Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 11 Apr 2013

1. THATCHER FUNERAL: ARGENTINES BANNED

Margaret Thatcher's children, Mark and Carol, have reportedly vetoed the attendance of Argentine government representatives at her funeral in St Paul's Cathedral next Wednesday. The Foreign Office has retracted an order that all diplomatic staff should wear black on Wednesday after complaints that it was not a state occasion and therefore inappropriate.

Thatcher funeral: Falklands theme, and no Argentines

2. PREMIER LEAGUE GETS GOAL-LINE TECHNOLOGY

Premier League football clubs have voted to use Hawk-Eye's goal-line technology system from next season. The company has won a five-year contract worth £10m and will install cameras at all Premier League grounds and Wembley. The system will automatically alert the referee if the ball crosses the line and should end arguments over 'ghost' goals.

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3. M&S SALES NOT QUITE AS BAD AS PREDICTED

Quarterly sales figures released this morning by Marks and Spencer were slightly better than predicted, with a 3.8% drop in clothing sales offset by a 4% rise in food sales. But a key shareholder has told the FT that M&S is now one of the worst performing companies in the FTSE 100 and chief executive Marc Bolland must take responsibility for turning it round.

Can best M&S results for two years save boss Marc Bolland?

4. AIRBAG TRIGGERS MASSIVE CAR RECALL

Japan's top four carmakers are recalling a total of 3.4 million vehicles over a defect in passenger airbags. Toyota, which is recalling 1.73 million cars, said the vehicles had a defective part which "could cause the airbag inflator to rupture and deploy the airbag abnormally in a crash". Honda is recalling 1.13 million cars, Nissan almost 500,000 and Mazda 45,000.

Faulty airbag triggers massive recall - is your car affected?

5. MADONNA IS A BULLY, SAYS MALAWI

Pop queen Madonna has been accused by Malawi of "bullying state officials" and wanting the country "to be forever chained to the obligation of gratitude". On a recent visit, the singer's charity claimed it had built new primary schools in Malawi. The office of President Banda says Madonna

only contributed towards the cost of classrooms.

Malawi's love affair with Madonna ends with airport spat

6. POLL: LABOUR 14 PTS AHEAD OF TORIES

Labour has surged to a 14-point lead over the Conservatives in a YouGov opinion poll. Because the polling was conducted after the announcement of Baroness Thatcher's death and David Cameron's decision to recall parliament, some commentators say that in lavishing praise on their former leader, the Tories have misjudged the public mood.

Labour pull ahead 14 points: has Thatcher grief backfired for PM?

7. TWO ARRESTED OVER 'EMO' ASSAULT

An attack on a 16-year-old member of the 'Emo' subculture has triggered the first arrests under new hate crime policies that classify attacks on youth groups such as goths and punks in the same way as those assaulted because of their race, disability or sexual orientation. Manchester police arrested a 14-year-old boy and a 44-year-old man over the attack.

Emo assault: first arrests under new hate crime policy

8. NICHOLAS HYTNER TO QUIT NATIONAL THEATRE

Sir Nicholas Hytner is to step down as artistic director of the National Theatre, the most powerful job in British theatre, in March 2015. He has been responsible for a string of hit productions including Alan Bennett's The History Boys, and War Horse. He also instigated sponsored £10 tickets (now £12) and cinema broadcasts of National plays.

Five reasons Nicholas Hytner was a 'palpable hit' at the NT

9. PAUL MCCARTNEY TOPS MUSIC RICH LIST

Sir Paul McCartney is still Britain's richest musician with a fortune of £680m, according to the Sunday Times Rich List of musical millionaires. The former Beatle has topped the list since it began in 1989. Andrew Lloyd Webber is second with £620m. Victoria and David Beckham combined are worth £200m, while Adele tops the 'Young Music' list with £30m.

10. HOT TICKET: 'ONCE' GETS LONDON WELCOME

The Tony-award winning Broadway musical 'Once' has opened at the Phoenix Theatre in London's West End. Based on a hit Irish film, it tells the story of a busker who falls in love with a Czech single mother when they bond over music. "Wistful and tender," says the Evening Standard. Until 30 November.

Tony-award winning musical 'Once' charms the West End