Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 5 Oct 2018

1. Amy Schumer arrested at Kavanaugh protest

Comic actor and writer Amy Schumer and model Emily Ratajkowski were among hundreds arrested in Washington DC yesterday as they protested against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the US Supreme Court. Republicans say the FBI has cleared the conservative judge of sexual assault claims, following a five-day inquiry.

2. Western powers release details of Russia hack

The Dutch government has announced that it disrupted an attempt by Russian intelligence agents to hack the Netherlands-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. The watchdog was investigating the attempting nerve agent poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury when the attempted hack reportedly took place in April. Four Russians were subsequently expelled from the Netherlands.

3. Marmite maker scraps plan to move HQ

Unilever, the maker of Marmite and Dove soap, has scrapped plans to move its headquarters out of the UK. Investors objected to the planned move to Rotterdam from London, saying it could force British shareholders to sell their stakes. Unilever has had a dual Anglo-Dutch structure since a merger in 1930.

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4. Nike ‘deeply concerned’ by Ronaldo rape claim

Sponsor Nike has said it is “deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations” of rape made against footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, with whom the company has had a commercial relationship since 2003. Teacher Kathryn Mayorga, now 34, says she was raped by the star in 2009 in a Las Vegas hotel room.

5. France: man sentenced for slapping woman

A man who slapped a woman outside a cafe in Paris after she told him to stop harassing her has been sentenced to six months in jail. CCTV video of the incident went viral earlier this year, sparking an outcry in France. The man, identified only as Firaz M, was charged with assault but not sexual harassment, after police decided there was insufficient evidence.

6. British man dies after being bitten by sea snake

A British man working on a fishing trawler in the north of Australia died yesterday after being bitten by a sea snake. The victim’s family have been told but his name has not been released yet. The death is thought to be the first from a sea snake bite recorded in Australia. The man was bitten after pulling up a net full of fish.

7. Waitrose to unpack shopping while you’re out

Supermarket Waitrose is trialling a system that will see delivery drivers use a special digital lock to enter customers’ homes while they are out and then put their newly bought groceries into the cupboards where they belong. Profit margins on home delivery are thin, and the system might mean savings for the store because of wider delivery windows, according to experts.

8. Entire church roof stolen for lead scrap value

Thieves have stolen all the lead from the roof of a grade I listed church in Bedfordshire. Police said the “audacious” theft of 20 tons of metal from All Saint’s Church, in Houghton Conquest, must have taken place over a prolonged period of time and probably involved the criminals pretending to be tradesmen. The cost of replacing the lead is expected to reach tens of thousands.

9. Girl of eight finds 1,500-year-old sword in lake

An eight-year-old girl found a well-preserved pre-Viking sword after stepping on it in a lake while swimming this summer, it has been revealed. The sword has now been dated as 1,500 years old by experts, who have also discovered a third century brooch after carrying out excavations at the site, in southern Sweden. Schoolgirl Saga Vanecek found the sword in Vidostern lake, Jonkoping County.

10. Briefing: is Britain experiencing an ‘empathy crisis’?

Only 12% of people quizzed for a new study by YouGov said they had noticed an increase in most peoples’ ability to put themselves in others’ shoes, while 51% reported a decrease.

The findings point to “an emerging crisis of empathy”, according to the Scout Association, which commissioned the research.

Is Britain experiencing an ‘empathy crisis’?