Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 26 Aug 2016

1. Plans to cut NHS services in England

Plans are being drawn up to cut the NHS across England, reports the BBC, which says it has seen draft documents. Changes include closing one hospital entirely, closing wards in 44 areas, cutting bed numbers and alterations to A&E and GP services. Many of the plans are to be signed off in October, but have still not been consulted on.

NHS planning for 'massive cuts' amid financial crisis

2. Italy declares state of emergency after quake

Italy is in a formal state of emergency after Wednesday's earthquake, in which at least 268 people are known to have died. Hopes of finding more survivors are fading. Marcos Burnett, a 14-year-old boy from London, was one of three Britons killed in the quake. Aftershocks have continued to hamper rescue efforts in central Italy.

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Italy: 'Many dead' as avalanche strikes Abruzzo hotel

3. Many feared dead in Turkey explosion

At least nine people have been killed and 64 injured by an explosion at a police checkpoint in the south-eastern Turkish border town of Cizre. There are fears the death toll will rise further as rescuers search a severely damaged building. The blast is the latest in a series of attacks in the area, some blamed on Kurdish rebels.

4. US swimmer Lochte charged by Brazil police

Police in Brazil have charged US swimmer Ryan Lochte with making a false statement over his claim to have been robbed at gunpoint during the Rio Olympics. Police said CCTV footage showed the gold medallist had vandalised a petrol station toilet while drunk. Lochte has apologised to Games organisers for his "immaturity".

5. Lifeguards on duty at Camber Sands after deaths

Lifeguards will be on duty at Camber Sands beach in East Sussex over the bank holiday following the death of five men there this week. Rother District Council said the RNLI would temorarily relocate staff to the beach this weekend to "reassure the public and advise on safety". The five men drowned after being caught on a sandbar by the rising tide.

Camber Sands: Safety fears after death of five friends

6. Clinton attacks Farage after rally speech

Hillary Clinton has attacked Nigel Farage after his speech at a Donald Trump rally. The Democratic presidential candidate said the former Ukip leader was a "far-right" politician who "called for a ban on the children of legal immigrants from public schools and health services".

7. Hackers able to spy on Apple iPhone users

Apple iPhones can be hacked with a "single tap", security researchers say. A flaw in the phones' operating system meant hackers are able to spy on users via software installed through a text message link. Apple has issued a new software update to secure the iPhones.

iPhone 7 review: Why the new iPhone is not worth buying

8. French resort 'burkini' ban overturned

A French court has suspended a resort town's ban on full-body 'burkini' swimsuits, describing it as a "serious and manifestly illegal infringement of fundamental liberties". The legal challenge came from a human rights group and is likely to see bans in around 30 other resort towns overturned. Bans had been justified as a way of "maintaining public order".

Burkini ban suspended following fierce debate in France

9. Vietnam: Woman cuts off limbs in insurance scam

A woman in Vietnam paid to have her hand and foot cut off in a failed attempt to commit insurance fraud, state media has reported. The woman, who has not been named, may face charges after claiming she had been hit by a train in Hanoi. The 30-year-old hoped to claim £119,000 in damages from the state.

10. Briefing: Double-strength MDMA causing 'more mental health issues'

Stronger forms of MDMA, the active ingredient in ecstasy, are

responsible for a rise in the number of people seeking medical

treatment for mental health issues related to drug use, experts say.

Long-term use of the stimulant, which is popular in the rave and

festival scene, can lead to paranoia, impaired memory, anxiety and

depression. "The danger is much greater now than it was in the late

1990s," drugs expert Professor Philip Murphy told the BBC.

Double-strength MDMA causing 'more mental health issues'