UK: Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 26 Jun 2018
The Electoral Commission is warning today that urgent action is required if the British democratic process is to be properly regulated online. Saying democracy “may be under threat”, the Commission has asked the Government to change the law to require that all online campaign material must state who has paid for its production.
Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage has denied he had any financial interest in currency markets on the night of the Brexit vote, after Bloomberg claimed he had known leave had won because of an exit poll but announced he believed remain would “edge it”, allowing speculators to make huge profits ‘shorting’ the pound.
The Commons last night voted 415 to 119 in favour of a third runway at Heathrow airport – with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson notable by his absence. Johnson, who had pledged to “lie down in front of the bulldozers” to stop the expansion going ahead, was in Afghanistan on an official visit. His constituency is under the airport’s flightpath.
The Met Office has predicted that high temperatures will continue across most of the country at least until the weekend, issuing a yellow weather warning for the west and north-east of England. The warning is for health problems among the young and elderly which could be caused by temperatures as high as 30C over the next week.
US President Donald Trump has attacked motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson for planning to avoid new tariffs on exporting bikes to the EU by shifting production for the European market outside the US. The EU tariffs have been imposed in response to Trump’s own import taxes. He accused the firm of waving the “White Flag”.
Olympic gold-winning cyclist Victoria Pendleton has revealed she has been suffering from depression after pulling out of an attempt to climb Everest with her TV presenter friend, Ben Fogle. The 37-year-old was told by doctors that she was suffering from hypoxia oxygen deficiency and should quit. The illness can trigger depression.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin has filed a lawsuit against two of his children and his former business manager, alleging they have stolen money from him and are spoiling his public image. The action is in response to a legal request to take control of his finances made by his children one week ago. They say the 88-year-old is in “cognitive decline”.
An international team of psychologists says research shows that narcissists may be irritating but are also irritatingly likely to be successful. The academics say people with a “heightened sense of self-worth” come out on top in education, work and love. The team says narcissists have a “mental toughness” which encourages them not to give up.
Durham University has decided that some law and business lectures will now start at 8am, because it has such a large intake of new students for next year that they have been divided into two groups, The Times reports. A director in the law faculty said he did not want to start the day early but, with so many students to teach, had little choice.
Temperatures reached 29C in parts of England on Monday as the UK experienced the latest in a series of mini heatwaves.
The mercury is set to continue creeping upwards, and could even break the 30C mark before the weekend, with western and central England expected to swelter in the hottest temperatures.
No comments: