Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 28 Oct 2013

1. ST JUDE STORM: FOUR DEAD, ONE MISSING

Four people have been killed in the St Jude storm that swept across southern England this morning. A teenage girl in Watford and man in Kent were killed by falling trees, while a man and woman in west London died after a falling tree caused a gas explosion. Rescuers have also been unable to find a 14-year-old boy who was swept out to sea at Newhaven.

St Jude's storm: falling trees kill two as 99mph winds batter Britain

2. BANKSY SLAMS GROUND ZERO TOWER

British artist Banksy has criticised One World Trade Center - the new tower built at Ground Zero - as New York's "biggest eyesore". The secretive artist was hoping his scathing critique of the development would run in the New York Times, but published it on his own website when the paper refused the article.

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

Banksy says new World Trade Center 'betrays' 9/11 victims

3. PHONE HACKING TRIAL BEGINS IN LONDON

The trial of eight people including former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and former News of the World editor Andy Coulson began in London today. All eight deny the charges. Coulson and Brooks are accused of conspiring to listen to voicemails and commit misconduct in a public office.

Don't put Brooks-Coulson trial at risk with idle talk, MPs told

4. SINGER LOU REED DEAD AT 71

Lou Reed, the songwriter and former front-man of the Velvet Underground, died at the age of 71 yesterday morning in New York, suffering from a “liver-related ailment”. He had undergone a liver transplant in May this year. An accountant’s son raised on Long Island, his most successful song was Walk on the Wild Side.

Lou Reed: Critics hail rocker who walked on the wild side

5. DROPPING HS2 WOULD MEAN YEARS OF DELAYS

A government report says scrapping the mooted HS2 high-speed rail link to Birmingham and instead upgrading existing lines would lead to 14 years of weekend engineering works - and slow journeys during the upgrade. The report by Network Rail and Atkins says journeys between London and Leeds would double.

HS2 contracts worth £6.6bn awarded

6. FIVE DIE IN FLAMES IN TIANANMEN SQUARE

At least five people died and 38 others were injured after a vehicle crashed in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, state media reports. The vehicle burst into flames after hitting a barrier at the entrance to the Forbidden City. In 2011 a man set himself ablaze in the square, the site of brutally suppressed 1989 demonstrations.

7. SPANISH PRESS: US MONITORED 60M CALLS

Spanish media have claimed that the US secretly monitored 60m phone calls in the country in just one month, according to documents provided by Edward Snowden, the ‘NSA leaker’. The claims come as an EU parliamentary delegation is preparing to meet members of the US Congress to discuss other allegations of spying.

NSA monitored 60m calls in Spain, says report

8. UK FIRM G4S ACCUSED OF PRISONER ABUSE

Staff at a South African prison run by British firm G4S have been accused of appalling abuse including electric shocks and forced injections after losing control of prisoners. The SA government has taken over Mangaung prison temporarily and launched an investigation. G4S says it has seen no evidence of abuse.

9. DONER KEBAB INVENTOR DIES AT 80

Kadir Nurman, the inventor of the doner kebab, has died in Berlin at the age of 80. Nurman created the fast food at his market stall in the city in 1972, so his busy customers would have something to eat on the move. He was credited as the inventor of the dish by the Association of Turkish Doner Manufacturers in 2011.

10. HOT TICKET: BOY BLUE AT THE BARBICAN

Boy Blue Entertainment's narrative dance show The Five and the Prophecy of Prana has opened at the Barbican. It blends hip hop and martial arts in a story of five reformed delinquents who must help their Grand Master fight evil. "Ambitious and clever," says The Times. Until 2 November.

Boy Blue: hip hop meets martial arts - reviews