Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 8 Jun 2011

last updated 8 June 2011

Our popular news catch-up service is posted Monday to Friday at 8.0am. You can rely on it to keep you up to date through the working day with the main news talking points. GADDAFI FORCES LAUNCH FRESH MISRATA ASSAULTForces loyal to Libyan leader Col Gaddafi have launched a fresh assault on the rebel-held city of Misrata in the west of the country. Rocket were said to have killed a dozen rebels. The attack comes after a defiant speech from Gaddafi in the face of Nato's intense bombing campaign. Libya: Nato senses an end, but rebels question tactics PRISON SENTENCE 'DISCOUNT' PLAN SCRAPPEDJustice secretary Ken Clarke's controversial plan to offer 50 per cent jail sentence 'discounts' to criminals who put in early guilty pleas has been scrapped by David Cameron. The plan was due to save £130m - but drew widespread criticism. Cameron denied he had made a "complete mess" of health and justice reforms during PMQs. The Mole: Ken Clarke's prisoner plan is torn up by Cameron OBAMA NECK AND NECK WITH ROMNEY IN SHOCK POLLPresident Obama yesterday suffered a surprise blow to his re-election prospects as a Washington Post poll placed him neck and neck with newly declared Republican candidate Mitt Romney, at 47 per cent each. Obama lost the 'bounce' from the death of Osama bin Laden, with 66 per cent of Americans saying the country is going in the wrong direction economically. Romney shocks Obama, but will US vote for Mormon? FACEBOOK APOLOGISES OVER RECOGNITION SOFTWARE Facebook has nbeen forced to apologise after rolling out new technology that automatically identifies people's faces in photographs. Facebook said the new system was designed to speed up the process of tagging people in pictures and was launched in the US last year. It is the latest privacy row to hit the social networking site. SYRIANS FLEE JISR AL-SHUGHOUR AS ASSAULT LOOMSBritain, supported by France, is to table a draft resolution at the UN today condemning Syria's violent repression of pro-democracy protesters. But the draft does not suggest military action. Residents of Jisr al-Shughour have been fleeing from an expected military assault after the deaths of 120 security personnel, possibly in a mutiny. ELEPHANTS GO ON THE RAMPAGE IN INDIAN CITYTwo wild elephants went on a rampage through the southern Indian city of Mysore, killing one person, attacking cattle and causing widespread panic. The young elephants who had wandered into the city from nearby forests were eventually captured and are set to be released back into the wild. In pictures: Mysore elephant rampage OLYMPIC TORCH UNVEILED AS TICKET ROW CONTINUESThe organisers of the 2012 Olympics have unveiled the torch that will carry the flame around the UK before the Games begin. The three-sided cone is made of aluminium alloy and has a perforated shell. However, the announcement was overshadowed by the ongoing row about the allocation of tickets to the event next year. Anger over Olympic ticket scramble grows LADY THATCHER WILL REFUSE TO SEE 'NUT' PALINLady Thatcher will decline a visit from Sarah Palin if and when she visits Britain next month. Palin had said she hoped to meet the Iron Lady because "I so admire her". But an aide to Lady Thatcher said last night: "That would be belittling for Margaret. Sarah Palin is nuts." Humiliating day for Palin as Lady T refuses meeting HOUSEHOLDS FACE HUGE GAS AND ELECTRICITY BILLSScottish Power will raise the price of gas by 19 per cent from August 1 and of electricity by 10 per cent, adding an average of £200 to the annual fuel bills of 2.4 million households. The Spanish-owned company is the first of the utility companies to announce anticipated rises. Scottish Power gas hike: will others follow suit? YEMEN PRESIDENT MORE SERIOUSLY HURT THAN THOUGHTYemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh suffered 40 per cent burns and bleeding inside his skull in the attack on his compound last week, more serious injuries than first thought. Intelligence agencies suspect that the injuries resulted from an assassination attempt, with a bomb planted inside the palace walls, rather from a rocket attack.