Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 26 Oct 2015

1. EU agrees to create 100,000 more migrant places

At an emergency summit in Brussels yesterday, the heads of 11 EU states and three non-EU countries agreed a deal to create another 100,000 spaces at refugee 'reception centres'. Greece is to create room for 30,000 people while the UNHCR will provide space for 20,000 in the country and 50,000 in Balkan states by the end of the year.

2. Lords to vote on scuppering Osborne's plans

The House of Lords will today decide whether to scrap George Osborne's plans to cut tax credits to the working poor in a debate known as a 'fatal motion'. They will also vote on a separate motion urging the plans be delayed until other measures assisting those affected are put together. Some Tory MPs have also voiced unease.

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Tax credit staff 'deal with suicidal callers every day'

3. Poland elects right-wing Law and Justice party

Exit polls suggest that the Law and Justice party has won the Polish general election - and the ruling Civic Platform conceded defeat. The change will be a move to the right for Poland. Law and Justice is against immigration, wants welfare spending to be "family-focused" and has threatened to ban abortion and in-vitro fertilisation.

Poland election: what Law and Justice win means for Europe

4. Canada: five dead after whale-watching boat sinks

Five Britons have drowned after a whale-watching boat capsized and sank off the coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. It is not known why the 65ft Leviathan II went down with 27 people on board, eight miles from the shore in calm seas and sunny weather. Emergency officials said 21 people had been rescued and one other person was still missing.

5. Blair admits 'mistakes' over Iraq invasion

Tony Blair has apologised for "mistakes" over the invasion of Iraq in 2003. In an interview with CNN the former British prime minister admitted some intelligence before the invasion had been "wrong" and that the allies failed to understand what would happen once Saddam Hussein was removed. Blair has been accused of trying to head off criticism expected from the Chilcot report.

Chilcot: Tony Blair 'not straight' with nation over Iraq

6. England lose second Test against Pakistan

England's cricketers have lost the second Test against Pakistan in Dubai despite a valiant rearguard batting effort. England needed to bat all day to secure an unlikely draw and lost their final wicket with only 39 balls remaining. Adil Rashid led the fightback with an innings of 61, while Stuart Broad and Mark Wood also offered resistance after England lost early wickets.

7. Processed meat can cause cancer, says WHO

Processed meats such as bacon, sausage and ham cause cancer and red meat is "probably carcinogenic", according to the World Health Organization. Eating 50g of processed meat a day increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%, says the WHO, which has placed processed meats in the same category as plutonium, arsenic, asbestos, alcohol and tobacco.

8. British Airways plane in landing gear collapse

Passengers on board a British Airways flight in South Africa escaped unhurt after the plane's landing gear collapsed as it touched down at Johannesburg airport on Monday. The Boeing 737-400 plane, owned and operated by BA's South African franchise Comair, crash landed after a flight from Port Elizabeth. The 94 passengers left the plane by emergency exits after the incident.

9. Earthquake strikes in Afghanistan

More than 100 people are feared dead in Pakistan and Afghanistan after a magnitude-7.5 earthquake. The epicentre of the earthquake was located in the Hindu Kush in northern Afghanistan, according to the United States Geological Survey, but the impact was felt as far away as India, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan. There were widespread power outages in Kabul, but no immediate reports of major damage.

Afghan earthquake: death toll soars as rescue efforts continue

10. Briefing: Could HSBC move to Wall Street?

The recent review of HSBC's head office has prompted endless speculation that it might abandon London in favour of Hong Kong. But now the bank is eyeing the US as a serious alternative to the Asian finance hub.Concerns about the risk of Chinese interference in the bank have reportedly forced a rethink, as have fears about the capabilities of Hong Kong's regulators.

HSBC shares rise after £1.5bn buyback pledge

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