Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 20 Apr 2013

1. POLICE CATCH BOSTON BOMBINGS SUSPECT

Police have captured a teenager suspected of carrying out the Boston Marathon bombings with his older brother after a dramatic day-long manhunt on Friday. Police said they exchanged gunfire with Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, after cornering him in Watertown, near Boston. He had escaped after an earlier shootout which claimed the life of his brother, an alleged accomplice.

2. EARTHQUAKE KILLS DOZENS IN CHINA

An earthquake has killed at least 46 people and injured at least 600 in China's south-western province of Sichuan. The 6.6 magnitude quake, which struck early on Saturday morning, had a depth of 12 km (7.5 miles). It occurred close to where a big quake killed almost 70,000 people in 2008. Some 2,000 soldiers have been despatched to the area to help with rescue efforts.

3. PICKLES AMENDS EXTENSIONS PLAN

Neighbours will be able to veto extensions and conservatories after a climbdown by communities secretary Eric Pickles. It comes after 26 coalition MPs - 16 Conservatives and 10 Lib Dems - voted against the government's move to ease planning rules in England. Tory MP Zac Goldsmith, one of the rebels, welcomed the change, calling it a "sensible approach".

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. ROLF HARRIS TV SHOWS AXED

Two Rolf Harris shows have been removed from TV after it was revealed he had been arrested on suspicion of sex offences. Harris fronts Rolf’s Animal Clinic and narrates Olive the Ostrich, both on Channel 5. A C5 spokesman said: “While this legal matter involving Rolf Harris is ongoing we have removed Olive the Ostrich and repeats of Rolf’s Animal Clinic from the schedule.”

5. FITCH DOWNGRADES UK RATING

The Fitch credit ratings agency has downgraded the UK to AA+ owing to a weakened economic and fiscal outlook. The move, after Moody's downgrade in February, came as George Osborne defended his austerity policies. Osborne says his approach is the "right plan" and the economy is "healing". However, Ed Balls describes the development as a “humiliating blow” to the government.

6. HOME OWNERSHIP FALLS IN UK

Home ownership has fallen for the first time in a century, says the Office for National Statistics. Ownership accelerated from the 1950s onwards and peaked at 69% of households in 2001, but over the past decade, it dropped to 64%. Meanwhile, renting increased from 31% in 2001 to 36% in 2011. Experts expect the number of people renting to continue rising in the near term.

7. TERRY REFUSES BERNSTEIN HANDSHAKE

Chelsea's John Terry refused to shake hands with FA chairman David Bernstein at a recent Uefa event. The defender is unhappy over Bernstein's involvement over allegations he racially abused Anton Ferdinand. Terry said: “No I didn’t shake his hand.” Bernstein said: “I’m not terribly concerned. In my last three months at the FA I have other priorities.”

8. KATE TO LIVE WITH MUM AFTER BIRTH

The Duchess of Cambridge is to move back in with her mother when her baby is born, reports the Daily Mail. In a break with royal tradition, Kate will not employ a maternity nurse after the July birth but will instead live with her parents for at least six weeks after leaving hospital. Kate reportedly say she “just feels safest and most secure” with her family.

9. FOOTBALL FAN JUROR HALTS RAPE CASE

A juror halted a rape case after announcing that, as a Newcastle United fan, he could not give the Sunderland-supporting defendant a fair trial. The juror halted the trial just 24 hours after the north-east football derby in which Sunderland had beaten Newcastle United 3-0. He branded the defendant a “Mackem rapist”. A new jury was sworn in and the case was restarted.

10. GUNNERS IN CRUNCH FULHAM CLASH

Arsenal can move five points clear of rivals Tottenham with a win at Fulham this afternoon. The Gunners are without injured goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, so Wojciech Szczesny replaces him. With Tottenham not playing until Sunday, when they face Manchester City, Arsenal will be desperate to open up a gap on Andre Villas-Boas's men.