Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 1 Jan 2015

1. 35 DEAD IN SHANGHAI NYE STAMPEDE

Thirty-five people have been killed in a stampede at a New Year's event in Shanghai. Another 43 were injured in the chaos. President Xi Jinping has told the Shanghai government to find the causes of the crush as soon as possible. Reports on social media suggest the stampede was caused when people stopped to pick up fake money thrown from the balcony of a nightclub.

2. MILIBAND AIDES: ‘BLAIR OUT OF TOUCH’

Ed Miliband’s team hit back at Tony Blair yesterday after the former prime minister appeared to suggest the Tories will win the next general election. Key Miliband aide Lucy Powell accused Blair of being out of touch. “He has his experience from his era,” she told World at One on BBC Radio 4. “That is not the era we now live in.”

3. ONE IN THREE KIDS ‘SUFFER VIOLENCE’

One in three children has suffered a violent attack, says The Times. A study, by the University of Bedfordshire and the charity Victim Support, found that teenagers are more likely to be victims of crime than any other age group and regard assault, robbery and even rape as part of growing up. However, just three in 20 violent crimes against children are reported to police.

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4. FARAGE: RACIST LINK COULD ‘BURY’ UKIP

Nigel Farage says Ukip will be "buried" if voters are able to link the party to a "racist age". He made the observation at a meeting of senior party figures in the wake of a storm over allegedly racist comments made by a Ukip councillor. Farage told colleagues: "The one thing that is able to bury the Party if [sic] they can link us with a racist age".

5. PALESTINIANS SIGN UP TO WAR CRIMES COURT

The Palestinians have signed papers to join the International Criminal Court. Leader Mahmoud Abbas signed the Rome Statute, the ICC's founding treaty, at a meeting in Ramallah. "We want to complain. There's aggression against us, against our land," said Abbas. The move, which could see the Palestinians pursue Israel on war crimes charges, was condemned by Israel's prime minister.

6. RAIL FIRMS MUST BE OPEN ON PRICES

Ministers have ordered rail operators to tell passengers that they could make large savings if they use a ticket office rather than a self-service machine. The move comes after an investigation found that the machines — which are used to purchase almost 25% of tickets — offer drastically different fares making some journeys £100 more expensive.

7. POLL: RATION CARE FOR ALCOHOLICS

NHS care for alcoholics, smokers and the obese should be rationed, voters have declared according to a poll. Six in ten people would support such a policy, a YouGov poll for The Times found. Medical chiefs branded the idea “morally wrong”, but representatives of patient groups said it was fair. The health service faces a £30bn a year funding gap by the end of the decade.

8. CAMERON: ‘LET’S STICK TO THE PLAN’

Britain faces "chaos" if it changes economic course following next May's general election, David Cameron has warned. In his New Year message, the prime minister said supporting Labour would take the country backwards and jeopardise the recovery. He said the UK’s new year resolution should be to "stick to the plan”.

9. POLICE PROBE KATIE HOPKINS TWEETS

Police are investigating complaints about tweets posted by the ever-controversial Katie Hopkins. In response to news that a Scottish nurse is being treated for the Ebola virus, the television personality wrote: "Sending us Ebola bombs in the form of sweaty Glaswegians just isn't cricket." Detectives confirmed they were examining an unspecified number of complaints.

10. KOEMAN: WE CAN FINISH ABOVE GUNNERS

Southampton boss Ronald Koeman believes his team can finish higher than Arsenal and qualify for next season’s Champions League. Fourth-placed Saints are above the Gunners, who they host this afternoon, on goal difference. Meanwhile, Manchester City have extended the contract of midfielder Frank Lampard until the end of the season.