Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 10 Jun 2017

1. Tory MPs plan to oust May as she forms 'crackpot' coalition

Theresa May is poised to finalise her cabinet today as she seeks to form a government with the support of the Democratic Unionist Party. Eight ministers lost their seats at the general election and will need to be replaced. The morning papers report that Tory MPs are plotting to oust May within months, while the Mirror describes her DUP plan as a "coalition of crackpots".

2. Official data shows 'clouds gathering' over UK economy

Clouds are gathering over Britain’s economy, says The Guardian, as official figures showed that manufacturing and broader industrial output made only small gains in April, dashing economists’ hopes for a rebound for the economy after a slow start to the year. Manufacturing output rose 0.2% after falling 0.6% in March - well below economists’ forecast for a 0.9% rise.

3. President Trump '100%' ready to testify under oath

Donald Trump says he is "100%" willing to testify under oath about about the claims of former FBI director James Comey. The US President has accused Comey of lying under oath to Congress and dismissed his allegations as politically motivated. Trump also said Comey's comments to the Senate Intelligence Committee "showed no collusion, no obstruction," between his White House campaign and Moscow.

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4. London Bridge attackers tried to hire a lorry

Police say the London Bridge attackers tried to use a seven-and-a-half tonne lorry to carry out their attack. However, when the payment by the group's leader, Khuram Butt, failed to go through, he rented a smaller van. The men drove into pedestrians on the bridge before stabbing people in Borough Market last weekend. Scotland Yard is appealing to companies who hire out vans to report any suspicious activity.

5. Catalonia plans independence referendum in October

Catalonia will hold a referendum on independence from Spain on 1 October, the regional government announced yesterday. The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, insists the region has a political, economic and cultural right to self-determination. The announcement puts the region on collision course with Spain, where the deputy prime minister said: "The referendum is not going to take place." Any vote is expected to be close.

6. Merkel: we are ready to start the Brexit negotiations

Angela Merkel says the EU is "ready" to start Brexit talks. The German chancellor says she sees no obstacles to prevent the negotiations beginning as scheduled, despite the uncertainty around the general election. "We want to negotiate quickly, we want to stick to the time plan, and so at this point I don't think there is anything to suggest these negotiations cannot start as was agreed," she said.

7. NHS fails growing number of cancer patients

Official figures show that more and more hospitals are forcing cancer patients to wait longer than they should for vital National Health Service treatment. Hospital bosses warned they are "struggling to cope" with an unprecedented demand for care after the NHS failed to meet three key targets that set out the maximum length of time patients should wait before receiving treatment.

8. Taylor Swift finally ends her boycott of Spotify

Taylor Swift has ended her three-year boycott of Spotify, reports The Guardian. The US singer announced on Twitter that she has made her entire back catalogue available on the streaming service, to "thank her fans". In 2014, Swift withdrew her music from Spotify, where she was one of the most streamed artists, in protest at the size of its royalties.

9. Three men ran a cannabis factory in nuclear shelter

Three men have admitted to running a cannabis factory in an underground nuclear bunker in Wiltshire. Detectives discovered more than 4,000 cannabis plants, capable of producing £2m worth of drugs a year, during a raid on RGHQ Chilmark, an underground nuclear shelter built in the 1980s to house local government in the event of a nuclear strike. The men will be sentenced on 11 August.

10. Diana says Charles quip brought on her bulimia

Princess Diana claimed her bulimia began when Prince Charles told her she was "a bit chubby". In an interview with her biographer, she said she developed the eating disorder when Charles put his hand around her waist and commented on her weight. Diana said his comments, together with her concerns over his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, triggered the bulimia.

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