Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 23 Dec 2016

1. Christmas terror attacks foiled

German special forces have arrested two men in Oberhausen on suspicion of plotting to attack a shopping centre in the run-up to Christmas. The two men, aged 28 and 31, are originally from Kosovo. And in Melbourne, Australia, five men have been arrested over a Christmas Day bomb plot.

Christmas Day 'terror attack' foiled in Australia

2. Investigation after Kent prison unrest

The Prison Service says the 60 inmates who yesterday took over a wing of a prison in the Isle of Sheppey in Kent "surrendered and were back in cells by 1am with no injuries to staff or prisoners". Fires were lit during the mass disturbance which ended after a specialist 'Tornado' squad was sent to HMP Swaleside to deal with the unrest.

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Swaleside jail 'taken over by inmates'

3. Britain braced for Storm Barbara

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for much of the UK as Storm Barbara approaches this afternoon. The worst of the weather is expected on Friday but yellow alerts are in place until boxing day. Winds are expected to gust up to 90mph in some parts of Scotland, with 60 to 70mph expected quite widely outside the south-east.

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

4. Berlin suspect Amri shot dead in Italy

Anis Amri, the man suspected of the Berlin market attack, has been shot dead by police in Milan, Italy. Amri reportedly opened fire on police after being stopped for an identity check in city in the early hours of this morning. Police fired back, killing him. Despite a huge manhunt he is believed to have travelled to Italy by train.

Berlin attack: Anis Amri shot dead in Milan

5. Hijacked Libyan plane flown to Malta

A Libyan plane carrying 118 people has been hijacked and diverted to Malta. The Airbus A320 was on an internal flight in Libya for Afriqiyah Airways when it was seized. Initial reports said there were two hijackers who had threatened to blow up the plane. Malta International Airport has been closed with flights diverted.

6. UK 'living on Fantasy Island' over Brexit

A group of academics has warned that attitudes towards Brexit from the rest of the EU have hardened in the six months since the referendum. They say the "continental consensus" is that the UK is "still living on Fantasy Island", which could lead to a showdown between Theresa May and the EU "sooner than anyone expects".

7. Busiest day on roads expected today

Motoring group the AA has warned that Friday will be the busiest day on the UK's roads over the Christmas period. Northern Ireland is expected to have the most traffic, with 55% of AA members there saying they will drive at least 20 miles. London is expected the be the least-affected area, with only 20% of members on the roads.

8. Ferret donated to charity shop

A live ferret, a sheep's head and a prosthetic leg are among the strangest items donated to charity shops, according to a list compiled by the Charities Aid Foundation. Valuable donations have included a Victoria Cross medal – they can sell for hundreds of thousands of pounds – and a Doulton vase which fetched £2,400.

9. 'Strictly effect' to cause power surge

The National Grid says it expects the biggest surge in demand for electricity of the year to be prompted by the Christmas special of the BBC's talent show Strictly Come Dancing – which will also be the last episode for judge Len Goodman. People around the country will boil kettles and switch on lights when the show ends.

10. Briefing: Congo in chaos as death toll mounts

Unrest is mounting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after President Joseph Kabila refused to leave office. His second term expired at midnight on Monday and while he has said he will respect a constitution that bars him from standing for a third term, many fear he intends to remain in power indefinitely.

Congo in chaos as death toll mounts