Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 29 Dec 2014

1. AIRASIA PLANE 'AT BOTTOM OF SEA'

The search is continuing for AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501. The plane went missing yesterday with 162 people on board. The head of Indonesia's search-and-rescue agency says the plane could be at the bottom of the sea having crashed during bad weather. Relatives of missing passengers have said his comments were "not appropriate at all".

2. MP: SACK RAIL BOSSES OVER CHAOS

Rail bosses should be sacked over the Christmas chaos, a senior Tory MP said yesterday. Speaking after Kings Cross station was closed on a busy day leading to chaotic scenes, Sir Nicholas Soames said: “Whoever ordered that needs to be dismissed immediately — that is just a fundamental breakdown of management and leadership.”

3. UK TEMPERATURES AT RECORD LOW

Temperatures have dropped to their lowest recorded levels of the year in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, says the BBC. Parts of wintry England dropped to -7.6C, while -5.6C was recorded in Wales. Coldest of all was Northern Ireland, where temperatures plunged to -8.1C (17.4F) overnight. A Met Office cold weather alert is in place.

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4. DOES GOVERNMENT SHOW MURDOCH BIAS?

The government has shown favouritism to Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, says the retiring head of Ofcom. Ed Richards said he is “surprised” by the informality, intimacy and regularity of contact between executives and government ministers during the failed bid by Murdoch’s News Corp for BSkyB in 2011. “There was a widespread concern about the balance,” he said.

5. WEST ENDS AFGHAN COMBAT MISSION

The West finally ended its combat mission in Afghanistan yesterday, reports The Times. In a low-key ceremony, Nato and the US formally handed over the main burden of combating the Taliban to the Afghan forces who are dying in record numbers. "Together, we have lifted the Afghan people out of the darkness of despair and given them hope for the future,” said General John Campbell.

6. RECORD XMAS RETURNS EXPECTED

A record number of unwanted Christmas goods will be returned this year, says the Financial Times. According to logistic experts, e-retailers will struggle to cope with the expected 30m unwanted goods, worth a total of £500m, that will be returned during the holiday period this year. Most of the goods will be returned on “Boomerang Thursday” — the first Thursday after Christmas.

7. ITALIAN FERRY CATCHES FIRE

A 37-year-old British man is among hundreds of people stranded on a ferry which caught fire in rough seas near Corfu. The Italian navy says 221 of the 478 people on board had been evacuated by early on Monday. But the family of Nicholas Channing-Williams say he is still awaiting rescue after his fiancee, Regina Theofilli, was airlifted from the doomed vessel.

8. DYSON OWNS MORE LAND THAN QUEEN

Billionaire vacuum cleaner tycoon Sir James Dyson now owns more land in England than the Queen, reports the Daily Telegraph. After buying a 3,000 acre estate in Lincolnshire, the inventor now has one of the largest private landholdings in the country. Dyson, who is worth around £3bn, uses his land to grow maize for energy production.

9. PLAY REIGNITES HEWITT RUMOURS

A new West End play about Princess Diana has rekindled speculation that Prince Charles is not Prince Harry’s father. The controversial production - Truth, Lies, Diana - suggests that James Hewitt fathered Harry during his affair with Diana. Writer Jon Conway says Hewitt made the “startling” admission to him that he started an affair with Diana 18 months before Harry was born.

10. JOSE CLAIMS ANTI-CHELSEA 'CAMPAIGN'

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho believes there is a “campaign” against his Chelsea side. Mourinho lashed out after referee Anthony Taylor refused to award a penalty during the 1-1 draw at Southampton. Meanwhile, Arsenal moved into fifth place with a 2-1 victory at West Ham United. Manchester City blew the chance to gain ground on Chelsea, drawing 2-2 with Burnley.