Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 16 Nov 2012

1. HAMAS TRY TO HIT JERUSALEM

Hamas militants today attempted to fire a missile at Jerusalem in the first ever such attack from Gaza on the holy city. The rocket fell short and no one was injured. Earlier today, Egyptian PM Hisham Qandil visited injured Palestinians in Gaza. He said Israel's "blatant aggression" must stop and vowed to "spare no effort" in trying to broker a new ceasefire.

Egyptian PM slams Israel as commentators fear ground war

2. LABOUR TAKE CORBY WITH 8,000 MAJORITY

Labour won the Corby and East Northants by-election by a majority of nearly 8,000, overturning a Tory majority of 1,951 at the last general election. Anti-Europe UKIP came third. The Lib Dems came fourth and lost their deposit. David Cameron wrote it off as a classic "mid-term result". Louise Mensch said: "Blame me."

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Corby by-election: David Cameron’s Tories humiliated

3. MAIL QUESTIONS LEVESON ADVISER

Just days before the Leveson Inquiry issues its report on press standards, the Daily Mail has raised "disturbing questions" about the suitability of Sir David Bell as an adviser to Lord Leveson. The paper notes that Bell is the trustee of the "tarnished" Bureau of Investigative Journalism, which falsely implicated Lord McAlpine as a paedophile.

Mail declares war on Leveson and warns of left-wing 'coup'

4. MCALPINE PLEDGES TO END 'TRIAL BY TWITTER'

The BBC yesterday has agreed to pay Lord McAlpine £185,000 plus costs in an out-of-court settlement after Newsnight wrongly implicating him in the north Wales child sex scandal. McAlpine has now promised to end "trial by Twitter" by launching libel actions against anyone who used social networking to link him to the scandal.

'We know who you are': Lord McAlpine goes for the tweeters

5. FIRST PCC ELECTIONS 'DESCEND INTO FARCE'

The first elections for regional Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) were a farce, The Daily Telegraph claims, as voters stayed away yesterday in their droves. Elections were held in 41 areas of England and Wales and the turnout is thought to have been lower than 20 per cent. One polling booth in Manchester had just three visitors.

6. RIHANNA UNDER FIRE FOR CHRIS BROWN DUET

Pop singer Rihanna has come under fire for singing a duet with her abusive ex-boyfriend Chris Brown on her new album, Unapologetic. The pair collaborated for the track Nobody's Business which has been leaked online. In 2009 Brown beat her so badly she was left with severe injuries including a bloody nose, a split lip and bite marks.

Rihanna's new album is an ode to her abuser Chris Brown

7. HARRIET HARMAN TO BOYCOTT STARBUCKS

Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman has called for a boycott of coffee chain Starbucks over claims it avoids paying tax in the UK. She issued the call to arms during an appearance on Question Time. Earlier this week Starbucks, Google and Amazon were grilled by politicians over their tax affairs. It is claimed Starbucks paid only £8.6m in corporation tax in the UK over 14 years.

Harriet Harman leads boycott over Starbucks tax avoidance

8. NEW NUCLEAR SUB IS 'SLOW, LEAKY, RUSTY'

The Royal Navy's new hunter-killer submarine, HMS Astute, is being described as "slow, leaky and rusting", The Guardian reports. Astute, the first of seven planned new submarines costing £9.75bn, is so flawed it can't find the speed to keep up with an aircraft carrier. It has a "V8 engine with a Morris Minor gearbox", said one source.

9. ENGLAND IN TROUBLE IN FIRST TEST

England are in trouble in the first cricket Test against India in Ahmedabad. Cheteshwar Pujara scored a double hundred as the hosts racked up 521-8 declared in their first innings and then turned the screw to leave England struggling on 41-3 at the close of day two. The tourists' hopes now rest on not out batsmen Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen.

10. HOT TICKET: MICHAEL HANEKE'S LOVE STORY

Michael Haneke's Palme d'Or winning drama 'Amour' (Love) opens in UK cinemas today. Legendary French actors Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva star as an elderly couple whose love is tested by the approach of death. With Isabelle Huppert. "Utterly unmissable" says Empire.

Haneke's Palme d'Or winner Amour is 'utterly unmissable'