Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 1 Feb 2015

1. JAPAN DEFIANT AFTER ISIS BEHEADING

The prime minister of Japan says he will “not give in to terrorism” after the release of a video seemingly showing the beheading of hostage Kenji Goto by an Islamic State militant. Shinzo Abe said Japan will expand its support to countries fighting IS. The video comes less than a week after the apparent beheading of another Japanese man, Haruna Yukawa.

2. BOOTS BOSS ON ‘CATASTROPHE’ MILIBAND

A Labour government headed by Ed Miliband would be a “catastrophe” for Britain, says the boss of Boots. Stefano Pessina says Labour’s plan for power is “not helpful for business, not helpful for the country and in the end it probably won’t be helpful for them”. Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph about Labour’s plans, Pessina said: “If they acted as they speak, it would be a catastrophe.”

3. FOUR-YEAR-OLD RAPE SUSPECT SHOCK

Nearly 800 children below the criminal age of responsibility have been investigated by police for sex crimes over the last six years, says the Sunday Mirror. The report includes cases of a three-year-old who sexually assaulted another youngster in Lancashire and a four-year-old investigated over a non-intercourse rape.

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4. MICHAEL GOVE IS ‘BACK-SEAT DRIVER’

Michael Gove is a “back-seat driver” at the Department for Education, it was claimed last night. The former education secretary receives copies of his successor Nicky Morgan’s paperwork in his red box every night despite being sacked from that job six months ago, a Downing Street source has told The Independent.

5. END OF ROAD FOR QUEEN’S CORGIS?

The Queen has signalled the end of her love affair with corgis, says the Sunday Express. The 88-year-old has decided against introducing any new dogs to the royal household as she fears tripping over them as she gets older. She has owned more than 30 corgis, receiving her first one, Susan, as a present on her 18th birthday.

6. MUM APPEALS FOR THREE-PARENT BABY

A mother is appealing to MPs for the right to create a baby with three parents, says The Sunday Times. Vicky Holliday, 38, wants to follow a technique in which she would use DNA from a second mother alongside her own nucleus and her partner’s sperm. Her first child was born with a devastating disease caused by faulty mitochondrial DNA.

7. MISS MARPLE STAR DIES AT 82

Geraldine McEwan, who played Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, has died aged 82. Her family said she passed away “peacefully” on Friday following a stroke last autumn. The Bafta award winner had a long and successful career in theatre, television and films, working alongside the likes of Laurence Olivier and Kenneth Williams.

8. ‘WAR ON INNUMERACY’ ANNOUNCED

All pupils will need to know their 12 times table by the time they leave primary school under plans announced by the education secretary. Nicky Morgan tells The Sunday Times she wants UK schools to return “to our rightful place” at the top of European league tables, adding: “To achieve this, we will launch a war on illiteracy and innumeracy."

9. PEREZ HILTON WARNED OVER ‘RAPE THREAT’

Controversial contestant Perez Hilton has been given a third warning in the Celebrity Big Brother house after seemingly threatening to sexually assault Calum Best. During a row between the pair, Best told Perez to “Be the d**k”, prompting the American blogger to reply: “I will do, I'll be the huge d**k and I'll shove it up your a**e.”

10. CHELSEA AND CITY SHARE SPOILS

Chelsea’s five-point lead at the top of the Premier League remains after they drew 1-1 with Manchester City yesterday. Loic Remy - in for the controversial Diego Costa - gave the Blues the lead in the first-half but David Silva equalised just before half time following a rare error from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Arsenal host Aston Villa today.