Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 22 Jun 2015

1. TALIBAN KILLED IN RAID ON PARLIAMENT

Six gunmen have been killed after Afghanistan’s parliament came under attack from the Taliban. A series of explosions rocked Kabul this morning and the fighters attempted to storm the building, but they were driven back. The attack, captured on live TV, came as new defence minister Massoom Stanekzai was seeking formal endorsement.

2. GREECE MAKES 11TH-HOUR CONCESSIONS

The EU has welcomed 11th-hour concessions from Greek PM Alexis Tsipras ahead of an emergency summit of eurozone leaders in Brussels to try to end the deadlock on the debt crisis. Ministers say the plans, that include new taxes on businesses and the wealthy, could lead to a new bailout deal "within days"

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Greece finally reaches deal to release €12bn bailout funds

3. IMMIGRATION RULES ‘WILL HIT NHS’

New immigration rules which mean migrants from non-EU countries will have to go home after six years if they are not earning more than £35,000 will “cause chaos” for the NHS, nurses’ unions have warned. They say thousands of junior nurses could be forced to leave, wasting money spent on recruitment.

Foreign nurses 'face deportation' under tough immigration rules

4. CHEMICAL LEAK AT NORFOLK HOLIDAY PARK

Around 40 children and adults were yesterday taken to hospital with breathing difficulties after a chemical leak in a swimming pool at a holiday park in Norfolk. Ambulances were called to the Wild Duck park near Great Yarmouth at 2.30pm. None of the patients are thought to be in a serious condition.

5. TAYLOR SWIFT GETS HER WAY WITH APPLE

Tech giant Apple has decided to pay royalties to artists during a three-month free trial of its upcoming music streaming service after singer Taylor Swift argued its policy of not doing so was unfair to independent musicians. Executive Eddy Cue tweeted: “We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple.”

Apple Music: what you need to know about the streaming service

6. TEENAGERS JAILED FOR BOMB PLOT

Two teenage boys have been jailed for a year after plotting to blow up Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. The pair, who were 15 at the time, were caught when their parents discovered parcels of bomb-making equipment. The boys, both white, also spoke online about making a beheading video.

7. 'LANE HOG' VAN DRIVER FINED

A Citroen Berlingo van driver has become the first person to be convicted in court of hogging the middle lane of a motorway. The driver was fined £500 in his absence and ordered to pay £400 in costs after failing to attend Leeds Magistrates Court. He was also given five penalty points for the incident the M62 near Huddersfield last August.

8. PM: END WELFARE MERRY-GO-ROUND

David Cameron has vowed to end the "welfare merry-go-round" of taxing low earners only to hand them the money back in benefits. He said he wanted to turn the UK into a high wage, low tax, low welfare society. His comments came during a speech in Runcorn and amid speculation over how the Tory government will find £12bn in welfare cuts.

9. NAT TRUST COLLECTS SEASIDE SOUNDS

The National Trust has asked the public to record natural and man-made noises from the seaside which it will preserve for future generations, saying the sounds at British shores are constantly changing. Martyn Ware, of The Human League and Heaven 17, will compose a piece of music using some of the sounds.

10. BRIEFING: DRUG LAW REFORM DEBATE

The legalisation of cannabis in some US states has not led to a rise in adolescent use, a US study published has found, adding fuel to the debate about drugs laws. The findings, published in The Lancet Psychiatry Journal, found that while cannabis use was generally higher in the states that had passed medical marijuana legislation before 2014, the passage of such laws did not affect the rate of marijuana use in those states.

Should the UK decriminalise drugs?

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