Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 7 Mar 2012

1. COALITION LACKS VISION SAYS CABLE

The Coalition lacks “a compelling vision of where the country is heading” and has a financial policy that is “frankly, rather piecemeal” says Business Secretary Vince Cable. In a leaked letter to David Cameron and Nick Clegg, Cable also said it was not clear how Britons would “earn our living in the future”.

Will Vince Cable ‘vision thing’ overshadow PM’s trip to US?

2. ROMNEY ROCKS SUPER TUESDAY

Mitt Romney was the big winner on Super Tuesday, taking six states including all-important Ohio. Rick Santorum won three states and Newt Ginrich one. Romney's wafer-thin victory in Ohio is significant as no Republican nominee has become president without winning there.

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

Unlikeable Mitt Romney sneaks Ohio and heads for nomination

3. RED CRESCENT GOES INTO BABA AMR

The Red Crescent has been allowed into devastated district of Baba Amr, in the city of Homs, for the first time since the Syrian army cleared the area of anti-government protesters last week. UN aid chief Valerie Amos also visited the suburb after helping secure access. There have been claims of massacres there.

4. PRINCE HARRY QUOTES MARLEY

Prince Harry quoted a Bob Marley lyric as he addressed a state dinner in Kingston, Jamaica. Apologising for the Queen's absence, he added: "but don't worry, cos every liddle ting gonna be aright!" He had earlier joked that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller was his "date" for the evening.

5. SARKO: 'TOO MANY IMMIGRANTS'

There are "too many immigrants" in France and their integration into French culture is failing, President Sarkozy said on TV. "We have too many foreigners and we can no longer manage to find them accommodation, a job, a school." Observers see it as a bid to win back far-right National Front supporters ahead of the 22 April election.

Sarkozy chases NF voters with 'too many immigrants' line

6. SIX UK SOLDIERS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN

Six British soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan's Kandahar province, according to the Ministry of Defence. The soldiers were on patrol when their Warrior armoured vehicle was caught in an explosion. It is the worst single enemy attack on UK forces since the Afghan operation began in 2001.

Six British soldiers killed in Afghanistan explosion

7. FBI SMASHES LULZSEC HACKERS

Six men in the US, UK and Ireland have been arrested and charged with hacking offences. A seventh, Hector Xavier Monsegur, was arrested and charged in August. It is thought that Monsegur, whose online name is 'Sabu', turned FBI informant in order to gather evidence against the other six, five of whom were allegedly members of the hacking group Lulzsec.

Lulzsec bust: Anonymous suspected Sabu was FBI mole

8. BREIVIK CHARGED OVER ATTACKS

Anders Breivik has been officially charged with terror offences, seven months after he killed 77 people and injured 242 in gun and bomb attacks in Norway. His trial is expected to begin on 16 April. Prosecutors say he is mentally ill and will seek to have him put into psychiatric care.

9. GUNNERS AND CHELSEA WIN

Despite a pride-restoring 3-0 victory over AC Milan last night Arsenal were unable to reach the Champions League quarter-finals as they trailed 4-0 from the first leg. Temporary Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo dedicated his side's 2-0 FA Cup win over Birmingham City to the sacked Andre Villas-Boas.

Three-nil to the Arsenal - so close and yet so far

10. HOT TICKET: MASS EFFECT CONCLUSION

Mass Effect 3, the final instalment of the popular sci-fi role-playing game trilogy, is released in the UK this week. Players follow Commander Shepard’s attempts to save the galaxy from an evil robot race known as The Reapers, intent on wiping out all organic life. “Absolutely amazing”, says IGN.

Gamers won’t be disappointed by ‘amazing’ Mass Effect 3