Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 17 Jun 2011

published 17 June 2011

Our popular news catch-up service is posted Monday to Friday at 8.0am. You can rely on it to keep you up to date through the working day with the main news talking points. PUBLIC SECTOR RETIREMENT AGE TO RISE TO 66Amid union fury over higher pension contributions already announced, the government now plans to link the public sector retirement age to the state pension age, both rising to 66. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander will also confirm public sector pensions will be based on workers' average salaries. First reaction: can public sector workers expect private sector support? FRANCE AND GERMANY WANT NEW GREEK BAILOUTAngela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy have called for a new rescue package for debt-laden Greece. The German and French leaders met in Berlin after a disagreement over whether private banks should be forced to help bail out the country, they now say private sector help should be "voluntary". First reaction: Germany will have to foot the bill for Greek crisis OLYMPIC TICKET DETAILS ANNOUNCED More than 2 million more Olympic tickets will go on sale next week the organisers of the 2012 Games have announced. The 1 million people who missed out in the first ballot will get first choice of the remaining tickets, most of which are for football. A list of events for which tickets are available has been published. US VOWS TO KILL AL-ZAWAHIRI 'LIKE BIN LADEN'The US will hunt down and kill Ayman al-Zawahiri (above), the new al-Qaeda leader, just as it did Osama Bin Laden, Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said yesterday. "We certainly will do the same thing," he told journalists. Al-Zawahiri is believed to have masterminded the 9/11 attacks. Ayman al-Zawahiri: did he plot Bin Laden's death? CHAMPAGNE BAR BRAWL MARS ROYAL ASCOTThe Gold Cup at Royal Ascot was marred yesterday by a brawl involving at least five men at a champagne bar, believed to have been fighting over a woman. Blows were struck with fists, a table leg, and a champagne bottle before the men dispersed into the crowd. Fame and Glory won the Cup at 11-8 on. Royal Ascot in pictures CONGRESSMAN WEINER OFFERED JOB IN PORN'Sexting' US Congressman Anthony Weiner was offered a job in the on-line department of the Hustler pornography empire last night after resigning amid jeers and heckling. Publisher Larry Flynt, a free speech campaigner, told Weiner that he was a victim of the "hypocrisy invading democracy". Weiner: was he accepting an Oscar or resigning? ARGENTINA COMPLAINS OF BRITISH 'ARROGANCE'Argentinian president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said yesterday that Britain was "arrogant" in refusing to negotiate on Falkland Island sovereignty. She spoke a day after David Cameron had refused talks, saying that if the islanders wanted to be British, that was "full stop, end of story". Argentine president lays into Britain over Falklands MYSTERY OVER JK ROWLING'S POTTERMORE.COM WEBSITEHarry Potter author JK Rowling has launched a mysterious website, pottermore.com, counting down to the announcement of a new project next week. An accompanying YouTube video says: "The owls are gathering... Find out why soon." It is not a new book and is not related to the final Harry Potter film. CHECKS NEEDED ON OVERWEIGHT POLICE OFFICERSAn interim report from the review of police pay and conditions in England and Wales being conducted by former Rail Regulator Tom Winsor calls for tests to keep officers thinner and fitter. Winsor also recommends regional pay rates, docking chief constables' pay for poor performance, and an end to jobs for life. POP MUSIC 'IS DESCENDING INTO PORN'Pop music is on "a slow but unmistakable descent into pornography", hit songwriter Mike Stock said yesterday. Stock, whose songs launched Kylie Minogue, said stars like Rihanna. Lady Gaga and Katy Perry had gone "beyond the limits of decency". Pop is descending into porn, says Mike Stock