Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 9 Feb 2016

1. Fears of 'massacre' with Aleppo poised to fall

A Syrian rebel commander, Abu Shakra, has predicted a "massacre" in Aleppo, the country's second city before the civil war. He told Sky News that government forces are poised to take control, with the support of Russian bombing and Hezbollah fighters. It is estimated 70,000 more refugees will leave the city if it falls.

US and Russia spar over vetoed Syria sanctions

2. Hostage death: widow of IS commander charged

The widow of a former senior leader in Islamic State has been charged in Iraq with conspiracy in the murder of US aid worker Kayla Mueller. Nisreen Assad Ibrahim Bahar, known as Umm Sayyaf, is accused of keeping Mueller captive and allowing her husband, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, since killed in a US air strike, to rape her repeatedly.

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3. Voting begins in New Hampshire primary

Voters in the US state of New Hampshire have been choosing between Republican and Democratic presidential candidates. Republican Donald Trump used his last rally before today's primary to repeat a supporter's claim that rival Ted Cruz's opposition to waterboarding made him "a pussy" and accuse another of the candidates, Marco Rubio, of "sweating like a dog".

What is Hillary Clinton doing now?

4. Cameron's mother signs petition against cuts

David Cameron's 81-year-old mother, Mary, has confirmed she signed a petition asking the Conservative-run Oxfordshire County Council not to go ahead with cuts to children's services, including closing centres. Her son has been accused of hypocrisy for writing to the council to raise his own objections to the cutbacks.

David Cameron's mother signs petition against Conservative cuts

5. Labour agreement on Trident 'may be impossible'

Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham says it could be "impossible" for Labour to reach an agreed position on Trident after shadow defence secretary Emily Thornberry was heckled at a meeting of Labour MPs on Monday for suggesting they keep an open mind on the issue. Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is an opponent of nuclear weapons.

6. At least nine killed in German train crash

At least nine people are reported dead after two passenger trains collided in Germany. Scores more passengers have been injured, many of them seriously. The head-on crash took place around 40 miles south-east of Munich, near the town of Bad Aibling, before 7am local time. Both trains were derailed in the crash and several carriages were overturned.

German train crash: at least nine killed and 100 injured in southern Bavaria

7. North Korea has restarted plutonium production

A satellite launched by North Korea is now in orbit around the Earth, although it is not known if it is working. The North insisted Sunday's launch was to put a communications satellite in orbit, but there are fears it was intended as a long-range nuclear missile yest. Meanwhile, US intelligence says the rogue state has restarted a plutonium production reactor that could provide fuel for nuclear weapons.

North Korea detains another US citizen

8. Andy Murray and Kim Sears welcome baby girl

Tennis star Andy Murray and his wife Kim Sears have welcomed their first child, a baby girl, reported to have been born on Sunday night. The couple married last April and announced the pregnancy in the summer. Murray, who lost in the final of the Australian Open last month, is expected to take a month off tennis to be with his new daughter.

Andy Murray and Kim Sears serve up a baby daughter

9. Man burns to death outside Kensington Palace

A man found on fire outside Kensington Palace, the London home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, has died. He was found burning by police just after 3am, after he went missing from a central London hospital, where he had been admitted amid concerns over his mental health. William and Kate were not at the palace at the time.

Man burns to death outside William and Kate's London home

10. Briefing: why 800,000 people may still have their tax credits cut

Last year, amid a public outcry and a clash with the House of Lords, the government was forced into a U-turn on the cuts it planned to working tax credits. But now it has tabled a proposal to press ahead with a reduction to the "income-rise disregard" for tax credits - which means claimants will start to lose benefits when their earned income increases by £2,500, instead of the current £5,000.

Tax credit staff 'deal with suicidal callers every day'