Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 12 Jan 2016

1. Doctors go on strike for first time in 40 years

Junior doctors are on strike today for the first time in four decades, meaning thousands of patients will have non-urgent operations or check-ups in hospitals cancelled. Doctors say new proposals by the government aimed at creating a '24-hour NHS' will mean they are paid less - and could have to work dangerously long hours.

Why junior doctors are going on strike again

2. Brixton street party celebrates life of David Bowie

A street party was held last night in Brixton, where David Bowie was born, to celebrate the life of the singer and performer who died from cancer on Sunday at the age of 69. Thousands of mourners danced together to music from an impromptu PA while neighbouring pubs played only Bowie hits last night.

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David Bowie: five ways he changed the world

3. Syria: UN insists 400 people 'must leave Madaya'

The UN says at least 400 people in urgent need of medical treatment must be evacuated from the Syrian town of Madaya, which has been besieged by forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad since July. A UN convoy finally brought food to the town yesterday, where residents are said to have been forced to eat pets and leaves.

UN calls for mass evacuation from Syrian town of Madaya

4. Ten dead in Istanbul suicide bomb attack

At last ten people have been killed and 15 injured in a suicide bomb attack in the Turkish city of Istanbul. The blast occured in Sultanahmet district, popular with tourists, near the city's Blue Mosque. Most of the victims are said to be foreigners. The bomber has been identified as a 28-year-old Syrian man, according to officials.

Istanbul: ten dead in suspected Islamic State attack

5. Sian Blake's boyfriend appears in court in Ghana

The boyfriend of murdered EastEnfers acrtess Sian Blake has appeared in court in Accra, Ghana ahead of extradition proceedings. Arthur Simpson-Kent is accused of killing Blake and their two sons, Zachary, eight, and Amon, four. He has been remanded for two weeks. Simpson-Kent was arrested at a Ghanaian beach resort after being identified by locals at the weekend.

Sian Blake: Boyfriend admits killing actress and 2 children

6. Bronze Age houses are 'best-preserved yet found'

Archaeologists uncovering a Bronze Age site in Cambridgeshire say the circular houses built on stilts are the best-preserved ever found in the UK. Pots with meals inside and clothing have been unearthed at the waterlogged site, which dates from 1000 to 800 BC. A fire destroyed the 'stilts' and the houses fell into a river.

7. Messi wins Ballon d'Or for a record fifth time

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has won football's most prestigious award for a single player, the Ballon d'Or, for a record fifth time. Messi beat Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo into second place. Ronaldo won the last two awards. Messi said he was delighted to win after two years "in the audience watching Cristiano win".

Lionel Messi beats Cristiano Ronaldo to claim fifth Ballon d'Or

8. Debut collection wins poetry's TS Eliot prize

The debut collection by poet Sarah Howe has won the TS Eliot prize, the UK's most prestigious poetry award. Howe, 33, beat established poets on the shortlist including Sean O'Brien and Don Paterson. Her collection, Loop of Jade, deals with her Anglo-Chinese heritage as she travels to Hong Kong to try to understand her roots.

9. Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall announce engagement

Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, 84, and former supermodel Jerry Hall, 59, have used a classified advert in The Times to announce they are engaged. It is not known if Murdoch paid full price to advertise in his own newspaper but the advert appeared with a black border, which is usually extra. The two met four months ago.

Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall get married in London

10. Briefing: could we be heading for a house-price crash?

House prices have been on the up for years, but we should not expect the trend to continue indefinitely, says one financial commentator. Values have "defied gravity for far too long", writes John Ficenec in the Daily Telegraph, and a "nasty correction" is coming in the next 12 months. He cites a number of reasons for this bearish forecast, and while his opinion remains in the minority, the figures do suggest that growth is slowing.

London house prices: study predicts a 2.5% rise for 2020, but a 1% fall in 2021