Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 14 Apr 2016

1. Jeremy Corbyn makes case for UK in EU

Jeremy Corbyn is today making his first major intervention in the debate on Britain's membership of the European Union. The Labour leader will point to serious "shortcomings" in the way the union is run but insist that Britain should "remain and reform" it. Speaking in London, he will say his party is "overwhelmingly for staying in".

2. Video shows kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls

A video released by Nigerian terror group Boko Haram is believed to show that some of the 276 schoolgirls it kidnapped two years ago are still alive. The clip shows 15 girls in black robes identifying themselves. Some have been recognised by their parents, after the video was sent to the Nigerian government.

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3. Oxfam: US firms hiding $1.4tn in tax havens

Oxfam says the 50 biggest corporations in the US have collectively hidden $1.4tn (£980bn) in tax havens. The charity says Apple has $181bn held offshore, General Electric $119bn and Microsoft $108bn. The total sum is more than the combined economic output of Russia, South Korea and Spain, observes The Guardian.

4. Russian jets 'aggressively' buzz US warship

Two Russian warplanes simulated attack runs on a US warship in international waters off the coast of Russia, the US Navy says. The Su-24 jets, apparently not armed, flew so close to the USS Donald Cook they created wakes in the water, US officials say. The White House said the "aggressive" incident raised serious safety concerns .

5. BP boss Dudley faces revolt over 20 per cent pay rise

Bob Dudley, the chief executive of BP, is facing a revolt from shareholders over his planned 20 per cent pay rise at a time of job cuts and falling profits at the energy firm. BP chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg has promised to listen and learn from the widespread criticism.

6. William and Kate to meet Bhutan royal family

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will today fly from India to Bhutan to meet the remote Himalayan kingdom's king and queen. They will also watch an archery competition and hike up a mountain to visit the famous Tiger's Nest monastery. The royal couple arrived in India on Sunday to spend a week there and in Bhutan.

Princess Charlotte to start nursery school in January

7. South Korea: Ruling party loses majority

South Korea's ruling Conservative Party has suffered an unexpected defeat in parliamentary elections, ending 16 years of majority rule and meaning President Park Geun-hye faces increased deadlock and an inability to pass legislation. The vote also means the party will struggle to field a winning presidential candidate next year.

8. A&E performance figures hit new low

A&E performance figures in England hit a new low in February, with only 87.8 per cent of patients seen within four hours, against a target of 95 per cent. The figures were worse than those in January, which were themselves the worst since targets were introduced in 2004. The 111 phone service, ambulances and cancer care also missed key performance targets.

9. Golf no longer a crime in China

China's ruling Communist Party has decreed that golf is no longer a crime for its members and is "only a sport". The game was banned by Chairman Mao but legalised and taken up by the elite in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2015, however, President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption drive led to it being outlawed for party members.

10. Briefing: A sharp drop in London house prices

The value of the average London home has fallen by £27,000 in a month, according to headline figures from the Office for National Statistics. It estimates the average property in the capital was worth £524,000 in February, down from the £551,000 reported in January, when the pace of month-on-month inflation was running at £500 a day. But the numbers may be misleading. Updates to the way the index is calculated have also had an effect on overall values.

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

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