Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 4 Oct 2018

1. May promises an end to austerity measures

The Prime Minister yesterday closed the Conservative Party conference with a promise to end the austerity measures instituted after the global financial crash in 2008. After literally dancing onto the stage, Theresa May committed to billions of public spending increases, without giving figures. Labour said her promise “lacked credibility”.

2. UK accuses Russia of ‘reckless’ cyber attacks

The UK’s national agency for cyber crime has accused Russian intelligence agency the GRU of four high-profile online attacks, including one on the World Anti-Doping Agency in Montreal. Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said the attacks were “indiscriminate and reckless” and served “no legitimate national security interest”.

3. Second UK woman killed by ‘butt lift’ surgery

The BBC says today that it has learned that a second British woman died after undergoing Brazilian “butt lift” surgery this year. It was already known that 29-year-old Leah Cambridge had died from the cosmetic procedure in Turkey in August. The identity of the other victim is not known. The surgery involves moving fat to the buttocks.

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4. Nissan warns against hard Brexit effects

Car-maker Nissan has become the latest of several large firms based in the UK to warn that a hard Brexit will cause serious disruption to its business. The firm’s chair Carlos Ghosn said its British operation was a “European investment based in the UK”, The Guardian reports. The firm said it was advising politicians to find a “balanced Brexit”.

5. Man found in shed ‘was slave for 40 years’

A man found living in a shed in Cumbria by specialist police officers had been living as a slave for 40 years on a mobile home park. The 58-year-old had been “indoctrinated” in Houghton, near Carlisle, police said after arresting a man aged 79 on modern slavery offences. Neighbours said he had learning difficulties but seemed happy.

6. Australians warn of ‘perfect storm’ as dollar soars

The US dollar continued its rocket-like rise in value against other currencies last night, prompting concerns about the effects on Asian markets. The Australian dollar fell below US $0.71 last night, prompting Melbourne trader Chris Weston to warn of a “perfect storm” as the strong dollar means US interest rates will rise further.

7. Six divers drown trying to save boy

Six rescue divers have drowned in one incident in Malaysia, as they tried to save the life of a 17-year-old boy who had gone missing while fishing with friends in a disused mining pool on Wednesday. The authorities said a “whirlpool” of sudden strong currents had pulled some of the divers’ equipment off and led to their deaths.

8. DJ Mark Radcliffe diagnosed with cancer

The BBC radio DJ Mark Radcliffe has announced a break from broadcasting while he undergoes treatment for cancer found in his mouth. The 60-year-old said he had “cancerous tongue and lymph node issues” and hoped to return to broadcasting by the new year. He added: “It’s all been caught very early and so everything should be fine.”

9. Astronomers identify first known ‘exomoon’

For the first time, astronomers believe they have observed a moon orbiting a planet which is not in our solar system. The ‘exomoon’ is thought to be much bigger than any observed before and is the size of Neptune. It is believed to be orbiting a planet called Kepler-1625b, which is itself in orbit around a star 8,000 light years away.

10. Ten famous people with dyslexia

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has spoken publicly for the first time about his battle with dyslexia and the stigma than can accompany the learning disorder.

Here are some more high-profile people who have dyslexia.

Ten famous people with dyslexia