Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 24 Dec 2011

1. PRINCE PHILIP IN HEART SURGERY

Prince Philip has undergone treatment on his heart after being airlifted to hospital with chest pains yesterday. The 90-year-old was treated for a blocked coronary artery and a successful "invasive procedure of coronary stenting" was performed at the Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire.

2. TRUMP PLANNING WHITE HOUSE RUN?

Speculation is mounting that Donald Trump will run as an independent candidate in the 2012 White House elections. The mogul has left the Republican Party and changed his voter registration to "unaffiliated". Trump's lawyer says his client could run "if he’s not satisfied" the Republican candidate can beat Obama.

3. 76% DISCOUNTS FOR LATE XMAS SHOPPERS

Customers who have left their Xmas shopping until today will be rewarded by discounts of up to 76%, say retail experts. Meanwhile, according to consumer affairs magazine Which?, 10% of shoppers are waiting until the January sales start before buying Xmas gifts for their loved ones.

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4. LIB DEMS URGE TAX CRACKDOWN

Liberal Democrat ministers are urging Chancellor George Osborne to tackle the £25billion of unresolved tax disputes with big companies. Their proposed new rules - which they want included in the next Budget - would hand HM Revenue and Customs new powers to investigate corporate tax avoidance.

5. ASSANGE COULD FACE SPY CHARGES

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could face espionage charges in the US after prosecutors in the Bradley Manning case revealed evidence of his apparent role in the theft of military documents. Logs of online chats appear to show Assange teaching Manning how to hack military computers.

6. PM TARGETS CHILD EXPLOITATION

David Cameron is warning companies that he is going to tackle "the commercialisation and sexualisation” of childhood. He wants to see an end to the use of children as "brand ambassadors" and is also preparing to crackdown on overly-sexualised images in advertising and magazine covers.

7. GORBACHEV "ASHAMED" OF PUTIN

Mikhail Gorbachev has said he is "ashamed" of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Speaking on the eve of a huge anti-Kremlin protest, the architect of perestroika said he is shocked and disappointed by Putin's response to dissent. "This is shameful. And embarrassing. I, for example, am ashamed," he said.

8. SYRIA BLAMES Al-QAEDA FOR BOMBS

The Syrian government and opposition have clashed over the cause of the suicide bombings that killed at least 44 people in Damascus yesterday. Syria has blamed the attacks on al-Qaeda, but the opposition claims they were staged by the government to justify its crackdown on protesters.

9. POLICE URGE CPS TO CHARGE HUHNE

Police have recommended that Energy Secretary Chris Huhne and his estranged wife be charged over claims that he dodged a speeding penalty, says The Times. Detectives have presented the CPS with evidence and hope the pair will be charged with speeding and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

10. FERGIE: SUAREZ BAN CORRECT

Sir Alex Ferguson has said the FA was correct to ban Luis Suarez for racially abusing Patrice Evra. "I think we’re satisfied that the FA have found the right decision,” he said. Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has called on the FA to protect Suarez from the "antagonism" of opposition fans.