Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 10 Aug 2014

1. WARSI SLAMS CAMERON’S ALLIES

The “public school” allies of David Cameron dismissed Baroness Warsi as “a brown working-class woman from the North”, she claims. Speaking to The Sunday Times, she said: “Some of the bitchiest women I've ever met in my life are the men in politics.” Warsi also said the Tories cannot win a majority at the next election because they have neglected ethnic minority voters.

2. OBAMA: WE WANT TO ‘PREVENT GENOCIDE’

Barack Obama says he is committed to a long-term campaign in Iraq in order to “prevent an act of genocide”. The US president said: “I’m not going to give a particular timetable” as the US military carried out four new air strikes on Islamic State fighters. Jet fighters and drones have destroyed armoured carriers and a truck that were firing on members of the Yazidi sect.

3. BORIS HINTS AT LEADERSHIP PLAN

Boris Johnson has hinted he wants to lead the Conservative Party, says The Sunday Times. Speaking to the paper, he said he took the job of London mayor to gain experience and showcase his skills. “I thought: how could I rapidly acquire massive administrative experience? How can I show what I can do?” One of his allies says: “It’s very simple: he does want a crack at the leadership.”

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4. BERTHA REMAINS ARRIVE IN BRITAIN

Heavy rain and powerful winds have hit England and Wales as the remnants of Hurricane Berth reach our shores. The deluge landed at Cornwall in the early hours of Sunday morning. It is expected to head north and hit Scotland on Sunday evening. The Red Cross has put hundreds of volunteers on standby in case homes in some areas need to be evacuated.

5. PASSENGER PLANE CRASHES IN IRAN

More than 40 people were killed when a small passenger plane crashed in Iran this morning. The aircraft crashed near Mehrabad airport in the west of the capital city of Tehran, says state media. Iran has suffered more than 200 accidents involving Iranian planes in the past 25 years, leading to more than 2,000 deaths, blaming its ageing aircraft and poor maintenance record.

6. HEALTH: A&E QUEUE TIMES SOARING

Patients are being left stranded in ambulances for up to eight hours, reveals the Sunday Telegraph. New figures, obtained by Labour under Freedom of Information disclosures, show the number of sick patients forced to queue in ambulances outside Accident & Emergency units has almost doubled in three years.

7. PRINCE HARRY ON AFGHAN WAR HORRORS

Prince Harry has revealed the “horrendous” experiences he endured on the battlefields of Afghanistan. Writing in The Sunday Times, he recalls seeing “young lads . . . wrapped in plastic and missing limbs”. He adds: "Many of us who have been on operations can close our eyes at any point now and hundreds of images will flash through our minds, a visual diary of our experiences.”

8. UKIP DEFENDS ‘ADOLF HITLER’ MEP

Ukip has defended one of its MEPs who described Adolf Hitler as a "magnetic" performer who "achieved a great deal", reports the Mail On Sunday. Bill Etheridge advised party candidates to learn from the speaking style of the Nazi leader. A Ukip spokesman said Etheridge had praised the style of a number of leaders including “Churchill, Blair, Martin Luther King and Hitler”.

9. DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOURS’ NAME?

One in 10 UK residents are unable to name a single one of their neighbours, and less than a fifth of people know the names of even their immediate neighbours, according to a new study. However, it also found that 65% of people believe their neighbourhood would be a "stronger" and safer place if people were encouraged to get to know each other better.

10. CRICKET: ENGLAND BEAT INDIA BY INNINGS

Captain Alastair Cook said “everything went to plan” after his England bowlers dismissed India for 161 to win the fourth Test by an innings and 54 runs at Old Trafford. His England side took nine wickets after tea on day three to take a 2-1 lead with one match left. Cook said of spinner Moeen Ali” "I've never seen a bloke work so hard and make such a big improvement."