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Prince Andrew kept a low profile as members of the Royal Family attended Christmas Day church services in Sandringham in Norfolk. While a large crowd watched the Queen and family members arrive for the main 11am service, the prince attended an earlier service. Prince Andrew was also absent as family members left the church after the service to greet members of the public. Prince Philip, who was released from hospital on Tuesday, did not attend. Wednesday's service also saw an appearance by Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who joined the annual Christmas gathering at St Mary Magdalene Church for the first time. There had been speculation over whether Prince Andrew would join the rest of his family at Sandringham today. The prince has "stepped back" from his royal duties after controversy over his links with billionaire sex offender Jeffery Epstein. While most of the family arrived in front of crowds lining the roads, Andrew, accompanied by his brother, arrived earlier at the church and used a different entrance. The BBC's royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said the prince was a "significant absentee" from the main service at 11am. Our correspondent said: "If he had attended [the main service] a lot of the coverage would have been around him. He has become... something of an embarrassment currently to the Royal Family." The 11am service was broadcast live to the hundreds of visitors who had gathered outside St Mary Magdalene Church. Some had queued from the early hours of Wednesday morning in the hope of seeing the Royal Family. 'Bumpy' year The Queen's attendance at church precedes her Christmas Day message - in which she will describe 2019 as "quite bumpy". She will say the path is never "smooth" but "small steps" can heal divisions. Her message comes after a year of intense political debate over Brexit, as well as a number of personal events affecting the Royal Family, such as the controversy over her son Andrew and her husband's health. Queen speaks of ‘bumpy’ year in Christmas message Philip leaves hospital for Christmas with Queen William's kiss for Louis in new photo by Kate Prince Phillip returned to Sandringham on Christmas Eve after spending four nights in hospital. He was taken to King Edward VII's Hospital in London on Friday on the advice of his doctor. The 98-year-old retired from public life in August 2017 and his last public appearance was at Lady Gabriella Windsor's wedding in May. Prince Andrew's presence at Wednesday's early service follows a Newsnight interview in which he was questioned about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. It was after that interview that it was announced Prince Andrew would retire from public life. The Earl of Wessex and his daughter Lady Louise Windsor also arrived for the Christmas morning church service. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not attend this year's church service as they are in Canada taking a break from royal duties with their son Archie. Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released a new photograph showing the duke kissing his youngest son, Louis, alongside Prince George and Princess Charlotte. The picture was posted by Kensington Palace on Twitter with the message: "Merry Christmas to all our followers!" In her traditional message to the UK and Commonwealth, broadcast on BBC One and Radio 4 at 15:00 GMT on Christmas Day, the Queen will refers to the life of Jesus and the importance of reconciliation. It is a choice of words which BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell says "will inevitably prompt speculation about what it is that she's referring to". The head of state - who is publicly neutral on political matters - will also use her message to highlight the 75th anniversary of the World War Two D-Day landings. She will reflect on how former "sworn enemies" joined together in friendly commemorations to mark the milestone this year.

Just make sure you’re at the Beckford Arms by 9am, said Saunders, our organiser, not sounding excessively Christmassy. Truth be told, 9am did seem a touch early for something billed as a convivial pub lunch where a group of road-testing mates would embrace the Christmas spirit, especially as said Georgian public house is a good two hours from the office in wildest Wiltshire. Of course, we knew the real reason for the early start. The one thing about gatherings of drivers and cars – from which words and photographs will be extracted – is that they begin in an early, time-eating frenzy of car arranging and cleaning, followed by an extended bout of camera action and then some more arranging and shooting after that, just to be sure. Then will come action shots, during which (especially at this time of the year) the cars get covered with road gunge in their first 100 yards, so you’ll have to clean them again. Sure, there will be a nice lunch in the middle of it all, but the surrounding activities will ensure the day doesn’t end until daylight runs out around 4.30pm – and I’ve seen many a photographer (to a person, they’re obsessives) extend winter shoots by illuminating one car with the headlights of another. Not that I want to sound less than profoundly enthusiastic about our Christmas junket: this was, after all, a gathering of the finest road-testing talent this side of the equator; a team of enthusiasts driving and gassing as usual about their favourite cars and little else. For a whole day. Besides road test editor Matt Saunders, who chose to appear in a vast red and black Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, there was Matt Prior in a svelte 600bhp Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid coupé, Andrew Frankel in a magisterial Porsche 911 and James Disdale in a BMW 320d Touring, his version of 2019’s perfect family car. Simon Davis’s choice was a Toyota Supra, almost scary in its extreme yellowness, and Ricky Lane’s McLaren 600LT was the major eye-grabber of the group despite a calm grey-green paint job. Finally, there was me in a white Tesla Model 3 Long Range, a car that has profoundly surprised and impressed me during the year. I looked forward to justifying my choice to the blokes. This event has become an Autocar Christmas fixture: we each choose a recently launched car that we especially like, ideally to illustrate a personal preference in cars per se, and we take it to a photogenic location, with lunch attached. We drive, eat, talk, snap and finally head homeward, realising as the year ends how greatly we love this job and want to keep doing it next year. Also just how different from one another a clutch of great cars always are. “There are no really bad cars any more” goes the pub litany, and that’s just about true. But this year-end exercise always shows how diversified cars continue to be and how healthy that is for buyers, drivers and the industry that makes them.

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn have both paid tribute to NHS staff and other public sector workers in their Christmas messages. Mr Johnson used his first festive message as prime minister to thank those staff working over the holiday. He also expressed "solidarity" with Christians around the world who face persecution for their beliefs. Labour's Mr Corbyn said it was a time of year when "the scale of injustice and inequality" is in "plain sight". He praised people working in food banks and emergency shelters over Christmas. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also thanked volunteers and those working in the public sector over the festive period. Queen to admit ‘bumpy’ year in Christmas message Ed Miliband to join review of Labour poll failure In his message, the PM wished the public "a merry little Christmas" and thanked those working in the NHS, the police and other public services as well as military personnel on deployment with the armed forces. Mr Johnson, who will be spending his first Christmas as PM in Downing Street with his partner Carrie Symonds, said the government "stands with" Christians around the world who are facing persecution for their beliefs. "For them, Christmas Day will be marked in private, in secret, perhaps even in a prison cell," he said. "As prime minister, that's something I want to change. "We stand with Christians everywhere, in solidarity, and will defend your right to practice your faith. "So as a country let us reflect on the year, and celebrate the good that is to come." In his sign off, he urged the public to enjoy the festive period, joking: "Try not to have too many arguments with the in-laws - or anyone else." Mr Johnson and his partner are due to see in the New Year on the private Caribbean island of Mustique, the BBC understands. 'Difficult year' In what is likely to be his last Christmas message as Labour leader, Mr Corbyn reflected on his general election defeat, while expressing his hope for a "better world". He said: "This has been a difficult year for many of us. "We didn't succeed in delivering the change that so many people so desperately need," he said. "But Christmas is a chance to listen, reflect and remember all the things that bind us together: our compassion, our determination to tackle injustice and our hope for a better world." Mr Corbyn praised those working in food banks and emergency shelters, helping the less fortunate. "While we celebrate being together, we are reminded of the many who will be alone and sadly lonely at Christmas," he said. "But our communities are built on generosity and the solidarity that comes from that. "So we do not walk by on the other side." Mr Corbyn has previously said he will stand down as leader "early next year". The race to replace him has already begun, with shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry the first MP to officially throw her hat in the ring. In her Christmas address, Ms Sturgeon praised those who give up their time to help others and urged people to "spread some Christmas cheer" by volunteering or "by being a good neighbour or friend". The SNP leader called for Scots to be "especially thankful" for those working in the public sector over the Christmas period. "For many Christmas isn't a holiday at all - for example, for the people in our NHS and indeed all of our public services," she said. "Your efforts are appreciated all through the year. But they are particularly appreciated at Christmas time." In his message, acting Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey spoke about his Christian faith and the "hope, joy and love" of Christmas. He said: "What could possibly represent hope, joy and love better - than a newborn baby. "When I held my first child, in the crook of my arm in Kingston Hospital, just minutes after he'd been born, that was the first time I really understood how my own father and mother must have loved me. "So you don't actually have to believe in Jesus to recognise that for Christians, Christmas has a deep, profound meaning."

he Duke of Edinburgh has returned to Sandringham in time for Christmas after four nights in hospital. Prince Philip, 98, was taken to the King Edward VII's Hospital in London on Friday on the advice of his doctor. Buckingham Palace said the duke had returned to the Queen's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on Tuesday and thanked people for "their good wishes". It comes after the revelation the Queen will use her Christmas Day message to acknowledge 2019 has been "bumpy". The monarch herself travelled to Sandringham on Friday. The palace, meanwhile, said the duke's hospital admission had been a "precautionary measure". Prince Philip retired from public life in August 2017 after decades supporting the Queen and attending events for his own charities and organisations. His last public appearance was Lady Gabriella Windsor's wedding in May. The Prince of Wales said on Monday his father had been "looked after very well" by hospital staff. But Charles, who was visiting flood-hit communities in South Yorkshire, added: "When you get to that age things don't work so well." Royal commentator Caroline Aston told the BBC it was "entirely in keeping with the man" for Prince Philip to have seemingly had no visitors during his hospital stay, because he likes to make "no fuss about anything". The Queen, 93, recorded her annual Christmas Day message before Prince Philip was admitted to hospital. In the message, to be broadcast on BBC One at 15:00 GMT on Christmas Day, the monarch will say the path is never "smooth" but "small steps" can heal divisions. After a year of intense political debate over Brexit, as well as a number of personal events affecting the Royal Family, the Queen will say: "Small steps taken in faith and in hope can overcome long-held differences and deep-seated divisions to bring harmony and understanding." In January, the Duke of Edinburgh was involved in a car crash while driving near Sandringham. He escaped uninjured, but two women required hospital treatment. In September, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex publicly revealed their struggles under the media spotlight during their tour of southern Africa. And last month, the Duke of York withdrew from public life after a BBC interview about his ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself in August. Speculation As is customary, family photos can be seen positioned near the Queen for her annual speech. Addressing speculation about the absence of a photo of the Sussexes, the BBC's royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said it was not in the Queen's nature "to snub anybody", adding: "Certainly not her grandchildren." He said that the photos on the Queen's desk focus on the line of succession. There has also been speculation surrounding which members of the royal family will attend the church service tomorrow morning. BBC news correspondent Charlotte Gallagher said it was believed Prince Andrew would be at the service, as well as Prince George and Princess Charlotte. It has been a year which, at times, may have felt "quite bumpy", so the Queen will say in her Christmas broadcast. It is a choice of words which will inevitably prompt speculation about what it is that she's referring to. She does not offer any clarification herself, though the remark is made in the context of overcoming what she calls "long-held differences" and how "small steps taken in faith and in hope can overcome deep-seated divisions". The obvious interpretation is that this is the Queen's - as ever - coded message to the country to try to move on from the divisions of the Brexit debate, but the reference to a "bumpy" year may also be taken to refer to events within her own family after a year which has seen the Duke of Edinburgh's car accident, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex complaining about the difficulties of being in the public eye and the controversies around Prince Andrew. Last Christmas, Prince Philip missed the royals' traditional Christmas Day trip to church but was said to be in good health. In February, it was announced the duke had given up his driving licence. It came after he was involved in a collision with another vehicle near the Sandringham Estate. The treatment he has received for various health conditions over the years include being treated for a blocked coronary artery in 2011. The following year, the prince suffered a bladder infection and was forced to miss the Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert. He was also taken to hospital for an abdomen operation in 2013 and, in 2014, underwent surgery on his right hand. Last year he had a hip replacement at the same central London hospital that he is now attending.

The last year has been an eventful one for car makers generally and, more specifically, the UK car industryCivic will be the last Honda to be built at the Swindon factoryThe car industry has always looked ahead, but it has never been more focused on the future than it is right now. It is a time of unprecedented change, with electrification, legislation, autonomy and other new technology set to profoundly affect the way cars are built, powered, driven and sold. Those machines show the future is bright: the problem is that it’s not here yet. But the disruption being caused by all that change – and several other factors – is and was reflected in the turbulent state of the car industry in 2019. Here are the big issues that dominated the motor industry this year. Uncertainty hits car sales Analysts expect more than three million fewer new cars will be sold globally this year than in 2018. In the UK, year-on-year sales were down 2.7% at the end of November. There are multiple reasons for the decline, with the economic slowdown and consumer uncertainty playing key roles, exacerbated in the UK by the ongoing drama over Brexit. The continued decline of diesel, accelerated by the increasing prospect of anti-diesel legislation, was also a major reason for the fall. Sales of diesels fell more than 22% year on year in the UK – hitting firms with a heavy reliance on those engines, such as Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). Another key concern was the continued struggle of China: sales in the world’s biggest car market were down more than 12% year on year, not helped by trade tensions between China and the US. The impact of tougher WLTP emissions tests introduced in late 2018 carried into this year and several firms had to temporarily pull certain cars from sale due to backlogs in getting cars certified under the new system. The bigger challenge the industry had to face up to this year was preparing for the introduction of the EU’s 95g/km CO2 fleet emissions target in 2020. Those targets will be impossible to hit using purely combustion-engined cars and, with sales of fully electric vehicles yet to pick up, that led to a huge push of hybrid cars. There will be massive fines for missing those targets, so expect disruption in the availability of certain models as firms take action to adjust the average CO2 emissions of their fleet during 2020. The challenge of electrification That turmoil comes as firms are having to invest heavily – we’re talking billions of pounds here – in future technology. Electrification is coming: legislators and an increasingly environmentally conscious public demand it. Car firms are having to develop electrified powertrains and overhaul their production facilities – and, in some cases, substantially reorganise their entire business operations. They also need to invest in autonomous, digital and connected technology. That investment is needed today, but the pay-off won’t be immediate: EVs accounted for less than 2% of new car sales in the UK in 2019. That figure will rise sharply in years to come as an increasing number of EV models are launched – although it’s clear that the public still needs some convincing to make the leap. There’s also the question of where those cars will be charged, with the growth of fast-charging networks not reflecting the pace of EV development – and manufacturers, governments and charging firms debating who should be responsible for funding the expansion that’s required. The huge investment needed in future technology led to another big trend of the year: partnerships. Companies can’t fund all that development by themselves and are increasingly sharing the cost. Toyota has secured a string of deals with other Japanese firms, including Mazda, Suzuki and Subaru, to team up on EV development. Ford has agreed deals with rival Volkswagen and start-up Rivian to build future EVs on those firms’ platforms. JLR and BMW are co-operating on electric motor development. Even BMW and Mercedes-Benz, long-time head-to-head rivals, are working together on autonomous technology. The quest for economies of scale also drove a push for numerous firms to investigate combining forces in formal mergers. The PSA Group reportedly looked at buying JLR; and Groupe Renault and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) held merger talks. Neither came to fruition but did point to the biggest story of the year: the agreement of FCA and PSA to merge. The deal, still awaiting final approval, will create the world’s fourth-largest car firm. Manufacturing in the UK It was a tough year for car manufacturers in the UK. Falling sales led to falling production, while firms were also forced to invest time and money on Brexit contingency measures for several scheduled (and delayed) dates for the UK’s exit from the EU. The lack of an agreement between the UK and EU meant firms spent much of the year not knowing how cross-border trade would work. That uncertainty came on top of already tough conditions. Honda announced it would shut its Swindon factory, with Ford closing its Bridgend engine plant. Nissan shifted plans to build the next-gen X-Trail away from its Sunderland site and the long-term future of Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant remains uncertain, particularly in the wake of the PSA-FCA merger. Those various struggles are all for numerous different reasons, but all combined to make it a tough year. The outsiders: the new firms trying to disrupt the industry Thanks to ever controversial boss Elon Musk, Tesla is rarely far from the headlines – and it again attracted plenty of attention in 2019. Questions over Tesla’s financing, stock value and long-term future remain, but the firm had a good 2019: Model 3 sales were strong and the first examples reached the UK and mainland Europe; it unveiled the Model Y SUV and Cybertruck; and it started work on a pivotal Shanghai factory.

Men who are dependent on alcohol or drugs are six or seven times more likely to be involved in domestic abuse against women than others, according to an extensive new study. The research, published in the online journal PLOS-Medicine, analysed hundreds of thousands of medical records and police data from Sweden over a 16-year period. It also found an increased risk of partner violence among men with mental illnesses and behavioural disorders, though it was not as marked as in the group with a drink or drugs problems. University of Oxford Professor Seena Fazel, who led the study, said the findings suggest domestic violence could be reduced with improvements in drug and alcohol treatment services and better monitoring of offenders. "Treatment programmes for perpetrators have not been very effective to date - probably reflecting lack of high-quality evidence on risk factors that can be targeted," Prof Fazel told BBC News. "Prevention and intervention programmes should prioritise substance misuse and perpetrators should be assessed for substance misuse to prevent recidivism," he said. The study, which also involved experts from the US, Sweden and King's College, London, tracked 140,000 men who had been clinically diagnosed with a drink or drug problem between January 1998 and December 2013. Researchers explored how many had later been arrested for threatening, attacking or sexually assaulting their wives, girlfriends or female ex-partners. They found that 1.7% of men dependant on alcohol had subsequently been arrested for such offences - six times as many as those in a sample of the overall male po[CENSORED]tion with a similar age profile. For men with a drug problem, 2.1% had been arrested, which was seven times higher than average. While undoubtedly there is some link between alcohol and drugs and domestic abuse, this research should be treated with some caution, said Dame Vera Baird, victims' commissioner for England and Wales. She said: "Many perpetrators who commit domestic violence while drunk will also be violent and controlling while sober. "And many perpetrators of domestic violence and coercive control do not have a drink or drug problem, and therefore it would be a mistake to divert resources from domestic violence perpetrator programmes to tackling drink and drugs misuse." The researchers also carried out "sibling comparisons" to check whether the increased risk of domestic abuse among those with alcohol and drug problems could be explained by other factors, such as family background and genetics. They found there was still a heightened risk among men dependant on drink or drugs - but it was slightly less pronounced when compared with their brothers who did not have substance misuse problems. "Alcohol and drug use disorders decrease an individual's inhibition, which in turn can lead to the use of violence to solve conflicts in intimate relationships," the research says. It also found a link between some mental health problems and domestic abuse, with those suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), personality disorders and clinical depression among those more likely to face arrest. "People with mental disorders are also likely to use alcohol and drugs as coping strategies to deal with difficult symptoms associated with their illnesses," the study says. "Therefore, alcohol and drug use disorders could be underlying mechanisms linking other mental disorders to later [domestic violence] perpetration."

German police have found a teenager missing more than two years inside a cupboard in the home of a man suspected of child pornography offenses. The boy, 15, was found in the apartment in the town of Recklinghausen on Friday as officers were searching for pictures of serious child abuse, police say. He has been taken to a clinic where his psychological state is being assessed. The man, 44, was taken into custody on suspicion of a serious sexual offense, and data drives were seized by police. A 77-year-old man who also lived in the apartment was questioned by police before being released. Police said there was evidence the boy had been in the apartment for a long time but there was no initial indication he had been held against his will. How did the boy disappear? As a result of a family crisis, he had been living in 2017 in a shelter in a suburb of Recklinghausen, 100km (62 miles) north of Cologne, German media report. One day that summer, when he was 13, the boy disappeared after saying goodbye to one of his carers. Social workers reported him missing and an appeal was made on television but nothing further was heard from him until Friday. His mother spoke to German tabloid Bild am Sonntag after being reunited with her son. She said she had barely recognised him and that he looked like a "broken old man". He was, she said, still wearing the clothes he had had on him the day he had disappeared. According to German media, he told his mother he had been locked up for two and a half years and not allowed to go outside. His mother said she hoped to be able to visit her son at Christmas. What happened to the suspect? He was brought before a judge on Saturday after an arrest warrant was issued for the serious sexual offense. According to a police statement released on Friday, the man's flat was searched after he came under suspicion of distributing child pornography. A dog trained to sniff out hard drives was used as part of the search.

Happy birthday, Mini. How could I possibly celebrate? I did toy with the idea of driving my Mini Cooper to Izmir, now in Turkey and the birthplace of Sir Alec Issigonis. Alternatively I could hack out another Mini book and cash in on the anniversary. I really fancied the idea of buying an original Mini and not being charged extortionate ‘classic’ car tax, as it’s an expensive business. Happy birthday, Mini. How could I possibly celebrate? I did toy with the idea of driving my Mini Cooper to Izmir, now in Turkey and the birthplace of Sir Alec Issigonis. Alternatively I could hack out another Mini book and cash in on the anniversary. I really fancied the idea of buying an original Mini and not being charged extortionate ‘classic’ car tax, as it’s an expensive business. If I was going to get another Mini it would have to be different from my Cooper. A Moke would be fun but not cheap, but I could make a business case for any commercial. Otherwise, real-world money buys a dreary ’90s Mayfair. So I would have to look further afield for a Mini I don’t actually need. Once the idea of buying a Mini, and specifically a different Mini, was inside my head, the search was on for an Innocenti. Here was a Mini that didn’t actually look like a Mini. This was December last year and none was for sale in the UK. There didn’t appear to be any in Europe, either – well, not the pure early example I had in mind. The later Daihatsu ones and turbos were around, but by then it wasn’t exactly a Mini. Then I spied a bright red example on autobelle.it. I was barely a couple of minutes into looking for an Italian Mini and already I was sending a message asking for more details. Yes, that escalated quickly. From the pictures – and the seller emailed dozens – it looked very straight and rather perky. Plus there was some supporting documentation that suggested the car was exactly as described: a 1977 Innocenti Mini 90 SL. The money being asked was roughly mid-’70s rusty Mini City, if you’re lucky. I did feel lucky. I also had to put a lot of trust in Google Translate. I asked about ‘ruggine’ – that’s Italian for ‘rust’, if you haven’t guessed. I established the seller wasn’t a dealer, just an enthusiast who needed the space. I think. The car lived in Bologna and, tempted as I was to buy unseen and get it helicoptered home, the reality was that I had a wonderful excuse for a trip to Italy, and I was rather keen to drive it back. We exchanged emails over Christmas and in my head I was planning the return leg over the Alps and through France. Should I sleep in the back? Take camping gear? It will be January, but I’d wear thermals. Lots of thermals. Then the owner admitted that the tyres weren’t all that, so best not to drive it back. I asked if there was a nearby tyre fitter. He was evasive (later I discovered I would have probably died in the Alps due to the dodgy brakes and ancient rubber). On a wet Friday at the end of January, Ryanair took myself and Mrs Ruppert (she’s my designated minder) to the northern Italian city of Bologna. We checked into Il Canale hotel, which was as quirky and attention-seeking as the Innocenti Mini. The place was packed full of absolutely fantastic tat, like a carefully controlled explosion in a hipster shop: an old push bike, stuffed animals and loads of empty but colourful biscuit tins. The next day we went to a bleak, industrial part of the city, with car dealers, random commercial units and what turned out to be a smallish underground garage in which the Innocenti resided. The car was driven out into the daylight and it seemed straight enough. It certainly started without much bother, although a blowing exhaust made it sound a teeny bit rough. At some point it had been indifferently resprayed, but it was still on a par with how most Leyland products left the booth in the 1970s. There were no major dents, just some less-than-brilliant panel gaps, but again, it was all very ’70s. Under the bonnet it was stupendously clean, though, and the togetherness of the upholstery was quite a shock. It was too damp to get right underneath the car. The sills seemed a bit crumbly and there was a colossal amount of black underseal of a certain vintage. Some work would be needed, not least on the basis that it’s from the ’70s and I have never seen any car, let alone a Mini, without some degree of ruggine or other. We drove down the road and around the industrial estate. It was bouncy and noisy and I reckoned it needed things doing. Mostly, though, it worked. The hard-to-get parts and bodywork all seemed intact, and the oily bits are all easily obtainable A-Series components and as cheap as chips. This Innocenti would make one hell of a 60th birthday present, so I bought it. But was I going to drive it home? Er, no. I booked a trailer. Exporting from Italy You need the Italian registration papers, a declaration of sale (signed at the local ACI office), Italy’s MOT equivalent and UK insurance (use the chassis number). Cool Italian number plates belong to the seller: you need their permission to drive off with them and they must trust you to post them back once you’re home – or you hang around for days for export plates. In the UK you have 14 days to notify HMRC via its online NOVA service. No import tax on EU cars over six months old. Get an MOT and complete the V55/5 form to register, which costs £55. Innocenti Mini The Mini 90 and 120, styled by Bertone and introduced in 1974, were the first official hatchback-based Minis, and they preceded the Metro by six years. They were among the first superminis. Underneath was standard Mini A-Series running gear (998cc and 49bhp in the 90, a 65bhp 1275cc in the 120), yet it was only marginally larger than the old car, being just 2.6in longer and 3.5in wider. Leyland Innocenti went bust in 1975 and De Tomaso took a controlling interest in 1976. In 1982 its Mini 3 had Daihatsu power and the British connection ended.

Anyone want a nice bit of swan? No? Peacock? No? Ok then, here are some delicious marinated pigs’ ears instead. When this year’s Christmas TV schedules were announced, the BBC Two documentary A Merry Tudor Christmas with Lucy Worsley stood out. In the hour-long programme, the historian examines the festive customs and traditions of Henry VIII and co. As you can imagine, many of the celebrations involved food, but probably not quite the Christmas dishes you’re used to seeing on TV. So intricate and long-forgotten were the recipes, the show enlisted the help of food historian Dr Annie Gray. Alongside Hampton Court Palace chefs, she conjured up dishes from the period. Not only do the calories and costs stack up, but so do the hours, days and weeks it takes to make the dishes. As for the food itself? Well, it won’t be to everyone’s taste. Here’s what we learn from the documentary… You’d be hungry for most of December (unless you were rich) Oh, how times have changed. While we now treat ourselves to a chocolate advent calendar, during December 500 years ago things were a little different. Most of the English po[CENSORED]tion were Catholic when Henry VIII took to the throne in 1509. And what rule did the Catholic church impose? That the period of advent was a time for abstinence, when you were not allowed meat or dairy. Fasting lasted four weeks, so by Christmas Eve people were more than a little peckish. The fast would officially break on Christmas Day, then for 12 days there would be feasting. But for some the wait was too long. “Some people would break their advent’s fast with Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve at midnight”, explains Dr Annie. However, the fasting period wasn’t as difficult for people with titles and money, who added fish and other aquatic delights to their diet during advent. “To be fair, the fish dishes at the time were quite something. So if you were wealthy, it wasn’t a time of hardship, you just ate porpoise and beavers’ tail rather than beef and venison,” she says. Most people were vegetarians – except at Christmas In the documentary we learn that meat was seen as prestigious – because most people didn’t get to eat a lot of it. “Around 80–90 percent of the po[CENSORED]tion were probably involuntary vegetarians because they couldn’t afford meat,” says Dr Annie. “Because it was Christmas and a great big feast you’d want to have meat and – in the majority of cases if you were not a landowner or freeholder you would be an agricultural worker, so you’d have a lord and master and they would gift you some meat for Christmas.” This wasn’t a purely altruistic move though; tenants were expected to give their lord and master a gift too, and they would probably be told exactly what it should be. The dishes the average person made at Christmas weren’t that strange After being gifted something like beef, they would “have probably put it into a stew-like dish or they might have a piece of pie,” says Dr Annie. She adds “the Christmas feast would also have bread – everyone ate a phenomenal amount of bread at this time, and if you could you’d perhaps buy some gingerbread because ginger was relatively cheap as a spice.” The same could not be said for the royals… Early on in the documentary we see exactly what Henry VIII spent on the 12 days of Christmas in his first year on the throne: an eye-watering £7,000. To put that into context, his father Henry VII spent £12,000 on the royal household for an entire year. So, to say Christmas feasting was excessive would be an understatement – and meat was a main component. The festive table would include swan, stuffed peacock, beef and turkey. But one showstopper highlighted the king’s power and prowess… Wild boar’s head was the ultimate indulgence Having hunted down a wild boar with his own spear, the head would then be served up on Henry VIII’s Christmas dinner table. It was a trend for landowners that became problematic. “They (wild boars) kept going extinct in Britain because people were hunting them all the time and eating them. So you had this constant conversation along the lines of ‘oh dear we’ve killed all the boars, let’s reintroduce them so we have something a bit dangerous on our Christmas table.’” In the programme, Dr Annie and the chefs reproduce this dish. It takes quite a lot of effort, and it isn’t for the squeamish. “You’d have your boar’s head prepared – cut back from the second vertebrae – and you’d need a big flap of skin behind the ears,” explains Dr Annie matter-of-factly. But that’s just the start. “You’d need to bone out the head completely before rubbing it with salt and various spices. Then you'd marinate it in red wine and salt and leave it to set for 2 weeks, at which point it would become a sort of purple mess and very leathery”. Seriously, look away “At that point, you'd have to trim all the flesh from inside it. When we did this, it took most of the day. Then we sewed the eyelids and openings shut, which took an hour or two, and then it became this big pinkish cushion cover. “Then you'd chop up all the meat that’s been in the head in brine, add more boar's flesh, fat, spices and nuts – really expensive ingredients that show prestige at the Court – and then you'd stuff the head. "When we prepared this, the boar’s head was so huge that there’s a picture of me with my arm right down the snout, and the ears are tickling my neck. I had pig’s fat all up my arm.” The work didn't end there, though: “Once you’d stuffed it with itself, you flipped the skin round, sewed it up and swaddled it in muslin, then boiled it for 7 or 8 hours in red wine until it was done completely. Then you'd lift it out – which is virtually impossible because it weighs the same as a five-year-old child and it’s huge. "After removing the muslin you'd decorate it. That’s normally quite simple: you'd brush it with a bit of the reduced wine, which by this time was sticky and gorgeous, then brush it on the head so it glistened and had a beautiful winey colour.” As it was brought to the table, a song would be sung about how special it was. So, an awful lot of work for one Christmas dish. And what did Lucy Worsley make of it? “I don't like it,” she confesses. One thing that might have made the boar’s head more palatable than the 16th-century version was that health and safety rules meant it didn’t contain the brain. Would Henry VIII’s dish have included it? “They probably wouldn’t have removed it, no”, admits Dr Annie. While it’s hard to come up with a relative cost for the dish, Dr Annie estimates that in today’s money the head would have “been in the tens of thousands, really”. Meat was in pretty much everything festive On the show we see a precursor to the plum pudding and mince pies served up today. Both would have included a lot of meat and of course fat – the suet in the mince pie came from sheep’s kidneys, and as one of the chefs tells us, they had to “strip out the veins and membranes”. Delightful.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has apologised for causing "great anxiety" by going on holiday during a mounting wildfire crisis. Mr Morrison cut short his trip to Hawaii as criticism of him increased. One person was found dead on Saturday, and wildfires are raging in three states. Since September, Australia's bushfire emergency has killed at least nine people, destroyed more than 700 homes and scorched millions of hectares. Sydney protesters demand action on climate change How climate change has contributed to bushfires Australia's long and dangerous summer ahead Earlier, deputy prime minister Michael McCormack conceded that more had to be done to tackle global warming, after many Australians linked the severity of this year's fires to climate change. What did PM Morrison say? "I get it that people would have been upset to know that I was holidaying with my family while their families were under great stress," he said on Sunday. Speaking after a briefing with fire officials, he said he knew Australians were anxious about the fires but insisted that the emergency response was "the best in the world". He conceded that climate change was contributing to changing weather patterns, but denied that it had directly caused Australia's wildfires. "It's not a credible suggestion to make that link," he argued. Many Australians have accused Scott Morrison's government of inaction on global warming, with criticism growing as a heatwave broke records across the country and worsened the fires. Although climate change is not the direct cause of bushfires, scientists have long warned that a hotter, drier climate would contribute to Australia's fires becoming more frequent and intense. Firefighters' union leader Leighton Drury previously said Australia was "seeing an absolute lack of leadership from this government, and it is a disgrace". Tributes paid to volunteers Mr Morrison also paid tribute to Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and Andrew O'Dwyer, 36, the two firefighters killed in New South Wales on Thursday. "When our volunteers go out there, they do it for so many reasons - but I can't help thinking they do it for love of family. Family is community, and they were out there defending their communities on that fateful night," he said. The two men died when their truck was hit by a falling tree near a fire front, causing it to roll off the road. Three other firefighters who were also in the vehicle survived with minor injuries. What's happening with the fires? Conditions eased on Sunday, giving exhausted firefighters a better shot at containing huge fires near Sydney. Rain is forecast in some fire-struck parts of New South Wales on Tuesday and Wednesday - but another period of dangerously hot weather is expected next week. Rising temperatures and strong winds had fanned fires in three states on Saturday. In South Australia one person was found dead, another was critically injured and 15 homes were destroyed about 40km (25 miles) east of the state capital, Adelaide. NSW fire chief Shane Fitzsimmons described Saturday as an "awful day". One man was reported missing in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, but ultimately found safe and well, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service tweeted.

Ineos Automotive has named major automotive engineering firm Magna Steyr as its engineering partner for the development of its forthcoming Grenadier 4x4. The British firm, owned by chemical magnate Jim Ratcliffe, is developing the machine as a no-compromise off-roader in the mould of the original Land Rover Defender. The Grenadier is due to go into production in 2021, at a new facility in Bridgend, Wales. Ineos has already involved a number of partners in the £600 million project, and already works with Magna’s powertrain division on chassis and development work. It has now agreed a deal with Austrian-based Magna Steyr to lead the development project to turn the concept into a series production machine. Ineos Automotive boss Dirk Heilmann said that the “transition from concept to series development is a major landmark in the evolution of the Grenadier.” He added that Magna Steyr had been chosen due to its “long heritage and experience in 4x4 development.” The Grenadier will be powered by BMW’s latest 3.0-litre straight six petrol and diesel engines. The firm is also working with Stuttgart-based consultancy MBTech on engineering for the new car. Magna Steyr is the automobile production arm of Canadian engineering giant Magna International, and has developed cars, technology and parts for manufacturers including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar. It also operated a number of contract manufacturing plants, producing models including the Jaguar E-Pace and I-Pace and Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Magna Steyr was formed in 2001 from the Steyr-Daimler-Puch manufacturing concern, which had a long history of developing rugged off-road and military 4x4 vehicles, including the Steyr-Daimler-Puch Pinzgauer.

Scientists say they have discovered a possible underlying cause of the neurological disorder, motor neurone disease (MND). The University of Exeter team says it has found evidence that MND is linked to an imbalance of cholesterol and other fats in cells. It says the research could lead to more accurate diagnosis and new treatments. MND affects around 5,000 people in the UK and causes more than 2,000 deaths a year. What is MND? Motor neurone disease is a group of diseases that affect the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that tell your muscles what to do. Also known as ALS, it causes muscle weakness and stiffness. Eventually people with the disease are unable to move, talk, swallow and finally, breathe. There is no cure and the exact causes are unclear - it's been variously linked to genes, exposure to heavy metals and agricultural pollution. What did the researchers find? Scientists at the University of Exeter say they had a "eureka moment" when they realised that 13 genes - which, if altered, can cause the condition - were directly involved in processing cholesterol. They say their theory could help predict the course and severity of the disease in patients and monitor the effect of potential new drugs. The theory is outlined in a paper, published in Brain: A Journal of Neurology. Lead author Prof Andrew Crosby said: "For years, we have known that a large number of genes are involved in motor neurone disease, but so far it hasn't been clear if there's a common underlying pathway that connects them." The finding particularly relates to what is known as the "spastic paraplegias", where the malfunction is in the upper part of the spinal cord. Dr Emma Baple, also from the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "Currently, there are no treatments available that can reverse or prevent progression of this group of disorders. Patients who are at high risk of motor neurone disease really want to know how their disease may progress and the age at which symptoms may develop, but that's very difficult to predict." Dr Brian Dickie, director of research at the MND Association, said the work raises some interesting ideas. "At the moment, it is unclear whether the imbalance observed is a cause of MND or a consequence of the disease. We look forward to seeing the outcome of further research in this area."

A pool installation company owner in Florida has paid off the bills of 36 families who were in danger of losing power during the holiday season. After receiving his own utility bill, Michael Esmond got the idea to "take a little bit of stress out" of the season for his neighbours. He contacted the city of Gulf Breeze, where he lives, to ask about helping out everyone whose payment was overdue. He says he was motivated by his own unheated holiday season years ago. While paying his gas and water bill earlier this month, Mr Esmond, 73, said that he noticed that it read that the due date was 26 December and that supplies may be cut if not paid by then. "This actually happened to me back in the 80s," he told BBC News, saying that he was having trouble juggling the costs of bills and Christmas gifts back then. "We actually had the gas shut off the whole entire winter," he said, adding that it happened to be one of the coldest ever recorded winters in Pensacola. Joanne Oliver, Gulf Breeze's utility billing supervisor, told WEAR-TV that she cried when he first approached her with the idea. "For someone like him, a veteran to come in and do some grand gesture. It was heartfelt for me," she said. In total, Mr Esmond paid $4,600 (£3,500) to help 36 families in his community of 6,000 residents. But what he didn't know until later was that the city sent out holiday cards to the recipients of his generosity saying: "It is our honour and privilege to inform you that your past due utility bill has been paid by Gulf Breeze pools & Spas. "You can rest easier this holiday season knowing you have one less bill to pay." "I think I really struck a nerve with a lot of people. People don't realise that there are people right now that don't have heat and electricity and everything in their house and their going to go through Christmas without that." "My phone hasn't stopped ringing with text messages and emails for days now," he says, with many people promising him they will "pay it forward" and do charitable acts that he helped to inspire. "It's just mind boggling to me," he added. Mr Esmond says he's already thinking of what he can do next year, but says it definitely will not be the same act of kindness. "People say 'are you going to do this again next year', and my reply to them is, if people knew I was going to do this nobody would pay their bill. "They'd all wait for me to pay it," he chuckled. "I'll have to think up something."

A Japanese court has ordered a high-profile TV reporter to pay 3.3 million yen ($30,000; £22,917) in damages to a journalist who accused him of rape. Shiori Ito alleged that Noriyuki Yamaguchi raped her in 2015 while she was unconscious. Prosecutors said there was not enough evidence for a criminal case, so Ms Ito brought a civil case. Ms Ito has become a symbol of the #MeToo movement in a country where people rarely report sexual assault. "I'm so happy," said 30-year-old Ms Ito, who held up a sign which read "victory" after the verdict was announced. But in a news conference hours later, Mr Yamaguchi said he planned to appeal - and he again denied the rape allegations. According to Ms Ito, 53-year-old Mr Yamaguchi - who is said to have close ties to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe - invited her to dinner to discuss a possible job opportunity in 2015. She suspects she may have been drugged, saying that when she regained consciousness, she was "in a hotel room and he was on top of me". Ms Ito was an intern at news agency Reuters when the alleged rape occurred. Mr Yamaguchi was then Washington bureau chief for the Tokyo Broadcasting System, a major media firm in Japan. When Japan's women broke their silence Investigations were opened but then dropped by police, citing insufficient evidence. Ms Ito said police forced her to re-enact the alleged rape with a life-sized doll while male officers looked on. A 2017 government survey found that only 4% of rape victims reported the crime to the police. Shiori Ito: In her own words As part of the investigation into my allegations, I was asked to come to the police station adjacent to the hotel I was taken to that night. When I arrived, accompanied by my best friend, for moral support, I was taken to a gymnasium on an upper floor of the station. I had heard about what was about to happen, and asked for my friend to be able to come with me. The police refused. I was taken into the gym and told to lie on a mattress, and life-size mannequin was then produced and three male officers moved the doll on top of me, asking me intimate questions about exactly what happened and taking photographs. I was told this was essential to the investigation. It was at this time, that I had to make the shift in my head from complainant to journalist. The only way I have been able to continue has been to completely compartmentalise my feelings - I had to treat this as a story I was following: I was seeking the truth as a journalist, detached and dispassionate. That is still the way I try to frame it in my mind. Ms Ito filed a civil lawsuit against Mr Yamaguchi seeking 11 million yen ($100,517 ; £76,758) in compensation. Mr Yamaguchi, who denies any wrongdoing and claims the sex was consensual, filed a counter-suit seeking 130 million yen ($1,187,941; £907,135) in compensation. He will now have to pay Ms Ito $30,000 in damages, but there remains no criminal case against him. Under Japan's rape law, prosecutors must prove violence or intimidation was involved, or that the victim was "incapable of resistance".

The government is to add a new clause to the Brexit bill to rule out any extension to the transition period beyond the end of next year. The post-Brexit transition period - due to conclude in December 2020 - can currently be extended by mutual agreement for up to two years. But an amended Withdrawal Agreement Bill the Commons is set to vote on this week would rule out any extension. Critics say this raises the chance of leaving the EU without a trade deal. But senior Cabinet Minister Michael Gove insisted both the UK and the EU had "committed themselves to making sure that we have a deal" by the end of 2020. He also promised Parliament would be able to scrutinise the Withdrawal Agreement Bill "in depth". Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the move was "reckless and irresponsible" and he argued that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was "prepared to put people's jobs at risk". Downing Street has said the government plans to ask the new Parliament to have its first debate and vote on the withdrawal agreement - the legislation needed to ratify Brexit - on Friday. With a majority of 80 following Thursday's general election, Mr Johnson is expected to get the bill into law with few changes in time for the UK to end its EU membership on 31 January. The government will then have until the end of the transition period on 31 December to negotiate a free trade agreement with Brussels before the trade relationship defaults to World Trade Organization (WTO) terms. Senior EU figures, including the bloc's chief negotiator Michel Barnier, are sceptical that a deal can be agreed within that time. As well as ruling out an extension, the Independent reports that the amended withdrawal agreement may omit previous "provisions to ensure that workers' rights were not weakened after Brexit". Mr Gove said workers' rights would be "safeguarded" in separate legislation adding that the government wanted to make sure the Withdrawal Agreement Bill passes through Parliament "cleanly and clearly".

Clashes between riot police and anti-government protesters in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, have left dozens of people wounded, witnesses say. The violence began as demonstrators, who had been attacked during a sit-in by masked counter-protesters, tried to move into a square near parliament. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets, while protesters threw stones. At least 20 officers were also wounded. Protests over economic mismanagement by the ruling elite began in October. Saturday's events are some of the worst violence since the largely peaceful protests started. They triggered the resignation of the Prime Minister, Saad al-Hariri, but talks to form a new government are deadlocked. "It was a very peaceful protest. Everyone was singing chants that we're one people, that we're all peaceful and then some of the young guys pushed one of the fences that separated us," Mona Fawaz, who was at the protest, told the BBC. "We saw an enormous amount of police come out and really disperse us, push us and then they started [firing] tear gas on us. There was really no reason for all this demonstration of force." Riot police and security forces had been deployed in large numbers in Beirut, chasing demonstrators, beating and detaining some of them, Reuters news agency reports. Some protesters tried to push through steel barriers blocking the way to the parliament and government buildings. Clashes continued late into Saturday night. The Lebanese Civil Defence said it had treated 54 people for injuries, taking more than half to hospital. It was not clear whether they were all civilians. The protests have been the largest seen in Lebanon in more than a decade. They have cut across sectarian lines - a rare phenomenon since the devastating 1975-1990 civil war ended - and involved people from all sectors of society. Demonstrators are angry at their leaders' failure to deal with a stagnant economy, rising prices, high unemployment, dire public services and corruption. Their demands include an end to government corruption and the overhaul of the political system and the formation of an independent, non-sectarian cabinet. Talks between President Michel Aoun and parliamentary blocs to name a new prime minister were expected to be held on Monday.