Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 18 Aug 2013

1. POLICE PROBE CLAIM SAS KILLED DIANA

Scotland Yard has opened an investigation into whether Princess Diana's death was a criminal act, reports the Sunday Telegraph. Detectives are formally investigating new claims that Diana, Princess of Wales was murdered by a member of the British military. The claims surfaced during the trial of the SAS sniper Sgt Danny Nightingale.

2. WILL EGYPT DISSOLVE BROTHERHOOD?

Egypt's interim prime minister wants to legally dissolve the Muslim Brotherhood. The interim government is continuing to crack down on protests by the Brotherhood, but more demonstrations are planned for Cairo today. The country's cabinet is set to discuss the crisis, in which hundreds have died in clashes in recent days.

3. PRESCOTT: LABOUR 'FAILED' TO PUSH CASE

Labour "massively failed" to put its case across to the public and hold the Conservatives to account this summer, says the party's former deputy leader, Lord Prescott. "Bar a push on the cost of living, we didn't set agendas, we followed the news and got nowhere,” Prescott writes in the Sunday Mirror. He urges Ed Miliband to sack under-performing shadow cabinet members.

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4. PRINCE CHARLES 'MOLES' IN WHITEHALL

Members of Prince Charles’s staff have been secretly working in Whitehall departments linked to his interests, reports the Sunday Times. A 'mole' spent two years at the Cabinet Office while another worked at the environment and food ministry for 14 months. One minister said: “There are questions that need to be answered about who agreed it. I think it’s undemocratic.”

5. ASIAN COMIC QUIZZED OVER 'PAKI' TERM

A British-Asian comedian has been questioned by police over accusations that he was inciting racial hatred by using the word “Paki” in his act. Jeff Mirza, who was born in Pakistan but brought up in Essex, said he was attempting to “reclaim” the term. He said: “How on earth can I be accused of racism against my own community?”

6. LABOUR WILL LOWER VOTING AGE TO 16

Labour is to propose to lower the voting age to 16. The reform would be introduced in time for the 2020 election if Labour is returned to power in 2015. The party believes that young people are more likely to support Labour, but Peter Kellner, president of pollsters YouGov, said that while young people show a “sort of unrooted social liberalism” they are not necessarily Labour supporters.

7. CAMERON AND FRY'S SECRET PUB SUMMIT

David Cameron held a secret meeting with Stephen Fry in an East End pub after the actor called for a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Russia over its treatment of gay people. The two men met in a Limehouse pub co-owned by Sir Ian McKellen. Fry asked Cameron for assurances that Britain would use its attendance to make the case for gay rights.

8. HS2 BILL 'COULD DOUBLE TO £80BN'

The bill for the HS2 high-speed rail project could reach as high as £80bn - almost double the current estimated cost, warns the Institute for Economic Affairs. The free-market think thank, which believes that lobbying by local councils for extra infrastructure and design changes will inflate the cost, wants HS2 to be scrapped and the money spent on other transport schemes.

9. CAMERON WANTS TO KNIGHT MO FARAH

David Cameron wants Mo Farah, the first Briton to win both the Olympic and world double long-distance titles, to be knighted. The prime minister said: “If the honours committee were to recommend Mo for a knighthood, I would warmly welcome it.” Meanwhile, Usain Bolt defended his 200m title with ease yesterday at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow.

10. MOYES WINS BUT WENGER LOSES

David Moyes made a winning Premier League start as Manchester United manager yesterday as his side beat Swansea 4-1. Arsenal fans grew ever more frustrated as their side lost 3-1 to Aston Villa, with Laurent Koscielny sent off. This afternoon, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho begins his second Stamford Bridge reign with a match against Hull City.

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