A deeply disturbing safeguarding scandal has unfolded in north London after nursery worker Vincent Chan admitted to 26 charges including sexual assault and creating severe indecent images of children in his care. The investigation began after a whistleblower raised concerns, leading police to uncover extensive, distressing evidence on Chan’s devices and on iPads at Bright Horizons nursery, which has since closed. Detectives described the case as among the most harrowing and complex they had encountered. Parents listened in tears as charges were read in court, later issuing a joint statement expressing shock, anger, and a sense of betrayal by the nursery’s management and safeguarding failures. Bright Horizons acknowledged that the abuse had occurred despite its procedures and has commissioned an independent review of its practices. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said that her department was working with Ofsted and local leaders to assess what more can be done to keep children safe. Chan, who had passed standard DBS vetting checks, will be sentenced on 23 January.
A row has erupted over England’s move to require all GP surgeries to offer online booking for non-urgent appointments, with Wes Streeting accusing the British Medical Association (BMA) of acting like ‘moaning minnies’. While he praised GPs for rapidly adopting the system - now used by more than 98% of practices - the doctors’ union is concerned that patient safety is at risk. The new method of booking, which all doctors have to provide on weekdays from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm, also allows patients to ask questions, describe symptoms, and request callbacks. But the BMA says the software cannot differentiate urgent from routine needs, leaving surgeries overwhelmed and increasing the risk that serious issues will not be triaged properly. Healthwatch England raised concerns about limited patient awareness, difficulties for those less digitally literate, and some practices restricting online slots. Many GPs say they are already at capacity and fear unrealistic expectations without additional resources. The Government maintains it has invested extra funds and recruited more doctors.
In Birmingham, the city council and the Unite union remain locked in a bitter deadlock as the city’s bin strike enters its twelfth month, including nine months of full walkouts. Despite the ongoing dispute, Councillor Majid Mahmood has announced the council will press ahead with major reforms to its waste service, including fortnightly collections, expanded recycling, and a new weekly food waste scheme (which all local councils have to introduce in 2026). He said that all individual employment issues had been resolved, with workers either accepting new roles, choosing voluntary redundancy, or (rarely) being made compulsorily redundant. He could not understand why Unite members remained on strike. Unite, however, has accused the council of failing to consult it properly, and insists affected workers deserve compensation for lost pay and status. While new equipment and systems are ready for rollout, neither side appears willing to compromise, leaving the city without a resolution.
The Government is preparing a major expansion of facial recognition technology across the UK, giving police access to passport and driving-licence photos to speed up the identification of offenders. The Met Police, which has already made 1,300 arrests and tracked more than 100 sex offenders using the technology over two years, says live facial recognition is a key tool for public safety. The Home Office has launched a ten-week consultation to shape new legislation after concerns about 'Big Brother Britain' and the erosion of civil liberties. Critics argue that safeguards remain inadequate, noting previous findings by the Equality and Human Rights Commission that the Met’s policies were 'unlawful'. Civil liberties groups warn of potential misuse, disproportionate surveillance, and a chilling effect at protests. Supporters insist that the technology is becoming more accurate, with strict oversight needed rather than abandonment. Police chiefs say it will help find dangerous offenders and missing people more quickly. The consultation will determine what safeguards are necessary and whether expanded use is proportionate to the harms being targeted.
The classic worship song Shine, Jesus, Shine has been newly reimagined for the UK-wide ‘Shine Your Light’ Christmas campaign, which seeks to unite thousands of believers in a shared moment of worship and national prayer. First written by Graham Kendrick in 1987, the song is one of the most recognisable modern hymns in Britain. The initiative was sparked by Christian teacher and musician Nicole Hobday, who first dreamed as a teenager of churches singing the song simultaneously. The vision resurfaced after witnessing Kendrick lead believers to sing the song as a prayer over the nation. Feeling a sense of urgency following last August’s unrest, Hobday approached Kendrick, who encouraged her to take the idea forward. The new arrangement features children’s voices, multilingual lines in Punjabi and Mandarin, a rap element, prayers, and a choral arrangement by Ken Burton. Hobday described the recording session at COM Church as deeply moving. Running from 12 to 14 December, the campaign involves around 2,000 churches and aims to mobilise 200,000 Christians to share the Gospel with two million people.
The current round of diplomacy over the war in Ukraine suggests that Vladimir Putin remains firmly unwilling to accept any current peace proposal. After lengthy talks with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov admitted that no compromise version has yet been found – not surprising given Putin’s increasingly uncompromising tone. He has denounced Ukraine’s leadership as a ‘thieving junta’, accused European leaders of obstructing peace efforts, and insisted Russia holds the battlefield initiative, even though many of his supposed gains are disputed by Ukraine and international observers. Russian state media has showcased Putin in military fatigues studying front-line maps, projecting confidence and momentum nearly four years into the invasion. Putin appears determined to convince both domestic and foreign audiences that he cannot be pressured into changing course. Yet sustaining war requires resources: oil and gas revenues are slipping, economic imbalances are widening, and the budget deficit is growing. The critical unknown is whether mounting economic strain will eventually alter the Kremlin’s wartime calculations.
Across the UK and Europe, cars are steadily growing longer, wider, and heavier - a trend critics have nicknamed ‘carspreading’. SUVs in particular have surged in popularity, with their market share rising from 13% in 2011 to nearly 60% by 2025. Buyers praise them for visibility, practicality, comfort, and a sense of safety, and carmakers favour them for higher profit margins. But cities like Paris and Cardiff are pushing back, arguing that larger vehicles worsen pollution, increase road wear, and heighten risks in collisions. In Paris, after parking fees for heavy vehicles were tripled, the authorities have reported a two-thirds reduction in their numbers. Cardiff plans similar measures, gradually lowering weight thresholds for higher permit costs. Supporters say cities are too constrained to accommodate ever-bigger cars, while critics argue families rely on them for space, mobility, and accessibility. With many European roads narrower than modern vehicles, the debate highlights a growing tension between personal convenience, environmental responsibility, and urban safety.
Indonesia is facing a mounting humanitarian emergency after catastrophic floods killed at least 631 people and left nearly 500 missing, with rescue teams still struggling to reach isolated communities. Triggered by a rare cyclone over the Malacca Strait, the disaster has affected some 1.5 million people across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, cutting off entire districts and leaving about one million people displaced. Survivors describe torrents of water like a ‘tsunami’, while images show bridges swept away, roads buried in mud, and debris piled high. Many families have gone days without food as red tape, damaged infrastructure, and ongoing storms hinder aid deliveries. Grieving relatives wait anxiously near excavation sites, hoping missing loved ones will be found. Anger is growing over what critics say was poor preparedness and environmental mismanagement which worsened the devastation. The flooding comes as part of a broader regional crisis, with over 1,200 deaths across south and southeast Asia caused by intense monsoon rains amplified by rare cyclones and a warming climate.