Political news

• ‘EastEnders’ Christmas Day Episode: Abi And Lauren Branning Dead? Tanya Branning Return Features In Jam-Packed Festive Episode

  25-12-2017 23:01
  It’s fair to say the past 12 months haven’t been entirely smooth running for the cast and crew at ‘EastEnders’, but Christmas Day’s episode proved the soap is returning to fine form. Before ending on a cliffhanger - is Abi dead? Is Lauren dead? Did the accident kill then both? - the festive episode offered up plenty of drama as Max Branning’s world (finally) imploded.Penned by Simon Ashdown, the writer who created the Brannings, the hour-long special also saw
  
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• 'Great British Bake Off' Christmas Special 2017 - HuffPost Verdict

  25-12-2017 22:01
  K E Y   P O I N T SSelasi Gbormittah (series seven), Val Stones (series seven), Paul Jagger (series six) and Beca Lyne-Pirkis (series four) all returned to the tentThey were set a signature challenge of baking a Christmas yule log, a technical challenge of baking 12 identical lattice mince pies and for the showstopper, a snow globe cakePaul emerged the winner after topping the technical challenge and making adorable penguins for his snow globe cakesPaul Hollywood told him he had &
  
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• 'Strictly Come Dancing' Christmas Special 2017 Crowns Katie Derham Champion

  25-12-2017 20:39
  Katie Derham has been crowned the surprise winner of the ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ Christmas special 2017. The former newsreader and BBC Radio 3 presenter lifted the Christmas Trophy after returning to the ballroom two years after she reached the final. Partnered with Brendan Cole, the pair impressed the judges with their routine to Viennese Waltz to ‘White Christmas’ by Otis Redding, scoring 37 points out of a possible 40. They fought off competiti
  
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• Nicola Jennings on Christmas for the Conservatives – cartoon

  25-12-2017 20:20 via theguardian.com
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• 'Doctor Who' Christmas Special - HuffPost Verdict

  25-12-2017 19:28
  K E Y   P O I N T SThe 12th Doctor’s final episode began in the South Pole, where he met his former self, the First Doctor, who was also reluctant to regenerate A glitch in time left a Captain from WWI marooned with themThe episode ended with his return to the battlefield for the Christmas truce of 1914Bill Potts returned and was revealed to be working for Testimony, a kind-hearted project that uses memories and time travel to “help the dead speak again” A v
  
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• 'The Miniaturist': Everything You Need To Know About The BBC's Christmas Period Drama In The Words Of The Cast Themselves

  25-12-2017 18:50
  Christmas is not complete without a BBC period drama to settle down in front of, and this year we’re being treated to something extra special in the form of ‘The Miniaturist’. The two-part drama is adapted from the Jessie Burton novel of the same name and will take pride of place in BBC One’s Boxing Day schedule, airing in the prestigious 9pm slot. Set in 1686, it tells the story of 18 year-old Nella Oortman as she begins a new life as the wife of the wealthy me
  
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• ‘Little Women’: Everything You Need To Know About The BBC’s Adaptation Of The Classic Novel

  25-12-2017 18:50
  Oh we do love a period drama to lose ourselves in at Christmas time, and this year the BBC are treating us all to an absolute classic.Here’s everything you need to know about ‘Little Women’.When is it on?The series opener in on BBC One on Boxing Day at 8pm and continues on 27 December at 8pm and 28 December at the slightly later time of 8.30pm.What is it about?The three-part period drama is based on Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 classic novel that follows the lives of the Marc
  
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• Sound Of Music Actress Heather Menzies-Urich, Who Played Louisa Von Trapp, Dies Aged 68

  25-12-2017 18:21
  Actress Heather Menzies-Urich, best known for portraying Louisa von Trapp in the 1965 film The Sound of Music, has died at the age of 68. Menzies-Urich, the widow of actor Robert Urich, had been recently diagnosed with cancer, according to her son Ryan Urich.Urich said his mother died on Christmas Eve, surrounded by her children and family members.“She was an actress, a ballerina and loved living her life to the fullest,” Urich said. “She was not in any pain but, near
  
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• Scotland united in curiosity as councils trial universal basic income

  25-12-2017 18:00 via theguardian.com
  Four local authorities tasked with turning utopian fantasy into reality with backing of first minister and multi-party supportUniversal basic income is, according to its many and various supporters, an idea whose time has come. The deceptively simple notion of offering every citizen a regular payment without means testing or requiring them to work for it has backers as disparate as Mark Zuckerberg, Stephen Hawking, Caroline Lucas and Richard Branson. Ed Miliband chose the concept to launch his i
  
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• Archbishop Welby condemns populist leaders in Christmas sermon

  25-12-2017 17:06 via bbc.co.uk
  The Church of England's most senior cleric focuses on terrorist atrocities and deceitfulness of "populist leaders" in 2017.
  
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• Thieves Steal £2,000 Of Wrapped Gifts In Christmas Eve Burglary

  25-12-2017 16:16
  Police are appealing for witnesses following a burglary in which thieves took stole wrapped Christmas presents from a family home during a burglary.The offenders gained access to a house in Walton Street, Oxford, between 1.30 – 7am on Christmas Eve.The stash of Christmas presents – worth £2,000 and consisting of children’s toys, games, food, clothes, bathroom products and other gifts - was discovered in an unoccupied bedroom.There is no description of the offenders availa
  
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• Queen's message pays tribute to London and Manchester

  25-12-2017 16:10 via bbc.co.uk
  In her Christmas broadcast, she hails emergency service workers and those caught up in 2017 tragedies.
  
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• Queen pays tribute to Grenfell Tower survivors in Christmas speech

  25-12-2017 16:10 via theguardian.com
  Monarch also remembers terror victims and praises Prince Philip on 60th anniversary of first Christmas TV broadcastThe Queen chose the theme of “home” for a highly personal Christmas broadcast in which she paid tribute to victims and young survivors of the Manchester Arena bombing and those of the Grenfell Tower fire.She highlighted how the “powerful identities” of London and Manchester “shone through over the past 12 months in the face of appalling attacks”.
  
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• Pope Francis Calls For Two-State Solution For Palestine And Israel In Christmas Message

  25-12-2017 15:19
  Pope Francis used his Christmas message on Monday to call for a negotiated two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, after US President Donald Trump stoked regional tensions with his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.Francis spoke of the Middle East conflict and other world flashpoints in his “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) address, four days after more than 120 countries backed a UN resolution urging the United States to reverse its deci
  
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• Brendan Cox’s Christmas Message Sparks ‘Outpouring Of Kindness’

  25-12-2017 14:20
  The widower of murdered MP Jo Cox has told of his surprise at an “outpouring of kindness” on social media after he posted a heartfelt Christmas message.Brendan Cox is facing his second Christmas without Jo, mother to their two children Cuillin and Lejla.Extremist Thomas Mair was jailed for life for killing the Labour MP in the days before the Brexit referendum last June.Weird thing to do on Christmas Eve but I’d encourage everyone to take a moment to imagine losing the person y
  
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• Political review of 2017: May, Corbyn, Brexit and election

  25-12-2017 13:52 via bbc.co.uk
  The story of politics in 2017, including a snap general election that was full of surprises.
  
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• Meghan Markle Joins Royal Family For Christmas Day Service At Sandringham

  25-12-2017 13:52
  Meghan Markle joined the royal family for their traditional Christmas Day service at the Queen’s Sandringham estate.Wearing a light brown coat and brown hat, boots and bag, the 36-year-old walked arm-in-arm with fiance Prince Harry, 33, as they made the short journey from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church.The couple were joined by Harry’s brother William and the Duchess of Cambridge.Prince Philip, Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall also attended, along with other members
  
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• Urbi et Orbi: Pope calls for peace for Jerusalem

  25-12-2017 13:37 via bbc.co.uk
  The pontiff spoke of growing tensions, after President Trump recognised the city as Israel's capital.
  
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• Christmas Weather: Met Office Forecasters Say Chance Of Snow Is Faint

  25-12-2017 13:10
  Britain woke to a mild Christmas morning on Monday – leaving those hoping for snowy scenes sorely disappointed.Most of the UK will see temperatures reach double figures on Christmas Day, with the mercury peaking at 13C in some places. Forecasters say the chances of snow flurries are slim, except in the Scottish hills and parts of southern Aberdeenshire later in the day.Merry Christmas! Rain, heavy at times over N Ireland, N England & S Scotland, will turn to snow over Scottish hil
  
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• The Guardian view on the power of heresy | Editorial

  25-12-2017 12:57 via theguardian.com
  An idea whose time has come: Over the holiday season the Guardian is examining themes that have emerged to give shape to 2018. Today we look at the humanity of departing from dogmaIn the 500 years since Martin Luther started the Reformation, not much that he believed has survived. The thought world in which he moved has vanished utterly and his perspective is very difficult for us to recapture. But one thing has lasted – he made “heretic” into a term of moral approval.&nbs
  
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• London’s Euston Station Hosts Christmas Dinner For The Homeless

  25-12-2017 11:45
  London’s Euston station has been transformed into a festive dining hall as it awaits 200 homeless guests for Christmas dinner.Network Rail, which runs the rail network and operates the station, joined forces with charities Streets Kitchen and St Mungo’s to host the dinner, to fill the main concourse with decorations and lay the tables for dinner.Around 45 volunteers from Network Rail are giving up their Christmas Day to work alongside volunteers from St Mungo’s, which provides
  
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• Queen’s Christmas Speech Hails ‘Powerful Identities’ Of Manchester And London After Terror Attacks

  25-12-2017 10:52
  The Queen will use her Christmas message to praise the “powerful identities” of London and Manchester that have “shone through” in the face of terrorist attacks this year.During her televised address to the nation, the Queen will also pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh, who has retired from solo public duties, praising his “support and unique sense of humour”.The Queen’s message to the nation and the Commonwealth will look back over the previous 12 mon
  
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• In 2018 I Hope The Masks Drop And People See The Real Agenda Behind Brexit

  25-12-2017 09:47
  As a transparency and ethics campaigner in the world of investments, charities and now politics, 2017 has been a year that has rocked my belief in the Britain I thought I lived in.What I realised is that far from a free and fair society, our country and democracy is being hijacked, infiltrated by hostile foreign powers who are seeking to destabilise western societies. Then there are those with an illiberal democracy agenda denigrating various ‘others’ so through division they become
  
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• Doctors At Syrian Refugee Camp Treating Premature Babies Make Urgent Appeal For Incubator

  25-12-2017 08:31
  Medics at a Syrian refugee camp urgently need an incubator to ensure the survival of premature babies in their care. The makeshift hospital at Jordan’s Azraq - a camp home to 53,000 who fled war-torn Syria - is predicting a 70% increase in the birth-rate in 2018 and doctors at its neonatal unit don’t have the facilities to cope.An intensive care unit (ICU) kitted out with a respiratory incubator is vital, they say, and would mean doctors are not forced separate premature babies
  
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• Christmas Quiz For Boxing Day Fun: Why Is It Called Boxing Day And Other Things You Thought You Knew

  25-12-2017 08:01
  Whether it’s spending the day watching four James Bond films back-to-back or hitting the sales hard, there are many Boxing Day traditions we take part in here in the UK.But there’s a whole history behind the day, which is traditionally associated with giving money to those in need, as well as for sporting events.How much do you actually know about Boxing Day? Do you even know why it’s called that? Test your knowledge with our tricky quiz...
  
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