Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 23 Sep 2014

1. US LAUNCHES AIR STRIKES IN SYRIA

America and allied Arab nations yesterday started air strikes on the Sunni fighters in Syria dubbed IS (Islamic State), the first time strikes have been carried out over the border from Iraq. The Pentagon said fighter jets, bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from US ships had been used.

Islamic State: RAF jets carry out first air strikes in Iraq

2. MILIBAND'S TEN-YEAR PLAN TO 'FIX THE UK'

Labour leader Ed Miliband will today tell his party conference he has a ten-year strategy to make the UK a "world-class country". The centrepiece of the strategy is expected to be a spending pledge for the NHS, to be funded with an extra £1bn raised from a ‘mansion tax’ on homes worth more than £2m.

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Ed Miliband plans mansion and tobacco tax to save the NHS

3. TRAVIS GUILTY OF INDECENT ASSAULT

Former Radio 1 DJ Dave Lee Travis has been found guilty of one count of indecent assault by a jury at Southwark Crown Court. The broadcaster was convicted by a majority verdict of 10-2 of assaulting the TV researcher in 1995. The jury found him not guilty on a separate count and he was cleared of sexual assault when they could not reach a verdict.

4. TESCO 'FAST TRACKS' NEW FINANCE CHIEF

Tesco's new finance chief, Alan Stewart, is to join the firm two months sooner than planned after the supermarket giant admitted it had inflated profits by £250m and suspended four executives including its UK managing director. Almost £2bn was wiped off the value of the firm's stock yesterday.

Tesco ends sale of 5p single-use carrier bags

5. CAMERON TO DISCUSS IS WITH IRAN PRESIDENT

David Cameron will meet Iranian president Hassan Rouhani in New York this week and ask him to join the US and its allies in taking military action against Islamic State in Syria. It will be the first time leaders of the two countries have met since the Iranian revolution in 1979. Today, IS released a new video of British hostage John Cantlie.

Cameron to meet Iran's president Rouhani over Syria intervention

6. PLANES COLLIDE OVER BEDFORDSHIRE

Two light aircraft have collided in mid air above a busy main road in Bedfordshire. The single-seater planes crashed above the junction of the A1 and A421 at Tempsford. One of the aircraft fell to the ground, but the other was able to continue flying and landed safely at Thurleigh airfield. Emergency services have attended the scene.

7. ROCKEFELLERS TO MOVE TO CLEAN ENERGY

The heirs to John D Rockefeller, one of the co-founders of Standard Oil and a vastly wealthy man as a result, are to divest themselves of all holdings in fossil fuels, moving to clean energy investments instead. The Rockefeller Brothers Fund is joining a coalition of philanthropists making this pledge.

Rockefeller heirs to stop investing in fossil fuels

8. MURRAY DOES NOT REGRET 'GIVING AN OPINION'

Tennis star Andy Murray says he does not regret "giving an opinion" on the Scottish independence vote, after sending a Tweet in favour of the Yes campaign last week, but says it is not something he would do again. Murray, who has been accused of being anti-English in the past, was singled out for online abuse after making his views known.

9. ROW OVER STUFFED GALAPAGOS TORTOISE

A squabble has broken out over where the preserved body of Lonesome George, the last known Pinta Galapagos giant tortoise, should be displayed. George died in 2012 at the age of around 100. The Ecuadorean government wants him shown in Quito, the capital, but the mayor of Galapagos wants to keep him.

10. HOT TICKET: JASPER JOHNS AT COURTAULD

A new exhibition by American painter Jasper Johns, Regrets, has opened at the Courtauld Gallery, London. His paintings, etchings and drawings reflect on memory, mortality, and the deaths of friends including Lucien Freud. "A major art world event," says the Evening Standard. Until 14 December.

Jasper Johns – review of Regrets show at Courtauld