Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 15 Mar 2016

1. Russia begins military withdrawal from Syria

Russia has started removing military equipment from Syria after a surprise announcement on a withdrawal from President Vladimir Putin. No details have been given on the extent of the troop reduction proposed nor has a deadline been set. Russia will continue air strikes in the country and insists it is still working closely with Syria's embattled leader, Bashar al-Assad.

US and Russia spar over vetoed Syria sanctions

2. Suu Kyi aide elected Myanmar president

Myanmar has a civilian president for the first time in 53 years. Htin Kyaw, 70, has been a close aide to national hero Aung San Suu Kyi for decades. Suu Kyi's NLD party won resoundingly in elections last year but she is legally prohibited from being president because her children have British citizenship.

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3. Breivik sues for human rights abuses

Norwegian far-right extremist Anders Breivik was back in court today, suing his government for keeping him in solitary confinement, saying being kept alone is "torture" and a breach of human rights. He is serving 21 years in prison, Norway's longest sentence, for killing 77 people in 2011.

Anders Breivik gives Nazi salute on return to court

4. US general warns Brexit could damage Nato

Brexit could harm the Nato alliance, according to the head of the US Army in Europe, Lieutenant-General Frederick "Ben" Hodges, who said Europe needed to show "solidarity" in the face of Russian aggression. Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg suggested last month that he would prefer to see Britain vote to stay in the EU in June's referendum.

5. Report calls for 'kick start' for HS3 rail

The National Infrastructure Commission has called for a "kick start" for HS3, the proposed fast rail link between Manchester and Leeds. In a new report, the body says the region needs "immediate and very significant investment" and calls for work to improve the M62 motorway, which crosses the Pennines, to be hurried along.

Budget 2016: 'We should all be worried', warns IFS

6. Shots fired in Belgium anti-terror raids

At least two men are being hunted by Belgian security forces after three police officers were hurt during a counter-terrorism raid in Brussels. Shots were fired and streets in the suburb of Forest have been sealed off. The men reportedly escaped over roofs. The raid was linked to the Paris attacks that killed 130 people last November.

7. Wythenshawe Hall fire 'suspicious', say police

Police say the fire which badly damaged a historic hall in Manchester was "suspicious". The blaze at Wythenshawe Hall, which was built around 1540, destroyed the roof and damaged the upper floors. It is thought to have started around 3.30am. More than 50 firefighters were called to the Grade II listed building, which is owned by Manchester City Council.

8. Amazon files patent for 'pay by selfie'

Online retailer Amazon has filed a patent for a system to allow mobile phone users to pay for goods or services by taking a photo of themselves. The "pay by selfie" technique would be safer than password protection, the patent document says. There are even safeguards proposed to stop cheats submitting a photo of a photo.

Amazon customers to pay by selfie in the future

9. New dinosaur could explain why T-rex was so big

A new type of dinosaur identified from fossil remains in Uzbekistan could explain how the Tyrannosaurus rex grew to such immense size. Named Timurlengia by scientists from Edinburgh, the US and Russia, the animal was a horse-sized cousin of T-rex that lived 90 million years ago.

T-rex's brainy ancestor discovered in Uzbekistan

10. Briefing: Boris and the PM battle for trust in EU polls

The British public is split neck-and-neck over whether they trust Prime Minister David Cameron or Mayor of London Boris Johnson to do the best for Britain when it comes to the European Union. In a ComRes poll for the Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Mirror, 35 per cent of British voters said they trusted Cameron more than Johnson, while 34 per cent held the opposite view. Conservative voters were twice as likely to say they trusted the Prime Minister.

Brexit: Theresa May says ‘trust me’ to deliver