Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 23 Aug 2014

1. POLICE ‘CLOSING IN’ ON ‘JIHADI JOHN’

Police will raid homes in Britain to help establish the identity of ‘Jihadi John’, who beheaded the American journalist James Foley. Security sources tell The Times that the field of suspects has been “significantly narrowed”. Meanwhile, Foley’s family say the journalist may have volunteered to be executed to spare the lives of fellow hostages.

2. MAY ANNOUNCES ‘ASBOS FOR TERRORISTS’

Theresa May will introduce 'anti-social behaviour orders' for extremists and strip dual nationals of their citizenship, she reveals in the Daily Telegraph. The home secretary says the measures, dubbed 'Asbos for terrorists', will be introduced for those who try to radicalise others. She also warns that the security threat to the UK will continue for decades.

3. COP SLAMS BBC ‘COVER UP’ OVER CLIFF

The chief constable of South Yorkshire police has accused the BBC of a “cover up” over the raid on Sir Cliff Richard’s home. David Crompton also described the BBC’s coverage as “disproportionate” over its use of a helicopter to film the search of Sir Cliff’s apartment. His comments came in a letter sent to the Home Affairs Committee, which is investigating the raid.

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4. 1M SIGN SCOT ‘YES’ DECLARATION

More than one million voters have signed a declaration in favour of Scottish independence, say campaigners. When the ‘yes declaration’ was launched in 2012, first minister Alex Salmond said if its target of one million signatures was met, then Scotland would become independent. The ‘Yes Scotland’ campaign says the development is a “milestone” and an “indicator”.

5. GOVT ACTS ON HOSPITAL PARKING FEES

Hospitals have been ordered to cut the cost of parking for certain groups, reports the BBC. Under new government guidelines, relatives of people who are seriously ill or have to stay in hospital for a long time will be given free parking or reduced charges. The Daily Mail is claiming this as a “major victory” in its campaign against “cowboy parking operators”.

6. GAZA MORTAR KILLS ISRAELI BOY

A mortar fired from Gaza killed a four-year-old child in Israel last night. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that "Hamas will pay a heavy price" for the death of the boy, the fourth Israeli civilian to be killed since the outbreak of violence in July. More than 2,000 Palestinians have died. Also yesterday, a Hamas firing squad killed 18 people suspected of being informers for Israel.

7. BLAZE STARTED FOR ‘BORED’ FIREFIGHTERS

A US woman started a wildfire that ended up costing almost $8m to bring under control because her firefighter friends were bored. Sadie Renee Johnson lit a small firework and threw it from a car into a roadside brush in Oregon. Two days after she started the fire, which took several weeks to bring under control, Johnson posted on her Facebook page: "like my fire?"

8. NEW MACKAY MESSAGES REVEALED

Former Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay says he is not a "racist, sexist, homophobe or anti-Semite" after he was discovered to have sent offensive text messages. He described the offensive messages as “completely unacceptable” and “inappropriate”. Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph reveals a “new tranche” of offensive messages from Mackay.

9. GIVE FAT KIDS SMALLER PLATES, SAYS EXPERT

Children should be given smaller plates to help them lose weight, says England’s leading health official. Duncan Selbie of Public Health England says it is a national “tragedy” that a third of 11-year-olds are overweight. He tells the Daily Telegraph of a family who helped their overweight son lose weight by using smaller plates. “It’s a small example of common sense,” he said.

10. CHELSEA & ARSENAL VIE FOR TOP SPOT

Leaders Chelsea host Leicester City today in the second weekend of the Premier League season. In the tea-time kick-off, Arsenal travel to Everton. The Gunners welcome back to the fold their three German stars Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski. Aston Villa can go top if they beat Newcastle United in the lunchtime kick-off.