Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 23 July 2022

1. Dover chaos could worsen

Travellers have been warned that the gridlock in Dover, which led to six-hour queues on roads to the port yesterday, could worsen over the weekend. With miles-long queues leading to the terminal, the Port of Dover declared a “critical incident” and the AA said disruption could be worse now schools have broken up for the holidays. French police blamed an “unexpected technical incident” in the tunnel that delayed the arrival of border control officers in Dover but the tunnel operator said a “critical incident” at Dover was declared several hours before the tunnel disruption.

2. Grain deal a ‘beacon of hope’

Ukraine and Russia have signed “mirror” deals that will allow Kyiv to resume exports of grain through the Black Sea. In a development described by the UN as a “beacon of hope,” the agreement will allow millions of tonnes of grain, currently trapped in Ukraine by the war, to be exported. Ministers from both countries signed an agreement brokered by the UN and Turkey in Istanbul, but Kyiv refused to sign a direct deal with Moscow. Millions of tons of Ukrainian grain have not been exported to the many countries that rely on it.

3. Sunak plans ‘crisis footing’

Rishi Sunak has said he would put the UK on a “crisis footing” on day one as prime minister. Speaking to The Times, the former chancellor said the country faced a national emergency, including on the economy, and a “business-as-usual mentality isn’t going to cut it”. Meanwhile, said The Guardian, hundreds of laws covering employment and environmental protections could “disappear overnight” if Liz Truss becomes PM after she pledged to scrap all remaining EU regulations by the end of 2023.

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4. Bannon could be jailed

Donald Trump’s former strategist Steve Bannon could go to prison after a US jury found him guilty on two counts of contempt of Congress. The 68-year-old, who was indicted last year over his refusal to co-operate with the congressional committee probing the events leading up to the Capitol riot, faces up to two years in jail and up to $200,000 (£167,000) in fines. CNN said the conviction is a victory for the Justice Department, which is under intense scrutiny for its approach to matters related to the 6 January attack.

5. Cop spied on woman in changing room

A Metropolitan Police officer caught spying on a woman in the changing room of a Primark store has avoided prison. PC Swaleh Chaudhry was arrested after the victim spotted him filming her with his phone at the shopping centre in Wandsworth, south London. Detectives found child abuse images and extreme pornography in his home. Chaudry, who resigned after being suspended from the Met, was sentenced to 10 months in prison suspended for 18 months and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

6. Rail workers to strike next week

The RMT union said a strike by more than 40,000 rail workers will be held next Wednesday after talks failed to reach a breakthrough. There will also be a walkout by members of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association who work for the Avanti West Coast firm on the same day. Network Rail accused the union of “walking away” from talks but RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said “our members are more determined than ever to secure a decent pay rise, job security and good working conditions”.

7. Three charged over Amazon murders

Prosecutors have charged three men with the murder of the British journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira in the remote western reaches of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest. Phillips and Pereira were travelling along the Itaquai River back to the city of Atalaia do Norte when they were attacked in June. Their deaths drew global attention to the dangers often faced by journalists and environmental activists in Brazil. Amarildo da Cosa Oliveira, Oseney da Costa de Oliveira, and Jefferson da Silva Lima were processed as defendants for the crimes committed in the Javari Valley.

8. Rwanda says it can take 200 migrants

The Rwandan government has accused critics of the deal struck with the UK to transfer migrants to the country of dismissing Africa as a “hellhole”. Yolande Makolo, a spokeswoman for the Rwandan government, said that a “narrative” had been created that had portrayed Africa as “poor and full of diseases”. Nevertheless, she said Rwanda only has capacity to accommodate a maximum of 200 migrants from the UK, despite Boris Johnson claiming tens of thousands would be sent there.

9. Piper stalker banned from postcode

A man who stalked the actress Billie Piper has been banned from visiting an entire postcode area. After his “obsessive” behaviour made Piper feel unsafe in her home, Philip Jerome, 44, must wear an electronic tag that will alert officials if he enters her London postcode. A court had heard that Jerome, from Winchester, posted cards through Piper’s letterbox, bombarded her with social media messages for 10 years and wrote her 18-page love letters. He broke a restraining order and didn’t attend therapy which a had court mandated.

10. Tom Moore rose withdrawn

A rose branded to Captain Sir Tom Moore and sold to raise money for a foundation set up in his name has been withdrawn from sale after a watchdog inquiry was launched into the charity. The World of Roses retailer said it pulled the Captain Tom Rose “as soon as we were made aware of the Charity Commission investigation”. The charity watchdog said in June that a firm, run by the late fundraiser’s daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, and her husband, Colin, “may have generated significant profit” from trademarking variations of the veteran’s name.