Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 18 Feb 2017

1. Labour MPs slam Blair's pre-poll Brexit intervention

Labour MPs have accused Tony Blair of damaging the party’s standing after he launched a campaign to keep the UK in the EU ahead of two crucial byelections. The former PM called for a cross-party political movement to persuade people that the costs of leaving will be painful. However, around 70% of referendum voters in Stoke, and about 60% of the electorate in Copeland, voted for Brexit.

2. Angela Merkel leads European defiance of Donald Trump

Angela Merkel and European leaders plan to defy Donald Trump’s ultimatum to increase defence spending or risk losing US commitment to Nato. The German Chancellor said she would not accelerate existing, long term plans to ramp up the military budget by 2024 despite a demand by the US this week that countries increase spending by the end of 2017.

3. Sellers wait 10 months as housing market stalls

Homeowners are waiting up to 10 months to sell their properties as the housing market slumps. Inflated asking prices and economic uncertainty mean sellers are struggling to attract interest, research by The Times has shown. Estate agents forecast that the number of home transactions completed in Britain will fall by 11% this year, to the lowest levels since the market recovered from the 2008 financial crash.

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4. Bill Gates to warn bioterrorism bigger threat than nukes

Bioterrorists could kill hundreds of millions in an attack more deadly than nuclear war, Bill Gates is to warn world leaders. Dramatic advances in genetic engineering have paved the way for small terror units to tailor and easily weaponise disease viruses. Gates believes that while governments are concerned with the proliferation of nuclear and chemical weapons, they are overlooking the threat of biological warfare.

5. Former trade secretaries join shopkeepers in rates warning

Business rates reform could turn Britain into a retail wasteland, a shopkeeper warned last night. Tom Innes said "out of touch" ministers risked killing high streets as small shops facing large rate hikes are forced to compete with internet giants such as Amazon whose rates are being slashed. Former trade secretaries Lord Tebbit, Sir Vince Cable and Dame Margaret Beckett have also spoken of their concern.

6. 'Weather bomb' set to flood California

One of the strongest storms in decades is expected to drench California this weekend, prompting fears of flash floods. Dubbed a "bombogenesis", the storm is expected to cause torrential downpour from Los Angeles to San Francisco, fuelled by an "atmospheric river" extending to the Pacific. Rainfall predictions range from 2-6in (5-15cm) on the coast and from 5-10in in foothills and coastal mountains.

7. North Korean man arrested over Kim Jong-Nam murder

A man in North Korea has been arrested in connection with the assassination of Kim Jong-Un's half-brother, Kim Jong-Nam. Malaysian police detained the 46-year-old man last night, saying that he had documents identifying himself as Ri Jong Chol. Police believe that an Indonesian woman they have already arrested may have been tricked into thinking the murder was a reality TV prank.

8. Theresa May wants to transform domestic violence response

Theresa May has announced plans to address what Downing Street calls "heinous offences" of domestic violence after admitting that victims are being "let down by the legal system". The Prime Minister wants to "completely transform" the way people think about and tackle the problem. The Domestic Violence and Abuse Act aims to address an inconsistency in the use of existing offences and measures.

9. Dwight Yorke 'felt like a criminal' after US bar

Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke, says he was "made to feel like a criminal" as he was denied entry to the United States yesterday. Yorke said he was prevented from entering the country due to an Iranian stamp on his passport having played in a charity match against Iranian Stars in Tehran in 2015. "I couldn’t quite believe what was happening," the Tobagonian told The Sun.

10. Liverpool mayor offers free council tax to 'pooper snoopers'

The mayor of Liverpool is offering local residents the chance to win a year’s free council tax if they become ‘pooper snoopers’. Joe Anderson has put up the reward for anyone who catches a dog owner not picking up their pet’s mess, leading to a criminal conviction. The Labour politician said he was making a stand against "environmental criminals" after becoming "appalled" at dog dirt around the city.