Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 24 Jun 2017

1. Hundreds of Camden homes evacuated after Grenfell fire

Hundreds of flats on an estate in the Swiss Cottage area of north-west London have been evacuated because of fire safety concerns. Although Camden Council insisted it was booking hotels, around 100 residents slept on air beds in a local leisure centre. Camden is the first council to evacuate a building in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

2. Corbyn wants to 'force' an early general election

Jeremy Corbyn has said he will aim to "force an early general election", adding that it is "ludicrous" to suggest Theresa May could stay in power. As an opinion poll gives him lead for the first time, he said: "Mrs May called the election so not to have a coalition of chaos, but that is exactly what we have got."

3. Saudis foil terrorist attack on Islam's holiest site

Authorities in Saudi Arabia say they have prevented a "terrorist action" against the Grand Mosque in Mecca - Islam's holiest site. The interior ministry says a suicide bomber blew himself up when security forces surrounded the building he was in. Millions of Muslims from around the world have gathered in Mecca for the end of Ramadan. Saudi Arabia is a member of a US-led coalition fighting Islamic State.

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4. Chinese rescuers called in after major landslide

Authorities in China fear that more than 140 people were buried in a landslide in Sichuan province in south-western China. Around 40 homes were destroyed in Xinmo village in Maoxian county, after the side of a mountain collapsed yesterday. State media says a couple and a baby were rescued and taken to hospital after teams of workers used ropes to move large rocks while dozens of others searched the rubble.

5. Prince Charles 'wept' night before his marriage to Diana

Prince Charles begged Camilla Parker Bowles to call off her wedding to her first husband and cried the night before his own marriage to Diana, according to a new book. The biography of Camilla claims that the night before Charles and Di's wedding, a lady-in-waiting to the Queen wept with him at a Buckingham Palace window as they watched the crowds in the Mall.

6. Car insurance premiums raised by simple phone report

Motor insurance companies are swelling premiums by hundreds of pounds for policy-holders who merely phone to report a problem without ever making a claim on their policies. As they calculate how much to quote potential consumers, firms now mine a central database called the Claims and Underwriting Exchange, where incidents recorded under the heading "notification only" prompt some insurers to increase premiums.

7. British police chiefs to discuss arming every officer

Armed police could become commonplace in England and Wales, as police chiefs consider the possibility of offering a gun to every frontline police officer in the wake of recent terror attacks. The National Police Chiefs’ Council will discuss the question at its next meeting. Traditionally, most police in Great Britain are unarmed and the question of routine arming of officers is controversial within the force.

8. Nuclear plant bosses used insecure passwords

Passwords used by bosses at nuclear power plants have been found in two lists of stolen credentials that were traded on Russian hacking sites. Two senior EDF Energy workers used the passwords "Nuclear1" and "Rad1at10n" - reportedly to sign up for a social network. EDF said it was "continually reviewing its defences and preparedness in this area".

9. Ministers to launch new drone rules after near miss

The government will crack down on drones after it emerged that a device came within a metre of a collision with a passenger jet. The UK Airprox Board says a drone was a metre away from hitting a passenger plane preparing to land at Liverpool's John Lennon Airport. Ministers are to publish new regulations including compulsory registration for owners.

10. White House says Depp's assassination remarks 'troubling'

The White House says Johnny Depp's quip about assassinating the Donald Trump was "troubling". After the film star joked about assassinating the US President while speaking at Glastonbury Festival, the White House said: "President Trump has condemned violence in all forms and it's sad that others like Johnny Depp have not followed his lead." Depp has apologised for the "bad joke".

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