Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 25 Oct 2019

1. Lorry victims ‘were already trapped in Belgium’

Belgian officials believe the 39 people found dead in a refrigerated container in Essex on Wednesday spent at least 10 hours trapped at -25C in the port of Zeebrugge on Tuesday afternoon. This has raised speculation that the eight women and 31 men, believed to be Chinese nationals, were the victims of people trafficking, not refugees.

Essex lorry driver admits to 39 counts of manslaughter

2. Corbyn to decide on 12 December election

Labour may block Boris Johnson’s bid for a 12 December general election by abstaining from a vote in the Commons on Monday. Leader Jeremy Corbyn is expected to decide today what to tell his MPs to do but has previously said he would not go into an election until the possibility of a no deal Brexit had been firmly ruled out.

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Election push: Boris Johnson demands 12 December vote

3. EU ambassadors to discuss Brexit extension

National ambassadors to the EU are meeting today to discuss what length of extension to offer the UK on the deadline for Brexit. Most countries – including Germany, one of the most influential nations in the bloc – are said to favour a three-month delay with an option to leaver earlier. However, France has called for just 15 days.

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

4. Exodus of young viewers ‘puts BBC in danger’

Media regulator Ofcom is warning that the BBC is under threat because younger viewers are turning away from the national broadcaster, which could affect future support for the existence of the licence fee. Less than half of Britons aged 16 to 24 watched any BBC television channels in an average week last year, says The Times.

5. Call to recruit one million to fight invasive species

The MPs on the cross-party environmental audit committee are calling on the government to recruit more than one million citizens to fight the introduction of non-native species to the UK ecosystem. It is predicted that between 36 and 48 such species will become established in the country in the next 20 years, affecting the balance of nature.

6. QuickQuid, biggest payday lender, to close

The biggest payday lender in the country, QuickQuid, is to close down, with thousands of complaints about its practices still unresolved. US-based parent company Enova said it was pulling the plug “due to regulatory uncertainty”. Compensation claims have been made by customers who say they should not have been given loans.

7. Weinstein heckled by comics at NYC event

Harvey Weinstein – accused by more than 80 women of rape, sexual assault or harassment – made a rare appearance in public on Wednesday night in New York. In the audience during a showcase for emerging comedians, the 67-year-old was heckled from the stage by comic Kelly Bachman, who called him “the Freddy Krueger in the room”.

8. Tourists flock to climb Uluru for last time

In Australia, tourists have been queuing up in hundreds to climb the natural monolith Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock, for the last time. A permanent ban on climbing, respecting the beliefs of the local indigenous population, comes into force from Saturday. One local Anangu man told the BBC: “They’ve got no respect.”

Why people are banned from climbing Uluru

9. Oxford students replace clapping with ‘jazz hands’

Oxford University’s student union council has voted to replace clapping with ‘jazz hands’ – the silent wobbling of hands with palms open – because loud applause is said to be upsetting or difficult for students with “anxiety disorders, sensory sensitivity and … hearing aids”. The practice has often been adopted by protest movements.

Why Oxford students have banned clapping

10. Briefing: who is responsible for the Brazil oil spill?

Anger is growing in Brazil over a mysterious oil spill that has forced the closure of some of the country’s most naturally diverse beaches.

In early September, oil began washing up on Brazil’s northeastern shores, covering a stretch of coast around 1,300 miles long, killing a number of animals and destroying swathes of pristine coral. So what happened?

Brazil oil spill: who is responsible?