Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 14 Dec 2010

Our popular news catch-up service is posted Monday to Friday at 8.0 am. You can rely on it to keep you up to date through the working day with the main news talking points. Swedes appeal against ASSANGE bail WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange was granted bail of £240,000 today, pending his extradition hearing on a Swedish warrant relating to sexual crimes. However, Swedish authorities are appealing the decision, which means Assange will remain in prison until his next court appearance. If the appeal is thrown out, Assange will be allowed to leave prison, but will have to give up his passport, wear an electronic tag and submit to a curfew at an address in Suffolk. THE KING'S SPEECH LEADS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONSBritish film The King's Speech leads the field with seven nominations for the 68th Golden Globe awards, to be held in January. Colin Firth, who plays King George VI, is up for best actor and Helena Bonham Carter, who plays his wife, is nominated for best supporting actress. David Fincher's The Social Network and David O Russell's The Fighter both earned six nominations. All three films are in the running for best drama picture. STUDENTS 'kettle' scotland yardStudents are planning to 'kettle' Scotland Yard today in a protest against police brutality at the recent protests against tuition fees. The protest is being planned by Middlesex University, where Alfie Meadows, the student who had to undergo brain surgery after being hit by a police baton, studies. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan police say 182 people have been arrested in connection with 'criminal acts' allegedly committed at previous protests. What about Alfie? Top cop owes him an apology too WHITE CHRISTMAS 'A SURE THING'The brief respite from freezing temperatures is over and most of Britain can expect biting winds and at least six inches of snow this week. A further big freeze is then expected in about ten days' time, making a white Christmas a "foregone conclusion" according to long-range weather forecasters. Bookmakers face losing a fortune as a result. GET A LIFE, MP TELLS REPUBLICAN CONSTITUENT An unnamed constituent of the Lib Dem MP for Colchester, Bob Russell, who wrote to question the expense of next April's Bank holiday to mark the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, was sent the response: "Get a life and stop whingeing!" Writing on House of Commons notepaper, Russell asked: "Haven't you got something better to do in your sad life?" before suggesting that if his correspondent did not wish to partake in the celebrations, they should spend the day doing voluntary work. Lib Dem tells republican constituent to 'get a life' US ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE DIES AT 69The veteran US diplomat Richard Holbrooke, famous for bullying warring partners into negotiating, has died in hospital at 69 after falling ill on Friday during a meeting with Hillary Clinton. He was found to have a torn aorta which surgeons were unable to correct after two rounds of surgery. President Obama called him "a true giant of American foreign policy who has made America stronger, safer and more respected". BERLUSCONI survives CONFIDENCE VOTEsItalian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's survived two confidence votes today. Berlusconi comfortably won the motion in the Senate, but the vote among MPs was much closer and the ailing PM won by just three votes. The Berlusconi government is reeling because of budget cuts, high unemployment among young people and a crisis over rubbish collection in Naples. Adding to the sense of crisis are a number of huge anti-government protests in Rome today. ARSENAL KNOCKED OFF PERCH BY MAN UTDArsenal have lost their spot at the top of the Premier League table to Manchester United after last night's 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford - ­ a scoreline that would have been 2-0 if Wayne Rooney hadn't fired a penalty over the crossbar. The single goal came from a Ji-Sung Park header just before half-time. Despite bringing on top guns Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie towards the end, Arsene Wenger was unable to force a draw. US WORRIED BY UK'S HOMEGROWN EXTREMISMThe latest WikiLeaks release exposes US concern that Britain struggled to cope with homegrown extremism and was making little progress in engaging with the Muslim community following the 7/7 Tube bombing in 2005. By coincidence, the new leak comes as the Luton-based family of Stockholm suicide bomber Taimur Abdulwahab al-Abdaly blamed Britain for his transformation from an "ordinary teenager" to an al-Qaeda fanatic during his years at Bedfordshire University. Stockholm bomber was radicalised in Britain CUTS 'WILL TEST NHS TO THE LIMIT'Government spending cuts require the NHS to make efficiency savings on a scale never seen before in Britain or, for that matter, anywhere in the world, according to a report by the Commons Health Select Committee. Both the NHS and adult social services will be "tested to the limit" by the efficiency squeeze.

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