Daily roundup 17 April: Fake news, renting, and stabbing death

Children should be taught how to spot fake news in a bid to stop false propaganda influencing elections, peers have recommended. The Mirror reports that the Lords select committee on political polling and digital media warned that the evidence on the "use of social media to influence political debate adversely was deeply concerning".


Up to a third of young people face living in private rented accommodation all their lives, a new report by the Resolution Foundation has found. The BBC reports that the think-tank said 40 per cent of "millennials" - those born between 1980 and 1996 - were living in rented housing by the age of 30. That was twice as many as "generation X" - those born between 1965 and 1980. The government said it was already putting policies in place to improve the housing market.


A teenager has been stabbed to death in east London. The BBC reports that the victim, believed to be aged 18, was found injured in Chestnut Avenue, Forest Gate, on Monday night. He died at the scene. Formal identification and a post-mortem examination are due to take place. No arrests have been made. Almost 40 people have been stabbed to death in the capital this year.


Children in Scotland with ADHD face "patchy and inconsistent" support and an overreliance on medication to treat them. The Times reports that a study, based on the views of more than 200 families with children affected by ADHD also found lengthy delays in diagnosis, wide variations in how often it is picked up and treated depending on location, and a lack of knowledge among teachers about how to deal with pupils with the condition.


Thousands of parents in England have been denied a place for their child at their first choice of primary school. The Guardian reports that evidence suggests, however, that pressure on reception classes is easing in some areas, including London, where applications were down 2.3 per cent on last year. More than half a million families across England were informed on Monday which school their child will be attending in September. Early analysis of local authority data suggests that, in many areas, higher proportions of children gained places at their first choice of school this year.


Couples who are obese, as well as those who smoke and drink alcohol, could be risking the health of their future children, experts have warned. The Guardian reports that a series of three scientific papers spell out the consequences of poor diet and lifestyles for the next generation. The researchers are calling for schools, GPs and nurses to talk to young people and those who may be planning a family about how to be fitter and healthier before they embark on pregnancy.


A council-led inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Telford will cost around £350,000. The Shropshire Star reports that the council has set aside the sum as part of moves to get to the bottom of claims that child-sex gangs were operating in the town for decades.