Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 17 Mar 2018

1. FBI's Andrew McCabe sacked by Attorney General

FBI official Andrew McCabe, who has frequently been accused of political bias by President Trump, has been fired by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions. McCabe had been deeply involved in the FBI investigations into Russia's alleged meddling in the presidential campaign. Sessions said McCabe "made an unauthorised disclosure to the news media". Trump welcomed Sessions' decision as "a great day for democracy".

2. Britain to agree Brexit transition deal 'this weekend'

British negotiators could a deal on Brexit transition terms this weekend following a series of climbdowns to secure a deal from the EU. The Daily Telegraph says there are no "insuperable sticking points" in discussions over a deal that would provide a "largely status-quo transition" until at least December 31 2020. The deal would be seen by Downing Street as a big win for Theresa May.

3. Police launch investigation and contact Russian exiles

Detectives have launched a murder investigation into the death of the Russian businessman Nikolai Glushkov after a pathologist reported he died from compression to the neck. However, they add that "there is nothing to suggest any link to the attempted murders in Salisbury". Officers are also contacting a number of Russian exiles to discuss their safety as they investigate the murder of businessman Nikolai Glushkov.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

4. New Haiti allegations levelled against Oxfam charity

Oxfam has been hit by a second sex scandal over the conduct of its staff in Haiti, claims The Times. According to an internal report, the charity kept a senior employee in the country for more than a year after realising that he was a sexual predator. A spokeswoman said: "The behaviour of some former Oxfam staff working in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake was completely unacceptable."

5. Two women shot head at house in East Sussex

Police say two women have been shot dead at a house in St Leonards, East Sussex. Officers responded to reports of a shooting at a property shortly before 8pm on Friday night. A 35-year-old man was arrested two hours later and taken into custody on suspicion of murder. A gun was seized. "Tragically two women aged 32 and 53 have died after being shot and our thoughts are with their family and friends," said police.

6. Terror threat to towers with Grenfell-style cladding

Tower blocks with Grenfell-style cladding are at risk of arson and terrorism, fear public officials. The Guardian says local authorities are scrambling to keep the locations of scores of affected blocks secret. Wandsworth council said releasing information "may allow an individual building owner to be found by other individuals intent on harming them". A council-owned block in Slough, Berkshire, with combustible insulation, has been attacked by arsonists several times.

7. Oscars chief faces several claims of sexual harassment

The head of the Oscars Academy is facing several allegations of sexual harassment, according to the Hollywood Reporter and Variety. John Bailey, who has led the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since last year, has not yet commented on the reports. The Academy told CNN it "treats any complaints confidentially to protect all parties."

8. 'Mini Beast' to bring snow and ice to Britain

The country is set for "bitterly cold" conditions as a mini "Beast from the East" is expected to hit Britain. Ice warnings have been issued and the Met Office has warned of snow accumulations up to 10cm (4in). "Bitterly cold is the best way to describe it - temperatures on the face of it probably just around freezing, but with wind it's going to feel well below freezing," said the Met.

9. Muslim women sue New York police over hijab removal

Two Muslim women who said the New York police department forced them to remove their religious head coverings are suing the city. The lawsuit claimed officers failed to protect the rights of Jamilla Clark and Arwa Aziz after each woman was arrested. "Requiring a Muslim woman to remove her hijab in public is akin to demanding that a secular person strip naked in front of strangers," it stated.

10. Government may raise NHS funds from pensioner tax

Ministers are considering tax rises on older workers to raise billions of pounds in extra funding for the NHS. One proposal is to make the 1.2m pensioners who keep working past 65 to pay NI contributions. The news comes as Theresa May prepares to tell Tories they must prove to voters that they "care enough" about the NHS.