Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 30 Aug 2014

1. CAMERON MAKES TERROR THREAT CLAIM

Britain is facing the “greatest and deepest” terror threat in the country’s history, claims David Cameron as he pledges emergency measures to tackle extremists. The UK threat level was raised to “severe” — its second highest — after Cameron claimed that Isil had made “specific” threats against the UK. However, the home secretary says the move was not the result of a specific plot.

2. PUTIN MAKES NAZI JIBE AT UKRAINE

Vladimir Putin has compared Ukraine’s forces to Nazis. The Russian president was hitting back at accusations he has effectively invaded Ukraine. He threatened to take his standoff with the west into the disputed Arctic, and reminded the world that Moscow is a nuclear power, saying: "Russia's partners … should understand it's best not to mess with us.”

3. GLOBAL SEARCH FOR ASHYA KING

A worldwide search is under way for Ashya King, a terminally ill British boy who was taken without consent from his hospital bed by his parents. The five-year-old has a brain tumour and police are urgently trying to locate him and his family because the battery for his life-saving feeding tube is likely to have run out. The family are believed to be Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

4. PM TOLD PARTY COULD SPLIT OVER EU

Tory Eurosceptics have told David Cameron that the party will split in half after the general election if he fails to renegotiate Britain's EU membership terms. The Guardian says Eurosceptics told the PM that a significant number of MPs at all levels of the party will campaign for an EU exit vote in his planned 2017 referendum if he sticks to his current negotiating plan.

5. GEORGE GALLOWAY ATTACKED IN LONDON

George Galloway has been attacked on a London street by a man shouting about the Holocaust. The Respect MP was taken to hospital with a suspected broken jaw following the assault. Galloway’s spokesman said he had bruising and was in "a pretty bad shape". He added: "George was posing for pictures with people and this guy just attacked him, leapt on him and started punching him.”

6. CHAS & DI WEDDING CAKE AUCTIONED

A slice of cake from Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding in 1981 has sold at auction for $1,375 (£820), reports The Times. The cake, in its original white and silver presentation box, was sold to a mystery online bidder by Nate D. Sanders Auctions of Los Angeles. Fans of royal food have previously purchased cakes dating back to Queen Victoria’s wedding in 1840.

7. PANIC VACUUM CLEANER BUYING

British shoppers are panic-buying vacuum cleaners as an EU ban on high-powered machines looms. Retailers reported that sales had soared by nearly 50% in the run-up to the Brussels diktat which comes into force on Monday. Companies will be prohibited from manufacturing or importing any cleaners above the 1,600-watt limit to reduce domestic electricity use.

8. LOOMS PULLED OVER CANCER CHEMICALS

A toy retailer has withdrawn loom band charms from sale after they were found to contain high levels of cancer-causing chemicals. The Entertainer chain removed the product after tests showed one contained 40% of banned phthalates, a chemical that makes plastic flexible, with EU law stating 0.1% is the legal limit. Loom bands have become a nationwide craze.

9. TEACHER’S TWEETS ABOUT ‘STABBING’ PUPILS

A high school teacher in America has apologised after she tweeted that she wanted to stab some of her pupils and pour coffee on them. Krista Hodges has received a reprimand after tweeting: “I wanna stab some kids. Is that bad?” She also wrote: “I am getting Starbucks for sure before school tomorrow. That way I'll be refreshed AND have something to dump on the little a-holes.”

10. ANGEL DI MARIA TO DEBUT AT BURNLEY

Manchester United travel to Burnley today desperate to end their disastrous start to the campaign. Midfielder Angel Di Maria is set to make his debut for Manchester United following his £59.7m British transfer record signing from Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Chelsea striker Fernando Torres is to join AC Milan on a two-year loan deal.