Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 2 Jan 2012

1. BREAST IMPLANTS: 'HAVE THEM REMOVED'

If the Government's urgent review finds that French-made PIP breast implants are leaking as badly as has been suggested – one in 14 – then all women who have received them should have them removed, leading surgeon Tim Goodacre tells The Daily Telegraph. The big question is whether the state should pay.

2. STORMY START TO 2012 PREDICTED

After an unusually mild Christmas and New Year, the Met Office has warned of a stormy start to 2012. Western coats are likely to be battered by an Atlantic storm while gale-force winds up to 80 mph can be expected as Britain returns to work on Tuesday after today's Bank holiday. Heavy rains are also predicted this week.

3. DAVID HOCKNEY JOINS ORDER OF MERIT

Having previously turned down a knighthood, artist David Hockney has agreed to join the Order of Merit, described by The Times as "Britain's most exclusive club". Its 24 members include Baroness Thatcher, worldwide web inventor Tim Berners-Lee and playwright Tom Stoppard. Hockney's response was: "No comment".

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4. RAIL TICKETS RISE BY AVERAGE 5.9%

Britain's rail commuters face average fare rises of 5.9 per cent from today. Rail bosses say the increases – up to 11 per cent on some lines - will help pay for improved services. But the watchdog outfit Passenger Focus says commuters should not have to keep paying for a "fractured, inefficient industry".

5. RUPERT MURDOCH JOINS TWITTER

Rupert Murdoch has joined Twitter at the age of 80 and quickly amassed more than 40,000 followers. First tweets show he likes the book 'The Rational Optimist' and the movie 'The Descendants'. John Prescott tweeted: "Hey @rupertmurdoch. I'm surprised you're only following two people. The police said it was at least 800."

'Brits take too many holidays' tweets Rupert (from St Barts)

6. SUNDERLAND BEAT MAN CITY 1-0

A goal from Ji Dong-won in injury time gave Sunderland a stunning victory over Premier League leaders Manchester City on Sunday. Manager Martin O'Neill called the result "remarkable". It sealed a David-beats-Goliath weekend following the defeats of Manchester United and Chelsea by Blackburn and Aston Villa.

Sunderland victory over Man City 'remarkable' says O'Neill

7. ACADEMICS' SON HELD OVER MURDER

The 20-year-old son of two London academics has been arrested in Costa Rica on suspicion of murdering a young Czech woman at an eco farm popular with gap year students. He is Alfred Saunders, son of English professor Max Saunders and psychoanalyst Catia Galatariotou. The victim is said to have been stabbed 15 times.

Son of London academics held over rainforest murder

8. BEYONCE: GOSSIP MILL IN OVERDRIVE

New York and London media have been on alert for the birth of pop princess Beyonce's first baby. Amid reports that an entire floor of St Luke's Roosevelt Hospital had been booked, and that a baby girl had been named Tiana-May, the singer was spotted at a Brooklyn restaurant still showing a "considerable" baby bump.

Beyonce baby talk: it's enough to put you off your foie gras

9. CHINESE CLUBS 'WANT JOHN TERRY'

Two of China's top football clubs are considering taking England and Chelsea captain John Terry on loan, according to the Daily Express. Shanghai Shenhua and Guangzhou Evergrande are both said to be unfazed by Terry's upcoming court appearance to answer charges of racially abusing QPR's Anton Ferdinand.

Two Chinese clubs offer John Terry 'a new start' in 2012

10. MITT ROMNEY: HINT OF DOUBLE WHAMMY

On the eve of Tuesday's Republican caucuses in Iowa, Mitt Romney is narrowly ahead of Ron Paul in the latest polling. But in New Hampshire, where the primary is a week away, he is 20 percentage points ahead of the field. If Romney wins both states, he'll be the first Republican challenger ever to get off to such a flying start.

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