Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 23 Nov 2018

1. Spain threatens to scupper May’s Brexit deal

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez last night repeated his opposition to the way Britain’s ownership of Gibraltar is handled in the draft Brexit agreement, threatening to “veto Brexit”. Sky News points out that Spain cannot veto the deal, but adds that non-cooperation would “sour the atmosphere” this weekend when EU leaders meet.

2. Hope growing for academic jailed in Dubai

The United Arab Emirates ambassador is scheduled to make a statement at 10am this morning in London – raising hopes of a breakthrough in the case of Matthew Hedges, the PhD student jailed for life in Dubai this week after a five-minute hearing. Hedges has always denied spying and says he was conducting research for his thesis.

3. Fugitive British brothers arrested in Thailand

Two brothers wanted by British police for suspected drugs trafficking have been arrested in Thailand. Joseph and Gregory Mulhare, from Merseyside, were detained on 17 November, it has just emerged. They are suspected of trafficking cocaine, ecstasy and methamphetamine in the UK and were arrested under UK warrants.

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4. UKIP appoints Tommy Robinson as ‘grooming gangs adviser’

UKIP has marked a shift further to the right as party leader Gerard Batten appoints hard-right anti-Islamist Tommy Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – to advise him on grooming gangs. Robinson has sought to reinvent himself as a “campaigner” against Muslim gangs who groom girls for sex. However, he is not allowed to join UKIP, as English Defence League members are banned.

5. Novichok policeman talks of family’s ordeal

The policeman poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury in March has given his first interview. Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey told the BBC that his family lost all their possessions because of fears of contamination and have still not been allowed to return to their home. He said he was angered by the recklessness of the attack.

6. German base jumper Loyen killed in Portugal

A well-known German base jumper has been killed during an attempt at the dangerous sport in Portugal. Dominik Loyen’s parachute failed to open after he jumped off a 100ft cliff in Nazare, German newspapers say. Video of the incident shows the 50-year-old striking several rocks as he falls to a beach below the rockface.

7. Trump uses Thanksgiving call to praise himself

Donald Trump yesterday made the US president’s traditional Thanksgiving Day call to troops serving overseas unusually political – and took it as an opportunity to praise himself. Asked what he was thankful for this year, Trump mentioned his “great family” and himself, saying: “I made a tremendous difference in this country.”

8. Fiona Bruce tipped as next Question Time host

The BBC has reportedly offered newsreader Fiona Bruce the job of hosting Question Time. She would be the first woman ever to chair the flagship politics show, which has been running since 1979. Bruce, who presents Antiques Roadshow, had been considered an outside bet when current host David Dimbleby announced in June that he was planning to step down.

9. Charles: royal baby might be ‘Kylie or Shane’

Prince Charles last night told an audience at Australia House in London that his son and daughter-in-law might name their first child Kylie or Shane, after the names were suggested during their recent tour down under. But the heir to the throne quipped that Edna or Les had both been ruled out – a reference to Barry Humphries’ comic characters.

10. Briefing: what is diabetes and what are the symptoms?

More and more young people are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, in a worrying sign that Britain’s growing obesity crisis is having serious long-term health consequences.

With a third of all British children now overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school at 11, more and more are developing the chronic condition that can lead to amputations and blindness.

What are the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes?