Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 4 Jun 2014
- 1. QUEEN’S SPEECH FOCUSES ON PENSIONS
- 2. POLICE CONTINUE MADELEINE DIG
- 3. SECURITY LOCKDOWN ON TIANANMEN DATE
- 4. TESCO: THIRD SALES SLUMP IN QUARTER ONE
- 5. HEATHROW’S NEW T2 OPENS FOR BUSINESS
- 6. GET SAFE ONLINE BOSS 'SORRY' FOR CRASH
- 7. DID UNDERWATER MIC RECORD MH370 CRASH?
- 8. BODY FOUND IN BACKPACKER HUNT
- 9. HOT TICKET: ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
- 10. MAY ATTACKS GOVE OVER BIRMINGHAM PROBE
1. QUEEN’S SPEECH FOCUSES ON PENSIONS
David Cameron and Nick Clegg say the Queen’s Speech has presented an “unashamedly pro-work, pro-business and pro-aspiration” legislative agenda. Today's outline of government plans focused on pensions reforms, with tax-free childcare up to £2,000 and a controversial bill to authorise fracking also included.
Queen's Speech summary: the 'bold' new bills for 2014
2. POLICE CONTINUE MADELEINE DIG
British police are to resume digging and searching an area of scrubland in Praia da Luz, Portugal, as they investigate the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Sniffer dogs are being used and Sky News claims forensic archaeologists are present. They say the search could last for up to a week.
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What happened to Madeleine McCann? A timeline of the case
3. SECURITY LOCKDOWN ON TIANANMEN DATE
China’s security forces are patrolling the streets of Beijing, swamping Tiananmen Square, on the 25th anniversary of the bloody put-down of student protests there. The atmosphere is “tense”, says the BBC, after memorial events were held in less strictly-controlled Hong Kong and in Taipei in Taiwan.
China blocks Google for Tiananmen anniversary
4. TESCO: THIRD SALES SLUMP IN QUARTER ONE
Supermarket giant Tesco has unveiled a third successive quarter of falling sales, with a 3.7% slump in like-for-like sales excluding petrol and including VAT as rivals steal the store’s market share. Looking forward, chief exec Philip Clarke said sales would remain challenging “throughout the coming quarters”.
Tesco's falling sales heap pressure on chief executive
5. HEATHROW’S NEW T2 OPENS FOR BUSINESS
The first flight has arrived at Heathrow’s newly-refurbished Terminal 2, also known as the Queen’s Terminal. The plane, from Chicago, touched down at 5.49am this morning. Airport bosses earlier warned passengers to expect teething problems - but the terminal is only operating at an initial 10% capacity.
Heathrow's new Terminal 2: it's what's inside that counts
6. GET SAFE ONLINE BOSS 'SORRY' FOR CRASH
The head of the government-funded Get Safe Online website has apologised after it crashed following warnings about the Gameover Zeus botnet. The site was named as the place to go for advice on how to avoid being targeted by the malware. However, the site could not handle demand. "We're sorry. I've had no sleep for two days," said chief executive Tony Neate.
Gameover Zeus and Cryptolocker: how to protect yourself
7. DID UNDERWATER MIC RECORD MH370 CRASH?
Australian researchers say there is a slim possibility - around 10% - that an intense burst of sound recorded by several underwater microphones around the Indian Ocean on 8 March was the noise of missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 crashing. An underwater earthquake could also be the source.
MH370: mysterious 89kg load ‘added to cargo flight list after take-off’
8. BODY FOUND IN BACKPACKER HUNT
A body, thought to be that of missing backpacker Gareth Huntley, has been found on Tioman Island in Malaysia, where he went missing last week. The body was discovered in a pond just yards from the cabins where a 100-strong search party had been staying. Huntley, who was volunteering at a turtle conservation project, went missing after a trek to visit a waterfall.
9. HOT TICKET: ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
A revival of Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra has opened at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London. Eve Best stars as Cleopatra in the story of the ill-fated love affair between the Egyptian ruler and the Roman general Mark Antony. "Richly entertaining," says The Times. Until 24 August.
Antony and Cleopatra – reviews of 'cinematic' tragedy
10. MAY ATTACKS GOVE OVER BIRMINGHAM PROBE
A row has erupted between Home Secretary Theresa May and Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, over claims of Islamic extremism in Birmingham schools. Ofsted is has been investigating the schools in question, but May is concerned the Department of Education and local councils knew about the claims some years ago but did not act until this year.
Ofsted chief: Gove rejected 'no notice' inspections in 2012
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