Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 23 Aug 2017

1. Trump: I'll close government to build wall

US President Donald Trump held a rally for supporters yesterday, telling them he was prepared to "close down government" if necessary, in order to build the wall between the US and Mexico he promised on the campaign trail. He also defended the support he gave neo-Nazis earlier this month, saying his response had been "perfect".

2. Torso identified as missing journalist

A torso found in waters off Copenhagen has been identified with DNA matching as the body of Swedish journalist Kim Wall, who has been missing since she boarded a private submarine to research a story earlier this month. The submarine's Danish inventor, Peter Madsen, has been charged with negligent manslaughter.

3. Labour accuses May of EU U-turn

Theresa May has U-turned on the role of EU courts after Brexit, according to Labour. Policy papers published today seem to leave open the possibility that EU courts will still have some influence over the UK after it leaves the union – despite the Prime Minister making sovereignty in this area one of her Brexit 'red lines'.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

4. Spain: Terror group planned to attack church

One of four men arrested after the Barcelona terror attacks told a court the group had planned to bomb the Sagrada Familia, the unfinished church which is a symbol of the city. Mohamed Houli Chemlal, 21, has been charged with terror offences and murder, as has another man. A third is still being questioned while the fourth was freed.

5. Bill squeeze 'may be exaggerated'

New research by the MoneySavingExpert website suggests that the average increase in household bills is actually lower than inflation, meaning the increase in the cost of living may have been exaggerated. The total cost of bills has risen by 2.1% in the past year, which is lower than the 2.6% rise in the Consumer Prices Index.

6. Boy arrested in Saudi Arabia for dancing

A teenage boy has been arrested in Saudi Arabia for dancing the Macarena in the street. The 14-year-old is accused of "improper public behaviour" after a video of him dancing to the 1990s hit at a pedestrian crossing in Jeddah went viral. It is not known what nationality he is or whether he has been formally charged with a crime.

7. Harry speaks about Diana paparazzi

Prince Harry has said he finds it hard to "come to terms" with the behaviour of paparazzi who chased his mother's car through Paris and then photographed her as she lay injured in the back seat after a crash. The Prince and his brother spoke for a BBC documentary – Diana, 7 Days – to mark the 20th anniversary of her death.

8. Trump aide wife apologises for post

The Scottish-born wife of Donald Trump's treasury secretary has apologised for a "highly insensitive" post on Instagram. Louise Linton's offending comment was made in response to criticism of a picture she posted of herself getting off a government plane with hashtags listing the designer labels she was wearing.

9. Rescued piglets given as sausages

A litter of piglets rescued from a barn fire by firefighters in Wiltshire have been made into sausages – and barbecued by the firemen. Farmer Rachel Rivers said she wanted to thank the Pewsey fire team for their work, but added: "I'm sure the vegetarians will hate this." The fire team said they had eaten the sausages, which were "fantastic".

10. Briefing: Channel 4' s Great British Bake Off

Fans feared the worst when Channel 4 snapped up the Great British Bake Off from its old home on the BBC, but early reviews suggest the new show has lost none of its magic.

Paul Hollywood is the only judge from the original BBC series to stay with the Channel 4 show. Mary Berry (who's been rewarded with her own cooking programme, Britain's Best Cook) has been replaced by the food writer and restaurateur Prue Leith, star of the Great British Menu. Mel and Sue, meanwhile, have been replaced by Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding.

Channel 4 Bake Off: New recipe wins over critics