5 Things You Need To Know (3/4/17)

Welcome to our “Things You Need To Know” daily update. Every day we’ll be here for you, summarising the key talking points in as quick of a time as possible.

1. Russian Metro Explosion

Ten people are dead and many more are injured following an explosion on a metro service in St Petersburg, Russia.

The BBC reports that Vladimir Putin has said all causes, including terrorism, are being investigated.

The Interfax news agency is reporting the blast may have involved a device filled with shrapnel. Meanwhile, a second home made explosive device was disabled at a different metro station in St Petersburg.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has tweeted “Horrified by news of explosion in St Petersburg. My sympathies are with the victims and their families.”

2. Trump Will “Solve” North Korea With Or Without China

Donald Trump has told the Financial Times he will “solve” North Korea’s nuclear threat with or without Chinese assistance.

The President’s comments come ahead of a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week.

“If China is not going to solve North Korea, we will. That is all I am telling you,” he said.

“China has great influence over North Korea. And China will either decide to help us with North Korea, or they won’t. And if they do that will be very good for China, and if they don’t it won’t be good for anyone.”

“I don’t have to say any more. You know, I am not the United States of the past where we tell you where we are going to hit in the Middle East.”

3. Theresa May On The Terror Frontline

Theresa May is travelling to the Middle East today, with a message that the UK is stepping up its anti-terror efforts.

The Prime Minister will visit Jordan and Saudi Arabia, where she will announce new initiatives “to strike at the heart of Daesh.”

Her trip to Saudi Arabia will also work towards strengthening trade and co-operating more on on counter-terrorism.

4. PM Laughs Off “War With Spain”

While being interviewed on her flight to Jordan, Theresa May was asked to rule out a war with Spain, following comments from former Conservative leader Michael Howard that the PM would defend Gibraltar on the same way Margaret Thatcher defended the Falklands in 1992.

Mrs May laughed off the suggestion of war, saying “It’s definitely jaw jaw.”

The jaw jaw reference relates to Winston Churchill, who once used the phrase “jaw jaw, not war war.”

Gibraltar’s status is in question, following May’s trigger of Article 50. EU guidelines state decisions affecting Gibraltar will have to be ran past Spain.

5. Apple Deliver Devastating Blow To UK Company

Apple will start developing their own iPhone graphics chip within the next two years – which is devastating news for the UK company currently designing the graphics chip.

Imagination Technologies saw their shares fall by 70% on Monday morning after the announcement.

The chip designer said “Apple has not presented any evidence to substantiate its assertion that it will no longer require Imagination’s technology, without violating Imagination’s patents, intellectual property and confidential information.”

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