Campaigners say consumption such as travel, gifts and food are destroying planet and the meaning of Christmas

Whether out of poverty or virtue, many of us spend much of the year reining in our appetites to save our pennies and our health. But at Christmas many of us put our worries aside and go wild in an orgy of lavish gifting, extensive travel and a gluttonous feeding frenzy.

This carnival of consumption has a cost: not just to our wallets and our waistlines, but also to the climate.

UK government accused of ‘nitpicking about compensation’ after being told to pay more to retain military base

Mauritius is holding out over a deal to gain control of the Chagos Islands from the UK, leaving ministers less than a month to rescue the agreement.

The government in Mauritius, which took office last month, has made clear it is dissatisfied with the terms negotiated by the previous administration. Over the weekend the deputy prime minister accused the British government of “nitpicking about the compensation”.

John Bolton delivers scathing critique of Trump’s lack of knowledge or coherent strategy: ‘I’m very worried’

A major international crisis is “much more likely” in Donald Trump’s second term given the president-elect’s “inability to focus” on foreign policy, a former US ambassador to the United Nations (UN) has warned.

John Bolton, who at 17 months was Trump’s longest serving national security adviser, delivered a scathing critique of his lack of knowledge, interest in facts or coherent strategy. He described Trump’s decision-making as driven by personal relationships and “neuron flashes” rather than a deep understanding of national interests.

Brian Spencer, 40, was seen taunting police before incident that online commenters labelled ‘instant karma’

A total of 500 people will be spending Christmas in prison for their part in the summer riots, after a rioter who went viral in an “instant karma” video when he was hit in the groin with a brick became the latest to be sentenced.

Brian Spencer was seen on the clip taunting police and gyrating his hips, while he was at the centre of the riot in Southport on 30 July, which was triggered by the deaths of three girls in the seaside town.

Award in ‘advocating on behalf of women and girls’ revoked after suit filed by Lively accusing him of sexual harassment

An award recently given to actor and director Justin Baldoni, honoring him for “courage and compassion in advocating on behalf of women and girls”, was rescinded following a complaint filed by actor Blake Lively accusing him of sexual harassment and a coordinated effort to damage her reputation.

The Voices of Solidarity Award was granted to Baldoni on 9 December by the Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international non-profit organization focused on women’s empowerment.

South Yorkshire police confirm 18-year-old died of injuries in hospital after car crashed into wall on Monday

An 18-year-old has died after a car crashed into a wall during a police pursuit in Sheffield city centre.

The teenager was killed in a crash in the Hyde Park Walk area of the city on the afternoon of 23 December, South Yorkshire police confirmed.

Rodent sightings cause club’s food hygiene rating to tumble at century-old stadium already afflicted by roof leaks

While matchday punters pay huge sums to see their heroes, it seems rodents have found a way to get into Old Trafford for free, leaving behind Christmas gifts for the food hygiene inspector to find.

Manchester United’s food hygiene rating tumbled to two stars out of five on the most recent inspection, after mouse droppings were found in a kiosk that sells food to fans and a ground-level corporate suite.

Attorneys for Phillip Pines lay out list of claims related to alleged sex parties in lawsuit filed in Los Angeles

Detained rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, already facing more than 30 civil complaints alongside federal racketeering conspiracy charges, has been hit with a claim from a former “personal lackey” who claims he was forced to clean up after Comb’s “Wild King Nights” parties were finished.

Attorneys for Phillip Pines claim in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles on Monday that between December 2019 to December 2021, Combs pressured Pines into having sex with a woman and orchestrated parties where he engaged in sex, drugs and alcohol.

Demonstrations flare after video spread on social media showing hooded fighters setting fire to tree

Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in Christian areas of Damascus early on Tuesday to protest against the burning of a Christmas tree near Hama in central Syria.

“We demand the rights of Christians,” protesters chanted as they marched through the Syrian capital towards the headquarters of the Orthodox patriarchate in the Bab Sharqi neighbourhood.

Investigation launched after late-night ‘trap and drag’ incident on Elizabeth line in which man was freed by staff

An investigation has been launched after a rail passenger was forced to run several metres along the platform with his hand trapped inside the doors of a moving train in west London.

The passenger, who was trying to board an Elizabeth line service just after midnight, had his hand caught in the door as it began to depart, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said on 24 December.