Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 20 Jan 2011

published 20 January 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. Shadow chancellor alan johnson resignsMystery surrounds the resignation of Labour shadow chancellor Alan Johnson from frontline politics today. Johnson (above), who has been criticised for his performance in the finance brief, cited "personal reasons to do with my family" for his decision. Labour leader Ed Miliband denied that a newspaper was about to break an embarrassing story. Shadow home secretary Ed Balls will take over Johnson's job. 130 alleged mobsters arrested in New YorkClose to 130 alleged mobsters have been arrested in morning raids across New York City, Brooklyn and New Jersey. Police say those detained range from bookmakers to alleged leaders and include members of all five New York Mafia families: the Gambino, Bonnano Colombo, Luchese and Genovese. The arrests are for charges relating to extortion, murder and drugs. Jo YEates murder: Man arrested A 32-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Jo Yeates. The development comes two days after a police reconstruction of the Bristol landscape architect's final movements was broadcast on Crimewatch, prompting more than 300 calls from potential witnesses. Police would not say where the man was arrested. Full report: man arrested in Jo Yeates murder case ALL-AMERICAN DINNER FOR PRESIDENT HUJazz pianist Herbie Hancock, singer Barbra Streisand, former President Bill Clinton, Vogue editor Anna Wintour and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer were among the guests at last night's White House banquet for President Hu. The Chinese had asked for an "all-American theme" and got Maine lobster, dry-aged rib-eye and apple pie and ice cream to finish. News in Pictures: Guess Hu's coming to dinner? WARSI AND TEBBIT SCRAP OVER ISLAMoPHOBIA Two senior Tories are at loggerheads over the treatment of Muslims in Britain. Baroness Warsi, the first Muslim woman to join the Cabinet, is to give a speech saying that denigrating Muslims is now "dinner-table" conversation. Lord (Norman) Tebbit has responded by saying it was never everyday conversation before "large numbers of Muslims came here to our country". Full report at the The First Post DEWANI EXTRADITION hearing adjournedThe extradition hearing of Shrien Dewani has been adjourned until February 8 after his solicitor told the judge he is suffering from an acute stress disorder. South African police want him to stand trial in Cape Town for ordering the murder of his wife Anni while on their honeymoon in November. Dewani denies any part in his wife Anni's murder. He is fighting extradition on the grounds that he will not receive a fair trial. We know why Dewani did it, say South African police UNDERCOVER COP MARRIED ACTIVISTA third undercover policeman has been revealed to have started a relationship with a woman eco-activist he was sent to spy on. And this one married her and they went on to have children. The case of officer Jim Boyling, aka Jim Sutton, emerged as the chief constable of Merseyside said it was "never acceptable" for undercover officers to sleep with people they were targeting. Full report: Undercover cop married activist and had children 'KORAN BURNING' PASTOR BANNED FROM UKThe Florida pastor Terry Jones, who made worldwide headlines last September when he planned his 'International Burn a Koran Day', has been banned from entering the UK. The Home Office said the British government "opposes extremism in all its forms" and that "numerous comments made by Pastor Jones are evidence of his unacceptable behaviour". He plans to challenge the ban. TWO-THIRDS OF PARKING TICKETS 'ILLEGAL'Two-thirds of the 10 million parking tickets issued in England and Wales each year are invalid, according to lawyer Safiya Hussain who has set up a business, NoParkingFine, to help motorists fight the fines. Hussain claims only one per cent of drivers bother to question the tickets, many of which are legally unenforceable. Of the £780m raised in fines, £500m need never have been paid. CAMPBELL PRAISES CAMERON'S RELAXED STYLEDavid Cameron's more detached approach to the daily news cycle - compared to that of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown - is a good thing, says Alastair Campbell, Blair's former spin doctor. "I think they've learnt the right lesson," he said in an interview to promote his new diaries. It was also "perfectly sensible" for Cameron to take the odd evening off. Full interview at the Times (subscription)