Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 18 Oct 2016

1. Assault on Mosul slowed by suicide bombers

Suicide bombers and oil fires are slowing down the biggest military operation in Iraq since the US withdrew in 2011. Iraqi and Kurdish forces are attempting to retake the town of Mosul from Islamic State with the support of artillery and air strikes from the US-led coalition. Around 80 sq miles of territory has so far been recaptured.

UK 'risks repeating Libya mistakes in Mosul'

2. Man arrested for alleged rape in Houses of Parliament

A 23-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape following an alleged attack in the Houses of Parliament. The man, who police say is not an MP, has been released on bail until mid-January 2017, "pending further enquiries". The incident is said to have taken place "on the parliamentary estate" in the early hours of Friday.

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Man arrested over alleged rape in Houses of Parliament

3. Steven Woolfe quits 'death spiral' Ukip

Former Ukip leadership frontrunner Steven Woolfe has quit the party, saying it is in a "death spiral" of its own making and is ungovernable without Nigel Farage at the helm. Woolfe said he had reconsidered his plans to run for the top spot after a spat with party member Mike Hookem left him in hospital.

Steven Woolfe quits 'ungovernable' Ukip

4. Southern rail: Second 72-hour strike begins

A second 72-hour strike has begun on Southern rail. The troubled firm has said it will run 61% of its usual timetable, along with rail replacement buses. RMT union conductors have walked out in protest at plans to introduce conductor-less trains and over weekend working. Southern claims one in four conductors broke last week's strike.

5. Melania Trump: Donald's accusers are lying

Melania Trump, the wife of Republican presidential candidate Donald, says the nine women who have accused her husband of sexual misconduct are lying. The former reality TV star is a "gentleman", she said, and the video in which Trump made lewd comments about women shows him being "egged on" in "boy talk" by US TV host Billy Bush.

12 things you didn’t know about Melania Trump

6. Fake Olympians join Manchester parade

Two men wearing Team GB tracksuits and plastic gold medals evaded heavy security at yesterday's Olympic and Paralympic parade in Manchester to celebrate with the champions. The pair, whose names have not been reported, claimed they were part of the fencing team and joined athletes on one of the floats going through the city centre.

7. Attenborough: Give zoo gorillas their privacy

Sir David Attenborough says it is "hardly surprising" that a gorilla escaped at London Zoo last week as visitors do not respect the animals' need for privacy. The TV naturalist called for the apes to be kept behind solid walls and viewed through peepholes. "In the forests of west Africa, they don't live out in the open. They aren't stared at by people. They value their privacy," he said.

8. Girl, 15, convicted of double murder

A 15-year-old girl has been found guilty of murdering a mother and her daughter as they slept. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was just 14 when she and her boyfriend, also 14, killed dinner lady Elizabeth Edwards, 49, and her daughter, Katie, 13, at their home in Spalding. The boy admitted murder, and the girl was convicted by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court.

9. Is falling pound to blame for inflation reaching 1%?

Inflation has reached 1%, its highest rate for almost two years, says the Office of National Statistics. The increase, from 0.6% in August, has been caused by rising prices for clothes, hotel rooms and petrol said to have been prompted by the weak pound pushing up the price of imports. Sterling has declined since the vote for Brexit.

Remain-voting City lobby group calls for 'dramatic Brexit U-turn'

10. Briefing: Sinn Fein warns of 'devastating' Brexit consequences

The Sinn Fein leader Martin McGuinness has warned of "devastating" consequences for Northern Ireland when the UK leaves the EU. "As things sit at the moment we are going to suffer big time," he told The Guardian. "Theresa May says 'Brexit means Brexit', but so far as we are concerned Brexit means disaster for the people of Ireland."

Brexit: Theresa May says ‘trust me’ to deliver