Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 13 Dec 2014

1. FARAGE BEGGED ENOCH FOR SUPPORT

Nigel Farage begged Enoch Powell to support his bid to win a by-election in 1994, reveals the Daily Telegraph. Having twice turned down requests for him to stand for election for Ukip, Powell endorsed three Ukip candidates for election during the mid-1990s. The news comes after Russell Brand described Farage as a “Pound shop Enoch Powell”.

Russell Brand v Nigel Farage: Who came out on top?

2. WINTER: UK ‘COLDER THAN LAPLAND’

Britain will be colder than Lapland this weekend, says The Times. The Met Office has issued warnings as temperatures dropped to minus 8C (17.6F). However, it said the “weather bomb” has “long gone”. Meanwhile, the tabloids compete for the most apocalyptic forecasts. The Daily Star says we’ll have the “coldest winter in half a century” while the Mirror predicts a New Year “Arctic blast”.

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3. IS DAVID MILIBAND ON WAY BACK?

David Miliband has refused to rule out a return to British politics, telling the Financial Times: “You just don’t know, do you?” The former foreign secretary also slammed the idea of Britain leaving the EU as “unbelievably stupid”, prompting speculation he may play a key role in keeping the country in the European Union.

4. X FACTOR: TULISA TO REPLACE SICK MEL B?

Mel B will miss tonight’s X Factor final and will be replaced by Tulisa Contostavlos, claim reports this morning. Mel B was rushed to hospital and is said to be “seriously ill”. Tulisa, who was approached by Simon Cowell to stand in for the former Spice Girl, appeared on the panel for two series but was axed for the 2013 series.

5. ISIS SPOKESMAN WANTS PRIVACY BACK

A spokesman for Isis wants his privacy back, reports The Times. The man, who uses the Twitter name @ShamiWitness to support Isis on social media, was named as Mehdi in a Channel 4 News report which revealed he lives in India. “I haven’t done anything wrong. I haven’t harmed anybody, I haven’t broken any laws of the country,” he said after being exposed.

6. JOHN LEWIS TODDLER BRAS A ‘DISGRACE’

John Lewis has been accused of “sexualising toddlers” after launching bras for two-year-old girls. Campaigners and charities have rounded on the department store, calling it a “disgrace” for selling replica women’s underwear to fit children aged between two and five. Following the controversy the store has removed the item from its website.

7. OIL PRICE SLIDE CAPS TURBULENT WEEK

An increasingly troubling slide in oil prices triggered turmoil across international financial markets yesterday. At the end of a turbulent week for energy that has seen investors selling shares and corporate bonds, the International Energy Agency cut its demand growth forecasts for 2015. The decline for the week reached 10%.

8. UK AIRPORTS RETURNING TO NORMAL

UK airports around are returning to normal after a computer failure at the national air traffic control centre yesterday. National Air Traffic Services said a technical fault in the flight data system at its Swanwick centre, in Hampshire was to blame for the widespread disruption. Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the situation was "unacceptable".

9. SUDAN MAN DIES AFTER LORRY BID

A Sudanese man who travelled to the UK from Calais while clinging to the bottom of a lorry died after falling beneath the vehicle’s wheels. Two men from Sudan are believed to have climbed underneath an HGV in the French port yesterday morning. Having travelled to England on the Eurostar, they tried to flee the vehicle on the M25. One was run over in the process.

10. OLIVIER GIROUD BACKS ARSENE WENGER

Olivier Giroud has backed under-fire Gunners boss Arsene Wenger as the man to turn the club’s fortunes around. Giroud said: "There is no other coach who knows Arsenal better than him. I am in no doubt he is the man to solve this situation." Arsenal host Newcastle in the tea-time kick-off today. Leaders Chelsea are at home to Hull.

Arsenal fans in civil war over Arsene Wenger