Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 13 Jan 2012

1. SACKING TEACHERS TO BE MADE EASIER

Education secretary Michael Gove says he will make it easier for head teachers to sack underperforming members of staff. In "straightforward" cases, a teacher could now be removed from position in just nine weeks, instead of the current minimum of 24 weeks. The NUT called the plans "a bully's charter".

2. OXFORD DON ARRESTED FOR MURDER

An Oxford University maths lecturer, Devinder Sivia, is being questioned by police over the murder of his colleague, Professor Steven Rawlings, who was 50. The two men were friends who worked closely together for more than ten years. Sivia, 49, is understood to have told police he acted in self-defence.

Oxford murder mystery: don arrested over professor's death

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. OSBORNE: SCOTS MIGHT LOSE POUND

The chancellor, George Osborne, has sent a warning signal to Scotland's first minister Alex Salmond by twice refusing to rule out the possibility that an independent Scotland might be forced to leave the pound and join the euro. He added that an independence referendum could damage the economy.

Independence for Scotland: a few wee questions

4. TESCO'S OVERHAUL AFTER £5BN SLUMP

Supermarket Tesco has announced a radical overhaul of its shops and an embargo on opening giant new stores after poor Christmas sales saw nearly £5bn wiped off its stock market value, ending 30 years of rampant growth. Boss Philip Clarke said: "This isn't going to kill us, it's going to make us stronger."

Humiliation at Tesco: big drop in share price shocks the City

5. BURMA FREES POLITICAL PRISONERS

As their recent glasnost continues, Burma's military rulers have freed high profile dissidents including Min Ko Naing, a leader of a failed 1988 pro-democracy uprising, and former PM Khin Nyunt. State TV announced that a total of 651 prisoners were to be released – though not all are political detainees.

Hundreds of political prisoners released in Burma amnesty

6. DUCHESS FACES TRIAL OVER DOCUMENTARY

The Duchess of York has refused to comment after a court in Turkey said it plans to prosecute her for secretly filming orphans in the country for a 2008 TV documentary. The Duchess, who wore a disguise to film scenes of children tied to their cots for the ITV Tonight programme, could face 22 years in jail.

7. BOXER KHAN GETS REMATCH

The World Boxing Association has awarded British fighter Amir Khan a rematch against Lamont Peterson after their controversial bout in Washington last month. Khan, who lost the title fight on a split decision, cried foul afterwards and claimed a man ringside had interfered with the judges scorecards.

8. ED SHEERAN TOPS BRIT NOMINATIONS

Singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran is leading the field at the Brit awards after it was announced yesterday that he has been nominated in four categories, including best male. Close behind him is Adele, who has three nominations. Also up for a gong are Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and Blur.

'New boring' Sheeran and Adele tipped to sweep Brits

9. DWARF CRIPPLED BY ATTACK BLAMES RUGBY

Martin Henderson, an actor who is only four foot two and who has been unable to walk since an attack outside a pub last October, believes the man who picked him up and dropped him on the pavement could have been inspired by the England rugby squad's infamous trip to a NZ 'dwarf tossing' contest.

Paralysed dwarf blames England's Mike Tindall for his injuries

10. HOT TICKET: SEX AND THE CITY

The latest film from acclaimed Hunger director Steve McQueen, Shame, opens in UK cinemas today. Michael Fassbender stars as a New York City sex addict whose life begins to unravel after a visit by his troubled sister (Carey Mulligan). Time Out calls it "courageous and probing".

Shame stares unblinking into the abyss of sexual addiction