Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 19 Jan 2014

1. MIKAEEL KULAR'S MOTHER IS CHARGED

The mother of Mikaeel Kular has been charged in connection with the death of her son after a body was discovered in Fife. Rosdeep Kular was arrested on Friday night and has now been charged. Three-year-old Mikaeel was last seen at his Edinburgh home on Wednesday evening. Hundreds gathered at a church near his home for a memorial service last night.

2. QUEEN & CHARLES IN JOB SHARE MOVE

The Queen and Prince Charles will begin to share duties on the world stage in a move seen as a significant step towards the handover of power. Charles will accompany the Queen on the beaches of Normandy this summer for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. He will also stand in for the Queen at some of the day’s key engagements.

3. SHOCK AS UKIP TOPS NEW SURVEY

UKIP has topped a poll as the nation’s favourite political party. In the research, for the Independent On Sunday, UKIP was favoured by 27% of voters, with Labour on 26% and the Conservatives on 25%. Meanwhile, according to a ComRes poll in The Sun, Nigel Farage has been voted the country’s second most popular party leader behind David Cameron.

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4. DAMNING REPORT SAYS SAVILE ABUSED 1,000

Jimmy Savile abused up to 1,000 children on BBC premises while executives turned a blind eye to the abuse, a report will claim next month. Former court of appeal judge Dame Janet Smith has investigated the scale of Savile’s abuse. A source close to the inquiry tells The Observer the report will show the crimes took place “under the very noses of BBC staff for more than 40 years”.

5. HOMES PASS £1M MARK IN 43 UK AREAS

Average house prices have smashed past the £1 million mark in 43 different areas in England and Wales, says the Sunday Telegraph. The most expensive area in the country is Knightsbridge and Belgravia in London, where the average house price is now £4.4 million. London hosts 34 of the £1 million enclaves, with the other nine in Surrey, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.

6. UKIP MAN: GAYS CAUSED THE FLOODS

A UKIP councillor has blamed recent floods and storms on the legalisation of gay marriage in Britain. David Silvester, who quit the Tories over David Cameron’s support for same-sex marriages, said Britain has been “beset by storms” because Cameron has acted “arrogantly against the gospel”. He claims he warned the prime minister in 2012 that the reform would lead to “disasters”.

7. KERRY PRAISES SYRIAN OPPOSITION MOVE

US secretary of state John Kerry has applauded the decision by Syria's main political opposition group to attend peace talks in Switzerland. Kerry described the Syrian National Coalition's decision as "courageous" – a sentiment echoed by the UK and France. The talks, to be held in Montreux next week, aim to set up a transitional government to end conflict in Syria.

8. TORY GREAT LORD MCALPINE DIES

Tory grandee Lord McAlpine has died at the age of 71. McAlpine, a former deputy chair of the Conservative Party and an aide to Margaret Thatcher, died in Italy. The peer was an author, fundraiser, property developer and art collector. David Cameron described McAlpine as a "dedicated supporter of Margaret Thatcher and the Tory party".

9. FOOTBALLERS WARNED OVER SPITTING

Amateur footballers have been sent a letter warning they could be fined up to £500 for spitting on the field. The players in Enfield, north London, were told to refrain from the “revolting habit”, which is prohibited by a local bylaw. The letter, from the local council, warns that players will be prosecuted if patrol staff see them spit in “Enfield’s wonderful parks and open spaces”.

10. GUNNERS TOP AS CITY PASS 100 MARK

Arsenal remain top of the Premier League following their fifth successive top-flight victory. Two goals from Santi Cazorla earned the Gunners the points against Fulham. Manchester City, in second place, passed the 100-goal mark for the season as they beat Cardiff City. Liverpool recovered from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Aston Villa.