News 28/12/25

US President Donald Trump has said significant progress has been made in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Trump listed the European leaders with whom he and Mr Zelenskyy had spoken, including the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Finland, Poland and Norway, as well as European Union chiefs. He described the discussions as excellent and said they had covered, in his words, around ninety five percent of the issues, adding that a lot of progress had been made towards ending the war.

An evening surge in shoppers seeking Boxing Day bargains has driven a decade-high increase in footfall across UK retail destinations.

Figures from MRI Software show visits were up four point four percent across high streets and shopping centres compared to last year. Footfall remained strong on Saturday, and the research firm expects momentum to continue into the new year. However, higher visitor numbers do not necessarily translate into increased spending, with Barclays forecasting that consumers will spend around one billion pounds less on this year’s Boxing Day deals.

Speaking alongside Volodymyr Zelenskyy outside his Mar-a-Lago home, Donald Trump said he believes Vladimir Putin is serious about peace.

He said too many people have died and that both presidents want to make a deal. Mr Trump said he believes there are the makings of an agreement that would be good for Ukraine and for everyone. He added there would be a strong security agreement for Ukraine, with European nations very much involved in the process.

Nick Kyrgios has defeated Aryna Sabalenka to win the latest Battle of the Sexes tennis exhibition match.

The injury wracked Australian, ranked six hundred and seventy one in the world, beat the women’s world number one in straight sets. The event in Dubai used modified rules, including one serve per player and a reduced court size on Sabalenka’s side. Kyrgios needed around seventy minutes to secure victory.

Former Newcastle United and Liverpool striker Andy Carroll is set to appear in court next week after being charged with breaching a non molestation order.

The former England footballer, now playing for National League South side Dagenham and Redbridge, was arrested in April following an alleged incident the previous month. Carroll, aged thirty six, is due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

A child has died and another has been taken to hospital following a house fire in Kent.

Six fire engines and a height vehicle were sent to a property in the village of Hamstreet near Ashford after an intense fire spread through the home, according to Kent Fire and Rescue Service. Its chief executive Ann Millington said thoughts and deepest condolences were with everyone affected by the tragic incident, especially the child’s loved ones.

Former England batter Hugh Morris has died at the age of sixty two after a battle with cancer.

Morris spent sixteen years in senior roles at the England and Wales Cricket Board, including a period as chief executive. He was diagnosed with cancer twice, first in December two thousand and two and again in twenty twenty one. Morris captained Glamorgan twice and led the county to the Sunday League title in nineteen ninety three. He was capped three times by England and also captained the England A side on overseas tours.

French actress Brigitte Bardot has died at the age of ninety one, according to her foundation.

A statement seen by the AFP news agency described her as a world renowned actress and singer who chose to step away from a prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare. The Brigitte Bardot Foundation said it was announcing with immense sadness the death of its founder and president, praising her lifelong commitment to protecting animals and supporting charitable causes through her work.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is meeting Donald Trump in Florida today for further talks aimed at ending nearly four years of war with Russia.

Discussions will include an updated version of a US brokered peace plan, which Moscow has yet to support, along with separate proposals for American security guarantees. The meeting at Mr Trump’s Mar a Lago home follows heavy Russian bombardment of Kyiv over the weekend, which Zelensky said shows Moscow does not want peace. A ten hour missile and drone attack killed two people and injured thirty two others.

Police have launched a murder investigation after a sixty six year old man died six days after being punched outside a village pub.

David Darke died in hospital on Saturday after being injured near the Crown Inn in Appleby Magna, in North West Leicestershire, on the twenty first of December. Leicestershire Police said a thirty six year old man, initially arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, has now been re arrested on suspicion of murder. Officers were called to the pub at around nine forty five last Sunday evening.

An Afghan special forces veteran trained in the UK has appealed to the government to allow him and former colleagues to join the British Army.

Major Noor Aziz Ahmadzai was left homeless after resettling in Britain following the Taliban takeover. He is among more than fourteen hundred Afghans and their families who have faced homelessness since August twenty twenty one. Former security minister Tom Tugendhat said the Ministry of Defence has let itself down by not easing citizenship rules during a recruitment crisis.