Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 31 May 2016
- 1. Iraqi army faces fierce IS resistance in Fallujah
- 2. Home Office 'dismissed dangers of people trafficking'
- 3. Marcus Rashford makes squad for Euro 2016
- 4. Two convicted of murder of toddler Liam Fee
- 5. Austin Reed to disappear from the high street
- 6. Wet Tuesday to see a month's worth of rain
- 7. Battle of Jutland centenary memorials take place
- 8. JD Wetherspoon prints Brexit beermats
- 9. England secure series win over Sri Lanka
- 10. Briefing: How Brexit could affect your mortgage
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1. Iraqi army faces fierce IS resistance in Fallujah
Iraqi forces are facing bitter resistance and counter-attacks as they try to take the Islamic State stronghold, Fallujah, which has been held by the terror group since 2014. The dawn offensive came a week after the army first began efforts to win back the city. Fallujah lies 30 miles west of Baghdad, where IS militants launched a wave of bombings, killing at least 21 people.
Syria 'planning a new chemical attack', US claims
2. Home Office 'dismissed dangers of people trafficking'
Ministers have ignored the risk of people trafficking, reports The Times. Earlier this year, the Home Office brushed aside concerns by the borders inspector over people smuggling in small boats, saying it was “not significant”. Two British men were charged yesterday with immigration offences after a boat carrying 18 Albanian migrants, including two children, was rescued off Kent.
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Refugee crisis: Calais Jungle children 'have nowhere to sleep'
3. Marcus Rashford makes squad for Euro 2016
England football manager Roy Hodgson has announced his final 23-man squad for Euro 2016, with Manchester United teenager Marcus Rashford selected for the tournament, just four months after he made his senior debut. Daniel Sturridge of Liverpool is also in the squad, which boasts five strikers, but Andros Townsend and Danny Drinkwater missed out on selection.
Iceland 2 England 1: The 'worst result in English history'
4. Two convicted of murder of toddler Liam Fee
Two women have been found guilty of the murder of toddler Liam Fee and convicted of a catalogue of abuse against two other children in Fife. Liam's mother Rachel Fee and her partner Nyomi subjected two-year-old Liam to escalating pattern of abuse. He died from a blow to the abdomen that ruptured his heart and was later found to have 30 other injuries.
5. Austin Reed to disappear from the high street
The Austin Reed brand is to disappear from the British high street with the loss of 1,000 jobs after the company's administrators failed to find a buyer for the struggling business. All 120 stores will close by the end of July, 116 years after its first shop opened. Five concession stores and the Austin Reed and Country Casual brand names have been bought by Edinburgh Wool Mills.
Austin Reed to return to high street seven months after collapse
6. Wet Tuesday to see a month's worth of rain
More than a month's rain is set to fall today as many commuters face a wet return to work after the bank holiday weekend. The south-east will face the worst, with more than two inces expected throughout the early rush hour and into the late morning. "We have yellow warnings out across the south-east in place until 12pm on Tuesday," Met Office forecaster Emma Sillitoe said.
7. Battle of Jutland centenary memorials take place
Commemorations to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Jutland have been taking place. The battle was fought near the coast of Denmark on 31 May and 1 June 1916 and involved about 250 ships. A service at St Magnus Cathedral in Orkney paid tribute to the 8,648 sailors who died during the battle, which saw the British Grand Fleet confront the German High Seas Fleet.
Battle of Jutland: What happened and why was it important?
8. JD Wetherspoon prints Brexit beermats
One of Britain's largest pub chains, JD Wetherspoon, has intervened in the EU referendum debate, printing 200,000 beer mats urging drinkers to support Brexit. The coasters feature a personal message and a series of questions addressed to Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund, who has warned of the economic risks of leaving the EU.
Remain-voting City lobby group calls for 'dramatic Brexit U-turn'
9. England secure series win over Sri Lanka
England have sealed a series win after overcoming Sri Lanka to take the second Test by nine wickets. Captain Alastair Cook reached a personal landmark of 10,000 Test runs during his unbeaten 47. England can complete a series whitewash in the third and final Test at Lord's, which begins on 9 June.
Alastair Cook joins the 10,000 run club: Can he catch Tendulkar?
10. Briefing: How Brexit could affect your mortgage
There are plenty of scare stories doing the rounds about how a vote to leave the European Union could result in plummeting house prices and soaring mortgage rates, leading potentially to an all-out housing market crisis. Is that just scaremongering or should we all be worried?
How Brexit could affect your mortgage
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