Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 4 Apr 2017

1. Brexit committee warns of impact of no trade deal

MPs on the Brexit committee have called on the government to investigate the cost of leaving the EU without an alternative trade deal, saying Theresa May's claim that "no deal is better than a bad deal" is "unsubstantiated" until an economic assessment is published. However, some Tories on the group have refused to back the findings and say they are too pessimistic.

2. St Petersburg bomber 'had Islamist links'

The man suspected of yesterday's bombing of a St Petersburg metro train had links to radical Islamist groups, according to Russian media. At least 11 people died when a bomb was detonated in a tunnel between two stations in what is believed to be a suicide bombing. Russian security services said it had been carried out by "Kyrgyz national Akbarjon Djalilov".

St Petersburg investigates 'terror attack' on city's metro

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

3. May 'sends message about women leaders' in Saudi trip

Theresa May says she hopes to send the message that women can be leaders on her visit to Saudi Arabia today, although she has not criticised the country's record on equality. In the Middle East to promote post-Brexit trade deals, the Prime Minister will also meet the first woman to hold authority in the kingdom, Princess Reema, vice president of women's affairs in sport.

Theresa May defends Saudi Arabia trip after human rights concerns

4. Cadbury 'airbrushing faith' from egg hunt, says CofE

The Church of England has accused Cadbury of "airbrushing faith" from an annual Easter egg hunt. Archbishop John Sentamu also said that changing the name of the event from the "Easter Egg Trail" to the "Cadbury egg hunt" was "tantamount to spitting on the grave" of the firm's Quaker founder John Cadbury. Cadbury said its campaigns had a different title each year.

Theresa May slams National Trust over 'airbrushing' of Easter

5. Marvel says diversity is 'killing comic book sales'

Marvel's vice president of sales claims comic books have been hit because readers are put off by the rise of ethnic minority and female superheroes. David Gabriel claimed sales were dropping as fans were "turning their noses up" at diversity and didn't "want female characters out there". Many Marvel readers took to Twitter to dispute his claim.

Row as Marvel boss blames diversity for poor sales

6. Dozens killed in 'chemical attack' in Syria

Dozens of people have been killed and many wounded in a suspected chemical attack in north-western Syria. The strike on Khan Sheikhoun was carried out by Syrian government or Russian jets said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Syrian government denied it had used chemical weapons and Russia insisted it had not carried out any air strikes in the vicinity.

7. Heat 'increases firefighters' risk of heart attacks'

Exposure to high temperatures increases the risk of suffering a heart attack, which may explain why heart disease is a leading cause of death among firefighters, say researchers. A study from scientists at the University of Edinburgh found blood becomes stickier and is about 66% more likely to form potentially harmful clots when subjected to extreme heat.

8. Graphene sieve makes seawater safe to drink

Researchers at the University of Manchester have developed a sieve that can remove salt from seawater, potentially paving the way for millions around the world to get access to clean drinking water. The technique uses graphene oxide to filter out common salts, organic molecules and nanoparticles.

9. Sunderland back David Moyes after 'slap' row

Premier League football club Sunderland have backed manager David Moyes after he was caught on camera telling a female BBC journalist that she might "get a slap". The club said his comments were "wholly inapropriate" but added that he had apologised to reporter Vicky Sparks, who had accepted his apology, and notified the club of the incident.

What does Moyes 'slap' threat reveal about football and him?

10. Briefing: Why is the government changing child tax credits?

Families will only receive child tax credits for two children from this week as changes to the welfare system go into effect.

It is part of a £12bn programme of social security cuts the government argues will make the system "fairer".

However, critics say the measures punish children and predict the child poverty rate will rise by ten per cent by 2020.

Why is the government changing child tax credits and how will it affect families?