Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 9 Feb 2015
- 1. MERKEL IN US FOR TALKS ON UKRAINE
- 2. FILES SHOW HSBC HELPED TAX DODGERS
- 3. LABOUR TO DOUBLE PATERNITY LEAVE
- 4. EGYPT: 30 DEAD AT FOOTBALL MATCH
- 5. SAM SMITH WINS FOUR GRAMMY AWARDS
- 6. EDDIE REDMAYNE’S HAWKING BAFTA WIN
- 7. ISLAMIC STATE CHIEF KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN
- 8. SMART TVS 'LISTEN' TO CONVERSATIONS
- 9. TEEN ARRESTED 'ON WAY TO KILL SOLDIER'
- 10. BRIEFING: HOW COMMON ARE PIRANHA ATTACKS?
1. MERKEL IN US FOR TALKS ON UKRAINE
German chancellor Angela Merkel is in Washington today to share a plan to negotiate peace between Russia and Ukraine, devised by Germany and France, with Barack Obama. Under pressure to get tough, the US is considering sending arms to the Ukraine government. More peace talks will be held in Belarus later this week.
Obama: Vladimir Putin trying to 'recreate Soviet empire'
2. FILES SHOW HSBC HELPED TAX DODGERS
A cache of computer files obtained by French newspaper Le Monde and shared with the BBC and The Guardian reveal how the Swiss wing of Britain’s biggest bank, HSBC, helped wealthy clients avoid paying millions of pounds of tax in the UK. The files were leaked in 2007 but have only just reached the media.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
HSBC to close UK taxpayers' Jersey accounts
3. LABOUR TO DOUBLE PATERNITY LEAVE
Ed Miliband says he would double the amount of paid paternity leave offered to UK fathers to four weeks, if elected. He also said the statutory pay would increase from £120 a week to £260 because 55 per cent of fathers do not take up the offer because the rate is so low. He called the current system “outdated”.
4. EGYPT: 30 DEAD AT FOOTBALL MATCH
At least 30 people have been killed after crowd trouble at a football match in Cairo. Police opened fire with teargas and shotgun pellets on supporters of Zamelek SC as they queued to enter a stadium. The government insisted the deaths were caused by a stampede after fans tried to break in to the ground.
Egypt: many dead after clashes between police and football fans
5. SAM SMITH WINS FOUR GRAMMY AWARDS
British soul singer Sam Smith was the big winner at last night’s Grammy Awards in LA, taking four awards: best newcomer, best song, best record and best pop vocal album. He thanked a nameless ex-lover for “breaking my heart … because you got me four Grammys”. Beck surprised by taking best album.
UK soul singer Sam Smith takes home four Grammys
6. EDDIE REDMAYNE’S HAWKING BAFTA WIN
Eddie Redmayne took the Bafta award for best actor last night for playing physicist Stephen Hawking, while Julianne Moore took best actress for a role as an Alzheimer’s sufferer. Richard Linklater’s Boyhood was named best film - but Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel which took the most honours.
Baftas wrap - winners, losers, but few surprises
7. ISLAMIC STATE CHIEF KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN
A former Taliban commander in Afghanistan who switched allegiance to Islamic State has been killed in a Nato drone strike. Officials in Helmand say Abdul Rauf was one of six people in a car loaded with ammunition that was hit while travelling through the desert. Rauf spent six years in Guantanamo Bay after being captured in 2001.
8. SMART TVS 'LISTEN' TO CONVERSATIONS
Samsung smart TVs are 'listening in' on their owners' conversations and sharing details with third parties. A warning in Samsung's privacy policy has come to light that states "personal or other sensitive information" discussed in front of the TV could "be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party". The warning only applies to people who use voice controls.
'Orwellian' Samsung TV captures and transmits private conversations
9. TEEN ARRESTED 'ON WAY TO KILL SOLDIER'
A teenager who idolised the killers of Lee Rigby was arrested while carrying a 12in knife and a hammer in east London while on his way to try and behead a British soldier, the Old Bailey has heard. Brusthom Ziamani, 19, from Camberwell in south-east London was converted to Islam in early 2014 and was arrested in August. He is charged with preparing an act of terrorism.
10. BRIEFING: HOW COMMON ARE PIRANHA ATTACKS?
A six-year-old girl found dead in Brazil last week had been partly eaten by piranhas, reports say. But how common are piranha attacks? Normally, attacks on humans are rare, fatal attacks even more so. They usually happen when the rivers are low in the dry season – and children are at particular risk as their splashing can attract the fish. However, only a handful of fatal attacks have been recorded in the past few years.
Girl 'eaten by piranhas': How common are piranha attacks?
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Princess of Wales visits Southport
Speed Read The royal couple met the families of the girls killed in the knife attack
By The Week UK Published
-
How the Nobel Peace Prize is chosen
The Explainer This year's prize has gone to survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 5 - 11 October
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 24, 2024
Daily Briefing Trump closes in on nomination with New Hampshire win over Haley, 'Oppenheimer' leads the 2024 Oscar nominations, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 23, 2024
Daily Briefing Haley makes last stand in New Hampshire as Trump extends polling lead, justices side with US over Texas in border fight, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 22, 2024
Daily Briefing DeSantis ends his presidential campaign and endorses Trump, the US and Arab allies push plan to end Gaza war, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 21, 2024
Daily Briefing Palestinian death toll reportedly passes 25,000, top Biden adviser to travel to Egypt and Qatar for hostage talks, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 20, 2024
Daily Briefing Grand jury reportedly convened to investigate Uvalde shooting response, families protest outside Netanyahu's house as pressure mounts for hostage deal, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 19, 2024
Daily Briefing Congress averts a government shutdown, DOJ report cites failures in police response to Texas school shooting, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 18, 2024
Daily Briefing Judge threatens to remove Trump from his defamation trial, medicine for hostages and Palestinians reach Gaza, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 17, 2024
Daily Briefing The US strikes Houthi targets in Yemen a third time, Trump's second sex defamation trial begins, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published