Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 10 Sep 2017

1. Florida braces as ‘catastrophic’ storm approaches

Heavy winds battered islands in Florida's south, and water levels rose, as Hurricane Irma approached the US mainland. Although around 6.3 million residents were told to evacuate, authorities announced on Saturday it was now too late to leave for anyone remaining. There has been a power cut to more than 170,000 homes. "This is the most catastrophic storm the state has ever seen," said the state governor.

2. Tony Blair calls for tougher new immigration rules

Tony Blair has called for a tougher new immigration policy that "reasserts control". As PM, Blair did not apply transitional controls on migrants from Eastern Europe, but writing in The Sunday Times, he said "times were different", adding that he now supports registering all EU nationals on arrival in the UK, so that checks can be made on whether they find a job or a place to study.

3. Whitehall fears Iran or Russia helping North Korea on nukes

British officials claim that recent progress in North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme may be due to secret support from Iran. The Foreign Office is investigating whether "current and former nuclear states" helped Kim Jong Un in his bid for nuclear missiles. Iran is top of the list of countries suspected of giving some form of assistance, but Russia is also under the microscope.

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4. Two million families face £50-a-week cut in income

More than two million struggling families will be more than £50 a week worse off by the end of the decade, according to analysis of welfare cuts, rent rises and inflation. The Local Government Association’s study found that more than 84% of those set to lose £50 a week or more are households with children, either lone parents or couples.

5. Memo: EU has no interest in ‘long-term solutions’

A "sobering" leaked memo shows that Brussels has no interest in finding "long-term solutions" to Brexit and could ignore the interests of European Union business. According to the memo from the City’s Brexit envoy, there is just a "1%" chance of the EU agreeing to start discussing a trade deal in October, as the UK wants, and there is no appetite for creating a "bespoke" transition arrangement.

6. Russian MP's son admits to US cybercrimes

The 33-year-old son of a Russian MP has pleaded guilty in the US to being part of a $50m cybercrime racket. Roman Seleznev confessed to being part of a criminal marketplace called Carder.su, which sold stolen credit card details and identity theft. Seleznev has already been sentenced to 27 years in prison for breaking into American firms to steal credit card information.

7. Battle over Stonehenge tunnels nears conclusion

Campaigners and historians are warning that Stonehenge could lose its World Heritage status if the Government builds a tunnel underneath it. Residents living near the Wiltshire site have been campaigning for 20 years to ease traffic jams around the site, but opponents say a tunnel would be "disastrous" for tourism. A decision is due on Tuesday.

8. Theresa May considers student loans interest cut

Theresa May is thinking of cutting interest rates on student loans in a bid to win back young voters. As the Conservatives grapple to broaden their appeal, one plan being considered is to change the formula through which many graduates pay interest rates of more than 6% – around double the rate of inflation. Many young voters abandoned the Conservatives at the June general election.

9. Inquiry into Heath paedophile allegations ‘widened’

The investigation into allegations that Sir Edward Heath was a child abuser has been "dramatically widened", says The Mail on Sunday. Officials are set to study the findings of an explosive police report into claims that the former prime minister molested children. The findings of Operation Conifer, a two-year inquiry into Heath led by Wiltshire Chief Constable Mike Veale, are due to be published in the next few weeks.

10. Noel Edmonds says HBOS case nearly drove him to suicide

"Evil bankers" drove Noel Edmonds to the brink of suicide, says The Mail On Sunday this morning. The broadcaster, who is claiming £300m from the compensation pot that Lloyds Banking Group has set aside for victims of a major HBOS fraud, said the bankers have "cost me my security, my image rights, my collection of classic cars – and very nearly my life".