Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 23 Oct 2013

1. PLEBGATE POLICE CHIEFS TO FACE MPS

The chief constables of the West Mercia, Warwickshire and West Midlands police forces will face the home affairs select committee this afternoon to answer questions about the role officers from their forces played in the so-called Plebgate affair, when they called on former chief whip Andrew Mitchell to resign.

2. US: FRENCH PHONE TAP CLAIMS ‘FALSE’

US intelligence chief James Clapper says claims made by Le Monde based on information from NSA leaker Edward Snowden that US spies recorded data from 70 million phone calls in France are “false”. He said the article was “inaccurate and misleading” but he did not address claims the US bugged French diplomats.

3. BUSHFIRES: ARMY CAUSED NSW BLAZE

One of the largest fires burning in the Blue Mountains near Sydney was started by explosives detonated on an Australian Defence Force range, an investigation has found. The threat from the bushfires in the Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley was downgraded overnight and some people are returning to their homes.

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Bushfires ravage New South Wales, Australia - pictures

4. JAILED STUART HALL RE-ARRESTED

Disgraced presenter Stuart Hall has been re-arrested and is being questioned over new, more serious, child sex allegations. The broadcaster is already serving a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for indecent assaults on children. The new alleged offences took place in Manchester and Derbyshire between 1974 and 1980.

5. GRANGEMOUTH PLANT TO CLOSE

Ineos, controller of the giant Grangemouth complex in central Scotland, has announced that the petro-chemical part of the plant is due to close. The company has also said that a decision on whether to close the oil refinery will be made when the "threat of strike action" had been lifted.

Grangemouth petrochemical plant to be closed

6. ‘MARIA’: INTERPOL TO HELP GREEK POLICE

Interpol is to share the DNA profile of the blonde girl found living in Greece with a Roma couple so that member countries can test it for matches with any of the many people who have come forward claiming to be related to the girl. The couple, Christos Salis and Eleftheria Dimopoulou, have been charged with abduction.

Was Maria the Blonde Angel 'saved' from Roma by racism?

7. CAMERON REJECTS MAJOR ENERGY PLEA

David Cameron has rejected calls from Sir John Major to levy a windfall tax on profits made by the largest energy companies. A spokesman for the prime minister said that although the idea was "an interesting contribution" the government has "no plans to do this".

John Major: emergency tax needed to solve energy 'crisis'

8. APPLE UNVEILS NEW THINNER IPAD

Apple yesterday revealed the fifth generation iPad, called the iPad Air. The new device is 20% thinner than its predecessor and weighs less. It has a more powerful processor and runs iOS 7 - but unlike the latest iPhones, it does not have a fingerprint scanner. On sale from 1 November, it will cost between £399 and £739.

iPad Mini 2 and iPad Air: Retina Mini goes on sale

9. FRANCES QUINN WINS BBC’S BAKE-OFF

Clothing designer Frances Quinn was last night revealed as the 2013 winner of the BBC’s baking competition, The Great British Bake-Off. She won with a savoury ‘rainbow’ pie with trout and a Shakespeare-inspired three-tier wedding cake. The show is to move to BBC1 after its highest-rated series yet on BBC2.

Crumbs! Frances Quinn wins Bake Off as Ruby is left crying

10. HOT TICKET: COMEDY DUO PAJAMA MEN

US comedy duo the Pajama Men's Edinburgh Fringe hit Just the Two of Each of Us, has opened at the Arts Theatre, West End. The double-act present an absurdist story of time-travelling kings, wizards and man-eating beasts. "Riotously funny," says The Observer. Until 23 November.

Pajama Men, Just the Two of Each of Us - reviews