Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 22 Oct 2013

1. SYRIA: MINISTERS MEET IN LONDON

William Hague and foreign ministers from ten Arab and Western nations are meeting Syrian opposition politicians in London today in an effort to persuade them to attend Geneva II, next month’s much-anticipated peace talks. John Kerry said a key outcome must be the removal of president Bashar al-Assad from power.

Syria: Hague, Kerry meet rebels to save Geneva peace summit

2. FERGUSON ROUNDS ON ROY KEANE

Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has rounded on his former captain Roy Keane in the pages of his latest autobiography, out this week. He describes how the pair fell out but admits that even he found the player "frightening". He also lifts the lid on rows with David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Arsene Wenger and others.

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Ferguson savages Keane, but will pundit retaliate?

3. HEALTH TOURISM: NHS ‘CAN SAVE £500M’

The government says the NHS can recover £500m a year, one quarter of what it spends treating overseas visitors and migrants, by charging foreign patients and clawing back money owed by foreign governments. It proposes a £200-a-year levy on all migrants from outside the EU who stay more than five years.

NHS foreign care Q&A: how will government save £500m?

4. WHITE WIDOW’S ‘ODE TO OSAMA’ FOUND

Samantha Lewthwaite, the UK woman suspected of the Nairobi mall attacks known as the ‘White Widow’ because her husband was one of the London 7/7 bombers, wrote a 34-line poem in praise of Osama Bin Laden, says Sky News. It begins: “O Sheikh Osama my father, my brother/ My love for you is like no other.”

Is Samantha Lewthwaite really a terrorist mastermind?

5. WELBY: GEORGE BAPTISM TO INSPIRE

The Archbishop of Canterbury has said the Christening ceremony on Wednesday for the royal baby, Prince George, will “inspire” others to seek the same for their children. He said: “All babies are unbelievably special, not only royal babies.” He said the ceremony would be “hugely important” for George’s royal parents.

Prince George ‘played sheep in school nativity’

6. BEHEADING VIDEOS BACK ON FACEBOOK

Social networking site Facebook has allowed the return of videos of beheadings - and other extreme violence - to its pages. It had removed all such films in May after complaints but now says it will tolerate them as long as they are not being posted to celebrate or foment violence, and are instead being shared in condemnation.

Facebook does U-turn on beheading video

7. SECOND BLONDE GIRL FOUND IN ROMA CAMP

Police have removed a seven-year-old blonde girl from a Roma family in Dublin, the Sunday World has revealed. Police following up a tip-off from a member of the public were unsatisfied with the birth certificate produced by the couple. The girl has been taken into care but no arrests have been made.

8. STUART HALL STRIPPED OF OBE

Disgraced presenter Stuart Hall has been stripped of his OBE. A notice was put in the London Gazette this afternoon confirming that the Queen had directed that the honour should be “cancelled and anulled”. Hall is serving a 30-month jail term after admitting offences of indecent assault relating to 13 victims.

9. THERESA MAY SCRAPS ‘GO HOME’ VANS

The home secretary has said that poster-vans urging illegal immigrants to “go home” will not be used elsewhere in the UK after a trial in London was deemed to be a failure. May said the vans were “too much of a blunt instrument” and “not a good idea”.

Theresa May axes Go Home vans, admitting they failed

10. HOT TICKET: DAVID TENNANT'S RICHARD II

A new RSC production of Shakespeare's Richard II starring David Tennant has opened at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. Former Doctor Who star, Tennant, plays a flawed king, whose weaknesses and errors threaten his kingdom and lead to his downfall. "Electrifying," says The Times. Until 16 November.

David Tennant's 'mesmerising' Richard II – reviews