Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 31 Aug 2017

1. May denies resignation rumours

Theresa May has insisted she is "here for the long term", suggesting she will lead the Conservatives into the 2022 election, in an attempt to scotch recent rumours she might stand down in 2019. Labour insisted that this was a "fantasy" and claimed again the Prime Minister is leading a zombie government since losing her majority.

2. Monsoon leaves 1,200 dead in Asia

More than 1,200 people have been killed in flooding caused by monsoons in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. Downpours across the Himalayan foothills have washed away hundreds of thousands of homes and destroyed infrastructure. Mumbai has been paralysed by the rising waters. Across the region, 40 million are affected.

3. Dugdale: I was outed against my will

Kezia Dugdale, who resigned as Scottish Labour leader yesterday, says she was forced to reveal her sexuality after a journalist chose not to respect her request that it not be included in an interview last year. Mary Riddell, who conducted the interview, denies Dugdale had made the request. Dugdale is in a relationship with an SNP MSP.

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. Airline pilot refuses to deport refugee

A pilot refused to fly from Heathrow yesterday when a failed asylum seeker who was supposed to be deported to Afghanistan via Istanbul became hysterical. Samim Bigzad 22 was instead taken to an immigration removal centre. He had been the main carer in Margate for his father, who was granted asylum 10 years ago and has PTSD.

5. Flowers appear on Diana anniversary

Floral tributes have been left by the public outside Kensington Palace, 20 years to the day since Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car crash in Paris while being chased by paparazzi. Yesterday, her sons came to view the impromptu shrine and meet the crowds who had gathered there. In a statement they said they were "grateful" for the tributes.

6. WW2 bomb forces evacuation of 70,000

Some 70,000 people have been told to evacuate their homes in Frankfurt after an unexploded British bomb was discovered. The WW2 device, which weighs 1.4 tons, is the type nicknamed a 'blockbuster' in Germany because it could destroy an entire street. It was discovered on Tuesday during building work near the city centre.

7. Record £7.8m fine for online gambling firm

The online gambling firm 888 is to be fined £7.8m by the Gambling Commission for failing to protect vulnerable customers. In one incident, 7,000 who had chosen to block themselves from their 888 accounts were nevertheless able to gamble. The Commission said there were "significant flaws" in 888's safeguarding.

8. British-born man told to leave country

The Home Office has apologised for telling a man born in the UK, and who has lived here his entire life, to leave the country because he had "no lawful basis to be in the UK". The error arose despite all of Shane Ridge's relatives being British, because his mother was born in Australia when her family were travelling and has dual status.

9. Beauty queen returns crown in protest

A woman who was told by a beauty pageant organiser that she was "too big" and should diet, despite being a trim size 10, returned her crown in protest. Zoiey Smale, 28, had won the national title and was due to represent the UK at the Miss United Contents final in Ecuador. She said she had received thousands of supportive messages.

10. Briefing: What to see at the Venice Film Festival

The Venice Film Festival has opened, marking for many the real start of the Oscars race given the event's track record for turning out future Academy Award winners.

This year's festival runs until 9 September and has summoned Hollywood heavyweights George Clooney, Darren Aronofsky and Alexander Payne, along with arthouse luminaries Ai Weiwei and Abdellatif Kechiche.

It's the world's oldest film festival and is seen as the launch pad for films that have gone onto Academy Awards success, including best picture winners Spotlight, Gravity and La La Land.

Venice Film Festival 2017: Top films worth seeing