Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 11 Sep 2015

1. Labour Party to announce new leader

The Labour Party will announce its new leader today. Following an eventful and epic three-month campaign, Jeremy Corbyn, an outsider when he first entered the race, is seen as favourite. The winner will be announced at a conference in central London at about 11:30am, with Labour's new deputy leader unveiled beforehand.

2. Northern Ireland in crisis as first minister quits

The first minister of Northern Ireland’s devolved power-sharing assembly, Peter Robinson, has resigned, appointing his deputy to act in his stead, and dismissing all his party’s other ministers. Robinson had threatened that his unionist party, the DUP, would pull out altogether if the UK government refused his request to adjourn.

3. At least 30 dead in Turkish-Kurdish clashes

At least 30 people have been killed in the Turkish town of Cizre in the past week. The town is said by locals to be “under siege” by the Turkish army, which has imposed a curfew as it carries out operations against Kurdish militants. Turkey says most of the dead were fighters but a local pro-Kurdish party insists around 20 were civilians.

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4. Ambassador’s ‘Iraq defence’ for RAF drone attack

The UK ambassador to the UN has written to the organisation arguing that the British drone attack which killed British citizens Reyaad Khan and Ruhul Amin in Syria was lawful because it was part of the “collective self-defence of Iraq”. On Monday, David Cameron said Khan was killed because he was planning terror attacks in the UK.

5. Thailand backpacker murders: DNA ‘no match’

The Thai court trying two Myanmar men for the murder and rape of British tourist Hannah Witheridge, and murder of her compatriot David Miller, has been told that DNA found on the alleged murder weapon does not match the accused. International observers also accuse the Thai police of intimidation and abuse of witnesses.

6. Corbyn cheered by jubilant fans - before result

Labour leadership front-runner Jeremy Corbyn was cheered by supporters at a final rally last night, with the result of the three-month contest to be announced tomorrow. His rival Andy Burnham told supporters yesterday that he believed he had an “outside but realistic chance” of winning, interpreted by some as a admission of defeat.

7. MPs debate assisted dying bill for England and Wales

The Commons is today debating a new bill calling for some terminally ill people in England and Wales to be able to choose to end their own lives with medical supervision. The new law is being proposed by Labour MP Rob Marris in a bill which is the second on the subject - the first ran out of time to be debated before the election.

8. Michigan law-makers face sack over ‘gay sex’

Two tea party Republican law-makers in Michigan may lose their jobs after admitting carrying out a strange hoax. Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat pretended that the former had been caught with a male prostitute, in order to make the heterosexual affair they were having with each other seem less likely. They have now apologised.

9. Cherie Blair’s stepmother: I didn’t steal bin

Cherie Blair’s stepmother, Stephanie Booth, has denied stealing a neighbour’s bin. Booth, who is the mayoress of Todmorden in West Yorkshire, admitted taking the bin and disposing of it at a tip but denied she had done so dishonestly. Her counsel told the court that Blair had asked the neighbour to stop blocking her access with the bin.

10. Briefing: Northern Ireland's political crisis

Northern Ireland's devolved power-sharing government is in crisis after the Democratic Unionist party withdrew all but one of its ministers from parliament over allegations that the IRA is still active. Former IRA gunman Kevin McGuigan was shot dead at his home in Belfast last month and police believe members of the provisional IRA were involved, with the killing sanctioned by senior figures within the organisation.

Northern Ireland crisis: what's happening at Stormont?