Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 7 Feb 2018

1. Elon Musk launches world’s biggest rocket

PayPal billionaire Elon Musk has successfully test-launched the world’s most powerful rocket, the Falcon Heavy. Two boosters were safely brought back to Earth for re-use, but the third crashed at sea. The test payload, Musk’s old Tesla sportscar ‘driven’ by a mannequin listening to a loop of David Bowie songs, is out beyond the orbit of Mars.

2. Kim Jong-un’s sister to visit South Korea

The sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, Kim Yo-jong, is to visit South Korea for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Seoul on Friday. The two Koreas have agreed to march together under a united flag at the ceremony and will field a joint ice hockey team. In total, the North is sending 280 delegates to Seoul.

3. Poundland censured for ‘naughty elf’ ads

Budget retailer Poundland has been told its Christmas advertising campaign was “irresponsible and likely to cause serious or widespread offence” by advertising regulator the ASA. The campaign featured an elf posed in sexual positions, in one instance holding a teabag suggestively. The firm has been told it cannot use the images again.

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4. First modern Britons ‘had dark or black skin’

Groundbreaking DNA analysis of the fossil skeleton known as Cheddar Man strongly suggests that the first modern Britons, living about 10,000 years ago, had “dark to black” skin, blue eyes and dark curly hair. The analysis suggests Cheddar Man’s ancestors left Africa, then lived in the Middle East, before crossing the Doggerland land bridge to Britain.

5. Trump tells Pentagon to plan military parade

The White House has confirmed that US President Donald Trump has asked the Pentagon to plan a large military parade through the streets of Washington DC, in emulation of the Bastille Day parade he attended in Paris. One US veterans’ group compared Trump to a “wannabe banana republic strongman [with] authoritarian tendencies”.

6. Tesco could face gender pay equality bill of £4bn

Tesco is facing legal claims for back-pay from female workers paid less than male colleagues, with a potential total bill of £4bn. Paula Lee of Leigh Day solicitors said her firm had been contacted by more than 1,000 Tesco staff and will take the first steps to bring legal action for 100 of them this week. She said men can earn £3 an hour more.

7. Westminster abuse accuser charged over images

The anonymous man whose claims of historic child abuse by senior politicians sparked a lengthy inquiry by police, later abandoned and ruled to have been mishandled in a report by a former High Court judge, is being prosecuted for having obscene images of children on his computer. Known as Nick, the man was charged last year.

8. Son of Carl Sargeant wins Welsh Assembly seat

Jack Sargeant, son of the late Carl Sargeant, has won his father’s former Welsh Assembly seat in a by-election triggered by his death. The 23-year-old took the Alyn and Deeside seat for Labour with a majority of 6,545. His father was found dead after being sacked as communities minister after being accused of inappropriate behaviour to women.

9. Eiffel Tower closed as snow blankets Paris

The Eiffel Tower has closed to visitors as Paris experiences its first serious snow this winter. Falls yesterday afternoon caused a record 430 miles of traffic jams by 7.30pm local time and a further two to four inches were predicted early this morning. Temperatures were expected to be as low as -10C and train delays were anticipated.

10. Briefing: Why the US condemns Venezuela but is silent on Honduras

The US has been called out for its double standards on Central and South American human rights issues following the inauguration of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez this week.

When Venezuela’s populist anti-American government rigged state gubernatorial elections in October, “the US led a campaign of condemnation and stepped up sanctions”, The Washington Post says.

Why the US condemns Venezuela but is silent on Honduras