Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 22 Jul 2015
- 1. Blair issues Labour warning over Corbyn
- 2. Greece faces second vote on bailout reforms
- 3. Data on Alzheimer’s ‘breakthrough’ drug due out
- 4. Glasgow bin lorry crash: court hears of 'panic'
- 5. Texas: video of Sandra Bland arrest released
- 6. ‘Oldest Koran’ found by Birmingham University
- 7. 'Racist' Chelsea fans banned from football matches
- 8. Trump grabs more headlines with phone stunt
- 9. Smoking ban could make prisons 'unstable'
- 10. Briefing: Stephen Hawking's search for intelligent aliens
1. Blair issues Labour warning over Corbyn
Tony Blair has made a rare foray into domestic politics to warn Labour against electing left-winger Jeremy Corbyn as leader. He said supporters whose hearts told them to support Corbyn should "get a transplant". Another Labour grandee, Margaret Beckett, admitted she had been a "moron" to endorse Corbyn after a YouGov poll made him the clear front runner.
Jeremy Corbyn is a 'disaster', says Stephen Hawking
2. Greece faces second vote on bailout reforms
Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras has taken on his critics within Syriza ahead of a second vote on reforms, which he must win to secure the €86bn bailout agreement with its eurozone creditors. Tsipras is expected to win the vote with opposition backing, but another rebellion could see his support from Syriza MPs fall below what he needs to govern.
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.
Greece finally reaches deal to release €12bn bailout funds
3. Data on Alzheimer’s ‘breakthrough’ drug due out
Data is to be released today by US drug company Eli Lilly on a chemical which it is hoped can slow the progress of Alzheimer’s disease. The firm has been trialling the drug, Solanezumab, on people in the earliest stages of the disease. Just how effective it has been at slowing deterioration will be revealed at a conference today.
Alzheimer's drug offers 'tantalising' hope for sufferers
4. Glasgow bin lorry crash: court hears of 'panic'
A crew member on board the Glasgow bin lorry that killed six people when it careered out of control in the city centre has told a court how there was "panic" on board after driver Harry Clarke slumped unconscious at the wheel. Matthew Telford told how he screamed "you're killing people" at Clarke during the tragedy on 22 December last year.
5. Texas: video of Sandra Bland arrest released
Police in Texas have released a dashboard camera video which shows the arrest of Sandra Bland, a black woman who died in police custody on 13 July. The crudely-edited clip shows Bland being pulled over for failing to signal before a row develops. A coroner ruled she hanged herself in her cell but state officials and the FBI are investigating.
6. ‘Oldest Koran’ found by Birmingham University
Pages of manuscript written on sheep or goatskin which have been kept in the Univeristy of Birmingham for the past 100 years belong to the oldest Koran known, radiocarbon dating has shown. The parchment is at least 1,370 years old, meaning it could have been written by somebody who was alive at the time of Mohammed.
One of world's oldest Korans found in Birmingham library
7. 'Racist' Chelsea fans banned from football matches
A former police officer is among four Chelsea fans banned from football matches for up to five years after a "racist incident" on the Paris Metro, in which a black man was thrown off a train. Richard Barklie, 50, a former RUC officer, also joined in racist chants before a European match in February. Their behaviour was described as "abhorrent, nasty and offensive" by a judge.
8. Trump grabs more headlines with phone stunt
Donald Trump, often regarded as a joke candidate, has infuriated grandees of the Republican Party with another headline-grabbing stunt. The self-proclaimed multi-millionaire read out a rival White House wannabe’s mobile phone number at a press conference. Senator Lindsey Graham recently called Trump a “jackass”.
Trump travel ban: Judge expands definition of relatives
9. Smoking ban could make prisons 'unstable'
Plans to ban smoking in prisons could make them less "stable", the Prison Governors Association has warned. Jails will start becoming smoke-free next year, even though 80 per cent of inmates smoke. PGA president Andrea Albutt said the ban would have to be introduced in a "safe and staged" manner after court rulings made it inevitable.
10. Briefing: Stephen Hawking's search for intelligent aliens
Professor Stephen Hawking has launched the most extensive search for alien life yet, with a $100m (£64m) project that will give leading astronomers and researchers access to the world's most powerful radio telescopes. The Breakthrough Listen search will be 50 times more sensitive, and cover ten times more sky, than previous attempts to find alien life. Hawking, who will act as an adviser on the project, said: "It's time to commit to finding the answer, to search for life beyond Earth."
Stephen Hawking urges inquiry into Jeremy Hunt's NHS 'weekend effect' claims
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Is it safe for refugees to return to Syria?
Talking Point European countries rapidly froze asylum claims after Assad's fall but Syrian refugees may have reason not to rush home
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 14 - 20 December
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Drugmakers paid pharmacy benefit managers to avoid restricting opioid prescriptions
Under the radar The middlemen and gatekeepers of insurance coverage have been pocketing money in exchange for working with Big Pharma
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 24, 2024
Daily Briefing Trump closes in on nomination with New Hampshire win over Haley, 'Oppenheimer' leads the 2024 Oscar nominations, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 23, 2024
Daily Briefing Haley makes last stand in New Hampshire as Trump extends polling lead, justices side with US over Texas in border fight, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 22, 2024
Daily Briefing DeSantis ends his presidential campaign and endorses Trump, the US and Arab allies push plan to end Gaza war, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 21, 2024
Daily Briefing Palestinian death toll reportedly passes 25,000, top Biden adviser to travel to Egypt and Qatar for hostage talks, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 20, 2024
Daily Briefing Grand jury reportedly convened to investigate Uvalde shooting response, families protest outside Netanyahu's house as pressure mounts for hostage deal, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 19, 2024
Daily Briefing Congress averts a government shutdown, DOJ report cites failures in police response to Texas school shooting, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 18, 2024
Daily Briefing Judge threatens to remove Trump from his defamation trial, medicine for hostages and Palestinians reach Gaza, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 17, 2024
Daily Briefing The US strikes Houthi targets in Yemen a third time, Trump's second sex defamation trial begins, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published