Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 3 Apr 2013

1. N KOREA BARS WORKERS FROM SOUTH

North Korea is barring workers from the South from entering a joint industrial zone operated by both countries, in what analysts say, is the latest escalation of tensions in the region following the regime's nuclear test last month. Seoul has confirmed that workers from the South are being allowed to leave the Kaesong zone today, but not cross into it.

North Korea blocks access to shared industrial zone

2. PHILPOTTS 'GOOD PARENTS': LAWYER

Mick and Mairead Philpott, the couple convicted of the manslaughter of six children who died in a house fire in Derby, were "good" parents, a court has heard. Ahead of their sentencing tomorrow morning Philpott's lawyer Antony Orchard QC told Nottingham crown court his client had been a "good father and loved those children".

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How Mick Philpott case and the welfare debate collided

3. EUROZONE JOBLESS STILL RISING

The rate of unemployment in the eurozone has hit a record high of 12%, official Eurostat figures revealed yesterday, with the numbers unemployed in the 17 member states rising by 33,000 in February to 19.07 million. The highest rates were 26.4% in Greece and 26.3% in Spain. The lowest were in Austria, 4.8% and Germany, 5.4%.

'Bleak milestone' as eurozone unemployment hits 12%

4. OUTRAGE OVER NEW CLASS SYSTEM

The traditional three-tier British class system is out of date, according to a large survey conducted by the BBC. Instead of upper, middle and lower classes the UK now has a total of seven social classes ranging from the 'elites' to the 'precarious proletariats'. Comments on social media suggest many people are unconvinced by the new groupings.

Class war: new social groupings provoke outrage on social media

5. WALL STREET HITS RECORD HIGH

Wall Street's Dow Jones and S&P 500 share indexes set new all-time highs last night, beating records last set before the financial crisis. The Dow rose 89 points, to close at 14,662, doubling its value since the low of 6,550 in March 2009, and the S&P reached 1,570. The US Department of Commerce had announced a 3% boom in manufactured goods, including cars.

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6. CARLOS TEVEZ ADMITS DRIVING OFFENCES

Manchester City footballer Carlos Tevez has been handed 250 hours of community service after admitting to driving while disqualified and without insurance. The Argentine striker pleaded guilty at Macclesfield Magistrates' Court. The 29-year-old, who does not have a UK licence and was disqualified from driving in January, was stopped behind the wheel of a Porsche last month.

7. PAIR PLOTTED TO KILL JOSS STONE

Junior Bradshaw and Kevin Liverpool have been found guilty of plotting to behead and rob the singer Joss Stone in 2011. Liverpool, 35, was handed a life sentence today. Judge Francis Gilbert QC told him the scheme may have sounded “crazy” but was a “real plan” nonetheless. Bradshaw, 32, will be sentenced at a later date.

8. NAKED GIRLS ARTIST GUILTY OF INDECENCY

Graham Ovenden, 70, a well-known artist from Cornwall, was found guilty at Truro Crown Court yesterday of indecency against young girls. He had denied the charges relating to four children - now adults - between 1972 and 1985. They had modelled for his paintings featuring naked children. He was convicted of six counts of indecency and one of indecent assault.

9. AUTHOR IAIN BANKS HAS MONTHS TO LIVE

Writer Iain Banks has terminal cancer and does not expect to “last beyond a year”. The Wasp Factory author revealed the news in a statement on his website this morning, saying he was “officially very poorly”. “It looks like my latest novel, The Quarry, will be my last”, he added. A website is being set up for fans to leave goodwill messages.

'Wasp Factory' author Iain Banks says he is dying of cancer

10. HOT TICKET: RETURN TO LUIGI'S MANSION

The sequel to Nintendo's cult classic handheld game 'Luigi's Mansion' has been released in the UK. In 'Luigi's Mansion 2: Dark Moon', Mario's brother Luigi explores haunted mansions while solving puzzles and sucking up ghosts in a special vacuum cleaner. "Cracking," says The Daily Telegraph.

Nintendo's return to cult hit Luigi's Mansion is 'cracking' fun