Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 11 Dec 2018

1. May to meet EU leaders after delaying vote

The prime minister is meeting German leader Angela Merkel and Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte today, after postponing the House of Commons vote on the Brexit deal. Although not unexpected, Theresa May’s decision to suspend the vote caused uproar in Parliament yesterday. EU leader Donald Tusk quickly warned that the deal is not negotiable.

2. Macron promises minimum wage rise

A contrite Emmanuel Macron yesterday conceded that he has not prioritised the problems of the lowest-paid in society. The French leader announced a minimum wage rise and tax concessions in an attempt to pacify the gilets jaunes (yellow vests), the grass-roots movement that has led weeks of rioting and demonstrations across the country.

3. Doing puzzles ‘will not stop mental decline’

Widespread claims that older people can prevent mental decline by doing crossword puzzles and other brain teasers have been undermined by a new study. Researchers from the University of Aberdeen enlisted 498 people born in 1936 whose intelligence had been tested at age 11 and asked them to complete various mental-processing tests over a 15-year period. The team found that this problem solving appeared to have no effect on mental decline, but say regularly doing intellectual activities throughout life might boost mental ability.

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4. Russia overtakes UK as arms dealer

Russia has surpassed Britain to become the second-biggest arms dealer in the world, after the US. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia has enjoyed a boost as a result of being able to “showcase” its weaponry in Syria. President Putin said in June that the opportunity to test arms in Syria was “priceless”.

5. Having a baby at 35 ‘raises cancer risk’

Woman who have their first baby in their 30s face an increased risk of breast cancer for more than two decades afterwards, according to research carried out in the US and UK. All mothers are 80% more likely to get breast cancer than women without children of the same age in the five years following the birth – and the risk is higher for those who have children at a later age.

6. Russian ‘agent’ to plead guilty to NRA charge

An alleged Russian agent accused of trying to infiltrate the US National Rifle Association (NRA) and influence US policy toward Russia is expected to plead guilty this week after making a deal with prosecutors. Maria Butina, a former student at American University in Washington DC, ran a small Russian group called Right to Bear Arms.

7. Grace Millane: NZ police search for shovel

Police in New Zealand investigating the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane are looking for a shovel as they try to reconstruct the events that led to the 22-year-old’s death. Investigators have not released the results of a post-mortem but say that Millane’s body was “intact” when discovered in an area of bush on the outskirts of Auckland on Sunday. A 26-year-old man has been charged with murder.

8. Barclays gives customers chance to ‘switch off’

Barclays has become the first UK bank to introduce a system allowing customers to switch off certain types of spending on their debit cards, in a bid to help problem gamblers and other vulnerable people control their finances. Customers are not able to block particular shops but can stop categories such as gambling or restaurants.

9. Nuns admit stealing cash for Vegas trips

Two nuns who worked at a Catholic school in California have admitted embezzling $500,000 (£398,000) and using it to fund gambling trips to Las Vegas. Sister Mary Kreuper was school principal for 29 years, while her best friend Sister Lana Chang taught for 20 years. They stole the money over a period of at least ten years.

10. Briefing: pros and cons of rent controls

London Mayor Sadiq Khan appears to be laying the groundwork for a radical overhaul of private renting, according to reports.

In a letter to Labour MP Karen Buck that has been seen by The Guardian, the mayor said that arguments for capping rent increases at inflation are “overwhelming”. But not everyone is convinced - so just what are the pros and cons?

The pros and cons of rent controls in London