Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 24 Mar 2011

published 24 March 2011

Our popular news catch-up service is posted Monday to Friday at 8.0am. You can rely on it to keep you up to date through the working day with the main news talking points. French shoot down libyan planeFrench fighters have shot down a Libyan plane over the besieged rebel-held town of Misrata. Meanwhile, the US chief of staff for the coalition of nations at war in Libya says there have been no reports of civilian casualties after five consecutive nights of bombings, despite repeated claims to the contrary from the Libyan government. Libya rebels: Gaddafi could be right about al-Qaeda The Mole: War on Gaddafi is costing a bomb BAILOUT LOOMS AS PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT FALLSPortugal's government collapsed last night as PM Jose Socrates (above) quit after failing to push through austerity measures, raising the possibility that the struggling nation will have to be bailed out by the EU. The crisis will now dominate today's EU summit in Brussels which had been intended to shore up the Euro and create a bailout fund. SIan o'callaghan: man arrested for kidnapA man has been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping Sian O'Callaghan, the 22-year-old woman who disappeared after leaving a nightclub in Swindon in the early hours of the morning last Saturday. Police, who have been searching Savernake Forest in Wiltshire, said they are "very close" to finding O'Callaghan and are hopeful that she is still alive. AFGHANISTAN KILL TEAM: JEREMY MORLOCK PLEADS GUILTYJeremy Morlock, the first member of a self-styled 'kill team' of US soldiers in Afghanistan to face court martial, has pleaded guilty to three counts of murder and lesser charges in exchange for a maximum sentence of 24 years. Morlock admitted the brutal and senseless murder of Afghan civilians while high on drugs. gaga urges Malaysians to protest censorshipLady Gaga has urged young Malaysians to "protest peaceably" against the censorship of her latest song, Born This Way, which promotes acceptance of homosexuality. Radio stations in the Muslim country have been scrambling the line, "No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian or transgendered life, I'm on the right track, baby," in order to make it unintelligible. 'HATE CHURCH' THREATENS LIZ TAYLOR FUNERALMembers of the controversial Westboro Baptish Church have threatened to picket Liz Taylor's funeral in Los Angeles because of her support for gay rights and Aids victims. Margie Phelps, daughter of the hate group's leader Fred Phelps, tweeted: "No RIP Elizabeth Taylor who spent her life in adultery and enabling proud f*gs". Westboro hate group aim to picket Liz Taylor funeral Drinks with Liz Taylor and under-performing Burton In pictures: Elizabeth Taylor, 1932 - 2011 BOOKMAKER PAYS OUT FOR KEN CLARKE'S BUDGET 'NAP'Bookmaker Ladbrokes is to pay out to punters who placed a 16/1 bet that Justice Secretary Ken Clarke would fall asleep during the budget statement after opposition leader Ed Miliband accused him in the Commons of doing exactly that. Clarke's spokesman denies that he slept during George Osborne's 56-minute statement. Budget 2011: what they’re saying ROONEY'S WOMEN TO MEET AT AINTREEColeen Rooney could have an awkward Aintree after the two prostitutes her footballer husband Wayne bedded last year while she was pregnant announced they are to enter the Lady's Day fashion contest at the racecourse. Coleen, who last year handed out the prizes, is also planning to be at the pre-Grand National event. SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES KILL MOURNERSAs unrest continues across the Middle East, Syrian security forces yesterday opened fire on mourners at the funeral of two people killed earlier during anti-Government protests. At least 15 people are said to have died in the latest shooting, which took place in the southern city of Deraa. Twenty-two have now died since Friday. In pictures: Syria - the next domino? JUST WHAT THE MIDDLE EAST NEEDS: COSMOCosmopolitan magazine, the women's glossy famous for its mix of fashion and sex tips, is to launch its Middle East edition next month, with extraordinary and presumably co-incidental timing. The US-based magazine will go on sale in Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Lebanon, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.