Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 5 Oct 2015

1. Charity ‘disgusted’ at Afghan bombing defence

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says it is “disgusted” by a statement by the Afghan government on the bombing of a hospital run by the medical charity in Kunduz, which it says amounts to an “admission of a war crime” and implies that the US and Afghan forces knowingly bombed the hospital because of claims the Taliban were inside.

Afghan hospital bombing: MSF labels air strike a war crime

2. Tory conference: Lord Adonis resigns Labour whip

Lord Adonis, secretary of state for transport under Gordon Brown, is to resign the Labour whip and chair a new body to plan national infrastructure projects as a cross-bencher. George Osborne is announcing the plan at the Conservative Party conference today. The National Infrastructure Commission will advise on HS3 and Crossrail.

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

Jeremy Corbyn is a 'disaster', says Stephen Hawking

3. Treasury to sell off last £2bn tranche of Lloyds shares

The treasury has announced it is to sell off the last tranche of publicly-owned shares in Lloyds bank, which was bailed-out by the government during the 2007 financial crisis. The 13% stake is to be sold over the next few months, with a sale aimed at private investors next spring. The public will be offered a 5% discount on the stock.

4. England: new plastic bag laws are ‘confusing’

Critics say new laws for England on plastic shopping bags which come into force today are confusing and could lead to queues, Sky News says. From today, retailers who employ more than 250 full-time staff will have to charge 5p for a plastic bag but paper bags are still free. Big supermarkets gave away 7.6bn bags last year without charge.

5. Britain could launch strikes against IS in Syria

Britain could extend its air strikes against Islamic State from Iraq into Syria, says Defence Secretary Michael Fallon. He also told the Conservative Party conference that deadly terrorist plots against the UK were being devised in IS strongholds in the north of the war-torn country. Moscow began air strikes against Syrian "terrorists" last week.

US and Russia spar over vetoed Syria sanctions

6. Tail end of hurricane Joaquin could hit UK

Forecasters say the tail end of hurricane Joaquin, currently battering Bermuda with 100mph winds and causing flooding in the Bahamas and the US, could hit the UK. The outlook is uncertain but the recent warm weather is expected to end early this week - and the tail end of the hurricane could bring wind and rain by the weekend.

7. Police officer killed in car chase

A manhunt is underway after a police officer was killed by a driver in a stolen Mitsubishi pick-up truck during a police pursuit in the early hours of the morning on Merseyside. The officer was laying a 'stop stick', designed to stop cars involved in chases, when he was struck by the vehicle. Merseyside Police has launched a murder investigation.

Teenager who killed PC David Phillips guilty of manslaughter

8. Terrorists destroy Arch of Triumph in Palmyra

Islamic State is reported to have destroyed the 2,000 year old Arch of Triumph in the ancient city of Palmyra, a Unesco World Heritage Site and one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world. It was seized by the terrorist group earlier this year and militants have systematically destroyed ancient structures and artifacts they consider "un-Islamic".

Islamic State retakes Palmyra in Syria

9. Peston leaves BBC to be ITV politics editor

Broadcaster Robert Peston, one of the BBC’s best-known newsmen, is to become political editor at ITV - and will also present his own Sunday morning politics programme to rival the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show. The BBC is thought to have offered Peston, its economics editor, the chance to present a re-vamped Newsnight if he stayed.

10. Briefing: can Stoptober really help you quit?

Hundreds of thousands of smokers across the country have signed up to 'Stoptober' in a bid to kick the habit. The 28-day national campaign began yesterday – but what's it all about and does it really work? According to the latest research, those who stop smoking for 28 days are five times more likely to stay smoke-free for good and going a month without lighting can even extend your life by up to a week.

Stoptober: can 28-day health campaign help smokers quit?