Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 12 Jun 2018

1. Kim promises ‘major change’ after Trump handshake

Kim Jong Un has promised “major change” after meeting Donald Trump in Singapore, the first time a North Korean leader has met a sitting US President. The pair spoke alone, except for interpreters, and signed a document afterwards. What that document said has not yet been explained but more details are expected later today.

2. Ukip’s Arron Banks to face MPs over Russia

Insurance millionaire Arron Banks, Ukip’s main backer, will face MPs on the culture and media committee today to answer questions about his links to Russia during the EU referendum campaign. Banks met the Russian ambassador to the UK three times in 2015 and 2016, discussing Brexit and the election of Donald Trump in the US.

3. Treasury to raise billions in extra tax for NHS

Chancellor Philip Hammond is to raise as much as £10bn extra tax for the NHS on its 70th anniversary, newspapers say. Experts say the service will face a £20bn annual funding gap by 2022 as it struggles to cope with an ageing population. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt wants a real-terms increase of 4% per year, The Times reports.

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4. Davis appeals to Tory rebels on Brexit bill

Brexit Secretary David Davis has written to Tory MPs in an attempt to stave off a government defeat on the Brexit bill, warning that the country’s whole approach to negotiations with the EU could be undermined by amendments to the bill. The Commons will vote today on whether they should get a say on the final Brexit deal.

5. Insurers urge caution on ‘autonomous’ cars

The Association of British Insurers is warning manufacturers against branding their cars as “autonomous” because of advanced features which do not in fact amount to the car being self-driving. The group says misleading names for features such as “Autopilot” and “ProPilot” can confuse drivers and leave them over-reliant.

6. UK economy at highest stress level since 2012

The economy is showing the greatest signs of stress since 2012, with employers more pessimistic than they have been at any point since the eurozone crisis. A keenly watched survey by the ManpowerGroup found that worries over Brexit and the slowdown in consumer spending mean only 4% of respondents are recruiting.

7. Three-quarters of women ‘never cycle’

Almost three-quarters of women who live in seven British cities never use a bicycle for local journeys, according to a new survey by cycling charity Sustrans. Twice as many men as women cycle at least once a week, the survey suggests. Sustrans says more dedicated cycle routes might encourage women to pedal to work.

8. Climate change blamed for African tree deaths

Researchers from the US and Romania say climate change may lie behind the unexpected death of some of Africa’s oldest trees. Giant baobabs can be as much as 2,500 years old and as wide as a bus is long and their shape is an icon of the continent. Of the 13 oldest known trees, nine have died during the past 12 years, the team says.

9. Stamps to mark 50 years of Dad’s Army

The much-loved BBC sitcom of the 1960s and 70s, Dad’s Army, is to be commemorated with a series of stamps featuring the cast and their catchphrases. The show, written by David Croft and Jimmy Perry, was first shown 50 years ago in 1968. Ian Lavender, one of the only cast members still living, said he was “overwhelmed”.

10. Briefing: what is life like in North Korea?

As Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, many hope the US president will raise the issue of human rights.

Asked by a reporter over the weekend whether he would voice concerns about North Korea’s gulags, or prison camps, “Trump said all issues would come up at the summit”.

What is life like in North Korea?