Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 8 Nov 2016

1. Democrats ahead in polls as US votes

Americans choose their next president today, with the Democrats enjoying an average lead of three points in national polls. Analysis of early voting behaviour suggests Donald Trump's anti-Mexican rhetoric may have encouraged up to 87% more Hispanic voters than usual to turn out in some states to vote for Hillary Clinton.

Trump travel ban: Judge expands definition of relatives

2. National debt 'will increase by £25bn by 2020'

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is warning today that the UK's financial prospects have declined by £25bn since the March budget. The IFS expects borrowing to increas by that amount by 2019-2020 because weak growth is driving down income from tax. The deficit will increase even if planned spending cuts go aheads, says the IFS.

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3. British banker guilty of Hong Kong murders

British banker Rurik Jutting has been found guilty of the murder of two Indonesian women in Hong Kong in 2014. The 31-year-old Cambridge graduate, who plead not guilty on grounds of diminished responsibility, raped and tortured Sumarti Ningsih, 23, and Seneng Mujiasih, 29, and filmed the abuse on his phone.

Rurik Jutting guilty of Hong Kong double murder

4. Couriers ask Deliveroo to recognise union

A trade union representing couriers working for online food delivery firm Deliveroo has requested recognition from the company in a move designed to force it to admit the workers are employees. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain's request applies only to Deliveroo couriers in Camden, north London.

5. M&S to close 60 clothing and home supplies shops

Marks & Spencer is to close 60 clothing and home supplies shops, turning half of them into food-only outlets and completely shutting the other 30, after falling sales and profits in the six months to the end of September. The closures are part of a turnaround plan that also involves opening 200 Simply Food branches.

6. Date set for Brexit appeal hearing

A government appeal against the High Court ruling that MPs should debate Brexit before triggering Article 50 will be heard in the Supreme Court from 5 December. The hearing is expected to last four days, and a decision is not expected until 2017. Theresa May has pledged to invoke Article 50 by the end of next March.

7. Prince Harry rages over Maghan Markle 'abuse'

Prince Harry has confirmed that US actress Meghan Markle is his girlfriend, but condemned the "abuse and harassment" she had received. A statement confirmed the couple were "few months" into a relationship but railed at media "smears" and "racial undertones" and the "outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments".

Meghan Markle: 17 things you didn’t know about the Duchess of Sussex

8. Nato puts 300,000 troops on high alert

Nato has put an estimated 300,000 troops on high alert as tensions with Russia increase. Secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said Nato was responding "with the biggest reinforcement of our collective defence since the end of the Cold War". Russia has tripled military spending since 2000, developed new military capabilities and used force against its neighbours.

US and Russia spar over vetoed Syria sanctions

9. Outrage as Toblerone changes shape

Mondelez International, the makers of Toblerone, has reduced the size of its bars in the UK by spacing the chocolate peaks further apart, taking the weight of the 400g bar to 360g and the 170g bar to 150g. Fans have taken to social media to complain.

10. Briefing: Premium bonds turn 60

The nation’s favourite savings product turned 60 last week. Back on 1 November 1956 Alderman Sir Cuthbert Ackroyd, the Lord Mayor of London, bought the first premium bond for £1. Since then the top prize has grown from £1,000 to £1m and 350 people have become premium bond millionaires. But can are they really an investment?

Premium bonds have turned 60 - but are they still worth bothering with?