Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 29 Dec 2019

1. Stabbing attack at home of New York rabbi

Police say at least five people have been stabbed at the house of a rabbi in New York state. The house in Monsey, north of New York city, was hosting a Hannukah celebration when the attacker burst in, according to the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council. The motive for the attack is not immediately clear but the New York Police counter-terrorism unit said it was “closely monitoring” the situation.

2. Government apologises for publishing honor

The government has apologised after it accidentally published addresses of more than 1,000 New Year Honour recipients online. The Cabinet Office told the BBC it was “looking into” how the file - which included details of senior police officers and politicians - was uploaded to an official website on Friday evening. Among the addresses was that of Sir Elton John.

3. Dozens killed in car bomb attack in Somali capital

At least 76 people have been killed by a bomb detonated during the morning rush hour in Somalia's capital. More than 90 people were injured. At least 16 of the victims are students from Banadir University. The suspects for the explosion, which occurred at a checkpoint at a busy intersection in Mogadishu, are al-Shabab but no group has claimed responsibility.

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4. Defeated Labour MPs demand ‘unflinching’ review of election

Defeated Labour MPs and candidates are calling for an “unflinching” review into the party’s electoral defeat. The group says accusations of cronyism at the head of the party and a “repeated unwillingness to stand up to the stain of antisemitism” must be faced. The group says that Labour needs to go “way beyond a simple review” of its election performance.

5. Trump slammed for sharing name of alleged whistleblower

Donald Trump is under fire after re-tweeting a post that included the alleged name of the anonymous whistleblower who sparked his impeachment investigation by the House. The US president shared the message from user @Surfermom77 on Friday night. He has long supported efforts to identify the individual. The Associated Press says the account bears the hallmarks of an automated “bot” account.

6. Warnings of epidemic as new grooming data is published

Almost 19,000 children have been sexually groomed in England in the past year, according to new data. Amid warnings of an “epidemic” of abuse, campaigners say the true figure is far higher and accused the government of failing to tackle child sexual exploitation. Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, said grooming “remains one of the largest forms of child abuse in the country”.

7. Anger as 44,000 trains are cancelled over festive period

Some of the UK’s busiest stations have been running with less than half the usual number of trains over the Christmas period, with 44,000 trains cancelled. The strike by South Western Railway workers, “new trains”, staff sickness and annual leave have been blamed. The news comes just days before passengers are hit with an average fare increase of 2.7% on January 2.

8. Burglary rate soars in Boris Johnson's constituency

Boris Johnson’s constituency has the fastest rising rate of burglary in England and Wales, reports The Sunday Times. The number of break-ins in Uxbridge and South Ruislip has rocketed by 68% in a year, with 692 burglaries in the 12 months to November 2019 in Uxbridge, up from 412 a year earlier.

9. One dead as tropical cyclone Sarai batters Fiji

One person was killed in Fiji and another was missing as tropical cyclone Sarai pummelled the country with strong wind and heavy rain. The authorities say one person is in intensive care and more than 2,500 people have been moved to 70 evacuation centres. However, the category two tropical cyclone is not expected to make landfall in Fiji.

10. Mild weather forecast as flood warnings remain in place

Britain is expected to enjoy unseasonably warm weather for the remainder of the Christmas period, despite flood warnings across parts of the south coast. With generally mild conditions expected across the country, the Met Office forecasts that parts of Wales could see temperatures as high as the mid-teens. However, flooding is expected in at least 30 southern locations.