Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 3 Oct 2014

1. LIONEL MESSI FACES TAX EVASION TRIAL

Football superstar Lionel Messi is to face trial for tax evasion in Spain. The Barcelona player and his father, who runs his affairs, are accused of defrauding the authorities of more than €4m. A judge ruled Messi must face trial after rejecting his claim that he was unaware of his father's activities. Both men deny the allegations.

2. ALICE FAMILY SLAMS QUESTION TIME

BBC show Question Time has been slammed by Alice Gross’s sister for including a question relating to the murder of the 14-year-old. Nina Gross said a question about immigration, referring to Alice's death, was "horrible" and "extremely insensitive". Police have named Latvian immigrant Arnis Zalkalns as a suspect in the murder.

3. TORIES UNDER FIRE FOR RIGHTS ACT PLAN

The Conservative Party is under fire from civil liberties groups after it said it will scrap the Human Rights Act. Justice secretary Chris Grayling wants to replace the act with a Bill of Rights giving British judges and parliament the final say on rulings. Critics say the plan is a breach of international law. A Times poll today gave the Tories a one point lead over Labour.

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

Tories reveal plans to break ties with human rights court

4. EX-NOTW EDITOR ADMITS PHONE HACKING

Former News of the World news editor Ian Edmondson has admitted plotting to hack the phones of politicians and celebrities while at the paper. He pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey and was warned that he could face a custodial sentence. He originally appeared at the trial of Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks but his case was delayed due to ill health.

5. MAGGIE’S BRIGHTON SPEECH REVEALED

The Brighton bombing in 1984 prevented Maggie Thatcher from delivering a dramatic speech in which she planned to accuse the miners and Labour Party as being “the enemy within” and part of an “insurrection”. Newly-discovered papers also reveal she planned to accuse Neil Kinnock of being a “puppet” leader of a Labour party that had been “hijacked” by the “enemies of democracy”.

6. JEREMY CLARKSON IN FALKLANDS STUNT

Jeremy Clarkson has offended Argentinians by driving though the country in a Porsche with the numberplate H982 FKL - a reference to the 1982 Falklands war. The broadcaster’s stunt for BBC show Top Gear is the latest in a string of offensive gestures and comments. In July, he was criticised by Ofcom for calling an Asian man a “slope” and in May appeared to mumble the N-word.

Jeremy Clarkson in Falklands number plate row

7. CAMERON ARRIVES IN AFGHANISTAN

David Cameron has arrived in Kabul for talks with new Afghan president Ashraf Ghani. The Prime Minister said British armed forces had paid a "very high price" for their involvement in Afghanistan but had gone "a long way" towards achieving their objectives. It is believed that Cameron was keen to “get in early” with the new Kabul government.

David Cameron: UK paid 'heavy price' in Afghanistan

8. HONG KONG TALKS IN DANGER AFTER CLASHES

Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have threatened to call off talks with the government after a series of "organised attacks". Protesters demanding the resignation of Hong Kong's chief executive Leung Chun-ying had agreed to talks with the governnent. But they are now in danger after clashes between protesters and supporters of the Beijing regime.

Hong Kong: police adopt tough tactics as protests escalate

9. BOMB DETECTION FRAUDSTER JAILED

A man who sold worthless 'bomb detectors' for thousands of pounds has been jailed for three-and-a-half years. The plastic boxes fitted with a metal aerial, were bought by governments around the world. Samuel Tree, 68, was jailed and his wife, Joan, sentenced to 300 hours community work. Other fraudsters who sold similar devices have already been jailed.

10. HOT TICKET: FINCHER THRILLER GONE GIRL

American thriller Gone Girl opens in UK cinemas today. Ben Affleck stars as a seemingly happily married man who becomes the subject of a police investigation and media frenzy after his wife (Rosamund Pike) goes missing. "Stylish, twisted and daring," says Empire.

Gone Girl – reviews of 'stylish, twisted' thriller