Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 28 Jan 2016

1. UK to take child refugees only from war zones

Britain is to accept an unspecified number of unaccompanied child refugees from Syria and other hotspots, transferring them direct from their own country. Prime Minister David Cameron has refused to take children who have already travelled to Europe, having said several times in the past that doing so would encourage others to make the dangerous journey.

Refugee crisis: Calais Jungle children 'have nowhere to sleep'

2. Cameron: £250m package for North Sea oil

David Cameron is visiting Aberdeen today to announce a £250m funding package to help the economy of north-east Scotland after the falling oil price hit North Sea oil production. Speaking in the Commons yesterday, the Prime Minister said the slump would not affect Scots, thanks to the "broad shoulders of the UK".

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3. Saddleworth body could be man missing for 20 years

Police investigating the mysterious death of an elderly man on Saddleworth Moor, near Oldham, are working on the theory he could be Hugh Toner, a grandfather who went missing from a hospital in Northern Ireland in 1994. The dead man had no identification and had travelled to Oldham from London before walking alone.

4. Fears that Zika virus is in common mosquito

Scientists in Brazil fear the Zika virus, believed to cause birth defects, has spread to a second, more common, type of mosquito. Meanwhile, a group of US scientists has written to the United Nations asking it to create an emergency committee to handle the disease, warning Zika has the potential to become an "explosive pandemic".

Zika virus: everything you need to know about the disease

5. Osborne delays Lloyds Bank sell-off

Chancellor George Osborne has delayed the sale of the government's remaining £2bn stake in Lloyds Banking Group because of stock market turbulence. The government bought Lloyds shares at 73.6p during the 2008 bailout, but they are currently trading at 10p below that price. Osborne pledged to sell off the bank before the election, but says he will not do so at a loss.

Lloyds' boom-era bosses sue bank for bonuses

6. Sweden to expel 80,000 failed asylum-seekers

The Swedish authorities are preparing to start deporting some 80,000 failed asylum-seekers. They expect the process to take several years, using charter aircraft. Some 163,000 people asked for asylum in Sweden last year, more than in any other European country. Around 58,800 were processed, with about 55 per cent successful.

7. Cruz challenges Trump to one-on-one debate

Senator Ted Cruz has challenged fellow US presidential hopeful Donald Trump to a debate in Iowa, after the Republican frontrunner pulled out of a TV debate with his rivals for fear he would not be treated "fairly" by host Megyn Kelly. Cruz says he has even booked a venue for the "mano a mano" debate.

8. Briton Konta's Open run ended by Kerber

British tennis player Johanna Konta has had her Australian Open dream ended by German seventh seed Angelique Kerber. Kerber beat the 24-year-old in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2 and will face Serena Williams in the final. Konta's unexpected progress was the first time a British woman had made the semis of a Grand Slam since 1983.

Australian Open: torrid two weeks ends badly for Andy Murray

9. Bellfield admits rape and murder of Milly Dowler

Serial killer Levi Bellfield has confessed to the rape and murder of Milly Dowler, five years after he was convicted of killing her. Surrey Police said the 47-year-old, who is serving a whole life sentence, had finally "admitted responsibility". Bellfield, also convicted of two other murders and an attempted murder, is said to be "singing like a canary" about other crimes.

Levi Bellfield finally admits rape and murder of Milly Dowler

10. Briefing: Bank of England ponders further buy-to-let curbs

All eyes are on the buy-to-let sector as the market gauges the impact of a two-pronged tax clampdown by George Osborne, which takes effect from April. And things could get even worse for those with aspirations to become a private landlord, as consultations begin on handing the Bank more powers to curb lending, including placing restrictions on lenders or requiring buyers to undergo tougher affordability tests.

Buy-to-let mortgages pulled at fastest rate since 2009