Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 13 Nov 2013

1. HAIYAN: UK CHARITIES RAISE £13M IN 24H

An appeal by 14 British charities to help victims of Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Philippines last week, has raised £13 million in 24 hours. The UK government had agreed to match up to £5m of public donations, on top of the £10m it had already pledged. A representative of the charities said the response had been overwhelming.

Typhoon Haiyan: how long will Philippines take to recover?

2. £89M BACON PAINTING BREAKS RECORD

A painting by British artist Francis Bacon has fetched $142m (£89m) in New York, making it the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction. Auction house Christie’s said it took just six minutes of frenzied bidding to sell the triptych Three Studies of Lucien Freud (1969). The identity of the buyer has not been made public.

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3. ENERGY BILLS ‘WILL RISE FOR 17 YEARS’

Consumers face 17 years of above-inflation energy and water bill price-hikes as the UK’s utilities infrastructure is improved, the National Audit Office has warned. The watchdog expressed particular concern about low income groups and said the government lacked an “overall picture of affordability” in its planning.

Energy bills: how to save money on gas and electricity

4. A&E REFORMS TO CUT LOCAL CARE

A radical plan to relieve pressure on A&E units could see patients travelling further for care. NHS England is considering a two-tier system, with specialist emergency care concentrated in regional hospitals. Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director, says expert care is more important than a shorter ambulance ride.

A&E reforms Q&A: biggest shake-up in emergency care

5. FRANCE CALLS FOR KILLER ROBOT BAN

Fears of ‘Terminator-style’ autonomous killing machines coming into use in the not-so-distant future have prompted France to call for an international ban, to be considered at the annual meeting of the Convention on Conventional Weapons in Geneva on Friday. Drones already in use have some degree of autonomy.

6. JACK STRAW: LABOUR LET POLES IN TOO SOON

Former home secretary Jack Straw has said Labour made a mistake by dropping immigration restrictions on migrants from Poland before it was necessary to do so. Writing in the Lancashire Telegraph, Straw says he “messed up” in allowing Poles to work here from 2004, instead of waiting until 2011 as other EU states did.

Jack Straw confesses: Labour 'messed up' on EU immigration

7. HUGE ICEBERG COULD ‘THREATEN SHIPPING’

An iceberg of about 270 square miles - about the size of Singapore - which broke away from the Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica in July could enter busy shipping lanes, scientists fear. A team of investigators from the UK has been awarded an emergency grant to study the huge berg and track is journey into the ocean.

8. UK ECONOMY IS 'GROWING ROBUSTLY'

Mark Carney, the Governor of the Bank of England, said the British economy is growing strongly as the recovery takes hold. He revised growth forecasts for this quarter from 1.4 to 1.6 per cent and said unemployment was likely to fall.

Mark Carney: interest rates to rise sooner than expected

9. ARSENAL FAN LOSES HOUSE IN BET

An Arsenal fan in Uganda is homeless after betting his two-bedroom house on a Gunners victory in last weekend's clash with Manchester United. Henry Dhabasani entered into a wager with United fan Rashid Yiga, says the Ugandan Observer. After the game he and his faily were reportedly evicted from their home by United fans.

10. HOT TICKET: TWELVE ANGRY MEN REVIVAL

A revival of classic courtroom drama Twelve Angry Men has opened at the Garrick Theatre, in London’s West End. Martin Shaw stars as a dissenting juror attempting to convince the rest of the group to rethink their prejudices before convicting a young delinquent of murder. "Thoroughly engaging," says The Times.

'Engaging' courtroom drama Twelve Angry Men - reviews