Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 29 Nov 2013

1. GOVT DENIES ENERGY PRICE FREEZE PLEA

The Treasury has denied claims that it urged the Big Six energy companies to freeze prices until mid-2015, a move that might have cut annual bills by around £50. The government insists it simply put forward ideas to reduce firms’ environmental obligations and asked them what impact this would have on household bills.

Energy bills: ministers deny seeking energy price freeze

2. LEE RIGBY 'ATTACKED LIKE JOINT OF MEAT'

A Muslim convert held British soldier Lee Rigby by the hair and tried to hack off his head 'like a butcher attacking a joint of meat' after knocking him down with a car at 40mph, the Old Bailey heard today. Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, are standing trial over the killing of the Fusilier.

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Lee Rigby killer sues prison service over lost teeth

3. 'STRONG' HOUSE PRICE RISE ACROSS UK

Nationwide, the country’s second-largest mortgage lender, says it is seeing a strong rise in UK house prices - 6.5% year-on-year for November, up from 5.8% for October. The average price of a UK house or flat is now £174,566, the highest since April 2008. However, other recent house price surveys have been lower.

4. ADULTS MISBEHAVE IN YOUTH FOOTBALL

The FA is to offer ‘Respect’ courses to adults involved in youth football, including parents of players, after it found almost 4,000 misconduct offences had been committed by adults nationally over a 15-month period. The offences included offensive remarks or physical fights between parents or club managers.

5. COMET ISON MAY HAVE SURVIVED

Scientists believe Comet Ison - or a part of it at least - may have survived its bruising encounter with the Sun. It was reported last night that the comet had not made it past the Sun, but pictures taken since then suggest that part of the 2km-wide comet may still light up the night sky during December.

Has part of Comet Ison made it past the Sun?

6. CHINA LAUNCHES JETS AFTER JAPANESE FLY-BY

China has sent fighter jets to patrol the air space over disputed islands in the East China Sea after Japanese and South Korean planes flew past. Japan controls the Senkaku islands, known as Diaoyu in China, but China claims sovereignty and had declared the air-space over the islands as a controlled zone of its own.

Will China's new air defence zone lead to war with Japan?

7. MAIREAD PHILPOTT SENTENCE APPEAL FAILS

Mairead Philpott has lost her appeal against the 17-year prison sentence imposed for the killing of her six children. The 33-year-old was jailed alongside her husband Mick at Nottingham Crown Court in April after being found guilty of the manslaughter of Jade Philpott and her brothers John, Jack, Jesse, Jayden and Duwayne.

8. GLOUCESTERSHIRE BADGER CULL HALTED

Animal activists have branded the badger cull in Gloucestershire a "fiasco" after it was called off three weeks early because too few animals have been killed to meet the terms of the licence. The cull was due to end on 18 December, but will now end at noon tomorrow.

Gas badgers, says Princess Anne, as cull abandoned

9. 'I STILL ADORE NIGELLA' SAYS SAATCHI

Charles Saatchi has told a court he still "adores" his ex-wife Nigella Lawson and doesn't actually know if she ever took drugs. Speaking at the trial of the couple's two personal assistants who are accused of credit card fraud, Saatchi said he was "utterly bereft" that an email he sent to Lawson discussing her drug use had been made public.

10. HOT TICKET: BIOPIC SAVING MR BANKS

The biographical drama, Saving Mr Banks, opens in UK cinemas today. The film stars Tom Hanks as movie mogul Walt Disney and depicts his campaign to charm Mary Poppins author PL Travers (Emma Thompson) into giving him the film rights to her closely-guarded book. "A delight," says The Times.

'Brilliantly acted' Disney biopic Saving Mr Banks – reviews