Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 16 Sep 2016

1. MoD apologises for drowning of Iraqi boy

The Ministry of Defence has said it is "extremely sorry" that four British soldiers forced a 15-year-old Iraqi teenager accused of looting into a canal in Basra in 2003, leaving him to drown. A report by former high court judge Sir George Newman has ruled their failure to help Jabbar Kareem Ali was the "certain" cause of his death.

2. Flood warnings as South's heat wave ends

After three days of temperatures around 30C – something that has not happened in September since 1929 – the South of England is experiencing torrential rain and thunder today. The Met Office has issued two weather warnings and is predicting "torrential downpours, with the risk of hail and frequent lightning" and flash floods.

3. Farage aide Alexandra Phillips defects to Tories

One of Ukip leader Nigel Farage's closest aides, his head of media, has defected to the Tories, saying Theresa May delivered on Ukip's key manifesto pledges "within a matter of months". Alexandra Phillips said the party has "disintegrated" with many supporters and members turning to the Conservatives after the June EU referendum.

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4. Osborne to focus on 'northern powerhouse'

George Osborne, sacked as chancellor by Theresa May, is to chair a new think tank aimed at pushing forward his vision of creating a 'northern powerhouse', an economic region to rival the dominance of London and the South-East. There have been concerns that May will let the plan fizzle out – though Osborne insisted she is committed.

5. Hawking urges inquiry into Jeremy Hunt claims

Stephen Hawking and Robert Winston are among celebrated scientists and doctors who have signed an open letter to Theresa May, urging her to hold an inquiry into Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt's claim that 11,000 patients die each year because there are fewer medics on duty at the weekends. They say Hunt has misrepresented the evidence.

6. Skepta beats Bowie to win 25th Mercury Prize

Grime artist Skepta last night beat the late David Bowie – the bookies' favourite – to win the Mercury Prize for his fourth album, Konnichiwa. Judge Jarvis Cocker said the panel had decided "if Bowie was looking down" he would want Skepta to win. A Bowie tribute was held at the ceremony with a performance of one of his last songs.

7. Trump campaign admits Obama is American

Donald Trump's campaign team has released a statement saying Trump believes Barack Obama was born in the US. Trump was a prominent 'birther' – one who believes against all the evidence that Obama was born elsewhere. However, the Republican presidential candidate has brushed aside claims made by his team on the subject before.

8. Suicide of online sex video woman shocks Italy

A woman who fought to have her sex video removed from the internet has committed suicide. Tiziana Cantone, 31, was found dead at her aunt's home near Naples in Italy on Tuesday. She had sent a sex video to friends, only to have it posted on the web and go viral. She won a "right to be forgotten" ruling, with the video removed from some sites.

9. Cow blurred by Google goes viral

A cow with its face blurred out by Google software intended to hide humans has 'gone viral' after a Twitter user spotted the animal and posted it online. David Shariatmadari's original tweet has been re-tweeted more than 9,000 times. The animal appears in Google street view by the river Cam in Cambridgeshire, enjoying its privacy.

10. Briefing: The chance of Trump winning is 'quite real'

There are now less than two percentage points separating the US presidential candidates, as the gap in the polls continues to narrow. According to CNN, Trump is ahead of Clinton by a margin of up to five points in the two largest swing states – Ohio and Florida. With less than two months to go until the election, these numbers should serve as a "wake-up call" to Americans, MSNBC reports.

Donald Trump sued by two states over business links