Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 2 Jul 2015

1. Fallon asks MPs to consider bombing Syria

Defence secretary Michael Fallon is urging MPs to consider bombing Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria. In 2013, the Commons voted against air strikes on Syrian government forces, but Fallon is insisting today there is no legal barrier to bombing. Parliament last year approved air strikes against IS in Iraq.

2. Tsipras urges Greeks: vote against bailout

Greek PM Alexis Tsipras insists a ‘no’ vote in Sunday’s referendum on accepting the bailout deal offered by EU creditors will not force Greece out of the euro. Urging Greeks to vote ‘no’ in a TV address last night, Tsipras said their rejecting the latest bailout would give him a stronger negotiating position.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

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.

Sign up

Greece finally reaches deal to release €12bn bailout funds

3. Tunisia attack: more British victims to be flown back

More bodies of victims of the terror attack at the beach resort Sousse in Tunisia will be flown back to the UK today by the RAF. A C-17 military transport is expected to land at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire this afternoon. So far, 29 of the 38 tourists shot dead by Seifeddine Rezgui have been confirmed as British.

Tunisia attack: five acts of love and courage amid tragedy

4. Cameron warned: back third runway or face defeat

Tory grandees have warned David Cameron to back the expansion of Heathrow airport recommended by the Davies commission or face defeat in the Commons, The Guardian claims. One “senior Tory” says the issue “has absolutely got the PM by the nuts”. Cameron has previously promised voters to oppose the plan.

'Third Heathrow runway is not enough,' say business leaders

5. Heartbreak for Lionesses as Japan go through

England were last night knocked out of the World Cup, with Laura Bassett’s unlucky injury-time own goal sending defending champions Japan through to the final. Had they won, it would have been the first final for an England women’s team - and only the second final for both genders, after the men’s 1966 win.

England World Cup heartbreak puts referees in the spotlight

6. Michelle Obama ends White House photo ban

Michelle Obama has ended a ban on visitors to the White House taking pictures - and has been pictured herself literally tearing up the prohibition. Visitors touring her official residence yesterday used their phones to post photos on the web. However, large professional cameras are still banned - as are selfie sticks.

7. Saudi prince donates his $32bn fortune to charity

The world’s 34th-richest man, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia, is to donate his entire $32bn personal fortune to charity, hoping to “foster cultural understanding, develop communities, empower women, enable youth [and] provide vital disaster relief”. The news was praised by fellow philanthropist Bill Gates.

8. Dolphin breaks woman’s ankles and punches daughter

A dolphin last week lept into a boat, knocking over the owner, punching his daughter in the face and breaking both his wife’s ankles. Dirk Frickman, of Orange County, California, was celebrating his 18th wedding anniversary. It is not known why the dolphin jumped but it is thought to have survived with a few cuts.

9. Google apologises for ‘racist’ AI programme

Google has apologised after a user noticed an app which automatically labels pictures had tagged his girlfriend as a ‘gorilla’. Jacky Alcine and his friend are black. Alcine has questioned whether the app, which learns from its mistakes, was shown a diverse enough set of faces when it was initially primed before release.

10. Briefing: why are black churches burning again?

The FBI has launched an investigation fter seven historically black churches were burned down in southern states in the wake of the shooting in Charleston two weeks ago. Churches have gone up in flames in in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina and Tennessee, and while no-one has been hurt, many of the churches have been completely destroyed.

Why are black churches burning again?

Explore More