Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 28 Mar 2012

1. CAMERON ACCUSED OF PETROL 'PANIC'

David Cameron has been accused of spreading panic ahead of a possible strike by fuel tanker drivers after he suggested drivers should "top-up" just in case. Meanwhile, Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude said people should store petrol in a jerrycan. The national emergencies committee Cobra will meet later to draw up plans in the event of a strike.

2. JUBILEE THREATENS UK ECONOMY

The UK's economic growth figures for the last three months of 2011 have been downgraded. The economy was thought to have shrunk by 0.2% in the final quarter but that has now been changed to a fall of 0.3%. The news comes after a warning that public holidays for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee could harm the British economy.

UK economic growth revised down to 0.3 per cent

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

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. PILOT SCREAMS ABOUT TERRORISM

Terrified passengers tackled the captain of a US airliner as he ran up and down the aisle ranting about Al Qaeda and screaming: "They're going to take us down!" An off-duty airline captain who was a passenger on the flight entered the cockpit and landed the plane in Texas.

Passengers tackle 'crazy' pilot yelling about bombs and Iraq

4. FEARS FOR NORTH SEA GAS RIG

There are fears that a naked flame, still burning above a leaking North Sea gas rig, could cause a massive explosion. The Elgin platform, 140 miles east of Aberdeen, was abandoned after the underwater leak was discovered but a flare is still burning. There is a methane "cloud" around the rig.

Is Total's leaking Elgin platform doomed to explode?

5. RIOT PANEL: GIVE PEOPLE A STAKE

More people should be given "a stake in society" - that's the verdict of the independent panel set up by the Government to examine the causes of last summer's riots. It concluded a lack of opportunities for the young, bad parenting and suspicion of the police were to blame.

Materialism and lack of stake in society blamed for riots

6. UK ECONOMIC GROWTH REVISED DOWN

UK economic growth for 2011 has been revised down. In the final three months of 2011, the UK economy contracted by 0.3 per cent - worse than the original estimate of 0.2 per cent. The estimate of no growth between April and July has also been revised down to a contraction of 0.1 per cent.

UK economic growth revised down to 0.3 per cent

7. COUPLE FLEE AFTER LEE TWEET

An elderly couple in Florida fled their home after film director Spike Lee mistakenly 'tweeted' their address as that of George Zimmerman, the man who killed teenager Trayvon Martin. Some of Lee's Twitter followers made violent threats against the property.

8. LANDMARK FACE TRANSPLANT COMPLETED

American doctors have completed what is believed to be the most extensive face transplant ever performed. Surgeons gave Richard Norris a new face, including a jaw, teeth and a tongue. Norris has lived as a recluse for 15 years after being disfigured in a gun accident.

9. CHELSEA WIN IN BENFICA

A late first-leg strike from Salomon Kalou handed Chelsea the advantage in their Champions League quarter-final against Benfica. Meanwhile, the Blues will face Tottenham in the FA Cup semi-final after Harry Redknapp's men beat Bolton 3-1 in last night's replayed quarter-final.

Kalou gives Chelsea ‘terrific’ chance of making semi-finals

10. HOT TICKET: KID ICARUS FLIES AGAIN

‘Kid Icarus: Uprising’ marks the resurrection on 3DS of a game that was first released on the Nintendo Entertainment System a quarter of a century ago. The game is upbeat, funny and “totally worth the money”, says Joystix. It has “cult classic writ through it like a stick of rock”, says the Guardian. Available now.

Kid Icarus flies again in best Nintendo game for years

Continue reading for free

We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.

Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.