Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 19 Jan 2015

1. BOKO HARAM STRIKES IN CAMEROON

Islamist terror group Boko Haram, usually based in Nigeria, has attacked villages in Cameroon, taking as many as 80 hostages. However around 20 of the hostages are said to have escaped in the aftermath of the cross border raid near the city of Mokolo. Many of those who were seized were women and children and dozens of homes were burned down in the attack.

Boko Haram: Cameroon army frees 24 after mass abduction

2. WORLD’S RICHEST 1% TO OWN MORE THAN 99%

The richest 1% of people in the world will soon be wealthier than the rest of the global population, says Oxfam, which predicts the richest will continue to get richer. The charity says the tipping point will come in 2016, and warns that the “explosion in inequality” is holding back the fight against world poverty.

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Davos: Pharrell Williams kicks off World Economic Forum

3. EU MINISTERS MEET TO DISCUSS TERROR

Foreign ministers from EU nations are meeting in Brussels today to discuss the threat to Europe posed by terrorists, particularly Islamist fighters returning to their home nations after waging jihad in Syria. The talks will also focus on attempts to resolve the crisis with Russia over its alleged incursions into Ukraine.

4. COLDEST NIGHT SO FAR AS TEMPS HIT -12C

The Met Office says last night was the coldest of the winter so far, with temperature dipping to -12C in parts of the Scottish Highlands. Yellow warnings are in place for large parts of Scotland as snow and ice pose a risk to motorists. Dalwhinnie saw temperatures of -7C and it was -12C at Loch Glascarnoch.

UK weather: how long is the 'big freeze' going to last?

5. UKRAINE: AIRPORT FIGHTING INTENSIFIES

There have been reports of fierce fighting and dozens of casualties in eastern Ukraine as the battle for Donetsk airport intensifies. Both government forces and pro-Russian rebels have claimed they have control of the airport. A bridge connecting the city to the airport has been destroyed by rebels and there are reports a hospital was hit by artillery.

6. BRITISH GAS TO CUT PRICES BY 5%

British Gas is to cut its prices by 5% on 27 February, a move it says will cut annual energy bills by £37. The move comes after double-digit falls in the wholesale price of gas, prompted by the collapse of oil prices, which suppliers have been urged to pass on to customers. Last week E.On reduced its standard gas prices by 3.5%.

7. CAMERON DEFENDS LETTER TO ISLAMIC LEADERS

David Cameron has defended a letter sent to Muslim leaders around the country asking them to demonstrate how "Islam can be part of British identity". The letter, from Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, seeks "thoughts, ideas and initiatives" on how to tackle extremism after the Paris attacks. However, the Muslim Council of Britain has criticised the message.

Was Eric Pickles right to ask imams to root out extremism?

8. BOY, 5, INVOICED AFTER BIRTHDAY PARTY NO SHOW

The parents of a five-year-old boy who did not attend a friend's birthday party have been sent an invoice by his parents and warned that they will be taken to court if they do not pay. Derek Nash and Tanya Walsh have been asked to pay a £15.95 "no show fee" after their son Alex failed to attend the party at a dry ski slope as he was visiting his grandparents.

9. US ‘HACKED N KOREA YEARS AGO’ CLAIM

The American NSA (National Security Agency) began tapping into North Korean computer networks in 2010 with the help of South Korea, the New York Times has revealed. The infiltration allowed the US to claim confidently that Kim Jon-un’s fiefdom was behind the cyber attack on Sony Pictures.

North Korea detains another US citizen

10. BRIEFING: GOOGLE'S NEW TRANSLATION APP

Google has updated its flagship translation app with new tools that promise to help even the most monolingual of travellers successfully negotiate their way around foreign parts. The app has a range of new functions including a conversation mode, where two people can speak to one another in their own languages with Google translating live – and a scanning mode, which translates text instantly on screen.

Google Translate review: how well does the new app work?