Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 17 May 2012

1. GREEK LEFT ACCUSES EU OF 'PLAYING POKER'

Greek left-wing leader Alexis Tsipras last night accused the EU and German Chancellor Angela Merkel of "playing poker with people's lives" by insisting on austerity measures. Tsipras's anti-bailout Syriza bloc is predicted to come first in new elections called for 17 June.

2. KENNY DALGLISH SACKED BY LIVERPOOL

Kenny Dalglish was yesterday sacked as Liverpool manager after his club finished eighth in the Premier League. He had led Liverpool to Carling Cup glory and the FA Cup final, but failed to win a Champions League spot. Dalglish said his exit was handled in an "honourable, respectful and dignified way".

Liverpool eye Brendan Rodgers and Alan Pardew as Dalglish gets sack

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3. 'UNJUST' MURDER CONVICTION QUASHED

Sam Hallam, a 24-year-old Londoner who has spent seven years in jail for murder walked free yesterday after the Court of Appeal heard that he had been the victim of "disastrous" police work and failures by the Crown Prosecution Service. He was jailed for the murder of Essayas Kassahun, 21, in 2005.

4. QUEEN OF SPAIN TOLD TO SNUB JUBILEE LUNCH

Queen Sofia of Spain was yesterday ordered by the parliament in Madrid to turn down an invitation from the Queen to a Diamond Jubilee lunch for the world's reigning monarchs at Windsor Castle tomorrow. The snub came in response to a Jubilee visit to the disputed territory of Gibraltar by Prince Edward.

Gibraltar row forces Queen of Spain to snub Diamond Jubilee do

5. RATKO MLADIC WAR CRIMES TRIAL HALTED

The trial of Bosnian Serb Ratko Mladic has been suspended indefinitely because of errors by the prosecution, which failed to hand evidence to the defence in time. Judge Alphons Orie said he hoped to set a new start date "as soon as possible". Mladic is accused of war crimes, including the genocide of Bosnian Muslims at Srebrenica in 1995.

Mladic trial halted over 'errors' as 'Butcher' applauds evidence

6. KENNEDY EX-WIFE COMMITS SUICIDE

Robert F Kennedy Jr's divorced wife Mary, 52, was yesterday found dead in her suburban New York home following a presumed suicide. The mother of four had suffered from alcohol and drug problems. Robert Jnr is the son of Robert and nephew of President John F Kennedy, both assassinated in the 1960s.

7. CANNES FILM JURY DENIES 'SEXISM'

The jury for the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or, which includes British director Andrea Arnold, has denied claims of sexism prompted by an absence of any female filmmakers in the running for the prize. Arnold said she would "hate" to be selected "because I was a woman" and the list reflected the lack of women in the industry.

8. BECKHAM TO BRING HOME OLYMPIC FLAME

David Beckham will bring the Olympic flame back to the UK on Friday from the Greek capital Athens along with Princess Anne. The torch relay through Britain starts on Saturday. London 2012 chairman Seb Coe and London Mayor Boris Johnson will also be in Greece to receive the flame.

9. VAUXHALL PLANT - AND 2,100 JOBS - SAVED

The future of the Vauxhall car plant in Ellesmere Port looked secure last night after General Motors announced that the next generation Astra would be built there. The factory's reprieve comes after weeks of speculation that the 50-year-old plant could be closed by Vauxhall's American parent company and means 2,100 jobs have been saved.

General Motors to keep Vauxhall Ellesmere Port factory open

10. HOT TICKET: SUBPRIME SUBURBIA SATIRE

'Detroit', Lisa D'Amour's Pulitzer-prize nominated suburban satire, has opened at the National Theatre. Directed by Steppenwolf Theatre's Austin Pendleton with a British cast, 'Detroit' shows the suburban dream unravelling as mismatched neighbours clash at a barbecue. "Deliciously entertaining," says The Evening Standard. Until 14 July.

Pulitzer-nominated Detroit: a satire of subprime suburbia