The front page of the Daily Mirror reads, “Royal Festive Return”, as it shows the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, singing “in harmony” at a Westminster Abbey carol service. According to the newspaper report, Katherine told the congregation that “love is the light that shines even in our darkest times”.
“Kate lit up Christmas,” says The Sun, alongside a photo of the Princess of Wales and her youngest child Prince Louis during the carol service, each of them holding a lit candle. The newspaper says the princess was “smiling with pride” as she hosted the event.
The Times has published a story about the MI5 boss saying he is shifting his focus from counter-terrorism to “hostile states” including Russia, China and Iran. Ken McCallum, director general of the intelligence service, said Britain was facing “a lot of aggression” from some states and had therefore had to make “uncomfortable choices”, such as cutting spending on counter-terrorism. Many of Saturday’s newspapers carried photos of the Princess of Wales – who hosted a Christmas carol service together at Westminster Abbey on Friday – with her children.
“Labour abandons NHS pledge to reduce A&E waiting times to four hours” This is the weekend’s headline. It said the government was “abandoning” the commitment because Number 10 Downing Street could no longer guarantee that the target could be met by 2029.
The Daily Mail has an exclusive interview with the Chancellor, who warns that the UK defense budget must be cut to make up for the increase. The Mail states that Rachel Reeves is to launch “the biggest audit of government spending in almost 20 years” to “reduce waste and increase efficiency”.
The Guardian features a story about a decline in rape prosecutions in England and Wales due to “record court delays”, noting that the backlog has “doubled the number of victims who are having cases withdrawn”. . The paper’s analysis found that more than 280 rape prosecutions failed last year after the alleged victim withdrew. A study of Crown Court cases also found that women who gave pre-recorded evidence rather than testifying in person during rape trials were 41% less likely to be convicted, the paper said Is.
“Homes could face higher energy bills”, The Daily Telegraph says, as private companies that will build nuclear reactors, which the government says are vital to its “net zero plans”, have raised construction costs. Have asked for help. Earlier this week, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said nuclear power is “essential” to Labour’s plans. The Telegraph also reports that the Prince of Wales will join US President-elect Donald Trump for the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday.
The Financial Times focuses on Romania’s top court annulling Sunday’s presidential election after allegations that Russia used TikTok to promote “pro-Putin” leading candidate Calin Georgescu. Romanian officials published letters this week suggesting Moscow’s involvement. The runner-up liberal candidate, Elena Lasconi, called the court’s decision “illegal, immoral” and said it “crushes the essence of democracy”.
The Daily Star says the way to succeed at work is to “suck up” your boss. “Forget about working hard,” the paper reads, adding that you may be more likely to get a raise or promotion this way.
