News

Sadiq Khan urges PM work with him to end rough sleeping London mayor speaks at Christmas Eve event for 100 homeless people at City HallOne hundred homeless people spent Christmas Eve afternoon at City Hall in London, where the mayor, Sadiq Khan, said society was letting down those without homes. Related: Britain's homelessness crisis: 'It didn't need to be this way' Continue reading... Go to Source

Three members of British family die at Spanish resort Father, son and daughter were found in pool at Costa del Sol holiday complexThree members of the same family have died at a holiday resort on the Costa del Sol on Christmas Eve.The incident occurred after a nine-year-old girl got into difficulties in a swimming pool and her brother, 16, and father, 52, attempted to rescue her, it has been reported. It is understood the father and daughter were British citizens, while the son was American. None has yet been named. Continue reading... Go to Source

Pope: God loves even those who make 'a complete mess of things' Pontiff holds midnight Mass after pilgrims gather in Bethlehem, while Justin Welby will reflect on London Bridge attackPope Francis has delivered midnight Mass by saying the celebration of Jesus’s birth reminded humanity how “God continues to love us all, even the worst of us”.The pontiff told crowds gathered at the Vatican on Christmas Eve: “You may have mistaken ideas, you may have made a complete mess of things, but the Lord continues to love you.” Continue reading... Go to Source

UK weather: Christmas Day bright though not white, says Met Office Early frost and fog to give way to sunshine in most places, say forecasters, with rain and wind to follow on Boxing DayThose dreaming of a white Christmas will have to wait until at least next year, with the Met Office predicting plenty of frost and sunshine but no snow for Christmas Day.Much of the UK will wake up to frosty and foggy conditions on Christmas morning, before the wintry weather lifts to make way for sunshine later in the day. Continue reading... Go to Source

Thousands flee north-west Syria amid fierce assault by Assad Up to 30,000 leave area of Idlib province as government forces push to reopen road from Damascus to AleppoA mass exodus of civilians from the last rebel-held stronghold in Syria has begun as thousands of people flee towards the Turkish border in the face of a fierce new military assault by Bashar al-Assad and his Russian allies.As many as 30,000 people have left the area around the town of Maarat al-Numan after four days of airstrikes and heavy shelling paved the way for Syrian government troops to push deeper into north-western Idlib province. Continue reading... Go to Source

Brexit discourse contributed to death of Jo Cox, says bishop Bishop of Dover, Rose Hudson-Wilkin, says damaging rhetoric has harmed society as a wholeThe Church of England’s first black female bishop has said the debate around Brexit damaged society and contributed to the death of the MP Jo Cox.Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the former chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons, said the arguments around Brexit had had a harmful effect both on parliamentarians and on society as a whole. Continue reading... Go to Source

Labour election inquiry must listen to lost voters, says Nandy Khan defends Miliband involvement after Wigan MP warns against talking ‘amongst ourselves’ in WestminsterAn inquiry being co-led by Ed Miliband of Labour’s election campaign is in danger of drawing the wrong conclusions by failing to listen to the people who refused to vote for the party, the potential leadership candidate Lisa Nandy has said.Nandy said the review set up by a group called Labour Together was adopting a misguided approach by being based too much in Westminster. Continue reading... Go to Source

Christmas travel chaos as Northern railways cancels trains High levels of sickness blamed for disruption affecting Lancashire, Liverpool and ManchesterRail passengers have faced chaos on Christmas Eve due to the Northern’s cancellations and delays, which the franchise blamed on “unprecedented” sickness levels and drivers on leave.The affected services include Lancashire, Liverpool and Manchester, with passengers advised to check online before travelling. Continue reading... Go to Source

Meghan and Harry send Christmas greetings by email Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s e-card to friends and colleagues stars baby ArchieThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex have opted to break with tradition and chosen a more eco-friendly way of sending festive wishes, releasing an e-card with their son Archie at centre stage.The card reads: “Merry Christmas and a happy new year”, and at the bottom ends: “From our family to yours”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Hong Kong police fire teargas to disperse Christmas Eve protests Hundreds of officers guard main roads as thousands of shoppers and tourists look onHong Kong riot police fired rounds of teargas at thousands of anti-government protesters, many wearing masks and reindeer horns, after scuffles in shopping centres and a tourist district on Christmas Eve.Demonstrators inside the malls threw umbrellas and other objects at police who responded by beating some with batons; one pointed his gun at the crowd, but did not fire. Continue reading... Go to Source

London expected to co-host next stage of post-Brexit negotiations Location for talks to be split with Brussels in symbolic shift marking UK’s non-EU statusLondon is expected to co-host the next stage of post-Brexit negotiations with Brussels in a symbolic shift marking the UK’s position outside the EU after 31 January.The most likely location for the talks involving teams led by Michel Barnier for the EU and a yet-to-be-identified minister for the British government is the Cabinet Office in Whitehall. Continue reading... Go to Source

Thousands of children in care over 100 miles away from family Report finds 13% increase in number of placements in England out of local areaThousands of children in care are living more than 100 miles from their family and friends in places they have never heard of and would not be able to find on a map, according to a report by the Children’s Commissioner for England.More than 30,000 children who are looked after by their local authority are placed away from home and “out of area”, a 13% increase over five years. More than 11,000 of those live more than 20 miles from their home area and 2,000 are placed more than 100 miles away. Continue reading... Go to Source

Boris Johnson's jaunty Christmas message contrasts with rueful Corbyn Contrast in tone as jaunty PM and rueful Labour leader pay tribute to NHS and other staff Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn have paid tribute to NHS staff and other public servants working through the holidays in their annual Christmas messages.While the two leaders both praised the efforts of those putting their celebrations on hold to look after others, the tone of their messages could hardly have been more different. Continue reading... Go to Source

Outcry as residents want to turn London youth club into coffee shop Bollo Brook youth centre credited with saving children from knife crime is at centre of gentrification rowA London youth club credited with saving children from rising knife violence is facing calls for its closure from new residents who think it would be better used as a coffee shop.The Bollo Brook youth centre in South Acton, which serves some of the poorest and most vulnerable children in London, is embroiled in a gentrification row with residents demanding the council close it down and remove it from the area, claiming it has been “dumped” on them causing “nothing but problems”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Prince Philip leaves hospital in London Duke of Edinburgh expected to join Queen in Sandringham for ChristmasThe Duke of Edinburgh has left hospital, where he was receiving treatment for a pre-existing condition. Related: Queen's Christmas message: '2019 has been quite bumpy' Continue reading... Go to Source