Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 24 Jun 2018

1. Faulty NHS syringes may have killed thousands

Thousands of elderly patients died prematurely because of cheap, faulty syringe pumps, reports The Sunday Times. A whistleblower from the government inquiry into hundreds of deaths at Gosport War Memorial Hospital said leaders on the panel "ignored" evidence of fatalities caused by the pumps. The incident is being described as "one of the biggest cover-ups" in NHS history.

2. Gavin Williamson 'spearheading major coup against Theresa May'

Defence secretary Gavin Williamson has been accused of trying to whip up an attempted coup against the prime minister. He is said to be behind a rebellion from Conservative MPs demanding that Theresa May boosts spending on the armed forces. According to reports, Williamson has told senior military leaders: "I made her so I can break her."

3. Saudi women behind wheel as controversial driving ban ends

A landmark has been reached in Saudi Arabia as women can legally get behind the wheel of a car for the first time. The historic move means many women will no longer need to use public transportation or hire a male driver to travel even small distances. It is expected that many more women will join the workforce as a result.

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4. Checkout sweets banned under child obesity crackdown

Sweets sold at checkouts will be banned under new government proposals to tackle childhood obesity. With one in three children now overweight or obese by the age of 11, ministers are also putting stricter restrictions on junk food advertisements, and forcing through mandatory calorie labelling on restaurant menus. Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, said the measures gave "power to parents to make healthier choices".

5. East Coast rail line back under public control

The East Coast Main Line is back under government control. The Department for Transport will run the service until a new public-private partnership is appointed in 2020. Stagecoach and Virgin Trains handed over control on Sunday after running it since 2015. At the end of last year it had become clear the two firms were struggling with their stewardship

6. White House's Sarah Sanders ejected from restaurant

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was kicked out of a restaurant on Friday night because workers felt she works for an "inhumane and unethical" administration. Sanders tweeted that the co-owner’s actions "say far more about her than about me". Earlier this week, Homeland Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was booed at a Mexican restaurant in Washington DC.

7. Zimbabwe president survives 'bomb attack'

The president of Zimbabwe has survived an apparent bomb attack at a rally in the city of Bulawayo. Emmerson Mnangagwa said an object "exploded a few inches away from me - but it is not my time". Footage shows an explosion happening close to Mnangagwa as he leaves the stage after addressing the rally. Reports say 15 people were injured, three of them seriously.

8. Letwin tells government 'war spirit' needed for housing

The government must invoke wartime spirit to fix the housing shortage, says Sir Oliver Letwin. Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Sir Oliver, who is heading a review for the Prime Minister, says infrastructure must be organised like Spitfire production to solve the crisis. He argues that the slow introduction of new power lines and transport links is holding up the construction of homes by "years and years".

9. Polls open in Turkey in bitterly fought presidential election

Turks are going to the polls in presidential and parliamentary votes. Turkish people will decide whether President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gets a second five-year term. Erdogan, who will adopt significant new powers if he wins, faces a strong challenge from centre-left candidate Muharrem Ince of the Republican People's Party. "If Erdogan wins, your phones will continue to be listened to... Fear will continue to reign," said Ince.

10. World Cup: Xhaka and Shaqiri probed over 'eagle' celebrations

Fifa has launched an investigation into Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri's goal celebrations during Switzerland's World Cup victory over Serbia. The players made an eagle gesture, seemingly invoking the two-headed eagle on the Albanian flag. Both are ethnic Albanians from Kosovo, where there was a Serbian crackdown on the Albanian population. Their gestures were booed by Serbian fans.