Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 8 Feb 2012

1. HOMS SHELLED AS ASSAD PROMISES PEACE

As Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told crowds in Damascus that his ally, president Bashar al-Assad, was committed to stopping the bloodshed that has raged in Syria for almost a year, the Syrian army continued its shelling of the city of Homs. Activists said 40 people had already died this morning.

Divided Syria is still a long way from regime change

2. ARGENTINA TO GO TO U.N. OVER FALKLANDS

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner says she will make a formal complaint to the UN about British "militarisation" around the disputed Falkland Islands. Last month, Britain announced it would send one of its newest destroyers, HMS Dauntless, to the islands for a "routine" operation.

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Argentina complains to UN over UK's 'militarisation' of Falklands

3. REDKNAPP CLEARED OF TAX EVASION

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp and businessman Milan Mandaric have been found not guilty of tax evasion after a three-week trial. They were acquitted after a five-year, £8m investigation revolving around £187,000 found in a Monaco bank account. The verdict boosts Redknapp’s chances of being named the next England manager.

Redknapp cleared, but is he the right man for England?

4. BEDSIDE VIGIL FOR IAN PAISLEY

The family of Northern Ireland's former first minister, Rev Ian Paisley, are holding a vigil by his bedside after he was taken to hospital suffering from suspected heart failure. Now 85, the former fierce opponent of nationalists preached his last sermon 10 days ago and had intended to write his autobiography.

Ian Paisley: boorish, brutal but a politician of rare charisma

5. HESTER ‘CONSIDERED QUITTING OVER BONUS’

RBS chief executive Stephen Hester briefly considered resigning during the recent furore over his £963,000 shares bonus, he told the BBC Today programme. As for his salary, he said it was his job to be “a commercial animal” not a politician and suggested his interviewer might also find it hard to defend his wages.

You try defending your salary, Stephen Hester tells Naughtie

6. AIRBUS TOLD TO CHECK A380 WINGS

Airbus has been ordered to carry out safety checks on the wings of all 68 A380 super-jumbos currently in service after inspections in December found cracks. Qantas removed one of its A380s from service for a week following these earlier checks. A380 wings are made at British Airbus plants at Filton and Broughton.

7. JOHN TERRY DROPPED BY UMBRO

England footballer John Terry, stripped of the captaincy by the FA while he awaits trial for alleged racial abuse of an opponent, has been dropped from its latest advertising campaigns by sponsor Umbro. The sportswear firm said Terry's deal was still "intact" but admitted he was "not involved" currently.

Is John Terry about to get the boot from sponsor Umbro?

8. THRILL KILLER ALYSSA GETS LIFE

Alyssa Bustamante, the teenage "thrill killer" who stabbed a nine-year-old girl to death and then wrote in her diary, "It was ahmazing", was sentenced to life imprisonment today. The judge in Jefferson City, Missouri was not persuaded by defence claims that she acted under the influence of a heavy dose of Prozac.

'It was ahmazing' wrote teen after stabbing girl to death

9. SANTORUM BACK IN REPUBLICAN RACE

Hard-right Republican wannabe presidential candidate Rick Santorum is back in the race in earnest after victories in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado, a slap in the face for former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney from the party's Midwest heartlands. Santorum said: "Wow! Conservatism is alive and well."

Does Rick Santorum's triple whammy change anything?

10. HOT TICKET: NEW ITALIAN FOR SOHO

A new restaurant headed by foodies’ favourite Andrea Mantovani, from Mayfair’s Wild Honey, has opened in Soho. Mele e Pere serves up home-style north Italian trattoria food, with signature dishes such as hand-chopped raw veal with parmesan and snails with pecorino. Brewer Street, Soho.