Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 13 Aug 2015

1. China: at least 44 killed by huge explosions

At least 44 people have been killed and hundreds injured at an industrial area in the port of Tianjin, China, by two huge blasts, thought to have involved a shipment of explosives. The first took place at 3.30pm UK time yesterday and fires are still raging. Earthquake scientists said the explosions equalled 24 tons of TNT.

Tianjin: race to clear chemicals amid fears of toxic gas clouds

2. Blair: Corbyn would ‘annihilate’ Labour

Former PM Tony Blair has said Labour risks electoral annihilation if left-wing front-runner Jeremy Corbyn wins the party’s leadership contest, in a letter published in The Guardian. Meanwhile, the Electoral Reform Society says Labour should delay sending out ballots until it has checked the political affiliations of new supporters.

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Jeremy Corbyn is a 'disaster', says Stephen Hawking

3. Families of Iraq war dead may sue Chilcot

The families of British soldiers killed in the Iraq war are threatening to sue Sir John Chilcott because his inquiry into the conflict has taken so long to come out. Their lawyers say he acted unlawfully in refusing to set a deadline for publication. Chilcott says he wants to publish but is waiting for people he has criticised to respond first.

Chilcot: Tony Blair 'not straight' with nation over Iraq

4. Fracking applications must be fast-tracked

New planning guidance issued to councils gives the government the power to step in if local planners have not approved or declined fracking applications within 16 weeks. The shale gas extraction industry has been frustrated by the speed with which applications are assessed. David Cameron is strongly in favour of allowing fracking.

Friends of the Earth rebuked for anti-fracking leaflet

5. A-level results: record numbers head to university

This year's A-level results are out with results "stable". The number of entries awarded a grade A or A* were down slightly on last year, at 25.9% from 26%. However, the overall pass rate rose to 98.1% from 98% in 2014. A record number of students have been accepted on university courses, with 409,000 places confirmed, an increase of 3%.

A-level results day 2019: how does clearing work?

6. A month's rain as storms lash south-east England

Torrential rain and thunderstorms have caused travel disruption and flooding across the South East. In Eastbourne there was 60mm of rain in nine hours on Thursday, more than usually falls in the month of August. There were flash floods in Brighton and other towns and the fire brigade were called to several houses struck by lightning. Trains services in Kent and Sussex were also affected.

UK storms: downpours could deliver month's rain in 36 hours

7. Lord Janner must face abuse charges in court

Lord Janner must appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday to face child sex abuse charges after his lawyers failed in their High Court bid to excuse him from attending. The 87-year-old peer has dementia and it was claimed he was too ill to attend, but judges ruled that his appearance was in the public interest. The fomer MP faces 22 charges from the 1960s to 1980s.

8. Girl dies after getting head stuck in lift

A five-year-old girl has died after her head became trapped in a lift at a house in Weymouth, Dorset. Police, ambulance crews and firefighters were all called to the scene but were unable to save the girl. Dorset Police said an investigation has been launched to establish the circumstances surrounding the death.

9. Parmesan producers to sue porn website

Italy’s Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese Consortium is considering whether to take legal action against a US porn site, which has launched an advertising campaign pitched at middle-class couples. The ads feature a young man telling his girlfriend they should buy the cheese because “it’s the Pornhub Premium of cheeses”.

10. Briefing: One of Africa's longest wars comes to an end

The Casamance conflict is long-running, low-level war fought between the Senegalese government and the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC). Despite spanning more than 33 years, the fighting has attracted little international attention. Now hopes are rising that a ceasefire can be made to stick.

Casamance conflict: hopes for an end to Senegal's forgotten war