Daily Briefing

Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 23 Sep 2012

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

1. UK GIVES AID TO WEALTHY COUNTRIES
Britain is giving hundreds of millions of pounds in aid to wealthy countries including China, Russia and Brazil, an investigation by The Sunday Telegraph has found. MPs have condemned the situation, one described it as "farcical". A new poll for the same paper found that 70 percent of people questioned believe overseas aid should be scaled back.
2. CLEGG'S POPULARITY HITS NEW LOW
Nick Clegg's personal popularity among Liberal Democrat members has slumped to below zero for the first time. As the party's conference opens, Clegg's rating has fallen to minus two percent. In the same poll in June his rating was as high as plus 19 percent. In contrast, Vince Cable polled a rating of plus 75 percent.
Africa
3. GADAFFI 'RAPED TEENAGE GIRLS'
Colonel Gadaffi was a serial rapist who kidnapped teenage schoolgirls to serve him as sex slaves, according to a new book. Gadaffi employed "talent scouts" who would abduct girls, some of whom he held hostage for several years. The girls were raped, humiliated and abused by him. One victim said the dictator "needed" several girls a day.
People power drives Islamist militias out of Libyan towns
gategate
4. ANDREW MITCHELL 'ADMITS LOSING IT'
A friend of Andrew Mitchell says the minister admits he "lost it a bit" during his argument with police officers at Downing Street. The friend told The Sunday Telegraph Mitchell admits swearing, but was "100 percent adamant" he did not use the words "plebs" or "morons". A cabinet minister is urging Mitchell to make a televised apology.
Gategate: Mitchell admits using f-bomb – but not ‘plebs’
5. MAY RESISTS DEATH PENALTY CLAMOUR
Home Secretary Theresa May has resisted calls for the reintroduction of the death penalty, saying it would not have been a deterrent against the murders of Manchester policewomen Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone. May told The Mail On Sunday that fewer murderers would be convicted if the death penalty was reintroduced.
6. PAKISTAN MINISTER OFFERS FILM BOUNTY
A Pakistani government minister has offered a $100,000 bounty for the death of the maker of the anti-Islam film produced in the USA. Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour has been condemned by his own government after promising to personally pay the reward for the "sacred duty". At least 20 people have died in Pakistan during clashes sparked by the film controversy.
7. WEALTHY FACE RENEWED TAX SCRUTINY
Millionaires face a renewed crackdown by tax authorities, says Liberal Democrat Treasury Chief Danny Alexander. Around 200,000 more people will be targeted by the Affluence Unit of HM Revenue and Customs. Alexander told The Mail On Sunday that wealthy Britons "did best in the boom years" and so should "pay more now".
8. WINEHOUSE EX ADMITS DRUG ROLE
Blake Fielder-Civil, the ex-husband of Amy Winehouse, has admitted he introduced the tragic star to class-a drugs. “I was the one who brought drugs into the relationship," he told The Sun. He insists that she was not powerless, adding: “It seems disrespectful to Amy to assume she was so impressionable she would take them without making the decision to do so herself."
9. DRUG USE 'SEVEN TIMES HIGHER AMONG GAYS'
Gay people are seven times more likely to use illegal drugs according to research conducted by the Lesbian and Gay Foundation and the University of Central Lancashire. More than a third of gay and lesbian people surveyed said they had used a drug in the last month, compared with just five percent of the wider population.
10. GERRARD URGES SUAREZ HANDSHAKE
Steven Gerrard will encourage Luis Suarez to shake hands with Patrice Evra at today's clash between Liverpool and Manchester United. Tensions are high before the match due to the pair's racism row and fears United fans will taunt their rivals over the Hillsborough disaster. Gerrard believes Suarez and Evra could be "key" in calming the tension.