Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 29 Oct 2012

1. AMERICA BRACES FOR MEGA STORM

Over 60 million Americans are bracing themselves for Hurricane Sandy which is expected to make landfall in New Jersey late tonight local time. Several states, including New York, Pennsylvania and Washington DC, have declared a state of emergency with mass evacuations in some areas. Forecasters say the storm could be the biggest to ever hit the United States mainland.

New Yorkers' lives threatened as megastorm Sandy approaches

2. CHILDREN IN NEED BANNED 'CREEPY' SAVILE

A former governor of the BBC and chairman of Children in Need chairman has revealed that Jimmy Savile was banned by the charity more than ten years ago because of his "creepy" behaviour. Sir Roger Jones said he did not want the late presenter "anywhere near the charity". The news comes as the BBC launches another inquiry into the scandal.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Children in Need banned 'creepy' Savile over sex fears

3. £350M FOR TRIDENT REPLACEMENT

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has announced that £350m will be spent on design work for a replacement of the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system, despite a coalition pledge that no decision would be made on its future until 2016. The announcement has been seen as another snub for the Lib Dems who are against a replacement.

4. HOW 'BANSHEE' CHERIE HELPED 2012 BID

An "exocet" moment from Cherie Blair helped London beat Paris in the fight to host the Olympics, reveals Lord Coe in his memoir. At a party in Singapore, Blair was “like a banshee” as she took president Chirac of France to task over comments he had made about British food. Chirac consequently fled the party before he could lobby for the Paris bid.

5. TERRORIST'S FAMILY TO SUE UK GOVERNMENT

The family of an al-Qaeda terrorist who was killed in a CIA drone strike is planning to sue the British government. Rashid Rauf, a fugitive from Birmingham who was believed to have played a key role in the 7/7 bombings and a plot to bomb airliners, was killed in a drone strike in Pakistan in 2008. His family accuse the government of being complicit in his murder.

6. SUU KYI CRITICISED OVER BURMA UNREST

Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi is facing growing criticism for her failure to speak out against the ethnic violence that has seen Buddhist inhabitants of Rakhine State persecute minority Rohingya Muslims. Burma expert Bertil Lintner said "criticism against her is growing among international human rights organisations". However, Suu Kyi faces a dilemma, because domestic opinion is anti-Rohingya.

Aung San Suu Kyi loses her gloss for failing to denounce killings

7. CHILD BENEFIT CUTS LETTERS SENT

The tax office is sending 1 million letters to people warning them they are about to lose their child benefit or see it reduced. The letters are going to people who earn over £50,000 and live at an address where child benefit is received. A Treasury spokesman said that 85% of families with children would be unaffected.

Child benefit cuts: fair reform or heartless insult to the poor?

8. ONE IN FIVE PAID BELOW 'LIVING WAGE'

Five million British workers are paid less than the minimum wage required for a basic standard of living, research from leading accountancy KPMG has claimed. The 'living wage' is at £8.30 an hour in London and £7.20 in the rest of the UK. The research also found that four out of 10 low paid workers say they are worse off now than a month ago.

9. CHELSEA ACCUSE REF OF RACIST LANGUAGE

Chelsea have made a formal complaint against referee Mark Clattenburg, claiming he made a racial remark to two of their players after they lost 3-2 to Manchester United. The club is also investigating reports that a steward was injured by objects thrown from the crowd. Meanwhile Luis Suarez performed a joke dive celebration during Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Everton.

Chelsea vs Man United: referee accused of using 'racial' slur

10. HOT TICKET: BRENTON TURNS TO CROMWELL

Howard Brenton’s new historical drama ‘55 Days’ has opened at London's Hampstead Theatre. Douglas Henshall and Mark Gatiss star in the story of the 55-day military coup when Oliver Cromwell’s army took control of Parliament and tried King Charles I for treason. “Fascinating”, says The Times. Until 24 November.

Cromwell's 55 Days: tale of England's only military coup