Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 3 Aug 2012

1. HOY WINS GOLD, BUT DID HINDES FAKE CRASH?

Cyclist Sir Chris Hoy provoked a rare display of public affection between the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge yesterday as they hugged at the Olympic velodrome after he won gold in the men's team sprint. However, there was controversy when British rider Philip Hindes was accused of deliberately crashing in an earlier round.

Shadow cast over Chris Hoy gold as Hindes admits he staged crash

2. ANNAN: SYRIA PEACE IS 'MISSION IMPOSSIBLE'

Kofi Annan has enlarged on yesterday's news that he is stepping down as UN peace envoy to Syria. The former secretary-general says growing militarisation in Syria and "finger-pointing and name-calling" among world powers on the security council have made the "sacred duty" to prevent war a "mission impossible".

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Syria debacle: was Kofi Annan ever the right man for the job?

3. CAMERON BRINGS UP PUSSY RIOT WITH PUTIN

David Cameron raised the issue of punk protest group Pussy Riot, currently on trial for blasphemy after singing an anti-Putin song in a Moscow cathedral, with the Russian president yesterday as he visited the UK. The two men also discussed Syria - but the official reason for Putin's trip was to watch Olympic judo.

Putin meets Cameron: 5 issues that should be on the agenda

4. TEAM GB CLAIMS ROWING GOLD

Team GB claimed its sixth gold medal of the Olympics on Friday when Anna Watkins and Katherine Grainger won the women's double sculls. Britain also claimed two other bronze medals in rowing events. Earlier at the Olympic Stadium Jessica Ennis began her campaign with the fastest ever 100m hurdles by a heptathlete.

5. REBEKAH BROOKS CHARGED AT LAST

Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks was yesterday formally charged with conspiring to intercept communications, Scotland Yard has said. It had been announced last week that she and six other journalists would face charges. Brooks will appear before magistrates on 3 September, the others on 16 August.

6. NORTH KOREA SEEKS FOOD AID FROM UN

North Korea has asked the UN for immediate emergency food aid after devastating floods last month. Pyongyang officials say tens of thousands have been left homeless and at least 119 people died. Yesterday, the Red Cross said it would allocate more than $300,000 for flood victims in the secretive dictatorship.

7. SHAFILEA PARENTS GUILTY OF MURDER

The parents Shafilea Ahmed have been found guilty of her murder. The 17-year-old went missing from her home in Warrington in 2003 and her body was discovered six months later by a river in Cumbria. A jury at Chester crown Court returned guilty verdicts on Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed, who suffocated her in an apparent 'honour killing'.

Shafilea Ahmed: honour killing parents are jailed for life

8. USA WANTS TO KEEP INTERNET CONTROL

The US has said that it would resist attempts by the UN to make the non-profit bodies which oversee the internet - its technical specifications, the registration of domain names and other aspects - international, and would seek to keep control of them. There has been speculation that other nations will push for change.

9. MURDOCH MAY BACK BOJO LEADER BID

London mayor Boris Johnson may win the support of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch if he bids to become leader of the Tory party, says The Guardian. Murdoch flew in last night to be Johnson's guest at the aquatics centre today and used Twitter yesterday to praise the "brilliant" organisation of the London games.

Boris Johnson 'seeks Murdoch's help in Tory leadership bid'

10. HOT TICKET: TED HITS BRITAIN

American comedy Ted has opened in UK cinemas. From the creator of animated sitcom Family Guy, Seth McFarlane, Ted is a buddy movie about a man (Mark Wahlberg) whose friendship with a real-life teddy bear is ruining his relationship with his girlfriend (Mila Kunis). “The comedy of the summer”, says Empire.

Grin and bear it: MacFarlane's riotous, R-rated comedy Ted