Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 25 Apr 2017

1. Labour: 'We'll re-write Brexit white paper'

Labour's shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, says his party would rip up Conservative plans if elected on 8 June. The former Director of Public Prosecutions said he accepted the UK is leaving the EU but said he would press for a different exit deal, prioritising jobs, and unilaterally guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens in the UK.

2. Trump summons entire Senate to White House

Donald Trump has taken the unusual step of summoning the US Senate to the White House for a briefing on North Korea. The President told a gathering of UN ambassadors on Monday that North Korea is "a problem we have to finally solve". A US submarine has arrived in South Korean waters amid fears the north is planning another nuclear or missile test.

North Korea detains another US citizen

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3. Le Pen steps aside as Front National leader

French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has stepped aside as leader of the Front National while she continues the fight to be elected, a symbolic gesture intended to win the support of those nervous about backing the far-right party. Opinion polls suggest the En Marche leader Emmanuel Macron is firm favourite to win.

Marine Le Pen separates herself from Front National

4. Elton John cancels shows over infection

British singer Elton John has cancelled a series of concerts in Las Vegas because of an "unusual bacterial infection" he contracted in South America which his spokesperson said was "potentially deadly". He has been treated and is expected to make a full recovery, however. The singer spent two nights in intensive care in London this month.

5. Ivanka Trump greeted with groans at G20 meeting

Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, invited to speak at the G20 women's summit by Angela Merkel, was greeted with groans from the audience in Berlin as she defended her father's attitude towards women. Trump was appearing alongside Merkel and IMF chief Christine Lagarde during a discussion about female entrepreneurs. She said the US President was a "tremendous champion of supporting families".

6. MPs warn of Brexit 'brain drain' from universities

Academic staff from other EU nations working in the UK should urgently be guaranteed the right to stay on after Brexit, to avoid a damaging 'brain drain', the education select committee of MPs is warning. Chairman Neil Carmichael warned that Brexit could damage the "international competitiveness" of Britain's universities.

7. Wikipedia founder to launch news website

Jimmy Wales, co-founder of online encyclopaedia Wikipedia, is to launch a new website intended to fight 'fake news', called Wikitribune. The new site will employ journalists, paid for by crowd funding, alongside volunteer contributors who will fact check stories in the way that Wikipedia's unpaid editors do with its entries now.

Wikipedia founder to fight fake news with ‘Wikitribune’

8. Exercise 'keeps minds sharp' for over-50s

Doing moderate exercise several times a week is the best way to keep the mind sharp if you are over 50, according to research conducted in Australia. The review of existing studies found that thinking and memory skills were most improved by exercising the heart and muscles. Taking up exercise at any age had these benefits.

9. Thai man films murder on Facebook

A man broadcast the murder of his baby daughter on Facebook Live before committing suicide, police in Thailand say. The footage of Wuttisan Wongtalay killing his 11-month old daughter after a row with his wife reportedly remained online for roughly 24 hours. Last week Facebook promised to review its processes after footage of a killing in the US stayed online for hours.

10. Briefing: How the new speeding fines work

A new system for speeding fines has come into effect for British drivers, introducing more severe penalties for drivers who are caught breaking the speed limit.

Under the old system, the minimum penalty for speeding drivers was three points on their licence and a fine of between £100 and £1,000 . Young drivers and severe offenders also faced a driving ban in certain circumstances.

The revamped system will mean drivers could pay substantially more, as fines will be calculated as a percentage of the offender's weekly income.

Speeding fines: penalty bands, fees and points

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