Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 22 Feb 2017

1. IS bomber was British Guantanamo detainee

A suicide bomber who attacked coalition forces near Mosul, Iraq, on Monday has been identified as a former British inmate of Guantanamo Bay detention centre. Jamal al-Harith, born Ronald Fiddler, of Manchester, was paid £1m compensation by the UK government when he was released from the camp in 2004.

Islamic State 'suicide bomber' identified as Brit paid £1m by government

2. Cressida Dick named Metropolitan Police chief

Cressida Dick has been appointed the new Metropolitan Police Commissioner. She is the first woman to take charge of London's police force and replaces Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, who announced his retirement last year. Dick spent 31 years with the Met and worked in counter-terrorism before leaving in 2014 for a role in the Foreign Office.

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3. Storm Doris to bring 80mph winds and rain

Winds of up to 80mph, heavy rain and snow are forecast to hit the UK tomorrow as Storm Doris sweeps in from the Atlantic. The Met Office has issued an amber warning for wind in north Wales and the Midlands and a yellow warning for the south. An amber warning for snow is in place for northern England and much of Scotland.

4. Amnesty criticises aggressive political rhetoric

Amnesty International says aggressive political language around the world is dehumanising entire groups and has echoes of 1930s hate speech. In particular, it highlights a 57% spike in reported hate crime in the week after the Brexit vote as a particular low and criticises government rhetoric.

5. Street parties to remember murdered Jo Cox

Street parties will be held on 17 and 18 June to remember MP Jo Cox, who was murdered during the EU referendum campaign last year by far-right extremist Thomas Mair. The royal family and several charities will help publicise the community events, which are being termed the Great Get Together.

6. Author's fiance found guilty of murder

The fiance of children's author Helen Bailey has been found guilty of her murder at St Albans Crown Court. Ian Stewart, 56, drugged and suffocated Bailey and hid her body in a cesspit at their home in Hertfordshire. He hoped to inherit her £4m fortune. Police will now investigate the death of Stewart's wife, Diane, in 2010.

7. Murderer on run after hospital escape

A convicted murderer is on the run after armed men helped him escape his guards during a visit to a Liverpool hospital. Shaun Walmsley, 28, was given a life sentence for his role in a fatal stabbing in Aintree in 2014. Police have warned the public not to approach him or the two men who threatened his guards.

Shaun Walmsley: Murderer on the run after guards are ambushed

8. Average life expectancy to top 90 years

South Korean women are leading the charge in life expectancy, which will will soon exceed 90 years, says an international study funded by the UK and US. Women born in 2030 in the country are expected to live an average of 90.8 years, as opposed to 84.2 years for those born in 2010.

9. Iceland's President clarifies pineapple stance

Iceland's President Gudni Johannesson has been forced to clarify his stance on a biting question - pineapple on pizza - after saying last week he would ban the topping if he could. In an online post entitled A Statement on the Pizza Controversy, the politician said he liked pineapple but not on pizza. "For pizzas, I recommend seafood," he said.

Iceland's President clears up his call for a pineapple pizza ban

10. Briefing: Famine declared in South Sudan as civil war rages

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 on Monday that 100,000 people are "already starving", while a further one million are classified as being on the brink of famine.

South Sudan: Famine declared as civil war rages

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