1. PALACE DENIES ANDREW SEX CLAIM
Buckingham Palace has strongly denied allegations that Prince Andrew was involved in "impropriety with underage minors", reports Sky News. The palace issued a statement after the Duke of York was named in a US lawsuit by a woman who has made allegations against the disgraced US banker Jeffrey Epstein.
2. TORIES ‘TO OUTSPEND LABOUR 3 TO 1’
The Tories will outspend Labour by 3 to 1 in the election campaign, claims Ed Miliband’s campaign chief. Douglas Alexander says: “The Tories may be able to outspend us by as much as three to one, but on the ground, in the key seats, we aim to outnumber their diminished and demoralised activists by the same margin as we fight this election conversation by conversation.”
3. CONSUMER DEBT UP IN NOVEMBER
British consumers ran up their highest level of new debt in November for nearly seven years, with the month’s borrowing on credit cards, loans and overdrafts hitting more than £1.25bn. Consumer helplines say the data from the Bank of England is a cause for concern. National Debtline and StepChange say they expect an avalanche of calls as credit card bills arrive.
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4. SOCIAL NETWORKS ‘ALLOW ISLAMOPHOBIA’
Twitter and Facebook are “allowing Islamophobia to flourish” by refusing to take down hundreds of inflammatory postings across their sites, says The Independent. The social networks refused to act despite being made aware of postings, some of which accuse Muslims of being rapists, paedophiles and comparable to cancer.
5. ‘TOUGHER ACTION’ ON BOGUS 999 CALLS
New figures have revealed ambulance crews were sent to one house in Birmingham 653 times in 12 months. Some 430 of the emergency calls from the address were made because the patient was feeling “generally ill”. Only 11 out of the 653 calls resulted in the ambulance taking anyone to hospital. Local MP Steve McCabe is demanding tougher action against “bogus” 999 calls.
6. EURO SLIDE BONUS FOR UK HOLIDAYMAKERS
A slide in the value of the euro has created the cheapest holiday-booking season since the financial crisis, say experts. A euro is now worth just over 78 pence, compared with almost 84 pence in March. This means holidaymakers can save up to 15% on the cost of travel and accommodation booked this month and hand over almost 20% less than last year on expenses such as eating out.
7. LARGE OBJECTS FOUND IN AIRASIA HUNT
Two "large objects" have been found in the Java Sea around 90ft (30m) underwater, says the chief of Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency. Fransiskus Bambang Soelistyo told reporters: "I'm confident this is part of the AirAsia plane." Flight QZ8501 disappeared from radar screens over the Java Sea with 162 people on board.
8. PULP SONG MUSE DIES AFTER MBE
The lady who inspired Pulp’s hit song Disco 2000 died just hours before she was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list. Deborah Bone, a nurse and a friend of Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker, died from bone cancer at the age of 51. She was honoured for her services to children and young people just hours after she passed away.
9. EARL WISHES HE’D GONE TO STATE SCHOOL
Earl Spencer was so unhappy at his “cold and unpleasant” boarding school that he wished he could go to state school instead, he has admitted. The younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, says Maidwell Hall preparatory school in Northampton, was “quite tough, with a slightly terrifying headmaster and military-style drill in the morning.”
10. CRYSTAL PALACE APPOINT ALAN PARDEW
Crystal Palace have appointed Newcastle boss Alan Pardew as their new manager. Former Eagles player Pardew was given permission by the Magpies to speak with the London side after the two clubs agreed compensation earlier this week. Pardew, 53, replaces Neil Warnock, who was sacked last weekend just four months into his second spell in charge.
