1. YASSER ARAFAT'S BODY EXHUMED
The body of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was exhumed early today so that forensic scientists can search for traces of poison. A blue tarpaulin surrounds the mausoleum in Ramallah in the West Bank where he was buried in 2004. A TV documentary earlier this year suggested he may may been poisoned with Polonium 210.
Digging up Arafat: slim chance they'll find Polonium 210
2. BANK CHIEF CARNEY GETS £624,000 PACKAGE
Mark Carney, the next Governor of the Bank of England, was tempted with an annual pay package worth £624,000 a year – a 50 per cent increase on his renumeration at the Bank of Canada. Carney's appointment has been welcomed by the financial press. "An inspired and eloquent choice which marks a clean break with the failings of the past," said the Telegraph.
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Warm welcome and a hot salary for new Bank chief Mark Carney
3. WINTER VOMITING BUG SWEEPS UK HOSPITALS
UK health authorities have reported a surge in cases of norovirus, the highly contagious winter vomiting bug. Figures issued by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show a 50 per cent rise on last winter. There have so many cases in the past fortnight that some hospitals have had to close wards. Warwick Hospital has banned patient visits to six wards.
Winter vomiting bug outbreak forces hospital ward closures
4. TWO AND A HALF MEN ACTOR BERATES 'FILTH'
Angus Jones, the 19-year-old actor who has played the teenager in the US comedy series 'Two and a Half Men' since he was 10, has denounced the show as "filth", and urged viewers to stop watching it. He says the show, which once starred Charlie Sheen, conflicts with the bible studies he now enjoys with a Californian-based Christian group.
Two and a Half Men's Jake says don't watch my show - it's 'filth'
5. SPORTS PERSONALITY OF YEAR SHORTLIST
Tour de France and Olympic gold winning cyclist Bradley Wiggins was named the 2/5 favourite by bookies William Hill last night as the BBC revealed its shortlist for the Sports Personality of the Year award. Golfer Rory McIlroy was the only person on the shortlist of 12 not to have taken part in the Olympic or Paralympic Games.
Bradley Wiggins 2-5 favourite to win sports personality award
6. ONE DEAD IN ST ASAPH FLOODS
An elderly woman has been found dead in a flooded home in the North Wales city of St Asaph, which has been evacuated after the River Elwy burst its banks. The woman is the fourth person to die in a week of floods across the country. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said it was unfair to criticise the coalition for cutting flood defence schemes given the economic situation.
UK floods: clean-up begins as waters recede - pictures
7. DORRIES TOLD TO MAKE UP WITH PARTY
Nadine Dorries, the Tory MP who went on ITV show 'I'm a Celebrity' without telling her constituents, has survived today's meeting with chief whip Sir George Young. But she's been given just a week to mend fences with her constituency party. If she can't persuade them to forgive her, she could still be booted out of the party.
Nadine Dorries escapes Tory sacking – but for how long?
8. BRITON HACKED TO DEATH IN S.AFRICA
Chris Preece, 54, a British engineer who had "fallen in love" with South Africa, was hacked to death with machetes by thieves in the kitchen of his Fleur de Lis farm at Ficksburg, near the Lesotho border. The three attackers stole £210 and a mobile phone. His wife Felicity was also attacked, but survived. It was the latest in a spate of farm attacks.
Briton Chris Preece latest victim of South Africa's farm murders
9. ASSANGE WARNS INTERNET MIGHT ENSLAVE US
The internet is now "the most dangerous facilitator of totalitarianism we have ever seen", according to Julian Assange. The WikiLeaks editor warns in his new book 'Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the internet' of an impending "postmodern surveillance dystopia" which only the most skilled individuals will be able to escape.
WikiLeaks's Assange warns the internet may enslave us all
10. HOT TICKET: ZOMBIE GAME FINALE
The fifth installment of role-playing zombie video game 'The Walking Dead' has been released in the UK. 'Episode 5: No Time Left' sees escaped prisoner Lee Everett trying to save a girl from a zombie apocalypse, and ultimately from himself. "Gut-wrenching" says Metro.
No Time Left: a gut-wrenching finale to The Walking Dead
