British Isles
TV reality show participants pray together
Participants in ITV's I'm a Celebrity have been seen praying together. On 19 November, viewers saw quiz supremo Anne Hegerty offer to spend time in silent prayer for actress Emily Atack, who had…
Call for ban on alcohol advertising in winter
Dr Peter McCann, an alcohol and drug rehabilitation expert, has called for a ban on alcohol advertising in winter and stricter laws on alcohol pricing. He says that new research has established a…
UK government backs down over gambling machines
The Government has been forced to bring forward its proposed changes to gambling machine betting limits. Philip Hammond had announced in his Budget speech that the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs)…
Couple’s 100 years of service
A couple have been recognised for giving more than a hundred years of service to the Church of Scotland between them. Don and Alice Barrie have played key roles at a church in…
Embattled PM stands by draft Brexit agreement
On 15 November, the day after Theresa May persuaded her cabinet to endorse the draft EU agreement, two cabinet ministers (including Dominic Raab, the Brexit secretary) and three junior ministers resigned in protest,…
Manchester bomber’s brother to be extradited
The younger brother of the Manchester bomber Salman Abedi will be extradited to Britain before the end of the year, according to Fayez al-Sarraj, the Libyan prime minister. Hashem Abedi, 20, was arrested…
Christmas comes early at Lambeth
Lambeth Palace was transformed on 13 November when the front of the building was lit up with giant stars. This was part of the Church of England's new campaign, #FollowTheStar, which aims to…
Archbishop pays tribute to Prince Charles
In the House of Lords on 14 November, Archbishop Justin Welby congratulated Prince Charles on his 70th birthday and praised his ‘lifelong dedication’ to serving his country and his ongoing concern for young…
London’s pollution levels still unsatisfactory
Research published on 14 November shows that London’s low-emission traffic zone has modestly reduced residents’ exposure to diesel engine pollution, but the better air quality has not brought improved lung health among children.…
Suffragette mosaic in Birmingham
A giant mosaic (20 metres high), made up of thousands of photos of ‘inspiring’ women, has been unveiled. Depicting Hilda Burkitt, a militant suffragette, it is now on show at Birmingham New Street…
