Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 26 Jan 2012

1. CLEGG: BRING IN £10,000 TAX THRESHOLD

Nick Clegg will urge his Conservative coalition partners to bring forward plans to increase the threshold at which people start paying income tax to £10,000 in a speech later today. The Deputy PM's intervention comes amid speculation that the Chancellor is planning tax cuts in his Budget in March.

2. PIP BREAST IMPLANT BOSS ARRESTED

The founder of the French company PIP, which sparked a global health scare with its faulty breast implants, has been arrested. Jean-Claude Mas was taken into custody on Thursday morning. His company closed in March 2010 when it was discovered that it was using non-medical grade silicone in its implants, which were used around the world.

3. BUILDINGS COLLAPSE IN RIO DE JANEIRO

Three people died and others are still missing after two buildings collapsed in Rio de Janeiro last night, possibly due to a gas explosion. The incident has raised concerns that Rio's infrastructure will not be able to deal with the crowds expected when the city hosts the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

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

Tower block collapse brings concerns over Rio World Cup

4. SECOND 'DANGEROUS' PRISONER ESCAPES

A prisoner convicted of grievous bodily harm has become the second ‘dangerous’ detainee this week to escape during transit. Andrew Farndon, 26, was on his way to hospital when a gunman held up his taxi and threatened his prison guards. Earlier this week, murder suspect John Anslow escaped from a prison van.

Could jamming prison phones have stopped John Anslow?

5. SLOW LORIS VIDEO 'SHOULD BE REMOVED'

A campaign is growing to have a popular video showing a woman stroking a slow loris - a rare southeast Asian mammal - removed from YouTube. It follows the screening of a BBC documentary last night which claimed the clip was fuelling the illegal pet trade and putting an endangered species at risk.

BBC wildlife doc brings calls to ban YouTube's slow loris clip

6. GINGRICH PROMISES US MOON COLONY

Republican hopeful Newt Gingrich has told an audience in Florida, ahead of next week's primary, that if he becomes president he will establish a permanent US colony on the moon by 2020 and develop a spacecraft capable of reaching Mars. Many Floridians have lost their jobs because of Nasa budget cuts.

Gingrich promises America permanent colony on moon

7. NADAL INTO AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL

Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer produced another classic in the semi-final of the Australian Open, and Spaniard Nadal eventually prevailed in four sets to make it to only his second Melbourne final. He beat the Swiss 7-6 (7-5) 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 4-6 in just under three hours. Nadal faces either Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray in the final.

8. UGGIE THE CANINE ACTOR SET TO RETIRE

Uggie the Jack Russell, co-star of the French silent film The Artist, is to retire from acting this year. His handler told the Hollywood Reporter that he's beginning to show his age - 70 in dog years - and needs a rest. He is expected to appear at the Oscars in LA next month, where the film has ten nominations.

Uggie the Jack Russell, star of The Artist, decides to retire

9. PAKISTAN RALLY IN SECOND TEST

The second cricket Test between England and Pakistan in Abu Dhabi is on a knife edge after Pakistan fought back in the final session of the second day to leave England teetering on 207 for five, 50 runs behind Pakistan's first innings total. Earlier Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook put on 139 for the second wicket.

10. HOT TICKET: MECCA AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM

The British Museum’s major new exhibition charting the history of the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca opens today. ‘Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam’ features historic artefacts, Islamic art, manuscripts, textiles and photographs about the religious journey central to the Muslim faith. Until 15 April.