Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 8 Mar 2011
Our popular news catch-up service is posted Monday to Friday at 8.00 am. You can rely on it to keep you up to date through the working day with the main news talking points. GADDAFI GIVEN 72 HOURS TO LEAVE LIBYANato has begun aerial surveillance over Libya as efforts to win support for a no-fly zone over the country gather pace. Meanwhile fighting has continued on the ground with air strikes reported near the town of Ras Lanuf, but the rebels remain defiant and Mustafa Abdel Jalil, the head of the recently established National Libyan Council, gave Muammar Gaddafi 72 hours to stand down. Benghazi cock-up: fourth time unlucky for the SAS OBAMA MAKES GUANTANAMO U-TURNMilitary trials of terror suspects detained at Guantánamo Bay are to resume. It is an embarrassing U-turn for Barack Obama, who promised to close the camp within a year, and imposed a suspension on so-called "military commissions" on his first full day in the White House. What they’re saying about US Guantanamo U-turn POLICE PROTESTs BEFORE ROYAL WEDDINGPolice officers are considering mass marches before the royal wedding to protest against job losses and pay cuts. The Guardian claims 28,000 jobs could be lost because of government funding cuts. The Association of Chief Police Officers has made the calculation in response to the prospect of a 20 per cent reduction in government grants. charlie SHEEN DROPPED FROM SHOWThe errant actor Charlie Sheen has been fired from the hit comedy show Two and A Half Men, which made him the highest paid actor on US television. He made a series of insulting remarks about the show's producer and co-creator Chuck Lorre in radio and internet interviews, including calling him a "stupid, stupid little man". Charlie Sheen goes ape after Warner Bros axe him WILLIAM AND KATE TOSS PANCAKES IN BELFAST Prince William and his bride-to-be Kate Middleton made a surprise visit to Belfast today, where the royal couple marked Shrove Tuesday by tossing pancakes at a cancer charity fundraiser in the grounds of City Hall. There was tight security for the visit, during which the couple shook hands with well-wishers. It was the first time William or Kate had visited Northern Ireland. CHERIE blair TAKES LABOUR JOBCherie Blair has been asked by Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, to examine how the United Kingdom can help women in poor countries get involved in business and public life, reports the Daily Telegraph. It will be her first official political job since her husband's election as an MP in 1983, and could be a first step towards a peerage. STUART BROAD RULED OUT OF THE WORLD CUPA day after Kevin Pietersen flew home from England's cricket world cup campaign another of the side's key players has been ruled out of the competition. All-rounder Stuart Broad has succumbed to a side strain and will be replaced in the squad by bowler Chris Tremlett. England's next game in the tournament is against Bangladesh on Friday. NEW PENALTY FOR INDIAN DRIVERSThe Indian province of Gurgaon is taking a new approach to drivers who jump red lights, and are undeterred by the fine of a hundred rupees (£1.36). After paying their on-the-spot fine, drivers must spend half an hour helping the constable direct the traffic, to see the chaos they have helped create. TIGER KILLS LION AT TURKISH ZOOA Bengal tiger killed a lion at Ankara Zoo in Turkey after getting through a gap in the fence that separated the two species. It severed the lion's jugular with a single swipe of its paw. Reports that the tiger had broken down the fence were denied and officials insisted that the zoo, which has six tigers and two remaining lions, was safe. The incident happened last year but details were only released this week. UK ARREST OVER STOCKHOLM SUICIDE BOMBA 30-year-old man has been arrested in Glasgow in connection with December's suicide bombing in Stockholm. The foreign national was detained under the Terrorism Act in a police raid. Bomber Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, who lived in Luton, died in the attacks, which injured another two people, and police have been investigating whether he acted alone.
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