has died, aged 99. Arnold, born in Philadelphia, became first woman member of the Magnum photographic agency, in 1957. She died peacefully in her sleep at a nursing home in London, just months short of her 100th birthday in April.

6. JAMAICA WILL BECOME REPUBLIC

The new Prime Minister of Jamaica, Portia Simpson Miller, has vowed to make Jamaica a full republic following her landslide election victory. After formally taking office she said her government will drop the Queen as head of state. "I love the Queen; she is a beautiful lady," she said, adding in Jamaican patois: "But I think time come."

Jamaica will drop the Queen as head of state, new PM pledges

7. LABOUR 'SHOULD ACCEPT CUTS'

Labour should reject the "shallow and temporary" populism of rejecting coalition spending cuts and instead tell the public how it would make savings in government, a party frontbencher has told The Guardian. Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy vowed to accept £5bn of the government's planned cuts in defence.

8. DIARY COULD HAVE CLEARED PRISONER

A diary that could have cleared a man of murdering his wife was kept secret by police for 16 years while he protested his innocence in jail, The Times reports. Eddie Gilfoyle was jailed in 1993 for murdering his wife and trying to make it appear she had committed suicide. However, the diary reveals she had attempted suicide during a troubled the past.

Police 'sat on' secret diary that might have cleared 'murderer'

9. DIVORCE REFORMS PLANNED

Divorced parents will be given a legal right to see their children under reforms being planned by the Government, says The Daily Telegraph. Courts would be obliged to ensure both fathers and mothers are given access in divorce settlements and either parent would risk jail for not co-operating with the order.

10. HOT TICKET: MERYL DOES MAGGIE

Meryl Streep’s Iron Lady opens at UK cinemas today. Streep has been tipped for an Oscar for her performance as the former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, but the film’s treatment of Thatcher’s politics has divided critics. Decide for yourself.

In pictures: Meryl Streep's life in film