Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 23 Sep 2015

1. VW boss resigns over emissions scandal

Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn has resigned over the US diesel emissions tests scandal that has engulfed the company. VW faces multiple investigations in the US including a criminal probe from the Department of Justice. The news follows an admission that it deceived US regulators during exhaust emissions tests. It has been been claimed that the scandal could kill off diesel cars for good.

VW Scandal: Emission fix leaves thousands with problems

2. EU splits emerge over refugee quotas

Splits are emerging within the EU as leaders meet in Brussels to discuss the refugee crisis after a vote in favour of mandatory quotas on Tuesday. The plan to relocate 120,000 refugees across the continent has provoked fierce opposition with Slovakia launching a legal challenge. David Cameron has called on European leaders to deport more economic migrants.

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Islamic State targets vulnerable refugee children for recruitment

3. Egypt pardons Al Jazeera journalists

Two Al Jazeera journalists, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, are to be freed from jail in Egypt after being pardoned by President Abdel Fattah al Sisi. The pair were sentenced to three years in prison last month over claims they collaborated with the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013. Australian Peter Greste who was deported in February is also thought to have been pardoned.

4. Bullying charities could face fundraising ban

Strict new rules that could ban charities from certain types of fundraising if they harass or bully donors, have been proposed by a government commission. The review also recommended the creation of a new register to allow people to opt out of all charity contact. The recommendations come amid concerns over aggressive fundraising tactics.

Charities that bully donors could face fundraising ban

5. Farron vows to get Lib Dems 'back in power'

Tim Farron has pledged to get the Lib Dems "back in power" and refused to rule out another Conservative coalition. The new leader has refused to distance himself from the party under Nick Clegg, and said he was "proud" of its achievements in government. He told the party conference that the Lib Dems were now the only "credible" opposition to the Conservatives.

6. Pope Francis meets Obama at the White House

Pope Francis has met Barack Obama at the White House ahead of talks between the two men. Obama described Pope Francis as "inspiring" prior to a Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the largest Catholic church in North America, where was due to canonise Junipero Serra, a Spanish priest who brought Christianity to what is now California.

7. Happy Brithday not covered by copyright, says judge

A US judge has ruled that the song Happy Birthday to You is not covered by copyright. Since 1988 a division of the Warner Music Group has earned more than £1m a year from of the song, written in 1893 by two Kentucky sisters. But Judge George King ruled that the original copyright only covered specific arrangements of the music, not the song itself.

8. Le Pen to stand trial for Muslim ‘Nazi’ rant

French politician Marine Le Pen will stand trial for inciting racial hatred by comparing Muslim street prayers to the Nazi occupation. The leader of France’s National Front, who tops some polls for the 2017 presidential election, was probed last year for remarks she had made about Muslims blocking streets to pray in the open air.

9. Scots have 421 terms for snow

Scotland has 421 words and expressions for snow, according to a team compiling a Scots thesaurus. Academics have officially cited 421 names - including "snaw" (snow), "sneesl" (to begin to rain or snow) and "skelf" (a large snowflake), says the BBC. Dr Susan Rennie, lecturer at the University of Glasgow, said: "Weather has been a vital part of people's lives in Scotland for centuries.”

10. Briefing: Scott Walker drops out of Republican race – who's left?

Wisconsin governor Scott Walker has dropped out of the Republican presidential race and issued an appeal to counter the rise of frontrunner Donald Trump. In a press conference in Madison, he urged others to follow his lead to make room for those who can compete against Trump. His announcement came less than two weeks after Rick Perry suspended his presidential campaign, which had run out of money. So who is left in the running?

Trump travel ban: Judge expands definition of relatives