Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 26 May 2018
- 1. Exit polls suggest landslide 'Yes' vote in Ireland
- 2. Trump reopens door for summit with North Korea
- 3. Match fixer filmed discussing England test match
- 4. Harvey Weinstein bailed after handing himself in
- 5. Boots 'exploits cancer victims' with overcharged medication
- 6. Moscow carries out record-distance missile test
- 7. Tommy Robinson is arrested outside grooming trial
- 8. Morbid obesity to rocket in the decades ahead
- 9. Are shoppers using carrots to trick self-checkouts?
- 10. Man, 95, arrested on suspicion of murdering his carer
1. Exit polls suggest landslide 'Yes' vote in Ireland
Exit polls published in Ireland after the referendum on abortion suggest a landslide vote in favour of liberalising the law. The surveys by The Irish Times and RTÉ project that around 69% voted to repeal a part of the constitution that effectively bans terminations. The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, said it looked as if the country was about to "make history".
2. Trump reopens door for summit with North Korea
Donald Trump says "very productive talks" have been held with North Korea on reinstating the summit with leader Kim Jong-un. Taking to Twitter, the US President said the recently cancelled meeting could still take place on 12 June in Singapore "and if necessary will be extended beyond that date". After the cancellation, North Korea said it was willing to talk "at any time in any form".
3. Match fixer filmed discussing England test match
Match fixers have been filmed discussing plans to rig the outcome of England’s first Test in Sri Lanka, reports the Daily Telegraph. Posing as a businessman, an undercover reporter filmed a match fixer and the groundsman of the match venue in Galle agreeing to help alter the outcome of the match, scheduled for November. The sport's world governing body has opened an investigation.
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4. Harvey Weinstein bailed after handing himself in
Harvey Weinstein has been released on $1m bail after being charged in New York with rape and sexual abuse. After turning himself in to the police yesterday, the 66-year-old former Hollywood film mogul has agreed to wear a GPS tracker and to surrender his passport. He denies the charges and his lawyer said he would plead not guilty.
5. Boots 'exploits cancer victims' with overcharged medication
Boots has been accused of "exploiting cancer patients" by charging the NHS £3,220 for pain-relieving mouthwash that can cost £93. According to The Times, the owner of the chemist chain exploited a loophole in rules that enables suppliers to set their own prices for certain unlicensed medicines. As well as cancer patients, autistic children are also being denied medications because they are so expensive.
6. Moscow carries out record-distance missile test
Russia has quietly carried out the world’s longest surface-to-air missile test, reports The Times. According to CNBC, the S-500 Prometheus hit a target 300 miles away, 50 miles farther than any previously recorded test. The development could strengthen its military capabilities in Europe and Syria. The Kremlin has not commented on the report.
7. Tommy Robinson is arrested outside grooming trial
Tommy Robinson has been arrested on suspicion of breaching the peace outside a court. The far-right activist live-streamed men entering Leeds Crown Court during an ongoing grooming trial. He is also accused of incitement. "Can you get me a solicitor?” he asked his supporters while being searched and put inside a police van.
8. Morbid obesity to rocket in the decades ahead
The rate of morbid obesity in Britain is expected to double by 2035, according to a new study. Nearly five million people are expected to be diagnosed over the next two decades, an increase on the 1.9m recorded in 2015. Morbid obesity, categorised as having a body mass index greater than 40, significantly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, strokes and cancer.
9. Are shoppers using carrots to trick self-checkouts?
A leading criminologist says supermarket shoppers are using self-service checkouts to pretend they are buying carrots when in fact they are bagging much more expensive fruits or vegetables, typically avocados. As sales figures of carrots soar, Emmeline Taylor, a senior lecturer in Criminology at City, University of London, said that the trend may not be a "sudden switch to healthy eating", but "a new type of shoplifter".
10. Man, 95, arrested on suspicion of murdering his carer
A 95-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his carer after a woman died in hospital. Detectives at Scotland Yard said they believed the 61-year-old woman was injured at a residential address in Islington, north London, where she was performing her care work. The suspect was bailed and police said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
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