Gabriella Ratcliffe will have to make do with a video call to her mother in Iran this Christmas as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe faces new charges in the Middle East for 'propaganda'.

The Sussexes, who are currently residing in a $14.7million mansion in Montecito, released the card to announce they've made a donation to several charities.

Those who received two AstraZeneca doses, plus a Pfizer or Moderna booster, have 60 per cent protection against Omicron for two to weeks after the third jab.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary reported an increase of 121 per cent, with 128 attacks between March 23 and June 23 this year, up from 58 last year.

Boris Johnson has urged families across the country to test at home before visiting loved ones over the festive period, particularly the elderly and those who may be more vulnerable to Covid.

Sir Patrick Vallance, No10's chief scientific advisor, has accused critics of ignoring evidence about the Omicron variant to fit with their political agenda.

Sources say time is running out to impose new restrictions ahead of New Year's Eve and No 10 is awaiting more data before making a final decision. It is thought they could issue guidance instead

Dalton Hoath, 28, was joined by scores of well-wishers as they released balloons in memory of his two sets of twin sons Kyson and Bryston, four, and Leyton and Logan, three, who died in a fire.

Scotland's First Minister has faced a backlash over her latest restrictions, which effectively rules out large Hogmanay celebrations, limiting pubs to table service only and shutting nightclubs.

Facing her first festive season without her husband of 73 years, the Queen has recorded a 'particularly personal' address to the nation.

UK Finance, a banking trade body, said just over half (55.94 per cent) of all reported scam texts in the final three months of this year have claimed to be from parcel delivery firms.

The moment was created in a stunning 60ft by 45ft image at Beadnell Bay, Northumberland by sand artist Claire Eason who was a doctor for 30 years.

The designer pocketed more than £220,000 more for herself in the year to December 31, 2020 compared to the previous 12 months, even though the business suffered a 26% fall in sales.

Debi Monk, 57, believes Flower and Gobbledygook are the UK's cleverest turkeys, thanks to her as they can respond to commands like 'lie down' like dogs.

Shunning brand new outfits, a quarter of 18 to 24-year-olds say they have rented clothes for the festive party season or bought them second-hand.

Charlie Fleury and Adam Baker, both 31, set off from the Canary Islands on December 12 along with nine other pairs in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

Cruise ship Seven Seas Splendor is embarking on her inaugural festive season at sea and Channel 5's cameras have been allowed on board for a Christmas Eve documentary.

Critics say water companies are dumping untreated sewage in the nation's rivers instead of processing it because they have failed to adequately invest in upgrading treatment works

The findings, by psychologists at University of California Los Angeles, suggest giving Christmas presents to friends and family may help to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Good Energy, EDF and trade body Energy UK are calling on the Government to urgently intervene after the cost of gas in wholesale markets rose by more than 500 per cent in less than a year.

Last Christmas, Waheed Sabawoon and his family were hiding in their Kabul, fearing the next knock at the door would be the Taliban. They are now enjoying Christmas in Bristol - their new home.

Louise Speed, 51, married businessman Quinton Bird, 52, in a lavish ceremony at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire last week, in a room filled with stunning white flowers and candles.

Dog walker Sid Costello, 29, was with his dogs Pablo and Menace in Plumstead when he came across a woman in distress who said she had been sexually assaulted by two men.

Sohna and Mohna Singh, 19, who were abandoned by their parents at two months old, have been employed by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited as electricians.

Emile-Bogdan Savastru, 30, was arrested at Heathrow with the Louis Vuitton luggage grabbed during the 'Burglary of the Century at the model's 'Billionaire's Row' home.

Grant Bailey has not been seen since Saturday when he was arrested by the Islamists during a security crackdown in Kabul (file image).

Stephanie Davis has opened up about how she feared she would die at the hands of her stalker - who tormented her for months with creepy gifts.

Huge queues formed outside supermarkets including Tesco, butchers and cheesemongers in Bristol, Crawley and Hampshire today after Boris Johnson gave the green light for Christmas.

With cases on the rise and the Omicron spreading rapidly, families and friends have taken to social media to accuse loved ones of giving them Covid ahead of the festive holidays.

The situation in the healthcare system is at its most critical in London, where absence levels are three times higher than at the start of the month - with Guy's & St Thomas' trust particularly badly hit.

The ONS estimates 1.37million people were carrying the virus on any given day during the week  up to December 16. But the figure only marks a 24.9 per cent increase on the previous week.

A report by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner found that spiking cases have surged in recent months due to 'heightened awareness' of the issue.

The Queen, Charles and Camilla are likely to be joined by Prince Andrew and his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York , plus their two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

More than 18million vehicles will hit the roads today and Christmas Eve to see family and friends over the holiday, with the RAC estimating that 5million alone will head out tomorrow.

Governments across Europe are racing to contain Omicron's rapid spread, urging citizens to get vaccinated while implementing new measures as infections rise.

US intelligence and new satellite images dated between October 26 and November 6, 2021 show Saudi Arabia has a base capable of building ballistic missiles near Dawadmi, in the country's centre.

Two fraudsters based in London who laundered £70million scammed £10million from a government coronavirus support scheme while they were on bail.

EXCLUSIVE: The exemptions mean hundreds of thousands of Britons who may have thought they were unable to leave the house at all over Christmas can do so in limited circumstances.

At Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, Five men admitted conspiring to burgle three Westminster premises following the series of raids across London's West End.

Last night, London's party capital Soho was so quiet that pubs and restaurants shut by 10pm. At the weekend, pubs, restaurants and bars suffered a 40 per cent slump in sales.

Mr Cameron (pictured) also said he 'never sought to avoid' important interviews and was 'always available' to the media during his time in Downing Street in an apparent dig at Mr Johnson.

An etiquette expert has revealed how to make your Christmas classier than ever this year - and how to do away with 'bogan' basics that will only dampen the spirit of the day.

The rollout of a second set of boosters is being examined by experts on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

NHS England told health bosses on Tuesday of plans to create 'lots of little Nightingales' should Covid-19 hospitalisations surpass those of last January's peak.

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Jenny Harries, head of the UK Health Security Agency, said the 'impact on society' of Omicron will be crucial despite mounting evidence that it is generally milder than the Delta strain.

CrossCountry, which runs trains between major cities such as Birmingham , Bristol, Newcastle and Leeds, said there would be no services on many routes including between Cheltenham and Cardiff.

The five-year-old was with his grandmother inside a home in Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast when the dog, reportedly an English bull terrier-American bulldog cross, attacked him about 11.45am.

Lewis Wing, six, from East London, has just finished a tour of all 272 of London's stations and is hoping he has broken a World Record as the youngest person to complete the mission.

Footage shows a woman admiring the view in a Chinese national park, China when a cheeky monkey runs up her leg to steal a milk carton from her pocket on Tuesday.

Four people were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries following the incident, which took place around 6pm yesterday at the Oakbrook Center Mall, police have said.

Retired businessman Charles Ryan, has been accused of knocking through a dry stone wall beside his house in Quebec, Co Durham without appropriate planning permission.

The family of Gill North who died after a remarkable mesothelioma battle in which she threw herself into researching asbestos and proposing reforms has released a video of its effects on her.

Police Scotland have been accused of 'arresting people for making jokes' after a man was charged over an alleged Facebook post inviting revellers to a Hogmanay party at the home of Nicola Sturgeon.

Declean Brown is one of two children now out of the intensive care unit at the Royal Hobart Hospital after being caught up in the accident at Hillcrest Primary School in northern Tasmania last week.

Moscow has for weeks been massing tens of thousands of troops, tanks and artillery pieces along the eastern border of Ukraine, though the Kremlin has insisted it is merely a defence force.

The explosion and fire left four people injured at the Baytown chemical plant in Texas in the early hours of Thursday. Exxon confirmed that the fire has affected part of the plant's gasoline production.

The 8sqm area of land in central London upheld 47 percent of the 10,094 complaints made between 2016 and 2020.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid wants former TSB chairman Richard Meddings, 63, to take over as chair of NHS England, to hold health chiefs to account for how they spend public money.

Shoi Delfin-Caballes, Florida mother-of-five was killed in a horrific accident while pumping gas on in Palm Harbor, Florida, on Wednesday.

Frances Payne, 55, who appeared on Channel 5's The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door, blocked the path near a beauty spot by her home in Evesham, Worcestershire.

A $2 coin with a tiny 'HH' symbol minted in 1988 and 1989 is selling for up to $10,000 online.

Police Scotland confirmed tonight the man had been arrested and charged in connection with communications offences, before being bailed to appear at court at a later date.

The Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast, Queensland's highest-rated resort when it opened in 2000, has been a magnet for controversy in recent years, all now coming to a head.

Police across all states are preparing to crack down on dangerous driving habits over the festive season, with increased fines and double demerit points to be imposed.

Besieged billionaire funds manager Hamish Douglass has denied 'nasty divorce rumours' after split with his wife, CEO and Magellan's $23B loss, saying the couple will spend Xmas together.

Relaxed restrictions are now tightening again as Covid case numbers surge to record levels and the chief medical officer warned booster shots were now the key weapon against the disease.

Western Australia has announced four new Covid cases amid fears a French backpacker had seeded a new outbreak in the state.

Federal Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has hit back at Health Minister Greg Hunt over the announcement booster jabs would be brought forward for Australians.

The poverty ridden suburb of Mt Druitt where heavily pregnant Billie Jo Wilkie smoked a bong on a toilet for TV show Struggle Street has become a real estate hotspot with house selling for $2m.

A video clip on Facebook shows the bumbag-wearing man confronting two police officers outside a pub on Sydney's Eastern Suburbs nightclub strip.

Tasmania has recorded 27 new coronavirus infections, the island state's most on a single day since the beginning of the pandemic.

In a rant for the ages, WA Premier Mark McGowan has called out revellers in his state who are ignoring pleas from authorities to get tested for Covid ahead of Christmas Day on Saturday.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny (left) said after Joe Biden's interview on Wednesday that the 79-year-old president 'seemed confused' when talking about COVID-19 tests and antiviral pills.

Case numbers are 10,000 higher than the previous record, set just yesterday - but Mayor de Blasio insists the event will go ahead, albeit with the crowd size reduced from 58,000 to 15,000.

Ex Brooklyn Center cop Kim Potter has been found guilty of first and second degree manslaughter for shooting 20-year-old Daunte Wright dead. 

Lisa Gentile, 54, claims she was 'sexually abused' by actor Chris Noth in 2002 after drinking with him at Da Marino's restaurant, which they both frequented.

The most troubling piece of evidence was a drawing of a gun on a homework sheet with messages: 'My life is useless,' 'Blood everywhere' and 'The thoughts won't stop, help me.'

Andrew Cuomo lashed out at AG Letitia James after Nassau County confirmed Cuomo won't face criminal charges for inappropriately touching a female state trooper at Belmont Racetrack in 2019.

Bizarre footage captured the moment the unknown woman, armed with a pickaxe, dragged a basket full of merchandise across the floor of the Rite Aid, in Venice, California, on Thursday morning.

The famous Northwell Health's Nurse Choir performed at the White House, and many were quick to point out the poor visuals of happy nurses singing amid the current Omicron surge.

In the tweet, Bratton - who worked under outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio - showed several homeless people sleeping on a subway train. Ocasio-Cortez used the tweet to criticize police funding.

Anyone with even the most cursory view of politics could see that Harris lacked the raw political skills to be Vice President, and now the identity politics chickens are coming home to roost.

Face masks are now compulsory in public indoor settings, with NSW reinstating rules scrapped nine days ago. Many people are fed up with the never-ending restrictions just before Christmas.

The defense claims the text was sent after the shooting that had already taken place and is not an indication the Crumbleys knew of their son's plans. It was submitted in a filing requested lowered bond.

Video was recently leaked of a spring 2020 talk at K-8 Butler University Laboratory School 60 shows a group of BLM activities preaching the criminal systems targets black and brown people.

Alec Baldwin has posted a video on Instagram in which he wallows in self-pity over the 'really tough time' he has been having in recent weeks following a New Mexico film set shooting.

David Pearce, 39, appeared in court in LA on Thursday to be arraigned on charges of sexually assaulting four women - but the arraignment was postponed until January.

Danny Hodgson, 26, a rising soccer star, was allegedly attacked outside a Perth train station on September 5 while on his way home from end of season celebrations.

Chicago-based United canceled 120 flights for Friday, while Atlanta-based Delta said it has canceled about 90 and Alaska Airlines said it had canceled 17.

As the Omicron variant rapidly drives up COVID-19 cases throughout the US (inset) another study shows that the strain is less severe than Delta and less likely to cause hospitalization.

A topless man is wanted by Queensland police for questioning after he used a rock and a stick to rob a petrol station in Bellbird Park on Thursday night.

Hundreds of shoppers a pictured crammed into the aisles of Queen Victoria Markets in Melbourne in a last minute dash to grab supplies ahead of Christmas day.

Santa truthers should not be allowed to ruin the magic of Christmas for children. Thankfully, realising the rapture of believing in Santa has not been lost.

A Southern California father of three (pictured with his family) was shot dead days ahead of Christmas after he and other neighbors chased down a robber in a Los Angeles-area suburb

As Omicron numbers explode across the country, Professor Robert Booy says we may develop long-term natural immunity from Covid as it evolves into a weaker and less lethal version.

Potter was taken to the Minnesota Correctional Facility - Shakopee on Wednesday. Promotional materials show inmates studying, sewing, gardening and participating in 5K races.

Elf on a Shelf is a Christmas tradition for millions of families across the country but the ACLU says it makes children acclimatized to be being monitored by an unseen authority figure.

Emily Wurramara was shopping with her sister on December 20 when two staff members 'eyed her out' and made her feel so uncomfortable she left the store without making her purchase.

The boy was pulled from the water at Ian Dipple Lagoon in a critical condition just before 9am.

The man, from Caringbah south of Sydney, was reportedly sharing pro-Islamic State material and expressing extremist views in conversations across multiple platforms.

Western Australia could be forced to tear down its notorious hard border weeks early after an unvaccinated Frenchman with Covid slipped through the cracks by flying in while there were no rules.

NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole failed to directly answer when asked on the Today Show how long Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant had advised the government to reintroduce masks.

James Franco's interview on Thursday - in which he admitted to sexual misconduct - was condemned by lawyers for some of the five women who in January 2018 accused him.

The CDC said asymptomatic health care workers can cut their isolation time from the previously established 10 days because of hospital staffing shortages caused by the Omicron surge.

While Santa Claus is enough to frighten some Australian kids, he's got nothing on the terrifying Christmas crow that visits young children in a remote Indigenous community.

A huge huntsman spider evoked squeals from a Western Australian farming family that is 'used to creepy crawlies.' The slinky spider was hiding out in their son's school shoe.

Twitter has erupted into a fiery debate over one of Australia's toughest questions: which is better, a Crunchie or a Violet Crumble. Both chocolates are filled with honeycomb and covered in chocolate.

Hundreds of passengers found their holiday plans in dire straits as they were notified late on Thursday night of the mass cancellations, with at least 23 flights cancelled on Australia's busiest route.

John Parney, of Quincy, Michigan, kept his diner open during he lockdown to help pay for his wife's cancer treatment. He even took up a second full-time job to pay medical bills.

Jye Sheehan, 12, was killed alongside five of his classmates after falling 10 metres out of a jumping castle which had been blown into the air by a freak gust of wind.

The collapse of a two-story underground parking garage at an apartment complex in Ohio has lead to residents being evacuated from their apartments the day before Christmas Eve.

SUSIE DENT: Christmas is the perfect showcase of the journeys and adventures English has taken since its very beginnings. Here is a sprinkling of some of my favourite festive words.

South Australia has reported a big jump to 688 new Covid infections on Christmas Eve and two children are in hospital suffering serious symptoms after testing positive.

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Four British studies concluded that Omicron was far milder than Delta... A day of celebration and relief? Not to the perpetual naysayers.

Almost a third of junior doctors in Victoria's public hospitals have considered quitting during the pandemic, a survey has found.

Tahl Scheff is fearful that she will miss out on spending Christmas Day with her family as she has yet to be given the green light to leave isolation.

Queensland Covid cases have spiked again to 589 as the state's residents are urged to get used to living with the virus. It follows 369 cases announced yesterday.

The ACT has reported a spike in COVID-19 cases with 102 new infections on Friday, the first time the territory has recorded case numbers in the hundreds.

Emerson College in Boston has issued a 'stay in room directive' for returning students next month. The same students were already required to get 'boosted' and tested twice a week.

The controversial deal - which saw Australia abandon its contract with France for a fleet of diesel submarines -  could now see the new subs coming into operation in the first half of the 2030s.

It is Christmas Eve, with the snow glittering, the Yule-log crackling in the hearth and the most magical night of the year as bright as the starlight outside.

New face mask rules in NSW have caused confusion with gyms telling their customers they would have to wear a covering when exercising. A business has revealed why it was confused.

The passenger is reported to have died and the plane's pilot was airlifted to hospital with head injuries following the crash just after 8am at Ball Bay, about 50km north of Mackay.

During the pandemic, hundreds of puppies were callously dumped at rescue centres across the country after the novelty wore off. Here, the Daily Mail shares how some have found new homes.

Jye Sheehan, 12, died along with five of his classmates after falling 10 metres from a jumping castle at Devonport's Hillcrest Primary School, in Tasmania's north, last Thursday.

NSW has recorded 5,612 new Covid-19 cases and one death while Victoria has reported 2,095 cases and eight deaths as restrictions are brought back around the country ahead of Christmas Day.

A chaotic video published on Thursday shows the terrifying moment a metre-long python was discovered and removed from the 10 News First Queensland newsroom.

Donald Trump teased his first tell-all book that he says will address 'wacko' actress Better Midler after she criticized Sen. Joe Manchin. 'Don't worry, I'll tell the real facts about her in my book.'

Top infectious diseases expert Peter Collignon has predicted Australians will be coping with Covid-19 for another 'three to four years' and that we will all be exposed to it.

Illinois State Senator Kimberly Lightford, a Democrat, on Thursday opened up about her trauma after being carjacked at gunpoint along with her husband in suburban Chicago.

A 21-year-old hoon was banned from driving after unwittingly overtaking a police car while driving his BMW 53 kilometres an hour over the legal speed limit in an 80km/h zone.

A senior Biden Administration official said Thursday the U.S. and allies are preparing 'massive' sanctions should Russia again invade Ukraine.

The Covid-19 booster shot interval will be brought forward from five to four months from January 4 as cases of the Omicron variant continue to explode across the country.

Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar said that he's done trying to work with Vice President Kamala Harris on border issues.

Family and friends of Jye Sheehan will say their final goodbyes to the 12-year-old at his funeral service in Devonport, Tasmania, on Friday morning.

Psaki was forced to defend the Biden administration's newly expanded testing strategy from criticism that it's come too late to help Americans get through the Omicron surge.

The baby animals at Australian Reptile Park on the NSW Central Coast are spreading the festive cheer as they celebrate their first ever Christmas. Little koala, possum, and wombat joined in the fun.

Before Daunte Wright was shot and killed by now former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter, he terrorized his local neighborhood for several years, victims told DailyMail.com.

December 23 is always the busiest day of the year for UK supermarkets, which faced a battle to re-stock shelves amid a rise in staff absence linked to Omicron.

Police Chief TJ Smith, 41, (pictured) of the Oakboro Police Department in North Carolina was put on unpaid leave for two weeks and given six months probation.

Khadka Pradhan, 51, from Rochester, New York, has been charged with rape, criminal sexual act, and endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person in the first degree.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is not bringing any to Sen. Bernie Sanders' world. The Vermont progressive sent out a statement Thursday urging for his 'immediate resignation.'

A Tennessee man strangled his neighbor's pet kangaroo to death after it attacked his wife Wednesday evening after reports of two people 'who had been in a battle with a male kangaroo.'

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that President Joe Biden called Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon after she was carjacked at gunpoint on Wednesday.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus told reporters on Wednesday that he is 'less hopeful' than before that they will be able to find Lina Sardar Khil, 3, who vanished from a playground on Monday.

Kathleen Harrison, who lost her husband of 26 year, Doyle (pictured right), in an April 2019 crash in Colorado, has hit out at Kim Kardashian for supporting the truck driver who killed her husband.

The United States logged a seven-day average coronavirus case count of 168,981 on Wednesday, surpassing a summer peak of over 165,000 infections with Omicron detected in every state.

Biden signed a bill Thursday cracking down on human rights abuses in China, banning imports from the Xinjiang province unless Chinese officials can prove they were not made with forced labor.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are believed to be spending the holiday season at Anmer Hall, in their home on the Sandringham estate. The Queen may yet travel there in January.