Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 21 Feb 2017

1. Milo Yiannopoulos book deal cancelled

Milo Yiannopoulos has lost a book deal with Simon & Schuster after apparently condoning sex between men and boys in a recording uploaded to the internet. He may also lose his job as a senior editor at US website Breitbart after colleagues threatened to quit over his comments. Yiannopoulos said his remarks were "stupidly worded".

2. HSBC gives Brexit warning as profits fall

Banking giant HSBC announced a 62% profit fall for last year and warned that uncertainties over Brexit, together with Donald Trump's protectionism and forthcoming elections in Europe, pose financial risks over the coming months. The bank also confirmed it "may need" to move around 1,000 jobs to Paris after the UK leaves the EU.

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HSBC shares rise after £1.5bn buyback pledge

3. Search launched at killer Christopher Halliwell's home

The garden of a house where double murderer Christopher Halliwell once lived is being searched by police, who say they are acting on fresh intelligence. Officers are digging at two addresses in Broad Street, Swindon. Halliwell is serving a life sentence for killing 20-year-old Becky Godden in 2003 and 22-year-old Sian O'Callaghan in 2011.

4. Hospital cuts 'planned for much of England'

Two-thirds of NHS trusts in England are planning to cut services or close hospitals as part of a programme to transform the service and save money, reports the BBC. Health think-tank the King's Fund warned the proposals, which include bringing GPs and care services together in "hubs", lacked the infrastructure to succeed.

5. Famine declared in South Sudan

Famine has been declared in South Sudan, with a million people said to be at risk of starvation. Unicef, the World Food Programme and the Food and Agricultural Organisation said that 100,000 people are "already starving", while a further one million are on the brink of famine. A further 5.5 million people, half the population, are at risk.

South Sudan: Famine declared as civil war rages

6. Five die in Melbourne plane crash

Five people have died after a light aircraft crashed into a shopping centre in Melbourne, Australia. The Beechcraft plane exploded on impact just before 9am local time, one hour before the Direct Factory Outlet centre was due to open. A witness described seeing a "massive fireball".

Melbourne plane crash: Five dead as aircraft hits shopping centre

7. Court rules against heterosexual civil partnership

A heterosexual couple have lost their Court of Appeal battle to have a civil partnership instead of a marriage. Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan claimed they were discriminated against because they could not have the same partnership as a same-sex couple. Judges agreed there was a potential breach of their human rights, but referred the matter back to the government.

8. David Cassidy reveals he has dementia

David Cassidy has revealed he is suffering from dementia after being filmed by fans struggling to remember the words to his songs and appearing unstable. The 66-year-old former pop idol told People magazine he had been in denial about having the disease, which killed his mother, and will give up touring to focus on his health.

Partridge Family star David Cassidy suffering from dementia

9. Sutton coach resigns over Arsenal pie stunt

Sutton United goalkeeping coach Steve Shaw has resigned a day after his side lost 2-0 to Arsenal in the FA Cup. The 23-stone coach provoked merriment when he was spotted eating a pie during the second half of the match. But he is now under investigation by the Gambling Commission after it emerged that the bookmaker sponsoring the match had offered odds on just such an occurrence.

Wayne Shaw: Why Sutton's pie-eating goalie had to go

10. Briefing: Can the Lords delay the Article 50 bill?

Triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty will formally begin the UK's withdrawal from the European Union – but it has never before been used and is completely untested. So what does it actually involve and could it be delayed in the House of Lords?

What is Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty – and will it be delayed by the House of Lords?

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