Daily Briefing

Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 13 Sep 2012

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

Hillsborough
1. FAMILIES SEEK HILLSBOROUGH JUSTICE
Richard Wells, a former chief constable of South Yorkshire police has said a criminal investigation into the police handling of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster is "essential". Families of the 96 victims have already indicated they will press for criminal action after yesterday’s damning report, which said police changed witness statements in an effort to blame Liverpool fans.
Hillsborough cover-up: Cameron says sorry for 23 years of lies
Islam film row
2. US EMBASSY PROTESTS SPREAD
Protests against an anti-Islam film are spreading across the Muslim world. A mob stormed the US embassy in Yemen and set fire to vehicles before being pushed back by security forces. In Cairo, protesters laid siege to the US embassy for the third day, while demonstrations were reported in Morocco, Tunisia and Sudan. On Tuesday, the US ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, was killed by militants during a protest.
US ambassador killed in Libya protest over Mohammed film
iPhone 5
3. IPHONE 5: TALLER, THINNER, LIGHTER
Apple yesterday unveiled a taller-screened, 4G-enabled iPhone in San Francisco, saying its new size will enable it to display an extra row of app icons. It is also 18% thinner and 20% lighter than the iPhone 4S. It drops the NFC chip allowing touchless payments. The new device will work on the new 4G network in Britain.
iPhone 5 verdict: best in the world, but oh so boring
4. HOSPITALS ‘ON BRINK OF COLLAPSE’ - DOCS
Hospitals are on the brink of collapse, so overwhelmed by a tide of elderly patients that more will die of neglect, and it will be impossible to treat many more with “dignity and compassion”, unless the planned NHS reforms are rewritten, the Royal College of Physicians warned last night. The government’s proposals are “largely irrelevant” to hospitals’ problems.
5. FREE PUSSY RIOT 3, SAYS MEDVEDEV
Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev yesterday called for three activists from punk band Pussy Riot, jailed for two years for an anti-Putin protest in a Moscow cathedral, to be freed, saying their five months in pre-trial custody was punishment enough. After international protest, Medvedev was sending a signal for their appeal set for 1 October.
Annecy shootings
6. ANNECY KILLINGS: POLICE LOOK TO IRAQ
Annecy prosecutor Eric Maillaud says French police are focusing on three theories in the killing of the al-Hilli family: that the killings were carried out because of a family feud over Iraqi assets; because of Saad al-Hilli’s business interests; or because of his Iraqi background. A family member was reported to have a history of violence.
No suspect in Al-Hilli murder: solution 'could be years away'
China
7. CHINA’S NEXT LEADER ‘HAD HEART ATTACK’
Xi Jinping, who is tipped to become China’s new leader but who has mysteriously disappeared, is now widely reported to have suffered a heart attack, or possibly a stroke. Xi, 59, has not been seen since 1 September, having cancelled meetings with foreign leaders including Hillary Clinton. His promotion to head of the Communist Party had been expected within weeks.
Where is China's next leader? Xi Jinping mystery deepens
Music
8. MERCURY PRIZE IGNORES KATE BUSH
Rapper Plan B and singer-songwriter Richard Hawley are joint favourites to win the Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize after the shortlist of 12 was released last night. Other acts nominated include Alt-J, Jessie Ware and The Maccabees – but there was no place for Kate Bush. The award will be announced on 1 November.
Mercury Prize shortlist 'reflects floundering British music scene'
9. NEWLY DISCOVERED: BLUE RUMP MONKEY
Scientists in the Congo have discovered a new species of monkey, the lesula or Cercopithecus lomamiensis, dubbed the ‘blue rump monkey’ for its bright blue bottom, the nature magazine PLoS reveals today. It is only the second new monkey species identified in the past 28 years, and was spotted tethered in a school yard.
Art
10. HOT TICKET: TATE PRE-RAPHAELITES
‘Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Avant-Garde’ has opened at Tate Britain. The potential blockbuster show redefines the Pre-Raphaelites as Britain’s first modern art movement, and features painting, sculpture and photography by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones and John Everett Millais. “A steam-punk triumph”, says The Guardian.
Tate Britain’s Pre-Raphaelites: a garden of earthly delights