Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 23 Mar 2019

1. Beleaguered May says vote may not take place next week

Theresa May says that a third vote on her Brexit deal may not take place next week “if it appears there is not sufficient support”. She is also facing questions over support for her leadership. The Times says she is under pressure to name a date for her departure after cabinet support fell away and the DUP made clear its lack of faith in her.

2. Islamic State is ‘totally eliminated’ in Syria

Syrian Democratic Forces have declared victory in the battle against Islamic State in Baghouz, eastern Syria. The SDF says “all territory in Syria is now clear of IS fighters”. The fall of the last IS stronghold in Baghouz is highly significant as it brings to a close the group's self-declared caliphate, which at its peak stretched across large parts of Syria and Iraq.

3. Mark Duggan's family are suing Metropolitan Police

The family of Mark Duggan, whose death prompted riots in 2011, are suing the Metropolitan Police for damages. The Met has confirmed it has received a civil claim. The 29-year-old was shot dead by police who say they believed he was carrying a gun and posed a threat. A jury ruled Duggan was not holding the weapon when he was shot, but concluded he had been lawfully killed.

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4. Christchurch-style weapons legally on sale in Britain

Weapons similar to those used in the Christchurch mosque attacks are legally on sale in Britain, reports The Times. Semi-automatic shotguns can be bought online and from gun dealers around the country, despite the government’s claim that British gun laws are the toughest in the world. A Home Office spokesman said firearms laws were kept under constant review.

5. Document reveals 'critical three months' after no-deal

A secret document from the Cabinet Office has warned there would be a “critical three-month phase” if Britain crashed out of the EU without a deal, during which the whole planning operation could be overwhelmed. There is growing concern about the chaos that could be sparked by a no deal with shortages of everything from medicines to fresh food and toilet paper.

6. Trump cancels fresh sanctions imposed on North Korea

Donald Trump says that he is cancelling the recently announced North Korea-related sanctions imposed by the US treasury department. “It was announced today by the US Treasury that additional large-scale Sanctions would be added to those already existing Sanctions on North Korea,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “I have today ordered the withdrawal of those additional Sanctions!”

7. Knife crisis: teenager stabbed to death in west London

A 17-year-old boy has been stabbed and killed in west London. Police were called to reports of a fight at about 10.35pm on Friday night in Isleworth and found the victim suffering stab wounds. The Metropolitan Police said officers have “begun the process” of informing his next of kin. The incident comes amid a string of fatal stabbings.

8. Mueller completes Trump investigation with no new charges

Robert Mueller has completed his Trump-Russia investigation and has reported his findings to William Barr, the US attorney general. Officials from the justice department told the press that Mueller had not recommended any further indictments based on his findings, dashing feverish speculation that more members of Trump’s circle would be prosecuted.

9. IRA man names four men as Birmingham pub bombers

A convicted IRA bomber known has named four men he says were responsible for the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings. The man, known as Witness O, has told the inquest he had been given permission to name the names by the current head of the IRA in Dublin. He named Seamus McLoughlin, Mick Murray, Michael Hayes and James Gavin. Six men were wrongly convicted of the bombings.

10. Christchurch mosque reopens as locals march for love

Worshippers have returned to the Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch for the first time since the mass shooting last week. The building had closed so police could investigate the attack but small groups were allowed to return today. As the Al Noor mosque reopened, some 3,000 people gathered in Christchurch for a march for love to honour the victims.

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