Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 15 Oct 2013

1. MADELEINE: HUGE RESPONSE TO E-FITS

Police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in May 2007 have received an “overwhelming response” to last night’s Crimewatch special. E-fit images of a suspect were shown and detectives explained why the man had been wrongly dismissed at the time as the English girl’s possible abductor.

What happened to Madeleine McCann? A timeline of the case

2. ELDERLY MAY STILL NEED TO SELL HOMES

Thousands of people could still be forced to sell their homes to pay for their care, with many elderly people not qualifying for a deferred payment scheme that allows people to ‘settle up’ after their death, according to the Labour peer Lord Lipsey. He told the House of Lords the original scheme had “had its balls cut off by the government”.

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3. US DEBT: HOUSE AND SENATE COMPETE

With just two days to go before the deadline for raising the US debt ceiling, Republicans in the Senate and the House of Representatives are working on competing plans to end the deadlock. The bill proposed by House Republicans contains a list of demands aimed at weakening Obamacare.

US Senate 'closing in' on deal to avoid catastrophic default

4. POLONIUM FOUND ON ARAFAT’S CLOTHING

Toxicologists have found traces of polonium-210 on the clothing of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Experts said several items contained “unexplained” levels of polonium, a finding that could “support the possibility” he was poisoned. Arafat died in 2004, but doctors were unable to specify the cause of death.

5. PEER: MPS NEED VOTE ON INTERNET SPYING

Tory peer Lord Blencathra says he is “deeply, deeply uneasy” about surveillance programmes that allow the security services to examine the internet activities of British citizens. He told The Guardian that MPs should be given a vote to either approve or put a stop to the type of surveillance activity revealed by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

6. BRITISH SOLDIER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN

A British soldier has been killed by enemy fire while on patrol in Afghanistan's Helmand Province, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. The soldier from 14 Signals Regiment was described as "the brightest and the best" who had "died defending his comrades".

7. ENGLAND V POLAND: GERRARD’S PLEDGE

England captain Steven Gerrard said his team will use the “haunting” failure to qualify for Euro 2008 as motivation for tonight’s World Cup qualifier against Poland. He said he had made sure his team realises “what is at stake” and the need to “seize this moment”. England need to win to gain automatic qualification.

Hodgson banishes ghosts of 73 as England face Poland test

8. RUFUS NORRIS IS NEW NT DIRECTOR

Rufus Norris has been confirmed as the new director of the National Theatre. He will take over from Nicholas Hytner in April 2015. Norris won Olivier awards for his revival of Cabaret in 2006 and received five Tony nominations for his 2008 Broadway production of Les Liasons Dangereuses.

Rufus Norris Q&A: Who is National Theatre's new director?

9. TECH COLLEGES WILL TRAIN CHEFS, CARERS

Thousands of teenagers will be trained to become chefs, carers and health technicians in new technical colleges, receiving on-the-job training alongside studying for their GCSEs. Lord Baker, a former Conservative education secretary, said a network of colleges will work alongside employers to train students, giving young people a “headstart”.

10. HOT TICKET: DOYLE'S THE COMMITMENTS

A stage musical of Roddy Doyle's ‘The Commitments’ has opened at the Palace theatre, London. Doyle has adapted his own hit novel about a group of unpromising Dublin musicians who attempt to be the greatest soul band in the world. "Sublime," says the Sunday Times. Booking until 26 January.

Musical of Roddy Doyle's The Commitments is 'sublime'