Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 8 Jun 2012

1. CAMERON, OSBORNE, BROWN AT LEVESON

Political heavyweights including the Prime Minister will appear at the Leveson Inquiry next week, it has been confirmed. On Monday chancellor George Osborne and former PM Gordon Brown will give evidence, Nick Clegg will appear on Wednesday and Cameron will by the only witness on Thursday.

2. SPAIN POISED TO ASK FOR BAILOUT

Spain is expected to become the latest eurozone country to seek help with its debt crisis and appeal for a bailout of its banks on Saturday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said rescue measures are in place. Yesterday, ratings agency Fitch downgraded Spain's creditworthiness by three points.

Spain bailout 'due over weekend' - but only for the banks

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3. UEFA ADMITS RACIST CHANTING

Uefa has admitted that there were "isolated incidents of racist chanting" aimed at Dutch players as the team held an open training session at Euro 2012, which began today. Netherlands skipper Mark van Bommel moved players away from the culprits during the session on Wednesday, but the Dutch FA said it would not make a formal complaint.

England to brave 'monkey chant' training ground in Krakow

4. FLEETWOOD MAC GUITARIST COMMITS SUICIDE

Former Fleetwood Mac guitarist and singer Bob Welch, 66, has been found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home in Nashville, US police reported last night. Welch, who played in the band from 1971 to 1974 before forming hard rock group Paris, was said to have been suffering from ill health.

Bob Welch, Fleetwood Mac's estranged guitarist, dies

5. 'EUROPEAN MONSOON' BATTERS BRITAIN

Severe weather warnings have been issued for London, the South East and central parts of the country and 23 flood alerts are in place across the South West as Britain faces a battering from a weather pattern called the European Monsoon, said to feature an "unusually concentrated" low pressure from the Atlantic.

'European monsoon' brings stormy June weather to UK

6. POLICE ANGRY OVER WINSOR APPOINTMENT

The government has defended plans to appoint former rail regulator Tom Winsor as Chief Inspector of Constabulary, despite vociferous opposition from officers. Winsor, a lawyer, angered police with his official review of pay and conditions earlier this year and would be the first person without a police background to take the job.

Tom Winsor 'preferred' for HMIC role: why police are outraged

7. UN 'DOUBTS' SYRIA PEACE PLAN

There is little evidence that Syria's government is complying with a peace plan to try to end violence, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon admitted yesterday, leaving "imminent" danger of civil war. UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said UN proposals had "clearly failed".

8. DISTILLERY CLOSED OVER LEGIONNAIRES'

A whisky distillery in Edinburgh has shut down its cooling towers after a probe into the outbreak of Legionnaires' in the city. The North British Distillery halted production at its Gorgie plant after a health and safety investigation. One man has died in the outbreak and there had been 28 confirmed and 46 suspected cases of the disease.

9. FOIE-MAGGEDON HITS CALIFORNIA

The price of foie gras, pate produced from the livers of force-fed ducks or geese, has doubled in California ahead of a ban which comes into force on 1 July. Former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the law in 2004, but gave an eight-year grace period for producers to find a humane way of producing the delicacy.

10. HOT TICKET: PLAN B'S CRIME FILM DEBUT

British rapper Plan B's debut film Ill Manors has opened in UK cinemas. Part gritty crime drama, part urban musical, it tells a series of interwoven stories about drug abuse, prostitution and gang violence in east London. Starring Riz Ahmed, Ed Skrein and Natalie Press, the film has "bags of style", says Empire.

Plan B's Ill Manors is an angry battering ram of a film