Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 17 Sep 2012
- 1. WILLIAM PRESSES CRIMINAL CHARGES
- 2. TOMLINSON DEATH: PC HARWOOD SACKED
- 3. IRAN RENEWS 'FATWA' AGAINST RUSHDIE
- 4. DEEP-FRIED MARS BARS OK WITH MARS
- 5. JOHN MAJOR SEES 'GREEN SHOOTS'
- 6. THREE-PARENT BABIES COULD BE LEGALISED
- 7. ISLAND PATROL: CHINA CLAIMS SUCCESS
- 8. STOP GIVING AWAY UK MONEY, SAYS TOP TORY
- 9. MANCHESTER IS UK PIRACY CAPITAL
- 10. HOT TICKET: PRYCE A BRILLIANT LEAR
1. WILLIAM PRESSES CRIMINAL CHARGES
Lawyers for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were today lodging a criminal complaint to French prosecutors against the photographer who took topless pictures of the duchess and seeking an injunction to have Closer magazine withdrawn from shelves. Meanwhile, the Italian magazine Chi went ahead with its threat to publish 26 pages of photos.
Topless Kate photos: what's all the fuss about, asks Italy
2. TOMLINSON DEATH: PC HARWOOD SACKED
Pc Simon Harwood was today sacked by the Met Police after being found guilty of gross misconduct at the G20 protests in April 2009 when newsvendor Ian Tomlinson dropped dead minutes after being hit and pushed to the ground by Harwood. The panel declined to discuss whether his actions caused Tomlinson's death.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
PC who pushed Ian Tomlinson sacked for gross misconduct
3. IRAN RENEWS 'FATWA' AGAINST RUSHDIE
Iran yesterday exploited the escalating Muslim anger over a film insulting the Prophet Mohammad to renew its "fatwa" death threat against author Salman Rushdie over his novel The Satanic Verses, raising the reward for his 'execution' by $500,000 to $3.3m. The call from Ayatollah Hassan Sanei came as Rushdie published a memoir of his time in hiding.
Iran reissues fatwa on Salman Rushdie as film protests spread
4. DEEP-FRIED MARS BARS OK WITH MARS
Mars has come out in support of the Scottish tradition of deep-frying Mars bars in batter. Earlier this month, Mars demanded that a Scottish fish and chip shop carry a disclaimer stating the fried treat was not "authorised". Now the Mars president says: "We are very proud of our association in Scotland although I haven't had one myself".
Mars ‘proud’ of deep-fried chocolate bar after all
5. JOHN MAJOR SEES 'GREEN SHOOTS'
Former prime minister Sir John Major yesterday predicted that the "green shoots of recovery" are on the way for the British economy, which had passed the "darkest moment" of the recession. He told the BBC's Andrew Marr that the fall in unemployment and the rise in the stock market suggested the worst was over.
6. THREE-PARENT BABIES COULD BE LEGALISED
A public consultation has opened on whether it should be legal to allow the creation through IVF of babies from three people. The technique could be used by parents to avoid having a baby afflicted with ‘mitochondrial’ diseases which are passed down from mother to child. A donor woman would provide healthy mitochondrial DNA. If it is decided that the technique is ethical, the government could legalise the treatment next year.
Ethics debate opens into 'three-parent' IVF technique
7. ISLAND PATROL: CHINA CLAIMS SUCCESS
China yesterday claimed that its patrol of six war ships sent to the islands at the centre of the territorial dispute with Japan had succeeded in showing Beijing's jurisdiction. The statement followed the spread of anti-Japanese protests to dozens of cities in China. US defence secretary Leon Panetta, who is in Tokyo, warned that "a misjudgement could result in violence."
8. STOP GIVING AWAY UK MONEY, SAYS TOP TORY
Lord Ashcroft, a former Tory party fund-raiser and now an adviser to the PM, says the government should "turn off the golden taps" and stop "flooding the developing word with our money". He addressed his remarks to Justine Greening, the new Development Secretary, saying it was pointless trying to "curry favour with Guardian-type readers".
9. MANCHESTER IS UK PIRACY CAPITAL
Manchester has been named as the piracy capital of the UK. Statistics gathered by Musicmetric show that there were more illegal downloads in the north-western city per person than anywhere else. Nottingham and Southampton were second and third. The most pirated artists in the first half of 2012 were Ed Sheeran, followed by Rizzle Kicks and Rihanna.
The typical music pirate: an Ed Sheeran fan living in Manchester
10. HOT TICKET: PRYCE A BRILLIANT LEAR
A new production of Shakespeare's great tragedy 'King Lear' has opened at London's Almeida theatre. Jonathan Pryce stars in the title role of Lear, an ageing king who foolishly surrenders his power to ungrateful daughters and descends into madness. "Pryce is simply brilliant", says The Times. Until 3 November.
Jonathan Pryce's 'horrible, beautiful' Lear at the Almeida
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - November 3, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - presidential pitching, wavering convictions, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Why Man United finally lost patience with ten Hag
Talking Point After another loss United sacked ten Hag in hopes of success in the Champion's League
By The Week UK Published
-
Who are the markets backing in the US election?
Talking Point Speculators are piling in on the Trump trade. A Harris victory would come as a surprise
By The Week UK Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 24, 2024
Daily Briefing Trump closes in on nomination with New Hampshire win over Haley, 'Oppenheimer' leads the 2024 Oscar nominations, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 23, 2024
Daily Briefing Haley makes last stand in New Hampshire as Trump extends polling lead, justices side with US over Texas in border fight, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 22, 2024
Daily Briefing DeSantis ends his presidential campaign and endorses Trump, the US and Arab allies push plan to end Gaza war, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 21, 2024
Daily Briefing Palestinian death toll reportedly passes 25,000, top Biden adviser to travel to Egypt and Qatar for hostage talks, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 20, 2024
Daily Briefing Grand jury reportedly convened to investigate Uvalde shooting response, families protest outside Netanyahu's house as pressure mounts for hostage deal, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 19, 2024
Daily Briefing Congress averts a government shutdown, DOJ report cites failures in police response to Texas school shooting, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 18, 2024
Daily Briefing Judge threatens to remove Trump from his defamation trial, medicine for hostages and Palestinians reach Gaza, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 17, 2024
Daily Briefing The US strikes Houthi targets in Yemen a third time, Trump's second sex defamation trial begins, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published