Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 7 May 2019

1. Harry ‘absolutely thrilled’ at birth of son

Prince Harry has told reporters that he and wife Meghan are “absolutely thrilled” following the birth of their son. The Duke of Sussex said that his wife and their first child, born at 5.26am on Monday, were both well, and added that the as-yet un-named baby is “absolutely to die for”. Michelle Obama is among the many well-wishers from across the world who have sent congratulations.

2. Holidaymakers ‘lost £7m’ to fraudsters in 2018

More than 5,000 people in the UK were the victims of holiday booking fraud last year, losing a total of more than £7m, or £1,380 each, according to a new report. The Association of British Travel Agents says that criminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods to defraud holidaymakers, including selling non-existent destinations or accommodation.

3. Myanmar frees journalists jailed for reporting on Rohingya massacre

Two journalists jailed 18 months ago in Myanmar were released earlier today following a presidential amnesty. Reuters reporters Wa Lone, 33 and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, had been convicted under the Official Secrets Act and sentenced to seven years for reporting on the massacre of the Rohingya Muslim minority by the military.

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4. Nigel Farage ‘repeated anti-Semitic tropes’

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage repeatedly discussed conspiracy theories related to anti-Semitism on a far-right US talk show, The Guardian reports. The former head of UKIP has been interviewed at least six times on the Alex Jones Show. Jones is being sued by parents after claiming the Sandy Hook school shooting was faked, and was banned permanently from Facebook last week.

5. Social media ‘doesn’t make teens unhappy’, new study finds

Widespread fears over the harmful effects on teenagers of spending hours on social media could be misplaced, according to the biggest study yet on the issue. Oxford University researchers who tracked 12,000 British teens over an eight-year period found that use of sites such as Facebook had a “trivial” impact on how content adolescents were with their lives.

6. Couple who ate marmot die of bubonic plague

A couple in Mongolia have died of bubonic plague after eating the raw liver of a marmot. Their deaths led the authorities to declare a six-day quarantine in the Bayan-Ulgii region, bordering Russia and China, leaving tourists stranded. At least one person dies of the plague each year in Mongolia, on average, usually as a result of eating contaminated meat.

7. YouTube star jailed for child pornography

A 26-year-old YouTube singer with a massive teenage following has been jailed for ten years in the US, after admitting enticing underage girls into sending him sexually explicit videos and images. Austin Jones lost his YouTube channel - on which he performed covers of pop songs - after it emerged he had told girls to “prove” they were his biggest fans by making the videos.

8. Rave-goers get hypothermia after unexpected snow

Around 30 people were treated for hypothermia at an illegal rave in the central Creuse region of France on Saturday night, following an unexpected drop in temperatures. Around 10,000 people were attending the unauthorised Teknival 2019 festival when temperatures fell to -3C and snow began falling.

9. The other ‘royal’ baby – comic gives birth

After announcing her pregnancy on the same day as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex last year, US comedian Amy Schumer is now celebrating after giving birth of a son just a few hours before the royal baby arrived. In a message on Instagram, Schumer wrote: “10.55pm last night. Our own royal baby was born.” The star shared a photo of her and husband Chris Fischer with their son.

10. What was the Falklands War about?

Last week saw the 37th anniversary of the sinking of the General Belgrano - one of the most controversial acts in modern British military history.

What was the Falklands War about?

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