Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 4 Jun 2015

1. FIFA: BLAZER BRIBES, WARNER 'AVALANCHE'

Former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner says he fears for his life as he prepares to reveal an “avalanche” of secrets including Fifa’s link to the Trinidad and Tobago elections. Meanwhile, details of bribe-taking and corruption come in a newly-released transcript of an FBI interview with top official Chuck Blazer.

Michel Platini will resign at Uefa's next congress

2. OPPOSING MPS FIGHT SURVEILLANCE LAW

Two high-profile backbench MPs from opposing parties will come together today in the High Court to seek a judicial review of the government’s emergency surveillance laws, fast-tracked through last July. Tom Watson of Labour and David Davis of the Conservatives will argue the legislation violates human rights.

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3. BLAIR TAKES ON NEW ANTI-EXTREMISM ROLE

Tony Blair is to become the chairman of an organisation that fights extremism and racism in Europe, the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation. The former British PM will stand down this month as Middle East peace envoy. Blair’s ‘faith foundation’ will receive an annual donation for the unpaid work.

Tony Blair takes up new role to fight extremism and anti-Semitism

4. WARNING FOR PM ON GERMAN EU SUPPORT

A former German foreign minister has warned that David Cameron should not bank on German support for his mooted EU reforms, after the country’s leader, Angela Merkel, pledged last week to help find a solution to the PM’s concerns. Joschka Fischer says Cameron's demands are not a top priority for Merkel.

Remain-voting City lobby group calls for 'dramatic Brexit U-turn'

5. RECORD PROFITS FOR PREMIER LEAGUE

English Premier League football clubs made record profits in 2013-14 thanks to increased TV revenues and Financial Fair Play rules. Analysts Deloitte says combined revenues of top flight teams rose by 29% to £3.26bn, with pre-tax profits of £187m. With more TV money on the way the results dwarf other European leagues and point to a "a new age" of profitability.

6. CHINA BOAT CAPSIZE: RELATIVES PROTEST

Dozens have broken through police cordons and staged a protest in China, where public demonstrations are rare, after a cruise ship sank on the Yangtze river. Nearly 400 people are missing after the Eastern Star overturned on Monday. Relatives of the victims are demanding more information about what happened.

7. ALTON TOWERS CRASH: TEENAGERS NAMED

The names of two teenagers who were injured on the ‘Smiler’ ride at Alton Towers theme park on Tuesday have been released. Joe Pugh, 18, and his girlfriend Leah Washington, 17, were both from Barnsley. The park said the carriage they were in was travelling at 20mph when it crashed. Two others also suffered serious injuries.

8. MPS FIGHT AGAINST £7,000 PAY RISE

Downing Street is to appeal to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority asking it to drop plans to award MPs a £7,000 pay rise. Many MPs have said they do not want the extra money, which will increase basic pay from £67,060 to £74,000. The proposed increase will compensate MPs for cuts in pension rights and allowances.

9. GHANA PETROL STATION FIRE KILLS 90

A fire at a petrol station in Ghana's capital, Accra, has killed more than 90 people. The blaze erupted as the city tried to cope with two days of heavy rains that have caused flooding and power-cuts. The victims were sheltering from the rain at the filling station when the fire broke out.

10. BRIEFING: THE GREEK DEBT CRISIS

Athens is due to repay €300m to the International Monetary Fund at the end of the week, as well as an additional €1.3bn by the end of June. Once again, a failure to reach a deal could spark a Greek default and a potential exit from the eurozone. The exact terms of the creditors' offer have not yet been released, but are expected to include a demand for difficult economic reforms in return for access to €7.2bn in desperately needed aid.

Greece finally reaches deal to release €12bn bailout funds