Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 19 Jun 2012

1. AUNG SAN SUU KYI MEETS HAIRY CORNFLAKE

Burmese democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi arrives in Britain today on a tour that starts with a visit to the London School of Economics before she addresses the Oxford Union in the city where she lived with her late British husband before spending 24 years under house arrest in Burma. She will also

Aung San Suu Kyi tours the UK - pictures

2. MICROSOFT UNVEILS RIVAL TO APPLE'S iPAD

Microsoft yesterday unveiled its own tablet computer, the Surface, to compete with Apple's iPad. Powered by Microsoft's new Windows 8 system with either an Intel or ARM-based processor, the touchscreen computer will have a 269mm display, be 9.3mm thick, have a built-in stand and be the first tablet with a magnesium case.

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Microsoft Surface: time to ditch the Apple iPad?

3. FRESH VIOLENCE ERUPTS IN SYRIA

Syrian troops have begun a fresh round of shelling of towns including Rastan and Damascus. Earlier today a UK insurer announced it had cancelled cover for a Russian cargo ship which the US believes is carrying “flying tank” helicopters to Syria in defiance of sanctions. The MV Alaed will have to return home.

UK insurer strands Russian 'helicopter' shipment to Syria

4. GREEK PARTIES MOVE TOWARDS COALITION

Talks on the formation of a coalition have gone into a second day in Greece. Antonis Samaras, leader of the New Democracy Party which narrowly won the weekend's rerun elections, hopes to govern with the socialist Pasok party, which came third, and the smaller Democratic Left before a Wednesday deadline.

It wasn't us! EU chief Barroso blames US for financial crisis

5. 'BODY-PARTS' PORN STAR EXTRADITED

Luka Magnotta, the 29-year-old Canadian porn actor suspected of dismembering his lover and mailing his body parts, arrived in Canada yesterday after extradition from Germany following his arrest in an internet café. Police claim to have a longer version of a video that was posted online, which appeared to show the murder.

6. MURDOCH JOURNOS 'HACKED EMAILS'

Journalists at the defunct News of the World tabloid, which was at the heart of the phone hacking scandal, have been accused of hacking the emails of a key witness in a libel trial fought when Andy Coulson was editor, The Daily Telegraph reports. Fiona McGuire, a former escort, was told by police that her emails were hacked in 2005.

7. TAX AVOIDERS ‘ARE LIKE BENEFIT CHEATS’

Treasury minister Danny Alexander has condemned tax avoiders as the “moral equivalent of benefit cheats” after The Times found that thousands of wealthy Britons, including comic Jimmy Carr, pay as little as one per cent tax thanks to “below the radar” accounting methods that cost the nation £4.5bn a year.

8. UK INFLATION RATE FALLS TO 2.8%

The rate of inflation is at a 2.5 year low after slowing fuel and food prices last month kept it down to just 2.8 per cent. April’s rate was three per cent. The fall was unexpected, but most analysts predict it will slow further over the next three months, with some saying this strengthens the case for quantitative easing.

9. OFSTED: NEW RULES NEEDED FOR INSULTS

Schools inspection body Ofsted says in a new report that teachers are failing to crack down on name-calling, and wants to introduce new rules to clamp down on "aggressive language". The watchdog says words like 'gay', 'spaz' and 'slag' are regularly used among classmates.

10. HOT TICKET: GRAVITY RUSH 'STUNNING'

Set in a gorgeous world filled with striking characters, Gravity Rush serves as much as a showcase for the Sony PS Vita's capabilities as it does for progressive game design. A stunning achievement and a must-own game that finally lets loose the much underrated Vita console's full potential.