Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 15 Aug 2019

1. Corbyn proposes himself as caretaker PM

Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has written to senior MPs of all parties proposing that they install him as caretaker prime minister after defeating Boris Johnson in a no-confidence vote in order to prevent a no-deal Brexit. Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson immediately rejected the idea, but the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru said they would hold talks with Labour.

2. Ex-Tory MP Sarah Wollaston joins Lib Dems

Former Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston has joined the Liberal Democrats, saying it is the most effective way for her to fight for the UK to remain in the EU. The MP for Totnes defected from the Tories Change UK in February, after criticising the governing party’s “disastrous handling of Brexit”, but then announced in June that she was sitting as an independent. Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said Wollaston would bring “expertise”.

3. Tensions between India and Pakistan climb over Kashmir

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan yesterday threatened to “teach India a lesson” after warning that his country’s military was preparing to respond to anticipated Indian aggression in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Tensions have been rising in the wake of Delhi’s decision last week to revoke Indian-administered Kashmir’s special status.

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4. Nora Quoirin autopsy: teen died of hunger and stress

An autopsy has concluded that the vulnerable 15-year-old London girl found dead after going missing during a holiday in Malaysia died from “internal bleeding from a ruptured ulcer in her intestine, possibly caused by prolonged starvation or stress”. Nora Quoirin’s body was discovered on Tuesday, ten days after she disappeared, in a ravine in the jungle about a mile from the resort where her family were staying. Nora’s parents had insisted she must have been abducted.

5. Fraud victims ‘insulted and mislead’ by outsourcing firm

Call-centre workers at crime-reporting service Action Fraud are being trained to mislead victims into thinking their cases will be investigated, according to The Times. An undercover reporter who worked for the service, overseen by City of London Police, was also told to mislead callers into thinking they were talking to a police officer, the newspaper reports. The majority of cases are dismissed, either by civilian staff or a computer algorithm.

6. British woman dies after being set on fire in bed in Barbados

A London woman has died in Barbados after being doused in a flammable liquid and set alight while in bed, it has emerged. Mother-of-three Natalie Crichlow, 44, was in Barbados to look after her disabled brother when she was attacked on 28 July. She died in hospital nine days later. Her family say an intruder entered her house and tried to strangle her before setting her on fire, but claim police are not treating her death as a murder investigation.

7. A-level results released for 300,000 school pupils

Around 300,000 18-year-olds in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are ending the anxious wait for their A-level results today. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson wished the candidates “the very best of luck” and said they should be proud of their achievements and think about their next moves.

8. Arron Banks criticised over Greta Thunberg ‘joke’

Millionaire Brexit backer Arron Banks has caused outrage by jokingly wishing death on 16-year-old climate change activist Greta Thunberg. Commenting on a tweet wishing Thunberg “bon voyage” as she travels by yacht to the US for a climate conference, Banks wrote: “Freak yachting accidents do happen in August.”

9. New Zealanders warned against ‘sexy pavement lichen’

Botanists in New Zealand are warning the public not to consume lichen found growing on paths and rocks throughout the country, following claims that the plant has similar stimulatory properties to Viagra. The lichen, Xanthoparmelia scabrosa, has been dubbed “sexy pavement lichen” but may be tainted by pollutants including car exhaust toxins and dog urine, experts say.

10. Is Facebook always listening to me?

Facebook has admitted that it paid contractors to listen to voice recordings of users’ private conversations, after company insiders told Bloomberg that people were hired to analyse the firm’s Messenger service.

Is Facebook always listening to me?