Daily Briefing

Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 26 May 2012

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

1. CURBS ON GREEK INFLUX PLANNED
Home Secretary Theresa May says "work is ongoing" to create emergency immigration controls to prevent a stampede of Greeks and other European Union residents if the euro collapses. Meanwhile, Spain's fourth-largest bank has asked the Spanish government for a bailout worth €19bn (£15bn).
2. UK COULD PARTY OUT OF RECESSION
Street parties and other activities during the Jubilee, London Olympics and Euro 2012 football tournament could see Britons spend more than £1billion this summer, pulling Britain out of recession. Retail experts predict we will spend £823million on Jubilee celebrations and that Olympics tourists will bring £77million.
3. FRESH SYRIAN 'MASSACRE' REPORTED
At least 50 people, including 13 children, have reportedly been killed in Syria in what opposition activists are describing as a "massacre". They say dozens have been wounded in Houla, a town in Homs, as government forces attacked using tanks, mortars and heavy machine guns.
4. OBAMA'S 'POT-SMOKING TRENDS'
A new biography claims Barack Obama was at the centre of an enthusiastic cannabis smoking group called the "Choom Gang" while a secondary school pupil in Hawaii. The author claims Obama - who has previously admitted to drug use earlier in his life - "started a few pot-smoking trends".
5. MEMO CONTRADICTS CAMERON CLAIM
The Prime Minister was privately briefed by Jeremy Hunt on the News Corporation bid for BSkyB despite insisting in Parliament that he had “specifically asked to be taken out of any of the information” about the takeover. A memo, disclosed to the Leveson inquiry, showed Hunt had briefed Cameron in March 2011.
6. MILLIONAIRE'S DAUGHTER IN RIOT JAILING
The university-educated daughter of a millionaire has been jailed for two years for driving looters on a late-night crime spree during last summer's riots. Laura Johnson, 20, chauffeured the looters through London in her Smart car. Her parents spoke of her "privileged life with a caring family".
7. BRIT DEAD IN 'CROCODILE ATTACK'
A British businessman has died and another is missing in a suspected crocodile attack in India. Police found the body of Ian Turton in the Cauvery River area near Bangalore, India, and are still searching for Michael Easton. Their inflatable dinghy had incisions consistent with a crocodile attack.
8. GALLOWAY SUFFERS SUSPICIOUS BREAK-IN
Burglars who broke into the home of George Galloway MP stole his laptop computer and the key fob to his car, prompting suspicions he was targeted for political reasons or by security services. A spokesman for Galloway insisted there was "no sensitive information" on the laptop.
9. INTERNET 'COOKIES' LAW INTRODUCED
Fresh European laws restricting what information websites may log about visitors in their 'cookie' text files come into force today. It is believed that thousands of UK websites will be in breach of the law but the Information Commissioner's Office says it will seek to assist them to comply rather than take legal action.
10. GERRARD DENIES TERRY RIFT
Captain Steven Gerrard has denied there are splits in the England camp over John Terry's impending court case. Ahead of today's friendly against Norway, new manager Roy Hodgson's first match in charge, Gerrard said: "We're united, we're together...There are no divides."