Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 19 Sep 2016
- 1. New York: More bombs found as suspects questioned
- 2. Game of Thrones breaks Emmys record
- 3. Two arrested over London double shooting
- 4. Rise in number of firemen called in to move obese people
- 5. Fireworks mark end of Rio Paralympics
- 6. Wiggins forced to defend reputation
- 7. Sound of Music actor Charmian Carr dies at 73
- 8. Charity wants end to fees for tenants
- 9. Drink removes shyness about sex, study says
- 10. Briefing: Pros and cons of grammar schools
1. New York: More bombs found as suspects questioned
Five explosive devices have been found in a backpack at a train station in New Jersey, with one exploding harmlessly as a bomb squad robot worked to disarm it. Five men are being questioned after the FBI stopped a car in Brooklyn. Authorities say the two devices in Manhattan at the weekend were both made from pressure cookers.
2. Game of Thrones breaks Emmys record
Fantasy TV series Game of Thrones has broken the record for the number of Emmy awards won by a single show, taking 12 more categories at last night's ceremony, including outstanding drama series. British winners included Dame Maggie Smith, for Downton Abbey, and talk show host John Oliver.
3. Two arrested over London double shooting
Two men have been arrested over last Thursday's shooting in London of a mother of nine and her nephew. Annie Besala Ekofo, 53, and Bervil Kalikaka-Ekofo, 21, were found dead at Ekofo's East Finchley flat on Thursday. A 20-year-old man was arrested on Saturday and released on bail and a 24-year-old was held on Sunday.
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4. Rise in number of firemen called in to move obese people
The number of incidents in which the fire service are called in to help move people too obese to move themselves has gone up by more than a third over the past three years. There were more than 900 such incidents in the country in the past year. Firemen often remove windows, walls or banisters to lift people out on slings.
5. Fireworks mark end of Rio Paralympics
Rio's Paralympics closed last night with a fireworks display and a ceremony that highlighted Brazil's love of music. According to Sky News, many commentators say Rio was a "surprisingly successful Games". Team GB finished second in the medal table, behind China, with 147 medals, of which 64 were gold. At the last Paralympics, the UK won 120 medals.
6. Wiggins forced to defend reputation
Cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins is facing questions about his use of medical certificates, which allow athletes to take otherwise-banned substances for pre-existing medical conditions, in the wake of a leak by Russian hackers. Wiggins had to deny a controversial Belgian doctor was involved after questions from fans.
7. Sound of Music actor Charmian Carr dies at 73
Actor Charmian Carr, who played Liesl in The Sound of Music, has died at the age of 73 after suffering complications from a rare form of dementia. Carr had no acting or singing experience when she got the part and only appeared in one other major role, a TV musical, before running an interior design firm in California.
8. Charity wants end to fees for tenants
Citizens Advice says the rest of the UK should follow the example of Scotland and have landlords, not tenants, pay letting fees. The charity says landlords are able to shop around for better fees, but tenants have to accept the agent the landlord chooses. Fees had risen as high as £700 in recent years, it adds.
9. Drink removes shyness about sex, study says
Swiss scientists have found that drinking alcohol removes inhibitions about sex – something "humans have known for millennia", according to The Guardian. Drinking beer made it easier for volunteers to view explicit sexual images, researchers say, with the effect especially marked in women, although it did not lead to greater arousal.
10. Briefing: Pros and cons of grammar schools
Prime Minister Theresa May has defended plans to boost the number of grammar schools in England – a decision that is proving to be divisive among politicians. She has told fellow Tory MPs that she wants an "element of selection" in the education system. The news reopens the long-standing debate over the merits and fairness of selective education.
Pros and cons of creating new grammar schools
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