Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 24 Nov 2016

1. Hammond defends 'sensible' forecasts

Philip Hammond has defended the Office of Budget Responsibility's gloomy forecasts for the post-Brexit economy as "sensible" following attacks from Europhobe Conservative MPs. The Chancellor has admitted the UK is facing a £59bn black hole in public finances because of the vote to leave the EU.

Autumn Statement 2016: Real wages will not grow for a decade, says IFS

2. Premature baby 'left alone to die' at Manchester hospital

Staff at a Manchester hospital allegedly left a premature baby to die alone in a sluice room and misdiagnosed a mother who later died from a "catastrophic haemorrhage", the Manchester Evening News claims. The newspaper says it has uncovered a damning report not intended to be made public.

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3. Bletchley Park to house cyber security college

Bletchley Park, where codebreakers including Alan Turing cracked the German Enigma machines during World War II, is to become a national college of cyber security. Qufaro, which will run the college, says it will accept "only the most talented and skilled students" to its courses.

4. Trump calls for unity in Thanksgiving speech

US president-elect Donald Trump has called for national unity in a Thanksgiving address, hours after appointing two women to his cabinet who were fiercely critical of him during his election campaign. South Carolina governor Nikki Haley is to be UN ambassador, while Betsy DeVos will be education secretary.

Donald Trump appoints first two women to cabinet

5. Scores of pilgrims killed in Iraqi suicide attack

A suicide truck bomb has killed more than 80 people at a petrol station in the Iraqi city of Hilla, 60 miles south of Baghdad. Most of the victims were Shia pilgrims returning from commemorating Arbaeen in the holy city of Karbala. The Sunni terror group Islamic State says it was responsible for the attack.

6. Farage celebrates Brexit with 'ambassador's reception'

Nigel Farage celebrated the Brexit result with a party at the Ritz in London yesterday and warned those unhappy with events in 2016 that things will get "a bloody sight worse next year". He also handed out Ferrero Rocher chocolates in a joking reference to the 1980s advert and suggestions he should be UK ambassador to Washington.

7. Jill Stein raises $2m to challenge US election results

Failed US presidential candidate Jill Stein of the Green Party has raised more than $2m (£1.61m) for a recount in battleground states including Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Stein says she is acting because of "compelling evidence of voting anomalies" and has until Friday to challenge results.

8. Schiaparelli lander hit Mars at 335mph

A computer error led to the Schiaparelli spacecraft crash-landing on Mars at speeds of 335mph, the European Space Agency said. The lander, which was destroyed on 19 October, was intended as a test-run for a future expedition to look for evidence of life on the red planet.

9. Football child abuse scandal escalates

There are fears that football could be engulfed by allegations of child abuse on the same scale as the Jimmy Savile scandal. Four former players, including two England internationals, have come forward in the past week to say they were abused as children by football coaches, and more than 50 people rang an NSPCC abuse helpline within two hours of it being set up.

Football sex abuse: Three more players speak out

10. Briefing: Could Hillary Clinton still become president?

Almost certainly not, but a petition encouraging the Electoral College to cast their votes for the Democratic candidate has been signed by more than 4.5 million people. Meanwhile, two electors - P Bret Chiafolo, of Washington, and Michael Baca, of Colorado - are campaigning to encourage their colleagues to vote against Donald Trump in favour of an alternative Republican.

What is Hillary Clinton doing now?