42 minutes ago Wales breaking news plus weather and traffic updates (Sunday, December 29)

All of the latest news from across Wales and further afield

Politics

4 hours ago Jr NTR enjoys family time in London, buys toys for children at Hyde Park Wonderland

Jr NTR enjoys family time in London, buys toys for children at Hyde Park Wonderland  India Today

Society

8 hours ago Rachel Reeves promises state school cash boost as Labour ends tax breaks for private education

Writing for the Mirror, the Chancellor said the change would allow the government to “fix some of the problems in our state schools, where 94% of this country’s children are educated”

Economics

12 hours ago Ryan Bertrand on the Chelsea loan carousel, turning his hand to business and why players must educate themselves

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY SAMI MOKBEL: The transition from professional footballer into retirement can be tricky business. For Ryan Bertrand, business is the operative word.

Sport

63 minutes ago Pop Idol star Rik Waller has unexpected career 23 years since finding fame amid professional disaster

Pop Idol star Rik Waller was tipped to win the first series before he was forced to pull out of the show – today, he has a completely different career away from the spotlight

Events

17 hours ago Love Island star Josh Denzel engaged 6 years after appearing on ITV2 show

The presenter and podcast host popped the question to girlfriend Ruby Wong during a romantic trip to the Swiss alps

Culture

24 hours ago Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester airports flights delayed as fog causes travel chaos

Travellers face further disruption at UK airports including Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester due to thick fog which is set to persist today says the Met Office

Transport

63 minutes ago Inside Sarah Beeny's sad family loss that changed her perspective on life

EXCLUSIVE: Property guru Sarah Beeny has opened up about her battle with breast cancer and how she became more sentimental after losing her mum to the same disease

Politics

5 hours ago Khloe Kardashian gives update on daughter True's illness that forced them to skip family Christmas party

Khloé Kardashian shared a health update on her daughter True after previously revealing the six-year-old was ill, forcing them to miss the annual Kardashian Christmas Eve party.

Society

9 hours ago Owners of rental homes across the country face huge bills to meet Labour's strict new eco targets... meaning even Keir Starmer will be hit with £28,000 home improvements charge

Since moving into his grace-and-favour apartment in Downing Street , the Prime Minister has been letting his £2 million family home on which he no longer pays a mortgage.

Economics

12 hours ago Ryan Bertrand opens up on life after football as former Champions League winner turns himself into successful businessman

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY SAMI MOKBEL: The transition from professional footballer into retirement can be tricky business. For Ryan Bertrand, business is the operative word.

Sport

2 hours ago Mum slams 'judgemental' family members over rude comments about son's name

An anonymous mum has hit out at her family for making 'judgemental' comments about her son's name as they told her it's not a 'good idea' - but she refuses to change it

Events

78 minutes ago Sunday with John Cooper Clarke: ‘My wife does a chicken with 60 cloves of garlic’

The poet talks about newspapers and television, coffee and strawberries, and how Monday’s gloomy presence hangs over every SundaySunday habits? A favourite is Desert Island Discs on Radio 4. Or I’ll watch a re-run of Match of The Day on BBC One at 7.30am since I missed it working Saturday. Then what? My local newsagents only order about three copies of each newspaper, so I have to get on the bike to snatch them. Then I read them. That’s my Sunday pursuit.Sunday brekkie? I’m a creature of habit. My breakfast is always the same. A quarter pint of espresso. A couple of baked goods – a danish here, a croissant there – and an entire punnet of strawberries.Sunday lunch? I’m not a lunch guy, but I do have a huge we call it tea. My wife’s French, a terrific cook. The pleasures of the table are close to my heart. What’s on the menu? She does a great chicken with ratatouille, and a chicken featuring 60 unpeeled cloves of garlic. Sixty! Count them. I like Mediterranean grub. I like a nice ragu...

Politics

8 hours ago Fatboy Slim's mother passed away on Christmas Day as his and Zoe Ball's son Woody Cook announces heartbreaking family news

The DJ, real name Norman Cook, who shares Woody with radio presenter ex-wife Zoe Ball, has yet to comment on his mum's passing.

Society

22 hours ago 'Professional girlfriend' was treated to £5k getaway and got paid another £5k to go

Ruby Jade, 24, a dancer with a side gig as a 'professional girlfriend,' enjoys being compensated for accompanying men on dates admitting one client rarely says 'no' to her

Economics

12 hours ago Bukayo Saka breaks silence on his hamstring injury with an update to fans from his hospital bed... as Arsenal star prepares for 'up to two months' on the sidelines after surgery

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has broken his silence on his injury after undergoing surgery on his hamstring. The winger could be out for more than two months, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta revealed.

Sport

3 hours ago Cruise ships avoid 'murder capital' after 'do not travel' alert over violence and kidnap threat

Royal Caribbean cruise ships have stopped docking in Manzanillo after a major warning for holidaymakers to avoid the city, sometimes dubbed the 'murder capital' of the world

Events

2 hours ago Acclaimed Scotch whisky glassmaker launches international legal action over 'imitations'

Family firm has sold over 40 million of its iconic glasses globally

Politics

9 hours ago Arne Slot faces Liverpool headache with trusted ally wanted for managerial role

Liverpool are flying high in the Premier League but are facing a number of challenges off the field in head coach Arne Slot's first season in charge at Anfield after replacing Jurgen Klopp

Society

22 hours ago London's cheapest pubs revealed: Map shows where punters can still get a pint for less than £2 in the capital

Finding a cheap pint in London is becoming an almost impossible task. However, for anyone looking to enjoy a bev or two without breaking the bank, there are bargain boozers out there.

Economics

14 hours ago Forget Risk, play Fantasy Football for Fascists: grudge matches, foul play and violent conduct guaranteed | Simon Tisdall

Leading FFF teams include Donald Trump’s Mad Angry Geezers Athletic (Maga) and Vladimir Putin’s Greater Russia United (GRU)It’s been a gloomy old year, often reflected in this space – so maybe it’s time to inject some festive cheer with an exciting new Swiftian parlour game: Fantasy Football for Fascists (FFF). Ideal for dictators, autocrats, strongmen, neo-Stalinists, far-right nationalist-populists or just students of geopolitics, it’s fanatical fun for all the family!Under conventional fantasy football rules, imaginary teams are composed of real-life players from the Premier League. In FFF, the principal players are typically politicians and public figures who exhibit extreme totalitarian tendencies. Leading FFF teams include Donald Trump’s Mad Angry Geezers Athletic (Maga) and Vladimir Putin’s Greater Russia United (GRU). China has the Xi XI. Continue reading...

Sport

3 hours ago Family of Scot murdered abroad get fresh hope as cops identify 13 potential new witnesses

Private investigators have identified 13 French nationals who they believe may hold crucial information about the death of Craig Mallon in Lloret de Mar on May 19, 2012.

Events

2 hours ago 'Prince William and Kate's children say so much about the year they've had,' says royal expert

After a year marked by health struggles and preventative chemotherapy treatment, a royal expert has said that Kate Middleton and her family have "pulled together as a unit"

Politics

9 hours ago Zoe Ball's son Woody Cook announces heartbreaking family death as he shares touching tribute

Norman Cook's son Woody has shared the sad news that his grandmother has passed away on Christmas Day, marking the second grandma he has lost in one year

Society

26 hours ago 'Fantastic' Ninja gadget shoppers 'wish they bought sooner' just £15 with deal stack

The time-saving Ninja Professional Stackable Chopper normally costs £29.99 but with TopCashback you can bag it for just £14.99

Economics

16 hours ago World's greatest chess player Magnus Carlsen quits tournament after being told he cannot play while wearing jeans

The Norwegian, 34, was defending his championship titles in New York on Friday when the chess governing body made the request for him to change his trousers.

Sport

5 hours ago University chiefs issue trigger warning for undergraduates studying Greek mythology warning they may find it 'uncomfortable and challenging'

Critics have accused the University of Exeter of 'losing the plot' after it issued a trigger warning for undergraduates studying the Ancient Greek poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Events

2 hours ago Craig Halkett knows Hearts' position far from acceptable as he insists lack of winter break is a BLESSING

The Jambos' latest low point came in the derby defeat at Tynecastle to Hibs on Boxing Day

Politics

11 hours ago Mavs star Luka Doncic is latest pro athlete whose home was burglarized, business manager says

Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is the latest professional athlete whose home has been burglarized

Society

27 hours ago Scotland's commercial property investors eyeing a ‘year of opportunity’

“Following a challenging period, the market shows clear signs of recovery, with investment volumes rising, interest rates easing and confidence returning” – Simon Cusiter, Lismore

Economics

21 hours ago Jamie Carragher's 2025 predictions: Liverpool rival, Champions League and Ballon d'Or picks

Jamie Carragher has cast his eye over the next 12 months and cited Liverpool's only Premier League challengers, who is likely to land the Ballon d'Or and the Champions League's likely winners

Sport

7 hours ago South Korea plane crash: Aircraft carrying 175 passengers smashes into wall at Muan International Airport

We'll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story.

Events

2 hours ago 'Kate Middleton's children show us so much about the year the family's endured' says royal expert

EXCLUSIVE: Kate Middleton and Prince William have had a "brutal" year but have "pulled together as a family unit" alongside their children, a royal expert has told OK!

Politics

17 hours ago Family 'lost everything' days after Christmas as two houses on same street go up in flames

Devastating double house fires on Friday morning meant a family in Garston lost 'everything' and were left 'traumatised' as two homes went up in flames over the Christmas period as

Society

7 hours ago South Korea plane crash: 62 killed as aircraft carrying 175 passengers explodes at Muan International Airport

62 people have been confirmed dead so far after what is thought to be a Boeing 737 flying from Bangkok to South Korea crashed at Muan International Airport in another festive horror

Events

3 hours ago Thieving Golden Retriever dog runs off with turkey crown almost ruining Christmas dinner

Watch the funny moment when a thieving pet Golden Retriever almost ruined Christmas dinner for a family - by running off with the turkey.

Politics

19 hours ago My family's sordid secret lay undiscovered for 70 years... then an old scrap of newspaper changed EVERYTHING

Karen Lawler, 64, was stunned to discover that her mother, Patricia Hagan, was just 14 when she discovered her mother, Mary, had been murdered by her 'lover' and lodger Albert in 1953.

Society

7 hours ago Trump shocks MAGA by backing Elon Musk in 'civil war' over controversial immigration policy

Donald Trump has broken his silence after a dispute over immigration visas has divided his MAGA supporters.

Events

3 hours ago How I beat overwhelm: I kicked my news addiction – and discovered ways to make a proper difference

When I stopped watching, listening, reading and doomscrolling constantly, I no longer felt I was banging my head against a brick wallFor as long as I can remember, I have been addicted to broadcast news. At least, I used to be. I would wake up to the babble of Radio 4’s Today programme and for the rest of the day subject myself to a bombardment of destabilising sound effects from the Middle East, Trumpland, PMQs and the odd shouty phone-in.It was a habit that was formed long before I became a journalist. My father, a doctor, was a devoted consumer of current affairs. “What’s happening?” he would ask at breakfast. If you started to tell him about your plans for the day, he would listen politely and then say: “I meant, what’s happening in the world?” Continue reading...

Politics

22 hours ago Kieran Culkin on pranks, parenting and why his famous family doesn’t need therapy: ‘Us siblings, we’re already cooked’

He’s been on screen since he was seven – but only prepares for a scene 10 minutes before. Yet somehow the mischievous Succession star is now tipped for an Oscar. How did the chaotic, charismatic actor do it?Kieran Culkin tries the upright chair first, the one opposite me, high-backed and leather. But no, that’s no good. He can see his reflection in the wall mirror, he’ll be catching himself all interview, thinking how tired he looks with his hooded eyes and beard, how jet lagged. Sleep is always tricky, but he’s been up with the kids – five and three – who weren’t supposed to join him for this publicity tour but there was a last-minute crisis, the short version of which is that the whole family is over from New York (with Culkin, 42, there’s always a long and short version).So, he flumps on the banquette, where he’ll be facing guests drinking afternoon cocktails in the low-lit, high-ceilinged bar here at the Corinthia hotel in London. He tests the firmness of the upholstery. Pa...

Society

7 hours ago Eating breakfast in the morning can have dramatic impact on women's muscle strength, study finds

Scientists found that women who regularly eat breakfast have a significantly stronger hand grip than those who skip it. .

Events

3 hours ago The world's most northern town is surprisingly easy to get to from Manchester

The tiny town on a polar bear inhabited island in the high Arctic is not as difficult to get to from Manchester as you might expect

Politics

29 hours ago Hotel review: A faultless location with welcome Irish design touches – why I was Wilde about my city break in London

Hotel review: A faultless location with welcome Irish design touches – why I was Wilde about my city break in London  Irish Independent

Society

9 hours ago Luke Littler battles through nerves to keep World Darts Championship dream alive

Luke Littler did not have it all his own way, but the 17-year-old favourite fought hard to clinch a nervy 4-1 win against veteran Ian White at Alexandra Palace on Saturday night

Events

4 hours ago Pep Guardiola's Man City future depends on rising to 'biggest challenge' in landmark game

Pep Guardiola will become only the second Manchester City manager to reach 500 games in charge, but he is in the middle of his worst run from his previous 499 outings.

Politics

9 hours ago Royal Family's most heartbreaking year in full from health traumas to deaths and scandal

The Royal Family has endured a tumultuous 2024 that nobody could have ever predicted this time last year - and it has been marred by health battles, ongoing bitter feuds and a heartbreaking tragedy

Events

6 hours ago Youth pastor identified as man who died after shark bite off Queensland coast

The 40-year-old school chaplain was bitten by the shark while fishing with family in waters off Keppel Islands on SaturdayGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA youth pastor and school chaplain described as an inspirational leader has been identified as the man who died after being bitten by a shark while on holiday with his family in Queensland.Emergency services were called to Humpy Island in the Keppel Bay Islands national park, about 18km off the central Queensland coast, on Saturday after reports a man had been attacked.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Politics

10 hours ago Norman Cook's mum dies as son Woody grieves losing two grandmothers in one year

Fatboy Slim - Norman Cook - is mourning the death of his mum as his son Woody announced the sad news on his Instagram profile

Events

6 hours ago Rebel Wilson weds Ramona Agruma in Sydney – and this time it’s for real

The actor announced on social media that the ‘legal wedding’ was officiated by her sisterGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastRebel Wilson has married wife, Ramona Agruma, for the second time in Sydney and this time it was legal.Wilson, the Australian actor and director, revealed the “legal wedding” was officiated by her sister on Sunday via Instagram, in a post accompanied by photos of the couple standing in front of the Sydney Opera House with the Harbour Bridge in the background. Continue reading...

Politics

10 hours ago Missing Benidorm dad's 'distressing' last phone call as family say 'we know he's dead'

John Hardy, 37 travelled to Spain to see friends and was due back home to spend Christmas with his sons but never arrived - now his family has flown out in search of answers

Events

6 hours ago A 1st class career! Longest serving Royal Mail postman finishes final shift after 60 years of working for the delivery service

Robert Hudson, from Leyton, east London , started his career in December 1964 - aged 16 - as a messenger in the Whitechapel Delivery Office distributing telegrams.

Politics

11 hours ago Love Island's Millie Court has 'never screamed so loud' after jellyfish attack on holiday

Love Island star Millie Court has shared a terrifying clip of herself being stung by a jellyfish as she swam in the sea while enjoying a break with her boyfriend Liam Reardon

Events

6 hours ago Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen quits a tournament in a dispute over jeans

The International Chess Federation says top ranked player Magnus Carlsen has left the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships after refusing to change out of the jeans he wore to the competition

Politics

11 hours ago Man dies after shark bite while fishing with family off Queensland coast

The 40-year-old was bitten by the shark in waters off Keppel IslandsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA man has died after he was bitten by a shark while fishing with his family.Emergency services were called to Humpy Island in the Keppel Bay Islands national park, about 18km off the central Queensland coast, on Saturday following reports a man had been attacked. Continue reading...

Events

8 hours ago Royal Ballet star Marianela Nunez says she learned English by watching Friends

The 42-year-old was speaking on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4.

Politics

11 hours ago Bukayo Saka breaks silence on Arsenal injury blow with message from hospital bed

Gunners winger is likely to miss more than two months after undergoing procedure on a torn hamstring

Events

9 hours ago Extraordinary size and staying power: the unlikely origin of a mighty Australian avocado

A chance planting 30 years ago produced an avocado three times the size of other varieties. From March, Jala trees will be sold nationallyMore summer essentialsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThirty years ago, Ken Spackman cut down an avocado tree planted by his father on the family’s Palmwoods property on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. He planted a seed from the tree in a different spot on the farm, with no expectation it would flourish.“That seed did it pretty tough – no water, no fertiliser,” recalls neighbour John Mongan. “But a tree grew from nothing, alone and out of the way, so it must have been lucky.” Continue reading...

Politics

11 hours ago Family of OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji demand FBI investigate death

Parents believe San Francisco police lack ability to conduct thorough investigation into multifaceted casePoornima Ramarao greeted everyone with a smile as they offered condolences for the death of her son, Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI researcher and whistleblower who was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on 26 November.“I am not grieving,” she told a small group of friends at a vigil held for Balaji in Milpitas, California, a city about 50 miles (80km) south-east of San Francisco. “I have become numb.” Continue reading...

Events

9 hours ago Strictly star Neil Jones' fiancee Chyna reveals they've living on his boat with baby daughter

Love Island star Chyna Mills, her Strictly Come Dancing professional fiancé Neil Jones and their one-year-old daughter are living on a boat while waiting to find their dream home

Politics

11 hours ago Fire crews scramble to Scots shop after blaze breaks out as buses diverted

Around 20 firefighters scrambled to the scene at Gillespie Place, near Bruntsfield, after the alarm was raised at around 6.25pm on Saturday.

Events

9 hours ago John Hardy's family 'ripped to pieces' as man vanishes in Benidorm Christmas mystery

John Hardy, known as John George, was due to fly home to spend Christmas with his two children aged 7 and 13 but he never showed up to his flight from Alicante, Spain - his family believe he is dead

Politics

12 hours ago Mexico tests app for migrants in U.S. to warn family if they’re detained as Trump’s deportation plans near

Mexico is developing a cellphone app that will allow migrants to warn relatives and consulates if they think they are about to be detained by U.S. immigration officials

Events

9 hours ago Little girl excitedly cried 'Santa, Santa' before he shot her in the face on doorstep

WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT: Bruce Pardo committed one of the worst mass murders in US history when he dressed as Santa Claus and went on a shooting and arson rampage at his ex-wife's family home

Politics

12 hours ago Viktor Hovland suffers freak injury in bedroom days before PGA Tour season opener

Viktor Hovland has suffered a freak toe injury just days before the 2025 PGA Tour season gets underway, with the Norwegian potentially facing a spell on the sidelines

Events