Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and glee, around this time of year there comes an increased danger of burglary, as criminals take advantage of either of all the presents left under the tree or homes left empty for the week.more

The UK’s first official facility for consuming illegal drugs opens in Glasgow within a month, a move that experts and campaigners hope will bring major changes to drug policy.more

More UK buses and coaches are expected to operate on Christmas Day than at any time since figures were first collected five years ago. The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), an industry body, estimates that the number of people catching a bus on 25 December this year will hit 100,000.more

The UK economy had zero growth between July and September, revised official figures show. The revised data comes after a series of disappointing figures including inflation rising at its fastest pace for eight months and the economy unexpectedly shrinking in October. more

The King’s cancer treatment is expected to continue into 2025 almost a year after it was discovered while he was treated in hospital for an enlarged prostate.more

All state school teachers in England should given the right to work away from the classroom on lesson preparation, marking and pupil assessment to stem a growing retention crisis in the profession, the education secretary says today.more

The government is planning to "bring back the family doctor" by giving GPs an extra £889m to spend time with patients in a bid to end a dispute.more

Police forces across the UK are warning shoppers about a rise in “porch piracy”, an emerging criminal trend involving doorstep parcel thefts that is costing businesses and consumers millions of pounds.more

Millions of Britons are earning an average of £146 a month by selling items on second-hand platforms, a study suggests. An estimated 23.8 million people are now using online second-hand platforms to earn an average £,1752 a year – enough to offset the average energy bill, the survey for Virgin Media O2 Business and Depop found.more

A quarter (25%) of 18 to 34-year-olds expect the cost of Christmas to put them into debt, a survey has found. This is higher than 17% among all age groups who said this, according to the research commissioned by lender Creditspring.more

A rise in flu cases is causing big problems for NHS hospitals in England and leaving a growing number of people in intensive care, amid warnings that festive gatherings will make things worse.more

The new design will be rolled out across TfL, including the Elizabeth line and London Overground, starting with London Underground, the lost property office, TfL visitor centres and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) this month.more

sdThousands of people greeted the dawn with cheers and applause at Stonehenge on Saturday as they marked the winter solstice. Those who observed the spectacle at the neolithic monument in Wiltshire encountered a windy morning as they marked the shortest day of the year.more

Weather warnings for strong winds have come into force in parts of the UK as millions of people travel ahead of Christmas. Motoring experts are predicting this will be the busiest weekend of travel of the year, with the RAC warning it could be a "pretty exhausting experience" and urging drivers to "be patient". more

Ugandan Deo Kato is completing his 516-day run from Cape Town to London, the Guardian newspaper reported. The athlete covered 12,440 kilometres to raise awareness about racism and the plight of migrants crossing the route from Africa to Europe. He will be greeted by crowds of runners in the British capital tomorrow.more

A huge illegal car park near Heathrow Airport will be ripped out after more than 300 vehicles were found on green belt land. Hundreds of cars illegally parked on a privately owned site on Manse Close, around 10 minutes from the UK’s busiest airport, were discovered by Hillingdon Council following complaints from residents.more

The damage from Brexit to trade links with the EU cost the UK £27bn in the first two years, but the overall impact was more limited than forecasters first estimated, according to the most comprehensive review of the issue since Britain fully left the bloc at the start of 2021.more

Journalists and legal bloggers are to be allowed to report on family court cases across England and Wales from early next year. Transparency will no longer be restricted to pilot courts and will be permanent.more

The typical water bill will rise by an average of £86 from April for a year before easing, the industry regulator has said. The steep rise is part of bill increases in England and Wales over the next five years to pay for supply upgrades and to reduce sewage discharges, Ofwat said.more

In 2024, scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, described a total of 172 new plant and fungal species, among which they selected the 10 most interesting. Some of the newly discovered species have already been given endangered status, highlighting that the global loss of biodiversity is a pressing problem.more

More than 100 dangerous dogs a month on average have been destroyed since XL bullies were banned nearly a year ago, the BBC has learned. Police forces in England and Wales say the costs of kennelling thousands of seized dogs, often for months at a time, have risen sixfold to £25m a year and many facilities were at capacity.more

There has been "a catastrophic rise" in deaths caused solely by alcohol in England over the past four years, government figures suggest. More than 8,200 people died because of alcohol in 2023 - a 42% rise on 2019 - with the North East having the highest rates.more

The new boss of the Body Shop has told staff the struggling ethical beauty retailer is “back for good” after it booked a profit in its first 100 days under new ownership.more

London, with its myriad of train stations and bus stops, is a city that's easy to navigate for both locals and tourists. Despite the occasional moan about delays or overcrowding, the transport system is generally a reliable alternative to driving.more

The UK inflation rate has gone up for the second month in a row, with prices rising at their fastest pace since March. Inflation hit 2.6% in the year to November, according to official figures. Fuel and clothing were among the main drivers behind the rise. Increasing ticket prices for gigs and plays were also a factor.more