Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 9 Aug 2012

1. MEDAL TALLY RISES FOR TEAM GB AGAIN

Charlotte Dujardin, riding Valegro, earned Team GB its 23rd gold medal today, her second of the Olympics and the country's first in two days. Open-water swimmer Keri-Ann Payne, who had been tipped for gold, missed out on a medal for the 10km race. Boxer Nicola Adams started the day guaranteed to win at least silver - and takes gold if she beats Ren Cancan of China.

2. LAURA TROTT BEACH VOLLEYBALL SMOOCH

Olympic double gold medallist Laura Trott has discovered that fame comes at a price after she was pictured kissing fellow cycling Jason Kenny at the beach volleyball last night. The tabloids reported that the pair were seen smooching at Horse Guards Parade but ended their display of affection when reporters approached them.

Olympic darling Laura Trott becomes front page news

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3. TRADE DEFICIT HITS 15-YEAR HIGH

Hopes that the UK might be able to manufacture its way out of recession were dashed today when new figures showed the country's trade deficit at a 15-year high of £4.3bn. The gap was created by a 4.6 per cent month-on-month fall in the value of UK exports to the rest of the world. While turmoil in the eurozone is partly to blame, much of the fall in demand came from the rest of the world.

New blow to UK economy as trade gap widens to record level

4. GU KAILAI DOES NOT CONTEST MURDER CHARGES

A murder trial involving Gu Kailai, the wife of disgraced Chinese state governor Bo Xilai, has ended after just one day. Gu and her aide Zhang Xiaojun are accused of poisoning British businessman Neil Heywood 2011. A court official told reporters that Gu had not contested the charges and the date of the verdict would be announced later.

5. MISSING GIRL TIA: MAN RETURNS HOME

The boyfriend of the missing girl Tia Sharp's grandmother, Christine, has returned home after being questioned yesterday by police. The ex-con was the last person to see the 12-year-old on Friday, though reports differ over whether he walked her to a station as she left her grandmother's house or not. Stuart Hazell is 37 years old.

South London 'vigilantes' hunt missing girl Tia Sharp

6. ARMSTRONG 'DOING GREAT' AFTER SURGERY

Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, is "doing great" after heart-bypass surgery, his wife Carol said yesterday. The 82-year-old was operated on on Tuesday to relieve blocked coronary arteries. The Ohio-born pilot was commander of the Apollo 11 mission which visited the moon on 20 July 1969, 43 years ago.

7. CONTE: MOST OLYMPIANS ARE ON DRUGS

The infamous Victor Conte, jailed in 2005 for supplying top athletes with banned steroids through his sports nutrition company Balco, including UK sprinter Dwain Chambers, is in London and has told The Times that doping is still rife in sport, claiming that "six out of ten" competitors use banned substances in training.

Six out of ten Olympic athletes on drugs, says Balco chief

8. NEWS CORP POSTS $1.6BN QUARTERLY LOSS

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp has posted a loss of $1.6bn for the last quarter compounded by the cost of splitting off the more lucrative parts of the business - Fox TV, Twentieth Century Fox and BSkyB - from the loss-making newspapers. Legal fees related to the phone-hacking scandal also dented profits over the whole year.

News Corp posts $1.6bn loss as restructuring costs bite

9. ISRAEL WELCOMES EGYPT OFFENSIVE

Israel has welcomed the Egyptian government's crackdown on Islamist militants in the Sinai region who earlier this week shot dead 16 Egyptian border guards and drove a stolen armoured vehicle over the border into Israel. Egypt has launched operations in the lawless region from the air and ground, with permission of its neighbour.

10. HOT TICKET – FACES OF THE OLYMPICS

Aiming High, a photography show documenting faces from the London 2012 Olympic Games, is showing at the National Portrait Gallery. The exhibition features portraits of medal-winning athletes and gymnasts including Jessica Ennis and Beth Tweddle, alongside Games organisers and backstage contributors. “Inspiring”, says The Daily Telegraph.

National Portrait Gallery salutes Games heroes in Aiming High