Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 27 Oct 2014

1. HS3 NORTH LINK TO CUT JOURNEY TIMES

The government has welcomed proposals unveiled this morning for a third stage of high speed rail. Dubbed HS3, the line would extend the mooted HS2 link between London and Birmingham north, taking in Nottingham and Sheffield and cutting journey times between Leeds and Manchester by half.

HS3: government backs faster Manchester-Leeds rail link

2. EU IN 'PANDORA'S BOX' BUDGET WARNING

The European Commission has warned Britain that it will "open a Pandora's box" if it fails to make an additional payment of £1.7bn to the EU by the end of next month. EU Budget Commissioner Jacek Dominik denied that the payment had been sprung on the UK and added that a failure to pay would put the UK's £3bn-a-year rebate at risk.

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. MAN PUSHES DAVID CAMERON IN LEEDS

David Cameron was shoved by a member of the public during a visit to Leeds today. The security breach happened as the PM left the city's Civic Hall. Cameron stayed on his feet and was not injured. A 28-year-old man was arrested at the scene but later released and West Yorkshire Police described the incident as "nothing sinister".

'Jogger' arrested after colliding with David Cameron – video

4. FALLON WITHDRAWS ‘SWAMPED’ REMARK

Tory defence secretary Michael Fallon has issued a statement through the No 10 press office withdrawing his claim to Sky News on Sunday morning that British towns are “swamped” by immigrants, with residents feeling “under siege”. He has even been accused of resorting to “intemperate language” by Ukip.

Michael Fallon 'rows back' claims of towns 'swamped' by migrants

5. STATE TO LAUNCH PISTORIUS APPEAL

South African state prosecutors are to appeal against the conviction and sentence of Oscar Pistorius, last week jailed for five years for the culpable homicide of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. It is thought the prosecution believes the judge was wrong not to find Pistorius guilty of a more serious 'common-law murder' charge.

Oscar Pistorius out of legal options as request to appeal rejected

6. BRAZIL’S ROUSSEFF WINS TIGHT RUN-OFF

Brazil’s leftist president Dilma Rousseff has won a run-off election by a narrow 3% margin to secure a second term. It was one of the tightest elections in the thirty years since democracy was restored to the South American nation. In her victory speech, she promised to focus on the economy and fight inflation.

Brazil re-elects Dilma Rousseff – by a narrow margin

7. US EBOLA NURSE TO SUE OVER QUARANTINE

An American nurse who has been taken into quarantine in an isolation ward at a New Jersey hospital for 21 days despite testing negative for the Ebola virus is to sue over her “ordeal”, saying she fears it will put people off becoming health workers. Kaci Hickox returned to the US from Sierra Leone on Friday.

Ebola: US suit stockpile causes shortage in Africa

8. BRITISH FORCES LEAVE AFGHANISTAN

More than two thirds of Britons do not believe military intervention in Afghanistan was worthwhile and 42% say the UK is less safe as a result of the 13-year operation. The BBC survey comes as the last British troops leave Helmand province and after Camp Bastion was handed over to Afghan forces. The final soldiers left by helicopter on Monday.

9. SOUTH AFRICA GOALKEEPER SHOT DEAD

Senzo Meyiwa, the goalkeeper and captain of South Africa’s national football team, has been shot dead, reportedly as he tried to defend his girlfriend from gunmen who had broken into her house. The 27-year-old was killed on Sunday evening in Vosloorus township, near Johannesburg, police say.

South Africa football captain Senzo Meyiwa shot dead

10. HOT TICKET: EGON SCHIELE'S NUDES

A new exhibition of drawings by Egon Schiele: The Radical Nude, has opened at the Courtauld Gallery, London. It features more than 30 works on paper by the Austrian expressionist, including self-portraits and erotic images of his mistresses and female models. "Sensational," says The Guardian. Until 18 January.

Egon Schiele: The Radical Nude – reviews of 'sensational' show