Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 2 Aug 2020
- 1. Tory MP in custody after woman accuses him of rape
- 2. Media will be barred from Trump's re-nomination ceremony
- 3. Judge asks minister to address SAS ‘execution’ claim
- 4. TikTok surge as app faces threats from Donald Trump
- 5. Ministers to give automatic permission for new buildings
- 6. Union threatens Labour on funds after anti-semitism payouts
- 7. UK lobbies Washington on controversial new nukes
- 8. Gandhi to become first non-white to feature on British currency
- 9. Anti-Netanyahu protests escalating on Israeli streets
- 10. Crime racket exposed as plane overloaded with cocaine crashes
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
1. Tory MP in custody after woman accuses him of rape
A former Conservative minister has been arrested after a woman accused him of rape, sexual assault and coercive control. The Metropolitan police say they have launched an investigation into four alleged incidents between July 2019 and January 2020. A statement said “a man in his 50s” was taken into custody early yesterday. The Conservative party said: “We take all allegations of this nature extremely seriously.”
2. Media will be barred from Trump's re-nomination ceremony
The media will be banned from the Republican national convention where Donald Trump will be re-nominated as presidential candidate later this month. “Given the health restrictions and limitations in place within the state of North Carolina, we are planning for the Charlotte activities to be closed [to] press,” a convention spokeswoman said. The Observer says nominating conventions are “traditionally meant to be media bonanzas”.
3. Judge asks minister to address SAS ‘execution’ claim
A judge has ordered the Defence Secretary to explain why evidence that a rogue SAS unit “executed” Afghan civilians was withheld from a High Court case. The Sunday Times reports that the special forces regiment is accused of hushing up major war crimes, amid concern about the killings of 22 people in a series of night raids.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
4. TikTok surge as app faces threats from Donald Trump
TikTok is fighting to keep operating in the US after Donald Trump threatened to ban it. “As far as TikTok is concerned, we’re banning them from the United States,” said the US president. There have been claims the Chinese-owned platform is a danger to national security. The app has seen unprecedented use in the US since Trump’s threat. “Everyone is going cray cray ... If it does happen, follow me on Instagram,” said one user.
5. Ministers to give automatic permission for new buildings
A radical shake-up of planning laws will see new homes, hospitals, schools, shops and offices given “automatic” permission to be built. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick says “outdated and cumbersome” planning rules, in which it takes on average five years to approve a new housing development, are fuelling a “generational divide”. Boris Johnson has promised to “build, build, build” in order to create more affordable homes.
6. Union threatens Labour on funds after anti-semitism payouts
Labour’s main union backer will review its donations following Keir Starmer’s decision to pay damages to ex-staffers who claimed the party had not dealt with anti-semitism. Unite leader Len McCluskey said there was “no doubt” the union’s ruling executive would be demanding a review of the millions it donates to the Labour Party. “It’s an abuse of members’ money,” he said.
7. UK lobbies Washington on controversial new nukes
The UK has lobbied the US to support a controversial new warhead for Trident missiles. A letter from Britain’s defence secretary, Ben Wallace, urged Congress to support initial spending on the warhead, the W93, claiming it is critical for “the future of Nato as a nuclear alliance”. The Observer says the move “pits the Trump administration against many Democrats and arms control groups”.
8. Gandhi to become first non-white to feature on British currency
Mahatma Gandhi is expected set to become the first BAME person to feature on British currency. The Royal Mint Advisory Committee is working to create a coin featuring the legendary figure, who led the protest against British rule in India. The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has written to the committee, asking it to “consider recognising the contributions of Black, Asian, and other ethnic minority individuals”.
9. Anti-Netanyahu protests escalating on Israeli streets
Protests in Israel are gathering pace as thousands of demonstrators assembled outside the official residence of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and jammed the streets of central Jerusalem. During the summer, Israelis have taken to the streets, calling for Netanyahu to resign, protesting his handling of the country’s Covid-19 crisis and saying he should not remain in office while facing trial for corruption charges.
10. Crime racket exposed as plane overloaded with cocaine crashes
An Australian crime syndicate was exposed when a light aircraft overloaded with cocaine crashed on take-off from Papua New Guinea. The Cessna aircraft was rammed with more than 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) of cocaine. Australian Federal Police said “greed played a significant part in the syndicate's activities” and added they cannot rule out that the weight of the cocaine had an impact on the plane’s ability to take off.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
10 things you need to know today: September 22, 2023
Daily Briefing Zelenskyy visits Washington as Biden unveils more Ukraine aid, Rupert Murdoch steps down at Fox and News Corp., and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 22 September 2023
The Week’s daily digest of the news agenda, published at 8am
By The Week Staff Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 21, 2023
Daily Briefing Biden extends temporary protections to 470,000 Venezuelans, Republicans grill Garland on Biden and Trump investigations, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
Woman reunited with egg she signed in 1951
It Wasn't All Bad Good news stories from the past seven days
By The Week Staff Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 20, 2023
Daily Briefing Zelenskyy, Biden urge UN members to oppose Russian aggression, hardline Republicans block spending bill as shutdown looms, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 19, 2023
Daily Briefing Iran, US swap prisoners in a complex deal, Canada accuses India of role in Sikh leader's assassination, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 18, 2023
Daily Briefing Protesters call for ending fossil fuel ahead of UN meetings, Trump doesn't 'even think' about going to jail, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 15, 2023
Daily Briefing A grand jury indicts Hunter Biden on gun charges, House defense spending bill stalls as shutdown looms, and more
By Harold Maass Published