Daily Briefing

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

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

1. TORY RIGHT PRESSES CAMERON
David Cameron is facing pressure from the right of his party after UKIP pushed the Conservatives into third place in the Eastleigh by-election. Backbenchers are demanding tougher policies on Europe, immigration and the economy. The Times reports that a string of MPs believe the prime minister is "out of touch" with his party and pandering to “the liberal metropolitan elite”.
2. OBAMA SIGNS 'DUMB' SEQUESTER CUTS
Barack Obama has signed into effect $85bn of cuts which he describes as "dumb" after talks with Congress to avert the move broke down. The IMF believes the cuts, known as the sequester, could slow global economic growth. Although the president believes the cuts will "hurt", he added: "We will get through this. This is not going to be an apocalypse."
3. SICK QUEEN CANCELS WALES VISIT
The Queen has cancelled a visit to Swansea as she is suffering from gastroenteritis. The 86-year-old was due to present members of 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh with leeks to mark St David's Day. Instead, she is to spend the weekend at Windsor Castle and will be "assessed in the coming days". She is scheduled to make a short visit to Rome next week.
4. AL-QAEDA CHIEF IS 'KILLED IN MALI'
A leading al-Qaeda terrorist has been killed in Mali, says the president of Chad, Idriss Deby Itno. Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, who is accused of killing two Western hostages including Briton Edwin Dyer, was reportedly killed in clashes between Chadian forces and Islamic insurgents. Washington describes the reports of Zeid's death as "very credible".
5. LORD SUGAR IN ANGRY BOARDROOM BUST-UP
Apprentice host Lord Sugar and Channel 5 owner Richard Desmond had a furious bust-up in front of stunned television executives, reports The Guardian. A source says that at one stage during the row, at a board meeting of the company YouView, Sugar advanced on Desmond with a clenched fist. Desmond is reported to have shouted: "You're fired!" at Sugar, who has quit YouView.
6. HAMMOND: 'ARMY CANNOT TAKE MORE CUTS'
The defence secretary has warned that the army cannot sustain further cuts and called for welfare spending to be slashed instead. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph ahead of the chancellor's next spending review, Philip Hammond said that “defending the country " must be the "first priority". He says he will be "fighting the corner for my budget and defence" during the review.
7. FLORIDA SINKHOLE MAN PRESUMED DEAD
A man in Florida is presumed dead after a massive sinkhole opened under his home, swallowing him and his bedroom into the ground. Jeffrey Bush was sucked into a chasm that is 30ft wide and 20ft deep. His brother Jeremy said he heard "a loud crash, like a car coming through the house". He added: “I know in my heart he’s dead. But I just want to be here for him because I love him."
8. WEAK MORTGAGE FIGURES DEEPEN GLOOM
The economy has been dealt a third blow in 24 hours as the housing sector revealed signs of weakness. Mortgage approvals fell to 54,719 in January from 55,632 in December, short of analysts' forecasts for a rise to 56,500. The news follows the pound's crash against the dollar and the manufacturing industry's release of weaker than expected output figures.
9. PUSHY PARENTS 'LEAVE KIDS UNABLE TO COPE'
Intrusive and mollycoddling parenting is leaving children unable to fend for themselves when they go to university, says the government's childhood guru. Claire Perry says that by filling every moment of children's lives with activities parents have "created rods for our own back". She argues: "Children need time to be bored.”
10. SLEEPY PILOT BLAMES LONDON HOTEL ROOMS
An airline pilot who fell asleep twice while at the controls of a long-haul passenger flight has pointed the finger of blame at London hotel rooms which, he says, are either "too hot or too cold". The unnamed pilot told airline bosses he was tired because he had been unable to rest properly in London hotels. Air New Zealand insists "safety was not compromised at any point."