Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 17 Nov 2017

1. Davis tells EU: ‘Don’t put politics above prosperity’

Brexit Secretary David Davis has urged Germany and other European nations not to “put politics above prosperity”, in a speech in Berlin. He said it was “incredibly unlikely” negotiations would end without a deal and he hoped for one that “allows for the freest possible trade in goods and services”. He avoided a question about the ‘divorce bill’.

2. Mugabe refuses to go after Zimbabwe ‘coup’

Zimbabwe’s 93-year-old president, Robert Mugabe, is refusing to relinquish power, days after the army put him under house arrest. The military insisted earlier this week that it had not carried out a coup – but tanks were seen on the streets of Harare and heavy gunfire was reported. Several senior officials have been arrested since Wednesday.

3. Trump son-in-law Kushner ‘failed to disclose emails’

Jared Kushner failed to disclose emails from WikiLeaks and Russian agents to the inquiry into Donald Trump’s campaign links to Russia, senators say. A lawyer for the US President’s son-in-law and adviser said he was “open to … additional requests” after the Democrat and Republican senators learned of the emails from other witnesses.

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4. Family threatened with eviction for baby crying

A family renting in London have been warned by a letting agency that they will be evicted if their baby continues to cry. Attila and Ildiko Wurth live in a top-floor private flat in Hammersmith managed by Sheraton Management Ltd, which says other tenants in the block have a “contractual right to quiet enjoyment” of their flats.

5. Man aged 49 held on suspicion of Gaia Pope murder

A 49-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering Gaia Pope, the teenager from Dorset missing since last Tuesday. The suspect is from the Swanage area, where Pope was staying before her disappearance, and was known to her, police say. A 19-year-old man and 71-year-old woman were arrested and released earlier.

6. Explorer Allen to be flown out of jungle

British explorer Benedict Allen is expected to be picked up from the jungle in Papua New Guinea by helicopter, after being found safe and well. It had been feared the 57-year-old had come to harm after he missed a planned flight out of the remote area. He has been looked after by Christian missionaries after trekking large distances.

7. Tesla unveils surprise new electric lorry

Electric car firm Tesla yesterday unveiled its new electric lorry – the first semi-truck to be powered that way. Owner Elon Musk said: “The point of doing this is just to give a hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars.” The invited audience at the launch was surprised with an unheralded additional unveiling of a new sports car, the Roadster.

8. John Lewis accused of plagiarising Christmas ad

Department store John Lewis has been accused by a children’s author of stealing his work for their new Christmas advertisement. Chris Riddell, a former Children’s Laureate, says characters in the ad bear a striking resemblance to his 1986 book Mr Underbed. John Lewis insisted the “main thrust” of the ad’s story was different to the book.

9. Nurseries ban glitter over pollution fears

With Christmas nearing, a group of nurseries in England has banned the use of glitter by children in its care over fears that large amounts of microplastics are entering the seas and food chain. Alice Horton of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology told The Guardian glitter has the “same potential to cause harm as any other microplastic”.

10. Briefing : EU workers in UK hit all-time high

The number of non-British EU citizens working in Britain has reached a record high since last year’s Brexit referendum, according to a government report released yesterday.

The report, which was published by the Office for National Statistics, states that around 2.38 million EU nationals were working in the UK between July and September this year.

Number of EU workers in UK hits all-time high despite Brexit