Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 6 Jun 2017

1. London Bridge: Met defends Khuram Butt decision

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley has defended the force's decision to downgrade its investigation of Khuram Butt, one of three men who killed seven people in an attack in central London on Saturday night. He said Butt was known to MI5 and police as an extremist in 2015 but was not thought a serious threat.

CCTV reveals midnight meeting between London Bridge terrorists

2. May and Corbyn attack each other over security

Jeremy Corbyn has told The Guardian that Theresa May's accusation that he "doesn't believe in Britain" was "offensive" and "utterly ridiculous", while the Prime Minister told the Daily Telegraph the Labour leader has "opposed every piece of anti-terror legislation" and could not be trusted to keep the UK safe.

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Election manifestos 2017: Parties compared on security and terror policies

3. Bill Cosby 'used fame to prey on woman'

US actor Bill Cosby went on trial in Pennsylvania yesterday, accused of drugging and molesting a 31-year-old woman in 2004. Prosecutor Kristen Feden told jurors the TV star had "used his power and fame" to place a "young, trusting woman in an incapacitated state". The defence says the claims are false.

Bill Cosby sex assault trial begins in Pennsylvania

4. 'Molotov cocktails found in London Bridge van'

Police officers discovered what appear to be Molotov cocktails in the van abandoned by the London Bridge terror attackers on Saturday night, reports Sky News. Bottles filled with a clear liquid and with rags coming out of the top are being examined to see if they are explosives.

5. Egypt closes airspace to Qatari flights

Egypt has closed its airspace to Qatari flights after several Gulf states severed diplomatic ties with Doha, accusing the nation of supporting terrorism. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are expected to follow suit. Qatari citizens have begun stockpiling food as fears grow imports could be hit by the action.

Israel announces plans to close Al Jazeera offices

6. Woman accused of leaking NSA files on Russian hacking

The FBI has arrested a woman for allegedly leaking National Security Agency files which claim Russian military hackers attempted cyber attacks on election officials and a software firm during last year's presidential election. Reality Winner, 25, worked as a contractor for the agency in Georgia.

7. Sadiq Khan praised by US mayors in Trump spat

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has received the support of his US counterparts after President Donald Trump falsely claimed he had said terrorism was nothing to be alarmed about. A letter from the Conference of Mayors, which represents 1,400 cities, praises Khan and thanks him for his leadership.

Cancel Donald Trump's state visit, says Sadiq Khan

8. Tiger will not be put down after keeper death

The tiger which killed a zookeeper last month will not be put down, it was announced yesterday. Hamerton Zoo Park, Cambridgeshire, said the decision was taken after consultation with staff and with the full support of Rosa King's family. King, 34, from Wiltshire, had worked at the park for 14 years.

9. Indian markswoman shoots kidnappers

A champion markswoman has been praised for stopping two kidnappers threatening to shoot her brother-in-law in Delhi. Ayisha Falaq, 32, pulled a pistol from her handbag after a ransom handover went wrong and incapacitated the men by shooting one in the leg and one in the waist.

10. Briefing: Bill Cosby goes on trial

TV star and comedian Bill Cosby has gone on trial in Pennsylvania, accused of drugging and molesting a younger woman.

The trial, which is expected to last a fortnight, is likely to be met with as much interest as when the American football player OJ Simpson was tried for murder in 1995.

Cosby denies the allegations and claims some of the charges might be motivated by racism.

Bill Cosby sex assault trial begins in Pennsylvania

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