Daily Briefing

Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 2 Feb 2013

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

1. TORY DESERTIONS OVER GAY MARRIAGE
Thousands of Tory activists are leaving the party in protest over David Cameron's plan to introduce gay marriage, MPs have told The Times. Dozens of Tory MPs are expected to abstain or stay away from Tuesday's second reading of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill. It has also emerged that the government will not introduce a tax break for married couples in the Budget.
2. IRAN: WAS SPACE MONKEY FAKED?
Doubt has emerged over Iran's claim it sent a monkey into space after the monkey astronaut presented to the media after the alleged space trip appeared significantly different to the animal photographed earlier, strapped into a spacecraft. The original monkey had light fur and a red mole over its right eye, while the 'returning hero' had dark hair and no mole.
3. HILLARY STEPS DOWN AFTER 30 YEARS
Hillary Clinton has stepped down as US secretary of state, saying that though the world remains "dangerous" she is "more optimistic today than I was when I stood here four years ago". Her resignation marks the end of 30 years of continuous public office. She served as the First Lady of Arkansas and the USA, before becoming Senator for New York and then Secretary of State.
4. ACID ATTACK ON LONDON WOMAN
A young Londoner has been disfigured for life after acid was thrown in her face by a woman wearing a niqab. Naomi Oni, 20, was attacked by the stranger in Dagenham, east London in December. Police say they are keeping an open mind over the motive for the attack, though they have not ruled out the theory that Oni was attacked because she works in a lingerie shop.
5. PORK FOUND IN 'HALAL' PRISON PIES
Traces of pork have been discovered in supposedly Halal prison food, reports the BBC. The Ministry of Justice has suspended the supplier while Prison Service investigates the incident "as a matter of urgency". Under Islamic law, Muslims are prohibited from eating pork. Justice minister Jeremy Wright has described the incident as "absolutely unacceptable".
6. GAZZA 'DOES NOT HAVE LONG LEFT'
Guests at a charity event attended by Paul Gascoigne say the former footballer's appearance was "like watching him die in front of our eyes". Gascoigne reportedly trembled and sobbed during his talk, telling the audience “I’m sorry, three days on the whisky, I’m sorry.” A guest told The Sun: "The consensus was certainly that he does not have long left.”
7. SUICIDE EPIDEMIC AMONG US TROOPS
A total of 6,500 US army veterans killed themselves last year - an equivalent to one every 80 minutes. The Guardian reports that 349 active-service soldiers also committed suicide in 2012, more than the 295 died in combat. A Navy psychiatrist who worked with hundreds of suicidal servicemen says damage to "deeply held beliefs about right and wrong" provokes the despair.
8. CHEATING SCANDAL HITS HARVARD
Harvard University has suspended around 60 students after an investigation into cheating in a final exam. Suspicions were raised when a tutor found identical answers to a take-home exam for an undergraduate politics course. Some of the students caught-up in the scandal were members of Harvard sports teams. Two basketball co-captains have been dropped as a result.
9. PENSIONER KILLS WIFE WITH GNOME
A 76-year-old man has been jailed for four years after admitting he bludgeoned his wife to death with a garden gnome. Frederick Gilliard told police he "just lost it" during a row with his wife of 54 years. He also stabbed his wife during what the prosecution described as "a prolonged and violent attack". He then dialed 999 and told police: "This is going to kill my kids."
10. MARIO BALOTELLI BASHES BRITAIN
Mario Balotelli has taken a swipe at England following his £19m move to AC Milan. The controversial Italian, asked what he disliked about life in England, replied: "[The] press, weather, food, the way you drive." However, he did praise the Premier League, saying: "It is an amazing league and I think it's the best, together with the crowd and the pitches."