Ten things you need to know this morning
| Donald Trump is to be charged over a hush money payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels. The former US president is expected to be arraigned in a New York court next Tuesday. Trump strongly denies the allegations and has called the indictment a "political persecution". However, his attorney, Joe Tacopina, told NBC News that his client is expected to surrender to the Manhattan District Attorney's office early next week. Trump is the first former president to be charged with a crime, and the development will "reverberate around the country", said CNBC. What does Trump's possible arrest mean for 2024 race? |
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| The UK is expected to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in what the government says is its biggest trade deal since Brexit. The free trade agreement bloc includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. However, noted the BBC, the government's own estimates show being in the bloc will only add 0.08% to the size of the UK's economy. JUN 21: Why a Pacific trade deal may not be a risk worth taking |
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| The government has burned nearly a billion pounds worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) it ordered during the Covid pandemic, reported the i news site. The destroyed items included more than 570 million aprons, more than 360 million eye protectors and more than 450 million face masks, government figures show. A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We continue to sell, donate, repurpose and recycle PPE in the most cost-effective way." |
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| A report has found that a quarter of fire brigades in England have reported alleged racist, homophobic and misogynistic behaviour in their ranks in the last five years. His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, found bullying allegations in 11 out of 44 services - and inspectors say this could be "the tip of the iceberg". A senior officer was accused of calling a black colleague the N-word and dismissing it as simply "having a laugh", while homophobic abuse was found written on a firefighter's locker and men in another brigade were found using women's toilets with women not feeling confident to challenge this. |
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| Far-right Austrian MPs walked out of parliament during a speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The representatives from the Freedom Party said that Zelenskyy's address violated Austria's neutrality. While other MPs applauded Zelenskyy at the beginning of the speech, the far-right MPs produced placards with the inscriptions "Place for Peace" and "Place for Neutrality", said The Local. Although Austria has said it cannot help Ukraine's defence militarily, it does support Kyiv politically. Volodymyr Zelenskyy: from comedian to war hero |
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| Washington has condemned Russia's detention of a Wall Street Journal reporter after he was brought before a closed court in Moscow charged with espionage. Evan Gershkovich, 31, who denies the allegations, faces up to 20 years in jail. "At this stage", said The Telegraph, "it seems completely clear that he has been fitted up for simply doing his job: asking people questions, and writing down what they say". He is the first western reporter to be detained in Russia for spying since the Cold War. |
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| Richard Branson's rocket company has announced that it will lay off 85% of staff after failing to secure new investment. Virgin Orbit will also cease operations for the foreseeable future, weeks after it paused operations in in a bid to shore up its finances. The company has sold $10.9 million in convertible notes to Branson's Virgin Investments, according to filings. Virgin Orbit's stock price dropped 16% to 34 cents, a record low, and fell more than 43% in after-hours trading, said Forbes. Virgin Orbit was the company behind the failed Cornwall satellite launch earlier this year. Historic Cornwall satellite launch ends in failure |
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| Gwyneth Paltrow has won a court case against a man who claimed she crashed into him while skiing. The actress was awarded $1 in damages after the jury found retired optometrist Terry Sanderson was "100%" at fault for the skiing accident. Sanderson, who was seeking $300,000 (£245,000) in damages, said the verdict was "very disappointing". In a statement on Instagram, Paltrow said: "I felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised my integrity." 'Reckless' Gwyneth Paltrow caused ski crash, US court hears |
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| The leader of Taiwan has arrived in the US for a "provocative" visit, said The Times. President Tsai is spending two nights in New York on her way to central America, where she will pay state visits to Guatemala and Belize, two of the 13 countries that recognise her nation's statehood. Beijing has threatened retaliation if US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy meets with her but the Biden administration is "going to unprecedented lengths to play down the importance" of the visit, said Bloomberg. Will China invade Taiwan? |
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| Jennifer Aniston said "a whole generation of kids" now finds Friends offensive. Speaking to Variety, the actress said working in comedy had grown increasingly difficult, as comedians were now "not allowed" to "make fun of life". Previously, she said, you could "joke about a bigot and have a laugh" because "it was about educating people on how ridiculous people were" but "now we're not allowed to do that". |
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T h e W e e k M a g a z i n e |
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TODAY'S NEWSPAPERS | | Many of this morning's papers focus on a jury finding Thomas Cashman guilty of murdering Olivia Pratt-Korbel, nine, at her home in Liverpool. "Justice for Olivia" cheers the Mirror and Metro says there were "gasps and tears" from Olivia's mother as the jury delivered its verdict. "Monster whose only tears were for himself" says the Daily Mail alongside a picture of Cashman in a "vile gun pose" with a waxwork of the late Queen. The Sun says that his ex-partner will go into a witness protection programme after "shopping" him. |
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Tall Tales | | And other stories from the stranger side of life |
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PUZZLES AND QUIZZES | | Challenge your brain with The Week's daily sudoku, part of our new puzzles section |
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On this day | 31 March 1889 | The Eiffel Tower officially opens in Paris. Designed by Gustave Eiffel and built for the Exposition Universelle, at 300m high it retained the record for the tallest man made structure for 41 years. | |
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More from The Week | Thanks for reading. You might also enjoy our other newsletters.
⚬ Look ahead to the world this week with Global Digest
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