Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 4 Oct 2019

1. EU gives Johnson a week to improve deal

EU chiefs have set an 11 October cut-off date for Boris Johnson to present an improved version of his plans for Brexit – or will refuse to discuss the proposals at a crucial EU summit on 17 October. According to The Times, the new deadline means the prime minister is “highly unlikely” to reach an agreement before 31 October, when the UK is due to quit the bloc.

New Brexit vote ‘would pile pressure’ on EU

2. Trump-Ukraine row: messages show demands

Newly published text messages sent by US and Ukrainian diplomats in July show the White House made it clear to Ukraine that a state visit to meet Donald Trump would only happen if the European nation’s president agreed to investigate the family of Democrat Joe Biden. Trump is already facing an impeachment inquiry over the claims that he asked Ukraine to dig up dirt on his rival.

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Donald Trump's impeachment claims, examined

3. Paralysed man walks using exoskeleton suit

A French man left paralysed from the neck down following an accident has walked using a mechanical suit controlled by his brain waves. The 30-year-old former optician, named only as Thibault, used a system of sensors implanted near his brain to send messages to move all four of his paralysed limbs of the exoskeleton, which was attached to a ceiling harness to help him balance.

4. Extinction Rebellion plan to shut down central London

Climate change campaigners have vowed to bring parts of central London to a standstill over a period of two weeks starting from 7 October. The Extinction Rebellion group hopes to bring 20,000 protesters onto the streets, blockading Smithfield meat market and shutting roads around Westminster. It says the mass protest will be five times bigger than that in the English capital in April.

What is Extinction Rebellion and what does it want?

5. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe sending daughter home from Iran

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian mother held in a Tehran jail on spying charges for more than three years, has made the difficult decision to send her daughter home to London to begin schooling – even though it means the child’s weekly visits to see her will cease. It is feared Zaghari-Ratcliffe is being used as collateral over a decades-old £400m debt that the UK owes Iran.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe: jailed mother ‘traumatised’ by escalating Iran crisis

6. Jennifer Arcuri ‘ready to talk about Boris Johnson’

A lawyer claiming to represent Jennifer Arcuri says the US businesswoman is ready to talk about her friendship with Boris Johnson, The Times reports. The British PM is accused of improperly using his influence to channel public funds to Arcuri when he was mayor of London. Lawyer Michael Walsh told the newspaper that Arcuri would talk for around £180,000 per interview and was “hot right now”.

Jennifer Arcuri: who is Boris Johnson’s ‘close friend’?

7. John Lewis seeks discounts from its landlords

Retailer John Lewis has warned some of its landlords that it will withhold 20% of service charges this quarter, in an attempt to cut costs. The highly unusual move illustrates the pressure that high-street stores are under in the UK – but could lead to legal action by property owners. The John Lewis Partnership announced a major restructuring earlier this week.

8. Johnson-Thompson wins gold and sets new record

Katarina Johnson-Thompson won gold in the heptathlon at the World Athletics Championships in Doha yesterday. The 26-year-old also set a new UK record for the event, winning with 6,981 points, 304 clear of her nearest rival. She said: “It has been such a long road. I am just happy that I’m coming into my best in these two big years.”

Today’s back pages: KJT rules the world and Arsenal set goal standard

9. Fatberg ‘autopsy’ reveals false teeth and bones

Scientists have completed an “autopsy” on a 210ft-long fatberg found in the sewers of Sidmouth in Devon. The mass of animal fat and items flushed down toilets contained false teeth, chicken bones and wet wipes – but was not toxic and contained no microplastic beads.

What is inside London’s fatbergs?

10. Briefing: countries where smacking children is illegal

Scotland is on track to become the first UK country to ban parents from smacking their children.

Across the world, only a minority of countries have completely outlawed corporal punishment.

Countries where smacking children is illegal