Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 19 Jan 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. GOVERNMENT LAYS OUT RADICAL NHS REFORMSAmid mounting criticism from within the NHS, the government has presented details today of a radical overhaul of the health service. The Health and Social Care Bill proposes to hand over control of most of the NHS's annual budget to GPs by 2013. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley says: "Our ambition is simple - to deliver care for patients which is the best of anywhere in the world." First Post Briefing: The NHS reforms and why they're causing so much controversy ANNI DEWANI MURDER: 'ALL MIGHT BE REVEALED'The South African police chief seeking the extradition of Bristol businessman Shrien Dewani (above) to face a charge of having his wife Anni Derwani killed during their Cape Town honeymoon says he knows why Dewani - allegedly - did it. General Bheki Cele said the purported motive could be revealed at Dewani's extradition hearing in London on Thursday. HEALTHY AGAIN: APPLE POSTS RECORD PROFITS Apple's share price, which fell yesterday following Monday's news that CEO Steve Jobs was taking a medical leave of absence, bounced back when the computer giant announced its last-quarter profits. In the run-up to Christmas, Apple made record profits of $6bn on revenues of $26.7bn. The share price, despite falling during Tuesday, jumped 4 per cent in after-hours trading to about $354. unemployment jumps to 2.5 million UK unemployment has risen by 49,000, bringing it to a total of 2.5 million, according to figures for last year released by the Office for National Statistics. The increase was particularly sharp among people aged 16-24, 951,000 of whom are now without work, the largest number since records began in 1992. BERLUSCONI SCANDAL: PROSECUTORS SEEK MORE EVIDENCE An Italian parliamentary committee is due to gather today to discuss the request from Milan prosecutors to search the offices of Silvio Berlusconi's accountant. They hope to find further evidence that several women were given rent-free apartments in exchange for sex. One of them, Karima el-Mahroug, nicknamed Ruby Rubacuori, was allegedly underage. Wiretaps leaked to Italian media claim Ruby asked Berlusconi for E5m to "keep quiet". Berlusconi did pay for sex, say Milan prosecutors ben ali's assets frozen by swissSwitzerland's president, Micheline Calmy-Rey, said today that the federal council would freeze any assets held in the country by Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. She said it was to assist a possible criminal case against Tunisia's ousted leader. A Tunisian prosecutor has opened an investigation into the extent of Ben Ali's hidden wealth abroad. 'BABY DOC' DUVALIER CHARGED WITH EMBEZZLEMENT Following his mysterious decision to return to Haiti after 25 years in exile, former dictator Jean-Claude 'Baby Doc' Duvalier has been charged in Port-au-Prince with corruption and embezzlement of public funds. Although His 15-year despotic rule of Haiti was marked by the kidnapping, torturing and murdering of thousands of political opponents, he still has many supporters who yesterday expressed their fury at the charges. amid pomp, obama and hu emphasise mutual aimsAmid mounting tensions between the US and China over military growth, trade and currency issues, human rights and internet freedom, Obama has said each country has "an enormous stake in each other’s success". The White House has rolled out the red carpet for President Hu Jintao visit, with an intimate dinner last night and an elaborate ceremony today including a colonial fife and drum band and a 21-gun salute. China ratchets up military tension ahead of Hu visit UNDERCOVER POLICING: CLEAN-UP ORDEREDFollowing media revelations about the modus operandi of undercover policeman Mark Kennedy, who infiltrated the environmental protest movement, the Home Office has ordered a clean-up, according to the Guardian. Minister Nick Herbert said that the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), a limited company, is to lose control of three teams of "spies" involved in tackling so-called "domestic extremism". howard stern rattles piers morganUS shock jock Howard Stern questioned Piers Morgan's credentials when the Englishman hosted his second interview show on CNN. "England is about the size of Philadelphia," said Stern. "To conquer England takes about two days. America is something else." Morgan struggled to keep the interview on track, protesting: "This is my show, I'm doing the interview." Several US papers called Morgan's first interview with Oprah Winfrey 'fawning'.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Russia and Iran 'up the ante' after meeting in Turkmenistan
The Explainer Two nations talk up their closer ties but some in Tehran believe Putin 'still owes' them
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
'Kmart shelves emptied'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
India and Canada expel diplomats amid murder row
Speed Read New Delhi denies allegations linking Indian intelligence services to assassination of Sikh separatist last year
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 24, 2024
Daily Briefing Trump closes in on nomination with New Hampshire win over Haley, 'Oppenheimer' leads the 2024 Oscar nominations, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 23, 2024
Daily Briefing Haley makes last stand in New Hampshire as Trump extends polling lead, justices side with US over Texas in border fight, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 22, 2024
Daily Briefing DeSantis ends his presidential campaign and endorses Trump, the US and Arab allies push plan to end Gaza war, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 21, 2024
Daily Briefing Palestinian death toll reportedly passes 25,000, top Biden adviser to travel to Egypt and Qatar for hostage talks, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 20, 2024
Daily Briefing Grand jury reportedly convened to investigate Uvalde shooting response, families protest outside Netanyahu's house as pressure mounts for hostage deal, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 19, 2024
Daily Briefing Congress averts a government shutdown, DOJ report cites failures in police response to Texas school shooting, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 18, 2024
Daily Briefing Judge threatens to remove Trump from his defamation trial, medicine for hostages and Palestinians reach Gaza, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 17, 2024
Daily Briefing The US strikes Houthi targets in Yemen a third time, Trump's second sex defamation trial begins, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published