Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 7 Feb 2015

1. MILIBAND WARNS ON TAX AVOIDANCE

Ed Miliband says a Labour government would push for UK overseas territories to be placed on an international blacklist if they refused to co-operate with a drive against tax avoidance. Speaking to The Guardian, the Labour leader says: "There's nothing pro-business about defending tax avoidance." He has faced a tricky week as a raft of business leaders criticised him.

Election 2015: Nick Robinson, one man who’d welcome a second election

2. ARMED POLICE RISE SPARKS FEAR

Thousands of police are now carrying guns to routines jobs, reveals The Times. Most forces in England and Wales now dispatch armed officers to domestic incidents and other routine police call-outs, raising fears that the service is being armed by stealth. Officially armed police make up 3% of the 127,000 officers in England and Wales.

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3. POLL BACKS CAMERON’S EU PLANS

Half of EU voters support David Cameron’s bid to reform Brussels, according to new research. The survey, conducted for think-tank New Direction – The Foundation for European Reform, found that a majority of people in France (58%) believe the EU should be reformed, as do around half in the UK (49%), the Netherlands (49%) and Germany (46%).

4. SHOPS WARNED OF DAFFODIL DANGER

Health chiefs have told supermarkets to move daffodils away from food aisles to avoid shoppers mistakenly eating the toxic flowers. In a letter to Britain's biggest grocery stores, Public Health England said the bulbs were being mistaken for onions and the stems or leaves for Chinese vegetables. In Bristol in 2012, a shopper cooked the plants believing them to be chives.

5. HOSTAGE FAMILY APPEALS TO ISIS

The family of US hostage Kayla Jean Mueller remain hopeful she is still alive despite claims from ISIS that she was killed in a Jordanian airstrike. Mueller's parents Marsha and Carl Mueller have made a personal appeal to the militant group, saying: "You told us that you treated Kayla as your guest, as your guest her safety and well-being remains your responsibility.”

6. SIX NATIONS: ENGLAND BEAT WALES

An injury-hit England came from 10 points down to record an iconic victory in Cardiff. Taking revenge for their record 30-3 thrashing two years ago, England forced their way back into the contest thanks to maiden tries from Anthony Watson and Jonathan Joseph, plus 11 points from the boot of George Ford. The win gives England the perfect start to their Six Nations campaign.

Wales vs England: Six Nations kicks off with the big one

7. ‘CONSTRUCTIVE’ TALKS OVER UKRAINE

World leaders have agreed in Moscow to work on a peace blueprint they will put to Ukraine's president on Sunday. Russian president Vladimir Putin, France's Francois Hollande and German chancellor Angela Merkel talked for more than four hours on Friday. The discussions were described as “constructive”. The talks are widely seen as the last chance to end fighting.

Ukraine crisis: peace talks begin in Moscow to prevent 'total war'

8. NEW RECORD SET FOR PAINTING SALE

A painting by the French artist Gauguin has become the most expensive work of art ever sold after going for $300m (£197m). Nafea Faa Ipoipo was painted in 1892 and had been owned by a Swiss collector. It features two Tahitian girls. Unconfirmed reports suggest it was sold to a museum in Qatar, which also paid the previously highest price for a painting.

9. BARRISTER SPARKS FURY WITH RAPE CLAIM

A barrister has sparked fury by arguing that men should be cleared of rape if their alleged victim was drunk. David Osborne’s claim comes on blogpost he entitled “She was gagging for it.” He writes: “If the complainant (I do not refer to her as the victim) was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both, when she was ‘raped’, this provides the accused with a complete defence.”

10. JOSE LASHES OUT AT MANCHESTER CITY

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says Manchester City should not be allowed to win the Premier League title because they broke Financial Fair Play regulations. It’s a day of derbies in the top flight today. Arsenal travel to Tottenham, with striker Danny Welbeck back in contention. Later, Everton host Liverpool in Steven Gerrard’s final Merseyside derby.

Can Spurs hero Harry Kane sink Arsenal on derby weekend?