Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 16 Jan 2015

1. BELGIUM TERROR PLOT AIMED AT POLICE

Two suspected Islamist militants shot dead during a police raid in the Belgian town of Verviers yesterday evening were part of a jihadist group planning attacks on police, say the authorities. Guns, explosives, police uniforms and money were seized in a series of raids and 15 people have been arrested in Belgium and France. The dead men are said to have fired on police.

Two jihadist suspects killed in Belgium police shootout

2. MAN CHARGED WITH SUPERMARKET STABBING

A 25-year-old man, Zack Davies, has been charged with attempted murder after a knife attack at a branch of Tesco in Mold, north Wales on Wednesday. Police say they are treating the attack, which left a 24-year-old Asian man with life-changing injuries, as a racial religious hate crime. White power slogans were allegedly shouted during the attack.

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3. US AND UK TO CARRY OUT CYBER WAR GAMES

The US and UK are to try “unprecedented” cyber war games on each other, with the FBI and MI5 co-operating to test national defences. The first exercise will be a staged attack on the financial sector, later this year. The plans were announce as David Cameron visits the US for talks with Barack Obama.

UK and US stage joint 'cyber war games'

4. A&E WAITING TIMES WORSE IN NI AND WALES

A&E waiting times in Wales and Northern Ireland fell well short of targets last month, with much worse figures than for English hospitals. During December only 76.7% of patients in Northern Ireland were seen within four hours, while the figure was 81% in Wales. Hospitals are supposed to see 95% of patients within four hours. In England the figure slipped to 90.2%.

5. BLAIR: USE FORCE TO FIGHT RADICAL ISLAM

Tony Blair has called for a US-led effort to confront radical Islam in a “generational struggle” using force. Speaking at a closed-door meeting of Republicans in the US, he said a “global alliance to teach tolerance” would also be important as millions of Muslims were being taught to be intolerant across the globe.

Tony Blair: force is necessary to combat Islamic extremism

6. LOST BEAGLE2 PROBE FOUND ON MARS

The lost Beagle2 space probe has been spotted on the surface of Mars, 11 years after it was last seen heading towards the red planet. Pictures, taken by a Nasa orbiter, show that the probe did successfully touch down on Mars. It is not clear why radio contact was never made. The discovery comes less than a year after the death of the project's leader Colin Pillinger.

7. MANCHESTER: LGBT SCHOOL TO OPEN

A school for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students is to open in Manchester within the next three years. The specialist state school for 40 students is intended as a haven for children struggling to fit in in mainstream education. It will also be open to pupils who are not gay but are unhappy at school.

Can an LGBT school really help young victims of homophobia?

8. GOOGLE HALTS SALES OF SMART EYEWEAR

Google has announced it is to stop selling its Google Glass wearable technology from Monday. The £1,000 product will be redesigned. Google has said the current version is like “an infant learning to walk”. The product has sparked controversy and been dubbed a “perfect stalker’s tool” by privacy campaigners.

Google Glass 'dead' as search giant shelves production

9. BRITAIN'S OLDEST PERSON DIES AGED 114

Britain's oldest person, and the last remaining UK resident to have been born during the reign of Queen Victoria, has died at the age of 114. Ethel Lang was born in Barnsley in May 1900 and lived there all her life. She became Britain's oldest person when Londoner Grace Jones died aged 113 in 2013. The title now passes to 111-year-old Gladys Hooper from the Isle of Wight.

10. BRIEFING: TURMOIL AS SWISS FRANC SOARS

The Swiss franc leapt by almost 30 per cent after the country's central bank surprised markets by scrapping a cap on its value against the euro. Analysts warned that Swiss exporters would be hit hard and said that deflation would be a significant risk if the currency rose further.

Swiss franc soars after chaotic end to euro cap