Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 6 Jun 2014

1. WORLD LEADERS COMMEMORATE D-DAY

World leaders including Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, Francois Hollande, Vladimir Putin, David Cameron and the Queen are gathering in France today for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Yesterday, 300 troops parachuted into Ranville, the first village to be liberated during the Allied assault.

2. TORIES HOLD NEWARK AS UKIP SURGE STALLS

Conservative candidate Robert Jenrick won the Newark by-election last night, albeit with a majority of just 7,000 compared to his predecessor Patrick Mercer’s 2010 16,000 majority. Ukip came second. The election was a disaster for the Lib Dems who lost their deposit and finished in sixth place behind an independent.

Tories keep Ukip at bay to win Newark: but what about Ed?

Subscribe to 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

3. CANADIAN POLICE ARREST SHOOTING MAN

Police in Moncton, Canada, have arrested a 24-year-old man suspected of shooting three officers and wounding another two after a massive manhunt. Police said Justin Bourque was arrested just after midday local time and advised local residents that it was now safe for them to leave their homes.

Canada shooting: suspect held after shouting 'I'm done'

4. TEN HURT IN AMRITSAR SWORD FIGHT

At least ten people have been injured in a sword fight at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, on the 30th anniversary of an army raid at the Sikh holy site that killed 400. Fighting broke out among rival political factions when the leader of a Sikh separatist party was not allowed to address the crowds at the annual event.

5. SCOTS INDEPENDENCE: OBAMA BACKS UNION

Barack Obama yesterday used a question at a G7 news conference to come out against Scottish independence, saying the Union has “worked pretty well” so far and that the US has “a deep interest in making sure that one of the closest allies we will ever have remains a strong, robust, united and effective partner”.

Scottish independence: Is IndyRef2 'dead' after election losses?

6. AA TO PRESS AHEAD WITH £4BN FLOTATION

The Automobile Association is to press ahead with a stock market floatation valuing it at around £4bn, Sky News says, with an announcement expected later today. The move comes despite a disappointing stock market debut from sister company Saga. There is a chance the deal will still be aborted.

AA to press on with £4bn flotation despite Saga woe

7. VODAFONE ADMITS GOVERNMENT WIRETAPS

Vodafone has has confirmed the existence of secret "wires" that give a small number of governments direct access to communications flowing over its networks. Vodafone is the first company to break ranks and acknowledge that it allows security agencies to listen to calls. Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti called it "unprecedented and terrifying".

Vodafone: 'governments use us to spy on citizens'

8. SINGING NUN WINS ITALIAN TALENT SHOW

Sister Cristina Scuccia, a singing nun, last night won the Italian version of TV show The Voice. The 25-year-old, whose order is based in Milan, wore her usual habit and crucifix as she accepted the top prize. She vowed to return to her convent and said she would not use the show to start a singing career.

9. IMF WARNS UK OVER HOUSING BUBBLE

The IMF has warned George Osborne that rising house prices remain the greatest threat to the UK's economic recovery, and called on the Bank of England to act "early and gradually" to avoid a housing bubble. Osborne said he agreed with the IMF and said the government would remain "alert to the build-up of debt in the housing market".

10. HOT TICKET: COMEDY 22 JUMP STREET

Action comedy sequel 22 Jump Street opens in UK cinemas today. The self-referencing follow-up to 21 Jump Street sees Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill return as undercover cops Jenko and Schmidt, this time infiltrating a college to investigate a drugs ring. "Goofily satisfying," says the Hollywood Reporter.

22 Jump Street – reviews of 'laugh-packed' comedy sequel