Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 12 May 2012

1. STATE PENSION FOR 'STAY-AT-HOME' MUMS

Stay-at-home mothers are to qualify for a full state pension for the first time, The Daily Telegraph reports. Under reforms planned by Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, they will receive a flat-rate payment worth at least £140 a week. He said the current system "penalises women".

2. FRESH CALLS FOR HUNT TO QUIT

Labour has made fresh calls for Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt to resign after reports he sought "private advice" from News Corp over phone hacking. Deputy leader Harriet Harman said the email shows Hunt is "not fit" to remain in his position. Hunt says the reports are "inaccurate".

Jeremy Hunt 'asked advice from News Corp' over phone hacking

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. DROUGHT LIFTED IN PARTS OF UK

After 40 days of rain the drought was officially lifted yesterday in 19 areas of the South West, the Midlands and parts of Yorkshire. However, it is a different story in the South East and East Anglia where, said a spokeswoman, "the drought is unlikely to be over this year but you can never say never".

4. UPSURGE IN ANTI-MUSLIM ABUSE

Muslim groups have reported an increase in hate mail and insulting telephone calls in the wake of the Rochdale child sex case. Leaders blame groups such as the EDL for stoking the hatred. "There's lots of discussion about 'Muslim paedos', like saying the prophet married a young girl," said Fiyaz Mughal, from Faith Matters.

5. CHINA DENIES WAR PREPARATION

China has denied it is preparing for war with the Philippines over a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. Tensions have risen after the Philippines attempted to arrest Chinese fishermen in the resource rich waters. In a brief statement, China's defence ministry denied it had "entered a state of war preparedness".

6. BUDDHIST MONKS CAUGHT PARTYING

Six monks from South Korea's largest Buddhist order have quit after a secret video showed them gambling, smoking and drinking at a luxury hotel. The monks were exposed just days before Koreans observe a national holiday to celebrate the birth of Buddha, the holiest day of the faith's calendar.

7. LAWRENCE 'CORRUPTION' TO BE PROBED

The Metropolitan Police has called in the Independent Police Complaints Commission to investigate claims that police corruption may have shielded the killers of Stephen Lawrence. Reports have suggested that police failed to pass potentially important material to the Macpherson inquiry into Lawrence's death.

8. CHAVEZ COMPLETES CANCER TREATMENT

Hugo Chavez has returned to Venezuela after completing 11 days of radiotherapy treatment for cancer. The president says he will continue "rigorously" following medical instructions and that "with God's favour, medical science and this soldier's body" he will return to the "front line of the battle".

9. NEW CLAIM AGAINST TRAVOLTA

A third man has come forward with an allegation against John Travolta, claiming the actor offered him $12,000 to have sex in 2009. Travolta's lawyer says the claim is "ridiculous". A man who made a separate allegation last week has backtracked over the date of his allegation.

10. BMI TECHNIQUE TO BE REPLACED

Doctors say the long-established BMI (body mass index) method of measuring weight is to become obsolete in the face of a more efficient technique. Following extensive medical studies they say that if your waistline is less than half your height then you are a healthy weight.