Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 21 Mar 2014

1. HUNT FOR MH370 ‘DEBRIS’ CONTINUES

The hunt for what could be wreckage of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean will enter a third day after there was no sight of the objects spotted by a satellite five days ago. After a second day scouring a remote area of ocean there were warnings that the debris could have sunk or drifted for hundreds of miles.

MH370: mysterious 89kg load ‘added to cargo flight list after take-off’

2. PETROL PRICES AT THREE-YEAR LOW

Petrol is at its lowest price for three years, the Automobile Association says, with the cheapest tank in the country sold in Humberside and Yorkshire. The average price of a litre in March was 129.46p, compared to 138.42p last year. The group also predicts recent wholesale cuts could lead to a 2p price fall at the pumps.

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3. KATE BUSH IN FIRST TOUR SINCE 1979

Singer Kate Bush has announced her first series of live concerts since 1979. She will perform 15 shows, entitled Before the Dawn, at the Hammersmith Apollo in August and September this year. Her one and only previous tour, in Britain and Europe 35 years ago, was marred by the death of her lighting director and left Bush feeling "exhausted".

4. BRITAIN'S FIRST FGM PROSECUTIONS

THE first prosecutions for female genital mutilation (FGM) in the UK are set to go ahead next month. Dr Dhanoun Dharmasena and Hasan Mohamed face charges relating to a procedure performed on a patient at a north London hospital in 2012. FGM has been illegal in Britain since 1985 and the charges come after a campaign to raise awareness of the crime.

Women with vaginal piercings 'victims of female genital mutilation'

5. TURKEY BLOCKS ‘SUBVERSIVE’ TWITTER

Twitter is investigating credible claims that its site has been blocked to users in Turkey, just hours after controversial PM Tayyip Erdogan threatened to “wipe it out”. Users have been using the site to share documents and recordings they say show corruption among Erdogan’s inner circle. He denies the claim.

Twitter blocked in Turkey as PM vows to 'wipe out' site

6. GAY-HATING CHURCH LEADER PHELPS DIES

Fred Phelps, who founded the ‘church of hate’, Westboro Baptist Church, in Kansas, whose adherents, largely composed of his own family, picket servicemen’s funerals with signs saying ‘God Hates Fags’, has died at the age of 84. His church was brought to world attention by filmmaker Louis Theroux.

Can anti-gay Westboro Church survive Fred Phelps' death?

7. PM WON'T RULE OUT ABRAMOVICH SANCTIONS

The EU and Ukraine have signed a deal forging closer economic ties following Russia's annexation of Crimea. Meanwhile David Cameron refused to rule out imposing sanctions on Chelsea FC owner and Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. However, Russian leader Vladimir Putin laughed off Western sanctions as he signed the bill making Crimea part of Russia.

Ukraine rekindles Nato aspirations, angering Russia

8. THIEVES DIG TUNNEL TO STEAL £80,000 CASH

Thieves in Salford got away with more than £80,000 after they built a 50-foot tunnel from nearby wasteland to a branch of Tesco where they stole cash boxes. They escaped by the same route. Police say they are looking for people covered in soil acting suspiciously. The tunnel may have taken months to dig.

9. MAN UTD FACE BAYERN, CHELSEA GET PSG

Manchester United will face reigning champions Bayern Munich in the quarter finals of the Champions League, while Chelsea face French outfit Paris Saint-Germain. The draw also pits Real Madrid against last year's losing finalist Borussia Dortmund, but the pick of the round could be the all-Spanish clash between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Champions League: Man Utd nightmare, Chelsea into semis

10. HOT TICKET: PRISON DRAMA STARRED UP

New British drama Starred Up opens in UK cinemas today. Skins actor Jack O'Connell stars as a young offender who transfers to an adult prison, where he finds his counsellor and his father, who is also an inmate, want to change his violent destiny. "A great prison movie," says Empire.

Starred Up – reviews of gritty new British prison drama

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