The gunmen who allegedly carried out a deadly attack on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach last week threw four undetonated explosives at the start of the attack, including a "tennis ball bomb", according to newly released documents.

Naveed Akram, 24, has been charged with dozens of offences including 15 counts of murder over the attack at a Hanukkah celebration on 14 December. Akram, who was shot by police during the attack, was released from hospital on Monday and transferred to a prison.

The second alleged gunman, his father Sajid Akram, was shot dead.

The pair recorded a video manifesto in October in which they sit in front of the Islamic State group flag, according to police documents.

The Akrams "meticulously planned this terrorist attack for many months", police alleged. Videos found on Naveed's phone showed the pair were motivated by "violent extremist ideology" linked to the Islamic State group.

They include one video in which the pair sit in front of an Islamic State flag and detail their motivation for the Bondi attack and condemn "the acts of 'Zionists'", police alleged. Naveed also appears to recite a passage from the Quran in Arabic in the video, police alleged.

Another video allegedly showed the pair conducting firearms training in what police believe to be rural New South Wales in October. "The Accused and his father are seen throughout the video firing shotguns and moving in a tactical manner," police alleged.

A temporary suppression order had been made on the fact sheet last week to protect the identities of the survivors of the attack. The order was revoked on Monday after an application to the New South Wales Local Court by media companies although the names of most survivors were redacted.

CCTV recorded at Bondi beach two days ahead of the attack also showed the Akrams driving to the area and carrying out reconnaissance, police alleged.

"The Accused and his father, S Akram, are seen to exit the vehicle and walk along the footbridge, being the same position where they attended two days later and shot at members of the public," police wrote.

CCTV also captured the pair leaving rented accommodation in the Sydney suburb of Campsie hours before the attack "carrying long and bulky items wrapped in blankets", police alleged.

Police said the items, which were placed in a car, were three firearms, home-made improvised explosive devices including the "tennis ball bomb" and two Islamic State flags.

They later drove to Bondi where they parked and placed the flags on the inside of the front and rear windows, police alleged. After removing the firearms and homemade bombs from the car, they walked towards the footbridge from where they carried out their attack, police alleged.

Three homemade pipe bombs and the tennis ball bomb were thrown as they approached the bridge, police alleged, but did not explode although they were assessed as "viable". A fifth explosive device was later found in their vehicle, police had previously said.

Naveed Akram, who was shot in the abdomen and critically injured by police, did not appear at Monday's court appearing.

An end to puppy farming and a possible ban on the use of electric shock dog collars are promised as part of a new animal welfare strategy being launched by the government on Monday.

The strategy - which packages together new laws with legislative reforms and proposals - will also progress Labour's manifesto pledge to ban trail hunting in the countryside.

The RSPCA has welcomed the plans to outlaw puppy farming but the Countryside Alliance has condemned the ban on trail hunting as "another attack on the countryside".

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds told the BBC there would be consultation on the trail-hunting ban, which was "sometimes used as a smokescreen" for illegal fox hunting.

Puppy farming is the term used when breeders prioritise profit over animal health and welfare, often keeping large numbers of dogs in small pens and using them to produce multiple litters a year.

Current dog breeding practices will be reformed to tackle puppy farming as part of what the government calls "the biggest animal welfare reforms in a generation".

However, the whole strategy will not be delivered until the end of 2030.

David Bowles, head of public affairs at the RSPCA, said the animal welfare charity was "delighted" at the strategy and added that the plans to ban puppy farming "could be a real game-changer".

"Puppy farming is one of the most insidious problems that the RSPCA faces.

"The government will need to write the legislation on that in this coming year and the RSPCA will work with them to make sure that there are no loopholes," he said.

The government is also looking to ban the use of snare traps in the countryside and on Sunday confirmed it is to carry out a consultation on the proposed ban on trail hunting in the New Year.

Trail hunting involves using a rag with a natural scent on to lay a trail ahead of a hunt, which is then followed by the hounds but live animal scents could be picked up by the pack instead.

The secretary of state told the BBC that while Labour had previously banned fox hunting in 2004 "we have seen that people are trying to get around that ban by using trail hunting in some cases".

"Obviously that's also a problem of enforcement, it's not just the legislation, but we are determined to go further, which is why banning trail hunting is in the animal welfare strategy," she said.

"We know sometimes it is used as a smokescreen for fox hunting."

'Divisive issue'

But Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said it was "unbelievable" that the government would be spending more parliamentary time on hunting.

He said: "Revisiting this pointless and divisive issue is completely unnecessary.

"People across the countryside will be shocked that after Labour's attack on family farms and its neglect of rural communities it thinks banning trail hunting and snares used for fox control are a political priority."

Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake called the ban an "attack on rural Britain and British culture", accusing the government of "punishing the law-abiding majority who support legal trail hunting".

The government is also looking at ending the use of "confinement systems" in farming including caged hens and pig farrowing crates, which are used to contain sows during birth and nursing.

The use of slow-growing chickens will be promoted over the use of controversial so-called "Frankenchickens", a term used by animal welfare campaigners to describe fast-growing breeds.

Anthony Field, head of Compassion in World Farming UK, said the government was "raising the bar for farmed animal welfare".

The National Pig Association said it would be "following the next steps closely" on farrowing crates and was itself looking towards more flexible systems.

The British Poultry Council have been approached by the BBC for comment.

Doctors in England will return to work on Monday after a planned five-day walkout over ongoing pay disputes.

The strike went ahead amid surging flu cases, and despite last-minute talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government. BMA members rejected a new government offer that aimed to tackle issues with training and job security.

Speaking to the British Medical Journal on Friday, BMA resident doctor leader DR Jack Fletcher said doctors were being lost to other countries because "they will essentially pay me more and also treat me better."

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he would like to see an end to the dispute by the new year.

Resident doctors, the new name for junior doctors, called for the government to provide a "genuinely long-term plan" to increase pay, and for more training places created for qualified doctors to specialise and progress their careers.

The doctors' union said 65% of its members had participated in what was the 14th strike since March 2023.

The doctors' union has argued that resident doctors' pay is still a fifth lower than it was in 2008, due to inflation. This year, they received an average pay rise of 5.4%.

During a visit to an ambulance station in London last week, Streeting said: "I do want to end this dispute.

"I don't want us to be locked in a bitter dispute, and I'm never going to shut the door to talks, and I will do my best to see if we can start 2026 off on a better foot."

But, Streeting said, the BMA is "demanding an extra 26% on top of what we've already given".

"That is not a figure that we can afford but we will get around the table with them again in the new year," he added.

Health experts have warned that the impact of the strike will be felt into the new year "and beyond".

Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the walkout "dangerous and utterly irresponsible" particularly during a record flu season for the start of winter.

During the walkout, the BMA said they would work with NHS bosses to ensure safety in hospitals and other parts of the health service.

While the NHS remains on high alert over flu, the surge in the virus is slowing for now at least. The BBC reported on Friday just over 3,000 patients were in hospital in England with the virus.

Meanwhile in Scotland, residential doctors are set to strike from 13 January to 17 January. It will be the first time NHS workers have staged a national walkout.

US and Ukrainian envoys say "productive and constructive" talks have taken place in Miami, but there still appears to be no major breakthrough in efforts to end Ukraine's war with Russia.

Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, issued a joint statement with the top Ukrainian negotiator, Rustem Umerov, after three days of meetings with European allies.

The pair said the meeting focused on aligning positions on a 20-point plan, a "multilateral security guarantee framework", a "US Security guarantee framework for Ukraine" and an "economic & prosperity plan".

Separate talks have been taking place in Miami between the US and the Russian envoy, Kirill Dmitriev.

"Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraine's recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity," Witkoff and Umerov said in a statement.

The meetings are the latest step in weeks of diplomatic activity, sparked by the leaking of a 28-point US peace plan which shocked Ukraine and its European allies for appearing to favour Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago.

Witkoff said representatives from Russia had met himself and other US officials in southern Florida, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Witkoff said the meetings with Russian envoy Dmitriev were also "productive and constructive" and that "Russia remains fully committed to achieving peace in Ukraine".

Trump has been pushing Ukraine and Russia to come to an agreement on ending the war, but so far the two countries have been unable to agree on major issues, including Moscow's demand to keep land it has already seized.

US intelligence reports continue to warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin still wants to capture all of Ukraine and reclaim parts of Europe that belonged to the former Soviet empire, six sources familiar with US intelligence told the Reuters news agency.

This comes says after Putin told the BBC's Steve Rosenberg that there will be no more wars after Ukraine, if Russia is treated with respect.

"There won't be any operations if you treat us with respect, if you respect our interests just as we've always tried to respect yours," he said.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone attack damaged two vessels and two piers in Russia's southern Krasnodar region, Russian officials said on Monday.

The damage led to a big fire, but Russian authorities say all crew were safely evacuated. Some reports say oil infrastructure was targeted.

As helicopters circled overhead, sirens descended on her suburb, and people ran screaming down her street on 14 December, Mary felt a grim sense of deja vu.

"That was when I knew there was something seriously wrong – again," she says, her eyes brimming with tears.

Mary - who did not want to give her real name - was at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre last April when six people were stabbed to death by a man in psychosis, a tragedy still fresh in the minds of many.

Findings from a coronial inquest into the incident were due to be delivered this week, but were delayed after two gunmen unleashed a hail of bullets on an event marking the start of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah eight days ago.

Declared a terror attack by police, 15 people were shot and killed, including a 10-year-old girl who still had face paint curling around her eyes.

The first paramedic to confront the bloody scenes at the Chanukah by the Sea event was also the first paramedic on the scene at the Westfield stabbings.

"You just wouldn't even fathom that something like this would happen," 31-year-old Mary, who is originally from the UK, tells the BBC. "I say constantly to my family at home how safe it is here."

This was the overarching sentiment in the days following the shooting. This kind of thing, mass murder, just doesn't happen in Australia.

But it can and it has – twice, in the same community, within 18 months.

A sea of flowers left by shocked and grieving people at Bondi is being packed up. A national day of reflection is over. On Sunday night, Jewish Australians lit candles for the last time this Hannukah.

But the two tragedies have left scores physically scarred and traumatised, and the nation's sense of safety shattered.

'Everyone knows someone affected'

Bondi is Australia's most famous beach - a globally recognised symbol of its way of life.

It's also a quintessential slice of Australian community. There's a bit of "everyone knows everyone" - and that means everyone knows someone affected by the 14 December tragedy, mayor Will Nemesh told the BBC.

"One of the first people I texted was [Rabbi] Eli Schlanger. And I said, 'I hope you're OK. Call me if you need anything'," he said.

But the British-born father of five, also known as the "Bondi Rabbi", was among the dead.

The first responders, police and paramedics would have been working on members of their own community. Others had the task of having to treat the shooters who had taken aim at their colleagues.

"[Westfield Bondi Junction] was horrendous, something we're certainly not used to. And then this again was massive, catastrophic injuries," Ryan Park, health minister for New South Wales, told the BBC.

"They've seen things that are like you would see in a war zone… You don't get those images out of your head," Park added.

Mayor Nemesh fears this will forever be a stain on Bondi, and Australia.

"If this can happen here at Bondi Beach, it really could happen anywhere… the impact has reverberated around Australia."

'Warnings ignored'

No one is feeling this more than the Jewish community, for whom Bondi has become a sanctuary.

"I swam here every day for years on end, rain or shine. And this week… I couldn't get in the water. It didn't feel right. It felt sacrilegious in some way," Zac Seidler, a local clinical psychologist, told the BBC.

Many of the victims of the attack moved here over many decades for safety from persecution, including 89-year-old Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman. Instead, his life was bookended by violent acts of antisemitic hate.

Mr Seidler has spent the past two years trying to convince his grandparents, who are also Holocaust survivors, to hold on to their faltering belief in the good of humanity.

"[My grandmother] kept saying, 'These are the signs. I've seen this before'. And I just kept saying, 'Not in Australia, not here. You're safe', just trying to soothe her.

"But now I kind of feel like the fool."

No community is a monolith, but one thing many Jewish Australians believe is that warnings about a rise of antisemitism in the months preceding this attack were ignored.

The year started with a spate of vandalism and arson incidents on Jewish marks in the suburbs surrounding Bondi. It has ended with mass murder targeting their community.

There has been resistance in the face of fear - some leaders urging Jewish Australians to double down, be more publicly Jewish and display their religious symbols with pride.

One woman perusing the flowers outside the Bondi Pavilion on Sunday admits she is too scared to do that. It took her all week to even work up the courage to visit this site, which is just metres from where many of the victims died.

"I've never felt my Jewishness before. I've never experienced antisemitism in my whole life until now," MaryAnne says. "And now, I don't want to wear my Star of David."

Community, anger and sadness

The shooting triggered a massive outpouring of support from around the nation.

When the news broke, many in the community rallied to help.

Lifeguards - volunteer and paid - put their lives on the line. Restaurants opened their doors and hid people in their store rooms and freezers, and locals ushered lost children into their apartments.

Even the New South Wales opposition leader Kellie Sloane - also the local state member - was at the scene, helping pack bullet wounds.

In the days after the shooting, thousands of ordinary Australians lined up - many for hours on end - to donate blood desperately needed to treat those injured.

Each day, a carpet of petals, handwritten notes, commemorative stones and candles grew out from the gates of the Bondi Pavilion.

Bee motifs - stickers, balloons, even pavement art - are all over the suburb, in remembrance of Matilda, the terror attack's youngest victim.

Surfers and swimmers on Friday paddled out beyond Bondi's iconic breaks to honour those who died.

A day later, surf livesavers and lifeguards stood shoulder to shoulder on the beach in solidarity with the Jewish community.

But amid the platitudes, sadness and shock is calcifying into anger and tension.

Last year's Bondi Junction stabbings were devastating for the community - but a shared resolution united it.

Experts say the attacker, who had schizophrenia, was in psychosis at the time of the stabbings, and his family have previously said he was frustrated at being unable to find a girlfriend. The question of whether he targeted women will likely forever go unanswered. But clear failures in the mental health system have been identified.

Last month, families of the victims asked the coroner to refer the doctor who weaned him off medication with limited supervision to regulators for investigation, and they have also argued for a massive boost to mental health service funding.

But last Sunday's events raise more uncomfortable feelings and questions.

There is palpable fury at the government, over a perceived – and admitted – failure to do more to stop antisemitism. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been booed during public appearances this week, and talking to people visiting the site of the attack in Bondi, it isn't uncommon to hear them demand his resignation.

Many people the BBC spoke to pointed to his government's decision to recognise Palestinian statehood, alongside countries including the UK and Canada, and regular protests in Australia by members of the pro-Palestinian movement, which though largely peaceful but have been peppered with antisemitic chants and placards.

The state of New South Wales - which has in recent years tightened protest rules - has already announced it will introduce more legislation cracking down on "hateful" chants and give police more powers to investigate demonstrators. The federal government has promised similar.

The blame apportioned to these protests does not sit right with many, even some sections of the Jewish community.

"We need to hold multiple truths," Mr Seidler says. "We can be afraid, we can feel that there is deep antisemitic rhetoric going on in certain circles within Australia… while also understanding that there is a right of people in this country – especially Muslim Australians – to be concerned about what is taking place in Gaza.

"We need to get better at finding that line and calling out when that line has been crossed."

For others, there is anger at what they feel is the politicisation of a tragedy.

"It's a bloody photo op," one woman tells me on Sunday, as a prominent Australian businesswoman arrives and begins posing with the floral tributes outside the Bondi Pavilion.

Some - including the local federal MP Allegra Spender - worry the attack is being used to fuel anti-immigration sentiment.

"We would not have had the man who saved so many Australians if we had cut off, for instance, Muslim immigration," she said.

Mr Seidler says these arguments fail to recognise that antisemitic views - and other forms of bigotry - are formed here too.

"I heard someone say the other day that Australia thinks it's on a holiday from history, that we're somehow immune to this stuff, that it's not bred here, it's imported," Mr Seidler says.

With the anger, there is also fear: for the Jewish community of other attacks, for the Muslim community of retaliation for an act of terror they have loudly condemned.

There are questions over how Australia's security agency fumbled an alleged terrorist who at one point was on their watch list, prompting a review into federal police and intelligence agencies that was announced on Sunday.

There is frustration at NSW Police, who have for years been warned by the Muslim community of hate preachers poaching their young men.

There is animosity towards the media, driven by hurt among both Jewish and Arab Australians over a belief they and their communities have been misrepresented, and frustration at what some feel is incitement against them.

But there is also a queasiness at the treatment of traumatised victims throughout this week, some of whom were interviewed live on television while the blood of their friends still stained their hands.

Through it all, is an undercurrent of suspicion of institutions and each other.

There are varying opinions on how those rifts can heal – or even if they can. But there is a shared determination to try.

One UK expat who was at the beach at the time of the shooting says everyone he speaks to is adamant this will not change Bondi, or Australia.

"It's seriously unique what you have as a nation… there's a magic about it," Henry Jamieson tells the BBC.

"I'm traumatised… and I'm going to have to deal with that for the rest of my life, I know I am… even people who weren't there were traumatised.

"But I'm not gonna let it shake me and we will not let it shake this community.

"You can't let them win," he says of the alleged terrorists.

At an emotional memorial on Sunday night, seven days since the attack, the same sense of defiance was on show. It ended with the lighting of the menorah, something the crowds gathered for Hannukah last week never got to do.

The shamash, the centre candle, was lit by the father of Ahmed al Ahmed, in honour of his bravery in wrestling a gun off one of the attackers. The children of the two rabbis who were killed lit another. Others were lit by a representative of surf lifesavers and a Jewish community medic who rushed to the scene and began treating the injured before the shots had even stopped. The final candle was lit by Michael, the father of Matilda, who has been described a fountain of joy to all who knew her.

After the parade of diverse Australians had sparked flames on each arm of the menorah, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman of Bondi Chabad made a plea for more love and more unity.

"Returning to normal is not enough," he said.

"Sydney can and must become a beacon of goodness. A city where people look out for one another, where kindness is louder than hate, where decency is stronger than fear, and we can make it happen," he said, stopping for a moment as the crowd applauded.

"But only if we take the feelings we have right now and turn them into action, into continuous action."

Late one night last month Iang Za Kim heard explosions in a neighbouring village, then fighter jets flying overhead. She ran out of her home to see smoke rising from a distance.

"We were terrified. We thought the junta's planes would bomb us too. So we grabbed what we could – some food and clothes and ran into the jungles surrounding our village."

Iang's face quivers as she recounts the story of what happened on 26 November in K-Haimual, her village in Myanmar's western Chin State, and then she breaks down.

She's among thousands of civilians who've fled their homes in recent weeks after the Burmese military launched a fierce campaign of air strikes, and a ground offensive in rebel-held areas across the country, to recapture territory ahead of elections starting on 28 December.

Four other women sitting around her on straw mats also start crying. The trauma of what they've gone through to make it to safety is clearly visible.

While the air strikes were the immediate cause for Iang to flee, she also doesn't want to be forced to participate in the election.

"If we are caught and refuse to vote, they will put us in jail and torture us. We've run away so that we don't have to vote," she says.

Some from Chin state have described the junta's latest offensive as the fiercest it has launched in more than three years.

Many of the displaced have sought refuge in other parts of the state. Iang is among a group that crossed the border into India's Mizoram state. Currently sheltered in a rundown badminton court in Vaphai village, the group's few belongings they were able to carry are packed in plastic sacks.

Indian villagers have given them food and basic supplies.

Ral Uk Thang has had to flee his home at the age of 80, living in makeshift shelters in jungles for days, before finally making it to safety.

"We're afraid of our own government. They are extremely cruel. Their military has come into our and other villages in the past, they've arrested people, tortured them, and burned down homes," he says.

It isn't easy to speak to Burmese civilians freely. Myanmar's military government does not allow free access in the country for foreign journalists. It took over the country in a coup in February 2021, shortly after the last election, and has since been widely condemned for running a repressive regime that has indiscriminately targeted civilians as it looks to crush the armed uprising against it across Myanmar.

During its latest offensive, the junta last week targeted a hospital in Rakhine State, just south of Chin State. Rebel groups in Rakhine say at least 30 people were killed and more than 70 injured.

The Chin Human Rights Organisation says that since mid-September at least three schools and six churches in Chin State have been targeted by junta airstrikes, killing 12 people including six children.

The BBC has independently verified the bombing of a school in Vanha village on 13 October. Two students –Johan Phun Lian Cung, who was seven, and Zing Cer Mawi, 12 - were killed as they were attending lessons. The bombs ripped through their classrooms injuring more than a dozen other students.

Myanmar's military government did not respond to the BBC's questions about the allegations.

This is the second time Bawi Nei Lian and his young family – a wife and two young children - have been displaced. Back in 2021, soon after the coup, their home in Falam town was burnt down in an air strike. They rebuilt their lives in K-Haimual village. Now they're homeless again.

"I can't find the words to explain how painful and hard it is and what a difficult decision it was to make to leave. But we had to do it to stay alive," he says.

"I want the world to know that what the military is claiming – that this election is free and fair – this is absolutely false. When the main political party is not being allowed to contest the election, how can there be genuine democracy?"

The National League for Democracy party, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, which won landslides in the two elections prior to the coup, will not be contesting as most of its senior leaders including Suu Kyi are in jail.

"We don't want the election. Because the military does not know how to govern our country. They only work for the benefit of their high-ranking leaders. When Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's party was in power, we experienced a bit of democracy. But now all we do is cry and shed tears," says Ral Uk Thang.

Iang Za Kim believes the election will be rigged. "If we voted for a party not allied with the military, I believe they will steal our votes and claim we voted for them."

The election will take place in phases, with a result expected around the end of January. Rebel groups have called it a sham.

At the base of the Chin National Front in Myanmar, the most prominent rebel group operating in the state, the group's Vice Chairman Sui Khar says: "This election is only being held to prolong military dictatorship. It's not about the people's choice. And in Chin State, they hardly control much area, so how can they hold an election?"

He points out the areas where the most intense fighting is ongoing on a map and tells us nearly 50 rebel fighters have been injured in just the past month. There have been deaths too, but so far the groups have not released a number.

"There are columns of hundreds of soldiers trying to advance into the northern part of Chin state from four directions," Sui Khar says. "The soldiers are being supported by air strikes, artillery fire and by drone units."

Access to the base is extremely rare. Set amid thickly forested mountains, it is the heart of the resistance against the junta in Chin state.

Sui Khar takes us to the hospital at the base. We see a group of injured fighters who were brought in overnight and had to undergo hours of surgery. Some of them have had to undergo amputations.

Many of them were just schoolboys when the coup occurred in 2021. Just about adults now, they've let go of their dreams to fight on the frontline against the junta.

Abel, 18, is in too much pain to speak. He was with a group of fighters trying to take back territory the junta captured a week ago. They won the battle, but Abel lost his right leg and has serious injuries to his hands as well.

In a bed next to him is Si Si Maung, 19, who's also had a leg amputated.

"As the enemy was retreating we ran forward and I stepped on a landmine. We were injured in the explosion. Then we were attacked from the air. The airstrikes make things very difficult for us," he says. "I've lost a leg, but even if I've to give up my life I'm happy to make the sacrifice so that future generations have a better life."

The impact of the ferocity of the latest offensive is visible in room after room at the hospital.

Yet, it's the support and grit of tens of thousands of youngsters like Si Si Maung, who picked up arms to fight against the junta, that have helped the rebels make rapid advances against a much more powerful rival in the past four-and-a-half years.

Some like 80-year-old Ral Uk Thang hope that after the election, the junta will retreat, and he will be able to go back home.

"But I don't think I will live to see democracy restored in Myanmar," he says. "I hope my children and grandchildren can witness it some day."

Additional reporting by Aamir Peerzada, Sanjay Ganguly and Aakriti Thapar

Sir Keir Starmer does not have a "coherent approach to social mobility", the government's social mobility commissioner has said.

Alun Francis, a top adviser to the government, told the Guardian that there was no "overarching narrative" to pull various policy strands together and called on the prime minister to set out a clearer strategy.

A report by the commission released last week warned that "extreme regional disparities exist" in the UK, with many former industrial and mining areas worst affected.

"We have a government that talks quite a lot about social mobility, but mainly about individuals – often about [the] social mobility of themselves or their colleagues," Francis said.

"But what we don't have is a coherent approach to social mobility as a useful concept that you can build a strategy around."

While praising individual policies on housing and skills, he said other proposals had been "stop-start", while almost one million young people are now outside education, work or training.

"We've got other policies like growth, educational improvement where we're just not sure where we're going," Francis said.

Without an overall strategy, he said, the government would "struggle to address some of those issues and have a clear-headed view about what we might do to improve things".

Among the conclusions of week's report were that a child's family background still heavily shapes their education level and future life chances in the UK. It also said there were "extreme regional disparities" within the country.

A government spokesperson called the number of young people outside education, work or training a crisis that couldn't be ignored and said a review by Alan Milburn would help build a system that ensured every young person had an opportunity to make something of their lives.

The report listed North East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the West Midlands as facing "enduring disadvantages", while former mining areas in Wales and Scotland are also "notably disadvantaged".

However, new areas outside London with "favourable conditions for innovation and growth" include Aberdeen, Brighton, Bristol, Chester, Edinburgh, Oxfordshire, Reading and West Berkshire, the report said.

It also noted that almost half of young people aged 25 to 29 years were in professional occupations between 2022 and 2024 - up from 36% between 2014 and 2016.

But people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds "don't benefit as much from these opportunities as their peers", it said.

The US town of Bristol, population around 44,000, is a divided community.

Split between Virginia and Tennessee, the state line runs literally down main street. While both sides have much in common, there is one major difference - abortion is illegal in Tennessee. This has been the case since the 2022 Supreme Court ruling which gave individual states, rather than the federal government, the power to legislate abortion, triggering 12 states to pass near-total bans.

So the city's only abortion clinic, Bristol Women's Health, moved less than a mile down the road to continue practising legally in Virginia.

But just because abortion is legal in Virginia it doesn't mean the battle for abortion access is over.

"It's like whack-a-mole," said Barbara Schwartz, the co-founder of SLAAP, the State Line Abortion Access Partnership. They assist people travelling into Virginia to get an abortion at Bristol Women's Health Clinic.

"As soon as one approach doesn't work, the anti-abortion crowd pops up in Bristol and tries another."

On 22 December, Bristol's Circuit Court will hear the clinic's case against an eviction notice served by their landlords, brothers Chase and Chadwick King in April 2024.

Lawyers for the clinic argue it has the right to renew its lease for a total of six more years. But if the judge rules in favour of the building's owners, the clinic will be forced to find a new home.

This is not the landlords' first attempt to remove the clinic from their property. The brothers claimed that the clinic fraudulently concealed that they perform abortions, to which they maintain to be "adamantly opposed". The case was dismissed in September last year, with Judge Sage Johnson ruling:

"If [the landlords] had conducted a simple internet search on their tenants, as any reasonably prudent landlord likely would, they would have discovered that the clinic did, in fact, provide abortion services as is plainly stated on their website."

Clinic owner Diana Derzis, who declined to comment on the hearing, previously stated that she hopes to keep the clinic in the city, even if they are evicted. However, she noted there are few other suitable facilities in Bristol, Virginia.

The clinic leaving Bristol would be a "blow" to abortion access, according to Barbara Schwartz, the co-founder of SLAAP, the State Line Abortion Access Partnership.

Since Roe v Wade was overturned, states where abortions are legal have become destinations for out-of-state abortion seekers, with 155,000 people crossing state lines last year, according to the Guttmacher Institute (GI).

The organisation also found that over 9,200 people travelled to Virginia alone to have the procedure done last year.

"Bristol's position means the clinic is the closest place by several hours to get a safe and legal abortion for millions of southerners."

Victoria Cobb, the director of anti-abortion lobbyist the Family Foundation, also notes that Bristol's location places it at the "epicentre of the debate".

Ms Cobb launched the first of several efforts to restrict abortion in Bristol by making use of local bylaws. The tactic is being used by anti-abortion campaigners in states which permit abortion. The logic is simple: If you can't win at Capitol Hill, why not fight at City Hall?

"Locals don't want to see their town turn into an abortion destination location," Ms Cobb states. "We're happy to help them."

The Family Foundation has argued in the past that the existence of the clinic goes against zoning regulation, which prohibits buildings from being used in a way that could endanger life.

"Why would this not extend to unborn life?" asked Ms Cobb.

Their ordinance said no new clinics should be allowed to open in Bristol, and expansion of the existing clinic should be blocked.

Similar rules have been used in other parts of the US to restrict abortion, including nearby Washington and Russell counties. But Prof Laura Hermer, an expert on abortion regulations in the US, says these efforts are largely "virtue signalling".

"I'd be surprised if many of these towns have any healthcare, let alone abortion, providers," she said.

The debate became heated in Bristol, as the council agreed to look into the matter.

"It has been more stressful than dealing with a parking lot. It's not something that has really come to the local level before," Jay Detrick, the city's planning director told the BBC.

Ultimately, the city's attorney found that imposing restrictions on a medical facility was not in their remit.

Soon after the city decided not to intervene, another group decided to try and shut the clinic down - this one spearheaded by Texas pastor Mark Lee Dickson.

The pastor has lobbied councils across the US to enforce the Comstock Act, a 152-year-old federal law that prohibits sending or receiving material via post which might induce an abortion.

Ninety-three local authorities have passed ordinances to enforce the Comstock Act, even closing a Planned Parenthood clinic in Lubbock, Texas.

Pastor Dickson is hopeful his ordinance filed in Bristol will have the same result. It has not yet been considered by the Council, but he remains optimistic.

"A local government's tabling or rejecting of such a measure doesn't by any means mean the initiative is dead," he told the BBC.

Kimberly Smith, SLAAP's co-founder, anticipates further campaigns. She says anti-abortion activists target Bristol due to its unusual political make-up:

"They come here because we were a red part of a blue state. If they chip away here, then that weakens the entire framework of a state's rights."

Indeed, even if the clinic wins its case this week and can remain in place, its opponents are undeterred, Pastor Dickson tells the BBC.

"As long as the cries of unborn babies are silenced in Bristol there will be an effort to push the City Council to fulfil their obligation to protect unborn Bristolians."

The US Coast Guard is in "active pursuit" of another vessel in international waters near Venezuela, an official has told the BBC's US partner CBS News, as tensions in the region continue to escalate.

US authorities have already seized two oil tankers this month - one of them on Saturday.

Sunday's pursuit related to a "sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela's illegal sanctions evasion", a US official said. "It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order."

Washington has accused Venezuela of using oil money to fund drug-related crime, while Venezuela has described the tanker seizures as "theft and kidnapping".

US President Donald Trump last week ordered a "blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving the country.

Venezuela - home to the world largest proven oil reserves - has accused the Trump administration of trying to steal its resources.

US authorities have not yet officially confirmed Sunday's pursuit, and the exact location and name of the tanker involved is not yet known.

As of last week, more than 30 of the 80 ships in Venezuelan waters or approaching the country were under US sanctions, according to data compiled by TankerTrackers.com.

Saturday's seizure saw a Panamanian-flagged tanker boarded by a specialised tactical team in international waters.

That ship is not on the US Treasury's list of sanctioned vessels, but the US has said it was carrying "sanctioned PDVSA oil". In the past five years the ship also sailed under the flags of Greece and Liberia, according to records seen by BBC Verify.

"These acts will not go unpunished," the Venezuelan government said in response to Saturday's incident. It added that it intended to file a complaint with the UN Security Council and "other multilateral agencies and the governments of the world".

Venezuela is highly dependent on revenues from its oil exports to finance its government spending.

In recent weeks, the US has built up its military presence in the Caribbean Sea and has carried out deadly strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug-smuggling boats, killing around 100 people.

It has provided no public evidence that these vessels were carrying drugs, and the military has come under increasing scrutiny from Congress over the strikes.

The Trump administration has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading a designated-terrorist organisation called Cartel de los Soles, which he denies.

At a rail yard near Milton Keynes, a group of men in orange outfits are making final checks on huge slabs of railway track, preparing them so that they are ready to be installed over Christmas and New Year.

At a time when many commuters stop work to enjoy celebrations with friends and family, rail bosses get massive engineering projects and upgrades done.

So, those orange-clad workers are out in force.

Carl Foy has been on duty for roughly 20 of the 27 Christmases in his career. This year will add another to the tally - with his two grown-up sons, who are also rail workers, out there with him. Some friends think he's mad for doing it. But Carl says it's just accepted as part of the job.

"We bring in a few mince pieces, the site offices might have a bit of tinsel around," he says. "We make it as enjoyable as we can and just crack on with the work."

The £26m project they'll be working on this Christmas is one of the biggest scheduled across the country: Hanslope Junction, a crucial part of the West Coast Main Line, which is wearing out.

Each day almost 500 trains use it and an increasing number of faults are causing delays, the repercussions of which ripple throughout the network. Now, the whole thing, comprising four tracks, is to be re-laid.

It's a giant and complicated jigsaw puzzle of 130 separate track panels - not something that can be done when trains are roaring up and down. So, it will leave passengers with no trains between Milton Keynes and Rugby and Milton Keynes and Northampton not just late on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day (as is usually the case) but up until the morning of 5 January. It means no direct trains linking London Euston with north-west England and Scotland for 11 full days.

It's a similar story up and down the country, with other projects, too, like updating signalling technology. In all, 5% of the rail network will be shut down over the festive period - part of a £160m engineering project organised by Network Rail.

Many of these are huge jobs, not routine maintenance, that have been long planned, with funding allocated as part of Network Rail's five-yearly business plans.

The question is - with millions travelling across the country over the festive season, causing so much inconvenience to many, why schedule it now? And is it all a case of sensible planning - or an indicator of something amiss with Britain's rail network?

Frustration at Euston station

Chatting to passengers at London Euston station weeks before Christmas, it doesn't take long to find some who are affected.

"My sister-in-law is coming to visit and she's had real trouble trying to get a train," one woman tells me. "Every train's got two or three changes." Unable to find a direct service, and with a longer journey time, she changed the dates of her visit to avoid the disruption.

Another passenger, heading for the North of England, is wondering whether to get the train at all. "It's easier for me to drive rather than run the risk of getting there and not being able to get back.

"Obviously there are a lot less commuters over the Christmas period, I can see why they do it at this time of year, but it's not great if you're trying to get home… to see your friends and family."

The debate over why works should be scheduled over Christmas is a complex one: on the one hand, train bosses calculate that the effects on people travelling to work will be minimal, given how many businesses shut for Christmas.

"It's the quietest time of year for the railway and our customers, so we squeeze in as much work then to disrupt as few people as possible," explains Jake Kelly, a route managing director at Network Rail.

But on the other hand it risks causing a "bottleneck", argues Gareth Dennis, a rail engineer, campaigner, and author of How the Railways Will Fix the Future.

He sees another problem too: "It's extremely expensive.

"All those workers, rightly, are getting paid way over the normal rate they would because they are sacrificing extremely important family and personal time working long hours over that period."

Mr Kelly acknowledges there is a price: "It's always a difficult choice, and there is a cost of doing work over Christmas when families across the UK are celebrating."

But, he says, it's a difficult trade-off between minimising disruption for customers versus cost.

Germany and France do it differently

When compared with other European countries, Britain is fairly unique (with the exception of Italy) in its "particularly intensive approach", as Mr Dennis puts it, to doing this sort of rail work at Easter and Christmas.

This is partly because rail networks in other countries, like Germany and France, are laid out differently.

"Where the country's more of a square shape, their rail network isn't kind of north-south, it's much more of a grid," he explains. "So you can dodge around things more easily… and they can spread their engineering work out a bit more."

The high level of passenger demand in Britain also poses a challenge. "It has one of the most intensively used railways in Europe - [it] gets tired, gets worn out".

The West Coast Main Line does not have the capacity to run any more trains, while the East Coast Mainline's new December timetable will make it much busier, he says.

But even this is only part of the story. Another factor that contributes to the network creaking in places is a legacy of underinvestment.

Years of 'mend and make do'

Stewart Palmer spent 38 years working on the railway, including spells at Network Rail's predecessor Railtrack, and as the managing director of what was then called South West Trains.

In the past – as far back as the post-war period - the money wasn't always there to do the work that was needed and for decades there was a tendency, he says, "towards mend and make do".

The fact there is so much work to do now "has emerged over a very long history".

Engineering works have frequently been postponed, he adds. One way of keeping the railway running safely until work can be done has been by imposing speed restrictions on some parts of the track.

But the legacy of a Hertfordshire rail crash that happened 25 years ago is a reminder of the importance of ensuring that deteriorated rail is replaced in good time.

On a Tuesday in October 2000, a train carrying 12 staff and 170 passengers came to a catastrophic halt outside the town of Hatfield. Four of the nine carriages were derailed and three more were flung over on their side, killing four people.

An official investigation into the crash revealed a series of errors by rail bosses and engineers. One of those causes, highlighted by an inquiry, was a failure to identify and repair or replace the rapidly deteriorating rail.

"This caused us to do loads of engineering investigations, but it also resulted in renewing an enormous amount of rail all at once in a very fast period of time," Mr Dennis explains.

Extreme weather and the 'paperclip' effect

Then there is the impact of the weather. Network Rail has been clear that climate change poses a significant challenge. "Extreme weather caused by climate change is on the rise. This will affect how safely and reliably we can run the railway," it says on its website.

These extreme weather events not only lead to equipment failures but affect how quickly things wear out too.

William Powrie, a professor of Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Southampton, says climate change creates a long list of hazards for the railways. Take the hot summers - these heat railway tracks beyond temperatures they can handle, sometimes causing them to buckle, he says. High winds can also damage overhead lines.

He's particularly worried about what he calls the "paperclip" effect.

Many British railways are built on clay soil that shrinks in the summer as vegetation sucks out water, and expands in the winter. But this expand-and-shrink cycle is becoming more extreme, he warns.

"It's a bit like if you get a paperclip and bend it forwards, bend it backwards. It's OK for a bit - but eventually it will break."

It's not only tracks that need looking after, but embankments and drainage along railway lines. In November, a train travelling from Glasgow to London on the West Coast Main Line derailed near Carlisle after hitting a landslip, leaving four people injured.

An independent investigation into the cause of a train derailment will look into a raft of potential issues. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said its preliminary examination found a drainage channel was "unable to accommodate the volume of water which was present".

Network Rail say they are aware of climate change-related hazards - and they are moving money around to cope with it. Their latest five-year business plan earmarked £2.8bn to help deal with extreme weather and climate change.

Cost savings and 'tough choices'

Amid all of this, the organisation has committed to make cost savings of £3.9bn. Bosses have been clear about the financial pressures they face.

"Like many businesses, we continue to feel the impact of inflation and rising supply chain costs," Andrew Haines, Network Rail's then-chief executive said in an update this summer.

This means "tough choices", including "prioritising assets that are located on busier parts of the network," he said.

But the regulator, the Office of Rail and Road, has warned that constrained funding forcing Network Rail to spend "less on renewals and more on life-extending repairs and maintenance" could mean "more asset failures and therefore disruption to train services in the long-term", plus potential higher costs in the future.

Of course, for millions of passengers this Christmas, their main priority will simply be getting home. People are being warned to check and plan ahead before they travel - a message as reliably present at this time of year as Christmas trees or mulled wine.

So, can railway passengers around the country expect a smoother Christmas next year?

Unlikely, argues Jake Kelly of Network Rail. A project like Hanslope Junction near Milton Keynes can be years in the planning.

With "a pipeline that is three or four years long", he says "we're already starting to finalise [plans] for next year".

Additional reporting: Florence Freeman.

Top image credit: Getty Images.

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A leading academic, who led a recent government review into sex and gender data collection has threatened legal action against the University of Bristol, claiming it failed to protect her freedom of speech.

Prof Alice Sullivan has also written to the university regulator, the Office for Students, after a talk she gave at the university was disrupted by a trans rights protest.

Universities have a legal duty to uphold the right to free speech, while balancing that with the right to protest by those who object.

The University of Bristol rejected her claims and said the talk went ahead safely - despite "unacceptable disruption" - in line with its "strong commitment to upholding free speech".

Universities have a longstanding legal duty to protect the rights of staff, students and visiting speakers to express views which others might find offensive.

That has come into sharper focus with a new freedom of speech law in higher education, which came into force in August in England.

The University of Bristol said every action it had taken was in support of free speech.

Prof Sullivan's review for the government, published in March, recommended that data on biological sex and gender identity should be recorded as distinct categories.

She said she was first invited to speak about her work by an academic at the University of Bristol in July 2024, and agreed to an event that autumn.

In a new letter to the university, which warns she is willing to bring a legal challenge, Prof Sullivan said the university had first suggested the event was held online rather than in person.

When asked by the BBC why she had rejected that offer, Prof Sullivan said she did not realise what the scale of potential protests would be, but accepted that some people might have strongly opposing views on gender identity and had the right to express them.

"Everyone has a right to peaceful protest, but that must never amount to a heckler's veto, which means shutting down other people's right to speak," she said.

"This isn't just about my rights as a visiting speaker, this is about the rights of the university community to hold discussions and to have people come and listen."

After further delay, the event was scheduled for 22 October 2025.

As Prof Sullivan arrived, some attendees filmed the protest on their phones at the front of the building.

Videos - seen and verified by the BBC - show some of the protesters making rude gestures as others held signs.

Prof Sullivan told the BBC it was like a "zombie apocalypse" as some protesters pressed up against the window with placards and loudhailers.

The fire alarm was set off more than once, disrupting the talk, until security staff advised they move to a higher floor.

As she left after the event, Prof Sullivan said she heard "howls of 'shame on you, shame on you'".

The police told the BBC they had attended the event and said no arrests had been made.

The letter that has now been sent by Prof Sullivan's lawyers says the University of Bristol had 15 months to find a secure location on campus for the talk.

It adds that documents disclosed by the university reveal there had been complaints made by its LGBTQ+ staff network against her speaking.

Prof Sullivan says she has raised many of her concerns with the Office for Students, which as regulator of universities in England has the power to fine institutions if they fail to uphold freedom of speech.

Earlier this year, the OfS handed out a record fine of £585,000 to the University of Sussex, warning that its transgender and non-binary inclusion policy had a "chilling effect" on freedom of speech.

Kathleen Stock had previously left her job as professor of philosophy at Sussex following protests against her gender-critical views, which generally say that a person's sex cannot be changed and takes precedence over their gender identity.

Following the Sussex fine, the University of Bristol withdrew a similar policy which said all staff were responsible for removing "transphobic and anti-trans material" from campus.

In August, a new freedom of speech law came into force, strengthening the legal obligations on universities to uphold freedom of speech.

The government has not yet brought in the complaints process promised as part of the stronger powers.

Prof Sullivan has told Arif Ahmed, the OfS's director of free speech, she is concerned that "gender ideology" led to Bristol's "actions to obstruct and frustrate my talk".

She told the BBC that senior managers at the university "could have apologised, and they could have said we intend to do better in future".

"That is what I want from them," she said.

A University of Bristol spokesperson said the talk went ahead safely and in line with its "strong commitment to upholding free speech".

"Although protesters caused unacceptable disruption, appropriate measures were in place to enable the event to continue and to protect the speaker and attendees," they said.

The university added that the vice-chancellor had subsequently met with Prof Sullivan.

"We refute claims that we failed to protect her freedom of speech; every action we took was in support of this and the restrictions she outlines were all necessary for public safety," the spokesperson said.

"Our stance is clear - free speech must be lawful. There is no protection within the law for abusive speech that incites violence, harassment or discrimination.

"Clearly the intimidating behaviour of protesters was not peaceful and we have condemned their unacceptable behaviour.

"We will take disciplinary action if anyone from the university community is identified as being involved."

Christmas is billed as the most wonderful time of the year - but the day itself could have all the ingredients needed for a family row.

There's a reason you haven't seen some of these people all year - you just know someone is going to criticise your cooking, there will be a heated debate over dinner and a tussle over the TV remote.

We spoke to psychologists and parenting experts for their top tips on how to keep the Christmas spirit and avoid a family fallout.

1. Give up on the perfect Christmas

Begin by refusing to chase the idealised movie version of Christmas, says psychotherapist and author Philippa Perry.

"We need to lower the expectations of what Christmas gives us, and then we won't be so disappointed in it," she told CBeebies' Parenting Helpline podcast.

Unspoken rules like "we must see everybody" only add to the stress, as does social media pressure over what the picture-perfect Christmas Day should look like.

Natalie Costa, a parenting coach, former teacher and host of the Connected podcast, encourages people to remember that nobody's life looks the way it does online. "Behind all the happy family pictures are children - and adults - who've had big meltdowns," she says.

This reality check can help reduce guilt over not measuring up.

Instead of trying to compete with others, she suggests approaching Christmas with the attitude of: "What does my good-enough look like?"

2. Don't compete on gifting

Exchanging presents is a huge part of Christmas. If there are young kids in the house, giddy early wake-up calls are a given.

But sometimes gift-giving can feel competitive, especially among extended family where budgets can differ, says Prof Perry.

The best way to handle this isn't to try to compete or police kids' relationships with adults, but reframe the situation.

She encourages parents to "let go" if grandparents, aunties and uncles choose to spoil young ones.

Costa adds that this can later become a useful way to discuss values with children - emphasising that bigger presents don't reflect love.

"You cannot buy love," Prof Perry says. "What children like is your attention and being played with. That is better than any gift."

3. Prepare for awkward comments

Complicated family dynamics don't disappear just because it's Christmas and festive classics are playing.

One minute you're merrily drinking mulled wine, the next being asked why you're not happily married or whether you are planning children.

Any resentments, tensions and difference in values will remain with the added pressure of fulfilling a fantasy image of happy families.

Passive aggressive comments often come from someone else's stress and insecurity, says psychotherapist Sarah Turner. This doesn't excuse the behaviour, but can make it feel less personal.

When we feel stung our instinct is to defend or withdraw, but Turner advises pausing first. "You have the power to choose how to respond."

Another tip is to ask for clarification. Often loved ones will reframe what they said rather than repeat it - as they are likely to know it's a loaded comment.

If there's a "kernel of truth" in what they say, then acknowledging this can help "emotions de-escalate because they feel heard," Turner adds.

This doesn't mean you agree or give in - it's simply letting that person know you understand where they're coming from. In the heat of family dynamics, this can make all the difference.

3. Make it clear who's in charge

Children are naturally excited on Christmas day - but that burst of energy often means big exhausted emotions later on, tantrums and tears included.

To prevent other family members stepping in to try and manage this, Costa suggests having a simple conversation beforehand to establish the rules.

She advises something like: "I know it [how we parent] may be different to what you did… What helps us most is keeping things consistent, so if anything comes up, leave it with us."

Have a few simple non-negotiables, such as screen-time limits and any essential safety boundaries.

Some families also find it useful to have something light-hearted to ease the pressure, explains Costa. One used the codeword "smelly bananas" to signal things were getting too much.

Whoever's home you'll be visiting, managing expectations is crucial. Let children know who will be there, what the day will look like, and what they can do if they start to feel overloaded.

4. Don't comment on food choices

Christmas dinner often includes foods such as brussel sprouts, red cabbage and turkey which we rarely eat the rest of the year.

Some adults and many children simply don't enjoy these foods.

What we call "fussiness" with a disapproving tone, is often anxiety and sensitivity, says consultant counselling psychologist Dr Ritika Suk Birah. The key to an enjoyable meal is to remove the emotional charge.

Offer a few predictable options, normalise different preferences, and don't turn food into a moral issue.

"For adults, autonomy is essential, provide alternatives without commentary," she says.

For children, who may be facing things like sprouts for the first time - a "safe plate" alongside festive foods works well, something familiar that grounds them so they can explore new foods at their own pace.

Agree a TV plan beforehand

TV can be central to Christmas family time, often when stuffed full of food and slightly sozzled.

But disagreements over what to watch are common.

Older relatives often want shared traditions; younger people want autonomy and novelty, especially in the YouTube age.

The best approach is to decide the viewing plan before emotions are high, says Dr Birah. Agree on a simple rotation: one shared programme, one independent choice and a set period where screens are put away.

If the idea of watching "old people TV" is causing trouble with your teens, acknowledge their perspective, says Costa.

Something like: "I get it. YouTube is exciting and fun, and you really enjoy it."

Then explain what else is happening: "Right now we are spending time together as a family. This part matters too."

Many children find themselves singing at school in the run up to Christmas - at a nativity play or carol concert, often with parents watching proudly on.

But new data suggests singing is a much less common occurrence throughout the rest of the school year, especially after pupils leave primary school.

Now, an association of music teachers says every school should have a choir, to help pupils embrace music after a years-long decline in its popularity as a GCSE subject.

The government says it is investing in high quality music teaching and that a "renewed curriculum" will encourage more people to study it.

In a recent survey, Teacher Tapp asked just under 10,000 teachers in England how often their whole school sang together in assembly.

Over half of state secondary school teachers (57%) said their pupils never sang together in assembly, while just 13% of private secondary school teachers and only 4% of primary teachers said the same.

Teachers were separately asked whether their schools had a choir. Just over a third (36%) of teachers at state secondaries reported having no choir at their school, compared to just 8% of private school secondary teachers.

Having access to multiple school choirs was much more common at private schools, with three quarters (77%) of private secondary teachers saying their school had more than one choir, compared to 27% of state secondary teachers.

Jackie Bowen, head teacher at The East Manchester Academy, says secondary school pupils can feel "embarrassed - or that maybe it's not cool to sing like it was in primary school".

But she says singing and music are priorities at the school.

"We know the intrinsic value of music, but also what it does for students' development, mental health, its impact on academic achievements," she says.

"So we've run lots of initiatives to try and break down barriers to music."

The school offers a music hub at the school once a week, offering pupils time with specialist teachers from the Royal Northern College of Music.

At lesson changeover, students hear classical music instead of the traditional bell.

The school has also established its first gospel choir.

Year 11 student Mercy, who's part of the choir, says she always wanted to continue singing at secondary school.

"In primary they say you have to sing, but when you come to secondary it's a choice, so most people don't do it," she says.

"I feel like we should all release our voices to the world. Whether you're good or not, just sing."

There has been a 25% drop in pupils studying GCSE music at schools in England over the last fifteen years, despite an uptick in the most recent stats.

That is partly down to the introduction of a progress measure for schools called the English Baccalaureate in 2010, which assessed schools based on how many pupils took English, maths, sciences, geography or history and a language - and how well they performed.

The government recently announced that it would be changing the school curriculum in England to make it easier for more schools to offer arts subjects like music.

There has been some improvement in recruiting new music teachers this year, but the levels still fall 35% short of government's target for trainee music teachers in the most recent stats.

James Manwaring, president of the Music Teachers Association - which represents music teachers across both state and private schools - says every school should have a choir.

"All you need is a room and you need someone to lead it and you need students," says James, who is also the director of music at Windsor Learning Partnership - a multi-academy trust of six state schools.

"It's a shame to think some state schools aren't capitalising on that."

He says changes to the school curriculum in England are "very exciting" for boosting music in schools, but says more funding and resources will be needed - "as well as retaining the wonderful music teachers we have out there".

A Department for Education spokesperson said the government was committed to ensuring art, music and drama "are no longer the preserve of a privileged few".

Ministers are "investing millions" to help schools invest in musical instruments and equipment, and "supporting high quality music teaching through our Music Hubs", they said.

"Our renewed curriculum will also give every young person the skills, knowledge and experiences needed to achieve and thrive, including encouraging more people to study music and other creative subjects."

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With Mariah Carey fully defrosted and mince pies disappearing at an alarming rate, families everywhere are poring over surely the most important item in any household - the Christmas TV listings guide.

We won't sugarcoat things - this year's offering isn't as strong as 2024's, when new material from Gavin, Stacey, Wallace and Gromit sleighed the schedule.

Nonetheless, there is plenty to look forward to as many of our favourite shows get a festive makeover, while some major new releases launch on streaming.

Here's a selection of highlights to help tide you over until series four of The Traitors launches on 1 January, when O Come All Ye Faithful will take on a whole new meaning.

Christmas Eve

Two Doors Down

Two Doors Down, the delightful comedy about a group of eccentric neighbours, is back for a Christmas special ahead of what we hope will be a full series return (the show took a break in 2023 following the death of co-creator Simon Carlyle).

In a new episode by co-writer Gregor Sharp, Michelle and Alan prepare for the arrival of their first child, while Beth and Eric inadvertently kick off the Christmas celebrations early on Latimer Crescent when they put their tree up in November.

• On BBC One and iPlayer at 22:00

Finding Father Christmas

One of the many new festive films being screened this year is Finding Father Christmas, which follows 16-year-old Chris (played by Lenny Rush) who still believes in Santa.

When his dad (Inbetweeners star James Buckley) tries to tell him his bearded hero doesn't exist, Chris and his cousin set out to prove him wrong. Also starring Stephen Fry, Hannah Fry and Maggie Aderin-Pocock.

• On Channel 4 at 19:30

Royal Carols: Together at Christmas

The Princess of Wales hosts her fifth annual carol service at Westminster Abbey, which champions individuals and organisations in the UK who have provided support to local communities.

The programme promises "some of the nation's most beloved carols" (they rolled out some proper bangers last year such as Hark! The Herald Angels Sing) as well as readings from special guests including Katie Melua and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

• On ITV at 19:25

Goodbye June

Two decades after Kate Winslet starred in Christmas staple The Holiday, she is now directing and appearing in a brand new festive film.

Goodbye June, written by her son Joe Anders, follows siblings trying to put their disputes aside to unite for the sake of their mother (played by Dame Helen Mirren), who is undergoing palliative care at Christmas.

• On Netflix from 00:01

Christmas Day

Amandaland

Motherland spin-off Amandaland was a roaring success when it arrived in February, and its Christmas makeover will see guest actress Jennifer Saunders reunite with her former Absolutely Fabulous co-star Joanna Lumley.

Saunders plays Aunt Joan, who is hosting Christmas at her country house for the family. But she and her sister Felicity (Lumley) have never got on, and resurfaced family drama threatens to throw a spanner in the works.

• On BBC One at 21:15

Strictly Come Dancing

The Strictly festive special might take place every year, but 2025's is particularly significant, for one very obvious reason: the celebrity line-up includes All Saints legend Melanie Blatt.

That aside, it also happens to be the last show featuring presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who announced their exit in October. Expect a lot of smudged mascara as the pair receive a send-off to remember.

• On BBC One and iPlayer at 17:30

The Scarecrows' Wedding (and other animated delights)

Julia Donaldson's book The Scarecrows' Wedding, about two devoted scarecrows planning their big day, has been a firm favourite with children since its publication in 2016. Rob Brydon and Jessie Buckley voice characters in the TV adaptation.

• On BBC One at 15:10

Meanwhile, Shaun the Sheep: Fleece Navidad is a 10-minute treat which sees the flock help the farmer produce a better Christmas card than his selfie-obsessed neighbours.

• On BBC One at 16:35

Other animated highlights include repeats of the delightful screen adaptation of The Tiger Who Came To Tea, and Christmas classic The Snowman.

• 08:20 and 08:50 respectively, both on Channel 4

The Great Christmas Bake Off

It's a Peep Show special in the tent this year, with Olivia Colman and David Mitchell competing for the Star Baker title alongside co-stars Sophie Winkleman, Isy Suttie and Matt King.

The stars will attempt hangable festive biscuit decorations, a Christmas pie technical challenge, and a showstopper round that sees the bakers recreate their favourite Peep Show moments in cake form.

• On Channel 4 at 20:00

Boxing Day

Stranger Things (season five, volume two)

The fictional US town of Hawkins, Indiana has been turned into a military zone, with Eleven being hunted as she and her friends continue to try and find the powerful Vecna. But he has vanished, and his whereabouts and plans are unknown.

The next three episodes of season five are technically released on Christmas Day in the US, but the timezone difference means it will be Boxing Day for UK fans.

• On Netflix from 01:00

The Repair Shop at Christmas

While Olivia Colman is in the Bake Off tent, another Oscar-winning actress is in the Repair Shop barn.

Dame Helen Mirren hopes to repair a broken cello that belongs to a care home she supports, while author Julia Donaldson seeks to restore a a battered toy farmhouse that inspired her books.

• On BBC One at 19:30

The End of an Era

Your bank account might still be recovering from Taylor Swift's record-breaking Eras tour, but Disney+ are now letting fans relive it with a six-part docuseries.

The End of an Era launched earlier this month with new episodes weekly, offering behind-the-scenes insight and interviews with family members and friends including Sabrina Carpenter, Ed Sheeran and Gracie Abrams.

• The final two episodes launch on Disney+ from 00:01

Other highlights

Lives well lived

Kirsty Wark will also be remembering some of the celebrities who died this year, including Beach Boys star Brian Wilson, singer Dame Cleo Lane and actress Diane Keaton, in documentary Lives Well Lived (BBC Two, 19:40).

It's part of an entire evening of programming on the channel dedicated to celebrating those we lost in 2025.

• Patricia Routledge stars in a classic episode of Keeping Up Appearances (18:35), where plans for a pageant don't go as smoothly as Hyacinth hoped
• Gene Hackman appears in the 1992 western Unforgiven (21:00), while Robert Redford stars in 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (23:10)
• Prunella Scales appears in possibly the greatest episode of Fawlty Towers, Communication Problems (19:05). BBC Four also dedicates its evening schedule to the actress, starting at 21:00 when Sam West will remember his mother's life and career

The Celebrity Apprentice

A new festive edition of The Apprentice, which will air over two nights ahead of a full-length celebrity series next year, will see a group of stars make and market gingerbread biscuits.

The line-up includes Rob Rinder, AJ Odudu, JB Gill and returning contestant Thomas Skinner, who first appeared on the 2019 series.

• On BBC One at 21:00 on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 December

Festive favourites

Elsewhere, many staples of the terrestrial TV schedules receive the Christmas treatment over the holiday period.

ITV has festive specials of The Chase (Christmas Eve, 17:55), Bullseye (Christmas Day, 20:15), The 1% Club (21:15), The Masked Singer (Boxing Day, 19:30) and Wheel of Fortune (27 Dec, 19:30).

BBC One's offerings include The Great British Sewing Bee (Christmas Eve, 19:25), The Wheel (Christmas Day, 18:45), Would I Lie To You? (Boxing Day, 19:00), and dramas including Call The Midwife (Christmas Day, 20:15, and Boxing Day, 20:30).

BBC Two will broadcast Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing (Christmas Eve, 21:00), while Boxing Day sees Christmas editions of Richard Osman's House of Games (19:30), Celebrity Mastermind (20:00), Only Connect (20:30) and University Challenge (21:00).

Channel 4 air a Gogglebox compilation (Christmas Day, 21:15) and The Festive Pottery Throwdown (Boxing Day 19:45) while Channel 5 has The Yorkshire Vet (Christmas Eve, 19:00) and All Creatures Great and Small (21:00).

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The US Coast Guard is in "active pursuit" of another vessel in international waters near Venezuela, an official has told the BBC's US partner CBS News, as tensions in the region continue to escalate.

US authorities have already seized two oil tankers this month - one of them on Saturday.

Sunday's pursuit related to a "sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela's illegal sanctions evasion", a US official said. "It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order."

Washington has accused Venezuela of using oil money to fund drug-related crime, while Venezuela has described the tanker seizures as "theft and kidnapping".

US President Donald Trump last week ordered a "blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving the country.

Venezuela - home to the world largest proven oil reserves - has accused the Trump administration of trying to steal its resources.

US authorities have not yet officially confirmed Sunday's pursuit, and the exact location and name of the tanker involved is not yet known.

As of last week, more than 30 of the 80 ships in Venezuelan waters or approaching the country were under US sanctions, according to data compiled by TankerTrackers.com.

Saturday's seizure saw a Panamanian-flagged tanker boarded by a specialised tactical team in international waters.

That ship is not on the US Treasury's list of sanctioned vessels, but the US has said it was carrying "sanctioned PDVSA oil". In the past five years the ship also sailed under the flags of Greece and Liberia, according to records seen by BBC Verify.

"These acts will not go unpunished," the Venezuelan government said in response to Saturday's incident. It added that it intended to file a complaint with the UN Security Council and "other multilateral agencies and the governments of the world".

Venezuela is highly dependent on revenues from its oil exports to finance its government spending.

In recent weeks, the US has built up its military presence in the Caribbean Sea and has carried out deadly strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug-smuggling boats, killing around 100 people.

It has provided no public evidence that these vessels were carrying drugs, and the military has come under increasing scrutiny from Congress over the strikes.

The Trump administration has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading a designated-terrorist organisation called Cartel de los Soles, which he denies.

At a rail yard near Milton Keynes, a group of men in orange outfits are making final checks on huge slabs of railway track, preparing them so that they are ready to be installed over Christmas and New Year.

At a time when many commuters stop work to enjoy celebrations with friends and family, rail bosses get massive engineering projects and upgrades done.

So, those orange-clad workers are out in force.

Carl Foy has been on duty for roughly 20 of the 27 Christmases in his career. This year will add another to the tally - with his two grown-up sons, who are also rail workers, out there with him. Some friends think he's mad for doing it. But Carl says it's just accepted as part of the job.

"We bring in a few mince pieces, the site offices might have a bit of tinsel around," he says. "We make it as enjoyable as we can and just crack on with the work."

The £26m project they'll be working on this Christmas is one of the biggest scheduled across the country: Hanslope Junction, a crucial part of the West Coast Main Line, which is wearing out.

Each day almost 500 trains use it and an increasing number of faults are causing delays, the repercussions of which ripple throughout the network. Now, the whole thing, comprising four tracks, is to be re-laid.

It's a giant and complicated jigsaw puzzle of 130 separate track panels - not something that can be done when trains are roaring up and down. So, it will leave passengers with no trains between Milton Keynes and Rugby and Milton Keynes and Northampton not just late on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day (as is usually the case) but up until the morning of 5 January. It means no direct trains linking London Euston with north-west England and Scotland for 11 full days.

It's a similar story up and down the country, with other projects, too, like updating signalling technology. In all, 5% of the rail network will be shut down over the festive period - part of a £160m engineering project organised by Network Rail.

Many of these are huge jobs, not routine maintenance, that have been long planned, with funding allocated as part of Network Rail's five-yearly business plans.

The question is - with millions travelling across the country over the festive season, causing so much inconvenience to many, why schedule it now? And is it all a case of sensible planning - or an indicator of something amiss with Britain's rail network?

Frustration at Euston station

Chatting to passengers at London Euston station weeks before Christmas, it doesn't take long to find some who are affected.

"My sister-in-law is coming to visit and she's had real trouble trying to get a train," one woman tells me. "Every train's got two or three changes." Unable to find a direct service, and with a longer journey time, she changed the dates of her visit to avoid the disruption.

Another passenger, heading for the North of England, is wondering whether to get the train at all. "It's easier for me to drive rather than run the risk of getting there and not being able to get back.

"Obviously there are a lot less commuters over the Christmas period, I can see why they do it at this time of year, but it's not great if you're trying to get home… to see your friends and family."

The debate over why works should be scheduled over Christmas is a complex one: on the one hand, train bosses calculate that the effects on people travelling to work will be minimal, given how many businesses shut for Christmas.

"It's the quietest time of year for the railway and our customers, so we squeeze in as much work then to disrupt as few people as possible," explains Jake Kelly, a route managing director at Network Rail.

But on the other hand it risks causing a "bottleneck", argues Gareth Dennis, a rail engineer, campaigner, and author of How the Railways Will Fix the Future.

He sees another problem too: "It's extremely expensive.

"All those workers, rightly, are getting paid way over the normal rate they would because they are sacrificing extremely important family and personal time working long hours over that period."

Mr Kelly acknowledges there is a price: "It's always a difficult choice, and there is a cost of doing work over Christmas when families across the UK are celebrating."

But, he says, it's a difficult trade-off between minimising disruption for customers versus cost.

Germany and France do it differently

When compared with other European countries, Britain is fairly unique (with the exception of Italy) in its "particularly intensive approach", as Mr Dennis puts it, to doing this sort of rail work at Easter and Christmas.

This is partly because rail networks in other countries, like Germany and France, are laid out differently.

"Where the country's more of a square shape, their rail network isn't kind of north-south, it's much more of a grid," he explains. "So you can dodge around things more easily… and they can spread their engineering work out a bit more."

The high level of passenger demand in Britain also poses a challenge. "It has one of the most intensively used railways in Europe - [it] gets tired, gets worn out".

The West Coast Main Line does not have the capacity to run any more trains, while the East Coast Mainline's new December timetable will make it much busier, he says.

But even this is only part of the story. Another factor that contributes to the network creaking in places is a legacy of underinvestment.

Years of 'mend and make do'

Stewart Palmer spent 38 years working on the railway, including spells at Network Rail's predecessor Railtrack, and as the managing director of what was then called South West Trains.

In the past – as far back as the post-war period - the money wasn't always there to do the work that was needed and for decades there was a tendency, he says, "towards mend and make do".

The fact there is so much work to do now "has emerged over a very long history".

Engineering works have frequently been postponed, he adds. One way of keeping the railway running safely until work can be done has been by imposing speed restrictions on some parts of the track.

But the legacy of a Hertfordshire rail crash that happened 25 years ago is a reminder of the importance of ensuring that deteriorated rail is replaced in good time.

On a Tuesday in October 2000, a train carrying 12 staff and 170 passengers came to a catastrophic halt outside the town of Hatfield. Four of the nine carriages were derailed and three more were flung over on their side, killing four people.

An official investigation into the crash revealed a series of errors by rail bosses and engineers. One of those causes, highlighted by an inquiry, was a failure to identify and repair or replace the rapidly deteriorating rail.

"This caused us to do loads of engineering investigations, but it also resulted in renewing an enormous amount of rail all at once in a very fast period of time," Mr Dennis explains.

Extreme weather and the 'paperclip' effect

Then there is the impact of the weather. Network Rail has been clear that climate change poses a significant challenge. "Extreme weather caused by climate change is on the rise. This will affect how safely and reliably we can run the railway," it says on its website.

These extreme weather events not only lead to equipment failures but affect how quickly things wear out too.

William Powrie, a professor of Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Southampton, says climate change creates a long list of hazards for the railways. Take the hot summers - these heat railway tracks beyond temperatures they can handle, sometimes causing them to buckle, he says. High winds can also damage overhead lines.

He's particularly worried about what he calls the "paperclip" effect.

Many British railways are built on clay soil that shrinks in the summer as vegetation sucks out water, and expands in the winter. But this expand-and-shrink cycle is becoming more extreme, he warns.

"It's a bit like if you get a paperclip and bend it forwards, bend it backwards. It's OK for a bit - but eventually it will break."

It's not only tracks that need looking after, but embankments and drainage along railway lines. In November, a train travelling from Glasgow to London on the West Coast Main Line derailed near Carlisle after hitting a landslip, leaving four people injured.

An independent investigation into the cause of a train derailment will look into a raft of potential issues. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said its preliminary examination found a drainage channel was "unable to accommodate the volume of water which was present".

Network Rail say they are aware of climate change-related hazards - and they are moving money around to cope with it. Their latest five-year business plan earmarked £2.8bn to help deal with extreme weather and climate change.

Cost savings and 'tough choices'

Amid all of this, the organisation has committed to make cost savings of £3.9bn. Bosses have been clear about the financial pressures they face.

"Like many businesses, we continue to feel the impact of inflation and rising supply chain costs," Andrew Haines, Network Rail's then-chief executive said in an update this summer.

This means "tough choices", including "prioritising assets that are located on busier parts of the network," he said.

But the regulator, the Office of Rail and Road, has warned that constrained funding forcing Network Rail to spend "less on renewals and more on life-extending repairs and maintenance" could mean "more asset failures and therefore disruption to train services in the long-term", plus potential higher costs in the future.

Of course, for millions of passengers this Christmas, their main priority will simply be getting home. People are being warned to check and plan ahead before they travel - a message as reliably present at this time of year as Christmas trees or mulled wine.

So, can railway passengers around the country expect a smoother Christmas next year?

Unlikely, argues Jake Kelly of Network Rail. A project like Hanslope Junction near Milton Keynes can be years in the planning.

With "a pipeline that is three or four years long", he says "we're already starting to finalise [plans] for next year".

Additional reporting: Florence Freeman.

Top image credit: Getty Images.

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A batch of files, which includes a photo of US President Donald Trump, were removed by the justice department because of concerns raised by victims, the deputy attorney general said on Sunday.

Todd Blanche said the photo that included Trump also showed unredacted images of women, and rejected criticisms that the removal was related to the president.

At least 13 files from the thousands made public on the justice department's website on Friday had disappeared without explanation by Saturday.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee questioned the images' removal. In a social media post, they asked Attorney General Pam Bondi: "What else is being covered up?"

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a post on X on Sunday that the image of Trump was flagged by the Southern District of New York "for potential further action to protect victims".

They added that they had temporarily removed the image for further review "out of an abundance of caution".

"After the review, it was determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph, and it has been reposted without any alteration or redaction," the DOJ said.

Blanche said that the suggestion that the photo was removed due to Trump was "laughable". "It has nothing to do with President Trump," he told NBC News.

"There are dozens of photos of President Trump already released to the public seeing him with Mr Epstein."

He added: "So the absurdity of us pulling down a photo, a single photo, because President Trump was in it, is laughable."

Blanche cited a judge in New York who "has ordered us to listen to any victim or victims' rights group if they have concerns" as a reason behind removing some of the previously posted files.

"There were a number of photographs that were pulled down after being released on Friday," he said.

Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein and has not been accused of any crimes by Epstein's victims. There is no suggestion that these pictures imply any wrongdoing.

The DOJ also has been criticised for not releasing all of the files by the Friday deadline, as mandated by law.

Congressman Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who led the charge to release the files, said he was frustrated with the Trump administration's response and his focus is to get justice for the victims.

He said he is drafting inherent contempt charges for Attorney General Pam Bondi.

"They are flouting the spirit and the letter of the law," he told CBS News on Sunday. "It's very troubling the posture that they have taken. I won't be satisfied until the survivors are satisfied."

The image that was included in the removed files showed a credenza desk in Epstein's home with an open drawer filled with other photos, one of which showed the president with Trump, Epstein, first lady Melania Trump and Epstein's convicted associate Ghislane Maxwell. Framed photos also can be seen on top of the credenza desk.

That image has since been restored by early Sunday, available through a link to the website. The other files had not been restored to the site as of Sunday afternoon.

Ten of the missing files include images which appear to show the same room - a small massage parlour with clouds painted on the ceiling, and brown patterned wallpaper studded with multiple nude pictures. Some appear to be photos, others are artwork.

Most of the women pictured on the wall have had their faces redacted. However, one face is redacted in one file but plainly visible in three of the others. Another face remains unredacted in all of the files while a painted image of the same person is visible.

On Saturday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee questioned the files' removal.

They posted the missing photo of Trump on social media and asked Attorney General Pam Bondi if it was true that the image had been removed.

"What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public," the committee wrote.

The files' removal comes at time of increased suspicion surrounding the US government and the so-called Epstein files.

The documents released on Friday came to light as the result of an act of Congress that forced the DOJ to release them.

The DOJ said it would comply with the congressional request to release documents, with some stipulations.

It redacted personally identifiable information about Epstein's victims, materials depicting child sexual abuse, materials depicting physical abuse, any records that "would jeopardise an active federal investigation" or any classified documents that must stay secret to protect "national defence or foreign policy".

But many of the documents that were released were heavily redacted.

There was limited new information about Epstein's crimes and things like internal DOJ memos on charging decisions were not included in the files that were released.

Additional reporting by Alison Benjamin and Benedict Garman.

As helicopters circled overhead, sirens descended on her suburb, and people ran screaming down her street on 14 December, Mary felt a grim sense of deja vu.

"That was when I knew there was something seriously wrong – again," she says, her eyes brimming with tears.

Mary - who did not want to give her real name - was at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre last April when six people were stabbed to death by a man in psychosis, a tragedy still fresh in the minds of many.

Findings from a coronial inquest into the incident were due to be delivered this week, but were delayed after two gunmen unleashed a hail of bullets on an event marking the start of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah eight days ago.

Declared a terror attack by police, 15 people were shot and killed, including a 10-year-old girl who still had face paint curling around her eyes.

The first paramedic to confront the bloody scenes at the Chanukah by the Sea event was also the first paramedic on the scene at the Westfield stabbings.

"You just wouldn't even fathom that something like this would happen," 31-year-old Mary, who is originally from the UK, tells the BBC. "I say constantly to my family at home how safe it is here."

This was the overarching sentiment in the days following the shooting. This kind of thing, mass murder, just doesn't happen in Australia.

But it can and it has – twice, in the same community, within 18 months.

A sea of flowers left by shocked and grieving people at Bondi is being packed up. A national day of reflection is over. On Sunday night, Jewish Australians lit candles for the last time this Hannukah.

But the two tragedies have left scores physically scarred and traumatised, and the nation's sense of safety shattered.

'Everyone knows someone affected'

Bondi is Australia's most famous beach - a globally recognised symbol of its way of life.

It's also a quintessential slice of Australian community. There's a bit of "everyone knows everyone" - and that means everyone knows someone affected by the 14 December tragedy, mayor Will Nemesh told the BBC.

"One of the first people I texted was [Rabbi] Eli Schlanger. And I said, 'I hope you're OK. Call me if you need anything'," he said.

But the British-born father of five, also known as the "Bondi Rabbi", was among the dead.

The first responders, police and paramedics would have been working on members of their own community. Others had the task of having to treat the shooters who had taken aim at their colleagues.

"[Westfield Bondi Junction] was horrendous, something we're certainly not used to. And then this again was massive, catastrophic injuries," Ryan Park, health minister for New South Wales, told the BBC.

"They've seen things that are like you would see in a war zone… You don't get those images out of your head," Park added.

Mayor Nemesh fears this will forever be a stain on Bondi, and Australia.

"If this can happen here at Bondi Beach, it really could happen anywhere… the impact has reverberated around Australia."

'Warnings ignored'

No one is feeling this more than the Jewish community, for whom Bondi has become a sanctuary.

"I swam here every day for years on end, rain or shine. And this week… I couldn't get in the water. It didn't feel right. It felt sacrilegious in some way," Zac Seidler, a local clinical psychologist, told the BBC.

Many of the victims of the attack moved here over many decades for safety from persecution, including 89-year-old Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman. Instead, his life was bookended by violent acts of antisemitic hate.

Mr Seidler has spent the past two years trying to convince his grandparents, who are also Holocaust survivors, to hold on to their faltering belief in the good of humanity.

"[My grandmother] kept saying, 'These are the signs. I've seen this before'. And I just kept saying, 'Not in Australia, not here. You're safe', just trying to soothe her.

"But now I kind of feel like the fool."

No community is a monolith, but one thing many Jewish Australians believe is that warnings about a rise of antisemitism in the months preceding this attack were ignored.

The year started with a spate of vandalism and arson incidents on Jewish marks in the suburbs surrounding Bondi. It has ended with mass murder targeting their community.

There has been resistance in the face of fear - some leaders urging Jewish Australians to double down, be more publicly Jewish and display their religious symbols with pride.

One woman perusing the flowers outside the Bondi Pavilion on Sunday admits she is too scared to do that. It took her all week to even work up the courage to visit this site, which is just metres from where many of the victims died.

"I've never felt my Jewishness before. I've never experienced antisemitism in my whole life until now," MaryAnne says. "And now, I don't want to wear my Star of David."

Community, anger and sadness

The shooting triggered a massive outpouring of support from around the nation.

When the news broke, many in the community rallied to help.

Lifeguards - volunteer and paid - put their lives on the line. Restaurants opened their doors and hid people in their store rooms and freezers, and locals ushered lost children into their apartments.

Even the New South Wales opposition leader Kellie Sloane - also the local state member - was at the scene, helping pack bullet wounds.

In the days after the shooting, thousands of ordinary Australians lined up - many for hours on end - to donate blood desperately needed to treat those injured.

Each day, a carpet of petals, handwritten notes, commemorative stones and candles grew out from the gates of the Bondi Pavilion.

Bee motifs - stickers, balloons, even pavement art - are all over the suburb, in remembrance of Matilda, the terror attack's youngest victim.

Surfers and swimmers on Friday paddled out beyond Bondi's iconic breaks to honour those who died.

A day later, surf livesavers and lifeguards stood shoulder to shoulder on the beach in solidarity with the Jewish community.

But amid the platitudes, sadness and shock is calcifying into anger and tension.

Last year's Bondi Junction stabbings were devastating for the community - but a shared resolution united it.

Experts say the attacker, who had schizophrenia, was in psychosis at the time of the stabbings, and his family have previously said he was frustrated at being unable to find a girlfriend. The question of whether he targeted women will likely forever go unanswered. But clear failures in the mental health system have been identified.

Last month, families of the victims asked the coroner to refer the doctor who weaned him off medication with limited supervision to regulators for investigation, and they have also argued for a massive boost to mental health service funding.

But last Sunday's events raise more uncomfortable feelings and questions.

There is palpable fury at the government, over a perceived – and admitted – failure to do more to stop antisemitism. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been booed during public appearances this week, and talking to people visiting the site of the attack in Bondi, it isn't uncommon to hear them demand his resignation.

Many people the BBC spoke to pointed to his government's decision to recognise Palestinian statehood, alongside countries including the UK and Canada, and regular protests in Australia by members of the pro-Palestinian movement, which though largely peaceful but have been peppered with antisemitic chants and placards.

The state of New South Wales - which has in recent years tightened protest rules - has already announced it will introduce more legislation cracking down on "hateful" chants and give police more powers to investigate demonstrators. The federal government has promised similar.

The blame apportioned to these protests does not sit right with many, even some sections of the Jewish community.

"We need to hold multiple truths," Mr Seidler says. "We can be afraid, we can feel that there is deep antisemitic rhetoric going on in certain circles within Australia… while also understanding that there is a right of people in this country – especially Muslim Australians – to be concerned about what is taking place in Gaza.

"We need to get better at finding that line and calling out when that line has been crossed."

For others, there is anger at what they feel is the politicisation of a tragedy.

"It's a bloody photo op," one woman tells me on Sunday, as a prominent Australian businesswoman arrives and begins posing with the floral tributes outside the Bondi Pavilion.

Some - including the local federal MP Allegra Spender - worry the attack is being used to fuel anti-immigration sentiment.

"We would not have had the man who saved so many Australians if we had cut off, for instance, Muslim immigration," she said.

Mr Seidler says these arguments fail to recognise that antisemitic views - and other forms of bigotry - are formed here too.

"I heard someone say the other day that Australia thinks it's on a holiday from history, that we're somehow immune to this stuff, that it's not bred here, it's imported," Mr Seidler says.

With the anger, there is also fear: for the Jewish community of other attacks, for the Muslim community of retaliation for an act of terror they have loudly condemned.

There are questions over how Australia's security agency fumbled an alleged terrorist who at one point was on their watch list, prompting a review into federal police and intelligence agencies that was announced on Sunday.

There is frustration at NSW Police, who have for years been warned by the Muslim community of hate preachers poaching their young men.

There is animosity towards the media, driven by hurt among both Jewish and Arab Australians over a belief they and their communities have been misrepresented, and frustration at what some feel is incitement against them.

But there is also a queasiness at the treatment of traumatised victims throughout this week, some of whom were interviewed live on television while the blood of their friends still stained their hands.

Through it all, is an undercurrent of suspicion of institutions and each other.

There are varying opinions on how those rifts can heal – or even if they can. But there is a shared determination to try.

One UK expat who was at the beach at the time of the shooting says everyone he speaks to is adamant this will not change Bondi, or Australia.

"It's seriously unique what you have as a nation… there's a magic about it," Henry Jamieson tells the BBC.

"I'm traumatised… and I'm going to have to deal with that for the rest of my life, I know I am… even people who weren't there were traumatised.

"But I'm not gonna let it shake me and we will not let it shake this community.

"You can't let them win," he says of the alleged terrorists.

At an emotional memorial on Sunday night, seven days since the attack, the same sense of defiance was on show. It ended with the lighting of the menorah, something the crowds gathered for Hannukah last week never got to do.

The shamash, the centre candle, was lit by the father of Ahmed al Ahmed, in honour of his bravery in wrestling a gun off one of the attackers. The children of the two rabbis who were killed lit another. Others were lit by a representative of surf lifesavers and a Jewish community medic who rushed to the scene and began treating the injured before the shots had even stopped. The final candle was lit by Michael, the father of Matilda, who has been described a fountain of joy to all who knew her.

After the parade of diverse Australians had sparked flames on each arm of the menorah, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman of Bondi Chabad made a plea for more love and more unity.

"Returning to normal is not enough," he said.

"Sydney can and must become a beacon of goodness. A city where people look out for one another, where kindness is louder than hate, where decency is stronger than fear, and we can make it happen," he said, stopping for a moment as the crowd applauded.

"But only if we take the feelings we have right now and turn them into action, into continuous action."

An end to puppy farming and a possible ban on the use of electric shock dog collars are promised as part of a new animal welfare strategy being launched by the government on Monday.

The strategy - which packages together new laws with legislative reforms and proposals - will also progress Labour's manifesto pledge to ban trail hunting in the countryside.

The RSPCA has welcomed the plans to outlaw puppy farming but the Countryside Alliance has condemned the ban on trail hunting as "another attack on the countryside".

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds told the BBC there would be consultation on the trail-hunting ban, which was "sometimes used as a smokescreen" for illegal fox hunting.

Puppy farming is the term used when breeders prioritise profit over animal health and welfare, often keeping large numbers of dogs in small pens and using them to produce multiple litters a year.

Current dog breeding practices will be reformed to tackle puppy farming as part of what the government calls "the biggest animal welfare reforms in a generation".

However, the whole strategy will not be delivered until the end of 2030.

David Bowles, head of public affairs at the RSPCA, said the animal welfare charity was "delighted" at the strategy and added that the plans to ban puppy farming "could be a real game-changer".

"Puppy farming is one of the most insidious problems that the RSPCA faces.

"The government will need to write the legislation on that in this coming year and the RSPCA will work with them to make sure that there are no loopholes," he said.

The government is also looking to ban the use of snare traps in the countryside and on Sunday confirmed it is to carry out a consultation on the proposed ban on trail hunting in the New Year.

Trail hunting involves using a rag with a natural scent on to lay a trail ahead of a hunt, which is then followed by the hounds but live animal scents could be picked up by the pack instead.

The secretary of state told the BBC that while Labour had previously banned fox hunting in 2004 "we have seen that people are trying to get around that ban by using trail hunting in some cases".

"Obviously that's also a problem of enforcement, it's not just the legislation, but we are determined to go further, which is why banning trail hunting is in the animal welfare strategy," she said.

"We know sometimes it is used as a smokescreen for fox hunting."

'Divisive issue'

But Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said it was "unbelievable" that the government would be spending more parliamentary time on hunting.

He said: "Revisiting this pointless and divisive issue is completely unnecessary.

"People across the countryside will be shocked that after Labour's attack on family farms and its neglect of rural communities it thinks banning trail hunting and snares used for fox control are a political priority."

Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake called the ban an "attack on rural Britain and British culture", accusing the government of "punishing the law-abiding majority who support legal trail hunting".

The government is also looking at ending the use of "confinement systems" in farming including caged hens and pig farrowing crates, which are used to contain sows during birth and nursing.

The use of slow-growing chickens will be promoted over the use of controversial so-called "Frankenchickens", a term used by animal welfare campaigners to describe fast-growing breeds.

Anthony Field, head of Compassion in World Farming UK, said the government was "raising the bar for farmed animal welfare".

The National Pig Association said it would be "following the next steps closely" on farrowing crates and was itself looking towards more flexible systems.

The British Poultry Council have been approached by the BBC for comment.

A shortage of epidural kits in the UK is expected to last until at least March, the government's medicines regulator has warned.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) told healthcare providers in a patient safety alert earlier this month that the shortage followed manufacturing issues concerning epidural bags.

Hospitals are being sent substitutes bags for the pain relief drug given to women in labour, while the Royal College of Anaesthetists is working with the NHS to advise hospitals on how to manage the situation.

Medical staff have expressed concern about these plans, the BBC understands, though the NHS said women "should come forward for care as usual".

The shortage arose after a major supplier stopped making epidural infusion bags, it is understood.

The MHRA alert on 2 December said there was a "range of alternative" bags available during the "affected period", which will require a "trust-wide approach to ensure safe implementation".

Hospitals are being sent substitutes - but these have higher drug doses and so need very careful managing.

All trusts have been asked to create teams that ensure mother-and-baby safety.

But hospital staff, pharmacists and anaesthetists - who administer epidurals to women during labour - have expressed concerns over the plans.

The head of the Birth Trauma Association, Dr Kim Thomas, argued that "there hasn't been enough communication" on how to put together these teams.

"Leaving trusts to manage a situation like this is very unfair, because you're going to get different responses in different trusts," she explained.

"It's going to mean added stress and added work for staff who are already overworked particularly at this time of year."

An NHS spokesperson said: "The safety of women in the care of NHS maternity services remains a top priority."

They added: "There are a range of alternatives available and trusts are also sharing supplies with other nearby trusts where appropriate."

Additional reporting by Hafsa Khalil

A leading academic, who led a recent government review into sex and gender data collection has threatened legal action against the University of Bristol, claiming it failed to protect her freedom of speech.

Prof Alice Sullivan has also written to the university regulator, the Office for Students, after a talk she gave at the university was disrupted by a trans rights protest.

Universities have a legal duty to uphold the right to free speech, while balancing that with the right to protest by those who object.

The University of Bristol rejected her claims and said the talk went ahead safely - despite "unacceptable disruption" - in line with its "strong commitment to upholding free speech".

Universities have a longstanding legal duty to protect the rights of staff, students and visiting speakers to express views which others might find offensive.

That has come into sharper focus with a new freedom of speech law in higher education, which came into force in August in England.

The University of Bristol said every action it had taken was in support of free speech.

Prof Sullivan's review for the government, published in March, recommended that data on biological sex and gender identity should be recorded as distinct categories.

She said she was first invited to speak about her work by an academic at the University of Bristol in July 2024, and agreed to an event that autumn.

In a new letter to the university, which warns she is willing to bring a legal challenge, Prof Sullivan said the university had first suggested the event was held online rather than in person.

When asked by the BBC why she had rejected that offer, Prof Sullivan said she did not realise what the scale of potential protests would be, but accepted that some people might have strongly opposing views on gender identity and had the right to express them.

"Everyone has a right to peaceful protest, but that must never amount to a heckler's veto, which means shutting down other people's right to speak," she said.

"This isn't just about my rights as a visiting speaker, this is about the rights of the university community to hold discussions and to have people come and listen."

After further delay, the event was scheduled for 22 October 2025.

As Prof Sullivan arrived, some attendees filmed the protest on their phones at the front of the building.

Videos - seen and verified by the BBC - show some of the protesters making rude gestures as others held signs.

Prof Sullivan told the BBC it was like a "zombie apocalypse" as some protesters pressed up against the window with placards and loudhailers.

The fire alarm was set off more than once, disrupting the talk, until security staff advised they move to a higher floor.

As she left after the event, Prof Sullivan said she heard "howls of 'shame on you, shame on you'".

The police told the BBC they had attended the event and said no arrests had been made.

The letter that has now been sent by Prof Sullivan's lawyers says the University of Bristol had 15 months to find a secure location on campus for the talk.

It adds that documents disclosed by the university reveal there had been complaints made by its LGBTQ+ staff network against her speaking.

Prof Sullivan says she has raised many of her concerns with the Office for Students, which as regulator of universities in England has the power to fine institutions if they fail to uphold freedom of speech.

Earlier this year, the OfS handed out a record fine of £585,000 to the University of Sussex, warning that its transgender and non-binary inclusion policy had a "chilling effect" on freedom of speech.

Kathleen Stock had previously left her job as professor of philosophy at Sussex following protests against her gender-critical views, which generally say that a person's sex cannot be changed and takes precedence over their gender identity.

Following the Sussex fine, the University of Bristol withdrew a similar policy which said all staff were responsible for removing "transphobic and anti-trans material" from campus.

In August, a new freedom of speech law came into force, strengthening the legal obligations on universities to uphold freedom of speech.

The government has not yet brought in the complaints process promised as part of the stronger powers.

Prof Sullivan has told Arif Ahmed, the OfS's director of free speech, she is concerned that "gender ideology" led to Bristol's "actions to obstruct and frustrate my talk".

She told the BBC that senior managers at the university "could have apologised, and they could have said we intend to do better in future".

"That is what I want from them," she said.

A University of Bristol spokesperson said the talk went ahead safely and in line with its "strong commitment to upholding free speech".

"Although protesters caused unacceptable disruption, appropriate measures were in place to enable the event to continue and to protect the speaker and attendees," they said.

The university added that the vice-chancellor had subsequently met with Prof Sullivan.

"We refute claims that we failed to protect her freedom of speech; every action we took was in support of this and the restrictions she outlines were all necessary for public safety," the spokesperson said.

"Our stance is clear - free speech must be lawful. There is no protection within the law for abusive speech that incites violence, harassment or discrimination.

"Clearly the intimidating behaviour of protesters was not peaceful and we have condemned their unacceptable behaviour.

"We will take disciplinary action if anyone from the university community is identified as being involved."

The chair of the King's Foundation Dame Ann Limb has admitted being "misleading" about her doctorate qualification.

The education specialist, who was recently nominated for a life peerage by Labour, told the Sunday Times that she had not completed a PhD at the University of Liverpool, despite this appearing on her since-amended CV.

"To be completely upfront and honest about it, I never completed my PhD at Liverpool University," she told the newspaper, adding that she used the Doctor title because she had been conferred with honorary PhDs by other institutions.

The BBC has contacted Dame Ann for comment. The King's Foundation declined to comment.

Dame Ann was among nominees to the House of Lords announced by Downing Street earlier in December, having held a number of senior public and private roles.

The King's Foundation - which offers courses in practical skills to young people - announced last week that she would be stepping down from her role as chair, which she had held since January, to become a peer.

An old version of her online CV, seen by the BBC, refers to her with the "Dr" honorific and lists a PhD from the University of Liverpool in 1978 as among her qualifications.

She was referred to as Dr Ann Limb by the City & Guilds Foundation, which she also chairs, in 2020, and in the Queen's Birthday Honours list announcing her damehood in 2022.

However, a new version of her CV - made in July 2024 - omits the Dr honorific and the supposed 1978 PhD, stating that she received honorary PhDs from Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Northampton.

Her website still says that she began her teaching career in further education "whilst undertaking a PhD at the University of Liverpool".

She told the Sunday Times: "I have used the word 'Doctor'... because I have got several honorary PhDs and that's been clear to me that they're honorary.

"Perhaps my own website is not very helpful, I don't pay a lot of attention to it, but if there's anything misleading... on that I'm very happy to correct [it]."

The newspaper also reported she claimed to have gained an MA from the Institute of Linguistics, which she also admitted was untrue.

Recipients of honorary doctorates tend not to use the Dr honorific despite technically being able to out of deference to those who have undertaken the academic work to receive a PhD.

When approached for comment, a No 10 spokesperson directed the BBC to a document listing the reasons why Dame Ann had been nominated for a peerage.

That document notes she has been the chair or non-executive director of several public, private and charity bodies.

Dame Ann grew up in Moss Side in Manchester and is currently the pro-chancellor of the University of Surrey and chair of institutions including the Lloyds Bank Foundation.

She was made a dame for services to young people and philanthropy, having spent much of her career in higher education.

The police watchdog says it may investigate West Midlands Police over its handling of the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending an Aston Villa game.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) told the BBC it can exercise its power to investigate "if evidence available to us appears to warrant" it, but that it needed to assess that evidence "before determining our next steps".

Its director Rachel Watson is quoted by the Sunday Times as saying she was willing to use the watchdog's "power of initiative" given the "sensitivities" of the case.

Maccabi fans were prohibited from attending a 6 November match in Birmingham based on reports of hooliganism at other away games they attended.

However, the government's adviser on antisemitism has since said that some of the intelligence the force used to come to the decision was "inaccurate".

Lord Mann told the Home Affairs Committee earlier this month that some facts about the earlier matches had been changed to fit the decision.

West Midlands Police also faced criticism over two of its high-ranking officers appearing to reiterate some of these inaccuracies before the committee.

The IOPC tends to investigate cases that have been referred to it by individual police forces - usually when someone has died due to police action, or if a police officer is accused of a criminal offence.

As such, instigating its own investigation without a referral is relatively rare.

The IOPC is not yet investigating the force's decision, but a spokesperson said on Sunday: "It is right for public confidence and police accountability that the force's involvement in the decision-making process is examined."

They noted HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services was examining the risk assessment West Midlands Police carried out before the fixture and the extent to which the intelligence it gathered "reflected the full information and intelligence picture".

They added that the Home Affairs Committee has asked the force for "additional evidence" relating to Chief Constable Craig Guildford and Assistant Chief Constable Mike O'Hara's committee appearance earlier this month.

"It is important for us to assess evidence related to these processes before determining our next steps."

The IOPC spokesperson said it had written to West Midlands Police and the region's police and crime commissioner to "seek assurances over what assessments they have made of any conduct".

They said this was important "to understand why a formal referral has not been made".

MPs previously heard that the ban was based on information given to the force by Dutch police commanders concerning violence that broke out in Amsterdam last year during a Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi.

Following this, Dutch courts said evidence showed fans of the Israeli club faced violence, and also pointed out that the club's supporters pulled down Palestinian flags, vandalised taxis and chanted racist slogans against Arabs.

Despite West Midlands Police saying the decision "wasn't taken lightly", senior MPs, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, said it amounted to antisemitism.

Lord Mann told the Home Affairs Committee that there were several inaccuracies in West Midlands Police's intelligence report.

He said it cited Maccabi fans "pulling down Palestinian flags" on match day in the Netherlands, when the incident occurred the night before. It also referred to a match between Maccabi and West Ham which never happened.

The force also had to apologise over ACC O'Hara's repeated affirmation to the committee that representatives of the Jewish community had said they did not want Maccabi fans at the match, when they had said no such thing.

This week, Maccabi Tel Aviv was fined €20,000 (£17,550) for "racist and/or discriminatory behaviour" by supporters during their game at Stuttgart in Germany on 11 December.

Fans were also given a suspended one away match ban.

Many children find themselves singing at school in the run up to Christmas - at a nativity play or carol concert, often with parents watching proudly on.

But new data suggests singing is a much less common occurrence throughout the rest of the school year, especially after pupils leave primary school.

Now, an association of music teachers says every school should have a choir, to help pupils embrace music after a years-long decline in its popularity as a GCSE subject.

The government says it is investing in high quality music teaching and that a "renewed curriculum" will encourage more people to study it.

In a recent survey, Teacher Tapp asked just under 10,000 teachers in England how often their whole school sang together in assembly.

Over half of state secondary school teachers (57%) said their pupils never sang together in assembly, while just 13% of private secondary school teachers and only 4% of primary teachers said the same.

Teachers were separately asked whether their schools had a choir. Just over a third (36%) of teachers at state secondaries reported having no choir at their school, compared to just 8% of private school secondary teachers.

Having access to multiple school choirs was much more common at private schools, with three quarters (77%) of private secondary teachers saying their school had more than one choir, compared to 27% of state secondary teachers.

Jackie Bowen, head teacher at The East Manchester Academy, says secondary school pupils can feel "embarrassed - or that maybe it's not cool to sing like it was in primary school".

But she says singing and music are priorities at the school.

"We know the intrinsic value of music, but also what it does for students' development, mental health, its impact on academic achievements," she says.

"So we've run lots of initiatives to try and break down barriers to music."

The school offers a music hub at the school once a week, offering pupils time with specialist teachers from the Royal Northern College of Music.

At lesson changeover, students hear classical music instead of the traditional bell.

The school has also established its first gospel choir.

Year 11 student Mercy, who's part of the choir, says she always wanted to continue singing at secondary school.

"In primary they say you have to sing, but when you come to secondary it's a choice, so most people don't do it," she says.

"I feel like we should all release our voices to the world. Whether you're good or not, just sing."

There has been a 25% drop in pupils studying GCSE music at schools in England over the last fifteen years, despite an uptick in the most recent stats.

That is partly down to the introduction of a progress measure for schools called the English Baccalaureate in 2010, which assessed schools based on how many pupils took English, maths, sciences, geography or history and a language - and how well they performed.

The government recently announced that it would be changing the school curriculum in England to make it easier for more schools to offer arts subjects like music.

There has been some improvement in recruiting new music teachers this year, but the levels still fall 35% short of government's target for trainee music teachers in the most recent stats.

James Manwaring, president of the Music Teachers Association - which represents music teachers across both state and private schools - says every school should have a choir.

"All you need is a room and you need someone to lead it and you need students," says James, who is also the director of music at Windsor Learning Partnership - a multi-academy trust of six state schools.

"It's a shame to think some state schools aren't capitalising on that."

He says changes to the school curriculum in England are "very exciting" for boosting music in schools, but says more funding and resources will be needed - "as well as retaining the wonderful music teachers we have out there".

A Department for Education spokesperson said the government was committed to ensuring art, music and drama "are no longer the preserve of a privileged few".

Ministers are "investing millions" to help schools invest in musical instruments and equipment, and "supporting high quality music teaching through our Music Hubs", they said.

"Our renewed curriculum will also give every young person the skills, knowledge and experiences needed to achieve and thrive, including encouraging more people to study music and other creative subjects."

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Christmas is billed as the most wonderful time of the year - but the day itself could have all the ingredients needed for a family row.

There's a reason you haven't seen some of these people all year - you just know someone is going to criticise your cooking, there will be a heated debate over dinner and a tussle over the TV remote.

We spoke to psychologists and parenting experts for their top tips on how to keep the Christmas spirit and avoid a family fallout.

1. Give up on the perfect Christmas

Begin by refusing to chase the idealised movie version of Christmas, says psychotherapist and author Philippa Perry.

"We need to lower the expectations of what Christmas gives us, and then we won't be so disappointed in it," she told CBeebies' Parenting Helpline podcast.

Unspoken rules like "we must see everybody" only add to the stress, as does social media pressure over what the picture-perfect Christmas Day should look like.

Natalie Costa, a parenting coach, former teacher and host of the Connected podcast, encourages people to remember that nobody's life looks the way it does online. "Behind all the happy family pictures are children - and adults - who've had big meltdowns," she says.

This reality check can help reduce guilt over not measuring up.

Instead of trying to compete with others, she suggests approaching Christmas with the attitude of: "What does my good-enough look like?"

2. Don't compete on gifting

Exchanging presents is a huge part of Christmas. If there are young kids in the house, giddy early wake-up calls are a given.

But sometimes gift-giving can feel competitive, especially among extended family where budgets can differ, says Prof Perry.

The best way to handle this isn't to try to compete or police kids' relationships with adults, but reframe the situation.

She encourages parents to "let go" if grandparents, aunties and uncles choose to spoil young ones.

Costa adds that this can later become a useful way to discuss values with children - emphasising that bigger presents don't reflect love.

"You cannot buy love," Prof Perry says. "What children like is your attention and being played with. That is better than any gift."

3. Prepare for awkward comments

Complicated family dynamics don't disappear just because it's Christmas and festive classics are playing.

One minute you're merrily drinking mulled wine, the next being asked why you're not happily married or whether you are planning children.

Any resentments, tensions and difference in values will remain with the added pressure of fulfilling a fantasy image of happy families.

Passive aggressive comments often come from someone else's stress and insecurity, says psychotherapist Sarah Turner. This doesn't excuse the behaviour, but can make it feel less personal.

When we feel stung our instinct is to defend or withdraw, but Turner advises pausing first. "You have the power to choose how to respond."

Another tip is to ask for clarification. Often loved ones will reframe what they said rather than repeat it - as they are likely to know it's a loaded comment.

If there's a "kernel of truth" in what they say, then acknowledging this can help "emotions de-escalate because they feel heard," Turner adds.

This doesn't mean you agree or give in - it's simply letting that person know you understand where they're coming from. In the heat of family dynamics, this can make all the difference.

3. Make it clear who's in charge

Children are naturally excited on Christmas day - but that burst of energy often means big exhausted emotions later on, tantrums and tears included.

To prevent other family members stepping in to try and manage this, Costa suggests having a simple conversation beforehand to establish the rules.

She advises something like: "I know it [how we parent] may be different to what you did… What helps us most is keeping things consistent, so if anything comes up, leave it with us."

Have a few simple non-negotiables, such as screen-time limits and any essential safety boundaries.

Some families also find it useful to have something light-hearted to ease the pressure, explains Costa. One used the codeword "smelly bananas" to signal things were getting too much.

Whoever's home you'll be visiting, managing expectations is crucial. Let children know who will be there, what the day will look like, and what they can do if they start to feel overloaded.

4. Don't comment on food choices

Christmas dinner often includes foods such as brussel sprouts, red cabbage and turkey which we rarely eat the rest of the year.

Some adults and many children simply don't enjoy these foods.

What we call "fussiness" with a disapproving tone, is often anxiety and sensitivity, says consultant counselling psychologist Dr Ritika Suk Birah. The key to an enjoyable meal is to remove the emotional charge.

Offer a few predictable options, normalise different preferences, and don't turn food into a moral issue.

"For adults, autonomy is essential, provide alternatives without commentary," she says.

For children, who may be facing things like sprouts for the first time - a "safe plate" alongside festive foods works well, something familiar that grounds them so they can explore new foods at their own pace.

Agree a TV plan beforehand

TV can be central to Christmas family time, often when stuffed full of food and slightly sozzled.

But disagreements over what to watch are common.

Older relatives often want shared traditions; younger people want autonomy and novelty, especially in the YouTube age.

The best approach is to decide the viewing plan before emotions are high, says Dr Birah. Agree on a simple rotation: one shared programme, one independent choice and a set period where screens are put away.

If the idea of watching "old people TV" is causing trouble with your teens, acknowledge their perspective, says Costa.

Something like: "I get it. YouTube is exciting and fun, and you really enjoy it."

Then explain what else is happening: "Right now we are spending time together as a family. This part matters too."