Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 10 Sep 2018

1. Far-right surge in deadlocked Swedish election

Sweden is to have a new coalition government, following an election that left no one bloc with a clear majority despite a surge in support for the far-right anti-immigration Sweden Democrats. Prime Minister Stefan Lofven is resisting calls to resign and says that a coalition between the moderate Right and Left could keep the far-right out of power.

2. Former minister claims 80 Tory MPs will rebel

Former Brexit minister Steve Baker has warned Theresa May that up to 80 Tory MPs intend to vote against her Chequers plan for leaving the EU. Baker, who quit over the deal, claimed there would be a “catastrophic split” in the party if May pressed ahead with the plan. However, he insisted he did not want a leadership election and backed May to remain prime minister.

3. Boris Johnson calls for Trump-style tax cuts

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has called for huge tax cuts, explicitly citing Donald Trump’s cuts as a model. Johnson’s latest intervention comes just a day after he provoked controversy by comparing Theresa May’s Brexit plans to a “suicide vest”. Commentators have speculated that he is gearing up for a leadership bid against May.

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4. Two Britons among seven stabbed in Paris attack

Two British tourists are among seven people stabbed last night in Paris, in an attack which is not thought to be terror-related. A man wielding an iron bar and a knife was arrested at the scene. Four of the victims were severely wounded, and one of the Britons was stabbed in the head, according to French media.

5. Middle-aged urged to have drink-free days

Public Health England and the charity Drinkaware are urging middle-aged people to cut their alcohol intake by having regular “drink-free days”. People aged 45 to 65 are more likely than other age groups to drink more than the recommended limit of 14 units a week. Doctors say introducing regular days off – preferably two consecutively – will improve sleep and reduce health risks.

6. TV boss quits following fresh sexual misconduct claims

The head of US TV network CBS has resigned hours after six more women accused him of sexual assault. Les Moonves, 68, was already under investigation following accusations by six other women. He denies all the allegations but, along with the network, is donating $20m (£15.5m) to the #MeToo movement.

7. Unions calls for four-day working week

The TUC says a four-day working week will be possible within the next 80 years if businesses are forced to share the savings they will make by automating jobs with artificial intelligence and other technologies. The trade union group is urging the Government to ensure workers get shorter hours but keep the same level of pay.

8. Almost 19,000 in UK now earn over £1m

More than 18,700 people in the UK earn more than £1m a year - a rise of 3,700 in just one year, new HMRC figures show. However, many of the recent additions to the list are foreign or non-doms and could leave the country following Brexit, experts warn. More than one in ten of the high earners live in London’s Kensington and Chelsea.

9. Plastic to beat price as shoppers’ main concern, study finds

Within the next decade British shoppers will be more concerned about the amount of plastic packaging that comes with the products than with the price of goods, a study suggests. The research, by ThoughtWorks, also found that 36% of people surveyed also take into account where food was produced when making purchase decisions.

10. Briefing: how Nato’s phonetic alphabet was chosen

During the First World War, the Royal Navy used an alphabet that began Apples, Butter and Charlie, while British infantrymen in the trenches had their own version, which started Ack, Beer and Charlie.

The final version of the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet - better known as the Nato phonetic alphabet or simply the Alpha, Bravo, Charlie alphabet - was implemented by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in 1956.

Phonetic alphabet: the story from Alpha to Zulu