Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 8 Aug 2016

1. Rio Olympics: Peaty wins Team GB's first gold

Adam Peaty has won Team GB’s first gold medal at the Rio Olympics, breaking the world record in the 100m breaststroke final. The 21-year-old swimmer, from Uttoxeter, finished in 57.13 seconds, well clear of the field. His team-mate, Jazz Carlin of Wales, took silver in the women's 400m freestyle minutes later.

Five things you didn't know about Adam Peaty

2. FTSE 100 bosses pocket 10% pay rise

The bosses of the UK's biggest firms enjoyed a 10% pay rise last year, earning an average of £5.5m, while the average wage rose just 2% nationally. The High Pay Centre said there was "no end yet in sight for the rise and rise of chief executive pay packages". FTSE 100 bosses now earn 129 time more than their workers.

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3. Turkey could restore death penalty

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has said he will bring back the death penalty if it is approved by parliament. Speaking at a massive pro-government rally he said he would not stand in the way of the pubnishment being reintroduced. He also said he would cleanse Turkey supporters of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Erdogan blames for last month's failed coup.

Turkey suspends 12,800 police officers from duty

4. Cross party backlash to grammar school revival

Theresa May faces cross-party resistance to her reported plan to revive grammar schools in England, overturning a law passed in the 1990s which forbids setting up new selective state schools. The PM, herself a former grammar school pupil, is thought to see the schools as a means to facilitate social mobility.

Theresa May rejects calls to increase Indian visa quota

5. Five-day Southern rail strike begins

Five days of strikes have began on the Southern rail service, which links Brighton, Gatwick and London, after talks over the introduction of driver-operated doors broke down. Unions say the plans will lead to job losses and are unsafe. Southern said it would run 60% of its normal timetable during the action.

Rail passengers protest fares hike at 100 stations

6. Man killed leaning out of train window

A man was killed after leaning out of the Gatwick Express window and being hit by another train. He was pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor from the air ambulance, which landed on Wandsworth Common. British Transport Police said the incident, which happened at around 5.30pm yesterday, was not suspicious.

Gatwick Express passenger killed after leaning out of train window

7. Akihito of Japan to make rare TV address

Emperor Akihito of Japan is to make only the second televised address of his reign later today in a recorded message expected to be a veiled declaration of his desire to step down from the throne. The 82-year-old monarch cannot use the word "abdicate" for fear of being seen to intervene in politics, but it is thought he wants his son to take over.

8. Donald Trump backed by American Nazi Party

The American Nazi Party says a victory for Donald Trump in this year's presidential election would be a "real opportunity" for "white nationalists" and allow them to build a mainstream political presence. Leader Rocky Suhayda made the comments on a radio broadcast last month, but his words have just come to wider attention.

9. New Labour members can vote for leader

New members of the Labour Party have won a High Court battle to vote in the forthcoming leadership election, potentially giving Jeremy Corbyn a major boost. Last month, the party ruled that new members since January this year could not vote in the ballot unless they paid an additional £25, but but that decision has been overturned and 130,000 more people can now take part in the election.

Jeremy Corbyn is a 'disaster', says Stephen Hawking

10. Briefing: Did the US pay 'cash for hostages' to Iran?

In January, Tehran released five American prisoners in exchange for

seven Iranians who had been detained in the US for violating

sanctions. But now it has emerged that "wooden pallets stacked with

euros, Swiss francs and other currencies" - arrived at Tehran airport

on 16 January - the same day Iran released five US prisoners. The

report prompted hawks such as Republican senator Tom Cotton to accuse

Obama of paying a "ransom to the ayatollahs for US hostages".

Did the US pay 'cash for hostages' to Iran?

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