Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 22 Apr 2018

1. Conservatives in new race row over ID for elections

The equality and human rights watchdog says government plans to force people to prove their identities at polling stations in May’s local elections risk disenfranchising members of ethnic minority communities. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has written to the Cabinet Office minister David Lidington warning the checks will deter immigrants and others from participating in the democratic process.

2. GCHQ warns of limits in face of 'serious cyber attack'

GCHQ has warned that Britain’s spy agencies cannot offer "absolute protection" against Russian cyber attacks. Ciaran Martin, the head of the agency’s cyber defence unit, says it is a matter of "when, not if" Britain faces a "serious cyber attack". Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, he said the authorities are focused on preventing assaults that would "most impact on our way of life", in the wake of the Salisbury poisoning.

3. Stormy Daniels says Donald Trump is a 'moron'

Stormy Daniels has launched a fresh attack on US president Donald Trump. The US porn star says her alleged affair with Donald Trump is "the only thing in my life that I wish I could undo". On her national tour, entitled Making America Horny Again, she called Trump a "moron" and said his lawyer, Michael Cohen, was a "buffoon". Her real name is Stephanie Clifford.

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4. Hunt threatens social media giants with new legislation

Jeremy Hunt says he will hit social media firms with new laws if they don't do more to protect children online. Writing to a list of companies including Facebook and Google, the health secretary accused them of "turning a blind eye" to their impact on children. He has given the companies until the end of the month to outline action on cutting underage use, preventing cyber bullying, and promoting healthy screen time.

5. Family of assassinated Palestinian blame Mossad

A Palestinian professor has been killed in a drive-by shooting on the streets of the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. Fadi al-Batsh was a member of the Hamas militant organisation. Israel's spy agency Mossad has been accused of being behind his killing on Saturday but no Israeli official has commented. Hamas has accused Israel of conducting assassinations of its experts abroad in the past.

6. Stephen Lawrence's brother still lives in fear of gang

The brother of Stephen Lawrence says he still lives in fear of his brother's killers and "worries" the gang knows where he lives. On the 25th anniversary of the 18-year-old’s murder in a racist attack by up to six gang members in Eltham, south-east London, Stuart Lawrence said: "The older I get, I worry. I’m fearful. I don’t know what they look like, they know what we look like."

7. Mortgage deals rise ahead of anticipated rates hike

Rates on popular mortgage deals have reached their highest levels in two years ahead of an expected interest rate rise in May. The average mortgage rate has gone up by 0.25 percentage points since last month, hot on the heels of a previous mortgage rate rise by lenders when Mark Carney moved the base rate up by a quarter of a per cent in November.

8. Austin Powers star dies at the age of 49

The actor Verne Troyer, who played Mini-Me in the Austin Powers movies, has died at the age of 49. "It is with great sadness and incredibly heavy hearts to write that Verne passed away today," a post on his official Facebook page read. Troyer, who was 2ft 8in (81cm) tall, also played Griphook in the first Harry Potter film. He was hospitalised for alcohol addiction last year

9. May's team says she may accept customs deal

Allies of Theresa May’s have privately admitted that the PM may have to accept permanent membership of a European customs union. The Sunday Times says a "secret wargaming exercise" found that pro-Brexit figures such as Michael Gove and David Davis would not resign in protest. The Lords voted last week to stay in a customs union.

10. Police failed to tell Tory MP of rape allegation against him

Detectives failed to tell Tory MP Charlie Elphicke about a rape allegation, reports The Sunday Times. Elphicke, a former government whip and married father of two, is accused of forcing a former aide to have sex when they were alone together. Police interviewed the MP under caution last month over allegations of "sexual touching", but did not put the rape allegation to him. Elphicke has denied any wrongdoing.