Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 19 Oct 2017

1. May offers assurances on rights of EU citizens

Theresa May has promised to make it easy for EU citizens who live in the UK to remain after Brexit. She says the application process for settled status will be “streamlined” and costs kept low. May travels to Brussels today, where EU leaders are expected to say that not enough progress has been made in moving negotiations on to a future trade deal.

2. MPs vote to pause Universal Credit

The Commons last night voted in favour of pausing the roll-out of the Government’s controversial Universal Credit scheme – but the vote was only symbolic and the Government has not said it will act on it. Tory MPs were ordered to abstain but 298 opposition MPs were joined by one Tory, Sarah Wollaston, in voting to put the scheme on ice.

3. Tom Jones warns of abuse in music world

Asked about the allegations that Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein serially sexually harassed and assaulted women – which Weinstein denies – singer Sir Tom Jones said that harassment and abuse of power were also widespread in the music industry. He said an encounter of that sort early in his own career had left him feeling “terrible”.

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4. Spain deadline for Catalonia looms

The deadline put in place by Spain for its province of Catalonia to drop its bid for independence or face the suspension of regional rule is 9am this morning, UK time. After a referendum earlier this month, regional governor Carles Puigdemont signed an independence declaration - but immediately suspended it, saying he wanted dialogue.

5. Social media blamed for rise in self-harming

Researchers from the University of Manchester are blaming a rise in reported self-harming among teenage girls on the pressures of social media. Between 2011 and 2014, reports of self-harm among girls aged 13 to 16 rose by 68%, according to data from 674 GP surgeries. Of all those self-harming, almost three quarters were teenage girls.

6. New Zealand elects first Labour PM in years

Twenty-six days after a general election, New Zealand is set to have a new prime minister after the New Zealand First Party agreed to support Labour in a coalition. Jacinda Ardern will be the country’s first Labour leader for nine years. The 37-year-old will also have the backing of the Greens when she becomes New Zealand’s third female PM.

7. Mother of killed soldier joins Trump criticism

The mother of a US special forces soldier killed in west Africa says US President Donald Trump disrespected her family in a phone call of condolence he made. A Democrat congresswoman who was present earlier reported Trump said Sergeant La David Johnson “knew what he signed up for” – but the president has accused her of lying.

8. Russian socialite to stand against Putin

A 35-year-old Russian socialite has declared herself as a presidential candidate to challenge Vladimir Putin. Ksenia Sobchak says she supports opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who is barred from standing, and would stand down if his fortunes changed. Navalny says she is a Kremlin stooge. She is a lifelong family friend of Putin.

9. Privacy concerns over Piccadilly Circus sign

The famous digital billboard in Piccadilly Circus, central London, has been revamped and will go live later this month. Privacy concerns have been raised because the billboard will include cameras which can work out the gender and age of passers-by and target advertising appropriately. It will also detect wifi signals from people’s phones.

10. Briefing: Xi Jinping lays out sweeping vision for China

Chinese President Xi Jinping has described his “sweeping vision” for China today in a three-and-a-half-hour speech to the country’s ruling elite that commentators say is designed to “shore up his grip on power”.

The president called China’s progress during his reign – which began at the previous congress in 2012 – “truly remarkable”, but added that more effort is needed to move the country towards a goal of “national rejuvenation”, a phrase he used several times in his speech.

He also suggested that China’s success under “socialism with Chinese characteristics” demonstrated a “new choice for other countries”.

Xi Jinping lays out sweeping vision for China