Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 4 Mar 2012

1. CARDINAL: GAY MARRIAGE "GROTESQUE"

The government's plan to introduce gay marriage is a "grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right", says the most senior Roman Catholic cleric in Britain. Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, said the reform would "shame the United Kingdom in the eyes of the world".

2. METEOR SIGHTING OVER BRITAIN

Sightings of what is believed to be a meteor were reported by people across Britain last night. Police forces were inundated with calls from people saying they saw a "bright light" or an "orange glow". Twitter was awash with excitement. The Met Office tweeted: "Hi All, for anyone seeing something in the night sky, we believe it was a meteorite."

3. GOVE SCRAPS HOMEWORK GUIDELINES

The government has scrapped the national guidelines on homework after complaints from parents that excessive home studies were interfering with family time. Education Secretary Michael Gove will now allow individual schools to decide how much, if any, homework they will set. The guidelines were introduced by Labour in 1998.

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4. DEADLY TRAIN CRASH IN POLAND

At least 15 people have died after two express trains crashed in southern Poland last night. The trains, one of which was on the wrong track, collided head on. The accident, which occurred on the Warsaw-Krakow mainline, was described by Prime Minister Donald Tusk as Poland's "most tragic train catastrophe... in many years."

5. STUDENTS SELL THEIR FACES

Two Cambridge graduates have found a novel way of raising money - they charge companies up to £400 a day to advertise on their faces. Bookmakers Paddy Power and accountancy firm Ernst & Young are among those to have paid the pair to paint their logos on their faces. The duo have started a website called Buy My Face.

6. PICASSO PAINTING YOURS FOR £50M

The renowned Picasso painting, Child with a Dove, is up for sale for £50m. The painting, which has been on public display in Britain since the 1970s, is expected to be sold to an overseas buyer, which would be a fresh blow to British artistic heritage. In recent years classic works by the likes of Van Dyke and Turner have also left these shores.

7. LIBYANS HIT DESERT RAT GRAVES

Libyan rebels have smashed the headstones of British servicemen killed in North Africa 70 years ago, including the members of the legendary 7th Armoured Division known as the Desert Rats. Footage of rebels attacking 150 such graves has emerged. The attackers can be heard shouting: "They are dogs, they are dogs."

Libya vows to catch Islamists who desecrated British war graves

8. POLLS OPEN IN RUSSIA

Voting is underway in Russia as Vladimir Putin attempts to become president again after four years as prime minister. He faces four challengers, the most tipped of which is the Communist Gennady Zyuganov. Putin was president from 2000 to 2008, but was then constitutionally barred from standing for a third consecutive term.

9. COLVIN'S BODY ARRIVES IN PARIS

The bodies of American journalist Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik, killed during a bombardment in the Syrian neighbourhood of Homs last week, were flown into Paris from Damascus early this morning. Colvin's body is expected to be flown to the United States tomorrow or on Tuesday.

Conroy tells of escape from Homs through collapsed tunnel

10. CHELSEA SACK AVB

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has been sacked after just 257 days in charge following yesterday's defeat by West Bromwich Albion. Former Chelsea midfielder Robert di Matteo will take over until the end of the season. AVB is the seventh manager to lose his job since Roman Abramovich bought the football club in 2003.