Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 13 Jun 2013

1. SNOWDEN: US HACKS CHINESE COMPUTERS

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden claims he has evidence of the US using cyber-espionage in both Hong Kong, where he is believed to be hiding, and mainland China. He told the South China Morning Post: "We hack network backbones... that give us access to the communications of hundreds of thousands of computers without having to hack every single one.”

Beijing angered by Edward Snowden's NSA hacking claim

2. PORTRAIT OF QUEEN DEFACED AT ABBEY

A 9ft by 11ft portrait of the Queen was defaced with spray paint by a visitor to Westminster Abbey at lunchtime today. The painting, by the London-based Australian artist Ralph Heiman, was unveiled last year to mark her Diamond Jubilee. It has now been removed for repairs. A 41-year-old man has been arrested.

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3. RBS SHARES FALL ON HESTER’S DEPARTURE

Shares in RBS fell by as much as 8% at one stage today on news of the upcoming departure of chief executive Stephen Hester. There is concern that the man who took over when the bank was on the verge of collapse in 2008 will not be seeing through its re-privatisation. It was confirmed today that Hester will receive a £1.6m pay-off and between £3m and £4m in shares.

Giving RBS boss Stephen Hester the push may be 'huge error'

4. HMRC MUST PROBE ‘EVIL’ GOOGLE ON TAX

The Public Accounts Committee has reported on its investigation into Google’s UK tax arrangements, saying they are “highly contrived” and must be fully investigated by HMRC. The MPs said the firm’s claim that all its selling takes place in Ireland was “deeply unconvincing” and was contradicted by whistle-blowing ex-employees.

Time to get tough with Google: yes, but are relations too cosy?

5. DALE CREGAN FACES REST OF LIFE IN JAIL

Dale Cregan will spend the rest of his life in jail after being sentenced today at Preston Crown Court for murdering four people, including two women police officers he lured to a Manchester house last summer and then shot dead. As Pc Fiona Bone and Pc Nicola Hughes lay dying at the scene, he tossed a hand-grenade towards their bodies.

Smirking killer Dale Cregan is jailed for the rest of his life

6. DUCHESS'S LAST SOLO ROLE BEFORE BIRTH

In her last solo public engagement before she is due to give birth on 13 July, the Duchess of Cambridge visited Southampton docks today to officially name a new Carnival Corporation cruise ship. "May God bless her and all who sail in her," she told onlookers, before smashing the traditional bottle of champagne on the hull of Royal Princess.

All you need to know about Kate's impending motherhood

7. TWO LORDS CLEARED OF LOBBYING CLAIMS

The House of Lords Committee for Privileges and Conduct has cleared Lord Stirrup and Lord Dannatt of breaking Parliamentary rules over reports in The Sunday Times which alleged that both men (and other retired senior military officers) used their influence within the Ministry of Defence to lobby on behalf of commercial interests.

8. PROTEST THREAT TO TOUR DE FRANCE

Anti-gay marriage protesters have threatened to use the Tour de France to get their message across. Protest leader Samuel Lafont claims they do not intend to disrupt the famous cycle race but “to be visible on French and international news media, at every stage of the race”. Protesters disrupted the French Open tennis final last Sunday.

US Open golf under threat as huge 'derecho' storm gathers

9. FACEBOOK ADDS HASHTAG SUPPORT

Social networking giant Facebook has added hashtags. Now users can keep up with trending topics by using a ‘#’ symbol at the beginning of a key phrase, turning it into a link to a page showing what other people are saying about the same subject. The technique was popularised on the web by influential site Twitter.

10. HOT TICKET: ART BY OUTSIDERS AT HAYWARD

A new exhibition of ‘outsider art’, called ‘Alternative Guide to the Universe’, has opened at the Hayward Gallery, London. The show presents the work of self-taught artists, architects, scientists and inventors, working on the fringes of mainstream disciplines, including hip-hop pioneer Rammellzee. “Brilliantly bizarre,” says Metro.

Hayward's Alternative Guide to Universe 'brilliantly bizarre'