Best of BBC News this week - part one

Catch up on what you may have missed over Christmas

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News Daily Sophie Zeldin-O'Neill 28 December 2023 Hello. I hope some of you, at least, have been enjoying a restful festive break. I'm delighted to be joining the News Daily team, and starting in the new year I'll be bringing you the big stories each morning, alongside Iain and Caroline. But, in a change to the usual schedule, in a week when many people switch off from the news, today and tomorrow I'll give you the best of what you might have missed from us over the past few days. French and Saunders: How they proved that women are funny When they started out in the late 1970s, the comedy scene was a world away from today. For a start, it was predominantly male. But, as the 1980s edged into view, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders were among those who began to change establishment thinking. Here, they reflect on 40 years of being funny, share the secrets to their success - and French speaks about the 2008 sketch featuring US singer Anastacia which left her feeling "humiliated", and led to the duo calling time on their much-loved show.  Watch: Dawn French on why she felt humiliated by sketch   Read how they did it World's tallest wooden wind turbine starts turning Using wood for wind power is the future, according to Swedish start-up Modvion which has just built the world's tallest wooden turbine tower. My colleague Jonah Fisher was among the first journalists to be invited inside the structure, which is 150m (492ft) to the tip of the highest blade, made from 200 sustainably-farmed spruce trees, and is capable of powering about 400 homes.  Take a look inside the turbine 'We're truly happy' - The village where everyone has dementia When it opened in 2020, Landais Alzheimer in south-west France, was only the second village of its kind, but it has since attracted global interest. It is home to several dozen chalets and 120 residents, all of whom have dementia. As well as a shop and restaurant, villagers can go to the theatre, for walks, and join in a host of activities. Researchers are examining how living in the village is impacting the course of the disease, and early results are intriguing. Meet the residents Hanif Kureishi: 'I've become a reluctant dictator' Novelist Hanif Kureishi sustained life-changing injuries when he collapsed and landed on his head on Boxing Day last year. A year on from losing the use of his arms and legs, he describes the accident's profound impact on his life. The bigger picture Image: Borja Suarez/Reuters Around the world in 29 striking photos As the horror of war raged in some parts of the globe over the past 12 months, devastating natural disasters hit others. News photographers were on frontlines and fault lines to document it all. But there was joy and wonder to be found too. We've picked out some of the most powerful images from across the continents to tell the story of the year in colour. See the year in pictures Essential read I was wondering if you'd like one of my kidneys Would you donate an organ to a stranger? Laura Maisey says it's the best thing she's done. Read her inspiring story More stories you might have missed Sofia Coppola: 'I made Priscilla on a tight budget in just 30 days' What will happen to house prices and renting costs in 2024? Confiscated - The letters of forbidden love that were never received How a cat made history in a yacht race down Australia's coast Look ahead to 2024 FILMS Best big screen blockbusters From Mean Girls and Dune 2 to Paddington in Peru - look ahead to what's hitting the cinemas. Dig into the popcorn TECHNOLOGY AI's rise and electric car buys What next for the big trends in tech? We assess the challenges and innovations that lie ahead.  Step into the future Test your memory In the last editions of News Daily before Christmas, we gave you parts one and two of our big quiz of the year. We have since published part three, covering the news from July to September, and - to complete the set - part four, covering October to December. Feedback   Thanks to those who have given us feedback on News Daily. We appreciate it and will continue to develop the newsletter further. You can still let us know what you think by emailing bbcnewsdaily@bbc.co.uk. To recommend News Daily to a friend, please forward this email. New subscribers can sign up here. More from the BBC Terms of use    |    Privacy and Cookies    |    Unsubscribe To stop receiving ‘BBC News’ newsletters click here to unsubscribe. Or you can update your email preferences in your BBC account settings. This email is intended for UK residents. Please note that some features and content in this newsletter are only available to people in the UK. You can update your personal details including your Postcode and Email Address in your account settings. Find out everything you need to know about using your BBC account, all in one place. This email newsletter suggests things we think you'll like based on what we know about you. To find out more about personalisation at the BBC, click here. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London W1A 1AA, UK Copyright © 2‌023 BBC