Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 1 Jun 2015

1. CANCER CURE BREAKTHROUGH HAILED

Doctors are hailing a “spectacular” step towards a cure for cancer, reports The Times. Many terminally ill cancer sufferers will be “cured” of the disease thanks to ground-breaking medication credited as ushering in a new era in treatment. The British trial brought “spectacular” results, said experts. The medicine works with some of the most deadly tumours, including lung, bowel, liver and head.

Cancer drugs deliver 'powerful punch' against melanomas

2. 'OLIVER TWIST KIDS' USED IN UK CRIME

'Oliver Twist' children are being used in crime in Britain, the anti-slavery commissioner has warned. School children are being used to pickpocket, shoplift and beg as part of criminal operations, claims Kevin Hyland. He said more needs to be done to stop it. The Home Office said the government had "succeeded" in bringing modern slavery into the open.

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Slavery in modern day Britain: is enough being done to tackle it?

3. QATAR: WORLD CUP ROW IS RACIST

The row about World Cup bribes is racist, says a leading figure in Qatar. “See how they don’t talk about Russia with Qatar,” former PM Sheikh al-Thani told Fox News. “We support of course Russia, to have their turn in 2018. But we see the talk . . . is all about Qatar, because it comes to a small, Arab, Islamic country. That’s how people feel.”

Michel Platini will resign at Uefa's next congress

4. DAVID CAMERON ROWS WITH GOVE AND MAY

A divide has opened between David Cameron and two cabinet colleagues over the European Convention on Human Rights. The PM has ruled out withdrawing from the Convention despite objections from Michael Gove and Theresa May. Gove and May believe that pulling out of the convention may be the "only solution" to re-establishing the supremacy of British courts.

Will the Human Rights Act be scrapped?

5. I.S ATTACK KILLS 38; TORTURE CLIP EMERGES

Footage of Islamic State militants torturing a 14-year-old Syrian boy has been published online. The clip, filmed by an IS defector in Raqqa, shows the teenage bread seller being beaten while he hangs by his wrists. Meanwhile an IS suicide truck attack in the Iraqi city of Samarra has killed 38 policemen.

6. US LOSES POWERS AS PATRIOT ACT EXPIRES

US security service powers have been restricted after key parts of the Patriot Act expired at midnight following the failure of the Senate to reach a deal to extend them. US authorities have temporarily lost the right to collect phone records, carry out "roving wiretaps" of terror suspects and monitor "lone wolf" suspects.

Patriot Act expires: what does it mean for US national security?

7. NATIONAL RAIL STRIKES CALLED OFF

Two national train strikes scheduled for this month have been called off after Network Rail offered union members a new pay deal. The suspension comes after four days of talks between the RMT union and Network Rail at the Acas conciliation service. The strikes had been scheduled for this Thursday and Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

Rail passengers protest fares hike at 100 stations

8. BEIJING BAN ON PUBLIC SMOKING

Public smoking in Beijing is now banned after the introduction of a new law. The ban in China's capital comes as the country has over 300 million smokers with over a million dying from smoking-related illnesses every year. The new regulations ban smoking in restaurants, offices and on public transport in Beijing. Thousands of inspectors will enforce the rules.

9. MARINE TRAINEE DIES ON DARTMOOR MARCH

A Royal Marine trainee collapsed and died during a 30-mile march across Dartmoor, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed. The victim, who has not been named, was based at the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone, Devon. He died on Thursday during the last major test of the 32-week long Commando training course.

Royal Marine trainee dies carrying 32lbs on 30-mile march

10. PLAYERS APOLOGISE OVER THAI VIDEO

Three Leicester City footballers have apologised after a sexually explicit video emerged in which a Thai woman was racially abused. The players seemingly filmed three Thai women engaging in sex acts in a hotel room. One of the players appears to refer to one woman as a "slit eye". James Pearson, Tom Hopper, and Adam Smith appear naked in the video, obtained by the Sunday Mirror.

Leicester sack three players after 'racist orgy' in Thailand