Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 2 May 2014

1. MAX CLIFFORD JAILED FOR EIGHT YEARS

Celebrity publicist Max Clifford has been sentenced to eight years in jail after being convicted of a string of indecent assaults on young women and teenagers. Judge Anthony Leonard said some of the offences would be classified as rape if they had happened today. The 71-year-old must spend half his sentence behind bars.

Max Clifford sentenced to eight years for indecent assaults

2. NI POLICE APPLY FOR ADAMS EXTENSION

Gerry Adams has spent a second night in custody in connection with the 1972 murder of Jean McConville and police in Northern Ireland are to apply for an extension to allow them more time to question him. The Sinn Fein leader denies any involvement in the killing. McConville's daughter, Helen McKendry, says she is "ready to name names".

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Gerry Adams arrest: victim's daughter to 'name names'

3. £140M FLAT SETS NEW UK RECORD

A private buyer has broken the purchase record for a UK flat by paying more than £140m for a penthouse, says The Times. The buyer, thought to be Russian or Ukrainian, bought the property in west London in a deal that will ultimately see the flat’s value rise to up to £175m - around £10,000 per sq ft. The Bank of England is warning that Britain’s housing market is out of control.

Flat sells for £140m as Bank warns of 'dangerous' bubble

4. BRISCOE JAILED FOR HUHNE LIES

Barrister and part-time judge Constance Briscoe has been jailed for 16 months for lying to police during the Chris Huhne speeding points scandal. Briscoe, a friend of Huhne's ex-wife Vicky Pryce, wanted to "bring down" Huhne but was convicted of perverting the course of justice. Judge Mr Justice Baker said she "considered respect for the law was for others".

5. PHILIP LAWRENCE KILLER TO BE FREED

The murderer of headteacher Philip Lawrence is to be freed from jail just days after the killing of teacher Ann Maguire. The widow of Lawrence has learned that her husband’s killer, Learco Chindamo, will be back on the streets within days. He was jailed indefinitely for knifing Lawrence to death outside St George’s Roman Catholic School in north-west London in 1995.

6. STRONG POUND SETS UP US BARGAIN

The strong pound means holidays in America have become cheaper. With the pound hitting a new high of $1.68 against the dollar, British holidaymakers exchanging £500 would get around $825 in return – up from $729 in 2013. "The pound has strengthened by more than 10% since last year and is now at a five year high against the dollar,” said a Post Office Travel Money spokesman.

7. MALAYSIA RELEASES FIRST MH370 REPORT

In its first report on the incident the Malaysian government has confirmed that Flight MH370 avoided flying over land after an unexplained westward turn and flew along a route apparently designed to prevent it being detected by military radars. An aviation expert tells the Daily Telegraph: “It was an aircraft that has gone rogue.”

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

8. UKRAINE HELICOPTERS SHOT DOWN BY REBELS

Pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine have shot down two army helicopters after Kiev launched its biggest "anti-terrorist" operation so far in an attempt to reclaim the rebel-held city of Sloviansk. One pilot and another serviceman are reported to have been killed in the offensive. Many pro-Russia rebels have been killed, injured and arrested.

Ukraine rekindles Nato aspirations, angering Russia

9. POLICE INVESTIGATE PEACHES GELDOF DEATH

Police have launched a criminal inquiry after it emerged that heroin was likely to have played a part in the death of Peaches Geldof last month. Toxicology tests showed that the 25-year-old had the drug in her system when she died. Kent police said there was an "ongoing investigation into the supply of drugs" in connection with her death.

Peaches Geldof 'had been a heroin addict', inquest hears

10. HOT TICKET: REVENGE THRILLER BLUE RUIN

American thriller Blue Ruin, by writer-director Jeremy Saulnier, opens in UK cinemas today. When a killer is released from prison, a homeless man embarks on a revenge mission that puts his own, estranged, family at risk. "A brilliant, slow-burning American revenge thriller," says Salon.

Blue Ruin – reviews of 'brilliant, slow-burn' revenge thriller