Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 17 December 2022

1. ‘Cocaine traces’ after Truss allies party

Traces of suspected cocaine were found at a government grace-and-favour home after parties attended by political allies of Liz Truss, claimed The Guardian. The powder was allegedly discovered at the estate last summer in the days before Truss won the Conservative leadership contest, said sources. Separate sources claimed they found similar traces in the offices at No 10 Downing Street after two lockdown parties held when Boris Johnson was PM. A spokesperson for Truss said “this is categorically untrue”, while a spokesperson for Johnson said he is “surprised by these allegations”.

2. Panel to seek Trump charges

The congressional inquiry into last year’s Capitol riot will recommend criminal charges against Donald Trump, according to US media. The House of Representatives select committee, which is expected to publish its final report next week, will seek a historic charge of insurrection against a former US president. The Republican denies wrongdoing and said through his spokesman that the “January 6th un-Select Committee held show trials by Never Trump partisans who are a stain on this country’s history”.

3. Hussey meets Fulani

The late Queen’s former lady-in-waiting Lady Susan Hussey has apologised in person to the chief executive of a charity after her remarks at a Buckingham Palace reception created international controversy. The two women met at the palace yesterday and Ngozi Fulani accepted Hussey’s apology. “It was wonderfully warm,” a royal source said. They added that it was “an opportunity for Lady Susan to apologise in person” and for Fulani “to accept that no malice was intended by her remarks, and for an outbreak of peace and understanding across the board”.

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4. Nurses ask Sunak to step in

The general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing has accused the health secretary of a “macho” and “confrontational” approach to talks with union officials. Speaking to The Times, Pat Cullen urged Rishi Sunak to “step in” to the dispute and “get a grip of this before it engulfs the NHS”. Health services bosses said hospitals should free up beds to prepare for “extensive disruption” caused by ambulance staff strikes in England.

5. Japan plans new missiles

Japan is to deploy missiles which could hit China, Russia and North Korea in its “biggest military build-up since the Second World War”, said The Telegraph. Tokyo’s said its “counterstrike” plan was a response to the “unprecedented strategic challenge” of China. The $320bn plan means Japan would become the world’s third biggest military spender. The nation’s military is currently armed with missiles that can only fly a few hundred kilometres.

6. New strikes hit rail service

Rail passengers are set to face further disruption on the last weekend before Christmas as workers continue strike action on Saturday. The business secretary said he is hopeful that a resolution can be found “sooner rather than later” as the rail workers walked out. “We certainly don’t want to see the strikes take place, they don’t help anybody,” Grant Shapps told Sky News. Network Rail has advised people not to travel on trains unless it is absolutely necessary.

7. Sussexes ‘invited to Coronation’

The Telegraph reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be invited to the Coronation of King Charles III despite controversy over their criticism of the Royal family. The Sussexes will be included in the ceremony in May if they wish to attend. Meanwhile, the actress Liz Hurley has denied that she is the “beautiful older woman” who the Duke of Sussex lost his virginity to, following claims that the revelation will be included in his memoir.

8. Irish PM and deputy swap seats

Ireland will have a new taoiseach as Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar swap roles. Varadkar, currently the tánaiste, or deputy prime minister, takes over from Martin as government leader, while Martin becomes tánaiste. The role rotation was agreed by the coalition in 2020. There will be a “minimal” reshuffling of Cabinet positions, said the Irish Times, with Martin expected to take the foreign affairs portfolio, paving the way for Simon Coveney to become Minister for Enterprise, replacing Varadkar.

9. Glitter to be released in February

Gary Glitter will be released from prison in February after serving half his 16-year term. The Sun said the “pop paedo”, who was jailed for sex offences on three girls aged eight to 13, will be tagged. Although parole officers can block a prisoner’s release if they believe they still pose a risk to the public, sources said that Glitter has been a model prisoner. A woman who was abused by Glitter when she was 10 said: “He will always be a terrible danger to young girls.”

10. Oswald ‘too crazy’ for the KGB

JFK’s assassin was too “crazy” to work with the KGB and the Soviets cut ties with him a year before the murder, according to newly declassified documents. The National Archives and Records Administration made public some 13,173 documents related to the 1963 assassination on Thursday, and one of them includes testimony from a former KGB officer who said Oswald was briefly recruited by the intelligence network after defecting to the Soviet Union in 1959, but he was considered “a bit crazy and unpredictable”. The CIA has said it had “never engaged” Oswald.