Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 20 Aug 2015
- 1. British police to tackle people-smuggling in Calais
- 2. Bangkok bomb: 'tour guides' hand themselves in
- 3. Britain to reopen embassy in Iran
- 4. GCSEs: results stable, but London forges ahead
- 5. Yemen ‘on the brink of famine’, says UN
- 6. Working long hours increases stroke risk
- 7. Crowds line streets for funeral of Cilla Black
- 8. Easyjet passenger Tasered by police at Gatwick
- 9. Hamas captures Israeli 'spy dolphin'
- 10. Briefing: inside Russia's propaganda factory
1. British police to tackle people-smuggling in Calais
Theresa May and her French counterpart Bernard Cazeneuve have signed a deal to tackle the migrant crisis at Calais. The plans involve the creation of a "control and command centre" in the French port, staffed by French and British police, to tackle people smuggling. There will also be extra money for fencing and CCTV - and more Eurotunnel guards.
Refugee crisis: Calais Jungle children 'have nowhere to sleep'
2. Bangkok bomb: 'tour guides' hand themselves in
Thai police say the bombing of a Hindu shrine in Bangkok on Monday evening, in which 20 died and scores were injured, is unlikely to be the work of an international terror group, but believe at least ten people were involved in planning and carrying out the attack. Two men caught on CCTV at the scene have handed themselves in to police, insisting they are tour guides
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.
Bangkok bomb: what we know about the suspected attackers
3. Britain to reopen embassy in Iran
Britain is to reopen its embassy in Iran, four years after it was stormed by protestors during angry over sanctions imposed by Westminster. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond will visit Iran at the weekend with a delegation of business leaders. The news comes after Tehran agreed a deal with world powers over its nuclear programme.
4. GCSEs: results stable, but London forges ahead
This year's GCSE results have remained stable with the proportion of A* to C grades rising to 69%, up from 68.8% last year, while A* grades fell by 0.1% points. The oveall pass rate was 98.6%. There were some significant regional variations in results with 7% more students getting A* to C grades in London than in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
5. Yemen ‘on the brink of famine’, says UN
The conflict in Yemen has brought the country to the brink of famine, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) has warned. Aid agencies are unable to reach remote areas because of violence and the country’s markets do not have enough food to feed the population, says the WFP. There are 13 million people believed to need help.
Yemeni government rejects US ceasefire
6. Working long hours increases stroke risk
Data analysis of half a million people shows those working long hours are more likely to suffer a stroke. The reason for the link is uncertain but it could be their jobs are more stressful or that they don’t have time for exercise or good diet. Those working up to 48 hours a week were at 10% more risk than people working up to 40 hours.
7. Crowds line streets for funeral of Cilla Black
Crowds lined the streets to applaud the funeral cortege of Cilla Black today as it made its way to the Liverpool church where her marriage was blessed in 1969. Cliff Richard sang a tribute, and celebrities including Paul O'Grady and Jimmy Tarbuck gave readings. Tom Jones, who hired a private plane to attend, and Andrew Lloyd Webber were guests.
Sir Cliff Richard to sing at Cilla Black's funeral
8. Easyjet passenger Tasered by police at Gatwick
A passenger on an Easyjet flight from Gatwick to Belfast was Tasered by police during a row about luggage. Officers went on board the plane after reports that a passenger had become abusive. Sussex Police later said a man had been arrested for breach of the peace. The plane eventually took off three hours late after police took statements from passengers and crew.
9. Hamas captures Israeli 'spy dolphin'
Hamas claims to have captured an Israeli spy dolphin off the coast of Gaza. The animal was fitted with a camera, a "remote control monitoring device" and a contraption that could fire small arrows underwater, according to local media, and was being used by Israel to attack Hamas's commando wing. Sceptics believe the dolphin was simply wearing a GPS tag.
Hamas 'captures Israeli spy dolphin'
10. Briefing: inside Russia's propaganda factory
An undercover journalist and activist has won symbolic damages against a secretive Russian agency after infiltrating the organisation and exposing the inner workings of the "propaganda factory". Lyudmila Savchuk sued the pro-Kremlin Internet Research Agency for breaching labour laws after she was unmasked as a reporter and fired by the company. "I am very happy with this victory," the 34-year old said outside court in St Petersburg. "I achieved my aim, which was to bring the internet trolls out of the shade."
Russia's troll army: how the propaganda factory operates
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
-
Will California's EV mandate survive Trump, SCOTUS challenge?
Today's Big Question The Golden State's climate goal faces big obstacles
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Underneath the noise, however, there’s an existential crisis'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
2024: the year of distrust in science
In the Spotlight Science and politics do not seem to mix
By Devika Rao, 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