Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 2 Oct 2013

1. CAMERON: 'A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL'

David Cameron pledged to build a "land of opportunity for all" in his speech to the Conservative Party conference today. During the 50-minute address he criticised Ed Miliband over Labour's energy price freeze plan, insisting: "Profits, tax cuts and enterprise... are not dirty, elitist words". He also said he wanted to lead a Tory government that could "build" on the "mess" left by Labour.

David Cameron ignores Farage threat to take on 'Red Ed'

2. LABOUR DEMANDS DAILY MAIL APOLOGY

The row between the Labour Party and the Daily Mail continues, with the former demanding an apology from the paper for using a photograph of Ed Miliband’s father’s grave in an online article, captioned “grave socialist”. Last night saw Alastair Campbell and the paper’s deputy editor clash on Newsnight.

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Ralph Miliband row: Labour wants apology for Mail 'error'

3. US SHUTDOWN: OBAMA CANCELS FOREIGN VISITS

Barack Obama has claimed the Republicans are “holding the entire economy hostage” in a stand-off over Obamacare as the US shutdown continues. Hundreds of thousands of government workers have been told to stay at home until a budget has been passed, and Obama has been forced to cancel visits to Philippines and Malaysia .

US shutdown: Is Republican party really to blame?

4. RANDOM BUS KILLER DETAINED INDEFINITELY

A man who stabbed a teenager to death in a random attack on a rush-hour bus in Birmingham has been detained indefinitely under the Mentral health Act. Phillip Simelane killed 16-year-old Christine Edkins as she made her way to school in March. The 23-year-old, who had been released from prison three months earlier, admitted manslaughter.

5. US AUTHOR TOM CLANCY DIES AT 66

Tom Clancy, the author of novels including The Patriot Games and The Hunt for Red October has died in a Baltimore hospital aged 66, his publisher has confirmed. As well as writing technically detailed espionage and military science books, he co-founded the video game developer Red Storm Entertainment.

6. EXERCISE ‘AS GOOD AS HEART PILLS’

Regular, short bursts of exercise can be as good for people with heart conditions as some heart drugs - and can even outperform stroke medicine, a major study has found. The study correlated data from several trials, looking at a total of 340,000 patients. Researchers are calling for exercise regimes to be added to prescriptions.

7. 'HUMILIATING' U-TURN FOR BERLUSCONI

Silvio Berlusconi has performed a 'humiliating' last-minute u-turn and abandoned his attempt to topple Italy’s prime minister Enrico Letta. He initially pulled his ministers out of the coalition cabinet, prompting a vote of confidence in Letta's government. But amid rumours that his own MPs would undermine him, Berlusconi voiced his support for Letta today.

Berlusconi faces revolt over plan to topple government

8. ALEX FERGUSON BACKS DAVID MOYES

Former Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has given his first major interview since standing down as manager last season, after 27 years at Old Trafford. He backed his under-fire replacement David Moyes. He also insisted that Wayne Rooney did ask to leave United last season, something the player denies.

Ferguson rules out Man Utd return but stokes Rooney row

9. LONDON ZOO: FIRST TIGER BORN IN 17 YEARS

Hidden cameras captured the birth of the first tiger cub to make an appearance at London Zoo for 17 years. A five-year-old critically endangered Sumatran tiger, Melati, gave birth last month after six minutes of labour - the news was kept secret to avoid the disruption of extra visitors. The zoo said the cub was “adorable”.

10. HOT TICKET: LAURA MARLING SINGS LIVE

Folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling continues her UK tour this week in London. Marling, best known for her hits Ghosts and New Romantic, plays songs from her four albums including recent release Once I Was An Eagle. "Sublime," says The Times. Shepherd's Bush Empire, 2 October, Bethnal Green, 3 October.

Laura Marling transports critics with 'sublime' live shows