Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 31 Dec 2015

1. Extra armed police for London fireworks display

A total of 3,000 police will be on duty for the Mayor's New Year's Eve fireworks in central London tonight, including extra armed officers called in over terror fears. Brussels has cancelled its display after two men were arrested in Belgium and accused of plotting an attack on the event. Extra police will also patrol Paris tonight.

2. Flood warnings still in place after Storm Frank

There are dozens of flood warnings still in place today after Storm Frank yesterday hit Northern Ireland, the north of England and southern and central Scotland. Many homes were evacuated in Scotland yesterday - and many are without power today. There are fears of further flooding even though fresh rainfall is to be "brief".

3. Osborne 'risked communities by cutting flood defences'

Academics have accused George Osborne of cutting spending on Britain's flood defences, leaving communities at risk, says The Guardian. The Tories promised to invest £400m a year in defences but instead, spending was cut sharply, the paper claims. Osborne is also accused of ignoring the likely effects of global warming.

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4. Knighthood for Tory advisor is 'outrageous'

Labour says the government is undermining the integrity of the honours system, using it as a "vehicle to reward Tory cronies and donors" after Lynton Crosby was given a knighthood. The Australian was campaign director for the party at the last election. Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham said the honour was "outrageous".

5. Cosby bailed for $1m over sexual assault charge

US entertainer Bill Cosby will remain free on $1m bail after appearing in court yesterday charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Pennsylvania more than ten years ago. The case is the first criminal prosecution brought against Cosby, though more than 50 women have come forward to claim he drugged and assaulted them.

6. Turbulence injures 21 on 'flight from hell'

Turbulence has been blamed after 21 people were injured on an Air Canada flight which made an unscheduled landing in Calgary. Injured people taken to hospital suffered neck and back injuries but are all said to be in a stable condition. The flight was en route from Shanghai to Tornoto when it suddenly dropped straight down.

7. Howe: Letwin statement 'borders on criminality'

Writer and campaigner Darcus Howe says a memo co-written by Oliver Letwin for Margaret Thatcher 30 years ago, now public for the first time, is "bordering on criminality". Letwin yesterday apologised for "any offence" caused when he wrote that funding for black youths would be wasted on the "disco and drugs trade".

8. Trump: Clinton is 'one of the great abusers of the world'

Donald Trump has escalated a row with his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton by describing her husband, Bill, as "one of the great abusers of the world". Hillary had accused Trump, who wants to be the next Republican president, of sexism after he used the word "schlonging" to describe her losing the nomination to Barack Obama in 2008.

9. Pro snowboarders to try out North Korean slopes

North Korea's state news agency says three of the biggest names in snowboarding are to visit the country to try out its recently-completed ski resort, Masikryong. Terje Hakonsen, Dan Liedahl and Mike Ravelson will become the first western professionals to visit in January, on a trip organised with Snowboarder magazine.

10. The Week's year in numbers: 2015

In 2015, the world saw natural disasters take thousands of lives and an explosive scandal in the car-making industry, but it also experienced a landmark achievement in space exploration and the arrival of a new royal baby. We review some of the striking numbers contained in this year's news stories.

2015: the year in numbers