Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's daughters seen at Sandringham church as more details about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein emergePrincesses Eugenie and Beatrice attended church with the royal family on Christmas morning, in a year where their father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was stripped of his royal titles.Mountbatten-Windsor's two daughters could be seen walking behind King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their way to church on the private Sandringham estate in Norfolk. Continue reading...
Concerns thefts could accelerate over Christmas shutdown, with tools and equipment increasingly targetedThefts of tools and equipment from building sites are increasingly being carried out by organised criminal groups, according to security bosses, amid warnings that the crimewave could accelerate during the Christmas construction shutdown.Copper cables, tools and even telehandlers and diggers costing tens of thousands of pounds have been stolen in recent months, according to the security firm Kingdom Systems. Continue reading...
Fourteen countries, also including France, Italy, Ireland and Spain, say actions violate international law and risk fuelling instability'Fourteen countries, including Britain, Canada and Germany, have condemned the Israeli security cabinet's approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying they violate international law and risk fuelling instability.Israel approved a proposal last Sunday for the new Jewish settlements, which brings the recent total to 69, according to the far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich. Continue reading...
Anonymous official from Ukraine's GUR military intelligence says the agency carried out the attackTwo traffic police officers and a third person have been killed in a car explosion in Moscow, Russia's investigative committee has said.The committee, which investigates major crimes, said in a statement on Wednesday that an explosive device had been triggered when the officers approached a suspicious person" near their police vehicle on Yeletskaya Street in the south of the capital. Continue reading...
Eluned Morgan says Welsh Labour would retain crown, despite polls indicating Reform UK and Plaid Cymru could win more seats in electionsThe first minister of Wales has said she is determined for Welsh Labour not to lose its crown as the world's most successful democratic party, despite warnings it could be relegated to third place in May's elections.Polls suggest Reform UK and Plaid Cymru could win more seats than Eluned Morgan's party in the Seneddelections next year, ending 100 years of dominance for Labour in Wales. Continue reading...
by Peter Beaumont Senior international reporter on (#72CGH)
Ukraine accepts principle of demilitarised zone in east, while insisting Russia make similar concessions in pulling back forcesWashington and Kyiv have edged closer to a jointly agreed formula to end the war in Ukraine amid continuing uncertainty over Moscow's response and a number of unresolved issues.Revealing the latest status of the peace talks, brokered by Washington, Ukraine's president, Volodmyr Zelenskyy, appeared to have secured several important concessions from earlier versions of the now slimmed-down plan after intense talks with the US negotiating team. Continue reading...
Report recommends adoption of US-style punishment and rewards for most dangerous inmatesA long-awaited report that examined how the Manchester Arena plotter was able to carry out an alleged violent attack on prison officers has recommended a new punishment and rewards system for the most dangerous inmates, similar to that used in a US Supermax jail.David Lammy, the deputy prime minister, is facing demands to publish the report, which looks into why Hashem Abedi, who was jailed for life for helping his brother carry out the 2017 bombing, was able to target staff at HMP Frankland with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush. Continue reading...
Tributes paid to Alfie Hallett, 13, as police say suspect also died in incident believed to be domestic violence relatedA 13-year-old British boy has died after being stabbed at his home in Portugal allegedly by the ex-partner of his mother.The boy has been named locally as Alfie Hallett, with tributes paid on social media by the basketball team that he played for. Continue reading...
Two of the couple's children have said they are planning a memorial service for their parents, as further details are released about their cause of death earlier this monthNew details have emerged about the deaths of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, whose bodies were discovered on Sunday 14 December in their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles.Their death certificates have been released by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, obtained by TMZ and reported by multiple US outlets. They record that Rob Reiner's body was found at 15.45, and Singer Reiner's at 15.46. The cause of death for both is given as multiple sharp force injuries" with the circumstances described as homicide" and with knife, by another". Continue reading...
RAC says traffic expected to reach highest level since pandemic, while Heathrow predicts busiest festive seasonTravel this Christmas Eve could be the UK's busiest ever, as millions of drivers take to the roads and hundreds of thousands of passengers catch planes for festive getaways.Train journeys are also forecast to be very busy, with rail services ending earlier than normal. Continue reading...
Charity finds grants for crucial alterations take average 375 days, with many MND patients dying in this timePeople with motor neurone disease (MND) are dying waiting for grants to make their homes fit to live in due to a huge backlogs in applications, campaigners have said.The MND Association has found it takes an average of 375 days for people in England to get essential home adaptations through the government's disabled facilities grant (DFG) due to growing delays in the system. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#72CB5)
Advertising regulator said operators and a ticket seller could not prove bookings were cheapestTrain companies have been warned over price claims made on their ticketing websites after the advertising watchdog banned ads run by three sellers.The Advertising Standards Authority ruled that claims made for fares booked via ScotRail and Greater Anglia's website, as well as by a third-party ticketing site, My Train Ticket, were misleading. Continue reading...
by Amy Hawkins Senior China correspondent on (#72C9X)
Video shows Gen Xu Qinxian explaining why he refused to deploy troops to crush 1989 student-led demonstrationsRare footage of a People's Liberation Army (PLA) general who defied orders to lead his troops into Tiananmen Square and crush the 1989 student protesters has been leaked online, offering a highly unusual glimpse into the upper echelons of the military at one of the most fraught moments in modern Chinese history.General Xu Qinxian's refusal to take his troops from the PLA's prestigious 38th Group Army, a unit based on the outskirts of Beijing, into the capital has been the stuff of Tiananmen lore for decades. Continue reading...
Known as Tea Tyme, Tynesha McCarty-Wroten arrested over 3 November death of Darren Lucas in Zion, IllinoisThe social media creator who allegedly hit and killed a pedestrian as she hosted a livestream while simultaneously driving through a Chicago suburb has been arrested, according to authorities.Known best to her online followers as Tea Tyme, Tynesha McCarty-Wroten was arrested Tuesday for her role in the 3 November death of 59-year-old Darren Lucas, said Lt Paul Kehrli of the Zion, Illinois, police department. Continue reading...
Prime minister calls on people to show kindness to friends or family as leaders broadcast their festive messagesKeir Starmer has called on Britons to show kindness to struggling friends or family this Christmas, saying being in touch with those in need can make a big difference.Starmer, whose brother died last Boxing Day, said people should channel the spirit of the many volunteers and public sector workers who are on duty this Christmas by resolving to get back in touch with those who might find the time of year difficult. Continue reading...
Libyan PM says Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad died after aircraft lost radio contact above AnkaraThe Libyan army's chief of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, has been killed in a plane crash after leaving Turkey's capital, Ankara.The prime minister of Libya's internationally recognised government confirmed on Tuesday evening that Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad had died and that four others were on the jet with him. Continue reading...
Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib, on remand at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, had refused food for almost 50 days in protest at the ban on Palestine ActionTwo Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners have paused their hunger strikes due to deteriorating health but have vowed to resume the protest next year.Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib have temporarily resumed eating, according to a statement released by Prisoners for Palestine group on Tuesday evening. Continue reading...
Segment that Bari Weiss had removed provides in-depth look at the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo prisonA 60 Minutes episode investigating a brutal prison in El Salvador, which CBS News's editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, pulled from the air on Sunday, appeared online on Monday after appearing on a Canadian TV app.The segment, which runs for nearly 14 minutes and was viewed by the Guardian, provides an in-depth look at the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (Cecot) prison in El Salvador. It opens with footage of the mega-prison and shows detainees being shackled upon arrival in El Salvador. Continue reading...
Avon and Somerset police says there is insufficient' evidence for realistic prospect of convictionAn investigation into chants by the rap duo Bob Vylan at Glastonbury festival will not lead to any further action by prosecutors as there is insufficient" evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction, police said.Bobby Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, led crowds on the festival's West Holts stage in chants of death, death to the IDF", referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their performance in June. Continue reading...
Southern Water warns households may begin losing water from Christmas Eve as system rapidly loses supplyThousands of households in Hastings could face a Christmas with no water after a mains pipe burst.Southern Water has warned that households may begin losing water from the evening of Christmas Eve as the system is rapidly losing supply. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#72C06)
Leading human rights lawyer accuses government of dismissive approach' based on ludicrous' reasoningOne of the UK's leading human rights lawyers has criticised the government's refusal to engage with Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners who are on hunger strike as based on ludicrous" reasoning.In its strongest statement yet, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said that meeting with the hunger strikers risked creating perverse incentives" but this was roundly rejected by Michael Mansfield KC, known for his work on landmark cases such as the Grenfell Tower fire, Stephen Lawrence and the Birmingham Six. Continue reading...
The former entertainer, 50, faces one count of rape and one of sexual assault of two more alleged victimsRussell Brand has been charged with further sexual offences, including one count of rape, the Metropolitan police have said.The 50-year-old former entertainer has been charged with one count of rape and one of sexual assault of two further alleged victims. Continue reading...
Denise Coates's gambling empire reports turnover of 4bn in year to March 2025, up from 3.7bnDenise Coates, the billionaire boss of Bet365, a self-described ultimate gambler" and Britain's highest-paid woman, took home at least 280m in pay and dividends in 2025 despite a slump in pre-tax profits.Coates's Stoke-based gambling empire recorded turnover of 4bn in the year to March 2025, up from 3.7bn the year before. Pre-tax profits fell to 349m, from 627m in the previous year. Continue reading...
Border Force warns knock-off Labubu dolls and similar items can be dangerous, and sales fund criminal networksAt this time of year, with the big day looming and the north pole elves straining to meet their manufacturing quotas, it may be tempting for Santa to try outsourcing toy production to international organised crime gangs.But Father Christmas would do well to heed fresh warnings that counterfeit versions of one of this year's most popular toys can be dangerous to children. Continue reading...
Global sales fall by 3% in third consecutive year of decline as distilleries scale back production or expand storageThe Scottish whisky market has slipped into a supply glut as US tariffs and falling demand weigh on the country's distilleries.Global scotch sales fell 3% in the first half of 2025, marking the third consecutive year of decline after decades of growth, according to the alcohol data provider IWSR. Continue reading...
Big Cypress fox squirrels released as a pair to reduce stress and support natural behaviors during return to the wildTwo rare and elusive" juvenile squirrels have a new home for the holidays after they were injured falling from their nests and spent several weeks in a Florida wildlife rehab" facility.The pair of Big Cypress fox squirrels, a threatened species so uncommon that the Conservancy of Southwest Florida hasn't treated one in at least a decade, was released back into the wild at a carefully selected site rich in high-quality pine and cypress habitat" near the nest where one of them was originally found. Continue reading...
Review will request commonsense' system with most serious incidents recorded as antisocial behaviourThe category of non-crime hate incidents is no longer fit for purpose and could be scrapped under plans to be presented to the home secretary.A review by police leaders will call for non-crime hate incidents to be replaced with a new commonsense" system, the Telegraph reports. Under the new scheme, only the most serious incidents would be recorded as antisocial behaviour. Continue reading...
Son of jailed former Brazilian president says spokesperson for national symbol' sandals is openly leftwing'Leaderless since its figurehead was jailed for attempting a coup, Brazil's far right has found a new nemesis: the iconic flip-flop brand Havaianas, which has been cancelled" by Jair Bolsonaro's supporters over a television advert.The controversy stems from the actor Fernanda Torres - the star of I'm Still Here, the Brazilian film that won an Oscar for best international feature - saying in the ad that she hoped audiences would not start 2026 on the right foot", but with both feet". Continue reading...
by Chris Osuh Community affairs correspondent on (#72BTC)
Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein thought zero hour' had finally arrived until undercover operative thwarted themWhen Walid Saadaoui recruited Amar Hussein to join him in a pogrom on the streets of Greater Manchester, Hussein wept with joy.For years, the two men had been sleeper agents for the Islamic State terrorist group. Each had lived quietly in Britain for years, waiting for the right moment to stage an attack, and for the right person to give them the support to make it happen. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#72BTD)
Announcement after proposed sale falls through prompts backlash and union says more than 200 jobs at riskA Reform UK-led council plan to shut eight of its residential care homes has been condemned as a betrayal of local people".Days before Christmas, Derbyshire county council announced that the homes would have to close after a proposed sale fell through. Continue reading...
Five of the officers also facing charges of conspiracy to steal and misconduct in public officeSix immigration officers have been charged with offences after an investigation into alleged thefts from migrants and money laundering.Five of the officers are facing charges including conspiracy to steal and misconduct in public office, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Tuesday. All six have been charged with money laundering offences. Continue reading...
Administration has arrested 328,000 and deported 327,000 people. Plus, Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank celebrates Christmas againGood morning.The number of people in immigration detention in the US has hit an all-time high, according to data published by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).What are the demographics of people the administration is targeting for deportation? In one of the biggest changes in immigration enforcement policies, immigrants with no criminal record continue to make up the largest group in US immigration detention, despite the administration's rhetoric about focusing its anti-immigration efforts on the worst of the worst" criminals. (Being undocumented in the US is a civil not a criminal infraction.)How are ordinary people fighting back? As Trump carries out his mass deportation operation, Julia Carrie Wong reports on how residents are banding together to block raids and distribute groceries.What did Trump say about Clinton? I like Bill Clinton," Trump said after he featured prominently in Friday's cache of photos. I hate to see photos come out of him but this is what the Democrats - mostly Democrats and a couple of bad Republicans - are asking for, so they're giving their photos of me too."Meanwhile, what's happening on the Hill? The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, said yesterday he will introduce a resolution directing the Senate to take legal action against the justice department - over its incomplete release of files. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#72BRS)
Greater Manchester mayor acknowledges pain and suffering' after region's police chief declined to apologiseThe mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has apologised for past police failings towards LGBTQ+ people, acknowledging unacceptable discrimination and the pain and suffering it caused".Campaigners say the apology is in contrast to the stance of the chief constable of Greater Manchester police (GMP), Stephen Watson, who earlier this year declined to apologise on behalf of his force, saying that do so could be seen as superficial and merely performative". Continue reading...
The US press have suffered about as many assaults this year as in the previous three years combinedThe United States has seen a dramatic increase in violence against journalists since Donald Trump again took office.Most of the reporters and photographers who were allegedly attacked by law enforcement officials were covering protests over the Trump administration's efforts to deport undocumented immigrants, according to the Freedom of the Press Foundation, a non-profit that tracks such incidents. Continue reading...
Local government secretary writes to town halls warning them against part-time work for full-time pay'The secretary for local government has written to all councils to warn that adopting a four-day week for staff puts them at risk of being declared a failing authority, according to reports.Twenty-five councils have discussed a four-day week policy and one, South Cambridgeshire district council, has already moved to the pattern. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Senior political correspondent on (#72BNG)
Exclusive: Campaigners say slashing overseas aid would leave UK unable to meet existing commitmentsPlans by Reform UK to slash the aid budget by 90% would not cover existing contributions to global bodies such as the UN and World Bank, shredding Britain's international influence and risking its standing within those organisations, charities and other parties have warned.Under cuts announced by Nigel Farage in November, overseas aid would be capped at 1bn a year, or about 0.03% of GDP. Keir Starmer's government is already set to reduce aid from 0.5% of GDP to 0.3% by 2027, but even that lower proportion would still amount to 9bn a year. Continue reading...
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