BBC News
Major talks to begin on how European human rights laws handle migration cases
Sir Keir Starmer calls for European reforms to make protecting borders easier.
How long Britain could really fight for if war broke out tomorrow
In the event of a war, one expert suggests the British Army could be incapable of fighting effectively on land within weeks, once committed - though 'much depends on the form of the conflict'.
Watch Australian teens test out social media on first day of ban
Teenagers affected by Australia's under 16 social media showed the BBC what happened when they tried to access their accounts.
Sperm from donor with cancer-causing gene was used to conceive almost 200 children
Some children have already died and only a minority who inherit the mutation will escape cancer in their lifetimes.
Artist Nnena Kalu earns 'historic' Turner Prize win
Kalu wins for her sculptures and drawings, becoming the first learning disabled artist to scoop the award.
Member of UK armed forces dies in accident in Ukraine
He died in an accident away from Ukraine's front lines on Tuesday, the Ministry of Defence says.
Storm Bram brings flooding and travel disruption to UK
Amber and yellow warnings for wind are in place, with gusts of 90mph forecast in north-west Scotland.
UK asylum system hit by inefficiencies and wasted funds, watchdog finds
In a new analysis, the National Audit Office finds “reactive” government policies moved problems elsewhere.
UK spending half an hour longer online than in pandemic, says Ofcom
The survey found people in the UK spent on average four hours and 30 minutes online every day in 2025
The Papers: Trump says Europe 'weak' and 'faithful servant' Winkleman
The US president has attacked Europe, with his comments splashed across a number of Wednesday's front pages.
'What's your name?' - Moment police confront Luigi Mangione at McDonald's
Prosecutors have released bodycam footage showing the initial interaction between officers and the suspected CEO killer.
MI5 under more scrutiny after multiple criticisms
Concerns are raised over whether the MI5 can be trusted to provide full evidence to courts and investigations following the findings of Operation Kenova.
Two teenagers went to seek gold. They were buried alive in a mine collapse
Poverty in Sierra Leone is pushing more students into risky work, which proved deadly for two boys.
Google unveils plans to try again with smart glasses in 2026
It is a significant turnaround for the tech giant after its first attempt - Google Glass - was pulled in 2015.
It sparked a debate over AI, but can Arc Raiders win a Bafta game award?
Smash-hit Arc Raiders is longlisted for Bafta's best game award alongside Clair Obscur and Silksong.
Iain Douglas-Hamilton, pioneering elephant conservationist, dies aged 83
His groundbreaking field research was instrumental in banning the international ivory trade and protecting elephants from poachers.
Nigel Farage meets French far-right leader in London
National Rally president Jordan Bardella says he believes the Reform UK leader will become the next British PM.
Thousands of flood defences below standard as Storm Bram hits
A BBC study lays bare the scale of flood defences in England that are in need of maintenance.
Man who grabbed Ariana Grande kicked out of Lady Gaga concert
The incident in Australia comes after the man was jailed for nine days and deported from Singapore for public nuisance.
Bottles of Disaronno recalled over possible glass presence
It is believed the contamination may have happened due to an "anomaly on the bottle line", according to the recall notice.
Some schools disrupted and Covid-like measures brought in amid rise in flu cases
Flu is on the rise, but ministers say schools should only close in extreme circumstances.
Grooming gangs inquiry to be led by former children's commissioner Anne Longfield
Baroness Anne Longfield will chair the three-year inquiry which has been beset by problems.
US could ask UK tourists for five-year social media history before entry
The plan would affect people from countries, including the UK, which can fill out a form in lieu of a visa.
Iceland becomes fifth country to boycott Eurovision
Iceland joins Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands in saying it will boycott the 2026 contest.
Sophie Kinsella, author of the bestselling Shopaholic series, dies aged 55
The author of the Shopaholic series of novels had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer.
British paratrooper who died in Ukraine named
Sir Keir Starmer pays tribute to Lance Corporal George Hooley, who the Ministry of Defence says died in a "tragic accident" away from the front lines.
High Street food chain Leon to close stores and cut jobs in restructure
The "healthier" fast food chain confirmed there would be job losses, as it appointed administrators.
Taliban warn Afghans who wore 'un-Islamic' Peaky Blinders outfits
The friends were warned their clothing was "in conflict with Afghan and Islamic values", a Taliban spokesman told the BBC.
Man guilty of murdering ex-girlfriend's sister and three children in house fire
Bryonie Gawith and her children Denisty, Oscar and Aubree Birtle died in their home in Bradford.
King supports persecuted Christians in Advent service
King Charles attends an Advent service in Westminster Abbey, with a strong influence of Orthodox music.
Don't let Trump interfere with UK democracy, Davey tells PM
The Lib Dem leader criticises US national security strategy, which warns Europe faces "civilisational erasure".
Can you solve GCHQ's Christmas code-cracking challenge?
Do you have what it takes to crack GCHQ's Christmas codes?
Spat at, attacked and threatened by schoolkids - life as a bus driver in Britain
The BBC has spoken to passengers, transport staff and bus drivers about a growing national trend of antisocial behaviour on public transport.
How long Britain could really fight for if war broke out tomorrow
In the event of a war, one expert suggests the British Army could be incapable of fighting effectively on land within weeks, once committed - though 'much depends on the form of the conflict'.
US jets tracked circling Gulf of Venezuela as tensions mount
The F/A-18 Super Hornets appear on flight tracking sites near Maracaibo, Venezuela's second-largest city.
How monogamous are humans? Scientists compile 'league table' of pairing up
When it comes to monogamy, humans more closely resemble meerkats and beavers than our primate cousins.
'It's insulting they think we can't handle it': The Australian teens banned from social media
Millions of Australian teens will no longer be allowed to use social media. Who wins and who loses out?
Kate Winslet says her family never watch The Holiday
The Oscar-winning star says watching herself on screen is "an excruciating experience."
Nobel Peace Prize winner's daughter accepts award on her behalf
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who lives in hiding, is reportedly on her way to Oslo.
Brief encounter on train leads to marriage proposal
Wedding plans are now moving full steam ahead for a couple who met on a 23:09 LNR service.
Sperm from donor with cancer-causing gene was used to conceive almost 200 children
Some children have already died and only a minority who inherit the mutation will escape cancer in their lifetimes.
Judge rules Epstein grand jury records from 2019 case can be released
A federal judge says materials from the investigation can be unsealed because of a new law passed by Congress last month.
Madeleine McCann's father tells BBC how his family was hounded by press
Gerry McCann, whose daughter vanished in 2007, tells the BBC he believes politicians fear the media.
Ukraine 'ready for elections' if partners guarantee security, Zelensky says
He was speaking after US President Donald Trump repeated claims Kyiv was "using war" to avoid elections.
Russell Crowe says Gladiator II creators misunderstood what made original 'special'
The actor was not entertained by how they changed the storyline of his character in the sequel.
Bournemouth Echo
Poole 'running legend' will run for the last time this year at 80
A Poole running "legend" who has ran in every Broadstone Quarter Marathon since its inception will run the race for final time this year.
'We will all miss him dearly': 'Much-loved' staff member dies following fall
A member of staff from a school in Poole has died following an accidental fall at the premises.
Taskmaster star set to return to Bournemouth on UK tour
Taskmaster star, Greg Davies, is set to return to Bournemouth on his UK and Ireland tour in 2027.
Labour MPs banned from independent businesses after The Budget 'taxed them out'
Labour Mps have been banned from eating, drinking and shopping in selected businesses following the budget announcement.
‘Jealous and insecure man’ controlled girlfriend while cheating with second partner
A ‘JEALOUS and insecure’ man controlled his girlfriend despite living a double life with a second partner, a court heard.
Organ players to return to arcade in bid to raise awareness of prostate cancer
Two Edwardian organ players are set to return to Westbourne to raise money for prostate cancer this December.
In The Dock: Man caught growing cannabis in Poole house
The following cases were heard at Poole Magistrates' Court:
'Devastated' family of hospital porter who died of asbestos cancer given pay-out
The ‘devastated’ family of a hospital porter who died from asbestos-related cancer has received a six-figure pay out from his former employer.
Nearly 10,000 Bournemouth residents affected by power outage
Nearly ten thousand people across Bournemouth were affected by a power outage on Monday evening.
Government
UK-EU Customs Union (Duty to Negotiate) Bill
A Bill to place a duty on the Secretary of State to enter into negotiations with the European Union to agree a customs union between the United Kingdom and the European Union; and for connected purposes.
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Education (Profit Cap) Bill
A Bill to provide for a cap of eight per cent on any profit made by providers of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities education from providing that education; to make provision about the role and powers of the Competition and Markets Authority in the operation of that cap; and for connected purposes.
Formula 1
Why ‘true racer’ Marko will be missed as he leaves Red Bull
As Helmut Marko retires, another precious link with F1’s glorious past snaps, says David Tremayne…
The 6 defining moments of Norris’ title-winning season
After a roller coaster of a season, Lando Norris has been crowned the World Champion of 2025. There have been so many dramatic moments in a long year, full of twists and turns, and I’ve picked out six of what I think are the most defining points of Norris’ championship season…
F1 ACADEMY unveils calendar for 2026 season
The all-female racing series’ 2026 calendar has been revealed.
Wolff calls Abu Dhabi ‘mediocre’ but ‘pleased’ to finish P2
Mercedes secured second place in the Constructors’ Championship behind winners McLaren courtesy of George Russell’s fifth in Abu Dhabi. It meant the Silver Arrows finished 18 points ahead of Red Bull – but while team boss Toto Wolff was pleased, he was not over the moon with the race itself.
Toto Wolff and Hywel Thomas on Mercedes’ 2026 prospects
As Formula 1 enters an exciting new era of fast, thrilling and sustainable racing in 2026, what can we expect on track?
All the key stats from Norris’ title-winning season
Lando Norris has now etched his name into the F1 history books after scoring his maiden World Championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Briton taking the crown following a closely-fought title battle that went right down to the wire. An eventful season for Norris has also brought with it some fascinating statistics – and we’ve rounded up some of the key numbers below…
Piastri ‘should be proud’ of his season says Brown
McLaren CEO Zak Brown was left in no doubt that Oscar Piastri will not be too disheartened after losing out on a maiden World Championship title to his team mate Lando Norris, insisting that the Australian will win the title himself one day.
Hamilton 'doesn't have a mindset' for 2026 after tricky year
Lewis Hamilton admits that he "doesn't have a mindset into next year at the moment" as he recovered to claim points in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and bring a difficult maiden season with Ferrari to a close.
10 quiz questions on the Abu Dhabi title decider
Were you paying attention to the on-track action as Lando Norris seal his first World Championship at the Yas Marina Circuit over the weekend?
Windows Central
Call of Duty will no longer get back-to-back Black Ops and Modern Warfare games — "We will drive innovation that is meaningful, not incremental."
An update from the Call of Duty team notes that moving forward, there won't be any back-to-back Black Ops or Modern Warfare games.
Baldur's Gate 3 dev Larian says "There aren't currently any plans" for a Divinity: Original Sin 3 — but a new Definitive Edition for 2 just got leaked
Baldur's Gate 3 dev Larian says its next game won't be Divinity: Original Sin 3, but a leak reveals that the second game may be getting a new Definitive Edition soon.
Call of Duty: Warzone — How to complete the Jackalope Easter Egg and get the Specialist Pack on Haven's Hollow
The new Warzone Resurgence map, Haven's Hollow, has a selection of different Easter Eggs to complete, but this is the one you're going to want to go after every single match.
Microsoft Teams learns what the Enter key is for — the long-awaited 'new line' option is coming
Microsoft Teams will soon let users pick whether Enter sends or starts a new line — a simple option Slack already offers.
The predecessor to one of Xbox's biggest new games is getting delisted from a popular PC gaming store — you have less than a week to get it
Next week, both The Outer Worlds and Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey are being delisted from the popular DRM-free PC gaming store GOG.
Wholesome Snack 2025: All 20+ indie games from Coffee Talk Tokyo to Cozy Caravan — Many are perfect for Xbox Ally X, Steam Deck, and other gaming handhelds
Wholesome Snack 2025 just announced several cozy games that are perfect for Xbox consoles and handheld gaming PCs like Xbox Ally X, Steam Deck, and more. See what you can play right now and add others to your wishlist.
Minecraft's final update of the year is officially here — Mounts of Mayhem brings mounted combat to the Overworld
Mojang Studios has officially released the Mounts of Mayhem update for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition and Java Edition, and it's the last update of the year.
The UGREEN 4K Capture Card is on sale for less than $30 — it's the perfect, budget-friendly Christmas gift for livestreamers and content creators
Amazon Prime members looking to be content creators are in luck, as Amazon procured an exclusive 25%discount for the UGREEN 4K HDMI Capture Card in time for the Christmas holidays.
"Unlike anything I've taken on before" — The heads of this canceled Xbox game join Take-Two to make a new 2K developer after Microsoft killed their studio
Xbox infamously canceled the Perfect Dark reboot and closed down The Initiative, but two of its lead devs have joined Take-Two to make a new 2K studio.
Microsoft rounds off 2025 with one final Windows 11 feature update — here's what's new and fixed
The Windows 11 December 2025 Security Update is now rolling out, and alongside it comes a number of new features and changes to round off the year.
Microsoft promises it will upgrade Windows 11 with better performance for gamers in 2026 — "we’re committed to making Windows the best place to play"
Windows 11 is set to gain a number of important improvements for gamers next year, all designed to allow games to run better and compete with SteamOS.
Have no fear, AI is here to write your end-of-year performance review — and it'll even help you call out your coworkers
Copilot can streamline your performance review, but over-reliance risks turning AI into a substitute for critical thinking.
The mobile port of the PC version of Age of Empires is somehow getting its own PC port, sparking reactions from the community — "Have we all lost our minds?"
Just announced is a PC version of Age of Empires Mobile, itself a mobile version of the legendary PC series. It might not make complete sense, but you can try it yourself in early 2026.
Like Red Dead, Yakuza is also having upgrade discount issues on Xbox Series X|S — Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio offers an update
Oh my, not a few days after Red Dead Redemption has free upgrade issues on Xbox, legendary action series Yakuza is also unable to offer free upgrades on Xbox. What's going on?
Can you have the perfect webcam without Windows Hello? A new Logitech MX Brio Ultra HD 4K deal makes the case.
A strong discount makes the Logitech MX Brio Ultra HD 4K more appealing, but the omission of Windows Hello remains a notable drawback.
Major AI rivals just co-founded a foundation for open source agent development — will the rest be on board with a playbook from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block?
OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block recently co-founded a new open source organization called the Agentic AI Foundation designed to promote a clear path and standards for developing AI-powered agents.
The ultimate PC gaming holiday gift guide — 18 best gifts for gamers starting at $11
It's about that time again when you want to finish off your holiday shopping list, and we're making it easier than ever before with these 18 hot gift ideas for PC gamers.
Warhammer 40,000 has achieved its videogame golden age — and it's all thanks to these 10 amazing Xbox and PC titles
Warhammer 40,000 has taken over the video game industry with a plethora of fantastic games encompassing multiple genres. Today, we celebrate that legacy by counting the top ten best Warhammer 40,000 video games of all time.
OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman admits AI might be moving too fast as the three-year-old technology keeps rapidly evolving — "You could imagine getting it wrong"
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently highlighted a long lost of things that haven't been so great about ChatGPT's broad adoption and rise, including the speed at which it has reshaped the world.
Game Awards statue revealed? — Larian developer denies Original Sin 3, but that doesn't mean it's not Divinity-related
The statue could very easily be a new entry in the Divinity series, as they've done so multiple times.
Capcom was being dodgy about Leon Kennedy in Resident Evil Requiem — but the PlayStation Store just leaked him
Leon Kennedy is indeed in Resident Evil Requiem, with a leak on the PlayStation Store confirming the presence of the series' mainstay.
Laffgaff
Christmas Songs
What do you call a woman who won't stop singing Christmas songs? Carolyn.
What is the unit of weight measuring fineness of silk and nylon called?
Denier.
Ballet Costume
I needed to make a ballet costume and didn't know where to start. Then I put tu and tu together.
Itsfoss
Is Helium the Browser Brave Was Meant to Be?
An in-depth look at 'another new Chromium-based web browser" that is "different from the other Chromium-based web browsers".
A Linux-Powered Smartphone That Has Features You Won't Find on Most Phones
The Divine D. is set to come with LoRa networking, hardware privacy switches, and local AI processing.
Ubuntu Will Soon Make AMD GPUs Much Easier to Use for AI Workloads
Canonical teams up with AMD to package ROCm directly in Ubuntu.
Linux Foundation Launches Agentic AI Foundation with Industry-Wide Support
Anthropic's MCP, Block's goose, and OpenAI's AGENTS.md form the foundation of this new initiative.