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

1. Gordon Brown suggests 'third option' for Scotland

Gordon Brown will outline a "third option" for Scotland's future in a speech today. As Nicola Sturgeon continues to push for a second independence referendum, the former Labour prime minister will set out a plan based on more powers being transferred to Holyrood after Brexit. He will also propose the Scottish government be handed the authority to set VAT rates and sign international treaties.

2. Trump refuses Merkel handshake during tense meeting

Donald Trump seemingly refused to shake hands with Angela Merkel ahead of a meeting dominated by disagreements. At a joint press conference after the summit, Merkel referred to Trump's past bitter criticisms of her leadership, saying: "It's much better to talk to one another and not about one another." She also joked that the two leaders "will work together hand in hand".

3. Basque group ETA plans to hand over arms

Six years after renouncing violence, the Basque separatist group Eta has announced it will lay down all arms by April 8. According to Le Monde, Eta is ready to surrender all its weapons and plans to reveal the locations of its hidden stockpiles. The group, which killed 829 people in bombings and shootings, renounced its armed struggle in 2011 but has yet to hand over its arsenal.

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4. Hillary says she's ready 'to come out of the woods'

Hillary Clinton says she’s "ready to come out of the woods" and help Americans unite. Her gentle return to the public glare following the White House electoral defeat continued with a speech in her late father’s Pennsylvania hometown yesterday. "I’m like a lot of my friends right now, I have a hard time watching the news," she told an Irish women’s group. She said she wants Americans to try to find "common ground, even higher ground".

5. Labour MP says party should split over Scotland

Labour MP Clive Lewis has called for a split between the English and Scottish wings of the party, saying the move is needed to "save the union". The man widely seen as Jeremy Corbyn’s successor for Labour leader told The Independent that although the move would end Britain’s centre-left party as it is known today, it would enable Scottish Labour to face down Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP.

6. Prince William tells French that Brexit won't hurt relations

Prince William has reassured the French that Britain’s friendship with their country would not be damaged by Brexit. Speaking during an official visit to Paris, he said: "Our two nations continually inspire one another to become better: more creative, more prosperous, more innovative. This partnership will continue despite Britain's recent decision to leave the European Union."

7. Tensions mount as Syria fires at Israeli warplanes

Syria has fired at a squadron of Israeli warplanes that had carried out an airstrike near the desert city of Palmyra. The jets were returning from an attack on a shipment of missiles bound for Hezbollah when Syrian troops tried to shoot them out of the sky. At least one of the Syrian missiles crossed the Israeli border, setting off air-raid sirens in Galilee.

8. Bolivia's Tsimane people 'have the healthiest hearts'

The Tsimane people in the forests of Bolivia have the heathliest hearts in the world, according to researchers. Even deep into old age, hardly any Tsimane had signs of clogged up arteries, according to research in Lancet. Researchers praised the "incredible population" who have dramatically different diets and lifestyles. They added that the rest of the globe’s population can learn lessons from the Tsimane example.

9. Man dies after charging iPhone while in the bath

A man died from electrocution as he charged his mobile phone while in the bath, an inquest has heard. Richard Bull, 32, died at his home in west London last December. A coroner, who ruled the death was accidental, plans to send a report to Apple encouraging it to take steps to prevent future deaths. Bull is believed to have plugged his charger into an extension cord from the hallway and rested it on his chest.

10. Britain's 'favourite swear word' is revealed

British people’s favourite swear word is "shite", according to analysis of more than 500,000 online reviews. The Times says that the product feedback, posted on Reevoo.com, also show that Britons are more likely to use "scatalogical expletives than many nationalities". Cypriots were the most foul mouthed, using a curse term one in every 100 words, compared with less than one in 1,000 by Brits.