Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 22 Dec 2016

1. Berlin attack: Suspect was on watch list

Germany's security services are under pressure to explain how Monday's lorry attack on a Christmas market in Berlin took place when the only suspect was already on a watch list and suspected of preparing a "serious act of violence against the state". A European arrest warrant has been issued for 24-year-old Tunisian Anis Amri.

Berlin attack: Anis Amri shot dead in Milan

2. Cut prison population by half, urge former ministers

Two former home secretaries and a deputy prime minister are urging the government to halve the prison population in England and Wales to 45,000. In a letter to The Times, Lib Dem Nick Clegg, Tory Ken Clarke and Labour's Jacqui Smith say prison numbers have risen to unsafe levels and called for them to be reduced to 1980s' levels.

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3. Storm Barbara to hit Christmas travel

The Met Office is warning people travelling over the Christmas period to expect disruption from Storm Barbara. The worst weather is forecast for Friday and Christmas Eve, with winds gusting as high as 90mph in parts of northern Scotland, which has been placed on amber alert. The north of England may also suffer.

Britain braced for Storm Barbara on busiest day of the year for travel

4. Queen and Prince Philip have 'heavy colds'

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have postponed plans to travel to Sandringham for Christmas after falling ill. Buckingham Palace said the couple have "heavy colds". The couple traditionally head to their country estate around this time and stay until early February.

'Heavy cold' delays Queen's Christmas travel plans

5. Southern rail train causes road delays

Southern rail's problems spread to London's roads last night after a train carriage being transported by lorry became wedged at a road junction In Crystal Palace, holding up traffic. An onlooker called it "complete irony". Onlookers applauded when the train was eventually freed.

6. Lurking on Facebook 'makes you miserable'

Research by the University of Copenhagen suggests "lurking" on Facebook – reading other people's social media posts but not writing your own – makes users unhappy. The study found that "regular use of social networking such as Facebook can negatively affect your emotional well-being and satisfaction with life".

Hoping for a happy Christmas? Then get off Facebook

7. Trump's trade tsar to be China critic

Donald Trump has appointed economist Peter Navarro, a fierce critic of China, to head new trade body the White House National Trade Council. Navarro, the author of Death By China, considers the world's other superpower to be "brutal, amoral, ruthless… nightmarish realm", says The Guardian.

Peter Navarro: Why Trump's cabinet pick spells trouble with China

8. Another 600,000 to get superfast broadband

The government says it has found another £440m to increase the number of premises in remote locations with access to superfast broadband by 600,000. Experts say the cash is not all "new money", reports the BBC, but still welcome the move. Around £150m will come from cost savings and the rest is from BT.

9. Japan invents 'toilet paper' for smartphones

Japan is introducing "toilet paper" for smartphones, which can harbour more germs than toilet seats. A trial is taking place at Narita airport, with a small roll of paper, positioned next to the normal toilet roll, printed with instructions on how to clean their mobiles.

10. Briefing: EU judges hit Theresa May's 'snoopers' charter'

Theresa May's "snoopers' charter" has suffered a blow after the EU's highest court ruled governments cannot impose blanket monitoring of their citizens' electronic communications. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) said that "general and indiscriminate retention" of emails and other electronic data is illegal. Only targeted interception of traffic and location data is justified - and only then in order to combat terrorism and serious crime, it added.

EU judges hit Theresa May's 'snoopers' charter'