Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 20 Oct 2015

1. Protests as Cameron hails China's Xi on state visit

Chinese president Xi Jinping has received a ceremonial welcome from the Queen on the first day of his state visit to the UK. David Cameron expects to agree £30bn-worth of trade and investment deals during the trip, but there have also been protests. Jeremy Corbyn says he will raise human rights issues in a meeting with Xi and there is also anger over China's steel pricing.

Xi Jinping: is UK right to roll out the red carpet for China?

2. Waitrose boss Price 'heading to Channel 4'

Waitrose boss Mark Price is being tipped to take over at broadcaster Channel 4 ahead of a possible privatisation next year. Price is already deputy chairman of the broadcaster and has announced that he is standing down as managing director of Waitrose and deputy chairman of the John Lewis Partnership. Price, nicknamed the 'Chuybby Grocer' is tipped to succeed Lord Burns.

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3. Tata steel announces 1,200 job losses in UK

Multinational steel giant Tata Steel is announcing 1,200 job losses today at plants in Scotland and England. Around 400 jobs will go at Dalzell and Clydebank, effectively ending the steel industry north of the border, and 800 will be lost in Scunthorpe. Yesterday, 1,700 steel jobs were put at risk as Caparo entered partial administration.

Tata Steel strikes £550m deal to solve pensions riddle

4. Canada: Trudeau’s liberals sweep into power

Nine years of Conservative rule in Canada ended in a rout yesterday as Justin Trudeau's Liberals swept into power. With counting continuing this morning, the party was leading in 185 districts, poised to form a majority government. Incumbent Stephen Harper has conceded defeat. Trudeau is the son of the late PM Pierre Trudeau.

Justin Trudeau follows father Pierre as Canadian PM in shock election result

5. Pistorius released from prison under house arrest

Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been released from prison and placed under house arrest, one year after he was jailed for shooting dead his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Relatives of Steenkamp say they believe Pistorius is "getting off lightly". An appeal against the decision not to convict him of murder will be heard on 3 November.

Oscar Pistorius out of legal options as request to appeal rejected

6. IRA 'army council' still exists, admits Villiers

Parts of the IRA, including its ruling "army council" still exist, but now has a "wholly poitical focus" the Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers has told MPs. A report into paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland, compiled by police and MI5, says that republican and loyalist groups still exist but are not capable of of focused on terror campaigns.

7. Treasury defends tax credit plan as MPs debate changes

The government is under increasing pressure over its cuts to tax credits with MPs preparing to vote on the issue at the end of an 'opposition day' debate brought by Labour on the issue. The Treasury has defended the policy claiming reforms made since 2010 will save taxpayers £15bn a year. Changes are due to come into force in April and people will find out how they are affected soon.

Tax credit staff 'deal with suicidal callers every day'

8. Hajj stampede: foreign governments say 1,849 died

The stampede at the Islamic Hajj pilgrimage in September this year was the worst ever, with at least 1,849 deaths, according to figures from foreign governments. Saudi Arabia has still not updated its early estimate of 769 deaths but by collating figures from foreign governments of how many citizens they lost, AFP has a final estimate.

9. Gertrude and Nigel among Met Office storm names

Barney, Gertrude, Nigel and Phil are among a list of new names to be given to storms that affect Britain and Ireland after an online competition. There is a name for each letter of the alphabet, with the exception of Q, U, X, Y and Z. The next big storm to hit Britain will be called Abigail, followed by Barney. There are enough names to last six years say forecasters.

Frank and Rhonda: Met Office reveals storm names

10. Briefing: is the UK right to roll out the red carpet for President Xi?

This week's state visit by China's President Xi Jinping has divided opinion on whether the UK should be welcoming the Chinese leader with such "pomp and ceremony" or using its diplomatic powers to push for human rights reforms. Xi, who is staying in Buckingham Palace during his time in the UK, will ride in a royal carriage, address MPs in Westminster and visit Manchester United Football Club. But his trip is also expected to be marked by protests against China's human rights abuses and concerns about China's state-owned companies having a major role in UK nuclear power.

Xi Jinping: is UK right to roll out the red carpet for China?