City news in 250 words: Monday 13 September

The TUC Congress opens in Manchester today. Union leaders are set to endorse plans for the biggest show of British industrial action for two decades, against the government's proposed spending cuts. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: “We need to get the deficit down at the right time. The economy is too fragile to hit it with these spending cuts. What we've now got is not just a coalition government, but a demolition government."

A scheme which allows victims to decide what kind of punishments criminals should be given is being rolled out across Greater Manchester. The restorative justice scheme will be used following low-level offences such as criminal damage and minor assaults. Assistant chief constable Garry Shewan said: "This is all about putting victims first and giving them more control over how an offender is dealt with.

Saddleworth Civic Hall will temporarily become an election court today to decide whether former immigration minister Phil Woolas can remain an MP. Liberal Democrat candidate Elwyn Watkins wanted the Oldham East and Saddleworth contest in May challenged, claiming the result was swayed by Labour campaign leaflets containing false claims about foreign donations and support from Muslim extremists. Mr Woolas, who won with a majority of 103 votes, denies the allegations.

Ricky Hatton is heading to the Priory Clinic after he was secretly filmed snorting cocaine in a Manchester hotel. The former boxer apologised to fans and admitted he had gone off the rails since losing his last fight in May 2009.

Out of the window weather forecast: Pack an umbrella.