Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 4 Jul 2019

1. Hunt pledges fox hunting vote as Johnson promises more police

The final two candidates vying to become Britain’s next prime minister are making more eye-catching pledges as the clock ticks down until ballots are send to Conservative Party members this weekend. Boris Johnson said he would recruit an extra 20,000 police officers over three years, while Jeremy Hunt promised to give MPs a free vote on fox hunting.

Boris Johnson’s voting record

2. George Osborne eyeing new role as head of IMF

Former chancellor George Osborne is preparing a bid to replace Christine Lagarde as the next head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to reports. The Times points out that Osborne “will need the nomination of Britain’s next prime minister” to succeed. The London Evening Standard, which he edits, recently endorsed Boris Johnson to become Tory leader.

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UK recession fears mount after slew of weak data

3. Royal Marines detain oil tanker ‘en route to Syria’

An oil tanker thought to be heading to Syria in defiance of international sanctions has been boarded by Royal Marines at Gibraltar and detained. Authorities said there was reason to believe the ship, called the Grace 1, was carrying crude oil to the Banias Refinery in Syria.

4. Tributes for rail worker killed by passenger train

A rail worker who died yesterday when he and a colleague were hit by the Swansea to Paddington train has been remembered as “an absolutely fantastic guy”. Representatives of Kenfig Hill Rugby Club said that Gareth Delbridge, 64, was a long-standing member and that his death was “more than devastating”, reports the BBC. His 58-year-old co-worker was also killed in the accident, near Margam in Neath Port Talbot, but has not been named yet.

5. Hiker dies as volcano erupts on Stromboli

A male hiker was killed by falling rocks when a volcano erupted on the Italian island of Stromboli yesterday. The Italian navy has been deployed in case a mass evacuation is necessary. Around 70 tourists and locals have already fled as the eruption continues to send clouds of ash into the sky.

6. First openly gay couple play doubles at Wimbledon

The first openly gay couple to play doubles together at Wimbledon have called for more recognition of same-sex relationships in tennis. Greet Minnen and Alison van Uytvanck, both from Belgium, said more expressions of support from high-profile figures in the game would help more players – particularly men – to come out.

7. Office workers’ phones confiscated by bosses

An increasing number of companies are forcing their employees to surrender their smartphones during working hours, The Times reports. Unions say that while retailers such as Tesco have long made their staff put their phones in lockers, the practice is now spreading to offices, causing “a new front for friction”. Frances O’Grady of the TUC said: “Employers should treat staff like adults.”

8. History of Sheffield prisoner of war camp unearthed

What was once Britain’s biggest prisoner of war camp has been unearthed by archaeologists in the South Yorkshire countryside. Lodge Moor camp, near Sheffield, was used to imprison the most fanatical prisoners from Germany, Italy and Ukraine during the Second World War, and held more than 11,000 captives at its peak. University of Sheffield students who uncovered the long-forgotten site are now analysing camp records and witness statements to reveal its history.

9. Yoko Ono rings the changes at Manchester festival

The Manchester International Festival begins today with a “people’s orchestra of bells” invented by Yoko Ono for a work titled Bells For Peace. The 86-year-old artist is not able to travel to Manchester but will appear on video screens to lead the celebration, which takes place near the site of the Manchester Arena bombings of 2017.

10. Briefing: the most powerful passports in the world

Japan and Singapore have the world’s most travel-friendly passports, according to the latest global rankings.

London-based citizenship advisory firm Henley & Partners rates passport strength according to the number of countries that holders can enter either without needing a visa or by using a visa obtained instantly on arrival.

The most powerful passports in the world