Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 18 Mar 2013

1. CYPRUS BANK LEVY: EURO FALLOUT FEARED

Shares in London, Paris and Frankfurt fell sharply today, and the euro softened – amid fears that investors will get out of the euro following the controversial Cyprus bank levy of up to 10% on savings. Chancellor George Osborne has promised that UK troops and government workers with Cyprus bank accounts will be compensated.

The hard-working Cypriots do not deserve this bank robbery

2. PAPERS REFUSE TO ENDORSE WATCHDOG

Some of the country's key newspaper groups, including the publisher of the Daily Mail and the Sun, are refusing to endorse the proposed new system of press regulation. One senior source said the groups were taking "high-level legal advice" before deciding if they could join the new watchdog. The deal hatched after prolonged cross-party talks included "several deeply contentious issues which have not yet been resolved with the industry", the dissenting newspaper groups said.

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Leveson: 2.30am deal brings press reform peace - for now

3. SIX HELD AFTER NEW INDIAN GANG-RAPE

Six men from the Indian state of Madhya Prasesh appeared in court today charged with gang-raping a Swiss woman. She and her husband were on a cycling trip and were camping in woodland when the men aged 20-25 attacked. Reports say they beat the man with wooden sticks and raped his wife in front of him.

Six in court accused of gang rape of Swiss tourist in India

4. VICKY PRYCE MOVED TO OPEN PRISON

Vicky Pryce has been transferred to the East Sutton Park open prison near Maidstone after just four nights in Holloway. Her former husband Chris Huhne remains in Wandsworth prison. One of Pryce's fellow inmates is April Casburn, the former police chief jailed for attempting to sell information about the phone hacking investigation.

Vicky Pryce: why her time in open prison won't be 'cushy'

5. FALKLANDS: KIRCHNER SEEKS POPE'S HELP

Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has appealed to Francis, Latin America's first ever pope, to intervene in the diplomatic war over the Falkland Islands. During her private audience with the new head of the Catholic Church today she also condemned the "British militarisation of the South Atlantic". Kirchner is the first head of state to meet Pope Francis.

6. MYSTERY AS HOCKNEY ASSISTANT DIES

Dominic Elliott, a 23-year-old assistant to David Hockney, has died after being taken to hospital from the artist's home in Bridlington, East Yorkshire. A post mortem will be carried out tomorrow, but police said there were no signs of violence. Elliott acted as Hockney's driver and regularly assisted the 75-year-old artist by setting up his equipment. Hockney drew and painted Elliott on several occasions.

David Hockney's 23-year-old assistant Dominic Elliott dies

7. BRITISH FATHER AND SON DIE IN ALPS FALL

The British man and his 12-year-old son found dead yesterday in the French Alps after apparently falling while hiking near Mont Blanc have been named as Peter and Charlie Saunders. The Foreign Office said they had flown to the Chamonix area for a 'short weekend of adventure" but had slipped and fallen while hiking.

8. BOWIE COMEBACK ALBUM TOPS CHARTS

David Bowie's comeback album The Next Day has become his first album in 20 years to hit the number one spot in the charts. It is also the fastest selling album of the year so far. The 66-year-old's first album in ten years sold 94,000 copies during the week, twice as many as Bon Jovi's What About Now at number two.

David Bowie back on top with No. 1 album and hit show

9. PAIR PLANNED TO ROB AND KILL JOSS STONE

Two men plotted to rob and murder singer Joss Stone, a jury was told today. Kevin Liverpool and Junior Bradshaw are accused of driving from Manchester in a Fiat Punto to near Miss Stone’s home in Devon in June 2011. They deny charges of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to cause GBH and conspiracy to rob.

10. HOT TICKET: GRITTY GEORGE BELLOWS AT RA

The first UK retrospective of American realist painter George Bellows has opened at the Royal Academy. 'George Bellows: Modern American Life' presents Bellows's 'Ashcan School' paintings of New York's urban underbelly in scenes of docks, tenements and illegal boxing matches. "Startling," says the Daily Telegraph. Until 19 June.

George Bellows: first big UK show for an American great