Train passengers face delays due to Christmas Eve staff shortages

Passengers travelling home on Christmas Eve have faced delays after railway services from Gatwick Airport were disrupted.

Great Western Railway (GWR) said services between Reading and Gatwick Airport would be disrupted on Christmas Eve due to a shortage of train staff.

The M27 will also be closed completely in both directions from Junction 9 at Whiteley to Junction 11 at Fareham East from 8pm on Christmas Eve to 4am on January 4.

The closure will affect journeys between Southampton and Portsmouth – a signed diversion via the A27 will be in place, but delays are expected between 10am and 4pm daily.

In a post on X, GWR said: “Due to a shortage of train crew between Reading and Gatwick Airport the line is disrupted.

“Train services to and from these stations may be subject to disruption on all routes. Disruption is expected until 17:00.”

The RAC said it was expecting festive getaway trips by car to peak on Christmas Eve at 4.2 million, with regular commuter traffic “likely to be far lighter”.

It added that the main roads to watch for jams on Christmas Eve were the clockwise northern and western sections of the M25 from mid-morning, and the M5 north from Gloucestershire towards the West Midlands later in the afternoon.

A spokesperson for the RAC said: “Traffic is expected to be heaviest on major roads between 1pm and 7pm, so our advice to drivers – especially those travelling longer distances – is to set out before this time if possible.

“Drivers should ensure their vehicles are road ready: checking tyres are free of damage; have plenty of tread and are properly inflated; and ensuring oil and coolant levels are correct.

“Headlight aim should also be adjusted according to the load being carried, to reduce the chances of dazzling other drivers. We’re also expecting a rise in breakdowns as a result of the switch to colder weather.”

The AA estimated that there would be more than 22 million cars on the roads on Christmas Eve.

Shaun Jones, of AA expert patrol, said: “We know drivers will be heading out for all sorts of festive fun — from pantomimes and Christmas markets to family visits and scenic walks.

“But with so many sleighs on the tarmac, patience will be your best present this year. Pack essentials, keep your tank or EV charge topped up, and don’t let congestion steal your Christmas sparkle.

“If you’re leaving your car parked over the festive period, start it for a few minutes every couple of days to ensure it’s ready for January.

“The M27 closure adds an extra twist to the seasonal story, so if you’re travelling in Hampshire, think about alternative routes.”

Palestine Action protesters pause hunger strike over health fears

Two protesters in jail for alleged offences relating to the Palestine Action group have stopped their hunger strike due to their deteriorating health.

Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib have decided to start eating again after 48 days refusing food, according to a statement from Prisoners for Palestine.

They are among eight prisoners who went on hunger strike while awaiting trial for alleged break-ins or criminal damage. Four of the eight activists are still refusing food, with one – Heba Muraisi – now on day 52 of hunger strike, according to the group representing the prisoners.

Prisoners for Palestine said in an update on Tuesday evening that Qesser Zuhrah decided to stop her strike after experiencing “continuous excruciating pain in her abdomen”, while Amu Gib “experienced severe weakness, and brain fog”. They are both being held on remand at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey.

Zuhrah, 20, is accused of aggravated burglary, violent disorder and criminal damage over the alleged break-in at Israeli-linked Elbit Systems UK at Filton, Bristol.

She vowed to start her hunger strike again in the New Year if the government did not respond to the protest.

Gib, 30, is charged with conspiracy to destroy property and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place in relation to the alleged break-in at RAF Brize Norton.

Four of the group of eight are accused of playing roles in the break-in to Elbit Systems and are due to go on trial in May next year at the earliest. The other four are accused of breaking into RAF Brize Norton in June, where it is alleged that they damaged two military jets.

The alleged offences took place before the group was banned under terrorism legislation in July.

Lawyers for the eight prisoners have called for an urgent meeting with ministers and claimed that there is a “real and increasingly likely potential” that their clients will die in prison.

The eight activists have issued a series of demands, including a call to de-proscribe the pro-Palestine activist group Palestine Action. Palestine Action was proscribed as a terror organisation in July this year by then-home secretary Yvette Cooper, making support of the organisation an offence under terrorism legislation.

The co-founder of Palestine Action Huda Ammori has challenged the proscription of the group at the High Court, arguing that the move was “novel and unprecedented”.

The ban has since led to thousands of people being arrested under terror laws for holding up signs saying they oppose genocide and support Palestine Action.

In the months before the group’s proscription, between April and July 2025, there were 63 arrests for terror-related activity. This then increased by 2,608 per cent after Palestine Action’s ban, with 1,706 arrests recorded from July to September.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was arrested on Tuesday at a protest in support of the prisoners on hunger strike, the Prisoners for Palestine group said. In a video, Ms Thunberg can be seen holding a sign reading: “I support the Palestine Action protesters. I oppose genocide” at a demonstration in central London.

‘No presents this year’: Families caught on wrong side of eviction ban

“We were really hoping that this was somewhere where we could really be long-term,” says Kristina. “Somewhere to recover and heal from what happened to us. But instead, here we go again.”

The single mother of two has just received her second Section 21 eviction notice in less than two years. She and her boys must now say goodbye to another home by the end of February.

From May, landlords will be banned from using the controversial power under Labour’s new Renters’ Rights Act. Until then, they can still administer these “no-fault” notices to remove a tenant without reason at two months’ notice.

“To be receiving one before Christmas as a single parent household, and to be telling your children ‘I’m really sorry but there will be no presents this year’ … it’s so scary,” says Kristina, from Muswell Hill, north London.

The creative freelancer lived in her previous property for 15 years before being issued a Section 21 notice. Her struggle to find a house left her and children – now aged 18 and 11 – homeless for seven months.

They were staying in temporary accommodation at a Travelodge before finding their current home, while her eldest was sitting his GCSE exams.

Another mother-of-two, Christina, from Hertfordshire, was issued a Section 21 notice in September. The 46-year-old, her partner and their children were given until the end of November to leave the house they have lived in for nine years.

About a week before the deadline, Christina was able to negotiate an extension to the end of February. She said: “I contacted the agents that we deal with and literally begged, and said ‘we don’t have anywhere to go’ and in six weeks’ time it’s Christmas.”

Even with the extra time, Christina is finding it a struggle to find a new place to live in her area. Despite her and her partner both being in full-time employment, the family is finding that rental costs in the area have become barely affordable.

“A couple of times we went to view properties, and within half an hour we’d been beaten to it,” she says, “you have to make a decision in about 10 minutes”.

We’ve been “hitting our heads against a brick wall”, she says, finding that they’ll likely need to pay £500 more for a similar property in the same area, pushing them up to at least £2,000 a month.

Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, said: “Homes are the foundations of our lives. But evictions shatter those foundations, pushing people into poverty and homelessness. These stories show that the end of Section 21 can’t come soon enough.

“Landlords will still be able to price us out of our homes by hiking up the rent beyond what we can afford. The government must slam the brakes on soaring rents to make sure that every renter is protected in their home.”

Mr Twomey is one of many housing campaigners who are calling for more action to be taken by the government to tackle rising rents in the UK, arguing that its Renters’ Rights Act does not go far enough.

The average rent across the country reached a record high in the third quarter of 2025, according to data from Rightmove, at £2,736 in London and £1,385 in the rest of the UK.

Labour have said they are against rent controls – where the government limits how much landlords can raise their prices. However, the act will introduce greater powers for tenants to appeal “excessive above-market rents,” challenging what is often called “backdoor eviction”.

Paul Shanks of the Renters’ Reform Coalition says the Section 21 ban will come into force “sadly too late to protect renters like Kristina, or the hundreds of thousands of other tenants who have been evicted while waiting for successive governments to fix our broken renting system”.

“As welcome as it is, the new law won’t address the major issue for most renters in England – the outrageous cost of rent,” he added.

“The government must do more to make renting genuinely affordable and put money back in tenants’ pockets. As a first step, a cap on rent increases to prevent them from outpacing inflation or wages would help to keep renters in their homes by preventing landlords from using unfair rent hikes as a backdoor eviction.”

An MHCLG spokesperson said: “The government is committed to supporting renters. Our landmark Renters’ Rights Act will ban section 21 no-fault evictions once and for all, ensuring no one is evicted unfairly again.

“We are taking action to help tenants by capping advance payments to one month’s rent, ending unfair bidding wars, and giving tenants stronger powers to challenge excessive rent hikes.”

Tess Daly makes surprise Strictly move in her final appearance on show

Tess Daly, co-host of Strictly Come Dancing, is set to perform an Argentine tango with professional dancer Aljaz Skorjanec during the show’s highly anticipated Christmas special.

The festive episode will mark a significant moment for viewers, as it will be the final joint hosting appearance for Daly and her long-standing co-presenter, Claudia Winkleman, following their announcement in October.

Daly, 56, will grace the ballroom floor alongside Skorjanec, 35, with the performance presented as a special Christmas gift from the judging panel. Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke will bestow the dance upon her during the pre-recorded episode.

Adding to the festive cheer, Winkleman, 53, will feature in a parody of the beloved Christmas film Love Actually.

The segment will see her open a door to Dave Arch, the composer for the Strictly band, who will greet her holding large placards. These will read “say it’s carol singers” and “to me, you are perfect”, echoing the scene from Love Actually where Andrew Lincoln’s character, Mark, declares his affection for Juliet, played by Keira Knightley.

Daly and Winkleman’s last proper Strictly episode took place on Saturday during the series finale, and they were left bereft after the BBC show shared a moving tribute to its outgoing hosts.

The Strictly team surprised the pair with a montage of their best bits over the past years, as well as a special message from Queen Camilla, which again brought Daly and Winkleman to tears.

The tribute from Queen Camilla, delivered by long-standing judge Craig Revel Horwood, said: “Tess and Claudia, as you prepare to take your final twirl, I just want to say thank you on behalf of the millions who watch you each week.

Revel Horwood read: “I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships, the bonds forged, the struggles overcome, and the joy shared in undertaking a joint endeavour.

“If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all. The warmth, compassion, and sheer happiness you have radiated with and from each other has been at the heart of the show’s success.”

“I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly fabulous. I wish you both every success in wherever life’s journey takes you next, but as one who has appreciated its lifelong benefits, do promise us one thing, keep dancing.

“With the warmest gratitude and admiration, Her Royal Highness, Queen Camilla.”

The presenters were overwhelmed by the tribute as Daly said: “I can’t speak now. What an honour.”

Beyond the hosts’ special moments, the Strictly Christmas special will also feature six celebrities competing for the coveted champion title. The line-up includes TV personality Scarlett Moffatt, paired with Vito Coppola; All Saints singer Melanie Blatt, dancing with Kai Widdrington; and EastEnders star Nicholas Bailey, partnered with Luba Mushtuk.

Actor and podcaster Babatunde Aleshe will perform with Nancy Xu, Westlife’s Brian McFadden with Michelle Tsiakkas, and Gladiator Jodie Ounsley with Neil Jones.

While the regular judges will score the performances, the ultimate decision on who wins will rest with the voting studio audience.

The Strictly Christmas special is scheduled to air on BBC One and iPlayer from 5.30 pm on Christmas Day.

Follow Santa Claus and his reindeer as they deliver gifts around the globe

Santa Claus and his reindeer have set off for their biggest night of the year, with billions of stops to make around the world in less than 24 hours.

After weeks of preparation at the workshop, Father Christmas has departed west from the North Pole, and will visit the South Pacific before passing through Asia, Africa, Europe, and crossing the Atlantic to the Americas.

Every Christmas Eve, Norad – the North American Aerospace Defense Command – provides real-time tracking of Santa’s sleigh as it navigates the skies.

It is a tradition dating back to 1955, after a misprint in a department store advert led a young child to call a Colorado military command center asking to speak to Santa Claus, prompting a festive custom in which Norad answer children’s questions about Santa’s journey.

Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the organisation to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online – in nine languages – as St Nick swoops along the earth’s meridians.

Stay tuned for updates as we follow Santa’s magical route across the world.

It’s about experience: Further Education teachers share what it takes

In the modern world, many of us are working longer than ever. Research based on ONS Labour Market data found that there are almost one million more workers aged 65 and above since the millennium and the state pension is set to rise to 67 by 2028 and 68 by the late 2030s. Subsequently, having multiple careers is becoming increasingly popular. And after decades working in a specific industry, sharing the work-based knowledge you have gained via teaching in further education is one of the most rewarding career shifts you can make.

Further Education teaching (defined as any education for people aged 16 and over who aren’t studying for a degree) allows you to switch up your working days and harness the skills and experience you have developed, all while helping shape the next generation of workers in your field.

To find out more about the role, from what it takes to the best parts of the job, we spoke to Further Education teachers who have switched from doing their day job to teaching it…

John Ryan, 51, from Weston Super Mare, worked for more than a decade on site in the construction industry, mainly in bricklaying and supervising roles, before an opportunity to become a Further Education assessor changed his path in his thirties. Travelling nationally to assess the work of new bricklayers in order to sign off their NVQs (National Vocational Qualification), the college John was associated with then started offering him some teaching work.

With no prior teaching qualifications, John completed these alongside his assessing and teaching roles with the fees picked up by the teaching college. “I liked the idea of passing on my knowledge and giving young people the skills and confidence to progress in a trade,” he says. “Teaching in Further Education felt like a natural next step because it would allow me to combine my practical background with coaching and mentoring.” There were practical draws too. “On site in the construction industry you are self-employed so you do not get holidays or sick pay. The stability of income and regular paid holidays was a big draw of Further Education teaching,” he adds.

Since his first assessing role 18 years ago, John has worked between assessing, teaching and jobs back on the construction site and now, he currently teaches bricklaying and groundwork full-time at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.

John’s extensive site and supervisory experience has proved to be hugely valuable when it comes to teaching his students there. “I can explain not just the ‘how’ but also the ‘why’ behind industry standards,” he explains. “Learners often respond well to hearing about real jobs, site challenges, and the professional behaviours that employers expect. It makes the lessons more relatable and credible,” he shares.

“For example, I can share stories of accidents when teaching site safety, or explain how a mistake of a few millimetres on a construction site can cost you time to rectify, which in turn will cost you money,” he says. “These hands-on, real world experiences make the theory relatable and show learners the real value of getting it right.”

Coral Aspinall, 52, who became a full-time Further Education teacher 12 years ago, agrees. “My experience allows me to put my teaching into context,” she says. Coral started out her engineering career at 16 as an apprentice in a local engineering company. Following a BSc in Engineering and Business Management, she worked for many years in the engineering industry before enrolling on a part-time PGDE (Professional Graduate Diploma in Education) course for teaching. She’s now the Engineering Programme Leader at the Stockport campus of the Trafford and Stockport College Group. Here, they offer qualifications such as Level 2 Performing Engineering Operations as well as engineering-focused Level 3 T Levels and Level 3 Btec Awards. They also offer Level 3 apprenticeships across engineering including Technical Support, Engineering Fitter and Maintenance Management.

“Because I’ve been an engineering apprentice myself, I understand what the student needs to be successful in terms of skills, knowledge and behaviour,” she explains. “I also have contacts in the wider engineering community and understand what an employer is looking for in an apprentice, and can also share insights in terms of how the sector is shifting and evolving to help support their progress.”

Working for an extensive period of time in a field before passing on that knowledge gives teachers maturity and empathy which can be hugely helpful for students, especially those facing complex life situations.

Beyond the practical techniques, a big part of John’s role is helping learners build confidence, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills that employers look for. “Many of my learners have different challenges, so they value teachers who are approachable, who believe in them, and who prepare them for real opportunities in work or further study,” he says. For John, his previous work experience has allowed him to do this. “On site, I worked with people facing all sorts of pressures, from work to life issues, which taught me to be patient and supportive,” he explains.

Coral has had a similar experience. “I see my role as more than imparting knowledge; it is about preparing the young person for the next stage of their journey. The students trust me to have their best interests at heart; they come to me for advice on their next steps and how they can achieve their aspirations, and I’ll support them with both practical advice and words of encouragement.”

For Coral, teaching later in life allows her to draw from a mature perspective, and teach her students positive workplace behaviours alongside skills and knowledge. “Students thrive when they have clear unambiguous boundaries, so I’m firm around expectations in terms of timekeeping, attendance and attitude. This is particularly important to succeeding in the workplace as employers value these behaviours as much as, or even more than having specific expertise or know-how (which can generally be developed).”

If you’re looking for a fresh career option, and keen to share your skills with the next generation, Further Education teaching could be a really enriching new phase. Further Education covers a huge range of career sectors including construction, law, engineering, digital, hospitality, tourism, beauty and more. This includes BTECs (Business and Technology Education Council qualifications), T Levels, NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications) or City & Guilds Qualifications.

Teaching in a mixture of colleges (often General Further Education Colleges or Sixth Form Colleges) and Adult and Community Learning Centres as well as workplace and apprenticeship settings, further education teachers share their years of real world industry skills with a diverse mix of people from those straight out of school aged sixteen to those making career switches later in life.

You don’t always need an academic degree or prior teaching qualifications to start teaching in further education. You can undertake teacher training on the job, often funded by your employer, so you can start earning straight away.. Furthermore, it doesn’t mean you have to stop working in your chosen field. Further education offers hybrid opportunities – so you could teach part time alongside your other commitments. This means you could have the best of both worlds, where you are still working in your chosen industry and teaching alongside it at a time that suits your schedule. Find out if it’s the right move for you here.

If, like John and Coral, you see the appeal in sharing the knowledge and skills you’ve developed with the next generation, exploring the option of becoming a Further Education teacher can be a great next step. As John shares, the reward is always worth it: “It never gets old passing on my knowledge to people starting on their journey, knowing I have made a difference and getting a smile and thanks in return!”

Looking for a new role that’s rewarding, flexible and draws on your current career? Why not consider sharing your experience where it matters most – helping inspire the next generation of workers in the field you love? Visit Further Education to find out more

Christmas Eve opening and closing times for UK supermarkets

It’s that time of year again when shopping aisles are bustling with families, overpacked trolleys and children begging for chocolate Santas lining the sweet aisles.

For those who have not yet written their shopping lists, or are hoping for a last-minute chance to swing by the shops to pick up brussels sprouts, it may be worth checking your local supermarket opening hours as we head closer to Christmas Day.

Most major supermarkets will be altering their trading hours from Christmas Eve, but with variations between chains, as well as larger and smaller stores.

Here’s all the information you need on which supermarkets are open (and when) over the festive period:

Business class passenger jailed for 20 months for stealing another person’s bag

A man has been sentenced to 20 months in jail for stealing a fellow passenger’s luggage on a Singapore Airlines flight.

Liu Ming, 26, boarded the Dubai to Singapore flight on 7 August and attempted to steal items from the bag of an Azerbaijani man and his wife in the business class cabin.

Liu, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty to one charge of theft.

The court was told that Liu boarded the flight specifically with the aim of stealing high-value items from fellow business class passengers.

Liu was seated five rows in front of an Azerbaijani business class passenger, 52, and one row in front of his victim’s wife.

In the early hours of 8 August, Liu tried to act after the dinner service had finished and the cabin lights had been dimmed.

The victim was asleep, but his wife woke up from a short nap to see Liu walking to her husband’s seat and taking the victim’s luggage from the overhead compartment, carrying it back to his seat.

The victim’s wife confronted the man and alerted the cabin crew after she did not understand his response. After realising he was in trouble, Liu returned to the victim’s seat and replaced the luggage in the compartment from where he had taken it.

Liu told the cabin crew that he had taken the luggage by mistake after confusing it with his own bag. The cabin crew informed group staff at Changi Airport, and Liu was arrested upon arrival at the airport.

The victim’s bag contained items with a value exceeding S$100,000 (£57,625). The items included cash and a Huawei laptop worth about S$2,100, 56 cigars worth more than S$5,400, a Chopard watch worth more than S$35,000, and an Audemars Piguet watch worth more than S$51,000.

No items were found missing, the court heard, because the victim’s wife confronted Liu soon after he took the luggage from the compartment.

Police said Liu was uncooperative during investigations and continued to deny the theft and maintain that it was a mistake.

However, Liu’s bag was entirely different from the victim’s bag, differing in both appearance and material.

Deputy public prosecutor Cheah Wenjie sought up to 20 months in jail.

“The proliferation of theft offences on board Singapore’s national carrier would tarnish its reputation, and that of Singapore’s tourist industry,” he said.

The sentence comes after another Chinese man, Zhang Kun, was jailed for 10 months in May for stealing from a fellow passenger on a Scoot flight.

He was arrested on a Kuala Lumpur to Singapore flight on 16 March for stealing a backpack from a victim from the overhead compartment.