Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 7 Oct 2015

1. Cameron launches attack on 'Britain-hating' Corbyn

David Cameron has branded Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn a "terrorist-sympathiser" and accused him of having a "Britain-hating ideology". In his speech to the Conservative conference, the PM also promised an "an all-out assault on poverty" and to revamp planning laws to increase home ownership. He also pledged to "confront extremism" in order to keep Britain safe.

Cameron changes planning laws to get 200,000 starter homes built

2. Leon Brittan sex abuse allegation ‘was joke’

A vulnerable adult who accused the late Leon Brittan of childhood sexual abuse has told the BBC that naming the former home secretary started as a “joke”. Known as ‘David’, the man has now told London’s Met police he is worried he was led into making false claims by campaigners. His latest statements were broadcast by Panorama.

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Man who accused Leon Brittan of abuse says it 'started as a joke'

3. Business bosses accuse May of ‘vilifying’ migrants

The Insitute of Directors, the major UK organisation for business leaders, has accused Theresa May of using her conference speech yesterday to “vilify” immigrants and “pander” to anti-immigration sentiment with “irresponsible … nonsense”. The IoD said: “Immigrants do not steal jobs, they help to fill vital skills shortages.”

Theresa May rejects calls to increase Indian visa quota

4. Russia launches IS strikes from Caspian Sea

Russia claims to have launched cruise missile attacks on Islamic State forces in Syria from its warships in the Caspian Sea, nearly 1,000 miles to the east of Syria. Defence minister Sergei Shoigu says 26 missles were launched, destroying 11 targets. Russian warplanes have also provided cover for a ground assault by "regime forces", say monitors.

US and Russia spar over vetoed Syria sanctions

5. VW appoints new chairman after emissions scandal

German car maker VW has appointed former finance chief Hans Dieter Poetsch as its new chairman. The company has announced it will start recalling cars affected by software which cheats emissions tests from January - and expects all the vehicles to be “fixed” by the end of 2016. The software is said to be present in 11 million diesel vehicles.

6. Stepbrother admitted killing Becky Watts

The stepbrother of Bristol teenager Becky Watts admits killing her but has denied murder at the start of his trial at Bristol Crown Court. It is alleged that Nathan Matthews, 28, and his girlfriend Shauna Hoare, 22, murdered the 16 year old and cut up her body with a knife and power saw. The jury heard the pair shared an "unnatural interest in attractive teenage females".

7. Riot police called to school fight in Walthamstow

Riot police were called to disperse a crowd of 200 school students, some armed with baseball bats, in Walthamstow, east London, after a fight between two girls on Monday night. Hundreds of youths, believed to be from two local colleges, descended on the scene after a row over a boy. Mobile phone footage of the incident,which appears to show groups of girls fighting, has gone viral.

8. Chris Evans: we’ll do Top Gear differently

DJ and presenter Chris Evans has said he may not stick to the three-presenter format of Top Gear, the BBC’s globally successful motoring show, which he is taking over after Jeremy Clarkson was dropped for punching a producer. Evans said: “We are going to do things differently.” The show is expected to return next May.

Has Top Gear returned to its former glory?

9. Robert Peston confirms he is leaving the BBC for ITV

BBC economics editor Robert Peston has confirmed that he is joining rival broadcaster ITV, after nine years at the BBC. Peston, who rose to prominence during the financial crisis, will become ITV's political editor, and present his own political interview programme, Peston on Sunday, which will place him in direct competition with the BBC's Andrew Marr.

10. Briefing: is this the start of a third intifada?

The recent surge in violence in East Jerusalem and the West Bank has sparked fears that a third Palestinian intifada has begun. In a tense and bloody week, four Israelis were stabbed to death in Jerusalem and two Palestinian teenagers were shot dead during clashes with Israeli security forces in the West Bank. Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat said the spike in violence reminded him of the first days of the second uprising. "These events are reminiscent of September 2000," he said. "Experience shows us that Israel cannot prevent Palestinian freedom by forceful measures."

Ban Ki-moon holds talks in Jerusalem amid ongoing violence