Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 2 Dec 2016

1. Goldsmith loses Richmond Park seat to Lib Dems

Zac Goldsmith has lost his Richmond Park seat to Sarah Olney, seeing his 23,015 majority overturned by the Lib Dem politician, who campaigned against a hard Brexit. The former Tory MP stood as an independent after resigning from the party in protest at plans to expand Heathrow.

2. Hollande will not seek re-election to presidency

French President Francois Hollande has said he will not stand for re-election in next year's presidential vote, making him the first holder of the office not to seek a second term since 1958. Although high employment and weak growth has made him the most unpopular leader in modern French history, his announcement still came as a surprise.

3. James 'Mad Dog' Mattis new US defence secretary

US president-elect Donald Trump has appointed former marine General James Mattis to be defence secretary. Known as "Mad Dog", Mattis served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was a fierce critic of Barack Obama's Middle East policy, particularly the rapprochement with Iran, which he considered a "threat" to peace.

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4. Football sex abuse: Chelsea 'paid player to keep silent'

Former Chelsea footballer Gary Johnson says he was paid £50,000 not to go public with allegations he was sexually abused by ex-chief scout Eddie Heath. Johnson says Heath groomed him from the age of 13 and warns the scout had other victims. Heath died before the allegations were made. Chelsea says it is investigating.

5. Chapecoense crash pilot 'was warned' over fuel

The pilot of the charter plane which crashed in Colombia on Monday killing 71 people, including members of the Chapecoense football team, had been warned he might not have enough fuel before he set off, South American newspaper El Deber says. The report claims an airport official raised concerns after checking the plane's flight plan

6. Train fares to rise by 2.3% from January

Unregulated train tickets will be 2.3% more expensive from January next year while regulated fares, which include season tickets, will rise by just 1.9% because they are controlled by the government and capped in line with inflation. Campaign groups say passengers are "finding themselves priced off the railways".

7. Fawlty Towers' Andrew Sachs dies at age of 86

Andrew Sachs, best known as hapless waiter Manuel in the 1970s sitcom Fawlty Towers, has died at the age of 86. His former co-star, John Cleese, paid tribute to a "sweet, gentle and kind man and a truly great farceur". Sachs was born in Berlin in 1930 but fled the Nazi regime to arrive in London in 1938. He had suffered from dementia.

8. Three-year-old praised for 999 call

A three-year-old girl from Essex has been rewarded with soft toys and a certificate by police after she called 999 when her mother collapsed at home. Patricia Hannington suffers from a rare heart condition and had taught her daughter, Sofia Harman, what to do in an emergency. "I'm lucky to have such a brave little girl," said Hannington

9. Four capital cities to ban diesel vehicles by 2025

The mayors of four major cities are to ban all diesel-powered vehicles by 2025 to improve air quality. The leaders of Paris, Madrid, Athens and Mexico City will offer incentives to use other vehicles and promote walking and cycling. The World Health Organization says outdoor air pollution kills three million people a year.

10. Briefing: Iceland (the country) sues Iceland (the supermarket)

Iceland is suing Iceland over its "exceptionally broad and ambiguous" Europe-wide trademark registration. Confused? Well, the government of the North Atlantic island nation is taking legal action against the UK supermarket chain of the same name, claiming its businesses are not being allowed to describe themselves using the word "Iceland".

Iceland (the country) sues Iceland (the supermarket) over name

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