Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 13 Aug 2019

1. Bolton: UK ‘first in line’ for US trade deal

The UK is “at the front of the trade queue” for a deal with the US following Brexit, Donald Trump’s national security adviser has promised. Speaking after a meeting with Boris Johnson at Downing Street, John Bolton said there would be “bipartisan” support for an accelerated series of deals with Britain that could be agreed on a “sector-by-sector” basis, starting with manufacturing.

Today’s newspapers: ‘Bullish Boris ready to walk away’

2. No-deal Brexit row to ‘come to head in September’

The Guardian reports that the first or second week of next month will see opposition to a no-deal Brexit come to a head, with a possible no-confidence motion brought against Boris Johnson as early as 3 August and a showdown over power-sharing in Northern Ireland six days later. A cross-party group of rebel MPs is expected to try to force the Government to extend Article 50.

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Could an all-female cabinet end the Brexit impasse?

3. MPs call for hands-free phone ban for drivers

Drivers in England and Wales should be banned from using hands-free mobile phones while behind the wheel, according to a cross-party group of MPs. The Commons Transport Select Committee says research has found that using hands-free devices creates “the same risks of collision” as using a handheld phone when driving - a practice that has been illegal in the UK since 2003.

Are hands-free calls while driving safe?

4. Hong Kong chief Lam warns of ‘path of no return’

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam appeared close to tears during a press conference today as she warned that the territory was approaching the “path of no return” amid growing violence at pro-democracy protests. The former British territory has been gripped by mass unrest and state violence for ten weeks, with a rally triggering the shutdown of Hong Kong’s international airport on Monday.

What is happening in Hong Kong?

5. National Grid: three near blackouts in months

National Grid experienced three blackout “near-misses” in as many months prior to Friday’s major outage, The Guardian reports. Almost a million homes across the UK were left without power and trains were forced to a standstill last week after two generators shut down. Industry sources told the newspaper that the electricity network operator been aware of the outage risk for years but had failed to take action.

6. Opera star Domingo denies sex-for-stardom claim

Placido Domingo has denied sexually harassing other performers following claims by a number of women that the opera star touched them inappropriately. Some say that the tenor, now 78, promised them roles that never materialised, while others say their careers faded after they turned down his advances.

7. Chlamydia vaccine passes initial safety trials

A working vaccine against sexually-transmitted infection chlamydia has moved a step closer, with initial trials on humans suggesting it is safe to use. The vaccine successfully provoked an immune response, boosting levels of antibodies against the chlamydia bacterium in the blood and vaginal fluids, according to research teams in the UK and Denmark. The disease accounts for nearly half of all sex infections in the UK and can cause infertility.

8. Pensioner’s false teeth stuck in throat for eight days

A surgery blunder resulted in a British pensioner spending eight days with his dentures stuck in his throat, according to a report in the BMJ Case Reports medical journal. The retired electrician was unable to find his false teeth following a routine procedure at an unnamed UK hospital, and returned six days later complaining of blood in his mouth, swallowing difficulties and pain. A scan finally revealed his dentures were lodged in his vocal cords. The BMJ says this is not the first instance of dentures being inhaled while anaesthetic is administered.

9. Scientists recreate 2,000-year-old Egyptian perfume

A team from the University of Hawaii has recreated a 2,000-year-old Egyptian perfume, based on analysis of residues found in bottles unearthed at the site of an ancient perfume factory. The concoction, said to be stickier and longer-lingering than modern scents, is based on olive oil, myrrh, cardamom and cinnamon. Experts say it might have been worn by Cleopatra.

10. Ghislaine Maxwell: who is the socialite embroiled in Jeffrey Epstein case?

The British socialite, daughter of media mogul Robert Maxwell, is facing investigation by US authorities over allegations that she procured underage girls to have sex with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, according to reports.

Ghislaine Maxwell: who is the socialite embroiled in Jeffrey Epstein case?