Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 21 Sep 2017

1. Mexico quake: ‘Moles’ join rescue effort

A volunteer rescue group formed in 1985 after the devastating Mexico City earthquake, which has since worked at disasters around the world, known as the ‘Moles’ has joined official rescuers searching for survivors of a huge tremor which struck Mexico on Tuesday. At least 230 people have died, including at least 21 schoolchildren.

2. Hurricane leaves 3.5 million without power

Hurricane Maria has left the entire island of Puerto Rico, home to 3.5 million people, without power and facing catastrophic flooding. Only one death has been reported, of a man struck by debris, and the BBC says there has been no major loss of life. The hurricane has weakened to category two and is moving towards the Dominican Republic.

3. May to outline Florence speech to Cabinet

Theresa May will today tell the Cabinet what she plans to say in a much-anticipated speech about Brexit she will make in Florence on Friday. It has been rumoured the Prime Minister will use her speech to offer to pay a £20bn ‘divorce bill’. The Cabinet meeting comes after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson outlined his Brexit vision.

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4. Parsons Green bomb: Sixth arrest in London

A 17-year-old boy was arrested just after midnight in south London, the sixth person held in connection with the Parsons Green tube train bombing last Friday. Thirty people were injured when the home-made device partially exploded, none seriously. Police are now searching the Thornton Heath home where the teenager was arrested.

5. Mueller asks for Trump presidency records

The US special counsel investigating claims of links between Donald Trump’s election campaign and Russia has asked the White House to provide documents relating to the US president’s term in office. American newspapers say Robert Mueller is investigating Trump’s firing of Michael Flynn, his first national security adviser.

6. Spain tells Catalans: ‘Stop this disobedience’

Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has told Catalans to “stop this escalation of radicalism and disobedience” after street protests in the region in response to police raids on local government offices, which were meant to stop a referendum on independence. The head of the Catalan government insisted the vote will go ahead.

7. Ryanair cancellations likely to increase

More cancellations of Ryanair flights are likely – the budget airline has already said it is scrapping 50 a day until the end of October – after pilots rejected an offer of a £12,000 cash bonus if they give up their holidays. Ryanair blamed a “mess-up” in scheduling of holiday time for the cancellations, which have affected 315,000 customers.

8. Cost of university ‘not worth it’, poll finds

A new poll suggests the British public think university is not worth the fees charged in England and Wales. The survey of 1,688 customers of Sky produced a response of 35% saying university is not worth the cost and 54% saying it is. Among 18 to 34-year-olds, 53% said it was not worth it. Among graduates, 76% said it was worth the fees.

9. Chef asks Michelin to remove his three stars

An acclaimed French chef, Sebastien Bras, has asked the Michelin guide to take away his three stars – the highest honour the restaurant reviewing body gives. Bras, whose restaurant has had its stars for almost 20 years, says he is fed up with the pressure the ranking brings. The request is unusual and Michelin has not yet said it will honour it.

10. Briefing: Majority of Brits say golliwogs ‘not racist’

The majority of Britons do not think that golliwog dolls are racist, according to a new survey.

Once a common sight on everything from Robertson’s jam jars to Noddy storybooks, increasing backlash over their alleged racist origin has meant golliwogs began to fade in popularity in the 1970s and have now all but disappeared from public display.

In 2009, Carol Thatcher was widely criticised for comparing mixed-race tennis played Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to a golliwog, while local disputes over golliwogs displayed in shops and cafes continue to crop up in the news.

Majority of Brits say golliwogs ‘not racist’