Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 22 Oct 2015

1. Sugar tax could help tackle obesity, says report

Public Health England has recommended a series of measures including a 20% "sugar tax" to tackle health problems including obesity. It said no single action would succeed and also called for less marketing of high-sugar products aimed at children and a reduction in special offers at supermarkets. A spokesman for David Cameron said he was opposed to the introduction of a sugar tax.

2. White House slams Assad’s Moscow trip

Washington has bitterly condemned a visit to Moscow by the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. A White House spokesman criticised Russia for putting on a "red carpet welcome". The Syrian leader's trip came just weeks after Russia began air strikes in Syria against Islamic State. Assad said Moscow’s involvement had stopped "terrorism" becoming "more widespread and harmful" in Syria.

US and Russia spar over vetoed Syria sanctions

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3. Theresa May criticises lack of police diversity

Theresa May has condemned the lack of diversity in police forces. The Home Secretary told the National Black Police Association conference that the record of forces on employing black and female officers is "not good enough". She also dismissed claims that a rise in knife crime was linked to curbs on stop-and-search powers.

Theresa May: all-white police chief line-up 'not good enough'

4. Asteroid in 'near miss' with Earth on Halloween

An asteroid nicknamed the "Great Pumpkin" will narrowly miss Earth on Halloween. Nasa discovered the asteroid on 10 October and predict it will come within 300,000 miles of the Earth, about as close as the moon, allowing astronomers to observe it in "unprecedented" levels of detail. The space rock is believed to be around 400 metres wide. It could be the closest we come to an asteroid for 12 years.

Halloween asteroid: what you need to know about 'Great Pumpkin'

5. Banks ‘must help customers move to rivals’

Banks will be forced to help savers to find deals with rivals, under new proposals to be unveiled today. Among the triggers that would mean banks must help out are serious IT glitches, branch closures, raised charges, a cut in interest rates or a major dispute with a customer. The Times reveals a report by the Competition and Markets Authority, which outlines the proposed policy.

Which savings accounts pay the worst rates?

6. Men are closing life expectancy gap

Well-off, educated men now live longer than the average woman for the first time, official figures show. This is the first time that a social group of men has outlived female averages. Men are continuing to close the life expectancy gender gap. Since the 1970s males have been surviving longer, partly due to a move away from heavy manual labour and drops in smoking rates.

7. Two dead in sword attack at Swedish school

A pupil and a teacher at a school in Sweden have been killed in a sword attack. Another pupil and teacher were seriously injured in the incident in the cafe of a school in the western town of Trollhattan at around 10am local time. Some witnesses said the attacker, who was shot by police and taken to hospital, was wearing long robes and a Star Wars mask.

Sweden school attack: police investigate racist motive

8. Critics hail new Bond film, Spectre

British critics have lavished praise on the new James Bond film Spectre ahead of its release next week. The movie, starring Daniel Craig, Christopher Waltz, Lea Seydoux and Monica Bellucci has been hailed for it spectacular stunts and a "jaw-dropping" opening sequence. However, some reviewers have claimed the latest Bond film doesn't quite match the standards of its predecessor, Skyfall.

Who will replace Daniel Craig as the next James Bond?

9. Johan Cruyff has lung cancer

Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff has been diagnosed with lung cancer. The 68-year-old, who won three successive European Cups with Ajax and played in the World Cup final in 1974, was diagnosed this week and is undergoing more tests. Cruyff, who also played for and managed Barcelona, was one of the exponents of 'Total Football' in the 1970s and helped pioneer Barcelona's modern 'tiki-taka' style.

10. Briefing: Starbucks tax ruling is 'tip of the iceberg'

Starbucks and Fiat are to be hit with a tax bill of tens of millions of euros, after a European Commission investigation ruled their so-called "sweetheart" deals with Luxembourg and the Netherlands are unlawful. The companies and governments have publicly disagreed with the decision, while campaigners have alleged their cases represent the "tip of the iceberg" on corporate tax avoidance.

Starbucks and Fiat tax ruling is 'tip of the iceberg'