Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 20 Jul 2017

1. BBC could cut pay for male presenters

Male presenters at the BBC could face wage cuts as the corporation tries to close the gender pay gap. "That's clearly one of the levers we can pull," said James Purnell, director of radio and education. The corporation's annual report yesterday revealed two-thirds of the stars earning more than £150,000 are male.

BBC faces backlash from female stars

2. Donald Trump Jr to testify before Congress

Donald Trump Jr will testify before Congress next week, along with the US President's son-in-law Jared Kushner and former campaign manager Paul Manafort. The businessman will answer questions about his meeting with a Russian lawyer who promised to provide incriminating information about Hillary Clinton.

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Senators question firm tied to Trump dossier – is MI6 spy next?

3. Second week of Brexit talks ends

The second week of Brexit talks has ended with the UK and EU still at odds over citizens' rights, Ireland and the cost of leaving the Union. Brexit Secretary David Davis said negotiations had been "robust" but EU negotiator Michel Barnier suggested there was a lack of clarity from the UK. "We make better progress where our positions are clear," he said.

4. John McCain diagnosed with brain cancer

US Senator John McCain has been diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour, his office announced yesterday. The 80-year-old Republican is said to be in "good spirits". Former president Barack Obama praised the former Vietnam prisoner-of-war as an American hero and said the "cancer doesn’t know what it's up against".

5. Plastic 'is threatening the natural environment'

Mass-produced plastic is threatening a "near permanent contamination of the natural environment", says a US study. Researchers found 8.3bn tonnes of plastic have been produced since the 1950s, the majority of which has ended up in landfill or oceans. "Half of all plastics become waste after four or fewer years," they said.

6. Swedish train to be called Trainy McTrainface

A Swedish rail service is to call its new engine Trainy McTrainface after 49% of voters chose the name in an online poll. It will join a fleet of trains, including Estelle, Glenn and Ingvar, running between Stockholm and Gothenburg. Last year a campaign to have a British Arctic research vessel named Boaty McBoatface failed, despite a vote in favour.

Meet Sweden's newest train: Trainy McTrainface

7. Network Rail boss gets bonus despite late trains

Network Rail boss Mark Carne is to receive a bonus of £50,000 despite a rise in the number of trains cancelled or running late. News of the award was included in the rail operator's annual report, which showed it had missed almost every target for punctuality over the past year. The bonus takes Carne's overall pay to £820,000.

8. Head of French military quits over Macron row

General Pierre de Villiers, the head of France's armed forces, has resigned after a bitter row with Emmanuel Macron. He is the first chief of staff to resign since the post was created in its present form in 1962. His exit comes after reports claimed Macron plans to renege on a promise not to cut military spending by slashing €850m from the armed forces' budget.

French military chief quits after public row with Emmanuel Macron

9. OJ Simpson bids to leave prison after nine years

OJ Simpson launches a bid for parole today after serving almost nine years of a 33-year sentence for armed robbery and kidnapping at a Las Vegas Hotel in 2008. It is expected that the Nevada state parole board will accept his plea and the former American football star will be freed in October. Simpson has already been granted parole on the lesser charges of kidnapping, robbery and burglary.

OJ Simpson to be released: Key moments of the 'trial of the century'

10. Briefing: Runaway German girl found in Mosul ruins

A 16-year-old German girl who left her home town near Dresden to travel to Syria has reportedly been found in Mosul, Iraq. Linda Wenzel "ran away from home" a year ago after her parents separated, the Daily Mail reports. She is believed to have formed an online relationship with a man belonging to Islamic State. Wenzel was found last week, hiding in Mosul tunnels built by the terrorists, alongside weapons and suicide vests, Russia Today reports, citing a Die Welt story. She has been handed over to US troops in Iraq for questioning, the Daily Telegraph says.

Runaway German girl found in Mosul ruins