Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 27 Jan 2013

1. EU PLEDGE EARNS TORIES POLL BOOST

David Cameron's pledge of an in/out referendum on EU membership has given the Tories a five-point 'Brussels bounce' in the polls, reports the Sunday Mirror. A ComRes survey for the paper puts the Tories up five points at 33% and UKIP down four points at 10%. Labour remain unchanged at 39%, but the Tory boost has halved Labour's lead.

2. THAWING UK FACES 'FLOOD COCKTAIL'

Thawing snow and heavy rain is putting many areas of the UK at risk of serious flooding. Parts of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire have already flooded as 41 flood warnings and 220 alerts are put in place in England and Wales. With spring tides due this week, the Environment Agency says it is facing "a complete cocktail of issues and concerns".

3. ONE IN FOUR VIOLENT OFFENDERS CAUTIONED

More than one in four violent offenders escape with a police caution, reports the Sunday Times. Magistrates are demanding an inquiry into the use of cautions as it also emerged that one in five sex offenders are cautioned. The overall proportion of offences dealt with by cautions has more than doubled over the past decade.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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.

Sign up

4. MURRAY LOSES AUSSIE OPEN TO DJOKOVIC

Andy Murray today lost the Australian Open to world number one Novak Djokovic. The Serb won 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-2, despite a strong opening from the Scot with the first two sets going to tie-breaks. Murray fans had high expectations going into the match as the Briton has transformed his fortunes thanks to sushi, protein shakes and regular weight-training - according to The Observer.

'Heartbreak' for Andy Murray as Djokovic wins Aussie Open

5. 'TORY OBAMA IN LEADERSHIP PLOT'

Black Tory MP Adam Afriyie, dubbed 'the Tory Obama', is being groomed as a potential successor to David Cameron, reports the Sunday Times. Afriyie's eight-strong campaign team has approached over 100 Tory MPs to sound them out over a leadership bid in 2015. A minister loyal to Cameron told the Mail On Sunday the plan is "sheer madness".

Will 'Tory Obama' Adam Afriyie challenge David Cameron?

6. GAMBLING ADDICTION SOARS ONLINE

Online gambling is on the brink of becoming a £2bn business in Britain as nearly one million people are at risk of becoming 'problem gamblers', reports the Independent On Sunday. More women are gambling as the internet "has brought into the home an activity that was historically male-dominated", says the National Problem Gambling Clinic.

7. CLEGG 'HASN'T VISITED LOCAL COMP'

Nick Clegg, under fire for his suggestion he would send his son to a private school if he could not find a good local comprehensive, has not visited the state school nearest to his Putney home, claims its head teacher. Mark Phillips, of the Ark Putney academy, said unless Clegg had visited "under cover", then he had not been to see the school.

8. UK TAX: STARBUCKS THREATENS REVENGE

Starbucks has threatened to withhold millions of pounds of investment in Britain in response to what it sees as relentless and unjust attacks on its tax arrangements, reports the Sunday Telegraph. The coffee chain's UK managing director has demanded talks at Downing Street after David Cameron said tax-avoiding companies must "wake up and smell the coffee".

Starbucks threatens Cameron after 'smell the coffee' tax dig

9. BRAZIL NIGHTCLUB FIRE LEAVES 230-PLUS DEAD

More than 230 people are feared to be dead after a fire in a Brazilian nightclub. Victims inhaled toxic fumes after acoustic insulation caught fire at the Kiss club in the town of Santa Maria in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul. The fire is thought to have been started by fireworks let off as part of a live band performance.

10. LUTON PULL OFF GIANT-KILLING FEAT

Luton Town became the first non-league team for 24 years to knock a top-flight side out of the FA Cup when they beat Norwich City 1-0 at Carrow Road on Saturday. The last team to manage the feat were Sutton United, who beat Coventry City in 1989. Elsewhere, Arsenal beat Brighton 3-2, and Manchester United beat Fulham 4-1.

Luton Town make history with 1-0 Cup victory over Norwich