1. Palin, Twiggy and Southgate honoured in New Year list
Michael Palin has been knighted and Twiggy made a dame in the New Year Honours list. England manager Gareth Southgate becomes an OBE after leading his side to the World Cup semi-finals in Russia. Dozens of emergency service workers were also recognised in a list that highlights the responses to major terrorist incidents in London and Manchester.
2. Sajid Javid says migrant crisis now a 'major incident'
The home secretary has declared the rising number of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel a “major incident”. Sajid Javid has also appointed a gold commander to deal with the crisis after two more inflatable boats carrying 12 men from Syria and Iran were intercepted on Friday, adding to the 82 migrants detained trying to cross the Channel since Christmas Day.
3. Civil servants slam May for 'Project Fear Mark III'
Civil servants have accused ministers of “Project Fear Mark III” over the prospect of a no-deal Brexit. A civil servant told the Daily Telegraph that the government is not being “frank” with the public about the extent of no-deal preparations because it wants to shore up support for Theresa May's “disastrous” Brexit deal. The official says that claims that Britain will “crash out” in the event of a no-deal Brexit are “absolutely untrue”.
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4. Councils giving rough sleepers train tickets to leave
Local councils have given thousands of rough sleepers and homeless people one-way train, bus and plane tickets to leave areas, reports The Guardian. The moves, which have been described as “street cleansing” by campaigners and MPs, were an example of “reconnection policies” that aim to encourage rough sleepers to voluntarily return to areas where they have family and support networks.
5. Louis Theroux and Eamonn Holmes targeted on Twitter
High-profile Twitter accounts have been hijacked to expose alleged flaws in the service. Accounts, including those belonging to Louis Theroux and Eamonn Holmes, briefly showed messages saying: “This account has been temporarily hijacked by INSINIA SECURITY.” The hackers claim they are “highlighting the security uses around text messages” and the use of mobile phones for authentication.
6. UK rail prices now twice as expensive as Europe
Rail passengers in Britain pay at least twice as much to travel as those in major European countries, report The Times. Analysis of commuter fares in 40 European countries found that UK passengers paid the equivalent of 55p a mile in the past year compared with 29p in France, 21p in Spain and only 19p in Italy. Campaigners said: “January’s fare rise is particularly difficult to justify.”
7. Killing Me Softly songwriter dies at 91
The Oscar and Grammy-winning lyricist Norman Gimbel has died at the age of 91, his family has announced. His varied body of work included Killing Me Softly with his Song, the theme to TV series Happy Days and the hit The Girl from Ipanema. He died on 19 December at his home in Montecito, California, his son Tony Gimbel told The Hollywood Reporter.
8. NHS grapples with surge in drug use among over 50s
The number of people aged 50+ receiving hospital treatment after taking drugs has more than quadrupled in the past decade, reports The Times. According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the NHS is struggling to cope with a huge increase in older drug users. During 2018, some 7,800 people aged above 55 were admitted to hospital with drug-related mental or behavioural disorders. This was an increase of 465% over 10 years.
9. HMV will honour gift cards say administrators KPMG
Administrators KPMG have said HMV will continue to accept customers' gift cards so long as stores keep trading. The music retailer has collapsed for the second time in six years after a sharp fall in sales. A statement from the company pointed to a "tsunami of challenges" facing UK retailers. HMV was launched in 1921 when its first store on London's Oxford Street was opened by the composer Sir Edward Elgar.
10. Four dead in bombing near Egyptian pyramids
At least four people have been killed after a roadside bomb exploded near a bus carrying tourists close to the pyramids in Giza. Three of the dead were Vietnamese and one was an Egyptian tour guide. Another 10 people were injured. Reuters reported that the device was hidden near a wall on Marioutiya Street on the Cairo outskirts. Tourism is a main driver of Egypt’s struggling economy.
