Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 21 Jan 2016
- 1. Leaked report on Savile abuse slams BBC
- 2. Cameron urges businesses to back EU reform
- 3. European stock markets mount slight recovery
- 4. Putin ordered murder of Litvinenko, says judge
- 5. Figures show violent crime on the rise
- 6. Young Muslims referred over extremism fears
- 7. Actor Will Smith confirms Oscar boycott
- 8. Disney holds back next Star Wars movie
- 9. 'Planet Nine' discovered in far-flung orbit
- 10. Briefing: Britain and Argentina to hold Falklands talks
1. Leaked report on Savile abuse slams BBC
A leaked report into sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile at the BBC, carried out by Dame Janet Smith, accuses the corporation of having a "deferential culture", "untouchable stars" and "above the law" managers. It says a similar abuser could be "lurking undiscovered at the BBC today". The BBC stressed the leaked document was an early draft.
Jimmy Savile report: 'abusers could still be lurking in the BBC'
2. Cameron urges businesses to back EU reform
David Cameron has urged UK business leaders to support Britain's membership of the European Union and back his attempts to reform the terms of British membership. The Prime Minister is holding talks on his reforms with EU politicians and business leaders at Davos in the Swiss Alps. He said delgates at the World Economic Forum should "get out there" andmake their case.
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3. European stock markets mount slight recovery
European stock markets have recovered slightly after heavy losses on Wednesday, caused by fears over slowing growth in China and the slump in oil prices. The Dow Jones in the US also rose in early trading. The small gains came after markets in Asia suffered further losses following Wednesday's turmoil. The Nikkei closed more than 2 per cent down.
Markets: FTSE boosted as focus shifts to US jobs rebound
4. Putin ordered murder of Litvinenko, says judge
The murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko was "probably" approved by President Vladimir Putin, an inquiry into the death has found. The 43-year-old was poisoned after drinking tea laced with radioactive polonium-210 in 2006 and died in hospital days later. Litvinenko became an outspoken critic of Putin after defecting to the UK in 2000.
What happened to Alexander Litvinenko?
5. Figures show violent crime on the rise
The number of violent crimes committed in England and Wales has risen by 37%, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Homicides increased by 14% in the year to September 2015, fuelled by a 9% hike in knife crime and a 4% rise in gun crime, largely attributed to gang violence in London and Manchester. Police said the rise was partly down to improved recording of crime.
Violent crime up 37 per cent - largest jump in over a decade
6. Young Muslims referred over extremism fears
More than 400 children aged ten and under have been referred to the government's deradicalisation programme in England and Wales over fears they were vulnerable to extremism over the last four years. Almost 1,500 children aged 11 to 15 were also referred. Critics says the programme stigmatises and criminalises young Muslims.
7. Actor Will Smith confirms Oscar boycott
Actor Will Smith has confirmed that he will not be attending this year's Oscars as the row over the lack of non-white nominees grows. He and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, will boycott the ceremony along with director Spike Lee, while comedian Chris Rock facing calls to withdraw from his role as host. It is the second year running that all the acting nominees have been white.
8. Disney holds back next Star Wars movie
Disney has said it will delay the release of the next Star Wars film by seven months, while its director is rumoured to be re-writing the script. Episode VIII will reach cinemas on 15 December 2017, instead of 26 May, even though summer releases usually do better at the box office. The writer-director is Rian Johnson.
Star Wars 8: The Last Jedi reviews - the force is (mostly) strong with this one
9. 'Planet Nine' discovered in far-flung orbit
Astronomers have detected indications of a ninth planet which may be orbiting our sun at such distance it takes 20,000 years to make one round trip. Nicknamed Planet Nine and thought to be a gas giant similar to Jupiter or Neptune, the ice world has never been directly observed - but the influence of its gravity has now been detected.
Planet Nine: 'vast' body detected on the edge of the solar system
10. Briefing: Britain and Argentina to hold Falklands talks
David Cameron will hold one-on-one talks with Argentina's newly elected president, Mauricio Macri, at this week's World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. The meeting will "underscore a softening of rhetoric" over the disputed Falkland Islands in the wake of last month's change of government in Buenos Aires, says The Guardian, and follows last November's telephone call between the two men after the Argentinian's election victory. "Acknowledging the differences between the two countries, both leaders agreed the need to pursue a path of open dialogue and to work towards a stronger partnership," said Downing Street at the time.
UK and Argentina agree to identify Falklands war dead
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