Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 4 Dec 2012

1. OBAMA WARNS ASSAD ON CHEMICAL WEAPONS

President Obama yesterday warned Syrian President Assad he will face "consequences" if he uses chemical weapons against his people, a move predicted by a high-level defecting army officer. "The world is watching," said Obama. “The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable.” Syria denies it has any such plan.

Turkey set to deploy Patriot missiles on Syrian border

2. COULD IT BE TWINS FOR KATE MIDDLETON?

There is speculation that the Duchess of Cambridge could be expecting twins. Hyperemesis gravidarum, the severe ‘morning sickness’ which has confined her to the King Edward VII Hospital in London, is three times more likely in women expecting multiple births.

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

Kate’s morning sickness: how serious and does it mean twins?

3. ISRAEL DEFIANT OVER ‘E1’ SETTLEMENTS

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday defied all international pressure over his move to extend illegal settlements into the crucial ‘E1’ zone of East Jerusalem, cutting the prospective Palestinian capital off from the West Bank. He said Israel will continue to pursue it’s "vital interests". Britain is among the countries whose protest was ignored.

4. TURNER PRIZE GOES TO ELIZABETH PRICE

The annual £25,000 Turner Prize was awarded last night to video artist Elizabeth Price, from Yorkshire. Her winning work, the Woolworths Choir of 1979, used archival images, text and music. The other nominees were performance artist Spartacus Chetwynd, video artist Luke Fowler and a more conventional visual artist, Paul Noble.

Elizabeth Price 'worthy winner' of the 2012 Turner Prize

5. IRAN AND US DISPUTE 'CAPTURED DRONE'

The US Navy has denied Iran's claim that it has captured an American drone. Iranian TV showed footage of what looked like a ScanEagle, a relatively unsophisticated US drone, being inspected by Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi of the Revolutionary Guard. If Tehran's claims are true, it is the second US drone to be captured by Iran in a year.

Iran claims second US drone capture in a year

6. PRESS REGULATOR PLANS 'BY THURSDAY'

David Cameron told newspaper editors at a Downing Street meeting today that they must set up an independent press regulator urgently. Culture Secretary Maria Miller said editors had "responded positively" and would set out their plans in the next two days. Earlier, Miller said that if an acceptable plan was not forthcoming, the government would impose statutory controls.

Press victims could stand in next election against Leveson deniers

7. LINESMAN'S DEATH: THREE TEENS CHARGED

Three football players, aged between 15 and 16 years, have been charged with manslaughter, assault and public violence after allegedly taking part in an attack which resulted in the death of a linesman. The three were playing for a Sunday league team called Nieuw-Sloten against Buitenboys in the town of Almere. The victim was the father of a Buitenboys player.

Dutch linesman dies after assault by teenage players

8. JK ROWLING NOVEL TO BE FILMED BY BBC

JK Rowling's first novel for adults, 'The Casual Vacancy', which sold 125,000 copies in its first week despite cool reviews, is to be dramatised as a series for BBC television, it was announced yesterday. The Harry Potter creator said she was "thrilled" and plans to "collaborate closely" on the series, which will air on BBC1 in 2014.

JK Rowling's 'Casual Vacancy' to become a BBC drama series

9. 'STUPID' BBC CYCLING FILM UPSETS MPS

A documentary about commuter cycling to be broadcast tomorrow on BBC1 has been described as "sensationalist" and "stupid" by MPs and campaigners who believe it will encourage drivers to be more aggressive towards cyclists. 'The War on Britain’s Roads' relies heavily on video footage filmed by cameras mounted on cyclists’ helmets which show assaults and near-miss accidents.

'War' on Britain’s roads? BBC cycling doc starts fiery debate

10. HOT TICKET: PIRATE SURVIVAL GAME

The third installment of the 'Far Cry' survivalist video game series has just been released in the UK to rave reviews. In 'Far Cry 3', players take on the role of Jason Brody, a tourist stranded on the savage tropical Rook Island who is hunted by a band of pirates as he tries to rescue his friends. "Replete with visceral joys," says The Guardian.

Dark and thrilling, Far Cry 3 is a tropical Assassin's Creed