Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 28 Oct 2014

1. UK WON'T BACK MED RESCUE PLANS

Amnesty International has described the British government's decision not to support EU-led search-and-rescue operations for migrants drowning in the Mediterranean as "unforgivable". The Foreign Office said the operations were an "unintended 'pull factor', encouraging more migrants to attempt the dangerous sea crossing".

Refugee rescue: why help is scarce in the Med

2. FEARS UK ENERGY NETWORK CAN’T COPE

The National Grid will today reveal the gap between demand for electricity anticipated over the winter and the capacity to generate it. There are fears that the energy network will not cope with the strain of freezing temperatures after a series of power station closures, and a fire, squeezed capacity.

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Blackout fears as UK power capacity falls

3. JOHN CANTLIE SHOWN IN ‘KOBANE’ VIDEO

British hostage John Cantlie has appeared in another video made by Islamic State (IS) militants and released on the internet. The video claims that Cantlie is pictured in Kobane, the strategically important Syrian town on the border with Turkey. In the video he claims IS have all but won the town.

4. 5,000 MEDICS NEEDED TO FIGHT EBOLA

The president of the World Bank has appealed for 5,000 medical and support staff to volunteer for the fight against Ebola in West Africa. However, Jim Yong Kim, speaking in Ethiopia, said he was worried that potential recruits would be too scared to travel to the region where the virus as infected 10,000 people and killed almost 5,000.

Ebola: US suit stockpile causes shortage in Africa

5. FAMILY FOUND DEAD IN BRADFORD HOUSE

Police believe a father may have killed his wife and two teenage daughters before taking his own life, after four bodies were found at the family home in Bradford. The remains of 49-year-old Jitendra Lad, his wife, 44-year-old Duksha, and their two daughters Trisha, 19, and Nisha, 17, were discovered on Monday night, and "may have been in the property for some time".

6. MET OFFICE REVEALS SUPERCOMPUTER PLAN

The Met Office has revealed that it is planning to build a £97m supercomputer which will dramatically improve its ability to model the climate and predict the weather. The facility, to be built in Exeter next year, will operate 13 times faster than the current system and allow much more detailed forecasting.

Met Office 'supercomputer' to predict weather in more detail

7. COUNCILS UNDER FIRE OVER MENTAL HEALTH

Local councils have been criticised for "unacceptably low" spending on mental health services in a report from the charity Mind. The survey found that councils spent just 1.36% of their public health budget on mental health services, and only £40m has been set aside for the next year. Councils say not all relevant spending is "badged" for mental health.

Mental health spending 'unacceptably low', charity says

8. MARK RYLANCE TO BE BFG FOR SPIELBERG

Feted stage actor Mark Rylance, winner of three Tony awards and two Oliviers, is to play children’s author Roald Dahl’s BFG (Big Friendly Giant) in a movie adaptation by Steven Spielberg. The director said he was “excited and thrilled” to have such a “transformational” actor taking on the role.

BFG: Disney releases teaser trailer for 'Harry Potter-esque' film

9. LLOYDS TO CUT ANOTHER 9,000 JOBS

Lloyds Banking Group is to cut 9,000 jobs and close 150 branches over the next three years as it switches its focus towards digital banking. The move is intended to save £1bn by 2017, but the 24% taxpayer-owned bank has also set aside another £900m to cover missold PPI costs. Lloyds and Bank of Scotland branches, but not Halifax, face the chop.

10. HOT TICKET: RICHARD SERRA SCULPTURE

A new exhibition of work by American sculptor Richard Serra has opened at the Gagosian Gallery, London. The gallery features four of Serra's massive, monumental sheet-metal sculptures and a five-metre work on paper. "Lyrical and liberating," says the Financial Times. Until 28 February.

Richard Serra – reviews of 'lyrical' large-scale sculpture