Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 3 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. AUSTRALIA SKITTLED OUT IN ADELAIDEEngland made a sensational start to the second Ashes Test in Adelaide, reducing Australia to 0-2 in the first over as Simon Katich was run out without facing a ball and Ricky Ponting was caught first ball to James Anderson. Michael Clarke soon followed leaving the Aussies in utter disarray at 2-3. A steady 93 from Mike Hussey helped, but Australia were all out for 245. WIKILEAKS WEBSITE MOVES TO SWITZERLANDThe whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.org has become the Swiss WikiLeaks.ch after being dropped by its US-based domain name service provider. EveryDNS.net said it was ditching the WikiLeaks.org domain because it had been the victim of repeated 'denial of service' – or DDOS – attacks, which were threatening its ability to provide other websites with a service. WikiLeaks goes Swiss after being dropped by US firm Julian Assange: wanted by the Empire, dead or alive BRITISH ARMY 'MADE A MESS OF HELMAND'The British army was "not up to the task of securing Helmand" in the view of US generals and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, according to the latest batch of leaked diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks. The US general in charge of Nato forces in 2007 was said to be "particularly dismayed by the British effort" and is reported to have said "they had made a mess of things in Helmand, their tactics were wrong". ENGLAND FURIOUS AT LOSING WORLD CUP BIDOnly two of the 22 man Fifa selection committee voted for England yesterday and neither the British press nor the government have taken kindly to the decision to allow Russia to host the 2018 tournament. David Cameron is reported to have "no plans" to congratulate Vladimir Putin, while some observers claim it provides further evidence that Fifa is corrupt. Fifa chooses terror hotspots for World Cups SNOW AND ICE: NOW FUEL RUNS OUTIt could stop snowing in the next few days, say forecasters, but for now the snow and ice continues to cause chaos on roads, while some rail and air travellers have been forced to sleep in makeshift shelters. With tankers marooned, there are reports of petrol garages running out of fuel. The temperature dropped to -21.2C in the Scottish Highlands last night - the coldest it's ever been on December 2. NEW OIL FIND IN THE FALKLANDSShares in Desire Petroleum rose 24 per cent yesterday after the company reported a "highly encouraging" oil discovery in the the Rachel prospect in the North Falklands Basin. The find comes as WikiLeaks reveals that the US closely monitors the activities of British oil companies exploring in the region, because of concern about a new UK-Argentine conflict. NEWS LAWS TO HELP WOMEN GAIN WORKIn an effort to reduce sexism in the workplace, the government plans to allow employers to reject male job applicants in favour of women who are no better qualified. Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone said companies that fail to promote a fairer deal for women could be named and shamed. FOREST FIRE KILLS 40 ISRAELISAt least 40 people died yesterday as a huge forest fire swept across Mount Carmel on the edge of the northern Israeli city of Haifa. Most of the dead were prison wardens on their way to the Damon jail to evacuate prisoners threatened by the blaze. They died when their coach overturned and was engulfed by flames. 'SPY' IN WAGE PACKET WILL CALCULATE TAXDespite warnings by accountants that it will lead to chaos, HM Revenue and Customs wants to be "copied in" on all wages paid directly to employees' bank accounts so that it can check, month by month, that we are paying the correct PAYE tax, according to a report in the Times. A trial is expected to be announced today. TARANTINO DRINKS BUBBLY FROM UMA'S SHOEFilm-maker Quentin Tarantino, known in the gossip world for being obsessed with women's feet, had his dream come true this week when Uma Thurman, the star of his Kill Bill films, poured champagne into her stiletto and allowed him to drink from it. It happened at a 'roast' for the director in New York.

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