Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 23 Nov 2012

1. MAN DIES AS FLOODS SWEEP BRITAIN

A man died after his car was trapped in flooding in Somerset as downpours caused chaos in several areas of the UK. Nearly 100 flood warnings remained in place on Friday morning, most in the south-west and Midlands regions. The Met Office predicts "more heavy rain and strong to gale force winds" over the weekend.

Videos: canal bank collapses and hospice is flooded as gales lash UK

2. PROTESTS AGAINST 'NEW PHARAOH' MORSI

Protesters have attacked the offices of Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood party after he granted himself sweeping new powers, including a decree that his decisions cannot be challenged. Critics accused Morsi of making himself the "new pharaoh". Rallies were also held in support of Morsi and clashes were reported in Alexandria between rival protesters.

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Morsi decree makes him Egypt’s ‘new pharaoh’ say critics

3. BILLS RISE TO FUND GREEN ENERGY

Energy bills are set to soar by up to £178 a year to pay for a series of new wind farms and nuclear power stations. The increase will fund the £7.6billion annual target needed to build new “greener” power stations over the next eight years. The decision comes after months of squabbling between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

4. TAXI SEX COUPLE FACE DUBAI JAIL

A British woman and her Irish boyfriend have been sentenced to three months in jail in Dubai after being convicted of having sex in the back of a taxi. Rebecca Blake and Conor McRedmond were convicted of “breach of honour with consent” and committing “an indecent act in a taxi”, despite forensic tests contradicting the charges.

5. MPS 'INCREDULOUS' AT BBC PAY-OFFS

MPS have slammed the revelation that 10 BBC executives received £4.2m in pay-offs since 2010. Chief operating officer Caroline Thomson took £670,000 even though she wanted to quit. MPs accused the BBC of "hosing down" executives as they left the corporation. New director-general Lord Hall will draw an £82,000 pension on top of his £450,000 salary.

MPs fury as BBC 'hoses down' executives with lavish pay offs

6. TWO DEAD IN 150-CAR THANKSGIVING PILE-UP

Two people have been killed and up to 120 injured in a 150-vehicle pile up in Texas. The accident happened yesterday, on Thanksgiving morning, in dense fog on Interstate 10 near Beaumont. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Deputy Rod Carroll said: "We have cars on top of cars. It's just catastrophic."

Two dead in ‘catastrophic’ Texas Thanksgiving pile-up - video

7. QPR SACK HUGHES, BRING IN REDKNAPP

Mark Hughes has been sacked as manager of QPR, a day before the Premier League's bottom club take on Manchester United in the league. He will be replaced by former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp who takes over next week. QPR are the second west London club to change manager this week after local rivals Chelsea ditched Roberto Di Matteo and hired Rafa Benitez.

Baptism of fire for Chelsea boss Benitez as QPR hire Redknapp

8. REFS' UNION DEMANDS CHELSEA APOLOGY

The referee's union is demanding Chelsea apologise after the Football Association cleared referee Mark Clattenburg of using "inappropriate language" towards midfielder John Obi Mikel. Clattenburg said: “To know you were innocent but that there was the opportunity for it to wreck your career was truly frightening."

Clattenburg is cleared of racial abuse and urged to sue Chelsea

9. EU BUDGET TALKS COLLAPSE

Talks in Brussels aimed at agreeing an EU budget for 2014-2020 have broken up with no agreement. Earlier, Hannes Swoboda, president of the Socialists and Democrats group in the European parliament, said David Cameron was "blackmailing" other EU countries with his demands for cuts. French sources say there will be another summit on the issue in December.

10. HOT TICKET: LOVE AND QUANTUM PHYSICS

The Royal Court's production of Nick Payne's critically acclaimed play about love and quantum physics, 'Constellations', has transferred to the Duke of York Theatre in the West End. Sally Hawkins and Rafe Spall star in a tale of love and loss across multiple universes. 'Scintillating', says The Times.

Hawkins, Spall 'bewitching' in Nick Payne's hit Constellations