Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 4 Dec 2015

1. Corbyn: by-election win is 'vote of confidence'

Jeremy Corbyn has hailed a "vote of confidence" in Labour after the party held on to a safe seat in a by-election brought about by the death of sitting MP Michael Meacher. Labour's Jim McMahon, who was the leader of the local council, secured a 10,835-vote majority over nearest rivals Ukip in the Oldham West and Royton ballot.

Jeremy Corbyn is a 'disaster', says Stephen Hawking

2. San Bernardino shooter pledged allegiance to IS

One of the San Bernardino gun attack suspects had pledged allegiance to Islamic State on Facebook says US officials. Tashfeen Malik made the post, which was later removed from the site, under an account with a different name. Malik and her husband Syed Rizwan Farook were shot dead after killing 14 and injuring 21 people on Wednesday. The scene was described as "unspeakable".

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San Bernardino shooting: what we know about the attackers

3. Thousands flee Chennai as floodwaters recede

Thousands of people are fleeing the flooded Indian city Chennai in fear heavy rains will return, though floodwaters have started to recede. Officials said yesterday the rain was no longer a problem but an overflowing river and 30 lakes posed a threat. More than 260 peope have died after the heaviest rain in the region for a century.

4. Danes vote against closer ties with Europe

Final results in a Danish referendum show that voters have rejected a plan to adopt EU rules on cross-border policing which would have tightened links with the EU. The Danish government had wanted to abandon opt-outs which Denmark has on some EU rules. Prime minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said the 53% result was a "clear no".

5. Cult leader guilty of rape and indecent assault

Maoist cult leader Aravindan Balakrishnan has been found guilty of a series of sex attacks. The 75-year-old, who claimed he could summon a supernatural force called Jackie, was convicted at Southwark Crown Court of two followers and falsely imprisoning and mistreating his daughter for more than 30 years. She escaped the commune in 2013.

6. Rail fares: 1.1% rise is lowest for six years

Rail fares will rise by an average of 1.1% from 2 January, the lowest annual increase for six years. Regulated fares are now linked to the rate of inflation and will rise 1% - the rest of the increase will be in unregulated fares such as off-peak leisure tickets. Campaigners said fares have gone up 25% in the last five years and this is "unfair".

7. Forth Road Bridge closed until new year

The Forth Road Bridge has been closed until the new year because of a structural fault. The bridge was closed at midnight after engineers discovered a 20mm-wide crack in a truss under the southbound carriageway. Tailbacks of 11 miles were reported on routes into Edinburgh on Friday morning and extra public transport could be laid on from next week.

8. Pakistan lawyer wants Queen to return diamond

A lawyer has filed a demand to a Pakistan court that the Koh-i-Noor diamond, part of the UK crown jewels, should be returned. The 105-carat gem has been in British hands since the East India Company annexed the Punjab in 1849. It is also wanted in India, with a case reportedly brought by Indian lawyers in the UK last month.

9. Whitehall fears over Cameron's Syria claim

Senior military officials are concerned that David Cameron assertion that 70,000 Syrian rebels were ready to help destroy Islamic State could come back to haunt him. He made the claim in Parliament last week as he attempted to convince MPs to back his call for air strikes, but the figure has been described as "magical".

Syria 'planning a new chemical attack', US claims

10. Briefing: the smarter way for retirees to save

Research has found that people in their 60s, 70s and 80s are the nation's biggest savers - putting aside far more a year than younger generations. But the majority of savings made by older people are sitting in low interest current accounts - when there may be far more lucrative options available.

Are retirees saving in the right places?