Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 9 Jun 2019

1. Boris says he would withhold £39bn divorce fee from the EU

Boris Johnson has launched his bid to become Tory leader and prime minister by vowing to deliver Brexit by “retaining” the £39bn demanded by Brussels until he gets a better deal. “I truly believe only I can steer the country between the Scylla and Charybdis of Corbyn and Farage and onto calmer water,” he added, alluding to Greek mythology.

2. Sudan protest movement calls for civil disobedience

Sudan's pro-democracy movement has called for a nationwide campaign of civil disobedience. The announcement follows the arrest of three opposition figures who had been involved in mediation efforts as a brutal military crackdown left dozens dead. “Disobedience is a peaceful act capable of bringing to its knees the most powerful weapons arsenal in the world,” said Sudanese Professionals Association.

3. Woman dies after being hit by lightning in Scotland

A 55-year-old woman died after being struck by lightning while walking on a mountain range on the west coast of Scotland. The woman was hiking near Glencoe on Saturday evening when she and another member of her walking group were hit. Both were airlifted to hospital in Fort William, but one died from her injuries. The other walker was in a stable condition.

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4. Hillary Clinton announces death of her younger brother

Hillary Clinton’s youngest brother, Tony Rodham, died on Friday night, the former Democratic presidential candidate has announced. “We lost my brother Tony last night,” Clinton wrote on Twitter. “It’s hard to find words, my mind is flooded with memories of him today. When he walked into a room he’d light it up with laughter.” She did not reveal how her brother died.

5. Gove accused of hypocrisy as anti-drugs article resurfaces

Michael Gove has been branded a “hypocrite” after it emerged he wrote an anti-drugs article in 1999 around the time he now admits he took cocaine. In the article he criticised “middle class professionals” who took drugs. Meanwhile, he has announced he would replace VAT if he were made prime minister. He says he would replace it with “a lower, simpler, sales tax”.

6. Tehran police shut cafes for not following Islamic principles

Police in Iran have shut down 547 restaurants and cafes in Tehran for not observing “Islamic principles”. Tehran’s police chief said: “The owners of restaurants and cafes in which Islamic principles were not observed were confronted, and during this operation 547 businesses were closed and 11 offenders arrested.” In 2012, the government ordered cafes to install security cameras to monitor the behaviour of customers.

7. Chimpanzee meat is illegally served at British weddings

Chimpanzee meat is being served at British weddings and marketed as bush meat on market stalls. Customs bosses are under pressure to introduce DNA testing to identify the meat at the border. Officials say they will invest in new technology to tackle the issue. Dr Ben Garrod, a leading primate scientist, says a ton of bush meat from West Africa had been confiscated.

8. Scotland and Ireland at odds over Rockall fishing rights

Scotland's biggest fishing organisation has said Ireland would be “unwise to pick a fight” after the two countries clashed over fishing rights in disputed waters. The warning from Bertie Armstrong, head of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, came as Scotland threatened “enforcement action” against any Irish vessels found around the uninhabited islet of Rockall.

9. Woman dies after dog bites her as she defends her pet

A woman has died after she was bitten by a dog while defending her own pet from an attack. Sharon Jennings, 55, was walking her dog in Preston, Lancashire, when the incident occurred. She was bitten on the hand and neck as she tried to break the fighting up after a scrap had broken out on the old railway lines in Brookfield on 31 May, say police.

10. Saudi teen could face execution for protesting when he was 10

A teenager in Saudi Arabia may be executed for participating in an anti-government protest as a child. Amnesty International says some of the charges against Murtaja Qureiris, 18, date back to when he was just 10. Murtaja was arrested in 2014 at the age of 13 and has been held since then, facing beatings, intimidation, and a month of solitary confinement.

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