Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 29 Nov 2012

1. CAMERON REJECTS PRESS REGS LAW

Lord Justice Leveson has called for a tougher form of self-regulation of newspapers, backed by legislation, and said the press has sometimes “wreaked havoc in the lives of innocent people”. David Cameron told MPs that Leveson's "principles" should be implemented. However, he said he had "serious concerns and misgivings" over the idea of legislation to underpin press regulation.

Cameron splits House by refusing to back Lord Leveson all the way

2. JULIAN ASSANGE 'HAS LUNG INFECTION'

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has developed chronic lung infection after living for five months in the "confined space" of a room at the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Ambassador Ana Alban said she was hoping for a meeting with William Hague or Theresa May to discuss the future of Assange, who skipped bail before he could be extradited to Sweden.

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Assange 'has lung condition' - but hospital could mean arrest

3. BP BANNED FROM US GOV'T CONTRACTS

BP has been accused of a "lack of business integrity" and banned from bidding for new US government contracts until it can prove that it matches American business standards, the Environmental Protection Agency said yesterday. The ban follows BP's record fine earlier this month for the 2010 rig blow-out and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

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4. UK COULD ABSTAIN ON PALESTINE UPGRADE

Foreign Secretary William Hague said yesterday that the UK might abstain in a key vote at the UN on Palestinian nationhood. The UK would not oppose the Palestinian Authority being upgraded to "non-member observer state", but Hague wants assurances that the Palestinians will negotiate with Israel "without preconditions".

Palestine status: Israeli doves urge Netanyahu to back down

5. RICKY PONTING QUITS TEST CRICKET

Ricky Ponting, Australia's former cricket captain and the country's highest Test run-scorer, has announced his retirement from international cricket ahead of next summer's Ashes tour of England. The third Test against South Africa starting tomorrow will be his last. He said his recent level of performance hadn't been good enough.

Ponting picks right time to bow out of Test cricket, say experts

6. HIV DIAGNOSIS IN GAY MEN HITS HIGH

The number of gay and bisexual men being diagnosed with HIV in the UK reached an "all-time high" in 2011, the Health Protection Agency reported last night. There has been a "worrying trend" of increasing numbers of new cases each year since 2007, and last year nearly half the 6,280 new cases were among men who had sex with men.

Call for HIV testing as record number of gay men diagnosed

7. UKIP SET TO BENEFIT AT BY-ELECTIONS

UKIP is tipped to be the main beneficiary of the three by-elections being held today in Croydon North, Middlesbrough and Rotherham. The first two were triggered by the deaths of sitting MPs and the third by the resignation of former Europe minister Denis MacShane. All three seats were held by Labour at the 2010 general election.

8. EU: MINIMUM PRICES FOR DRINK 'ILLEGAL'

The government has been warned by the European Commission in a nine-page legal memorandum that setting minimum prices for alcoholic drinks is illegal under European law because it amounts to restricting the free movement of goods within the EU. The memo, originally drafted for the Scottish plan to set minimum prices, says that boosting taxes is the legal way to maintain prices.

Alcohol: 45p-a-unit minimum 'ineffective and unfair'

9. DOWNTON CREATOR TO DO US COSTUME DRAMA

Julian Fellowes is to write a costume drama for American television following the success of his creation ‘Downton Abbey’ in the US. ‘The Gilded Age’ will be set in turn-of-the-century New York when aristocratic families like the Astors and Rockerfellers ruled the roost. Christina Hendricks from ‘Mad Men’ is mooted as a possible star.

Julian Fellowes to write an American Downton Abbey

10. HOT TICKET: KISS ME, KATE, ONCE MORE

Trevor Nunn's critically acclaimed Chichester Festival production of Cole Porter musical Kiss Me, Kate has transferred to the Old Vic in London. It's a battle of the sexes comedy about a divorced couple co-starring in a production of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. "An absolute joy", says The Sunday Times. Until 2 March.

Trevor Nunn's Kiss Me, Kate revival is an absolute joy