Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 22 Jan 2016

1. US: 50 million people warned of blizzard

Around 50 million people on the east coast of the US have been warned of a "potentially paralysing" snowstorm to hit today. More than two feet of snow is expected within a few hours in blizzards that could cause power outages and end road and rail travel. There are empty shelves and long queues in supermarkets.

Massive storm set to cripple eastern United States

2. North Korea arrests US student for 'hostile act'

North Korea has arrested a US student it accuses of committing a "hostile act". It says the unnamed student entered the country as a tourist and "aimed to destroy the country's unity". The US embassy in South Korea said it was aware of the arrest. The student becomes the third Western citizen known to be held by North Korea.

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North Korea detains another US citizen

3. French state of emergency 'until IS is defeated'

France's Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, has told the BBC the country will stay in the state of emergency introduced after last year's Paris terror attacks until the "total and global war" against Islamic State is over. The security measures make it easier for police to make arrests and searches, but have been criticised by civil liberties groups.

4. Oscar row 'racist to white people', says Rampling

Charlotte Rampling has provoked controversy by claiming the row over diversity at the Oscars is "racist to white people". The British actress, who has been nominated this year for her role in the film 45 Years, told French radio that it was possible that no black actors had been nominated this year because they did not deserve to be. "Why classify people?" she asked.

PwC accountants 'banned' from Oscars after best picture fiasco

5. Dozens of migrants drown off coast of Greece

More than 40 have died after their boats sank in the Aegean Sea. One vessel went down near the Greek islet of Kalolimnos, killing 34 people, including 11 children, and another sank off the island of Farmakonisi, killing eight people. The boats are thought to have been carrying around 150 people. More than a million migrants arrived in Europe illegally last year.

Islamic State targets vulnerable refugee children for recruitment

6. George Soros: Trump is doing the work of IS

US billionaire and philanthropist George Soros yesterday told an audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos that would-be US president Donald Trump is "doing the work" of Islamic State by "fearmongering". He also pointed the finger at Trump's rival Ted Cruz and said both men wanted to turn the US against Muslims.

7. Litvinenko suspect Lugovoi says report is 'nonsense'

One of the two Russian agents named by a British judge yesterday as responsible for the poisoning of dissident Alexander Litvinenko with polonium-210 in 2006 has dismissed the accusations as "nonsense" and "supposition". The report into Litvinenko's killing concludes it was "probably" approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

What happened to Alexander Litvinenko?

8. Spanish Prime Minister falls for hoax call

Spain's Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, has fallen victim to a prank call on a radio show. An impersonator pretending to be Catalonia's new separatist regional leader, Carles Puigdemont, was put through to the national leader and asked for a meeting. Rajoy eagerly agreed, telling the caller he had a "very free schedule".

9. Paedophile killer has jail term doubled

A woman who stabbed a man to death after discovering he was a paedophile has had her jail term more than doubled. Sarah Sands, 32, was convicted last year of manslaughter after killing 77-year-old Michael Pleasted at his flat in east London. She was jailed for three-and-a-half years. The appeal court today extended the "unduly lenient" term to seven-and-a-half years.

10. Briefing: why chess is banned in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's highest religious cleric has ruled that chess is forbidden under Islam because it encourages gambling. "The game of chess is a waste of time and an opportunity to squander money. It causes enmity and hatred between people," said Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah. He also cited a verse in the Koran banning gambling. The ruling came during the cleric's weekly television show during which he pronounces fatwas ­- legal pronouncements on aspects of Islamic law ­- in response to viewer's questions.

Saudi Grand Mufti says chess is forbidden under Islam