Belfast news

• Strictly Come Dancing’s Bill Bailey dubbed the ‘surprise of the series’

  19-12-2020 23:48 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Bill Bailey was dubbed the “surprise of the series” as he won the Strictly Come Dancing final.
  
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• Lionel Messi equals Pele’s single-club scoring record as Barcelona held

  19-12-2020 23:48 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Lionel Messi equalled the single-club scoring record of Brazil great Pele with his 643rd goal for Barcelona in the 2-2 LaLiga draw against Valencia.
  
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• West Ham boss David Moyes relaxed about contract situation

  19-12-2020 23:30 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  David Moyes plans to discuss an extension to his contract at West Ham in the coming weeks but indicated he is in no rush to settle the issue as he focuses on continuing his side’s strong start to the season.
  
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• Sam Allardyce says it would ‘kill him’ to suffer first Premier League relegation

  19-12-2020 23:30 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Sam Allardyce admits losing his proud record of never being relegated from the Premier League would “kill” him.
  
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• Marcus Rashford grateful to Man Utd’s academy coaches for their early support

  19-12-2020 23:30 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Marcus Rashford has paid tribute to Manchester United’s academy coaches, revealing without their support it would have been “impossible” for him make it through to the first team.
  
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• Chris Wilder hit for six by good luck message from Sir Geoffrey Boycott

  19-12-2020 23:30 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has revealed he recently received a good luck message from former England cricket captain and fellow Yorkshireman Sir Geoffrey Boycott.
  
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• Bill Bailey emotional as he is crowned Strictly Come Dancing winner

  19-12-2020 23:09 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Bill Bailey described his win as “surreal” after becoming the oldest Strictly Come Dancing celebrity to lift the glitterball trophy.
  
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• Watford seek a 10th manager in five years after sacking Vladimir Ivic

  19-12-2020 23:05 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Watford have sacked manager Vladimir Ivic after just four months at the helm.
  
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• Callum Wilson penalty rescues point for Newcastle against 10-man Fulham

  19-12-2020 23:04 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Callum Wilson’s eighth goal of the season handed Newcastle a draw they scarcely deserved as 10-man Fulham saw two points slip from their grasp.
  
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• Dean Smith warns Villa to be wary of a West Brom bounce under Sam Allardyce

  19-12-2020 23:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Boss Dean Smith has warned Aston Villa to expect a reaction from Sam Allardyce’s West Brom.
  
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• Worshippers should feel ‘no compulsion’ to attend church over Christmas

  19-12-2020 22:36 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Clergy and people who are shielding should feel “no compulsion” to attend church over the Christmas period, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said.
  
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• Ongoing concern over recent Covid-19 figures, Holohan warns

  19-12-2020 22:34 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  There is strong reason for “persistent, ongoing concern” over Ireland’s recent Covid-19 figures, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has warned.
  
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• Five police officers injured as 29 arrested at anti-lockdown protest

  19-12-2020 22:31 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Five police officers have been injured and 29 people arrested following anti-lockdown protests in central London.
  
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• Five police officers injured and 29 arrested at anti-lockdown protest

  19-12-2020 22:31 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Five police officers have been injured and 29 people arrested following anti-lockdown protests in central London.
  
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• Crowds flee the capital after tough Tier 4 restrictions announced in London

  19-12-2020 22:19 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Passengers faced packed train carriages out of London as many attempted to flee the capital following the announcement of tougher coronavirus restrictions.
  
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• What are the new Christmas rules in Scotland?

  19-12-2020 22:12 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced a significant scaling-back of the Christmas “bubble plans”, and said the highest level of restrictions will be imposed on mainland Scotland from Boxing Day.
  
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• Strictly Come Dancing crowns glitterball trophy winner

  19-12-2020 21:48 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Bill Bailey has won this year’s Strictly Come Dancing – becoming the oldest contestant to lift the glitterball trophy.
  
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• The twists and U-turns of the Government’s Covid policy

  19-12-2020 21:47 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The last-minute cancellation of plans to allow millions of people to mix over Christmas is the latest in a series of coronavirus policy U-turns to hit England this year.
  
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• Mikel Arteta accepts Arsenal’s current poor run is ‘not good enough’

  19-12-2020 21:32 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits their current run of results are unacceptable and do not meet the high standards the club has set but maintains they have been unlucky during a seven-match winless run.
  
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• Camilla praises Strictly Come Dancing for ‘uplifting the nation’

  19-12-2020 21:21 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The Duchess of Cornwall praised Strictly Come Dancing for having “uplifted the nation” when she appeared on the show’s final.
  
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• Enforcement of Scotland’s travel ban will be last resort, police say

  19-12-2020 21:16 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Scotland’s travel ban will not be enforced by road blocks or routine stops, Police Scotland has said.
  
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• Coronavirus NI: Latest figures breakdown as 640 new cases recorded - Belfast Live

  19-12-2020 21:07
  
  Coronavirus NI: Latest figures breakdown as 640 new cases recorded  Belfast Live
  
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• Scotland’s post-Christmas lockdown may cost shops £135m per week, SRC says

  19-12-2020 20:50 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The Scotland-wide lockdown from Boxing Day will see shops miss out on an estimated £135 million for each week they are closed, the Scottish Retail Consortium has said.
  
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• More woe for Mikel Arteta as Arsenal’s winless run stretches to seven matches

  19-12-2020 20:41 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  There will be no merry Christmas for struggling Arsenal as a 2-1 defeat at Goodison Park made it seven league matches without victory to increase manager Mikel Arteta’s woes.
  
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• Canelo vs Smith live stream details and UK ring walk time - Belfast Live

  19-12-2020 20:38
  
  Canelo vs Smith live stream details and UK ring walk time  Belfast Live
  
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• Sturgeon urged to close schools early after warning of new coronavirus strain

  19-12-2020 20:33 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Scotland’s opposition leaders have backed plans to impose tighter restrictions over Christmas, but called on Nicola Sturgeon to close schools immediately and publish the evidence for the decision.
  
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• ‘Not good enough’ – Ronald Koeman frustrated as Barcelona drop points again

  19-12-2020 20:27 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Ronald Koeman has admitted Barcelona’s 2-2 La Liga draw with Valencia was “not good enough”.
  
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• What are the new Christmas rules?

  19-12-2020 20:25 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Boris Johnson has cancelled Christmas for millions of people across London and south-east England, who will go up to a new Tier 4 of restrictions.
  
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• New coronavirus strain behind surge of cases in Wales, Drakeford says

  19-12-2020 20:21 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The newest strain of coronavirus can partly account for the rapid surge in cases across Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford has said, after announcing the country will immediately enter lockdown ahead of Christmas.
  
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• No plan to change Christmas Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland

  19-12-2020 20:08 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  There is no immediate plan to change the Christmas Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland, despite rules being tightened in other parts of the UK, the PA news agency understands.
  
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• Nicola Sturgeon announces Boxing Day lockdown and festive travel ban

  19-12-2020 20:08 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Indoor mixing will only be allowed on Christmas Day – and most of Scotland will be put into the highest level of lockdown from Boxing Day, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
  
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• Steven Gerrard hails Rangers 'bottle' after late comeback win over Motherwell

  19-12-2020 19:44 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Steven Gerrard hailed his under-pressure Rangers after insisting they passed the biggest test of their character this term "with flying colours" after coming from behind to beat Motherwell at Ibrox.
  
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• 'It's about time': Linfield boss David Healy delighted defenders finally chipping in after Jimmy Callacher's double

  19-12-2020 19:34 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Linfield manager David Healy says it's 'about time' his defenders chipped in to the goal-scoring effort.
  
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• Johnson cancels Christmas for 18 million people in London and the South East

  19-12-2020 19:31 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Boris Johnson has cancelled Christmas for almost 18 million people across London and eastern and south-east England, after scientists warned of the rapid spread of the new variant coronavirus.
  
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• Trump downplays Russia in first comments on cyberattack

  19-12-2020 19:28 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  US President Donald Trump has contradicted his secretary of state and on Saturday suggested without evidence that China, not Russia, may be behind the cyberattack against the United States, and tried to minimise its impact.
  
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• Smiling face of beast Tommy Atcheson, known as 'Rapey'

  19-12-2020 19:25 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Smiling for the camera, sex predator Tommy Atcheson looks like any other welcoming grandfather.
  
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• Gloucester v Ulster ratings: Back row stand strong as European dream comes to an early end at Kingsholm

  19-12-2020 19:20 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Ulster's Heineken Champions Cup hopes look to be dead and buried after a second straight defeat in Europe, this time at the hands of Gloucester.
  
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• Scotland to go into lockdown from Boxing Day, with Christmas easing scrapped

  19-12-2020 19:18 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Scotland will go back into lockdown from Boxing Day – and planned easing of restrictions at Christmas have been scrapped, Nicola Sturgeon has said
  
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• Manchester City’s win at Southampton is ‘incredibly important’ – Pep Guardiola

  19-12-2020 19:15 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Pep Guardiola hailed Manchester City’s narrow 1-0 win at Southampton as an “incredibly important victory” as they returned to winning ways at St Mary’s.
  
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• 'Am I the right person for this club?': Gary Hamilton again threatens to leave Glenavon and Irish League football over referee decisions

  19-12-2020 19:15 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Glenavon boss Gary Hamilton has once again threatened to walk away from Irish League football over refereeing decisions.
  
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• Kent moves from Tier 1 to Tier 4 in just one month amid mutant strain fears

  19-12-2020 19:13 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Surging coronavirus infections and fears over a mutant strain have seen Kent plunged from Tier 1 to Tier 4 in less than a month.
  
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• 350,000 people in UK have received first Covid-19 vaccine dose – PM

  19-12-2020 19:07 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The Prime Minister said 350,000 people in the UK have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, as his chief medical officer suggested the jab gives room for optimism amid a “terrible” moment in the pandemic.
  
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• Retailers ‘staring into the abyss’ following new Tier 4 restrictions

  19-12-2020 18:51 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Retailers in England are now “staring into the abyss” after Boris Johnson announced tougher Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions across parts of the country the week before Christmas, industry leaders have said.
  
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• New variant is ‘beating all others’ on transmission – Vallance

  19-12-2020 18:49 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The new variant of coronavirus sweeping London and the South East is “beating all the others in terms of transmission,” the Government’s chief scientific adviser has said.
  
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• Lockdown in Wales brought forward to apply from midnight on Saturday

  19-12-2020 18:38 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Lockdown restrictions will come into effect in Wales from midnight on Saturday, while festive bubbles will only apply on Christmas Day.
  
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• Lionel Messi matches Pele record but Barcelona held by Valencia

  19-12-2020 18:37 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Lionel Messi equalled Pele’s record of 643 goals for a single club but struggling Barcelona still slipped to a 2-2 La Liga draw with Valencia at the Nou Camp.
  
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• Lionel Messi matches Pele’s record with 643rd Barcelona goal

  19-12-2020 18:36 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Lionel Messi scored his 643rd Barcelona goal against Valencia on Saturday to match Pele’s record for a single club.
  
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• Liverpool secure Christmas number one after thrashing Crystal Palace

  19-12-2020 18:24 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Liverpool thrashed Crystal Palace 7-0 at Selhurst Park to secure top spot in the Premier League for Christmas.
  
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• Couple tie the knot after postponing big day twice due to Covid-19

  19-12-2020 18:22 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A Dublin couple have tied the knot after being forced to postpone their wedding plans twice this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
  
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• Raheem Sterling strikes as Man City return to winning ways at Southampton

  19-12-2020 18:05 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Manchester City returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Southampton.
  
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