1. Ministers to scrap first-class carriages on busy trains
First class carriages will be scrapped on packed commuter trains, the Transport Secretary has pledged. Arguing that passengers should no longer be "segregated", Chris Grayling told the Daily Telegraph he has witnessed what a "total pain" it is for passengers who have to stand in cramped standard class carriages while first class compartments lie empty.
2. Sean Spicer: Trump did not want me to resign
Sean Spicer insists that Donald Trump didn't want him to quit as White House press secretary. Spicer resigned yesterday after Anthony Scaramucci, a New York financier, was made the new White House communications director. According to reports in the US, Spicer told the President it was a "major mistake" to appoint Scaramucci, who has no previous media experience.
3. Interpol names 173 IS fighters that could attack Europe
The global crime fighting agency Interpol has circulated a list of 173 Islamic State fighters it believes have been trained to undertake suicide attacks in European cities. It fears the IS jihadists could seek revenge for the group’s military defeats in the Middle East. The list was compiled by American intelligence from information obtained during the assault on IS strongholds in Syria and Iraq.
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4. 'Catastrophe' as number of UK homeless children soars
Britain is facing a "catastrophic" crisis as the number of homeless children living in temporary accommodation soars by almost 40% in three years, reports The Independent. Local authorities are housing 120,540 children with their families in temporary shelter, an increase of 32,650 extra children since 2014. Labour’s said ministers should "hang their heads in shame”.
5. Hard-left activists 'plotting to depose Tom Watson'
The Times says that "hard-left" Labour members are "plotting to depose" deputy leader Tom Watson. The activists, who feel Watson has not been sufficiently loyal to Jeremy Corbyn, want to replace him with Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, who is close to the party leader. They accuse Watson of trying to place anti-Corbyn members on the party’s governing body.
6. Boots 'truly sorry' for morning-after pill controversy
High street chemist Boots says it is "truly sorry" for its response to a campaign calling for it to cut the price of emergency contraception. The retail chain was slammed after it refused to reduce the cost of the 'morning-after' pill over fears it could incentivise its use. Health campaigners said women were being hit with a "sexist surcharge".
7. Two die as earthquake his Turkey and Kos
A 6.7-magnitude earthquake in the Aegean Sea has killed at least two people on the Greek island of Kos. The quake hit 12km (seven miles) north-east of Kos, near the Turkish coast, with a depth of 10km, say officials. On the island, around 115 people were injured, including tourists - 12 of them seriously. The Turkish government said 358 were hurt in the Turkish city of Bodrum, but none seriously.
8. Pound hits new low as airports offer 88 euro cents
British airports are offering what is believed to be the worst ever foreign exchange rates– as little as 88 euro cents for a pound. As Brits head to Europe for this weekend’s big getaway, travellers flying out of Gatwick, Luton and Birmingham on Friday were all being offered less than a euro for each pound, while in Cardiff, just 88 euro cents was offered.
9. Government plans new rules to make drones safer
British drone owners will have to register their flyers under government plans. Ministers are also planning to usher in compulsory safety awareness courses for owners of the small unmanned aircraft. They are also examining the possibility of "geo-fencing", under which no-fly zones are programmed into drones using GPS co-ordinates, so they cannot fly near areas such as prisons and airports.
10. Talent show champion dog Pudsey dies a 11
Britain's Got Talent winner Pudsey the dog has died. Alongside his owner, Ashleigh Butler, the border collie, bichon frise and Chinese crested cross won the reality show contest in 2012. Paying tribute to Pudsey, Ashleigh described him as a "beautiful boy" who had changed her life. The Sun says she has bought a new dog and called him Pudsey, headlining the story ‘Bark from the dead’.
