Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 19 Nov 2016
- 1. Donald Trump U-turn as he settles university lawsuits
- 2. 'Babies will die' because of NHS re-organisation
- 3. Stars 'face financial ruin' after HMRC's punitive demands
- 4. Top Tories urge May to drop Brexit appeal
- 5. Welby: time to stop saying IS not linked to Islam
- 6. Father of frozen girl 'prevented from seeing her'
- 7. Obama bans drilling - but Trump can reverse it
- 8. Wogan tributes as Children In Need raises record sum
- 9. Hammond wants to ban pension cold callers
- 10. Mixed reviews for Jeremy Clarkson debut
1. Donald Trump U-turn as he settles university lawsuits
Donald Trump has settled three Trump University lawsuits for $25m (£20m), the New York Attorney General has announced. The US president-elect was facing suits from former students who paid $35,000 (£28,000) for real estate "secrets" from his "hand-picked" instructors. He had repeatedly insisted he would not settle the class-action lawsuits, which alleged the school misled students and failed to deliver on its promises.
2. 'Babies will die' because of NHS re-organisation
Controversial NHS reorganisation plans will see thousands of hospital beds disappear, pregnant women forced into long trips to give birth and a string of A&E units downgraded or closed. The Guardian says health service chiefs plan to push through an unprecedented centralisation of key hospital services across England. Campaigners say lives will be lost as a result – "including those of mothers and babies".
3. Stars 'face financial ruin' after HMRC's punitive demands
Hundreds of bankers, celebrities and businessmen say they risk bankruptcy after the taxman demanded they repay up to 20 times the amount invested in a huge avoidance scheme. According to The Times, among the 780 investors who poured £2.2 billion into film investment schemes are former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and the ex England managers Sven-Göran Eriksson and Glenn Hoddle.
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4. Top Tories urge May to drop Brexit appeal
Leading Tory MPs say Theresa May should abandon her appeal against the court ruling that MPs must vote on the UK leaving the EU. The MPs want ministers to bring a bill to Parliament to start Brexit as soon as possible. Oliver Letwin, the former head of the government's Brexit preparations, and two former law officers insist the case should not go to the Supreme Court, but the government said it would robustly defend its position at the appeal.
5. Welby: time to stop saying IS not linked to Islam
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says it's time to stop saying Islamic State has nothing to do with Islam. All religious leaders must "stand up and take responsibility" for the actions of extremists who profess to follow their faith, he said. "If we treat religiously-motivated violence solely as a security issue, or a political issue, then it will be incredibly difficult – probably impossible – to overcome it," he argued.
6. Father of frozen girl 'prevented from seeing her'
The father of the 14-year-old girl cryogenically frozen after she died of cancer says he was prevented by a judge from saying goodbye to her. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph he blamed his ex-wife for stopping him from seeing his daughter’s body before work began to embalm and freeze it. Other family members suggested the girl had been "brainwashed" into thinking she could cheat death.
7. Obama bans drilling - but Trump can reverse it
Outgoing US president Barack Obama has introduced a ban on offshore oil drilling in the Arctic for at least five years. Although the move has been welcomed by environmental campaigners who have pressed for years against drilling in the ecologically fragile region, the ban could still be overturned by president-elect Donald Trump, who has previously pledged to increase offshore drilling.
8. Wogan tributes as Children In Need raises record sum
Children In Need raised a record £46.6m last night. The broadcast paid tributes paid to the late Sir Terry Wogan, who fronted the annual charity event for 35 years before his death. Presenter Rochelle Humes said Sir Terry would have been proud of this year's "absolutely incredible" total. Last year’s Children In Need show raised £37.1m on the night.
9. Hammond wants to ban pension cold callers
Philip Hammond will seek to ban pension cold callers who prey on the elderly and trick them into giving up their life savings. More than 11m pensioners are targeted each year by cold callers with fraudsters making the equivalent of eight calls every second. The Chancellor will use his Autumn Statement to introduce a ban enforced by fines of up to £500,000 for companies that break the rules.
10. Mixed reviews for Jeremy Clarkson debut
Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond were back on the small screen last night in the debut episode of their Grand Tour series. The Daily Mail described their Amazon Prime show as "rock'n'roll TV at its very best," adding that it was "electrifying" and "life-affirming". But The Times said it was "a boring, unholy mess" with an "idea tank" that's "running dangerously low".
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