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| | Border Force staff begin Christmas walkout | |  | | | | | | | | | If you have friends or relatives flying to the UK for Christmas or new year, there's a fair chance they face disruption. About 1,000 Border Force workers at six major airports begin the first of two four-day strikes today, in a dispute with the government over pay, jobs, pensions and conditions. The military and civil servants have been drafted in to check passports at Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow airports, as well as London's Heathrow and Gatwick, and the Port of Newhaven.
The Home Office says it's working to minimise delays. Even so, the Border Force's Steve Dann says travellers should expect disruption as those providing cover will "not be able to operate with the same efficiency as our permanent workforce". Some 579 flights are due to land at Heathrow today with an estimated 10,000 passengers scheduled to arrive at the airport by the time this newsletter is sent. The current strike continues until Boxing Day, with a second walkout planned for 28-31 December. Aviation data analyst Cirium says 8,910 flights with room for nearly 1.8 million people will arrive over the period of the strikes. PCS union leader Mark Serwotka says staff are struggling with the cost of living and ministers could "stop these strikes tomorrow" by offering more pay.
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| | 'Frostbite in minutes' warning over US 'bomb cyclone' | | | | | | | | | Dreaming of a white Christmas is one thing but when the forecast includes a blizzard brought on by a "bomb cyclone", it sounds like a nightmare. That's the prospect in Canada and the US, where a powerful Arctic winter storm and plunging temperatures mean weekend weather alerts for 135 million people. Airports have cancelled thousands of flights as the storm intensifies. The US National Weather Service (NWS) says temperatures of -50F (-45C) and -70F are possible by the end of the week in places. It's warning of frostbite - when tissue on a person's extremities can freeze - even in major metro areas, such as the city of Des Moines, Iowa. Read more about the "once-in-a-generation" weather, which sent one city's temperature plummeting from 43F to 3F (6C to -16C) in half an hour. | | | | | |
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| | UK ministers could block Scottish gender law | | | | | | | | | When the Scottish Parliament approved a system of self-identification for people changing their legal gender, it attracted cheers from trans-rights campaigners in the public gallery - and cries of "shame" from others. But the plan to remove the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria - a person's unease at a mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity - may yet hit an obstacle in the form of UK ministers. The Westminster government has concerns over women and children's safety in single-sex spaces, such as toilets. And it could resort to a never-before-used power to block the plan, arguing it would conflict with UK-wide equalities law. Scotland's Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison insists: "This area of policy is entirely within devolved competence." Read more. | | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | Not all wrapping paper will be accepted by recycling centres as it may contain plastic film or metallic elements, according to environmental charity WRAP. There is a simple test that you can do to see if your wrapping paper can be recycled: Crumple it into a ball. If it stays ball-shaped, it can likely be recycled. But if it springs back, it probably contains plastic and can't be recycled.
Tissue doesn't tend to be recyclable because of the short fibres, and the same goes for tissue-like wrapping paper. Make sure to remove ribbons, bows, batteries, sticky tape and other accessories before putting things in the recycling bin. Even better, don't throw the paper away, save it for next year's gifts. If following this route, you're going to have to be very careful unwrapping - admittedly a near impossibility for excited little hands on Christmas morning. | | | | | | | | | | | | Maddie Molloy and Greg Brosnan | | Climate and science reporters | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | | | | | | A variety of stories appear on front pages, with the Daily Mail reporting the threat from UK ministers to block the Scottish government's bill to let 16-year-olds change gender without a medical diagnosis. Westminster has made it clear it would consider a "nuclear option" of blocking the self-identification bill going for royal assent, the Guardian says. Meanwhile, the Daily Express says: "Britons are determined to splash what's left of their cash to make the most of Christmas". But the Times carries a warning from health officials to "stay away from grandparents" this festive season, if you have a cough or cold. See what else is on front pages. | | | | | |
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| | | | | Princess Catherine pays tribute to late Queen at carol service | | | | | | | Covid Antiviral treatment hastens recovery, trial finds | | | | | | | Lottery Vietnam veteran wins six times on intuition | | | | | | | Football Boy defies odds to walk - and kick a ball - three years early | | | | | | |
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| | If you do one thing today | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | If you listen to one thing today | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | If you read one thing today | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | Need something different? | | | | | | | | | Tough turkey, soggy sprouts, rock-hard roasties... and it tastes all the worse for having spent a fortune assembling the ingredients. If you've not had a Christmas dinner disaster, you're probably in a minority. And with everyone so much more conscious of cost this year, we've gone to top chefs for their tips on serving up the perfect festive feast on a budget. Read their recommendations.
Meanwhile, if your thoughts are already turning to what the new year might bring, our technology of business editor Ben Morris has been gazing into his crystal ball to predict the cutting-edge trends of 2023.
This is the last edition of News Daily in 2022, as the newsletter takes its annual festive break. Your next email will be on Tuesday 3 January. Until then, the team wishes you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year. | | | | | |
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| | | | | 1992 The Sun newspaper publishes the Queen's Christmas speech - memorable for the monarch describing a sombre year with the phrase "annus horribilis" - two days ahead of schedule, following a leak. | | | | | | |
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| | | Let us know what you think of this newsletter by emailing bbcnewsdaily@bbc.co.uk. If you’d like to recommend it to a friend, forward this email. New subscribers can sign up here. | | | | | |
