Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 14 Aug 2015

1. Brown to endorse Cooper for Labour leader

Gordon Brown is to endorse Yvette Cooper for Labour leader, says Sky News. Cooper also now has the backing of The Guardian, while the Daily Mirror is backing Andy Burnham. Corbyn is to lay out his ‘top ten’ priorities at a speech in Glasgow today, with winning back support for Labour in Scotland as his number one.

Jeremy Corbyn is a 'disaster', says Stephen Hawking

2. Tianjin explosions: fires still burning at port

Fires are still burning fiercely in the northern Chinese port of Tianjin, 36 hours after two huge explosions at a warehouse storing hazardous chemicals killed 55 and left hundreds injured, 71 critically. Seventeen firefighters are among the dead - and 18 are still missing. At least 6,000 people have been displaced and are sleeping in shelters.

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3. ‘English mafia’ smuggle migrants, says mayor

The mayor of a small northern French town, Teteghem, says the majority of people-smugglers helping migrants get to the UK from France are British. His claims have been backed by some migrants and the BBC says it has seen suspicious cars with UK numberplates near Dunkirk. Franck Dhersin dubbed smuggler the ‘English mafia’.

4. Cilla Black died of head injury, says coroner

Entertainer Cilla Black died from a head injury sustained in a fall at her home in Spain. Coroner Andre Rebello recorded a verdict of accidental death in a 15-minute hearing at Liverpool Coroner's Court. Spanish authorities earlier suggested that the 72-year-old died from a stroke caused by the fall. Her funeral will take place on Thursday next week.

5. Islamic State 'used chemical weapons against Kurds'

Islamic State has been accused of using mustard gas against Iraqi Kurds in northern Iraq. The German defence ministry said around 60 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters suffered throat injuries in an attack on Wednesday. The US fears the terror group has obtained a stockpile of chemical weapons belonging to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

Islamic State 'used mustard gas found in Assad stockpile'

6. Lord Janner finally appears in court over abuse

Lord Janner has finally appeared in court in connection with 22 allegations of historic sex abuse. The 87-year-old peer, who suffers from dementia, was dealt with in less than a minute at Westminster Magistrates Court after his lawyers unsuccessfully asked for a video link. He was heard to say: "Ooh, this is wonderful," as he entered and later confirmed his name.

7. Athletes angered by ‘ridiculous’ new kit

Long jumper Greg Rutherford is leading a rebellion by British athletes against a new kit for the World Championships because it does not include the Union flag. In a series of tweets, he said he couldn’t find one team-mate who liked it. He complained the vest makes it look as though he is competing for ‘British Athletics’, not the UK.

8. Prince George being 'harassed' by paparazzi

Prince George is being harassed by paparazzi, who go to "extreme lengths" to get pictures of him, says Kensington Palace. In a statement it urged media not to publish unauthorised images of the two-year-old, who is third in line to the throne. It said that some publications, mainly outside the UK, had printed pictures obtained in "unacceptable circumstances".

Prince George ‘played sheep in school nativity’

9. London: ex-council flat sells for record £1.2m

An ex-council flat near Covent Garden has changed hands for £1.2m, believed to be a record for an apartment once owned by a local authority in London. It was sold by the original owners, who exercised their right to buy in 1990, paying £130,000. The three-bedroom flat is in Siddons Court, a mansion block once privately owned.

Is right-to-buy just another boon for landlords?

10. Briefing: Finland's school for disobedience

A controversial Finnish artist is planning to launch a school for disobedience to teach people how to become social activists. Jani Leinonen will be leading a series of lectures, workshops and art installations at the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma in Helsinki urging people to challenge the status quo. "The whole idea started from the fact that I was worried that maybe kids in schools are just too happy to take their place in society and fulfil the goals that are fed to them," he told Finland's national broadcaster, YLE News.

School for disobedience set to open in Finland