Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 27 May 2016

1. Barack Obama makes historic visit to Hiroshima

Barack Obama has become the first US president to visit Hiroshima since Harry Truman authorised the dropping of an atomic bomb on the city in 1945. Obama, who is visiting Japan for the G7 summit, hopes the trip will help his ambitions to curb the proliferation of nuclear weapons. He has made it clear he will not apologise for the war-time attack.

2. G7 warns Brexit will seriously threaten global growth

A UK exit from the EU would pose a "serious threat to global growth", says a declaration agreed at the G7 summit of world leaders in Japan. It is not surprising that the leaders hold that opinion, says the BBC, but what is unexpected is the severity of the impact they say Brexit would have on global jobs, investment and trade.

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

3. Second UK ship to patrol Libyan waters

A second Royal Navy ship will be sent to Libya to work alongside survey vessel HMS Enterprise and tackle arms smuggling and people trafficking. The government will seek UN approval to extend the mandate of its naval operations. One of Libya's two rival parliaments last week asked for EU help to stop migrant trafficking.

4. Leaving EU 'would trigger Scotland referendum'

Alex Salmond said yesterday that if the UK votes to leave the EU, he expects a second Scottish independence referendum to be held within two years. The former SNP leader was taking part in a BBC debate on the EU referendum in Glasgow with questions from young voters. "I think the result would be 'yes' this time," he added.

Scottish independence: Is IndyRef2 'dead' after election losses?

5. Trump clinches Republican nomination

Property developer Donald Trump yesterday clinched the Republican nomination for this year's US presidential election after winning the support of 1,238 delegates - one more than the magic number needed. "I'm so honoured. I'm so honoured by these people; they had such great sense," said the businessman.

Trump travel ban: Judge expands definition of relatives

6. France to help search for EgyptAir flight 804

A French navy vessel is to lead an underwater search for the black box flight recorders from EgyptAir flight 804, which crashed on 19 May, en route from Paris to Cairo, killing all 66 people on board. The search will begin "in the coming days", says Sky News. Egyptian authorities will "pilot" the searches with French help.

7. Terror suspects' DNA records are deleted

Fingerprints and DNA files identifying as many as 800 people suspected of terror offences have been allowed to expire due to a bureaucratic error. Under the current system, forensic profiles of suspects are deleted after six months. However, if the information is considered important to national security, it can be kept indefinitely. However, paperwork was not submitted in time.

Terror suspects' DNA records deleted on a technicality

8. Thousands protest in Paris over labour laws

Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in France to demonstrate against controversial labour law reforms. Strike action, led by the powerful CGT union, has brought oil refineries, nuclear power stations and transport hubs to a standstill. Riot police battled protesters and made 77 arrests in Paris and other cities, two weeks before the Euro 2016 football tournament begins.

Paris rocked by violent protests two weeks before Euro 2016

9. Microsoft and Facebook to lay cable under Atlantic

Tech giants Microsoft and Facebook are to build an "internet highway" under the Atlantic. The tech giants want to lay a new cable from the US to Spain to ensure fast connectivity for their services. Previous transatlantic cables have been laid by telecommunications firms or national governments.

10. Briefing: Never mind the EU polls - look at the predictions

A significant majority of people believe Britain will vote to remain in the European Union in next month's referendum, even though polls have been far from conclusive. A survey carried out by Conservative peer Michael Ashcroft and seen by The Guardian has revealed that 65 per cent of Britons think the Remain campaign will win, while just 35 per cent predict Brexit. As the arguments on both sides of the debate intensify, it was also seen that most voters trust their gut instinct over facts and figures.

Brexit: Theresa May says ‘trust me’ to deliver

Explore More