Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 13 Jan 2015

1. CHARLIE HEBDO CALLS FOR FORGIVENESS

Staff of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo who survived the gun attack at its offices in Paris last week have described the cover of the latest edition, featuring a weeping Mohammed holding up a ‘Je suis Charlie’ sign, as a call for forgiveness. Cartoonist 'Luz' broke down in tears as he described drawing the image. Around 3m copies of the magazine will be printed.

Charlie Hebdo Mohammed cover is 'an act of war'

2. AIR ASIA COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER FOUND

Divers have recovered the black box cockpit voice recorder for Air Asia flight QZ8501, which crashed in the Java sea on 28 December, killing 162 people. They had already raised the data recorder. Forty-eight bodies have been recovered so far. Investigators say the rest are still inside the plane’s fuselage.

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3. US MILITARY HACK CLAIMED BY I.S

The Twitter and YouTube accounts of US military command were suspended for a few hours yesterday after they were hacked, supposedly by IS (Islamic State), the Sunni militant group based in Syria and Iraq. One message left on Twitter read: ‘American soldiers, we are coming, watch your back.’

US Centcom's social media hacked by Islamic State supporters

4. LONDON BUS DRIVERS BEGIN 24-HOUR STRIKE

Bus drivers from 18 bus companies in London are on strike for 24 hours. The Unite members walked out just after midnight last night and will start work again on Wednesday morning. About 44 out of 637 services are expected to run today. Drivers want every company to offer the same pay deal.

London bus strike: which routes are still running?

5. BRITAIN BRACED FOR WINDS AND SNOW

Britain is braced for strong winds, rain and snow on Tuesday and Wednesday. Winds of 75mph are expected in many parts of the country with travel disruption predicted. Hail, sleet and snow are also expected overnight with heavy snow on high ground. The cold follows storms at the weekend and will in turn be followed by more storms on Wednesday.

6. FUNERALS FOR SEVEN PARIS SHOOTING VICTIMS

Funeral services for seven of the victims of the gun attacks in Paris last week have been held in Paris and Jerusalem. President Francois Hollande attended a ceremony in Paris to honour the three police officers who died. They were all awarded the Legion d'Honneur. Four men who were killed at a kosher supermarket have been buried in Jerusalem.

7. GERMAN ANTI-ISLAM RALLIES OUTNUMBERED

German “anti-Islamisation” organisation Pegida held its biggest march so far in Dresden yesterday - but the 25,000 turn-out was dwarfed by counter-demonstrations by 30,000 in Leipzig, 20,000 in Munich, 8,000 in Dresden and others in Hanover, Saarbruecken, Duesseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg and Rostock.

Pegida: thousands attend anti-Islam rally in Germany

8. INFLATION FALLS TO RECORD LOW

The UK inflation rate equalled its record low of 0.5% last month, with cheaper fuel costs driving down the Consumer Prices Index to its lowest point since May 2000. The Retail Price Index also fell from 2% to 1.6%. Bank of England governor Mark Carney must write to the Chancellor to explain why the rate is more than 1% off the government target of 2%.

Low inflation: something to fear or celebrate?

9. SCHOOLS UNDER PRESSURE OVER PLACES

The Local Government Association has warned that the strain of creating school places for the 880,000 extra pupils expected in England by 2023 could push the education system over the edge. The LGA says it could cost £12bn to create the necessary places, but the government has pledged just £7.35m. Cities will be most affected by the increasing numbers.

10. HOT TICKET: FRENCH CRIME DRAMA SPIRAL

"Superior" French crime drama Spiral has returned to BBC4. Series 5 follow Captain Berthaud dealing with the death of a colleague while investigating the murder of a mother and child. "Sharp, bleak and often funny," says The Guardian. Episodes 1 and 2 on iPlayer, 3 and 4 screen 17 January.

Spiral - reviews of 'superior' French crime drama return