Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 26 Feb 2013

1. LORD RENNARD: POLICE LAUNCH INQUIRY

Scotland Yard has begun inquiries into "whether or not criminal activity has taken place" amid claims of sexual impropriety by former Lib Dem chief executive Lord Rennard. The Daily Telegraph reports that Helen Jardine-Brown, a former head of fund-raising, reported allegations to senior Lib Dems four years ago. Soon after, she left with £50,000 and a gagging order.

Rennard whistleblower given pay-off and gagging order

2. ITALY: HUGE PROTEST VOTE FOR GRILLO

Stand-up comedian Beppe Grillo has won a stunning 25% protest vote in the Italian general election, creating a deadlock which could make another election necessary. Pier Luigi Bersani's left bloc just beat Silvio Berlusconi in the Chamber of Deputies but failed to secure a majority in the Senate where Grillo holds the balance of power and is refusing to support either side.

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Gridlock in Italy after huge protest vote for comedian Beppe Grillo

3. THREE BRITONS DIE IN EGYPT BALLOON CRASH

Three British tourists died and one survived after a hot air balloon crashed during a sightseeing flight in Egypt. A total of 19 tourists from France, Belgium, Hungary, Japan and China were killed in the accident near the city of Luxor. Witnesses said the balloon appeared to explode before crashing into sugar cane fields.

Three British tourists killed in Egypt balloon disaster

4. CRICKETER MAYNARD 'WAS COCAINE USER'

The inquest into the death of Surrey cricketer Tom Maynard has been told that the 23-year-old had been using cocaine on a daily basis for months and was four times over the drink-drive limit when he was killed on train tracks in south London last June. He died after running from police when they stopped his car at 4am.

5. FEAR OF CARE HOMES AS DEMENTIA RISES

Seventy per cent of adults are afraid of being sent to a care home, according to a survey for the Alzheimer's Society, with 60% saying that not enough was being done to stop abuse at the homes. The survey revealed that as many as 8 in 10 of patients are afflicted with dementia as a result of the ageing population, 30% up on previous figures.

6. JUDGE HELD OVER HUHNE POLICE 'LIES'

A judge has been arrested on suspicion of lying to police during the Chris Huhne speeding points investigation. A jury at the retrial of Huhne's ex-wife Vicky Pryce was told that barrister and recorder Constance Briscoe was arrested over allegations that she lied in a witness statement that stated she had not spoken to the media about the case.

7. APPLE TO SETTLE 'BAIT APPS' LAWSUIT

Apple is to spend up to $100m settling a lawsuit brought by five US parents alleging the technology giant did not do enough to inform customers about the bills children could run up using 'free' computer games. The suit was triggered by the case of a 9-year-old girl spent $200 buying virtual currency while playing three iOS games downloaded by her father.

Apple offers $100m to settle 'bait apps' class action suit

8. DAVID BOWIE ALBUM GETS RAVE NOTICES

David Bowie's comeback album The Next Day has been greeted with rave notices from reviewers. The Daily Telegraph's Neil McCormick called it an "absolute wonder: urgent, sharp-edged, bold, beautiful and baffling..", The Times' Will Hodgkinson said it was a "great album" with a "sense of mystery", and The Guardian's Alexis Petridis declared it "thought-provoking, strange and filled with great songs."

Is David Bowie's The Next Day the best rock comeback album ever?

9. LACK OF SLEEP RAISES RISK OF ILLNESS

A single week of sleeping less than six hours a night can 'switch off' hundreds of genes that play a key role in the body's constant process of self-repair and defence, raising the risk of illnesses including heart disease and obesity, scientists at Surrey University have claimed. Tests showed that sleep deprivation altered the function of 711 genes.

10. HOT TICKET: CRYSIS BACK IN NEW YORK

The latest instalment of the Crysis sci-fi action video game series has been released in the UK. In 'Crysis 3', a technologically enhanced soldier called Prophet embarks on a revenge mission against the corrupt Cell corporation, which has locked New York city in a giant dome. "Utterly absorbing", says The Guardian.

Stunning sci-fi action game Crysis 3 'utterly absorbing'