Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 28 Apr 2017

1. Woman shot during anti-terror raid in London

A woman has been shot and four people arrested in linked raids on addresses in north-west London and Kent. Police say the arrests were on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, but there was no link to the man arrested with a bag of knives near Parliament yesterday. The woman, in her twenties, is in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Woman shot in London anti-terror police operation

2. Trump warns of 'major conflict' with North Korea

Donald Trump has warned the US could get involved in a "major, major conflict" with North Korea, saying of leader Kim Jong-un "I hope he's rational.". The US President also praised President Xi Jinping of China for "trying very hard" to de-escalate the crisis and said he was a "very good man" who loves his country.

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North Korea detains another US citizen

3. 'Marine A' Alexander Blackman released from jail

Former Royal Marine Alexander Blackman was released from prison shortly after midnight last night after serving three years in jail for shooting dead an injured Taliban soldier in Afghanistan in 2011. Blackman, known as "Marine A" in his original trial, had his murder conviction reduced to manslaughter in March.

Marine A: Alexander Blackman released from prison

4. RBS reports first quarterly profit since 2015

Royal Bank of Scotland made a profit of £259m in the first three months of 2017, its first quarterly profit since 2015 and a turnaround from the loss of £968m in the same period last year. The bank, which is still majority-owned by the taxpayer after being bailed-out during the financial crisis, also announced that its £750m cost-cutting plan for 2017 is ahead of schedule.

RBS smashes expectations with £940m profit

5. Facebook: We were used to manipulate elections

Facebook has admitted it has been used as a tool by organisations seeking to manipulate elections, including the US presidential election last year. Techniques used included creating fake accounts to spread one particular view or fake news story. The social network says it will pay more attention to "attempts to manipulate civic discourse and deceive people".

6. Cancer Drugs Fund was a 'huge waste of money'

A new study says the government's Cancer Drugs Fund was a "huge waste of money" and "intellectually lazy". The report, led by Professor Richard Sullivan of Kings College London, also said the scheme may have harmed patients with dangerous side effects. The £1.3bn fund, which closed in 2016, existed to provide experimental cancer drugs not usually available on the NHS.

7. Anthony Joshua ready for Klitschko test

Anthony Joshua has weighed in 10lb heavier than his opponent Wladimir Klitschko ahead of their heavyweight showdown at Wembley on Saturday night. The undefeated British boxer is favourite to beat the 41-year-old Ukrainian in front of 90,000 fans, a record post-war crowd for a boxing match in Britain. Joshua said he felt "confident" of victory against his illustrious rival.

Heavyweight superstar Anthony Joshua has the world at his feet

8. Police name Whitehall terror suspect

A suspected terrorist arrested near Parliament yesterday has been named as Khalid Mohamed Omar Ali. The 27-year-old is believed to be a British national who was born overseas and went to school in Tottenham, north London. He was known to the police and the security service MI5 and was detained as part of an intelligence-led operation after a family member contacted the police.

9. Boris Johnson's sister joins the Lib Dems

Rachel Johnson, the sister of Foreign Secretary Boris, has joined the Liberal Democrats to fight against a hard Brexit, reports Channel 4 News. It also claims the former editor of The Lady had talks with the party about standing as an MP, but was stopped by a rule that prospective candidates must have been members for 12 months.

10. Briefing: Why vets want Scottish fold cats banned

A popular breed of 'designer' cat should be banned because it is prone to a number of genetic defects that make its life a misery, says a leading veterinary organisation.

The Scottish fold cat, whose celebrity following includes singer-songwriters Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift, is notable for its overturned floppy ears. First bred in the 1960s, it has surged in popularity with pet owners in recent years.

But Gudrun Ravetz, president of the British Veterinary Association, says the breed's "cute" appearance is the result of serious genetic abnormalities.

Breeding of 'designer' Scottish fold cats is 'cruel'

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