Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 6 Aug 2015

1. Minder star George Cole dies at the age of 90

Actor George Cole, best known for playing Cockney wideboy Arthur Daley in the TV series Minder, has died at the age of 90. He began his career in the 1940s and in the 1950s achieved fame playing Flash Harry in the St Trinians films. His agent said he died at the Royal Berkshire hospital surrounded by family after a short illness.

Five things you didn't know about Minder star George Cole

2. Japan remembers Hiroshima, 70 years on

At 8.15am local time this morning, the exact moment when the US B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped a 16-kiloton atomic bomb known as Little Boy, 70 years ago today, the people of Hiroshima bowed their heads in silence to remember the 140,000 who were killed, 80,000 instantly. The quiet was broken only by a single bell tolling.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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.

Sign up

Hiroshima anniversary: 75 years since the atom bomb

3. Kids Company: ministers knew we would pay staff

Camila Batmanghelidjh, the colourful founder of youth charity Kids Company, has insisted that the government did know she would use part of a £3m rescue grant to pay staff. Earlier reports suggested the money was wrongly used for that purpose but now The Guardian quotes from emails which suggest ministers were indeed told.

4. Apprentice star Baggs died from asthma

Apprentice star Stuart Baggs died after an asthma attack, police have revealed. The 27-year-old was found dead at his home on the Isle of Man last month. Police have informed the coroner that the entrepreneur's death was down to "natural causes". Baggs, who called himself 'The Brand', was famed for his cheesy marketing speak.

Stuart Baggs: Apprentice star found dead at 27

5. MH370 ‘mystery’ closer to being solved, says Abbott

The Australian PM, Tony Abbott, has said that the “mystery” of what happened to Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is closer to being solved after a piece of debris washed up on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion was identified as part of the plane. Angry relatives of those who were onboard have insisted that the search must continue.

MH370: mysterious 89kg load ‘added to cargo flight list after take-off’

6. Tube strike: commuters struggle to and from work

With London Underground workers striking, there are 250 extra buses on the capital's roads today, prompting fears of traffic gridlock in the capital with more cars also on the roads. There have been queues and delays as commuters struggle to work. Staff are concerned that new rotas for the introduction of a 24-hour Tube service will lead to too much weekend working.

Tube commuters face more delays as engineers begin industrial action

7. Australia bowled out for 60 at Trent Bridge

England have made a sensational start to the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge, bowling out Australia for just 60 before lunch. Alastair Cook won the toss and elected to bat and the decision paid off immediately as Stuart Broad took five wickets with his first 19 balls, including two in the first over. He finished with figures of 8-15.

The Ashes 2015: BT Sport wins TV rights as England celebrate

8. Interest rates unchanged on BoE 'Super Thursday'

The Bank of England has voted to maintain interest rates at their record low of 0.5% on the first-ever 'Super Thursday', which saw the Bank announce its interest rate decision, publish the minutes of the meeting and release quarterly economic forecasts, which predicted that inflation would remain weak and economic growth continue.

Pound plunges after Bank of England's dovish rates signal

9. Britons took 1.2 billion selfies in 2014

Communications regulator Ofcom says that 1.2 billion selfies were taken in the UK in 2014. Almost a third of people questioned admitted to having taken a picture of themselves in the past year, with one in ten having taken one in the past week. The regulator also found that cameraphones are used more than stand-alone cameras now.

Britons love smartphones and selfies, new study shows

10. Briefing: How would Jeremy Corbyn tackle the economy?

Labour leadership frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn has set out his vision for what some have branded ‘Corbynomics’ hinting that if he were PM he would row back on some of the tax and welfare cuts signalled by the Tories at the recent budget. He also pledges competence and says he would not seek to run budget deficits, although he would increase borrowing "to invest in our future prosperity". Most strikingly, Corbyn has announced proposals to "re-industrialise" northern regions of England.

How would Jeremy Corbyn tackle the economy?