Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 22 Apr 2016
- 1. Purple reign: Tributes paid to Prince
- 2. Obama: EU 'magnifies British influence'
- 3. Wozniak says Apple should pay more tax
- 4. Junior doctors may walk out indefinitely
- 5. Essex teenager guilty of double murder
- 6. All diesel cars fail emissions tests on road
- 7. Paris agreement signed as world marks Earth Day
- 8. Romania thrown out of Eurovision Song Contest
- 9. Alton Towers faces 'very large fine' over crash
- 10. Briefing: Will British combat troops be deployed to Libya?
1. Purple reign: Tributes paid to Prince
Politicians, journalists, musicians and music-lovers around the world have been paying tribute to Prince, who has died at the age of 57. Buildings, newspaper front pages and websites turned purple in honour of the singer and guitarist, who was found unresponsive at his home in Minnesota yesterday. Gossip site TMZ says he had been treated for a drugs overdose within the past week.
Universal buys rights to Prince's 'legendary' music vault
2. Obama: EU 'magnifies British influence'
US President Barack Obama, who arrived in London for a short visit last night, has written a column for the Daily Telegraph in which he says the UK would lose influence if it left the EU. Obama refers to the sacrifice made by US soldiers in Europe during the Second World War and says it will be easier for the UK to fight terrorism from within the union.
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Remain-voting City lobby group calls for 'dramatic Brexit U-turn'
3. Wozniak says Apple should pay more tax
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says the tech giant should pay more tax. Wozniak, who created the company with Steve Jobs in 1976, told the BBC that he pays 50 per cent tax and all companies should do the same. Apple is currently facing a European Commission inquiry into its tax affairs.
4. Junior doctors may walk out indefinitely
Leaked emails have revealed that junior doctors' groups are considering an open-ended walk-out if next week's strikes, the first in which emergency care staff will stop work, do not force Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to reopen talks on new contracts. Hunt has said he will force the contracts on doctors, who argue they are both unfair and unsafe.
5. Essex teenager guilty of double murder
A teenager who had a fascination with the Yorkshire Ripper and other serial killers has been convicted of murdering two strangers in Colchester in 2014. James Fairweather, now 17, claimed he was suffering from psychosis when he stabbed James Attfield and Nahid Almanea to death, but a psychiatrist cast doubt on his claims during his trial.
6. All diesel cars fail emissions tests on road
A study for the Department of Transport has found that diesel vehicles made by all manufacturers test far higher for emissions on the road than they do in the lab. The news comes as VW more than doubles its provisions for the diesel emissions scandal to €16.2bn. It had previously set aside €6.7bn to cover its liabilities.
UK's most popular diesel cars breaking emissions limits
7. Paris agreement signed as world marks Earth Day
World leaders gathered in New York today to sign the Paris agreement on climate change, as people around the world have been marking Earth Day. UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon will be joined by representatives from more than 160 nations for what has been billed as the biggest signing of an international treaty in history.
Earth Day: World leaders sign historic climate change agreement
8. Romania thrown out of Eurovision Song Contest
Romania has been expelled from the Eurovision Song Contest after broadcaster Televiziunea Romana failed to settle a debt of 16m Swiss francs (£11.3m) with the European Broadcasting Union. Romania has taken part in Eurovision every year since 1994, but will not be represented in Sweden next month.
9. Alton Towers faces 'very large fine' over crash
Alton Towers operator Merlin Attractions Ltd faces a "very large" fine over a horrific rollercoaster crash after it admitted breaching health and safety rules. Two teenagers had to undergo a leg amputation when a train on the Smiler ride hit a stationary carriage on 2 June 2015. Other riders suffered internal bleeding, broken bones and a punctured lung.
Alton Towers owner fined 'record' £5m over Smiler crash
10. Briefing: Will British combat troops be deployed to Libya?
David Cameron is preparing to join leaders from the US, Germany, France and Italy at a G5 meeting in Hamburg. The ongoing conflict in Libya is expected to top the agenda, as is the fight against Islamic State, the war in Syria and the worsening refugee crisis engulfing Europe. The summit on Monday comes amid "mounting speculation" that Britain is preparing to deploy troops to Libya, which remains in a state of political and social turmoil, the Daily Telegraph reports.
MPs attack David Cameron over rise of Islamic State in Libya
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