Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 24 Mar 2018

1. Owen Smith sacked over second referendum article

Owen Smith has been sacked by Jeremy Corbyn after he demanded a second vote once EU talks have ended. In an article for The Guardian, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary broke ranks with official Labour Party policy. The dismissal has caused controversy: Labour peer Peter Hain described it as a "Stalinist purge". Smith has been replaced by Tony Lloyd MP.

2. Cambridge Analytica 'lied over work for Leave.EU'

Cambridge Analytica performed data research for a leading Brexit campaign group and then lied to the public and MPs over the work the company had undertaken, reports The Guardian. In the latest of a series of revelations, a former employee said the work took a number of weeks and involved "at least six or seven meetings" with senior officials from Arron Bank’s group Leave.EU.

3. 'Hero' French policeman dies after supermarket attack

French policeman Arnaud Beltrame, who took the place of a hostage during yesterday’s supermarket attack, has died of his injuries. When the 45-year-old was shot by Redouane Lakdim, counter-terror officers stormed the supermarket and shot the terrorist dead. Lt-Col Arnaud Beltrame "fell as a hero" and showed "exceptional courage", said French President Emmanuel Macron.

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4. Ministers planning to block 'hidden' airline fees

The government is planning a crackdown to prevent airlines from ripping off passengers with last-minute "hidden" fees. The Times says ministers want to stop passengers being stung by unexpected charges of up to £160 to change the names on a booking, print boarding passes or check in luggage. A study found that 66 of the world’s biggest airlines made £33bn through fees.

5. Hazard as Mount Etna volcano edges towards the sea

Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, is sliding towards the sea, reports the BBC. A UK-led team of scientists says the situation could lead to increased hazards at Etna in the future. They say the entire edifice on the Italian island of Sicily is moving perilously in the direction of the Mediterranean at a rate of 14mm per year.

6. Cars 'will travel slower than bikes by 2027'

Cars will travel slower than bicycles on England's congested roads within a decade, claims the Daily Telegraph this morning. According to data from the government, the average vehicle speed of cars on A roads in 2017 was 18.4mph, down from 19.3mph in 2014. Should the decline continue at the same rate, cars would be travelling slower than cyclists by 2027.

7. Health bosses want to ban fruit juice ads on kids' TV

Health chiefs say fruit juices should not be advertised to children because they are too high in sugar. Public Health England said that ads for most breakfast cereals and yoghurts should also be banned from commercial breaks on children’s television. However, the British Soft Drinks Association said the health bosses were sending "mixed messages".

8. Trade war fears boosting oil and the pound

Oil has enjoyed its best week in eight months and the pound its best week against the dollar in two months. Analysts say both trends are powered by fears of a global trade war, a US government shutdown and higher interest rates. Brent crude reached $70.38 yesterday, up 5.9% for the week, while sterling climbed to $1.417, a gain of 1.5% for the week.

9. Boris Johnson compares Putin to Hitler again

Boris Johnson has compared Vladimir Putin's annexation of Crimea with Hitler's occupation of the Sudetenland. In a new headline-grabbing outburst, he said it was "wholly apposite" to point out the similarities between the two regimes. The foreign secretary said that failure to stand up to Moscow’s "pattern of provocative behaviour" would only embolden the Kremlin and its "revanchist feeling".

10. Merkel calls for calm as EU plans to defy Trump tariffs

Germany has pleaded for calm after the European Union defied tariff threats from Donald Trump. The EU has a €2.8bn hit list of retaliatory tariffs on American products, including Harley-Davidson motorcycles and Levi jeans, if the US president enforces his tariffs. "We want to pursue these talks," said Angela Merkel. Germany’s economy is heavily dependent on exports to the US, particularly of cars.