Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 28 Apr 2014

1. MAX CLIFFORD GUILTY OF SEX ASSAULTS

Max Clifford has been found guilty of eight sexual assaults on teenagers as young as 15 after a trial at Southwark Crown Court. The 71-year-old publicist is the first person to be convicted under Operation Yewtree will be sentenced on Friday. He was cleared of two other charges and the jury failed to reach a verdict on another charge.

Max Clifford guilty of eight charges of indecent assault

2. 'HIGHLY UNLIKELY' DEBRIS WILL BE FOUND

Australian PM Tony Abbott has said it is "highly unlikely" any debris from Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will be found floating on the ocean surface as, 52 days after the plane vanished, it will have become waterlogged and sunk. Visual searches from planes and boats will end but underwater work will continue.

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3. US IMPOSES MORE RUSSIA SANCTIONS

The US has imposed sanctions against seven Russian officials and 17 companies with links to Vladimir Putin as punishment for "Russia's continued illegal intervention in Ukraine". Those targeted include Igor Sechin, head of oil giant Rosneft, and Sergei Chemezov of hi-tech firm Rostec. The move comes after the loyalist mayor of Kharkiv in the east was shot and wounded.

4. TEACHER STABBED TO DEATH AT SCHOOL

A teacher at a school in Leeds has been stabbed to death. A 15-year-old pupil at Corpus Christi Catholic College was arrested after the attack and remains in custody. The teacher, named as Anne Maguire, was taken to hospital after the incident shortly before noon, but was pronounced dead. Police said the stabbing was an "isolated incident".

5. CYRIL SMITH: POLICE INVESTIGATE COVER-UP

Police are investigating the possibility that there was a cover-up of decades of sexual abuse of boys carried out by the late Lib Dem MP Sir Cyril Smith. They are already looking into claims he abused boys in two residential schools but are now also considering claims Rochdale Council hushed up crimes.

Cyril Smith abuse claims: police investigate Rochdale cover-up

6. HS2: NEW QUESTIONS OVER ECONOMIC CASE

A centre-right think tank, the Institute of Economic Affairs, has raised fresh questions over the planned HS2 rail link, as the bill which will make it law gets a second reading in the Commons. The Institute questions the suggestion the high-speed line will bring economic benefit to the north of England.

7. TUBE STRIKE TO HIT LONDON THIS EVENING

A 48-hour strike on the London Underground will start at 9pm tonight - and it is feared disruption could start before the official walk-out time. Staff resume work at 8.59pm on Wednesday - though the knock-on effects may continue until Thursday morning. The RMT objects to planned ticket-office closures.

Tube commuters face more delays as engineers begin industrial action

8. CLOONEY ‘ENGAGED TO BRITISH LAWYER'

Heart-throb actor George Clooney, known for his long-maintained bachelor status, is engaged to a British human rights lawyer, Amal Alamuddin, according to US media. Beirut-born Alamuddin, who is 36, has defended WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

9. DEATH SENTENCE FOR BROTHERHOOD LEADER

Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Badie is among 683 people sentenced to death at a mass trial in Egypt, relating to violence in the aftermath of the overthrow of President Morsi last year. A further 37 people, among 528 sentenced to death last month, have had their punishment confirmed, the rest have had their sentences commuted to life in prison.

Egyptian court sentences 683 people to death

10. HOT TICKET: WAR DRAMA SILVER TASSIE

A new production of Sean O’Casey’s experimental anti-war drama The Silver Tassie has opened at the National Theatre, London. An Irish football hero leaves his Dublin tenement for the nightmare world of the WWI trenches and returns changed forever. “Astonishing,” says the Daily Telegraph. Until 3 July.

The Silver Tassie – reviews of 'astonishing' WWI drama