Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 19 Mar 2012

1. CAMERON TO PRIVATISE MOTORWAYS

The Prime Minister has revealed plans to allow state-run investment funds from countries such as China to lease trunk roads and motorways in England. If they hit a series of targets, reducing congestion and making infrastructure improvements, a proportion of vehicle excise duty would be paid directly to them.

2. FABRICE MUAMBA REMAINS ON CRITICAL LIST

The Bolton footballer Fabrice Muamba who collapsed on the pitch during a match against Tottenham on Saturday remains in a critical condition this morning. A wave of sympathy for the 23-year-old father of one was spoiled when a Swansea university student was arrested for racist mockery on Twitter.

Calls for screening as Fabrice Muamba remains critically ill

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. FOUR DEAD IN FRENCH SCHOOL SHOOTING

Three children and a teacher have been shot dead at a Jewish school in Toulouse by a man on a scooter wielding two guns. The attack on the Ozar Hatorah school follows two other recent shootings by a man on a scooter which led to the deaths of three French soldiers of North African origin. It is not yet clear if the shootings are linked.

Is lone-wolf extremist responsible for Toulouse school shooting?

4. CASTRO 'KNEW JFK WOULD BE KILLED'

A new book by a retired CIA officer makes the extraordinary claim that Fidel Castro knew that Lee Harvey Oswald planned to assassinate president John F Kennedy. Brian Latel says Oswald had told staff at a Cuban embassy that he planned to kill the president to prove himself after he was refused a Cuban visa.

5. THOMPSON QUITS AS BBC BOSS

Mark Thompson is to step down as Director General of the BBC in the autumn. In an email to staff he said that it was appropriate to hand over to a successor “once the Olympics and the rest of the amazing summer of 2012 are over”. A BBC report speculates that possible replacements include Helen Boaden, head of BBC News and Caroline Thomson, the BBC's chief operating officer.

6. HUMP'S EUROVISION SONG RELEASED

The UK entry in this year's Eurovision Song Contest, sung by Engelbert Humperdinck, has been released. The ballad, entitled Love Will Set You Free, got a mixed reception on Twitter where it was called boring. By contrast Russia's entry, a disco number sung by grandmothers, is second favourite.

Humperdinck's Eurovision song Love Will Set You Free unveiled

7. SCHOOLS ADMIT ILLEGAL EXCLUSIONS

Some schools in England illegally exclude difficult pupils, sometimes permanently, a report by the Children's Commissioner has found. One head teacher admitted he planned to send a group of final-year pupils home from Christmas until May. The informal practice happens in a minority of schools.

8. SENTAMU IS 'TOO OLD' TO LEAD CHURCH

Leading Anglicans are lobbying against the favourite to take over as Archbishop of Canterbury after Rowan Williams announced his retirement. According to The Times, a significant group feels John Sentamu is too old (at 62 he is a year older than Williams) and too conservative to represent the church in the UK.

Backlash begins against John Sentamu

9. FERGIE TELLS CITY: 'FOLLOW THAT'

Manchester United are four points clear of Manchester City in the Premier League table after a scorching 5-0 defeat of Wolves at the weekend. Now manager Alex Ferguson has taunted his local rivals, who face Chelsea this week, saying: "Chelsea are back to form. It's a really interesting, big game."

Manchester Utd's thrashing of Wolves extends lead over City

10. HOT TICKET: MOON RISES AT NT

Michael Buffong, artistic director of the black theatre company Talawa, debuts his revival of Moon on a Rainbow Shawl at the National Theatre. The post-war drama of poverty and ambition was written by Trinidadian playwright Errol John in 1953. “Don’t miss this”, says the Independent. Until 9 June.

'Moon on a Rainbow Shawl' revival a spicy slow burner