Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 29 Oct 2016
- 1. Clinton 'confident' as FBI drops email probe bombshell
- 2. Cameron devised tax-lock policy 'on the hoof'
- 3. Islamic State take 'tens of thousands' hostage
- 4. Mark Carney may announce resignation next week
- 5. Russian aggression reminiscent of Cold War, says minister
- 6. Lily Allen 'declined taxi ride over immigration stance'
- 7. Allow mobile phone roaming in UK, say MPs
- 8. Bob Dylan finally breaks silence over his Nobel Prize
- 9. Uber drivers win court battle over holiday pay
- 10. Local authorities say it will take 14 years to sort potholes
1. Clinton 'confident' as FBI drops email probe bombshell
Hillary Clinton says she is "confident" a new FBI probe linked to her emails will maintain its original finding that she should not be prosecuted. News of the investigation comes just 10 days before the election. Clinton has called on the FBI to explain the new inquiry to American voters. The Times says there were "thunderous cheers" when Donald Trump announced the news to his supporters.
2. Cameron devised tax-lock policy 'on the hoof'
David Cameron's 2015 promise of a law against increasing income tax until 2020 was made "on the hoof", one of his advisers at the time has revealed. Ameet Gill added that the promise was "probably the dumbest economic policy" possible. Labour described it at the time as a "last-minute gimmick", saying it would make it harder to tackle the deficit.
3. Islamic State take 'tens of thousands' hostage
Islamic State fighters have taken "tens of thousands" of hostages and are marching them towards the city of Mosul for use as human shields, says the United Nations. As the battle for the group’s last major Iraqi stronghold intensifies, UN spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the hostage-taking was aimed at making certain parts of Mosul "immune from military action".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
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.
4. Mark Carney may announce resignation next week
Mark Carney may announce next week that he is to quit his job as governor of the Bank of England as he becomes an increasingly polarising figure in the post-Brexit debate. The Canadian could throw in the towel five years into his eight-year term, meaning he would leave in 2018. Rumours suggest Carney feels targeted by Downing Street because of his friendship with George Osborne.
5. Russian aggression reminiscent of Cold War, says minister
Russia’s aggression in the English Channel is like a return to the days of the Cold War, says Mike Penning, the Armed Forces minister. Penning said that Russia was "sending a message" by sailing an aircraft carrier and seven additional vessels through the Channel on their way to Syria. The minister says the UK will spend more on the military in the wake of Brexit.
6. Lily Allen 'declined taxi ride over immigration stance'
Lily Allen has described how she was turned away from a black cab after being told to "find an immigrant" to give her a lift. The singer wrote on Twitter she "had a glimpse of what it feels like to be discriminated against" after being spurned by the driver. She wrote: "The driver looked at me and said: 'Find an immigrant to drive you, you stupid tart.'"
7. Allow mobile phone roaming in UK, say MPs
Mobile phone companies should allow customers to roam between networks in areas of the UK where reception is poor, say MPs. The cross-party group revealed that foreign visitors get better coverage, as they are not tied to any provider, so can use the strongest signal. They claim that 17m customers have poor reception at home and named 525 areas with non-existent coverage.
8. Bob Dylan finally breaks silence over his Nobel Prize
Bob Dylan has ended his silence over his Nobel Prize in literature, saying he will accept the honour. He said news had left him "speechless". Although the foundation said it had not yet been decided if the singer would attend the awards ceremony in December, the singer-songwriter reportedly told a UK newspaper he intends to pick up the award in person "if at all possible".
9. Uber drivers win court battle over holiday pay
Uber drivers have won a court battle for holiday pay in a ruling with significance far beyond the ride-hailing app. Tens of thousands of self-employed workers could be eligible for holiday pay and a guaranteed minimum wage after the ruling questioned the business model of Uber. The judge accused the company of resorting to "fictions and twisted language" in its evidence.
10. Local authorities say it will take 14 years to sort potholes
Councils have warned it will take 14 years and cost £12bn to fix the millions of potholes on roads in England and Wales. The Local Government Association is calling on the Treasury to announce in next month's Autumn Statement that a further £1bn a year will go towards road maintenance to tackle the problem. A spokesman said the issue is becoming "increasingly urgent".
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Will California's EV mandate survive Trump, SCOTUS challenge?
Today's Big Question The Golden State's climate goal faces big obstacles
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Underneath the noise, however, there’s an existential crisis'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
2024: the year of distrust in science
In the Spotlight Science and politics do not seem to mix
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 24, 2024
Daily Briefing Trump closes in on nomination with New Hampshire win over Haley, 'Oppenheimer' leads the 2024 Oscar nominations, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 23, 2024
Daily Briefing Haley makes last stand in New Hampshire as Trump extends polling lead, justices side with US over Texas in border fight, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 22, 2024
Daily Briefing DeSantis ends his presidential campaign and endorses Trump, the US and Arab allies push plan to end Gaza war, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 21, 2024
Daily Briefing Palestinian death toll reportedly passes 25,000, top Biden adviser to travel to Egypt and Qatar for hostage talks, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 20, 2024
Daily Briefing Grand jury reportedly convened to investigate Uvalde shooting response, families protest outside Netanyahu's house as pressure mounts for hostage deal, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 19, 2024
Daily Briefing Congress averts a government shutdown, DOJ report cites failures in police response to Texas school shooting, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 18, 2024
Daily Briefing Judge threatens to remove Trump from his defamation trial, medicine for hostages and Palestinians reach Gaza, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 17, 2024
Daily Briefing The US strikes Houthi targets in Yemen a third time, Trump's second sex defamation trial begins, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published