Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 7 Feb 2012

1. GULF STATES CUT LINKS WITH SYRIA

The Syrian army is again shelling the country's third-biggest city, Homs, as Gulf Arab states expel ambassadors and recall envoys from Syria. At least 95 people were killed on Monday. Russian diplomats are in Damascus, but claims that the opposition to President Assad have agreed to let them mediate have been dismissed.

Assad's 'delusional' wife Asma defends Syria crackdown

2. MERKEL EXASPERATED AS GREEKS STALL

Greek's coalition government has put off a decision on austerity measures in order to take up a £108bn bailout offered by the EU, yet again. Leaders had been due to decide yesterday afternoon but failed to agree, prompting German chancellor Angela Merkel to warn them that "time is of the essence".

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3. HOME OFFICE OUTRAGE AS QATADA FREED

Imprisoned radical Islamist cleric Abu Qatada will walk free on bail within days after a decision by an appeal court judge which has been openly criticised by the Home Office. Once described as Osama Bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe, Qatada has been in prison without standing trial for six and a half years.

Why is Abu Qatada being freed and can he ever be deported?

4. ANTI-GAY ARCHBISHOP GETS RACIST EMAILS

Archbishop of York John Sentamu, originally from Uganda, has received racist mail after he opposed gay unions in a recent interview, saying marriage "should be between a man and woman". North Yorkshire police have been handed the offending communications and are treating them as hate crimes.

5. SUN EDITOR CAN'T RULE OUT HACKING

Sun editor Dominic Mohan has told the Leveson Inquiry that he cannot say 100% that his paper has not obtained stories by phone hacking. He was giving evidence to the inquiry for a second time. Earlier James Harding of The Times also gave evidence and Paul Dacre of The Daily Mail was ordered to appear again.

Mail editor Dacre recalled by Leveson after Hugh Grant spat

6. RAIL BOSSES FOREGO BONUSES

On Monday, The Week online reported that pressure was mounting on six executives at Network Rail not to take up a £20m bonus package, with the transport secretary opposed. Now the chief executive and directors have announced they will instead use the money to improve safety at level crossings.

Blairites get twitchy as Chuka claims another fat cat scalp

7. REDKNAPP JURY CONSIDERS ITS VERDICT

The jury in the fraud trial of Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has retired to consider its verdict. Judge Anthony Leonard told them that modern football had become so commcercial it had "rather lost its way" but added that the case was about tax evasion, not sport.

8. CHARLES DICKENS' BICENTENARY MARKED

Novelist Chalres Dickens was born 200 years ago today. Global celebrations will be led by Prince Charles who will lay a wreath at the author's Westminster Abbey grave. Great-great-grandson, Ian Dickens, will attend a memorial service featuring Simon Callow in Portsmouth where the writer was born.

It's right to mark Dickens's birthday but not to idolise him

9. RADCLIFFE: I DRANK LIKE DUMBLEDORE

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, now 22, says he started drinking too much to be like Richard Harris – the original Dumbledore, replaced by Michael Gambon after his death in 2002 – and other larger-than-life thesps he met on set. The Woman in Black actor quit drinking 18 months ago after blackouts.

10. HOT TICKET: SADLER'S WELLS FLAMENCO

Two weeks of broody foot-stomping and finger-clicking from the world’s leading flamenco talents kicks off at Sadler’s Wells tonight. Highlights include Rafael Amargo’s Poet in New York, a multimedia dance work inspired by Federico Garcia Lorca, which The New York Times dubs “in a class by itself”. Until 19 February.