Author: UK News

The magic of Christmas arrived at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Temple Street when Santa Claus came with a Garda escort to start the festivities. Six-year-old Albi Sullivan had been practicing at home to help Santa’s countdown and to turn on the lights outside the hospital. Albi, who hopes to receive a new kidney next year, seemed more excited about what Christmas Day has to offer, with a Hot Wheels garage and some “big boy stuff” on his list. “Santa will make it, with his elves,” he said. There will be help too from Jingle the Elf who is living…

Irish drug gangs were sending at least €2m per month over recent years into Russian money laundering networks targeted in a British-US operation. Security estimates suggest that in the region of €50m may have been laundered by Irish organised crime groups, including the Kinahan cartel, through the worldwide networks. It is believed that a major Irish drug trafficking outfit, based in north Dublin and Meath, was among the crime groups that used the Russian money laundering service. It is thought that Irish gangs using the networks were also involved in the British drugs trade. An Garda Síochána assisted the British…

The Princess of Wales will host her annual Christmas carol service as she continues her gradual return to public duties following her cancer treatment. Kate will preside over the Together at Christmas service at Westminster Abbey, which this year has the theme of love and empathy and will celebrate individuals who have supported others. She has written a letter for the 1,600 Abbey carol goers, including members of the royal family, telling them “Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times”. Her message, included with the order of service which features a cover image by…

South Korea’s ruling party chief says it is necessary to suspend the constitutional powers of president Yoon Suk Yeol.The comments by People Power Party leader Han Dong-hun on Friday suggest that his party would change its earlier opposition to the impeachment of president Yoon over his imposition of martial law this week.The main opposition Democratic Party and other small opposition parties submitted a joint motion to impeach Mr Yoon on Wednesday over his martial law declaration the previous night.Martial law lasted about six hours, as the National Assembly quickly voted to overrule the president, forcing his cabinet to lift it…

The PM is to deliver a speech on what he calls a “plan for change” for Britain. He will announce six “milestones” he hopes to reach, including building 1.5 million homes, fixing the NHS and delivering clean power by 2030.

He will also pledge higher living standards, safer streets and ensuring a record number of five-year-olds enter school “ready to learn”.

The French government collapsed after a no-confidence vote ousted the prime minister and rid the country of the austerity budget he tried to force through – the budget that led to his downfall. The country’s president is facing calls to resign.

Gregg Wallace is facing more allegations as is the BBC who are under pressure to explain why they did not act on allegations made against Wallace 10 years ago.

Rain clearing from southeast England and gales easing across northern Scotland, to leave plenty of dry and bright, though breezy weather for a time. Turning wet and windy from the west and northwest from late morning into the afternoon. Mild. Tonight: Rain clearing away to the east and southeast this evening, leaving clear periods for many overnight. Some showers in the north and northwest. Gales affecting central parts. A patchy frost.

Western Mail front page 05/12/2024The front page of the Western Mail leads with the Welsh women’s football team securing a place at next year’s Euros. Wales’ wait for an appearance at a major women’s international tournament is over.Rhian Wilkinson’s side booked their place at Euro 2025 courtesy of a dramatic 2-1 win over the Republic of Ireland in the second leg of their play-off final in Dublin, having previously been held to a 1-1 draw in the reverse.University tuition fees in Wales are going up in line with England. It’s the second time this year that a rise in fees to…

The National front page 05/12/2024 The front page of The National this morning leads with the Scottish budget along with the headline: ‘MAJORITY WILL BE BETTER OFF IN SCOTLAND’THE Finance Secretary has said her Budget for the coming year “offers hope for Scotland’s future”, with 60% of Scots estimated by the Government to be better off because they live in Scotland. Speaking as she unveiled her tax and spending plans for 2025/26 to MSPs on Wednesday, Shona Robison said the Budget shows the Scottish Government understands the pressures people are facing.

Political turmoil dominates the UK front pages, with speculation that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is aiming to “reset” his government following a challenging start in No. 10.

In France, Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government collapsed on Wednesday after a no-confidence vote, leading to his ousting just months into office. President Macron now faces growing calls to resign.
Tabloids continue to spotlight allegations against MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace, with right-leaning outlets pressing the BBC for cultural reform after failing to address the issue sooner.

Criminal activities also make headlines, including the arrest of dozens linked to a global “crypto cartel” laundering funds through unregulated digital currencies.

In New York, police have launched a manhunt after American CEO Brian Thompson was shot dead in what is believed to be a targeted attack.

The Independent Front Page 5/12/2024 The front page of The Independent this morning leads with Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plans for a government reset. The front page has a large image of the political turmoil in France. The paper says the far right has brought down the Barnier government after backing a left motion of no confidence.  Sir Keir Starmer has refreshed a pre-election pledge to restore policing to Britain’s streets as he tries to relaunch his government just five months after winning the election. The French government is on the verge of collapse, with prime minister Michel Barnier set to…

The Irish News Front Page 5/12/2024 The front page of The Irish News reports a youth group has apologised after pictures were shared on social media of young people posing with imitation firearms beside UVF banner. A community group in Derry has apologised after sharing images on social media of its youth club members posing with imitation firearms alongside a UVF banner. DUP minister Paul Givan has said he hopes the era of the “politicisation” of the Irish language is over, during a visit to west Belfast’s Gaeltacht Quarter.

The Metro Front Page 5/12/2024The front page of Metro this morning leads on news that UK street gangs used multi-billion dollar Russian crime ring to launder money.An international sting has brought down a multibillion-dollar Russian money laundering network used by UK drug dealers to hide criminal cash. Russian-speaking hackers who had millions in cryptocurrency used the network to turn it into cash and assets – as well as street gangs in Britain.An Irish cartel are also accused of using the system as well, along with the Russian state, who are believed to have used it to fund spies in other…

The Guardian Front Page 5/12/2024The front page of The Guardian this morning 05/12/2024 leads with the prime minister’s pledge to crackdown on crime. The collapse of the French government, the turmoil in South Korea and a recent report that has found Israel guilty of genocide in Gaza also makes the front page. Keir Starmer will attempt to reset his premiership with a series of pledges to show he is “delivering change”, including 13,000 extra neighbourhood police and a named “bobby on every beat”.The French prime minister, Michel Barnier, is expected to resign on Thursday, a day after his government became the first…

Pill Carnival Committee organising Christmas event For the first time this year, the Pill Carnival Committee is organising a Christmas event. The event will feature a street parade, food stalls and presents gifted to children from Santa who will make an appearance. There will be a parade from Commercial Road to Mendalgief Road in Pill on Sunday December, 8. At the Pill Harrier’s Sports Club’s field there will be food stalls selling festive food and drink from local suppliers as well as arts and crafts. This is will be from 2pm to 7pm on Sunday. There will also be fairground rides…

Elderly patient dies after 52-hour A&E wait without medication Report highlights ‘shocking’ example of man left unable to swallow after waiting over two days mostly on a bed in a corridor without regular medication An elderly man was left unable to swallow after waiting over two days in A&E without being given regular medication, and died four weeks later.In a “shocking” case that has raised fresh concerns over the state of urgent NHS care, the 85-year-old was sent to a hospital emergency department after a routine appointment. Amid massive delays, his A&E wait went into a third day, with most…

Boris Johnson cuts short Australian book tour to return to UK citing ‘unforeseen circumstances’ Former UK prime minister Boris Johnson has cancelled a Melbourne event on his Australian book tour due to unforeseen circumstances, his publicist said. The cancellation means he will return to the UK earlier than scheduled. The Melbourne event, part of the promotion for his memoir Unleashed, was set to follow a Sydney programme on Friday. “Due to unforeseen circumstances, Mr Johnson has to travel back to the UK a day earlier than planned, therefore, regrettably, the Melbourne event has had to be cancelled,” Australian publicist Max…

John Torode breaks silence on Gregg Wallace hours after BBC axes Masterchef Christmas special MasterChef co-host John Torode has said allegations surrounding Gregg Wallace are ‘truly upsetting’ as he addressed the reports of on-set misconduct for the first time. The Australian TV host, who has presented the show alongside Wallace since 2005, said he “loves being part of” the programme and “will continue to be a part of it” after his long-time co-host stepped back amid an investigation into his behaviour. Torode, who was best man at Wallace’s wedding in 2016, said in a statement on Instagram he found the…

FOR many decades, South Korea has had a stable democracy and its society has thrived. It is ranked as the 14th largest economy in the world, based on nominal GDP, with a figure of 1.7 trillion US dollars All of that positivism was turned on its head this week when President Yoon Suk Yeol declared an “emergency martial law” – effectively suspending all kinds of political activity and banning any forms of strikes or protests. His sudden directive also ordered the nation’s media to adhere to military control. Mr Yoon’s justification for such draconian measures – not seen since military…

French authorities rescue 85 migrants trying to cross Channel Authorities say ‘numerous’ boats set out to sea and that one called for help after hitting a sandbank off the Pas-de-Calais regionThe French navy rescued 85 migrants trying to cross the Channel from France to England on Wednesday, maritime authorities said, the latest in a deadly series of dangerous crossings.One of “numerous” migrant boats that set out to sea called for help after hitting a sandbank off the Pas-de-Calais region, France’s Channel and North Sea maritime prefecture said in a statement. Continue reading… French authorities rescue 85 migrants trying to cross…

What is it? (Vauxhall) The Frontera nameplate hasn’t been used on a Vauxhall since the original car went out of production way back in 2004. Since then, the company has focused on its practical family MPVs and SUVs. Now that the demand for SUVs has risen even more, and the electric revolution is starting to take shape, Vauxhall has decided to bring back one of its household names and put it on its latest offering to rival the Peugeot 2008, Nissan Qashqai and new Citroen C3 Aircross – of which it shares its platform with. With prices starting at £23,495,…

A mum who was livestreaming a charity walk to raise money for Women’s Aid captured the moment a thief grabbed her phone. Cassandra Baker, 46, was livestreaming on Facebook while walking with her children in the dark on Monday. Cheerfully asking her followers about their plans for the evening, she said: ‘Has everyone had their dinner? What have they eaten for dinner?’ She then mentioned she was going to make salmon in the hole with mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, broccoli with salmon. In the middle of her sentence, her phone is suddenly snatched by a man on a bicycle,…

Former Scotland rugby captain Stuart Hogg is due to be sentenced after he admitted abusing his estranged wife over the course of five years. He previously pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic abuse of his ex-partner, Gillian Hogg, when he appeared at Selkirk Sheriff Court on November 4. He admitted shouting and swearing, tracking her movements and sending her messages which were alarming and distressing in nature. The court previously heard he berated Mrs Hogg for “not being fun” after going on drinking binges with his colleagues, and once sent more than 200 text messages to her in…

Bitcoin has topped 100,000 dollars (£78,701) for the first time as a massive rally rolls on, only hours after US President-elect Donald Trump picked crypto advocate Paul Atkins to lead the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Mr Trump said Mr Atkins, the chief executive of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations”. In the years since leaving the SEC, Mr Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social: “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the…

The trial is set to start of a 20-year-old man accused of the murder of a 34-year-old physical trainer and the attempted murder of a second woman on Bournemouth seafront. Nasen Saadi, from Croydon, south London, is charged with the murder of Amie Gray at Durley Chine Beach, West Undercliff Promenade, on May 24, and the attempted murder of Leanne Miles at the same location. Nasen Saadi appearing via videolink at Winchester Crown Court, Hampshire, charged with the murder of Amie Gray and the attempted murder of Leanne Miles (Elizabeth Cook/PA) Dorset Police received a report at 11.42pm on May…

South Korea’s president accepted the resignation of his defence minister on Thursday as opposition parties moved to impeach both men over the stunning yet short-lived imposition of martial law that brought armed troops into Seoul streets. The main opposition Democratic Party and other small opposition parties submitted a joint motion to impeach president Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday over his martial law declaration the previous night. Martial law lasted about six hours, as the National Assembly quickly voted to overrule the president, forcing his cabinet to lift it before daybreak on Wednesday. On Thursday, Mr Yoon replaced defence minister Kim…