Daily Briefing

Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 15 May 2012

The Week’s super-quick catch-up on the main news talking points, available from 8am daily

1. BROOKS CHARGED OVER PHONE HACKING

Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and her husband, Charlie, are to be charged with perverting the course of justice. The pair were arrested earlier this year as part of a police investigation into phone hacking. In a statement they accused the CPS of "posturing" and said the decision was "weak and unjust".

Rebekah Brooks charged with perverting course of justice

French elections

2. HOLLANDE SWORN IN AS FRENCH PRESIDENT

Francois Hollande has been sworn in as President of France at the Elysee Palace. He will immediately fly to Germany to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss the eurozone debt crisis. Before leaving he appointed socialist Jean-Marc Ayrault as Prime Minister. The new government will be announced on Wednesday.

Nine women who might benefit from Hollande's Cabinet promise

3. LEVESON: PARLIAMENT MUST WAIT OVER HUNT

Lord Leveson, who is investigating British media standards, says Parliament should delay publishing papers relating to the handling of News Corp's bid to buy BSkyB by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt until the issue has been tackled by his inquiry. His comments come after MPs complained their work was being delayed by Leveson.

euro debt crisis

4. GREEK COALITION TALKS FAIL

Attempts to form a government in Greece have failed again and the country is now set for more elections. The Greek president will appoint a caretaker government on Wednesday, with new elections expected in June. The euro slid below 80p to its lowest value since January on the news.

Grexit: what happens if Greece leaves the euro?

JPMorgan losses

5. WOMAN BOSS TAKES FALL AT JPMORGAN

JPMorgan Chase announced last night that chief investment officer Ina Drew, a rare woman in the top Wall Street echelons, is stepping down after the bank's $2bn high-risk trading loss. Drew, who had worked for the bank for 30 years, was responsible for the London office where the blunder was made.

JPMorgan: CIO Ina Drew resigns after bank’s $2bn loss

6. CALL FOR DRIVERS TO PAY UK ROAD TOLLS

A report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, funded by the RAC, yesterday called for British drivers to start paying by-the-mile road tolls as a way to make up for the anticipated loss of £38million in taxes on petrol and car licensing as vehicles get 'greener' and fuel costs rise. The case for tolls is "compelling", says the report.

7. CRACKDOWN ON DANGEROUS DOG OWNERS

Owners of dangerous dogs who are convicted in England and Wales will face tougher punishment under new guidelines issued yesterday by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales, with owners who fail to stop their dog harming others facing at least six months in jail. The number of convictions reached 1,192 in 2010.

People in the News

8. BRITNEY SPEARS JOINS X-FACTOR

Britney Spears, 30, once the world's best-selling pop singer, is joining the US X Factor as a judge. TV mogul Simon Cowell announced the coup yesterday, tweeting, "can't believe it's happening at last". Cowell fired two judges after the latest series garnered only half the audience of rival America's Got Talent.

Britney Spears gets $15m to join Simon Cowell on US X-Factor

TV & Radio

9. 'SEXIST' SPORTS BROADCASTERS WIN AWARD

Richard Keys and Andy Gray, the Sky Sports presenters fired for broadcasting sexist remarks about a female football official, won best sports programme on radio at the Sony Radio Academy awards for their new show on Talksport. Gray thanked a "beautiful" female producer on the show.

Huey Morgan twitter rant mars 6Music award triumph

Arts & Life

10. HOT TICKET: ARCELORMITTAL ORBIT

The ArcelorMittal Orbit, a 115m-high red steel sculpture designed by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond for the Olympic Park in Stratford, London, will open to visitors in July. Some critics are smitten – but others are less so, with the Daily Mail describing it as a “catastrophic collision between two cranes”.

ArcelorMittal Orbit: London's Eiffel - or Eyeful Tower?