Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 17 Feb 2016

1. Final day of talks on Cameron's EU deal

David Cameron has been meeting other European leaders on the final day of talks over the UK's draft renegotiation deal. The Prime Minister hopes to finalise the deal in Brussels tomorrow, paving the way for a referendum on membership of the European Union in June. But European Parliament President Martin Schulz has warned that MEPs' backing for any deal cannot be guaranteed.

2. Bombardier to lose 1,000 jobs in Northern Ireland

Engineering firm Bombardier is to cut Northern Ireland operation by 20 per cent, with 1,000 job losses over the next two years. The redundancies are part of 7,000 positions across Bombardier's global workforce. The aeroplane manufacturer will cut 580 jobs this year with up to 500 more next year in Northern Ireland. A further 270 are to go at its trains business, UK for Rail.

3. Moscow denies Syria war crimes allegations

Russia has denied it committed war crimes by targeting health facilities in Syria. Condemnation of the Kremlin has grown as the death toll from strikes on hospitals rises, but a spokesman rejected the criticism. "We categorically do not accept such statements, the more so as every time those making these statements are unable to prove their unfounded accusations in any way," he said.

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US and Russia spar over vetoed Syria sanctions

4. Has Prince William called for Britain to stay in the EU?

The Duke of Cambridge has been drawn into the debate over Britain’s future in Europe after claims a speech he made at the Foreign Office included a thinly veiled call for Britain to remain in the European Union. "In an increasingly turbulent world, our ability to unite in common action with other nations is essential. It is the bedrock of our security and prosperity and is central to your work," said Prince William.

Remain-voting City lobby group calls for 'dramatic Brexit U-turn'

5. Obama: Donald Trump will never be president

Donald Trump will not be US president because it's a "serious job", says President Barack Obama. "I continue to believe that Mr Trump will not be president. And the reason is because I have a lot of faith in the American people," said Obama. Trump has won one state primary already and leads the polls in South Carolina, where Republicans vote on Saturday.

6. Up to 25 spoons of sugar in high-street hot drinks

High street cafes are selling drinks containing "shocking" amounts of sugar, a campaign group has warned. Action on Sugar analysed 131 hot drinks and found a third contained at least as much sugar as a can of Coca-Cola or Pepsi, which each include nine teaspoons. In the most extreme cases, the drinks contained up to 25 teaspoons of sugar.

Sugar quiz: how much is in your hot drink?

7. Don't be selfish, Pope tells crowd member

Pope Francis has chastised a crowd member in Mexico who caused him to topple over. The pontiff was greeting onlookers in the western city of Morella when someone pulled at his robe, making him fall onto a wheelchair-bound man. "No seas egoista. Que te paso, no seas egoista," he told the man, which translates to: "Don't be selfish, don't be selfish."

8. Referee 'shot dead by footballer player' in Argeninta

A referee officiating an amateur football match in Argentina has been shot dead on the pitch, allegedly by a player he had sent off. After Cesar Flores showed the unnamed footballer a red card, the player reportedly returned to the pitch with a handgun and shot the official three times, hitting him in the head, chest, and neck.

Footballer 'shoots referee over red card' in Argentina

9. British children are 'laziest in the world'

Are British children the laziest on the planet? An international study has named youngsters in the UK as among the worst in the world for helping out with household chores and said primary schoolchildren spent less time on homework than those in any other country surveyed. British kids also had the lowest satisfaction with their appearance and body image.

10. Unemployment remains at ten-year low

Unemployment fell by 60,000 to 1.69 million in the final quarter of 2015, according to Office for National Statistics figures. The unemployment rate remains at 5.1 per cent, its lowest for a decade. Unemployment fell by more than 0.5 per cent in Wales, the north-east and the north-west and more than 31.4 million people are in work, the highest figure since records began in 1971. However, earnings growth remains slow.

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