Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 22 Oct 2016

1. Clinton office evacuated over 'suspicious white substance'

Hillary Clinton's campaign headquarters in Manhattan has been evacuated after a white substance was discovered in an envelope. US police say that four people were exposed to the substance but no injuries or illnesses have been reported. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has launched an attack on Michelle Obama, saying "all she wants to do is campaign" for his rival.

2. May insists she can get 'right' Brexit deal for UK

Theresa May predicts "difficult moments" to come in Brexit negotiations but insists she is optimistic she can get a deal "that is right for the UK". Speaking in Brussels, the Prime Minister said she felt the right agreement could be achieved, despite on-going deadlock over a landmark EU-Canada trade deal. She said she was not "backwards in coming forwards" in discussions.

3. Islamic State launches diversionary raid on Kirkuk

Islamic State has carried out a raid on the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, in a bid to divert attention from the offensive against the group's stronghold of Mosul. Up to 100 militants - some brandishing grenades and wearing explosives belts – were reportedly involved in the assault on the strategic city, around 105 miles southeast of Mosul. IS fighters have been driven back in Mosul.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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

4. Sexually abusive police to face new criminal sanctions

Police who abuse their power to become sex pests and abusers now face criminal sanctions as the scale of predatory behaviour by officers is revealed. More than 150 cases of alleged sexual misconduct by police are being investigated, says The Times, with 400 members of the public making complaints over the past five years. Several officers are accused of harassing or raping women after they reported a crime.

5. France to begin closure of 'Jungle' on Monday

France is to begin dismantling the 'Jungle' migrant camp on Monday morning. Around 7,000 people live in the Calais camp in squalid conditions. There are 7,500 beds available in centres across France for the Calais migrants. Several children at the camp are expected to be relocated to the UK. The camp has become a potent symbol of Europe's failure to cope with the migrant crisis.

6. Syrian forces accused of another chemical attack

Syrian forces have been accused of a third chemical attack. An international inquiry is expected to rule that a toxic gas attack was carried out by government forces in the north-western Idlib region of Syria in March last year. Investigators are said to have concluded that helicopters flying from military bases dropped barrel bombs containing chlorine gas, a prohibited weapon.

7. Twitter and PayPal taken offline by cyber attacks

Twitter, Spotify and PayPal were among leading websites affected by three web attacks yesterday. US security agencies including the US Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are investigating the attacks, which made dozens of sites inaccessible to millions of users in the US and elsewhere. The attacks targeted Dyn, the company which provides crucial services to all the affected sites.

8. Teenager arrested as police 'foil terror attack'

A 19-year-old has been arrested on terror charges after a suspicious device was found on the Tube. British Transport Police were called to North Greenwich station in London on Thursday morning where a controlled explosion was carried out. The Daily Telegraph says a “terror plot to target the London Underground" was "foiled". The threat level for transport in London was raised to severe.

9. Kennel Club says councils fighting 'war on dogs'

Dog walking has been banned or massively restricted in more than 3,300 parks and open spaces in just two years as part of an unjustified "war on dogs and their owners", says the Kennel Club. The group says that the introduction of new asbo-style control orders nicknamed the "busybodies' charter" have seen councils abusing their controversial new powers.

10. Boy 'living as girl' removed from mother's care

A seven-year-old boy who was "living life entirely as a girl" has been removed from his mother’s care by a judge. Mr Justice Hayden said that the mother had caused her son "a great deal of emotional harm". The boy is now living with his father, where he is said to be taking interest in "Power Rangers, SpongeBob and superheroes".