Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 31 August 2023

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1. Letby inquiry given new powers
2. North Korea simulates nukes
3. Waiting list data ‘national tragedy’
4. Saudis seek support
5. Police sacking powers tightened
6. Jab rollout brought forward
7. Gabon leader named after coup
8. Harry’s media claim questioned
9. Fox may return to defence
10. Poll finds priests back therapy ban

published 31 August 2023

1. Letby inquiry given new powers

The inquiry into how Lucy Letby was able to murder seven babies will now have greater powers to compel witnesses to give evidence. In a move welcomed by the victims’ families, Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the inquiry would be put on a statutory footing after criticism that it lacked the necessary powers to compel people to give testimony under oath or force the disclosure of documents. Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and trying to kill another six.

North Korea says it has fired two ballistic missiles to simulate nuclear strikes on military targets in South Korea. State media described the tests as a warning against the US deployment of strategic bombers to the region. The launches came just hours after Washington flew long-range bombers for drills with its allies in a “show of force against the North”, said Associated Press. Washington and Seoul’s annual military drills “always provoke the North”, said the BBC.

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More than half of people who died in England last year were on an NHS waiting list, according to data handed to The Times under freedom of information laws. The estimated toll of 340,000 was up from 240,000 five years before, a 42% rise, and represented more than 60% of all deaths in England. Louise Ansari, from the statutory patient watchdog Healthwatch England, said the number of people dying while waiting for care is a “national tragedy”. A health department spokesperson said “cutting waiting lists is one of this government’s top five priorities”.

Saudi Arabia has offered to resume aid to the Palestinian Authority in a bid to add legitimacy to its move to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. Saudi officials want the backing of Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, and an offer of financial support has been extended to Abbas by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, provided the Palestinian leader clamps down on militant groups, said the Wall Street Journal. The support of PA would “defend the deal from pushback in the Arab street”, added the Jerusalem Post.

“Rogue” police will be automatically sacked if they are found guilty of gross misconduct or a criminal offence, the policing minister told The Times. Chris Philp said that corrupt officers had “nowhere to hide” under the changes, which are being ushered in after issues highlighted by the case of Wayne Couzens, who was convicted of the abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard. The government hopes the announcement will help to restore public confidence.

The autumn roll-out of Covid-19 and flu vaccines has been accelerated as fears grow over the new BA.2.86 coronavirus variant. The Department of Health and Social Care brought forward the roll-out of both jabs after scientists from the UK Health Security Agency said an earlier start would help “protect those most vulnerable from illness” from the new variant, which carries a high number of mutations. It has been described as the “most striking Sars-CoV-2 strain the world has witnessed since the emergence of Omicron”.

Military officials who seized power in a coup in Gabon have named General Brice Oligui Nguema as the West African state’s transitional leader. The general was chaired through the streets of the capital Libreville by his troops as the deposed President, Ali Bongo, appeared in a video, calling on support from his “friends all over the world”. The army does not accept recent election results in the oil-rich country and said they took power to keep the peace.

“War heroes” have “blasted” Prince Harry’s “offensive” claim that the media ignored British troops wounded in Afghanistan, said The Sun. Ex-forces commander Lord Richard Dannatt echoed the comment made by the Royal Family about Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview, saying: “Recollections may vary.” In a Netflix documentary, Harry remembered being “angry that the media weren’t covering” the plight of injured or fallen soldiers, but The Sun has described Harry as “bitter, deluded and addled by hatred”.

Liam Fox is as a leading candidate to be the next defence secretary, as a “shock return to his old department” is mooted, said The Telegraph. Ben Wallace, who was made Defence Secretary by Boris Johnson, has announced his decision to quit at the next reshuffle. If Fox replaced him, Downing Street would “have to explain why he was being handed a post from which he resigned amid controversy in 2011”, added the paper. Grant Shapps, the energy security secretary, is also being considered for the role, said The Times.

More than two thirds of Church of England priests back the plan to introduce a ban on conversion or so-called “gay-cure” therapy, said The Times. A survey sent out to 5,000 priests selected at random from a Church of England directory, to which almost 1,200 responded, found that 67.8% said they supported a ban, with 17.7% against. The study also found that 80% of priests would back a female Archbishop of Canterbury.

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